“This is what you call doing something ‘crazy’?” Nick wondered as he stood surrounded by dozens of blinking lights, beeping machines, and children running rampant around them.
Brian grinned hugely. “Isn’t this awesome?”
Nick considered for a moment what he would be doing if he weren’t here. “I guess you’re right.”
“Bay’s not old enough to truly appreciate an arcade like this,” Brian explained as they exchanged bills for tokens at the machine. “He’d love the lights and music, and maybe he’d play the basketball for tots, but then he’d be lost.”
“So, because you missed the arcade, you felt the need to come on your own? And drag me along, too?”
Brian shrugged and dropped two tokens into the skee ball game. “Where’s your sense of fun, Nick? Instead of asking me questions, I would have expected you to be long gone in your video game high. Is something bugging you?”
“Other than the fact that all my problems are still gonna be there after we’re done playing video games? Nah, nothing at all,” Nick muttered.
“Nick. You’ve gotten through worse,” Brian reminded him. “At least the law isn’t involved this time.”
Nick pondered that for a bit before brightening. “That’s true! Fuck it. I don’t care if Aaron marries Kari or people think I’m turning Autumn Evans into a whore. Let’s play!”
An hour and a half later, they’d gone through the skee ball games, shot hoops, air hockey, and were now working their way through the video game area. For the most part, they were ignoring the looks they were getting from the teenagers, who thought it odd that two grown men were so completely bonkers over arcade games. At least, they hadn’t been tagged as Backstreet Boys yet, and, for that, they were both grateful.
“Ha!” Brian pumped a fist in the air. “I win! I win!” He stuck his tongue out at Nick. “I told you, you can’t beat the Supreme King of the Universe of Video Games, and you still dared to best me. Obviously, I’m the best. You’d better bow down to me, you inferior gamer.”
Nick took the ribbing good-naturedly. “Whatever. I think it was a fluke. How about the best two out of three?”
“You’re on!” Brian agreed and snatched up the controller again.
They were halfway through the next round as Brian continued to win when a voice interrupted them. “Nick? B-Brian?”
“One second,” Nick said over his shoulder as he concentrated on annihilating Brian’s spaceships.
They played for another fifteen seconds before Brian cackled again. “I won two out of three, Nick-ay! Take that, sucker!”
“You obviously haven’t played for a while,” Nick commented as Brian wiggled his butt in a victory dance. “Just wait until Baylee gets older. He’ll be wiping the floor with your sorry ass.”
“Probably,” Brian agreed. “Of course, he hasn’t quite gotten a good grasp on how to use the PS2 I got him a while ago. I end up playing it late at night when Leigh’s sleeping and doesn’t know what I’m up to. She thinks video games are going to lead Baylee down-” He stopped as he turned and found a woman watching the two of them curiously. “Hello.”
A tentative smile spreading on her face, she stepped forward and held out a hand. “I can’t believe the two of you are here, the arcade of all places. It’s good to finally meet you!”
Nick smiled, fan encounters always making him feel like a king. “Nice to meet you, too, uhh…”
“Reid,” she told him with another smile that made her dark blue eyes glow. “I’m just so shocked that I’d meet you guys at all. I’ll apologize now if I start to babble later on.”
Brian grinned easily. “Don’t worry. I’ve ended up babbling, too, when I’ve met people more famous than us. Which, haha, at this time, means most celebrities.” He shook her hand. “So, Reid, tell us about yourself.”
“I’ve been a fan of yours since I was fourteen,” she replied. “That was nearly eleven years ago, and I’m so excited about your new album! How’s it going so far?”
Nick stifled a grimace at the thought of the album that currently was going in four different directions and managed to smile at her excitement. “The album’s going well,” he lied. “We’re really excited about it, and I’m sure I speak for the four of us when I say we’re thrilled that you’re looking forward to it.”
“Are you kidding? All the Backstreet fans are waiting impatiently for it!” Reid exclaimed. “Oh! I completely forgot! Congratulations on having a sister-in-law soon!”
Brian turned his laugh into a cough as Nick’s face darkened. “Yeah, thanks,” he muttered.
Reid appeared to be perceptive because she started laughing. “You hate the idea, right? I’m guessing Aaron didn’t tell any of you about what he was going to do?”
“No,” Nick answered. “But, if you don’t mind, I’d rather not think about it.” He studied her for a moment, taking in the reddish-blonde hair and petite figure in jeans and a simple top. “So, what brings you to an arcade?”
“I was going to ask you the same thing.” Her eyes hinted at mischief. “I thought you’d be out with Autumn Evans. Aren’t you dating her?”
This time, Brian couldn’t disguise the laughter and let it ring. “Nick, she cuts to the chase, doesn’t she?” He grinned at Reid. “Actually, that’s a sore subject for him because he’s not dating her.”
“But he wants to?” she wondered, watching Nick carefully.
Nick sighed. “Hey, I never said anything like that. I’ve met her three times, and it’s not a big deal.”
“Didn’t you meet Paris a couple times, too, before you started wanting to date her?” Reid asked innocently and watched Nick’s face turn red.
