JC closed the hotel room door behind them and turned to his girlfriend with his hands on his hips.
Jamie was oblivious as she kicked off her black heels and rolled her neck, working out the kinks. Finally, feeling eyes on her and all too aware of the silence, she turned to JC and raised an eyebrow. “What?”
“You tell me,” was all he said.
Jamie rolled her eyes. “JC, honey, I know this talking without really saying anything thing you’ve got going on is all part of your mysteriousness, and believe me I usually find it sexy, but, hun, I’m too tired tonight. Please just spit it out and get it over with.”
“What did you say to Justin?” he asked, his stance unwavering. He was intent on getting an answer.
Jamie groaned. “Not that.” She might’ve guessed it would be brought up sooner or later.
“Yes…that. Well?” JC asked, refusing to let up.
“Well what?” she asked, sounding bored. She was pushing his buttons and she knew it.
“Answer the question, Jamie, or you can find somewhere else to sleep tonight,” he warned.
She narrowed her eyes on him. “You wouldn’t.”
“Try me,” he challenged. They both knew he would never do such a thing, but it seemed to do the trick, for she sank down onto the edge of the bed and looked up at him sheepishly.
“I kinda sorta told him that I thought he had more than friendly feelings towards Maddy.”
“You didn’t,” JC said in a flat voice.
“Er…I did?” She winced as she waited for her words to hit home.
JC growled, throwing his hands in the air. “Woman, are you stupid?” Wrong choice of words, he knew it as soon as they left his mouth and was then confirmed as he watched Jamie’s face cloud with rage.
She stood from the bed and made dramatic work of stuffing her feet back into her shoes, snatching her purse from the bed, and just for good measure, she flipped him the finger as she stormed past him, muttering, “Asshole.”
JC sighed and captured her wrist before she could wrench the door open. She didn’t fight him, but refused to turn.
JC calmly walked around to face her, cupping her cheeks in his warm hands. “I’m sorry,” he said sincerely.
Jamie pointed a finger at his chest and threw her purse to the ground. “Let’s get one thing straight. I’m not going to stand for that shit again, not from anyone, especially not you!”
“I know,” JC whispered. “And I’m sorry, I just let my mouth run without thinking.” He looked at her with pleading eyes. “Please stay.”
She nodded and he took her hands in his own. “But we need to talk about this. Why oh why, did you have to go and say something like that to Justin? You know he’s with Britney.”
“But is he happy with her?” she argued stubbornly.
JC shook his head. “It doesn’t matter. Sweetie, that’s none of our business. I seem to remember someone getting pretty worked up when he tried to poke his nose into our relationship.” He raised an eyebrow and she sighed, looking away.
“Point taken. But I still think something’s going on there,” she grumbled.
“It doesn’t matter. Justin’s a big boy, he can sort his life out himself.” He tucked a few loose strands of hair behind her ear, brushing her cheek with his knuckles as he did so. “I know you’re just looking out for him—“
“I am,” she insisted. “And Maddy, too.”
“I thought she had something going on with Lance anyway,” he frowned.
“Lance has had more than enough time to get together with Maddy. If you want my opinion he’s missed the boat.”
“But they don’t want your opinion,” he told her softly. He took her by the hand and led her towards the bed, tugging until she sat sideways across his lap.
“What are we going to do with you?” he asked, resting his forehead against hers. “Now, what do you say you turn your attention away from Justin, Lance and Maddy, and come concentrate on me for a while?” he spoke seductively into her ear.
JC grinned when he heard a small noise come from deep in her throat and she swayed towards him. He was in no doubt that Jamie thought she had him twisted around her little finger, but JC, although less vocal about his abilities, was able to make her melt if he so desired.
“Okay,” she squeaked.
The next morning
Justin could have easily avoided Maddy. When he stepped into the conference room where a breakfast spread was laid out for the crew, all he had to do was grab his daily bowl of cereal and he could have slipped out of the room unnoticed.
But that would have been stupid. Wouldn’t it have been confirming that something was happening? Maddy was his friend, he couldn’t go about dodging her forever, not to mention the fact that he still had to work with her.
Risking more speculation from Jamie he approached the table where Maddy sat reading the morning paper.
“Is this seat taken?”
Maddy glanced up and smiled, folding the newspaper in half and setting it aside. “Morning, Justin. Go ahead and sit down.”
“Anything interesting?” he asked, pointing his spoon at the local rag as he settled opposite her.
“You know, the usual…aliens landing, extra marital affairs... They did manage to slip in a Pop Odyssey review, though.” As expected, that got his attention.
“Really?” He looked a little nervous and it made her smile to see that even now, after all their success, other people’s opinions mattered to him.
“The conclusion…” she deliberately paused as his anxiousness grew. “It’s a hit,” she grinned.
He visibly relaxed but then shrugged the praise off. “Just got to win over the rest of the country now.”
She waved his doubt away. “It’s in the bag.”
From then on the two of them chatted between themselves over breakfast, Justin forgetting all about Jamie’s meddling as he relaxed in Maddy’s company. Well, for a while anyway.
