Glancing up from the monotonous game of Go Fish he had been sneakily drawn into by his son and wife, Brian was honestly surprised that he hadn’t drifted into a comatose state and was startled when the door opened to reveal Nick. Lurching from his spot on the floor, his cards scattered from his lap and onto the coffee table, but he hadn’t been in a mind to finish the game anyways. Greedily, Baylee and Victoria dove to collect his cards into their own hands with the exclamation that it was fair game. Though, they seemingly fell into a vicious attack of tickles so they would get the best-matched pairs. Shaking his head in disbelief at their silliness, Brian hurriedly attempted to mask his pleased smile when he noticed Nick’s exhausted features, realizing that the younger man was in no mood to return to their scheduled work.
“Did you just get in?” Brian asked. “Because the other two aren’t even here yet, so--”
“It makes no sense to head back to the house now,” Nick answered, declining the offer Brian was about to make. Rubbing his weary face, he knew that if he traveled back to the house that he’d never return to the studio. Ten stuffy hours on a cramped flight, complete with time zone changes, and an aching heart for his beloved; Nick wanted to do nothing more than sink into a dark oblivion. “I’m here and I’ll stay here.”
“You don’t look ready to be back in the recording studio, Frack,” Brian commented carefully, reaching out to gently embrace the younger man. Management had been quite heinous about Nick’s personal life, demanding he be back to work within a week of the funeral. In fact, Brian had been skeptical that he would return, considering Nick’s defiance against management when he had initially been told. Brian was convinced that he had seen a few rude gestures that would have made the devil blush, but he understood Nick’s annoyance. After all, management had been the one to keep Howie from saying his final goodbyes to his older sister, Caroline. They had no respect for the men’s families in general. And, when Nick was so overly protective of Grace, it was natural that he’d react violently to anything that could potentially harm his relationship with her.
“I don’t think I really am ready to be back in the studio,” Nick agreed whole-heartedly, not having the strength nor the conviction to attack his best friend. Instead, he stooped in time to receive the exuberant four year old racing to tackle his legs that had squealed loudly with his praises. Baylee giggled when Nick swayed slightly, throwing his arms about the man’s neck for a jubilant squeeze. Smiling ruefully, he squeezed the youngster back before leaning to accept Victoria’s kiss. He always admired the closeness of the family and how they worked so steadily to make him part of the niche.
“I’m sure AJ will be quite excited to see you’ve returned,” Victoria suggested in hopes to elicit a smile from the younger man, but when he didn’t even seem to smirk with the knowledge that AJ would simply want information on Grace, she sighed and toyed with a short strand of her layered mocha locks. Reaching out, she gently squeezed the man’s upper arm, her soft caramel eyes warm with a kind understanding. She had always thought of Nick as a little brother, adopting that mantra from her beloved husband, who she had been with for many years. They even had taught Baylee, their only son, to think of Nick as an uncle or brother of sorts. But, looking into his dark sapphire eyes, she realized he did not want to be reminded of familial times. He wanted a chance to grieve for his love. “So, how is Grace?”
“Honestly?”
“I know when you’re lying to me, so yes.”
“She acts like she’s okay, but I know that she’s not, which is killing me,” Nick admitted honestly, shifting Baylee into his mother’s arms before collapsing on the nearby couch, having no desire to travel beyond those doors into the studio. How could he possibly sing of love and life when the love of his life was dying inside? She had looked so broken when he said goodbye several hours ago. A few tears had slipped past her beautiful emerald eyes, but she simply said that she would see him soon. She didn’t even acknowledge that she’d miss him, though he knew otherwise. Groaning at the thought, he furiously rubbed the palms of his hands into his eyes as if to clear away the grit of his mixed emotions.
Moving to sit on the opposite couch that faced Nick, Brian was loving in the way he reached to thread his fingers with Victoria’s, pulling her to rest at his side. The couple had spent many nights discussing Nick’s dilemma in the soft darkness of their bedroom. They worried about him as much as they worried about Grace. Leaning forward, he carefully cleared his throat to catch Nick’s attention. “Her husband just passed away, Nick, it’s going to take time for that pain to heal. She loved him very much. I remember being at their wedding and how she shrieked bloody murder if he pushed cake into her face. He did it anyway and she still loved on him for the rest of the night, despite the brief slam of cake into his crotch for paybacks--”
“Please, don’t remind me,” Nick muttered, throwing his head back against the couch. The wedded union of the two had been one of the most painful experiences in his life. To see Grace looking at another man with such romantic adoration had caused a deep wound in his heart that had never healed.
Victoria offered a small sigh of sympathy and squeezed Brian’s upper thigh to keep him from reminiscing, knowing it would do no good. “Nick--”
“Her and the kids are flying out soon.”
“To California? They’re staying with you?” Brian guessed, deciding to carry the conversation before Victoria could nag at the old recurring wounds opened in Nick’s heart from the sudden death.
“Yeah. Grace told me that it’s really hard for her to keep staying at the house that Logan built for them. She’s not sure what to do, so I told her she could take a vacation. With that fucking mother-in-law… She needs it. So, I’m going to fix up the one guest room for the kids. Izzy’s just turned one, so she’s still sleeping in a crib. Benji is four now, so he can use a regular bed, I guess?”
