By her second week there, Lisa had felt right at home. Mary and Eric had made sure of that when they had seen how depressed Lisa was. At that current time, Lisa was out walking again, intent on losing weight by the time she got home, surprise everyone.
'Lisa,' she told herself, 'stop it now! You know you're trying to impress Nick Carter if you see him again.' That was true too. Lisa sighed, damn him! She was developing feelings for him and she didn't even know him! She sighed angrily and walked into a small store. She had twenty dollars on her and decided to look for something to buy. She started looking at the toys for Mimi. Hannah was still too young for toys yet.
She saw a baby doll that Mimi might like and walked over to inspect it. As she did, she ran into a little boy who was looking at G. I. Joe's.
"I'm sorry." She said to him, looking down into his blue eyes.
He nodded, "No problem." Then he smiled and went back to the selection before him. Lisa smiled at the young boy who looked to be about eleven or twelve. An older guy walked over and stopped behind him.
"Aaron, they're all sold out."
Lisa recognized the voice. She stiffened and quickly turned her back to him.
"Lisa?" the older one asked.
"Shit." Lisa muttered, under her breath. She turned and forced a smile, "Hi Nick."
Nick grinned, "Well, well, fancy meeting you here. We seem to run into each other a lot."
Lisa shrugged, "Good timing I guess. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm shopping for my little sister." She grabbed the doll and walked over to the counter and paid for it before rushing out the door and sighing. 'Forget him.' Lisa told herself and hurried off to another store.
"Lisa?" Sammy asked, tugging Lisa's arm, "Can we eat here? Please?"
"Yeah!" the other three chimed in, "Please?"
Lisa looked down into the eyes of her cousins and sighed. "I don't know… McDonalds?"
Sammy nodded, "Pretty please and beautiful cheese?"
Lisa laughed, how could she say no when the child had used her own line of bribery? "Fine, but next time we go to Burger King. I hate McDonalds!"
The kids laughed and ran inside. Lisa followed and walked up to the counter. "What do you goobers want?"
Eric Jr looked at her, "Chicken nugget happy meal!"
Tony frowned, "Um, well, um, same as Jr."
Megan smiled and looked up, pretending to read. "Whopper!"
Lisa laughed and hugged the youngest child. "Megan, Whopper's are at Burger King. Plus, you'd never be able to eat a whole one."
Megan blushed, "Opps! I want what Sammy gets."
Sammy frowned at her sister and then looked at Lisa. "I want a hamburger happy meal, only I want mayo on my burger."
Lisa nodded, "Sprite for everyone. Eric, go get a table and take these goobers with you, alright? Stay where I can see you."
Eric nodded and walked off, feeling grown up. Lisa smiled after him as he directed his brother and sisters to sit in a booth near the window; boys on one side and girls on the other. The kids listened as Lisa ordered the kids' meals and then a crispy chicken deluxe and a Pepsi for herself. Then she paid and took the food to the arguing kids.
"Hey, why are you arguing?" she asked, setting the tray on the table and handing out the food. Sammy looked at her.
"Eric's being mean!"
Lisa frowned and sat down, allowing Megan to climb into her lap. "Jr, be nice to your sisters."
Eric sank his teeth into his chicken nuggets and looked over Lisa's shoulder. "Why are those guys watching us?"
Lisa looked back and saw all five BSB sitting at a table behind them, Nick smiling and watching her, the other guys glancing over. Lisa sighed. "Ignore them."
Sammy looked over her shoulder at them and called, "Why are you watching us?"
Lisa wanted to sink into her seat and vanish. "Sammy!" she hissed. Megan giggled and took another bite of her sandwich.
Sammy looked at her cousin, "Did I do something bad?" she looked so scared.
Lisa sighed and hugged her, "No, sweetie, just eat."
Tony looked at the guys. "One of them is coming over."
Lisa groaned. "Man!" then she pushed her sandwich aside and took a sip of her pop.
Nick smiled as he reached their table. "Small world, isn't it?"
Lisa looked at him, "I swear that you're following me."
Nick shrugged, "Maybe."
Eric looked at him, "Are you bugging my cousin?"
Nick looked at the oldest child. "No, sir. I just want to be friends with Lisa."
Lisa stood, shaking her head. "Kids, I'll be right back. Jr, watch the kids until I get back." Then she walked into the restroom and sighed.
When she came back out, Nick was talking earnestly with her cousins. Lisa moaned inwardly and walked over to hear him say. "Thanks, you guys, I owe you." Then he stood and looked back at Lisa. "See 'ya around, sweetness."
Lisa shrugged and used his line, "Maybe." Then she sat down and looked at the kids. "Ready?"
Lisa herded the four kids into the park and sat on a swing next to Megan and Sammy. Tony and Eric Jr ran for the jungle gym, next to the basketball courts. Lisa swung herself slowly.
"Lisa?" Sammy asked.
Lisa turned to her, "Yeah, Sammy?"
"Are you in love with anyone?"
Lisa was surprised by the question. "Where did that come from?" the younger girl shrugged and looked into her eyes, waiting for an answer. Lisa shrugged, "I don't know…"
Sammy nodded and went back to her swinging, her eyes distant. Lisa watched her for a moment. The girl looked like she was pondering something as she swung but Lisa didn't know what. Why had she asked that question?
Shrugging it off, Lisa went back to watching the boys play. Suddenly Megan squealed, "Nicky, Nicky!"
Lisa groaned. It had been a full month since she ran into him at McDonalds and it seemed that everywhere she went, Nick was there. The kids adored him.
Nick walked over and grinned at Megan. "Hey there, kiddo. Miss me?"
Megan nodded and hugged him. Nick patted her back and looked at Lisa. "Well, I do say, the world is very small."
Lisa rolled her eyes, "Hello, Nickolas."
Nick winked, "Oh, Nickolas, that's a new one for me coming from you!"
Lisa sighed and pushed herself on the swing. Nick walked up and caught the swing as it swung back towards him. He smiled at her, moving his face closer.
"What do you want, Nick?" Lisa asked, thanking god that she had lost about thirty pounds. She felt wonderful but didn't like the feelings she was getting for Nickolas Gene Carter.
Nick's smile took on a sexy edge, "You know what I want, baby."
Lisa frowned at him, "Watch what you say, the kids will hear you."
Nick glanced at the four kids that were watching them like hawks, a grin on Eric's face. Nick looked back at Lisa and smiled softly. If Lisa had been standing, she would have melted. He was holding her swing in the air by the chains and standing so close to her that her legs hung by his sides. Lisa swallowed hard. Didn't he know what he did to her?
"Nick, please, let me down…" Lisa whispered softly.
Nick looked into her eyes, "Sweetness, you've been here a month and I still can't seem to get you. Why is that?" he leaned closer and whispered in her ear, "It only makes me more determined to get you." Then he pulled back and kissed her lips softly. Eric hooted and cheered. Megan and Sammy giggled. Tony made a gagging noise. Lisa felt herself melting. She pulled back as his tongue tried to slip into her mouth.
"Let me down, now."
Nick looked at her a minute longer before grinning slyly and stepping back, gently letting go of the swings. "Of course, sweetness, but now that I have tasted those sweet lips, there's no stopping me." He stooped in and stole another kiss before walking to his car.
Lisa watched him for a minute before glaring at the kids. "Why didn't you stop him?"
Eric shrugged, "I wanted to see what he did."
Lisa snorted and stood, "Come on, we're leaving."