Nick peeped out the window of his bus at the sounds of Brian and Howie playing with their sons in the car park, he smiled as he watched Baylee getting frustrated with baby James for not being able to catch a ball and Brian trying to unsuccessfully reason with him.
Spotting Nicks face in the window Brian beckoned for him to come out and play with them, Nick instantly accepted the offer and jumped off the bus, grabbing a light teal jacket on his way.
‘Uncle Nickyyyyyyyy’ Baylee shouted as he ran over to him.
Nick instantly swiped Baylee up into the air and spun him round and around.
‘You wanna play ball with us Nicky?’ A now green looking Baylee asked between deep breaths.
‘Yeah sure, I’ll show ya how to play properly.’ Nick playfully winked at Brian.
Taking a step back Brian stood by Nick and watched on as Baylee ran about trying to make sure he caught Nick’s throws.
‘So how’s it goin bro?’ Brian quietly asked.
Nick shrugged his shoulders instantly getting defensive.
‘What you mean?’
‘Nothing just touching base ya know, doesn’t feel like we talk as much as we used to.’ Brain said trying to keep it calm.
Nick knew Brian was right they use to be so tight, not just the best of friends but brothers too, always on the same level.
That changed after Brian got married and began his knew family. It wasn’t that Nick didn’t like Leighanne in fact he knew how good she was for Brian, but he did quietly resent the fact that she took him in a totally different direction to where Nick was heading and they kind of lost their closeness.
These days Nick found himself a lot closer to AJ, they were closer in age and kind of in the same place of life juggling a career, a girlfriend, a million adoring fans, stilling enjoying nights out and burning the candle at both ends.
Nick still enjoyed acting a kid and was nowhere near ready for as big a commitment as marriage and children, things were kind of good and he was having fun doing things his way.
‘Things are cool Bri, feels good to be back on the road doing our thing.’
Nick flashed a huge grin but Brian wasn’t buying it, he knew Nick better than Nick knew himself.
‘Oh right’ Brian paused.
‘And how things working out with Lauren?’
Nick looked out of the corner of his eye. ‘Fine, why?’
Sensing Nick’s unwilling to stretch to a decent conversation Brian didn’t push any further.
‘Nothing, like I said just touching base!’
Nick repositioned himself to throw back to Baylee, as he looked up he caught sight of AJ running across the car park to the workers buses.
Softly he threw the ball to Baylee and watched on to see who would answer the door. ‘I
wonder if it’s Kim’s bus?’
Nick thought to himself just as he felt the sharp pain of the ball connecting with his crotch.
‘Sorry Nicky!!!’ Baylee shouted over midst a fit of giggles as he watched Nick drop to one knee.
‘Oooooooh You ok dude?’ Howie winced as he bounced James on his hip.
Nick closed his eyes and held a thumb up as he tried to compose himself.
Feeling his pain Brian gently patted Nick on the shoulder. ‘Sorry Bro.’
‘It’s cool, it’s cool.’ Nick panted as he began to stand tall. ‘I gotta sit down for a minute.’
Nick hobbled over to the steps of his bus, slowly followed by Howie and Brian who were trying desperately not to look at each other so they wouldn’t break out into laughter.
Nick slowly lowered himself down as Howie and Brian gathered round him, Howie placed James on the floor so he could run round in front of them whilst he talked to Nick.
‘Can I get you a drink or something?’ Brain asked trying to take his mind off wanting to laugh.
‘Nah, Nah. It’s all good in da hood.’ Nick blinked profusely trying to remove the water from his eyes.
‘So have you spoken to Kim yet?’ Howie questioned, taking Nick by surprise.
‘Erm, no. I’ve not even seen her to be honest. Did she even come?’
Nick felt his stomach flip, he didn’t know if it was nerves, guilt or just an aftershock of his accident.
‘Yeah she’s defiantly here.’ Brian chipped in.
‘You think she might just be purposely staying outta your way?’ Howie asked.
Nick shrugged his shoulders; he didn’t care for this conversation or the way it was suddenly making him feel like shit.
‘I don’t know and I don’t care to be honest with you, I’ll be staying outta her way so it’s for the best if she stays outta mine too.’
‘C’mon Nick you were besotted with her a few months ago, how things just change that quickly?’ Brian asked totally confused.
‘They just do OK!’ Nick snapped.
‘All you guy’s need to know is she’s a lying, cheating whore and I wish I’d never laid eyes on her!’
‘You don’t mean that Nick, I know you don’t. Kim was a lovely girl who made you happy.’ Brian contested.
Nick shook his head and let out a fake laugh. ‘NO, she was a good fuck and a great liar and that’s ALL there is to her.’
Howie and Brian both glanced at each other taken aback by the hostility Nick held towards Kim.
