- August 7 -
@nickcarter Burrito bomb! socialcam.com/Ddgsldgkhsdg
"Sam, the girl made a social cam video. Can you believe it? That was so almost a decade ago. What parallel universe have I stepped into that social media is reverting backwards?"
I had the phone slightly away from my ear so as not to be drowned out by the loud, boisterous laugh that erupted on the other end of the line. "Oh, my dear, sweet Liv..."
"This is serious!"
The laughter stopped, but the amusement was still front and center in my friend's voice. "So what's the video of?"
I stared at my tablet, my pointer finger poised above the screen. I pursed my lips. "I dunno, I didn't actually watch it."
"Well?"
With that slight prompt, I clicked on the link. The video loaded fast, probably because of a combination of low quality and no one actually using the archaic site. Even though my mood was sour, my heart began to beat just a little faster when Nick's face came up on the screen. His smile was infectious.
"I'm going to regret this," he said laughing.
"Oh, no you're not."
The voice that answered him was off camera and automatically made me see a million different shades of red. She sounded like she was almost taunting him. Nick grinned, thoroughly enjoying the challenge. Ever so slowly he lifted a plate into view.
"I," he paused. "am going to eat all this."
"And what is it?" the she-devil's voice asked.
"This," he gestured to the heap of soft shell, meat, cheese, and red sauce that formed the massive burrito, "is the Big Juan," Nick declared, rolling his r's perfectly at the end. They both laughed. "Oh really?" Zoe's voice dropped to a whole new level. "I've seen bigger."
Nick snickered. "Oh have you now?"
A long sheet of Zoe's blonde hair came into view as she leaned slightly into the camera shot. "But I wouldn't mind a bite of yours."
And just like that, the video was over. "That mother--"
"What?"
I had almost forgotten I was holding a phone with someone on the other line. I felt like I had eaten a giant handful of sour gummies. I swallowed around the acidic pit of saliva that had pooled under my tongue. "She's--she's--flirting with him!" I spat.
"Who?"
Sometimes Sam infuriated me. In fact, sometimes all males infuriated me. "Zoe," the name was hard to even say. "That--that--bitch asked Nick for his Big Juan!"
"His big one?" Sam repeated. "Well, that is kind of forward. I usually like to buy someone lunch fi--"
"This is serious!" I interrupted.
"Liv, this is Nick we're talking about."
I kept staring at the screen waiting for more, but the video, as with all Socialcam videos, was short - and to the point. I let out a little growl and rolled the tension from my shoulders.
"Sam," I said, my voice trying to hit some level of normal. I inflicted my next words with sweetness. "How would you like to surprise Nick--"
The click of his tongue gave me his answer. "No can do. I'm in Paris as we speak shooting some of the hottest bodies in the world."
I sighed. "You're gay. Those hot bodies do nothing for you."
He laughed. "Sweetie, did I say I was shooting women? Paris men are, how should I put this? Magnifique."
My sigh doubled in severity. Sam intercepted. "Take it from someone who's known Nick for awhile now - he wouldn't cheat on you. You're everything to him."
"But she's young," I argued.
"He's had his share of young before he met you," Sam argued back. "I think his priorities are different."
"No, he's a guy."
"And so that means--?" Sam let the question linger.
"That means," I paused. "men like young, gorgeous women. They like things new and fresh. They like a challenge."
Sam seemed to mull that over for a beat. "Livvy," he finally said gently. "You're one in a million and you're worrying over nothing."
"She doesn't like me," I said bitterly.
"What woman does?" Sam teased. "You have Nick Carter. Besides, going back to what you said about men liking challenges - you are probably the biggest challenge I've ever met."
I scoffed. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"That means," Sam laughed. "you're like dynamite. You're exciting to be around..."
"But watch out when you blow."
"I have the worst heartburn I've ever had in my life. I think I might be dying."
"The Big Juan kicked your ass huh?"
"How'd you know about--"
"Your photographer posted a video."
It was late. The kids were asleep and I was sitting on the back porch in my robe and fuzzy slippers, not looking attractive, but feeling extremely comfortable.
And yet, still crabby.
"You saw that?" He sounded surprised. "I told her SocialCam was dead."
"Oh, I saw it."
"Remember when AJ was obsessed with the videos? I wanted to kick his ass."
I couldn't help but laugh as I remembered more than a few times AJ and I had collaborated on the first few videos. I had created a monster - a monster Nick had wanted to kill with a passion. For a short period of time, AJ McLean became more annoying than Nick Carter - the littlest Backstreet brother.
"I remember," I said. "So," I tried to keep my tone light. "Did Zoe enjoy the Big Juan?"
Nick didn't answer right away. In that silence I tried to dissect a million different things.
"She didn't get any," Nick said. "You didn't get the free t-shirt if you didn't eat every last bite yourself in under thirty minutes."
"You ate that in thirty minutes?"
"Yeah and now my heart and my ass hurt. But the t-shirt's pretty cool."
I leaned my head back against the soft cushion of the swing. "Nick--"
"I left my common sense at home," he said lovingly.
My brow furrowed. I knew he was indicating I was his key to making good decisions, but I still took his comment the wrong way.
"Let's hope you have a little of your own saved up for emergencies," I replied.
It came out harsher than I intended. "Livvy, are you okay?" he asked.
"Of course," I lied. "Just tired. Pey got into my body of Sun-In today and half her hair's blonde. She looks like a skewed version of Cruella De Vil."
That made him laugh. "I miss you babe."
I closed my eyes. It had only been a week, but...damn. "I miss you, too."
"Don't worry about a thing," he assured me. "I'll be home before you know it."
"Burrito t-shirt and all."
