"It was a lot Dria." JC pushed his hair back. "And it needs to stop. Right now."
"But JC..."
"This isn’t negotiable." He said sharply and stood up. "I’m going to lance’s room, he needed to talk to me about something."
"Are you still mad?" Alexandria’s lower lip began to quiver and JC felt like a heel.
"No, I’m not mad." JC sighed and gave her a hug, followed by a chaste kiss on her cheek. "I’ll see you in a bit."
"Tell Lance I said hi," she smirked as the door closed behind him. "Still got it."
Then she grabbed her purse and left, catching the first cab to the airport.
**********
"So what’s up?" Lance asked as he let JC into his room. JC didn’t answer right away. Instead he walked over to the wet bar and helped himself to three different bottles, downing them immediately. Lance stood in front of him to prevent him from accessing anymore alcohol. "Whoa JC, whoa. What’s rattled your chain so much that you feel you have to drink?"
"I slept with Alexandria this afternoon."
"Oh." Lance paused. "Can I ask why?"
"It’s not like I wanted to Lance," JC fought to keep his eyes from rolling. "She just...practically attacked me and there wasn’t anyway that I could stop her. I mean, I know she’s my wife and all, but..."
"Are you going to tell Laurie?" Lance asked bluntly.
"I don’t want to hurt her," JC whispered. "But I don’t like keeping things from her either. Do you think I should?"
"Honestly Jace, I’d have to say no. It’s not something she needs to know unless she asks you directly. I mean, would you want to know when she’s intimate with Craig?"
JC cringed. "No...but he’s never home."
"But you still wouldn’t want to know."
"No."
"So then why tell Laurie?"
"It’s not something I wanted Lance."
"Ok, I have a question for you."
JC looked at him warily.
"Is this something you’re going to be able to keep from Laurie without feeling guilty?"
"Lance..."
"Is it?"
"Probably not. But I feel like I’ve been unfaithful to her. It’s the first time Alexandria and I have...you know...since I met Laurie again."
"My advice to you is to not tell Laurie...unless you want what you have with her to change. And I don’t think that’s something that you want."
"But I don’t want any secrets between us."
"C, it’s a chance you’re going to have to take. You two are both adults – last time I checked, anyway – and you’re also both married. Perhaps it’s something that you need to discuss with her...your relationships with your individual spouses. But if you tell her, I really think that you’re going to hurt her. Even though it wasn’t intentional."
"You’re right," JC sighed and pushed his hands through his hair for a second time that night. He stood up and began to pace. "I just wish I didn’t have to deal with all this bullshit."
Lance gave him a sympathetic smile.
"Listen, uh Lance...do you want to come back and hang with me and Alexandria? I really don’t want to be alone with her."
"I don’t know," Lance replied and looked at the amount of papers piled on his desk. "I have a lot of work to do..."
"You can do it tomorrow," JC whined. "Please?"
Lance grinned. "I’m going to buy you a sign that says "No Whining" and make you wear it all the time."
"As long as you don’t expect me to put out." JC smirked.
"Do you want me to go or not?" Lance asked, clearly exasperated.
"Yes please."
"Then let’s go." Lance rolled his eyes and grabbed his keycard. "You know, you’re acting like a coward by being afraid to spend time alone with your wife."
"Lance..."
"I know, I know. I’m shutting up now."
JC opened his door to find his room empty. He shot a quizzical look at Lance, who just shrugged.
"Dria?" JC called out and began to search the room. He found a note from her on the bed and swore. Lance ran into the room and JC showed him the note. "She did it again Lance. I’m so...sick and tired..." he screamed in frustration and started throwing things.
"Shit...C, you gotta calm down." Lance tried to pacify him.
"Calm down?" JC yelled. "How the hell do you expect me to calm down when I can’t even deal with my own wife?"
JC continued to yell obscenities and throw things while Lance slipped out of the room and dialed Chris’ cell phone number.
"Yeah?" Chris yelled over the noise of the club.
"It’s Lance...I need to talk to Michelle."
There was a moment of silence before Michelle answered. It was significantly quieter. "Hey Lance, what’s up?"
"We’ve got a problem here, I need Laurie’s phone number."
"Umm, ok...why?"
"Just..." Lance glanced into the bedroom that now looked like a war zone. "Just because."
"Is there something going on that I need to know about?" She teased.
"Come on Shelle," Lance was begging. "I promise I’ll explain it later."
"Fine, but you owe me." She rattled off Laurie’s home number.
"Thanks!" Lance hung up and dialed it quickly. "Laurie? It’s Lance."
"Hi Lance," Laurie paused. "Is everything ok?"
