****
That afternoon all the guys were milling around Justin’s dad’s backyard. They’d all just come back from the church and Justin’s dad and female relatives were all busy putting the finishing touches on dinner. Justin was in his element, with young cousins crawling all over him. He’d whisked Sophie away from JC and Bobbie as soon as he could and given her the grand tour of his dad’s house and now he watched as she settled herself on one of the swings hung from the big oak tree.
Lance was watching Sophie too. He’d had a whole day where he could have thought of anything else, and yet she had been in the forefront of his mind all day. He didn’t know what he was going to do with her. Chris, on the other hand, hadn’t given a thought to her all day. He had been on the phone with Danielle, begging her to come to Cannes with them. Work conflicts had kept her in L.A. so far along the tour, but she promised that she’d not only fly out, but that she’d stay with him the entire time they were in Florida. As he shielded his eyes from the late afternoon sun he grimaced to see Bobbie making her way towards an unsuspecting Sophie. “This can’t be good.” He thought to himself.
Joey was trying to avoid Bobbie. He loved women, sure, but she always seemed to be trying to get him to flirt with her. As if he’d do that to JC; besides, one of Justin’s cousins had brought her very legal looking friend with her and Joey wanted in on that action. He passed JC on his way over to her and when he didn’t see Bobbie around he stopped to talk.
“Hey,” he whispered. “Where is she?”
“I don’t know actually. I was just going to go looking for her.”
“Dude don’t bother. She’ll turn up.”
“Go hunt down that poor girl Joe and leave me alone.” JC sighed.
“Ok, but if you need me, just scream ok?” At this JC laughed and agreed as Joey went off in search of the girls. JC scanned the backyard and he froze when he saw Bobbie talking to Sophie in a corner. The reception at the airport had been strained, to say the least, and JC was worried that Bobbie would say something even more rude than her introduction as “I’m Bobbie, Joshie’s girlfriend.” Sophie had recovered well. JC smiled as he remembered the look on Bobbie’s face when Sophie had said she was “just Sophie.” Maybe Sophie didn’t need rescuing just yet. JC stood in the shade of a tree and really looked at the two women.
Bobbie was so hard in comparison to Sophie. They were about the same height standing there beneath the big oak tree, although Bobbie wore black, high-heeled boots that came up to her calves, while Sophie was predictably barefoot having shed her light, strappy sandals shortly after entering the house. Bobbie wore a black snakeskin miniskirt and a tight, bright pink shirt with a keyhole neckline that dipped a little low, even for the traditionally unquestioning JC. It was an attention drawing outfit that she wore often, thinking that by showing off leg and cleavage she could get whatever she wanted. Sophie however, could have gotten attention in a paper bag. Tonight though, she wore just a soft green sundress that fell flowing down her long legs and stopped just above her ankles. It fitted her well-proportioned body without being slinky and made Bobbie’s waif-like frame and large breasts seem awkward. Even their hair and faces were in total opposite. Bobbie wore her bleach highlighted hair stick straight and it hung lank and flat down her back, while Sophie’s natural coffee colored curls were woven into a knot at the nape of her neck, with glossy tendrils escaping to cascade over her honeyed shoulders. JC shivered pleasurably as he remembered what they had felt like, falling feather soft on his face as she’d leaned over him. Bobbie’s louder than natural laughter made him watch the two again. Her wide features, always heavily done, and gray-blue eyes had made her seem exotic and exciting when JC’d first met her, but now they seemed almost obtrusive next to the many delicate curves that made up Sophie’s beautiful but pure face. He suddenly realized that he could never tell if Sophie was wearing makeup or not, she just always seemed to look just right.
“What am I doing?” He asked himself aloud and made his way towards the creatures he was so fascinated with. He was only a few feet away when Bobbie reached up and took hold of Sophie’s chin.
“You know, you’ve got fairly good bone structure. You could probably be a model if you had the right photographer. Have you ever thought of modeling?”
“No.” Sophie said simply, trying to twist her face out of Bobbie’s grasp without seeming rude.
“You should. I could probably get you an interview with an agent back in L.A. I know a few people.”
“Really, you don’t have to do that.”
“Oh, it wouldn’t be any trouble. Are you sure? With the right makeup and clothes and stuff you could really be pretty.”
“Are you forgetting? Sophie’s a makeup artist herself.” JC said, stepping in and taking Bobbie’s hands.
“Oh, that’s right! I totally forgot.” Bobbie said, louder than she needed to. “I guess I’m just used to gay guys being makeup artists. And you’re not a gay guy are you?”
“No, I’m not.” Sophie replied softly.
“And I don’t know, but it just seems like you have that sort of Bohemian fashion sense they’re all crazy about nowadays.”
“I just wear what’s comfortable.” Sophie shrugged and uncomfortably shifted her stance.
“Oh my gosh, I just WISH I could do that. But you know, working for a magazine, they always want to photograph me somewhere and I’ve always got to be in the latest. It’s hell really.”
“It must be fun to work for a magazine.” Sophie replied. JC wanted to talk, but couldn’t find any words to excuse what was spewing from Bobbie’s mouth.
“Oh I guess. But you know how it is; everybody wants a piece of you. I have to keep telling people, I belong to my Joshie and that’s that.” Bobbie paused but Sophie didn’t have anything to say. “So are you sure you wouldn’t want to model? It would probably pay better than this job. And God knows that it would be more fun than traveling with these guys. Joshie excluded of course.” Bobbie kissed JC’s cheek before continuing. “You know, I don’t know why everyone’s so gaga over Justin. He’s so stuck up. And Joey’s always trying to hit on me, even though he knows I’m taken. And Chris is so rude, oh, and I swear Lance never talks.”
“Maybe he just never gets the chance.” Sophie couldn’t resist saying that, but quickly added. “I mean, with so many people around.”
“Yeah, I guess. But still, I think it’s rude. I mean, he always makes me feel like I’m not interesting enough to talk to. And believe me, I’m plenty interesting. I’ve gone all over the place and met all kinds of people. Really famous people too. Have you ever seen my column? I interview all my famous friends and we answer readers’ questions. Some of those little girls are just so stupid, I swear. But it’s fun to hang out with all my friends and get paid for it. So have you?”
“Have I what? I’m sorry.”
“Read my column silly.”
“Oh, no. I’m afraid I haven’t.”
“You should. Hey, have you made up anybody else famous? I’m looking for new people all the time.”
“This was my first professional job.”
“Oh, that’s too bad. I guess not everybody can know the stars.”
“Yeah.”
“Sophie’s father is William Regan of Jive records.” JC finally managed to sputter. Bobbie was really in rare form tonight.
“Oh my gosh! Why didn’t you say that?” Bobbie cried.
“I don’t usually talk about it.” Sophie replied with a glance at JC.
“You should. Christ, if my father was some big rich record exec I’d tell everybody. Oh my gosh, do you know any of his artists?”
“She knows us.” JC said quickly, trying to take Bobbie’s focus off Sophie.
“Well of course she knows you Joshie. I meant like, people that I don’t already know! And you said you didn’t know anybody famous. What a little liar.”
“I don’t have anything to do with my father’s business. And I never said that I didn’t know anyone famous. I told you this was my first professional job, and it is. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m about to pass out from hunger.” Sophie walked quickly away and Bobbie scoffed.
“Well that was rude. Honestly Joshie, I don’t know how you can put up with these people.”
“I don’t either Bobbie.” JC said simply. His mind was made up; this would be the last trip Bobbie ever took with him.