“Bay sleeps in a big boy bed and he’s four,” Victoria confirmed, playing with her son’s thick platinum curls.
“A very big bed!” Baylee agreed with a wide grin. “Daddy an’ me play jumping beans on it!”
“Which I’ve told you not to do how many times?” Victoria sighed, casting an ominous look toward her husband. But when he shrugged and offered the same wide, innocent grin as her son, she rolled her eyes and looked back to Nick. “I’m sure Grace will enjoy the vacation. Your house is beautiful. When’s she coming in?”
“End of the week, so I’m definitely going to be working my ass off to get everything ready--”
“Scooter will help you,” Victoria suddenly volunteered.
“I will?” Brian grunted.
“Of course you will,” Victoria enforced, casting him a warning glance that caused him to immediately nod. Smiling, she nodded at Nick as well. “Scooter will be happy to help you get everything around. Whatever you need help with, just tell him. Then, let me know what time Grace’s flight gets in and then Scooper and I will pick them up.”
Nick hesitated for a moment, “Tori--”
“I insist. And make sure to tell Grace that I’d love to spend time with her and the kids. Bay and Benji could be perfect playmates.”
“Playmates, Mommy? I get a new toy?” Baylee inquired with a curious glance.
“Not a toy, Scooper,” Brian laughed. “A friend.”
“Oh…” Baylee trailed, sliding away from his mother to collect the cards on the floor. “C’we get a new toy together?”
“We’ll see,” Brian chuckled.
“Guys…” Nick trailed when Baylee went rushing off to locate his bag of toys, which inevitably held a toy magazine within it. The boy always carried around a magazine in order to select toys, especially when he was around his father’s band-mates, who bribed him often. Waiting till he was fully immersed in his selections, Nick shifted to look at his parents. “Benji’s not exactly up to playmates right now with everything and being there when it happened, y’know?”
“Being there? When his father died?” Brian asked in confusion, furrowing his dark blonde brows when Victoria curled against his side. “How did it happen, Nick?”
“Car accident,” Nick whispered softly, squeezing his eyes to ward off Grace’s devastated expression when she explained. “Logan was taking Benji out to pick out presents for Gracie for her birthday. They were going to meet her and Izzy later at her favorite restaurant. But, some asshole… Some asshole of a kid was driving hard and fast and…Benji was pinned in his booster seat and had to watch his father die… I mean, it’s a miracle that he wasn’t killed, either… He got hurt and… Well, it could have been worse…”
“Jesus,” Brian breathed, feeling his wife’s arms wrap tightly about him in a fierce hug of protectiveness. “I can’t imagine…”
“Yeah…” Nick trailed, haphazardly shrugging his shoulders as he stooped to collect the cards that had fallen. “Anyway… She’s flying out with the kids in a few days. She had some stuff to wrap up with Logan’s lawyers and whatnot. She got some kind of grieving leave from her job and she can’t stand the thought of being in the home that they built together right now. I’m not even sure she’s going to go back to work… The life insurance and his practice and… I don’t know… She needs friends and family and--”
“She needs you,” Victoria suggested softly, knowing that he needed to hear it.
Nick looked up from the cards he had been diligently shuffling. “I hope she does…”
“Mommy, y’think we find a bed soon?” Benjamin questioned, breaking an exhausted yawn against the back of his cast, having slipped it from the sling momentarily. Once it was freed, he took the time to scratch the roughened cast material against the back of his ear, because it was itching terribly. Halting halfway when he heard the clearing of his mother’s throat, he squinted up into the sunlight to take her advice. Seeing his mother arch her light brows inquisitively toward him, he offered a rascally grin and snuck the cast back into the sling as if nothing had happened. Then, squeezing the hand he had been made to grasp, he quickened his steps so they could enter the air-conditioned airport terminal.
“Very soon, Benny-Boy,” Grace promised with a soft coo, knowing that her son must surely be exhausted. His cheeks were reddened from the steamy heat of the encapsulated Los Angeles. In fact, Isabella was already snoozing against her bare shoulder, wisps of her golden curls pulling away with the hot breaths blowing from the girl’s pursed lips. When she had been active in flying around the world to visit Nick on tour, she could always remember the familiar weight of time zone changes on top of the exhausting jet lag, but the effects it had on children must have been the equivalent to ten shots of Benadryl. “We just have to find Nicky among these throngs of people so we can get to his house.”
“Thongs?” Benjamin repeated with distaste, his drooping eyes popping open in surprise. “Mommy, you said them’s uncomfortable as a monster Nicky wedgie! How come all these people have thongs on?!”
