**TWO AND A HALF WEEKS LATER**
“So, the guys are getting ready for promotion?” Jade asked Meredith. They were sitting on Jade’s couch, flipping through television channels. Not finding anything, she switched the t.v. off.
“Yep,” Meredith sighed. “Press conferences, talk shows, and any other form of promotion you can think of. Are you gonna go on the special world tour they’ve got set up?”
“No, actually, I’ll be staying right here,” Jade replied simply. “I’ve got work. I’m sure you’ll have fun though.”
Meredith frowned. “Yeah, but it would be cool if my best friend could go along with me.”
“Sorry to disappoint you.”
“J, are you okay? I hate seeing you like this,” Meredith said, concerned.”
“I’m fine,” she answered and plastered an obviously fake smile on her face. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
“So, you’ve heard?”
“What?” Jade’s smile fell. She didn’t have a good feeling about what Meredith could be talking about.
Before she ha the chance to answer, Meredith was interrupted by her cell phone. “Dammit,” she groaned as the call ended. “I’ve got to go down to the studio. Some stupid ass screwed up our pictures from the last shoot we did, and I have to go do a quick make-up session. They had better find those damn pictures cause this is the one day I have off.”
Jade watched quietly as Meredith gathered her jacket and purse. “I’ll see ya later then,” Jade said a little disappointed they couldn’t finish this conversation.
“Yeah, I’ll call you later,” Meredith called as she hurried out the door.
“Wonderful,” Jade sighed to herself. “There’s something that everybody but me knows.”
**BRIAN & NICK’S**
“So, we go on the 100 hour tour in like 2 days, right?” Nick asked writing something on a personal calendar.
“Uh huh,” Brian absent-mindedly answered, concentrating on the video game he was playing.
“Are you even listening to anything I’m sayin’?”
“Uh huh.”
“Then what the hell did I just say?” Nick asked with a smirk.
“Uh huh.”
“Brian,” he yelled, finally getting his best friend’s attention. “What did I say?”
“Umm, you, uh...” he fumbled with words. “I don’t know”
“Nevermind,” Nick sighed. Laughing, he added, “Man, you’re good for nothing...did you know that?”
“Uh huh,” he answered, once again playing the game.
When the phone rang, Nick realized that Brian was in no hurry to move. Grumbling, he got up to answer. “Don’t worry, I’ll get it.”
“Oh, hey, can you get me a drink while you’re up? Thanks, man,” Brian said, not once glancing up from the television.
“Hello?” Nick answered on the fourth ring.
“Hey, man. I was just about to hang up,” A.J. laughed. “What’s goin’ on?”
“Brian’s playin’ a video game, and I was trying to get our schedule written down. That’s about it.”
“Cool. Anyway, tonight we’re all going out for dinner. 7:30 at the new Japanese steak house...I can’t remember the damn name,” A.J. said with a laugh. “Anyway, tell Brian. Oh, and have him call Jade...she’s definitely invited, too.”
“Okay,” Nick said as he lit up at the thought of Jade. “We’ll be there.”
“Alright, man, I’ll see y’all later,” he said
“Later.”
Hanging up the phone, Nick heard Brian yell, “Hey, where’s my drink?” He decided to get it for him after all.
“Here ya go.” Nick, with a huge grin, handed the can to Brian.
“What the--” Brian yelled as the drink exploded when he opened it. “Nick, you asshole, what the hell was that for?”
“That, ol’ buddy, was for being so damn lazy,” he said with another grin. “I’m going to call Jade. If you want anything else, get up and get it yourself. I’m not your personal slave.”
Nick heard Brian grumbling as he dialed Jade’s phone number.
“Hi...either I’m not home, or I just don’t wanna talk to you. Leave a message and I might call you later.” *BEEP*
“J, it’s Nick. Call me--”
“Hello?” she answered unexpectedly.
“Hey,” Nick chuckled. “Screening your calls?”
“Yeah,” she laughed. “Those damn telemarketers.”
“Right...you know you were waiting for my call. I mean, it’s not every day you get to talk to me!”
“Uh huh. Any point to this call, Carter?” Jade asked trying to sound serious. “Cause you know if you don’t have a point, I’m gonna hang up.”
“Actually, I called to tell you that everybody has been invited to dinner tonight. Genius A.J. forgot the name of the place, but it’s a Japanese steak house. It’s at 7:30.”
Everybody? Dammit Jade, get over it. Fuck Kevin! “7:30, huh? But I don’t have a date.”
Nick smiled widely. He knew what she was up to, but he really didn’t care. He could imagine her grinning and twirling a strand of her dark hair around her finger, her green eyes bright. “Actually, you do have a date.”
“Really? I wasn’t aware of that,” she tried to sound innocent.
“Yeah. He’s tall, blonde, and very sexy.”
“Did A.J. bleach his hair? Ooooh!” she sighed dramatically.
“No,” Nick said evenly. He’d been knocked down a couple of notches. “He didn’t.”
Jade couldn’t hold back any longer and broke into a fit of laughter. “I’m sorry...I’m sorry, but you completely set yourself up for that one Nick. Oh, I just couldn’t let that opportunity pass.” She was still laughing.
“Sure.” he replied pretending to be mad.
“So, my date is the one and only Nick Carter?” her voice seemed to melt Nick’s heart.
“Yeah,” he felt himself smiling like an idiot. “I’ll go pick you up, okay?”
“That sounds perfect,” she said sweetly. “I’ll definitely be ready.”
“Okay, then, I’ll see ya later.”
“Alright. Bye Nick.”
“Bye Jade.”
**BEFORE DINNER: KEVIN’S HOUSE**
Kevin sat waiting for Alexia to finish getting ready for dinner. That was the last place he wanted to be. He knew Jade would be there, he didn’t want to face her.
“I was such an ass,” he sighed to himself.
Kevin was well aware that he had hurt Jade very deeply. He had treated his best friend like nothing more than shit. He had grown up with Jade and even though he had a few years over her, Jade and Kevin had always been very close.
If she hadn’t told me about her feelings, we’d still be close. He had tried to reason that into the situation since that day at Brian’s. Who am I kidding?
“But I can’t leave Lexi. I have to stay with her,” he found himself saying aloud.
“Who are you talking to, sweetie?” Alexia appeared in the doorway.
Kevin frowned at her choice of clothing: a midriff bearing tank top and an extremely short skirt. “Lexi, it’s the middle of November, don’t you think clothes would be nice?”
“Oh, Kevvy,” she giggled. “You’re absolutely adorable! Besides, silly, we’ll be inside.”
“Alexia, go put on some different clothes,” he said trying very hard to control his anger. “We’re going to a nice dinner with about eight other people.”
“You just don’t want to ruin any chance you think you have with Jade,” she remarked hatefully. “You think she’s gonna talk to you and--”
“Alexia, go put some fucking clothes on now!”
Glaring, she turned and headed for their bedroom. Kevin shook his head sadly. “This is gonna be my life?”