"Umm...JC is in a really bad mood and I figured that you were the only one who could calm him down. So I’m going to give my cell phone to him, ok?"
"Ok," Laurie replied.
"C."
"What?" JC snarled.
"Laurie’s on the phone." Lance tentatively held out his phone to him and JC’s features softened considerably. "Don’t tell her." He said quietly. JC took the phone and Lance graciously left the room.
"Hey Laur," JC said quietly and sat down on the bed, his disposition changing immediately.
"Hey," she said quietly. "What’s going on? Are you ok?"
"I’ve just had a really bad day." He told her quietly. "I wish you were here."
"I wish I was there too...I’d make you feel all better."
"Yeah?" JC perked up. "How?"
Lance stood at the doorway and cleared his throat. "Umm, if you two are going to talk dirty, can you please use your own phone?"
JC chuckled. "Laur, I’ll call you back from my phone."
"Ok."
JC and Laurie hung up and JC gave Lance’s cell phone back to him. Lance rolled his eyes as he pocketed it and headed back to his own room.
"Whoever said music tames the savage beast wasn’t dating JC."
**********
"What was that about?" Chris asked as Michelle passed his phone back to him.
"I haven’t a clue. I think Lance might be losing his mind." She paused and looked at her empty glass. "I’m going to get another drink, do you want one?"
"I’m fine with what I have here," Chris laughed and pulled her into his lap. "So Lance is finally losing it, huh?"
"Yeah, I think so. He wanted Laurie’s phone number...which reminds me..."
Michelle dug a small notebook and a pen out of her purse and made a few notes before putting it away again. Chris looked at her curiously.
"What’s that?"
"It’s my list of things I’m going to make you do when I win the bet," she grinned.
"Let me see," he said and reached around her for her purse.
"No way," she laughed.
"Please?"
Chris focused his big brown eyes on her and tried to look sad. When that didn’t work, he started caressing her arm lightly. Michelle shook her head.
"Fine, what are you planning for me if you win?"
"I’m not telling."
"Then I’m not either." She folded her arms across her chest and dared him to ask again.
"You’re no fun." He pouted.
"I’ll remember you said that later on tonight." She laughed and stood up. "Drink?"
"Yeah," Chris was still pouting. "My usual."
Michelle laughed and leaned in to kiss his cheek. "I still love you."
She slid out of the booth and walked up to the bar and placed their drink orders. She jumped when felt a pair of large hands touch her shoulders.
"Jeez Joey, don’t do that!"
Joey laughed. "Oh, I forgot I shouldn’t scare people your age." He motioned towards their table. "How come Chris looks like he’s sulking?"
"Because he is."
"Why?"
Michelle grinned. "Chris and I have a little bet going on. And I have some information in here," she patted her purse. "That he oh so desperately wants. And I won’t tell him."
"What kind of bet?"
"Nothing someone as young as you would understand." She patted his cheek sympathetically and laughed when he frowned. "Can I buy you a drink?"
"Do I get to take you home if you do?" He wiggled his eyebrows.
"I think Chris might have some issues with that...besides, what would Denise say?"
"Before or after I asked her to join in?" Joey laughed and Michelle made a face.
"You’re such a pig Joey...and I’m telling her you said that."
"Oink, Oink, baby...and I want a Heineken."
"Fine, even though you don’t deserve it." She gave the bartender some money. "Here."
"Thanks." He took a long swallow. "You guys going to be ready to head soon?"
"It’s only one o’clock, since when do you want to leave a club early? Especially since you guys don’t have to be anywhere until noon."
"Dee is coming to visit this weekend," he chuckled. "I need to get rested up."
"Ah...I should have known. I’ll let Chris know that you want to leave soon. You can find the artist formerly known as Curly and tell him."
"I don’t have to find him, he’s over there."
Michelle followed Joey’s gaze to a corner of the club where Justin was kissing a pretty girl with dark hair.
"Joey...that’s not Stacy."
"Nope," Joey agreed. "He does this all the time...whenever Stacy can’t make it, Justin flies Kristina in. Apparently it’s an arrangement he made with her."
Michelle looked at Joey before looking at Justin again. She left Joey’s side and walked back to the table with drinks in hand and sat down.
"What took you so long?"
"Oh, Joey decided that I was going to buy him a drink. And I’m supposed to tell you that he wants to leave soon."
"Ok." Chris downed his drink and placed the empty glass on the table. "Dance with me."
"Chris, I don’t..."
"Come on," he stood and pulled her to her feet. "It’s been a while since we’ve danced."
"All right." She let him lead her out to the dance floor and they fell into an easy rhythm. She rested her head on his shoulder. "I love you Chris."
"I love you too baby," he whispered and kissed her forehead.
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