Snorting with laughter and unable to answer his curiosity, Grace shifted the carry-on bag to her back and scooped Benjamin onto her opposite hip with an amused growl. Blowing a soft raspberry on his neck, she was relieved to hear him giggle with appreciation while his arm wrapped about her neck. Maybe this change in scenery hadn’t been a hasty decision after all. She had feared uprooting the children from their home so early after Logan’s death, knowing that all the books on childhood grieving suggested otherwise. But the change in Benjamin was unmistakable. He seemed to be in better spirits as the days wore on. Every now and then, when she looked at him, she could even see a soft smile hinting at his lips. She just hoped that he wouldn’t revert back into his protective shell upon seeing Nick, knowing that her friend ached to have his connection with the boy rekindled--
“Mommy, we staying with Nicky?” Benjamin suddenly interrupted.
“Yes, we’re staying at Nicky’s big house. He said he has a room picked out especially for you and Izzy. He also has tons of toys to play with. And he has a pool for when your cast comes off. He even lives by the ocean! Just imagine how great it’ll be to have our own private beach, Benji--”
“Is his fans gonna be with us?”
“His fans?”
“All them people that jump on him all the time?”
“Oh, Lord no! We’d never have enough room.”
“Then can you tell them to get out of our way?”
Following the direction of Benjamin’s pointing, Grace swallowed the urge to groan when she noticed the tightly knitted group of girls circling around a particular area. Flashes from cameras exploded and Benjamin tucked his face into the crook of his mother’s face, not wanting to become the center of attention. Paparazzi and fans had already mauled him when Nick had taken him out before. It was the one part of Nick’s fame that she didn’t particularly care for, the massive invasion of privacy. Every time she was with him in public, the crowds were not far behind, demanding to know if she was his next love affair. So, curling her arms around her children, Grace carefully maneuvered her way through the crowd, surprised to find Victoria and Baylee Littrell waiting.
“Grace!” Victoria breathed excitedly, hurriedly scrawling her name over another notepad before excusing herself. Making sure to keep hold on her exuberant son’s hand, she stepped forward and wasted no time in embracing the younger woman. She had been waiting for what seemed like hours for the plane to touch down, but couldn’t deny the buzz of fans milling about that asked for photographs. She knew it was the implied duties when she wedded Brian. Not that she minded being adored by millions, especially when she gave Brian an adorable little boy. “It’s so great to see you!”
“Victoria,” Grace murmured in surprise, not able to return the affectionate squeeze with her children settled on opposite hips. Though, it was easy to see the delight gracing her lovely facial features. The last time she had spent time with Victoria would have been at her baby shower for Isabella that Nick had actually planned with Logan. All the men in the group had been invited, so Brian had brought his newly wedded wife. Grace found her to be a great friend, better than the nightmare Brian had been dating who had been too many years his senior. “It’s been--”
“Way too long!” Victoria interrupted with a laugh, pulling her toward the private waiting area that she made sure to reserve beforehand. Gesturing toward the bodyguards, she thanked them in advance for gathering Grace’s luggage from baggage claim, not wanting to cause too much of a stir within the airport. She wanted this transaction to go smoothly for the family, knowing that Nick only wanted the best. “I’m sorry that Nick couldn’t come. He was getting the house ready for you guys, so then I made sure that Brian stayed to help him, which meant that we got to come pick you up!”
“We could have just taken a cab--”
“No, I wanted to make sure that someone picked you up,” Victoria declined with a small smile, watching Benjamin squirm within his mother’s arms so he could be placed upon the floor. He immediately rubbed his face to clear away the sleep, but stood close to his mother while eyeing the other preschooler. Natural curiosity had won over the melancholy. “Benji and Isabella have gotten so big.”
“So has Baylee,” Grace agreed with a small smile, shifting Isabella to her hip while she ran her fingers through Benjamin’s blonde locks. “I think these two could pass for twins.”
“No doubt,” Victoria laughed, crouching down to meet her son’s height. She had great hopes that Baylee would befriend Benjamin; especially hearing about the traumatic experience the younger boy had endured. Benjamin needed a friend desperately. “Scooper, remember how Daddy and I were talking about you having a new person to play with?”
“That him?” Baylee questioned, gesturing toward Benjamin.
“That’s him,” Victoria agreed. “His name is Benji. Why don’t you say hello?”
“Okay,” Baylee agreed, stepping forward while yanking on his Thomas the Tank Engine shirt, stained with the chocolate ice cream his mother insisted he couldn’t have before lunch, but his father had given him anyway. Regarding the other boy for a moment, he wiped his nose against the back of his hand with a snort before extending it, mimicking his role models. “S’up?”
Furrowing his light brows in confusion, Benjamin wasn’t sure how to regard the other toddler. So, when Baylee stepped forward and waved his hand in an aggressive manner so Benjamin would shake it, he instead turned to stare up at his mother in horror. Grace’s encouraging smile did nothing to help as he scurried behind her for protection. Clutching her leg, knowing she would protect him, he carefully peeked around his mother. “He eat Boo Berry today, Mommy? ‘Cause he scary!”
“Benjamin,” Grace groaned with a small laugh, shrugging her shoulders at Victoria.
“Why him got that hard bone on his arm? Him get in a fight with a ‘gator in Florida?” Baylee suddenly inquired.
“Baylee!” Victoria growled, reaching to scoop her child up. “Less AJ and more Kevin modeling next time, Okay?”
