The Truth Between The Lines

Copyright 2012

By Terri

Chapter 6

Lilly

What the hell?!  She better have had a damned good reason for hanging up on me the way she did.  She’s my kid sister and I’ll allow her certain things but that was just flat out rude!   Needless to say when she showed up at the shop later that afternoon, I was all over her case.  Well after the initial ‘Oh my God’s, it’s so good to see you ‘and Reese’s grand tour for Aunt Jade.

“What the hell is going on Jade?” I sat her down at a corner table after we helped Aspen get through the better part of her weekend rush.   Reese sat coloring contentedly at a table not too far from us after her nap while Aspen wrapped things up.

“I’m not the best example but watch how you talk around Reese okay?”

“Fine, “I replied begrudgingly. “ What is going on?”

“Well I wanted to tell you guys together but I’ve been in town for a couple of days now finalizing all the details on my new book.”

My eyes widened. I knew it was a dream for her but I didn’t even know there was a first. “You had a first?”

“I know I should have told you but I wasn’t sure how you would handle it.  You are my big sister after all.”

“Not by much.”

“You’re still older and if it wasn’t for you growing up, I’d probably be more screwed up than I am.”

“You’re not screwed up Jade.  Just a little misguided was all. You grew up.”

“Like I said, thanks to you.”

“So tell me about this book.”

“First of all, Aspen, can you get a sitter tonight?” Jade inquired as Aspen joined us.

“I think I can manage but why?” She replied.

“Remember how you were teasing me how you met Nick and AJ earlier today?”

Aspen and I nodded.

“The reason I hung up on you earlier today is because I was at a photo shoot for my book cover.  I’d been trying to get permission to use the Boys on the cover when my manager informed me they’d be there live and in person.”

“I hate you,” I said.

“Now don’t be hating me…….yet.   Remember when we saw the boys in 2001?”

“The night Aspen and I spent searching for you after we discovered you snuck out of the room?” My gut told me I wasn’t going to like this.

“I found my way to their hotel and onto Nick.”

Okay, now I hated her. My life wasn’t horrible but it seemed like my little sister could always one up me in the man department. Aspen was shocked to say the least.  Me, I was just flat out pissed.

She continued, “Then every time they would pass through town he would call me and we’d….well, we’d hook up.  Until three years ago that is.”

“When he met the one who shall remain nameless,” I replied but all I really wanted to do was call the girlfriend a bitch. I was behaving for my niece’s sake.

“Today was the first time I saw him in that time.”                

“So that’s the big reason Aspen needs a sitter tonight?”

“No, he and his friends want to take us out to dinner.”

“So you can fawn all over him right?”

“Actually so AJ can fawn all over Aspen and Brian can fawn all over you.  I showed them a picture of you guys and Brian was mesmerized by you. And big sis, Nick thinks you’re pretty stunning too but he’s mine,” she said with a smirk.

Aspen looked at me and said, “I’m going to get on that sitter while I fix Reese dinner. The store is locked up so take all the time you want down here.”

After she left, Jade said,” What’s going on?”

“Sebastian took the house from her because the asswipe found another woman and knocked her up so she’s living above the shop.”

“I’ll kill the sonofabitch.”

“The line forms behind me.  So about the books?”

“My first one was called Crash and Burn. The new one is Spellbound.”

“You’re Lacy Shadows?”

“You’ve read my book?”

“After Michael informed me he liked guys and moved out, romance novels were my saving grace.”

“Shit Lils. That sucks.  So Aspen is gone now, you can get all fangirlie about Brian if you want. I won’t tell.”

Okay, so I’d been harboring some deep seeded lust for the guy since we’d had fifth row to the Never Gone tour and he was walking offstage. God does he have a great ass! “It’s not that, it’s just….wow, you’ve had Nick Carter.”

“In every position my body could stand. Some I wished I hadn’t.”

We laughed.  “So Brian really thought I was hot?”

“Lils. Where do you get the idea that you’re not attractive? Men drop like flies at your feet. You got Nick’s attention.”

“Only because I was singing.”

“You have a good voice. “ Just then Jade’s phone went off. “Nick!”

I could only hear her side of the conversation and she left me sitting there to find out the status of babysitter for Reese.  The smile on her face when she returned to the shop told me that Aspen had found a sitter.  We were having dinner with the Backstreet Boys!  What the hell was I going to wear?!

You’d think I would be the first ready to go but for some reason I was procrastinating. Why?  I don’t know. Normally, men don’t have that effect on me. I guess I just wanted our first meeting to be perfect.  Not push him away with my tendency to be overly flirtatious y’know?

I stepped out into the living area.  Jade had other lodging so she was arriving with them.  Aspen looked at me and whistled just as the doorbell rang. “That’s got to be the babysitter.  I’ll be back.”

“Aunt Wiwy. You look pwetty,” Reese said.

“Well thank you sweetie.”

“I second that.”

My eyes rose and there he was. The eyes, the voice and looking so incredibly gorgeous I forgot my name.   I’m sure this was all Jade’s doing the minute I saw AJ enter the room.

“Hey Lilly.   Hey there cutie pie! “Addressing Reese. “Shouldn’t you be in bed by now?”

She jumped up and crossed the room; whispering in his ear when he knelt down to her level. He looked at me and chuckled. I was going to kill my sister!

“Okay you little charmer you.  Let’s get to bed,” Aspen scolded.

“But Mommy!”

“I’ll come help you if you don’t mind,” AJ offered.

Jade couldn’t have planned it better if she tried. “Hi.”  I don’t know why he made me so nervous? Oh yeah, because I had the hots for him forever.  He’s just a man Lilly. Shake it off.

He took the chair kitty cornered from the couch in the small room.  I may have to talk to Jade about this later but for now I was going to concentrate on blue eyes.” She was right.”

“Jade?”

“Yeah. She told me how your eyes sparkle.  They’re even more beautiful in person.”

Okay. The kid gets to live one more day.  My really bad inner bad girl was taking over and I had this overwhelming desire to take him down to the shop and grab that passion fruit frosting that Aspen used for her adult line, spread it all over him and lick every last inch of it off but I returned to reality and smiled.” This was her idea wasn’t it?”

“What? For us to come up and get our dates?  Jade had nothing to do with it.”

“This time. I know my sister too well.  She wanted to be alone with Nick didn’t she?”

“You’re not disappointed are you?”

“We’ll see how it’s going come sunrise.”