An Illicit Gentleman II

                                      Chapter Twenty-Four

            AJ sat on one of the studio chairs backwards and rested his head on his arms as they sat across the back of the chair.  He tapped his foot to the music but his mind wasn’t on it in fact he was so lost in his thoughts he didn’t hear Howie ask him about the tempo.

“Hey!” Howie shouted as a hand flashed in front of his face.

“Yo” AJ replied snapping too.

“Did you hear me?” Howie asked.

“Nope” AJ replied lightly shaking his head.

“How does the tempo sound?” His friend asked him.

“Fine”

“Just fine?” Howie asked.

“Ok stellar.” AJ replied sarcastically and Howie rolled his eyes to the comment.

“Ugh come on Alex concentrate this is the last song and then we’re done.” Brian sighed.

“I am, the damn tempo sounds fine.” AJ barked back at Brian.

“He’s to busy thinking about Eve naked on a beach.” Nick joked.

“Nick” Both Howie and Brian sighed.

“He’s right.” AJ replied even though it wasn’t on his mind, he’d thought he would play along, and smiled in triumph as Brian rolled his eyes.

“When are the two of you leaving?” Howie asked.

“Tonight”

“That soon?” Brian asked turning back around.

“Yes”

“Why?” He asked.

“Because…” AJ replied getting defensive towards Brian’s integration.

“What’s with the twenty questions dude?” Nick asked.

“Well what if we need to fix something we have to wait for him to get back?” Brian asked.

“It’ll take me as much time to fly back from Maui then for you to fly back from Atlanta and besides we’re just going for the weekend, a little R and R, I think we both deserve it.” AJ told him.

“Yeah and I have plans too, so if there is something that needs to be fixed it can wait till Monday.” Nick spoke up quickly.

“Is she still having those panic attacks?” Howie asked as Brian sulked in his chair.

“Yeah” AJ nodded.  “Hoping this weekend will help a bit.”

“Well I hope you two have fun.” Nick said to AJ but meant the comment for Brian.

“Four” AJ replied and everyone looked at him confused.

“Four?” His friends replied.

“Kevin and Kristin are coming; they’re staying in the cabin next to us.”

“Now I’m hurt and take back my words of fun wishing.” Nick pouted.

“It wasn’t like I planned it, Eve told Kris and the two got talking, next thing I know it’s couples thing.” AJ replied with a small smile at Nick’s joke.

“Can we please finish this?” Brian spoke up and the other three looked at him.

“Yes Kevin.” AJ and Nick replied and then busted out laughing.

Brian made them go through the song a couple of more times before he was satisfied enough to call it.  AJ sighed as they all stood outside the studio doors, the album was done this part of its journey, now it was waiting to see what Jive said and where they went from there. 

As he drove home he thought about how Brian had acted at the recording studio.  He wondered if Kevin said anything to him but then thought better of it, if Brian knew what he was up to in Maui he would have let it be known back at the studio.  AJ was proud at how cool he played it but on the inside he was just a buddle of nerves.  The front light was on when he pulled up to his house and shut the car off.

When he opened the door he saw their bags sitting on the floor by the closet.  Closing the door and locking it he walked down the hall and poked his head into the kitchen, he smiled when he saw her sitting at the table reading.

“All ready?” He asked as she looked up.

“Yep” She replied with a smile.  “Are Kris and Kev meeting us at the airport?”

“Yeah, they’ll be at the gate.” He told her as he sat down and stole a sip of her juice.

“So how come you just invited Kevin and Kristin?” Eve asked as she took back her glass.

“Just thought it would be something fun and it’s been a while since I’ve spent time with them because of recording and all.” He replied as he got up and grabbed a can of Dew.  “You don’t mind right?”

“No, just as long as we get our alone time.” She replied as she walked up behind him and wrapped her arms around him.

“Don’t worry we’ll get lots of that.” He replied as he turned around.  Leaning his head down he gently kissed her and then slid the can of soda under the back of her shirt, she yelled and jumped letting go of him as he busted out laughing.

“Jerk.” She said as she slapped his arm and started to walk away but he grabbed her arm and spun her back around.

“I’m sorry.” He replied leaning down and kissing her again.

“You’re lucky you’re a good kisser.” She quietly replied as he pulled away.

“Among other things?” He asked with sly smile and she started to laugh.

“We should get going.” Eve said nodding to the clock on the microwave.

AJ pouted as he followed her out of the kitchen and down the hall to the front door.  He loaded the trunk up with their bags and then locked the house up.  Within a couple of minutes the couple was on their way to LAX.  When they got there they checked in and then made their way through security. 