‘Does Lauren know about Kim?’ Howie asked, instantly wishing he’d never.
‘Yeah she knows, she knows I got lonely on tour and when I needed a lay there was a girl available to care of it!’ Nick let out another fake laugh.
‘Nick!’ Howie scowled. ‘What the hell is wrong with you? That’s not Kim your trying to describe there and you frickin know it. Seriously dude, that’s not cool!’
There was a creak from inside the bus, causing the three men to jump. Someone had obviously been listening to the conversation.
‘Well’ Nick said breaking the silence.
‘Speaking of my needs there’s a pretty woman in here that’s more than ready to meet them, so I think we’re done here guys.’
With that Nick stood up and dashed inside the bus egger to make sure Lauren hadn’t heard too much.
Brian and Howie both looked at each other in utter disbelief.
‘What’s goin on in his head?’ Howie muttered as they began to move away from the bus.
‘I dunno’ Brian shrugged.
‘but I can see it’s not gunna end well, the kids practically unrecognisable.’
‘I know, I’ve never heard him speak about women that way either.’ Howie sighed.
As they reached their original spot they saw AJ coming out of a bus, closely followed by Ash. Both men shook their heads.
‘I guess it’s not gunna be an easy tour.’ Howie groaned
‘Is it ever?’ replied Brian.
They rolled their eyes as they grabbed their boys and headed back to their buses for some peace.
Back on the bus Nick found Lauren pottering around in the kitchen.
‘Hey doll’ he whispered as he wrapped his arms around her waist.
‘Hey.’ Lauren quietly whispered back.
‘So where did you go?’
‘Nowhere I was just outside with Howie, Brian and the kids playing a little ball.’ Nick squeezed a little tighter.
‘Have fun?’ Lauren freed herself from Nicks hold.
‘Yeah kind of.’ Nick answered.
‘Kind of?’ Lauren repeated.
Sensing something was wrong Nick began to tread very carefully.
‘Yeah I wasn’t paying full attention and Baylee threw the ball straight into my crotch.’ Nick winced again as he remembered.
‘Why were you not paying attention?’ Lauren snapped.
‘I spotted AJ across the car park and wondered where he was going.’ Nicks eyes narrowed.
‘and where did he go?’ Lauren continued.
‘I dunno that’s when I got hit. Look is everything ok I’m sensing a little tension here and I don’t know why?’ Nick carefully egged a little closer to Lauren.
‘I heard you conversation.’ Lauren finally snapped.
‘I was on my way outside to come see you and I heard you all talking.
Why did you not tell me you were sooooooooo in love with this girl who USED to work on your tour but now all of a sudden is STILL working on your tour?
Seriously Nick what the fuck is going on here? Did you just bring me to make some ex-girlfriend jealous cause that’s really shitty if you did Nick, I thought we had something here.’
Nick stepped in and grabbed Lauren to calm her down, he felt so terrible inside.
Was Lauren right, was she just his rebound, but he thought he had pretty strong feelings for her, she couldn’t be just a rebound.
I should have thought this through better. He said to himself.
I’d not think about how Lauren would feel in all this, I should have known my little story about Kim wouldn’t have held up for long once we arrived. As he breathed out he felt extremely nauseous.
‘Look Lauren, I’m so sorry if you feel I’ve misled you in anyway.’ He looked into her eyes and could see they were beginning to water. He felt like such an ass.
‘Maybe I wasn’t 100% honest about my relationship with Kim, but that’s not me hiding things from you I guess I wasn’t 100% honest with myself about it either.
Look the main thing is I love having you in my life and I love that your here with me and I wouldn’t want it any other way. Whatever you wanna know about my relationship with Kim I will tell you ok and I’ll tell you the truth. I’m so sorry if I’ve hurt your feelings or made you feel unhappy, it was never my intention, and I’m sorry Lauren.’
Lauren took a deep breath as Nick removed a piece of hair from her face; she looked into his amazing blue eyes and felt herself instantly melt.
‘You’ll tell me the whole truth Nick?’ She asked.
‘The whole truth and nothing but the truth.’ He replied.
He was feeling so bad inside and wanted desperately to quickly fix this feeling of uneasiness he was having so without even thinking Nick opened his mouth and whispered to Lauren.
‘I love you.’
He just couldn’t stop himself from saying it, the words just fell out of his mouth he even repeated himself.
Lauren began to cry as she heard those words roll off Nicks tongue and a huge smile beamed across her face spreading her luscious tender red lips.
‘Oh my god Nick, I love you too, I’ve wanted to say it for a while but just thought it was too soon.
I love you, I love you. She repeated over and over before gently kissing him and leading him through to the bedroom.
Chapter End Notes:
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