He stilled as the voices began to talk again. "I'm so sorry Gina...maybe you should just tell him and risk it.....who knows what he'll say?" Jaime asked slowly.
Gina looked thoughtful for an instant then shook her head. "That's the problem, Jaime. I don't know what he'd do...and that's what scares me to death. But then again, if I never say anything then I'll always feel this bottled up pressure in my soul and I'd never know for sure."
Jaime brightened. "So you'll tell him?" she asked happily. Gina nodded. Jaime hugged the girl. "Now you'll know for sure how he feels! I'm so happy for you!" she exclaimed. Gina smiled along with her and they laughed as Gina went to the fridge and got out a bottle of coke. She filled two glasses full to the brim and began to smile.
"There was only enough for the two of us...and Nick's gonna have a fit when he finds out that there's no more coke on this bus." she said and they both laughed.
Outside the kitchen doorway, Brian left and went back to his bunk to read another chapter of his book. He now knew how Gina felt about his best friend and he was delighted. Especially now that he knew she was going to tell Nick. He was only worried about how Nick would react when she told him. Although they were best friends, they never told each other about their love lives. That was where they drew the line. So he wondered if Nick loved Gina or not.
The next day, on the tour bus
Gina had decided to let Jaime stay the night and meet the guys in the morning - at an hour where they were completely dressed and not having the clothing war they always had right in the morning. When their hair would be decent and they would have brushed their teeth to at least have good breath. That morning, they found Brian in the kitchen, reading that same book he'd been reading forever it seemed. He smiled at the two as they entered the room. She'd told the guys the night before about Jaime and they'd been cool with her staying on.
"Good morning ladies, Miss Gina, is this the lovely Miss Jaime of whom I've heard so much about?" he queried gallantly. Gina rolled her eyes at him and Jaime blushed beet red. Gina smiled.
"Whatever you do, don't give this man the satisfaction of seeing you blush...he has a HUGE ego when it comes to charming the girls, even though he'll always be loyal to his Leighanne." she advised her new found friend, giggling as a fake hurt look appeared on Brian's face.
"Why you wound me, miss Gina. I'll bet that I could even charm you and sweep you off your feet if I was of a mind to do so!" he exclaimed.
Gina just rolled her eyes. "You wish!" she said.
Jaime giggled. "You two sound like an old married couple and said so.
Gina burst into hysterical laughter. "US!!?? No way hun! This guy wouldn't be able to handle me!" she exclaimed playfully.
Brian grinned and caught her in his arms. "It's YOU who wouldn't be able to put up with ME," he said in an amused tone as he lifted her up and whirled her around the room, then placed her over his shoulder.
"Brian Thomas Littrell you put me down this instant!" she shrieked.
Brian laughed up at her. "Nuh-uh honey!" he said smiling.
Then behind his back Gina grinned wickedly. She lifted her arms up so that her hands were grasping his shoulders firmly and then proceeded to backflip right over an amazed Brian's back to land on her feet like a cat. Brian shook his head at her in amazement Jaime laughed with them and then walked up to Brian.
"Alright, being serious for a moment. My name's Jaime-Lee Hannover and I'm sixteen years old. Nice to meet you, you old fogey!" she exclaimed happily as she shook his outstretched hand.
He grinned. "Oh joy, another spunky teen female to deal with! Aw well, my name's Brian as ya already know, but call me Bri or B-Rok." he said shaking her hand in return with a smile.
Just then a sleepy looking Nick appeared in the room. Gina's face lit up immediately upon seeing him and he did the same upon seeing her. Both Jaime and Brian noticed this and looked at each other knowingly. "They're in love," she whispered softly.
Bri grinned. "I know," he whispered back.
Gina immediately went and embraced her still half-asleep boyfriend and tickled him right under the arms and on the sides of his rib cage. He burst out laughing and begged with her to stop. She did so immediately and smiled down at him.
"How was your sleep, baby?" she asked softly.
Nick grinned. "Very well coz I was dreaming of you all night." he laughed when she blushed. "Not that way, silly. I know you're not ready to think about that issue even, and I just don't wanna pressure you. You mean so much to me." he said softly and she smiled in startled surprise up at him.
"And you mean so very much to me," she replied softly, gazing up at him with eyes that were so filled with her love for him that Brian swore that Nick must have been a blind pig not to have seen it.
The other guys came out shortly after, AJ being the latest riser. When his eyes locked on Jaime's, he knew he'd found a special girl. He silently thanked Gina for bringing her aboard the bus so he could work on winning her heart.