Chapter 40
"You're home late." Lance scowled over his Easy Mac that night, his attitude had gone sour once he saw the note Amanda had left him on the fridge.
"I was talking things over with my new musical act I hired for the club." she snapped coldly, setting down her briefcase and getting a bottle of Pepsi out of the fridge. Things with Lance weren't as cozy as they used to be, he had gone cold again.
"Really? Who did you get?" Lance asked. He really wasn't interested in what she had to say about the club.....the man was supposed to be the breadwinner, not the woman. How dare she steal his thunder?
"Nick's gonna be a great asset. Opening night is going to be a smash." Amanda smiled as she sipped her soda. Lance scowled and proceeded to stab the macaroni. Amanda was relishing every moment. She loved to piss him off lately....she didn't know why, but part of her liked to know she had hit a sore spot.
"I thought he was touring or something....with that JC guy..."
"JC's tour has been long over. I needed an act, and Nick offered to help me." Amanda told him. She left Lance and went to the office, briefcase and Pepsi in hand, smirking as she heard Lance mutilate his dinner.
It felt good to be in charge.
"Baby we can't have this same fight. I told you I cared for you, isn't that enough?" Nick asked. He and Tracy hadn't been doing as good as he let on to everyone else. Ever since she moved in, she'd been trying to get Nick to settle down and tell her his true feelings.
"I love you, Nick. Don't you love me back? I just want to hear you speak those three words. It isn't hard to say them...." Tracy said, flipping her dark brown hair out of her face with her hand.
"You don't understand, baby." Nick whispered. Tracy walked out of the room in a huff, leaving him to his thoughts. They had been arguing most of the afternoon and his mood had already gone south by the time he went to rehearsal at the club. Opening night was just under a week away and everything was finally coming together.
"Nick is everything okay? You're looking a little down." Amanda asked him during a small break. She and Nick had been working on some gimmicks for his show, including possibly taking a fan up onstage for a serenade.
"Well, it depends....I guess." Nick said thoughtfully, sitting down on the stage and letting his legs dangle.
"What is it?"
"Tracy and I have been talking about our relationship." he replied. Amanda wasn't looking forward to this conversation. Secretly she wished they would break up....Amanda didn't think they would last as a couple but stayed supportive of them as friends, she couldn't do anything since she was married.
"Everything has been going fine until recently. We started discussing our future....settling down and kids...that kind of stuff." Nick said with a sigh. He didn't look pleased and Amanda stayed silent as he talked.
"You want to marry her?" she asked once he finished.
"I don't know anymore. We want different things." he replied.
"Nick, what do you want? What is important to you in a relationship?" Amanda asked, noticing his expression. Something was really troubling him, and she knew it wasn't a matter of simple differences.
"I want a family.....I want to have kids, be a father. I've wanted a family as long as I can remember." Nick told her, a genuine smile on his face, his blue eyes twinkling.
"You want kids? That is a big step, Nick. Are you sure about that?" she said. Deep down, she was extremely pleased to hear this response. Amanda also wanted a family of her own, her secret dream was to become a mother.
"I definitely want kids. Maybe a boy and a girl....I want a small family. Something I can come home to, provide for them. I want to give those kids what I couldn't have growing up. It would mean so much...."
"You would make a great daddy someday, Nick. I really think you can. I would love children....Lance and I have been trying for one." Amanda confessed, blushing slightly. Nick looked at his feet as she told him this, not wanting to hear anything about her and Lance reproducing. He knew it was horrible of him but Nick did not want Lance to have kids with Amanda, it would tie her to him forever.
"Another thing has been kinda on my mind for a hot minute...." Nick said, shaking off his feelings.
"What's that?"
"I'm not in love with her."
Lance smiled as he walked up to Nick's house....he was hoping she would be home. This would definitely secure his plan to stop Nick from stealing Amanda from him.
Ever since Amanda had told him Nick was performing at the nightclub, he had been looking for something to help him. His only other option was to get Amanda pregnant....and if the news his doctor had given him was correct, this would never happen. Lance was desperate.
"Nick's not home." Tracy said, her green eyes narrowed. She didn't like Lance. Although the two of them hadn't talked much, she had seen how he treated Amanda and that was plenty.
"I came to see you." Lance replied. Tracy was hesitant but let him into the kitchen, she knew Nick would pitch a fit if he saw him here.
"Why? We aren't friends. I know how you treat Amanda....what are you up to?" she asked as they sat down at the table.
"I'm only concerned for your feelings. I don't want you to waste your time with someone who doesn't love you," Lance said, his expression solemn.
"Get out of here....you're trying to screw up my relationship." Tracy snapped, pushing him towards the back door.
"No, I'm trying to save you from getting your heart broken. Nick loves someone else." Lance said. Tracy stopped and looked at him, thinking about what he was telling her. There couldn't be any harm in listening to what he had to say, could there?
Author's Chapter Notes:
Sorry it has been so long! Hope you're still with me :) enjoy the update!