“It’s not the same thing. Autumn’s a really nice woman,” Nick explained. “Not like Paris,” he added.
Brian could see the fan wheels turning in Reid’s head and decided it was time to go before Nick blew a gasket at all the provocative questions. “Well, Reid, it was good to meet you. Glad you’re keeping the Backstreet pride alive. But, as we like to say, we gotta go!”
He started to nudge Nick towards the door, but Reid stopped them. “Wait! Can I get a picture with the two of you? No one’s going to believe me if I say I met you guys at an arcade.” She held up her camera phone and gave them a big, pleading smile.
Nick forced a smile, the dark mood back in full swing. “Sure. No problem.”
***
In the darkened room, Autumn lay awake listening to Jack’s heart beat under her ear and tried not to think of the future. He’d just returned home, but he already knew when he’d leave again. Though she should have been used to the cycle, she wasn’t. She couldn’t accept the fact that he was constantly leaving her and Lily behind, so he could go off on his African archaeological digs. It was a vicious pattern, and she was afraid of what she’d have to do. She loved him, but she often found herself wondering if this way of living was best for both herself and Lily. Because it was easier not to worry over when he’d be back, she’d opted to tell the world that there was no one special in her life, even if she desperately wanted Jack to be. If she had talked about him in interviews, it would have reminded her of their unstable relationship, and that was the last thing she wanted to mourn for however long he was gone.
Pretending he didn’t exist was easier for her heart.
They’d spent the day avoiding speaking of his inevitable departure, and, instead, they’d spent it playing with Lily and enjoying being together. They were a family again, and Jack had thoroughly enjoyed hearing all about her experiences in the spotlight. He was proud of her, and Autumn knew she’d bask in that for a long time no matter what happened. In turn, he’d told her about the skeletons they’d unearthed and how important they were to understanding human history. Though she hated his work for taking him away, she was proud of him, too.
However, as much as she’d enjoyed cooking with him, having someone to talk to besides Lily, and thrilled over the fact that the man she loved was home, she’d begun to feel desperate at the idea that he’d be leaving again. She’d poured all that desperation and the passion she felt for him into their lovemaking, and, even when he’d drifted to sleep, she’d lain awake. Worrying.
Careful not to wake him, she shifted and slid out of bed. Pulling on a robe, she padded into Lily’s room. Watching her daughter sleep peacefully, she remembered the first time she’d met Jack.
“Whoops! I’m so sorry,” Autumn apologized as she tried to bend and help the man pick up his belongings. At six months pregnant, she was already having difficulty moving around and was sure the coming months would only make things worse.
“No, no. Don’t worry about it.” He helped her stand. “Why don’t you sit down on that bench over there? I’ll bring over your things, too. I just don’t think it’s a good idea for you to bend like that.” He watched her bulging belly cautiously.
Nodding, Autumn moved to the bench and watched him retrieve her bags. She’d been wary of men for the past six months and was suspicious of this man’s intentions. No one in Los Angeles stopped to help another person unless they were visibly dying. Yet, here was this random guy helping her out.
“Here you go.” He deposited her things next to her then stood awkwardly with his hands in his pockets.
“Thanks,” Autumn mumbled and tried to ignore the fact that he kept staring at her.
He shuffled his feet nervously. “So, uh, how far along are you?”
“Huh? Oh.” She looked down at her belly. “Six months.”
At the weird look she gave him, he began to chuckle. “Sorry. I know it’s kind of random to ask that, but my sister’s eight months along. The whole pregnancy deal is really fascinating to me.”
“Are you a doctor?”
He shook his head. “Nah. I dig, you know, for bones. I’m an archaeologist.” He held out a hand. “Jack McCann. Well, it’s Dr. Jack McCann as of two weeks ago, so I guess I am a doctor.”
She placed her hand in his, trusting the sincerity she saw in his eyes. “Autumn. Autumn Evans. I’m an actress, and I’ll be filming my first movie as soon as my baby’s born.”
“Well, then.” He smiled, sitting next to her. “Let me be the first to congratulate you on the baby and the acting.”
Since that spring day nearly two years ago, Jack had stuck by her when she’d needed him. They’d been friends at first, and, even then, she should’ve been able to see the future. He’d been there for a month, then he was gone only to return just in time for Lily’s birth.
In the first two months after the birth, Autumn had let him take their relationship beyond the friendship stage and had fallen in love with him. After, he’d gone back to his project in Ethiopia, and she’d been too busy filming Rein of Silence to truly miss him. Maybe that should have been her first sign that she wasn’t as emotionally invested in him as she’d believed herself to be.
Running her fingers lightly over Lily’s dark locks, she left the nursery and, quietly pulling on sweats, she grabbed her car keys. Despite the fact that it was nearly five in the morning, she needed to clear her mind. And there was only one place she could go that gave her any peace of mind.
Author's Chapter Notes:
hey everyone! here's the next chapter! for those of you who missed the update earlier this week, make sure you read chapter 12 before you read this one...otherwise, you'll be very, very confused! Happy Friday!