“Morning guys.”
Justin groaned at the greeting, or more accurately the voice. Maddy regarded him with amusement before she looked past him to see Jamie and JC coming towards them. Not at all unusual…that is if JC hadn’t been pulling on Jamie’s arm, trying to drag her in the opposite direction. After raising a few eyebrows, finally, so as not to cause a bigger scene, he released her, enabling her to cross the room and seat herself next to Justin.
JC smiled sheepishly as he slipped into the chair next to Maddy, snagging a bagel from the centre of the table.
“You’re looking pretty happy with yourself this morning, James. Get some last night?” Justin asked her smugly, still a little annoyed with her after the previous evening’s discussion.
Two could play that game, though. Jamie, never one to give up easily, couldn’t help but respond. “I have your mother on speed dial, Justin. I’m not opposed to relaying your every move back to her.”
Justin stared open-mouthed as Jamie turned to Maddy. You ready?” she asked. “Our bus is heading out before these guys’.”
Still chuckling from Justin’s comeuppance she stood, tossing her napkin on top of the table. “Ready when you are.”
Jamie pecked JC on the lips and ran the pad of her thumb along his bottom lip, removing the spot of lipgloss she had left behind. He playfully bit at her finger and Justin rolled his eyes at the display.
“Save it for the bedroom, guys.”
Maddy bit her lip, stifling her laughter. “See you later.” She raised her hand in a small wave.
Jamie linked her arm with Maddy’s. “Yeah, us girls need a dose of girl talk,” she said, eyeing Justin evilly. As the two walked away she turned back and, although admittedly childish, she couldn’t resist poking her tongue out at Justin. Let him squirm a little.
“That woman of yours is trouble,” Justin grumbled as the door swung closed. “Have you heard the latest idea she’s concocted?”
“Unfortunately,” JC sighed. “Sorry about that, J. Her heart’s in the right place.”
“That’s the only thing stopping me from strangling her right now,” Justin muttered. He finished the last of his breakfast and pushed the bowl away. “I just hope she’s not planting ideas in Maddy’s head now. Is she trying to turn this tour upside down before it’s even started?”
JC hoped that wouldn’t be the case. The last thing they needed was a love triangle. It had the ability to turn into full-out war. “I’ll talk to her again but I think she got the message last night.” At least he hoped.
“I’m gonna let you into a little secret, Maddy,” Jamie announced as they sat in the kitchen area of the bus. She reached into the small freezer and produced a carton. “Strawberry ice cream, the secret to surviving an *NSYNC tour.”
Maddy bit her lip and tried not to laugh. “Wow, it really comes down to that?”
“Uh-huh,” Jamie nodded, spooning herself a bite.
“But at…,” she glanced at her watch, “Nine in the morning?”
“What can I say, I’ve got a craving. Lord knows what I’d be like if I was pregnant,” she chuckled. “But I’m putting it down to Justin pissing me off.” She gestured for Maddy to head into the back room as the driver started the engine. Maddy scooped up a bottle of water and followed.
“Is this about your little talk last night?” Maddy asked, pushing aside a pile of magazines and sinking onto the couch.
Jamie looked at her in surprise, the spoon hovering at her lips. “He told you about that?” Oh dear. Maybe she had well and truly put her foot in it this time. Goodness knows JC had warned her enough times.
Maddy shrugged. “He just said you were prying a little too much into his life.”
“That’s all?” Jamie pressed, hoping her apology could be put on the backburner.
“Yeah. Why, did something else happen?” she asked, swinging her legs up onto the couch, readying herself for the trip ahead.
“No, not really.” She took a deep breath and silently pleaded JC for forgiveness for what she was about to do. Hopefully he’d never have to find out. Who was she kidding? JC could read her like a book. He found out everything. “I was just worried about him. Do you think he’s happy…with Britney, I mean? He’s seemed a little down in the dumps lately.”
“I haven’t really noticed. I would assume he’s just missing her,” Maddy shrugged.
Jamie withheld the urge to roll her eyes. Was everyone blind? Instead, she just muttered, “Yeah…I guess.”
“So about this icecream…you think it would be wise to invest in some.”
“Honey, you’re gonna need it,” Jamie laughed, as if she knew something Maddy didn’t. “Those men—or should I say boys—are capable of turning your world upside down.”
“Jeez, make me feel good about the road ahead,” Maddy chuckled.
“That’s me, forever the optimist.”
“That’s funny,” Maddy grinned, “I hear JC calls you Pessimistic Peter. What the hell is the deal with that?” she laughed.
“JC has a big mouth with a lot of crap spewing out of it,” she grumbled. “It’s P.E.T.A.” She pulled a face. “My middle name,” she filled Maddy in. “You think my parents wanted a boy much? James Peter became Jamie Peta Johnson the moment I popped out.”
“You’re lying.”
“Unfortuantely not. But you stick with me, Madeline and you’ll be just fine. We’re not gonna let those big bad *NSYNC boys get to us.”
Chapter 5
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