Chapter Eighteen

Kevin stayed, talking with Nicole and her parents. Her mother asked of him, "So does my Nicole really do anything here, or is she just along for the ride?"

He chuckled, "No, she does a lot of things Jes can't pick up on. Plus she keeps us in fun from time to time and when she has nights off, she makes AJ look good."

Nicole shot at him while her parents stood in shock, "What are you talking about?!"

Her mother interjected, "Is there a Nic and AJ thing on the rise?"

She responded, "No, no …"

Kevin defended Nicole to her parents; "They just went to the awards show together."

"Oh good, I was thinking when we saw Scott after dinner, it was a good sign." Her mother was smiling.

Nicole looked away from everyone and sighed, then grumbling, "I can't believe this."

"So, are you and Scott back together," the mother asked. "He still looks intent on you."

"Ma …"

The father turned to the mother, "Anne, leave her be."

"Well, the girl hardly calls. How am I supposed to know that they are back together?" Kevin was feeling uncomfortable at the situation.

"MA!"

"Anne."

"Sorry, sorry, anyway. Tell me, what was with this awards show and AJ?"

"Oh, the American Music Awards. Nothing big, the other guys all had their girlfriends with them, so me and AJ went as friends."

"And Kevin? How long have you and your own been together?"

He answered kindly, but not with too much happiness, "About a year and a half now."

"Does she travel with you guys?"

"No, she works back in Orlando. But she comes along every so often to visit."

"How does it work with so much traveling?"

At this point Nicole was bothered by the topic, looking around the lobby and the ceiling from time to time.

"Um," he looked over at Nicole. "It's tough. But we make it somehow."

Nicole half smiled, then turned to her mom asking with her eyes to change the subject. "So, what do you know about my daughter staying up so late at night?"

"Huh?" Kevin was afraid she was referring to them spending the last few nights together, and would assume something that wasn't there.

"She said she's been up pretty late the last few nights. Are you working her too hard?" Anne chuckled, seeing worry in Kevin's eyes.

Nicole answered, "No, ma. It's just my sleeping habits."

"Yeah Anne. You remember we could never get her up before noon."

"Dad!"

Kevin answered, "Well, she must have changed much. She's working on getting me up in the mornings. That's a job in itself." He smiled at Nicole.

AJ entered the room, and the conversation, "Hey folks."

"Oh, God," Nicole mumbled.

He threw his arm around her neck and asked, "Are we still talking about our dear Nicole here?"

Her dad answered, "We were just discussing her sleeping habits."

Thinking they were talking about Nicole and Kevin's recent nights together AJ responded, "Yeah well, they seem to have found their friendship," looking right at Kevin.

"Who?" Tony asked.

"Kevin and Nic."

Nicole yelled out, "J!"

AJ spoke, "Your daughter is very compassionate with all of us. We all have our own unique friendships here." He was trying to cover up realizing his bad comment.

Nicole muttered, "Thanks J." She then turned to her parents, "I think it's getting late. The guys have to be up tomorrow and you two have to work. We better let you go."

She leaned to hug her dad and gave him a kiss on his cheek. She turned to her mother, doing the same, when her mom touched her daughter's face with her hands. "Get some sleep dear, you're looking worn."

Nicole smiled back, "Ok. I will. I'll call you tomorrow."

"Call your brother tomorrow, too."

"I will." Nicole's parents shared good byes and "nice to meet you" with Kevin and AJ.

When the parents left the lobby Nicole shot an icy-eyed look at AJ. "What?!" he shrieked. "How was I supposed to know what you were talking about? Besides, they didn't look all that much shocked."

"Well, they seemed great," Kevin insisted.

AJ agreed, "Yeah, I can't believe you didn't want us to meet them."

"Anyway, you guys better stop talking to them." Kevin asked why. "Because they're going to start believing all the good things you all keep saying about me." All three chuckled then sighed with tire on their breaths.

Both Nicole and Kevin turned to AJ after a brief silence. "Can I talk to you?" they both asked.

"Whoa, whoa." AJ laughed, "There's only so much of me to go around."

Nic smiled at Kevin, "Rock, paper, scissors?" He nodded and met his fist with hers.

"I can't believe this. I am so important, you guys are using a playground game to decide who gets me." AJ laughed at the two.

After a count of three, Nicole had a closed fist for rock, and Kevin had scissors. She knocked her fist on his hand. "I won." She turned to AJ; "I'll be back in a few. I'm gonna run to get my jacket." Turning back to Kevin, "You can have him until I get back."

She ran off to the elevators and AJ said to Kevin in a raspy voice, "Until she gets back you can have me." They both laughed.