‘Oh Jesus,’ Brooke thought, opening her eyes to the bright sunlight flooding the hotel room. ‘This is going to be one hell of a hangover.’ She rolled over to get out of bed and noticed a guy in bed with her. Not just any guy. J.C. “Shit,” she whispered, tears coming to her eyes. She had thought it was just a bad dream. That she really hadn’t cheated on her fiancee. “Shit shit shit.”
“Huh?” J.C. asked, groggily, rolling over and staring at Brooke. “What’s wrong?”
“Jesus, J.C.,” Brooke whimpered. “What the hell am I supposed to tell Kevin?”
“You don’t tell him anything Brooke,” J.C. replied, trailing his finger down her bare arm. “It was a one time thing. No one will ever have to know.” The last part of his sentence trailed off quietly. J.C. couldn’t help himself but he was really falling for Brooke. He knew that she was engaged and he rather liked her fiancee but he couldn’t help it. He felt horrible for putting her in such a position but the amount of alcohol that they had both consumed the night before had made sleeping together sound like a really good idea.
“I have to go,” she whispered, standing up and pulling the sheet tightly around her while she searched for her clothes. She gathered them in her arms and quickly threw them on. She took one look at the expression on J.C.’s face and her heart broke. “I’m sorry.” Before he could respond Brooke was out the door.
***** ***** ***** ***** ***** *****
“Yo!” Ang yelled, smacking a sleeping Alyssa over the head with a pillow. “Why the hell was the front door wide open? Has it been like that all night?”
“I don’t know,” Alyssa groaned, rolling over and burying her head in the cushions of the couch where she had fallen asleep. “Stop hitting me and what the hell time is it?”
“Eleven thirty,” Ang answered. “Time to get up hungover girl. We have rehearsal soon.” She threw the pillow on top of Alyssa’s head and sauntered into the kitchen. Just as she was about to open up the fridge, she noticed an envelope stuck to it with her name on it. “What the hell?” She grabbed it and opened it up, catching the little silver key before it fell to the floor.
Angela,
Should be careful when it comes to house keys. You never know when it just might fall into the wrong hands. I took the liberty of returning it to you but not after I made my own copy, of course. Now I know after you go crawling to Brian that you’ll have the locks changed but don’t worry. I have my ways of getting to you.
Ang covered her mouth, trying to stifle the sobs that threatened to escape. She dropped the note as if it were burning her hands and quickly grabbed the cordless phone from the counter and dialing Brian’s number.
“Brian?” she cried, when he answered the phone. “Get over here now.”
“Ang?” Brian glanced at the clock by his bed, wondering what time it was. “What’s wrong, baby? Did something happen?”
“Just get over here!” She exclaimed, hitting the off button and tossing the phone back on the counter.
“What’s wrong?” Lanie questioned, noticing a nearly-hysterical Ang in the kitchen.
Ang pointed to the letter on the ground laying next to the little silver key. “That.”
Lanie picked it up and gasped as she read it. “Ang, you need to call the police.”
“I can’t!” Ang cried. “That’s what they want. If I go to the police I’m screwed. They’re going to find out everything.”
“What exactly happened?” Lanie asked. She knew that all of this stuff was going on with Ang but she never knew the real reason why. “You never did tell me.”
Ang sighed. “I can’t tell you, Lane. Only a few people know and that’s how I have to keep it. I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay,” Lanie replied, although inside she was dying to know. “Did you call Brian?”
Ang nodded. “He’s on his way.”
***** ***** ***** ***** ***** *****
“Christine, it’s Howie. I’m just calling because it’s been a little while since I’ve talked to you and I wanted to know if you were free for dinner later. Give me a call. You know the number.” Howie hung up the phone and stared at an old picture of the two of them from when they were engaged. They were so happy and in love. He wished more than anything that they could go back to what they once had but Christine was making that impossible. He could tell that she was hiding something from him but for the life of him, he couldn’t figure out what it was.
A lonely tear slipped down Christine’s cheek as she listened to the message. She wanted desperately to pick up the phone and talk to him but she couldn’t bring him into this. Paul, as far as she concerned, was far too dangerous. This was a mess that she had gotten into on her own and she would either have to learn to deal with it or get out of it on her own.
***** ***** ***** ***** ***** *****
“Hey,” Nick greeted Katelin, walking into the kitchen.
“Morning sleepyhead,” Katelin laughed. “It’s, what, noon already and you’re just rolling out of bed?”
“Shut up,” Nick playfully responded. "Where's the munchkin?"
"Outside with Adrienne." She handed him a glass of orange juice and sat down at the kitchen table with him. "I told them I'd be out in a little bit."
"So," Nick took a sip of his juice. "You were home kind of early last night."
Katelin could feel his eyes on her and refused to meet his gaze, not wanting to get into the real reason she had left the party early. "Just didn't feel like being there. I was tired."
"Sure." NIck knew she was lying and he had a pretty good idea why. "You sure that was the only reason?"
"I'm sure, Nick," Katelin answered, giving him look that said she didn't want to discuss it further. "I'm going to down to the beach. You wanna come?"
"Can't," Nick replied, standing up. "I've got rehearsal later and I told Lanie I'd meet her for lunch. I'll see you later."
"Bye!" Katelin called, walking out the back door.
Nick watched her go and shook his head. He knew she was lying about why she was home early. He was ninety-nine percent sure she and Lanie had gotten into it. They normally did. And now he had to go and deal with Lanie whining to him that she started it. Nick knew Katelin well enough to know that she had an extremely confrontational side to her but he also knew her well enough that she would do anything to stay on his goodside for the sake of their child. She wouldn't deliberately go picking a fight with Lanie just for the sake of arguing. But he also knew Lanie well enough to know that she would.