Chapter 13



“You ready to go?” JC asked, peering his blue eyes into Bridget’s office.
“Yeah. I’ll be ready in a second.” She said.
Bridget picked up the phone and called over to Carson’s dressing room. She hoped he didn’t already leave.
“Hello?” a voice answered.
“Carson!” Bridget said.
“Yeah Bridge…what’s up?” he asked.
“Nothin’. I just wanted to say ‘good show’.” She answered.
“Thanks babe. Now you get outta here, ya hear? Go spend time with that guy of yours.” Carson said.
“Yes, sir!” she said, laughing.
“Bye, Bridget…see you tomorrow.” He said.
“Bye” she said smiling. “See ya later.”
She hung up the phone and saw JC still standing there waiting for her. She grabbed her stuff and locked up.
“So, what’d ya think?” he asked desperate for a reaction to today’s show.
“Of what?” Bridget smiled, playing dumb.
“Bridge! Don’t do this too me!” he smiled.
“I know. I know.” She said. “I’m surprised actually. You know you didn’t have to make ‘us’ a public announcement.”
“Did you not want me to?” he asked, worried he made a mistake.
“No! I mean, yes, I want everyone to know. But I also don’t care about stuff like that. I got you, that’s all that matters to me.” She answered.
“Yes, you definitely ‘got me’.” He said. “You’re the owner of my heart, Bridge.”
He knew he sounded corny. He didn’t care. It was the truth. Having Bridget back in his life was too good too be true. He didn’t know what he’d do without her. His life just wasn’t imaginable without her in it.
“Jace, I’m not going anywhere.” She said. “I’m yours, forever, if you want me.”
“Oh, I want you. Do I ever!” he said slyly.
“Calm those hormones, boy!” She smiled. “You’re staying over tonight, aren’t you?”
“Of course.” He said. “Where else would I want to be?”
“I don’t know. I thought you might have a date with Justin or something.” She joked. “Nah. He’s an expensive date. You should see that guys’ taste! Besides that date was last night.” He joked back.
They both laughed. Some things would always be the same between them. The laughter never stopped. Even though they were moving into a serious relationship, that friendship that brought them together would always be the binding between them.
“Ok, so the plan is that you go to your apartment and we’ll be by to pick you up in about an hour” he said, confirming their plans from before.
She nodded. “I’ll be ready.”
Dinner with the guys had always been a pass time that she would never get tired of. They were such a blast to hang out with. Bridget got her share of “whose that?” looks from fans that they passed but she didn’t care. To her these guys were normal. Friends that could never be replaced. As JC and Bridget stepped out onto the sidewalks of NY, a small gathering of fans approached them. JC smiled and waved at the girls, but kept walking on, hand in hand with Bridget.

**~*~*~**

JC and Bridget reached the corner where the car was waiting to take JC back to the hotel with the guys.
“You sure you don’t want a ride?” JC asked. “It’s getting a little cold.”
“Well, alright. Actually, I wouldn’t mind not walking.” Bridget said, getting into the car. They joined the rest of the guys and decided where to go to eat. It wasn’t long before they reached Bridget’s apartment.
“Ok, I’ll see you guys in an hour.” She said.
“Bye baby” JC said.
“Bye Josh” she said smiling, kissing him lightly. “I love you.”
Almost as quick, she got out of the car.
“I love you too, Bridge.” He said, before she closed to door.
He saw her smile through the window and wanted to follow it where ever it went.
“It is only an hour.” Chris said sarcastically, seeing the look on JC’s face.
“Hey, if you had a chick like that, I don’t think you’d wanna leave her for a minute!” Joey said. “Right, JC?”
JC laughed. “Right. But, really, Joe, coming from you that holds no credibility. You prey on anything in a skirt that moves.”
“Yeah, and even some that don’t, move that is.” Justin put in.
They five of them laughed their whole way back to the hotel, with Joey at most of the butt of the jokes.

**~*~*~**

Bridget walked into her apartment complex, completely overjoyed about the day she was having. Nothing could rain on her parade today. No matter how bad a day got, Josh was still there in the back of her mind. Somehow, he was always able to make her smile about anything that could go wrong. She’d never let got of that, not ever. She made her way up the steps to her third floor apartment. She was usually the first one back from work, it seemed. Everyone else had jobs that held them to six o’clock. It was nearly 5:30 now. She only had an hour to change and get ready for another night out with the guys, and then later, a night in with JC. She smiled to herself. ‘Josh’ she thought. ‘My sweet Josh’. She opened her door and walked into the half-darkened apartment. Turning on the lights was a sight that shocked her. Her apartment was ransacked. Rummaged through from top to bottom. Surveying the damage, she rounded the corner into her living room.
“Stop right there!” a voice bellowed from behind. “Don’t move an inch and no one gets hurt.”
Bridget gasped at the touch of a gun barrel intruding into the small of her back.
“Take whatever you want” Bridget said “Just don’t hurt me, please.”
“Don’t worry darlin’, I was just leaving.” the deep voiced man snickered.
And then, for no apparent reason, and to no move of her own, two shots were fired, launching Bridget face first onto her living room floor.



Chapter 14