“So I wonder if he’s late.” AJ said as they stopped at a stand to get a coffee since they had some time before the flight left.

“Nope” Eve said as she pointed over his shoulder and he turned around to look where she was pointing.  He saw Kevin and Kristin sitting beside each other reading a piece of paper.  They grabbed their coffee and headed over to the couple that sat in the gate area.

“Hey” AJ said as they approached them and the couple looked up.

“Hi” Kristin smiled as she stood up and hugged Eve and then AJ.

“Hey man how’s the cd coming?” Kevin asked as the two friends hugged.

“So far done, we’ll see what Jive says.” AJ replied with a shrug.

“The thought of the four of you on tour with out me is terrifying.” Kevin sighed as Eve and AJ sat down across from them.

“I think it’ll be peaceful without you and Nicky going at each other.” AJ replied with a sly smile.

“Naw, it’ll be you and Brian going at it now.” Kevin replied back with the same sly smile.  “And I’d rather deal with a brat than a prick.”

“Kevin.” Kristin sighed.

“He’s my cousin I can call him whatever.” Kevin said quickly.

The two couples sat talking as they waited for their plane to board and as AJ picked at his coffee cup he looked at Eve.  She had the widest smile and her eyes shone brightly as she laughed at Kevin and Kristin bickering.  It was nice seeing her happy and not just because of what happened because of everything.  No one should go through the hell she went through, the loss she went through, and what she had to do to get by. 

“Flight 42MLA to Maui now boarding.” The woman’s voice broke from the speaker and AJ felt his stomach flutter.

“Yay” Kristin and Eve cheered as the two girls walked to the boarding line.

“So, you ready?” Kevin asked as they walked a few feet behind the girls.  AJ shot him a look and Kevin smiled.  “Are you ready?” He whispered jokingly.

“Yeah” AJ replied rolling his eyes.

“What if she says no?” He asked.

“Than she says no.” AJ replied with a shrug.  “I just don’t want to wait anymore; I’ve waited long enough for someone like her.” 

Kevin patted him on the back as they walked up to the stewardess.  He handed the woman his ticket and ID then walked up to Eve as she waited for him near the loading dock.  He took her hand and they walked together down to the plane door.

“It’ll be late when we get to the cabin so we’re just going to crash and do something for breakfast.” AJ told her as they sat down in their seats.

“Cool” Eve nodded as she sat down and placed her bag at her feet.

“Glad to be going back?” He asked.

“Yeah, I can’t believe you got the same cabin though.” She smiled.

“It was a nice cabin.” AJ replied as Kevin poked his head over the seat.

“We share a beach so no kinky stuff in the middle of the night.”

“Tell your wife.” AJ  jabbed back.

“Excuse me?” Kristin replied turning around.  AJ started laughing and Kevin did too as both girls just rolled their eyes. 

The couple turned around when the announcement about the plane pulling out came across the speakers.  Laying his head back as they began their accent into the air, AJ closed his eyes and relaxed.  The sounds and voices around him started to fade away and then soon they were gone, replaced by the echoes of a dream.

AJ felt something flutter against his face and his eyes slowly opened.  Looking back at him, barely above the top of the bed were a pair of bright blue eyes and a smile that would melt the coldest of hearts.  He stared at the little girl, who could not have been older than three, as she pulled herself up onto the bed. 

“Hi” AJ said too her as she looked at him.

“Lily” Eve said as she walked into the room.  “Sorry I turn my back for one minute and she took off down the hall.”

AJ smiled as he heard the little girl laugh in his ear and pulled on his neck. “It’s ok.” He said as he looked at Lily.

“She’s getting to smart for her own good.” Eve sighed.  “She saw your shoes and bag downstairs and realized you were home, she missed you.”

“Well I missed her too.” He said as he looked at the little girl.

The plane began to rock and AJ’s eyes shot open; he looked around and saw the people around him and Eve reading beside him.  “Damn” he mumbled as he sat up.

“Turbulence woke you up?” Eve asked as she looked up from her book.

“uh, yeah.” AJ replied shaking the dream from his mind.  “How long was I asleep?” He asked.

“Couple of hours.” Eve replied as she closed her book over.  “You ok, you look a little razzled.”

“Yeah, I hate waking up from turbulence, not sure what’s going on.” He replied with a light smile.  Which wasn’t really the truth, he was thinking about the little girl, Lily.  She smiled at him as she took his hand, then let it go as she opened her book and started reading again.