It had been almost a week since I’d received that terrifying text. Since then, nothing out of the ordinary had occurred. It was becoming easier to set it in the back of my mind. Would I ever completely get over being afraid of him finding me?

I hoped so. I had so many other things now to concentrate on.

“Where’s your focus?” AJ asked.

“Oh, sorry,” I laughed as the bowling ball went into the gutter.

“My turn!” Brian said, soon getting a strike.

“Man, Rok, I swear you’re cheating,” AJ muttered.

We were Wii bowling on teams at AJ’s house. August and Brian were currently playing AJ and I. Dianna and Carmen were going to play the winners. Howie was mentally keeping track of the tournament. He and Nick were on a team since Nick and Carmen refused to play together.

Each kept glancing at the other, but they hadn’t spoken much today. Not even to argue, which was weird. I’d have to ask August when I had a moment what was going on with them.

I smiled inwardly. It was drama, but the interesting, strangely enjoyable kind. Harmless, which was nice.

AJ got a spare, August a strike, and it was my turn again.

“Alright, Michelle, you can do this,” AJ told me.

I was still thinking about his eyes gazing into mine when I turned back to the flat screen. I knocked down four pins. “Oops…”

August and Brian won the game, and Dianna and Carmen took the remote we’d been using.

This was my first time at AJ’s house. It was even more spectacular than I had imagined, though very different from the Littrells. Theirs was more homey, while AJ’s was slightly more modern contemporary and display. There weren’t as many personal touches as Brian and August’s, although they were also a married couple. Maybe this is what a celebrity bachelor pad looked like.

He had all the latest electronics- the flat screen, a Wii, an X-box 360, and Blue-rays. The living room was hooked up with surround sound, so it actually felt like we were in a bowling alley.

AJ went into his kitchen and I followed. “You want something to drink?”

“Sure. What do you have?”

He rummaged through the fridge and pulled out some cans of soda.

“So,” I said, “What is with everyone?” I’d planned on asking August, but I’d been noticing that she and Brian were slightly formal with one another tonight, too.

“What do you mean?”

“Nick and Carmen for starters.”

He told me about their encounter the other day, and I nodded. “And Brian and August?”

AJ looked at me, confused. “What do you mean?”

I shrugged. “Seems like trouble in paradise. They just seem off…”

“Well, they sort of fought that day, too, but they usually get over things pretty quickly.” He told me about the rest of his visit to Brian’s.

“Hmm…”

AJ groaned. “You women just love to do that, don’t you?”

“What? Figure things out that you men are too blind to see?” I shot back, smiling, grabbing a soda can and starting to head back into the living room.

“Yeah, yeah, wise-guy…”

“Wise-girl,” I corrected him.

“My point exactly,” he muttered, leaning his forehead against mine. “I don’t know how you manage to be annoying and endearing at the same time.”

“Wow. Thanks,” I said sarcastically. “I-”

He cut me off with a slow and sweet kiss, wrapping his arms around me.

“Excuse me,” Brian, with all the space in the world available to him, reached his arm in between us to grab a soda off of the counter. “Thanks!” he grinned.

AJ smacked him on the head, and Brian ran towards the living room. AJ chased him, and by the time I followed them into the room, Brian was using Nick as a shield. AJ’s weapon of choice was a couch cushion.

“Hey! What did I do?” Nick put his hands up around his head, defensively.

It was the first time I’d seen Carmen really smile all night.

The final teams in the tournament were Diana and Howie versus August and Brian.

I sat next to AJ on his couch. “Sorry I cost us the game.”

He shrugged, wrapping an arm around me. “No big deal. Brian knows I’m better than him anyway.”

“In your dreams,” Brian bowled another strike.

He won the game for his team. He and August hugged, though it seemed a little tense.

“Oh,” AJ said suddenly. “I think I’ve got the vocal track finished.”

Brian turned around, immediately interested. “On Unsuspecting Sunday Afternoon?” He glanced at August. “It’s a mouthful, but it’s a good song.” Then he laughed. “Howie keeps screwing up the title.”

“Well, it’s long,” Howie defended himself.

“I think it’s about done, actually,” AJ said to Nick, the only one of the Backstreet Boys still giving him his undivided attention.

“Can we hear it?” Nick asked.

“Sure,” AJ said, hopping up. “You guys want to come?”

I started to stand up. I’d gotten a tour earlier and seen his studio. I wanted to hear what their music sounded like these days.

“No, you guys go ahead,” August said.

Dianna nodded. “Go have a Backstreet Boy moment.”

I was torn. I wanted to hear the song, especially since they’d apparently written it themselves, but it seemed the Backstreet Girls were staying down here. One for all and all for one.

“So how’s life, everyone?” Dianna had a smile on her face, in a good mood, as usual.

Carmen stayed quiet and August was looking towards the staircase the guys had just climbed up. I wondered if it was too late to join them in the studio.

“Oh, that good, huh?” Dianna added, sarcastically. “What’s wrong with you guys?”

“Nothing,” I shrugged, truthfully.

“So,” Carmen said. “I heard about your date…”

As promised, I’d called August and told her how it had gone. The first date, that is. The second had been fun, but nothing special. I’d eaten way too much popcorn and watched a movie.

Well, we’d seen parts of the movie.

I assumed August had filled Carmen in.

“I haven’t heard!” Dianna said. “Give me the details.”

Carmen beat me to it. “One of his other dates showed up and started talking to AJ.”

“What?” Dianna sat up on the couch and switched her gaze back and forth between us. “Are you serious?”

“But,” August interrupted, “he hadn’t called her since Michelle finally said yes.”

“Aww!” Dianna said.

“I would’ve punched her…” Carmen said, mostly to herself. “I guess its progress, though.”

August smacked her on the arm. “Carmen!”

“I’m just joking,” Carmen said. But it was obvious she really hadn’t been.

“Yeah, I know,” I rolled my eyes. “He’ll be onto the next girl in a week or two, right?” I said this as jokingly as possible and pulled it off.

“No, you’re better than the other girls he’s dated. Give it three weeks,” Carmen laughed.

I managed to laugh with her. August was still casting aggravated glances in Carmen’s direction.

“So,” I said, “I’m not going to get kicked out of the club, am I?”

“What do you mean? What club?” Dianna asked.

“When I’m not… spending time with a Backstreet Boy anymore. Do I lose my Backstreet Girl title?”

“Um, hello?” Carmen said. “Who says you need a Backstreet Boy?”

Diana smiled. I’d asked this with the same nonchalance I’d used for my last question, but I’d genuinely wanted to know the answer. I’d been worrying about it a lot as I’d gotten to know them. Dianna and Carmen were joking about making our own CD, but August was glancing at me, head tilted to the side, pensively.

“You can get rid of us that easily,” she said sincerely.

I smiled, but didn’t say anything. I didn’t want to admit how much hearing that meant to me.

Luckily, Carmen heard her. “Yeah. We’re not like the Backstreet Boys with the whole Kevin thing. You try to quit our group, and I come after you.”

Her last words hit me with full impact. A memory I didn’t want to relive. I focused on my current surroundings. “Good to know,” I rolled my eyes. “I hadn’t realized I’d signed a lifelong contract here.”

“Yep. Girl power!” Carmen said.

“Carm, I’m pretty sure that slogan is taken,” Dianna laughed.

Carmen tried to think of something else. “Yeah, I got nothing.”

“How long does it take to listen to one song?” Dianna mused a moment later.

“Oh, you know them,” August said. “Pouring over every detail.”

Carmen patted her on the head. “Aw, the wife getting jealous of the music?”

August rolled her eyes. “I’m proud of him, and I’m glad he’s so dedicated to the group. But there are other things in this world besides the Backstreet Boys…” she laughed.

“Like what?” I joked.

“Doesn’t sound like you’re keeping the pride alive, does it?” Carmen laughed. “Jeez, it seems like you two have been married forever.”

“Another year coming up,” August smiled, proudly. “It’s gone by so fast. It seems like just yesterday, I was talking to him for the first time…”

I smiled. You could look at the two of them and tell that they were soul mates. How many people were ever lucky enough to find that?

“Well, I’ll tell you one thing,” Dianna said. “My Backstreet Boy better put a dag on ring on my finger soon! We’ve had plenty of anniversaries, just none as husband and wife.”

“I’m just gonna stay a bachelorette forever.”

“You’ll be going out on dates at the nursing home, won’t you, Carmen?” I said.

She flashed a smile. “Of course. I’ll be the most popular girl at the Bingo table.”

We all laughed and the guys came down the stairs.

“What’s so funny?” Howie asked.

“Nothing,” we all replied at the same time, and then continued to laugh.