"Ouch! Shit!" Nick exclaimed as he stubbed his toe, coming around the table trying to get to the phone. "Motherf..."
He had to bite his tongue to keep from saying what he felt like saying. As badly as his toe was throbbing, he felt sure it was broken.
"Shit!" he exclaimed once more as he picked up the incessantly ringing phone. Why did it always ring at the worst possible time?
"Hello?" he gruffed, putting the receiver to his ear, holding his leg up to check his still aching toe.
"Damn man. What's wrong with you? Someone take your candy?" AJ laughed.
"Go to hell man. I think I broke my toe getting to the phone to listen to your smart ass comments."
This sent AJ even further into his fit of laughter.
"Shutup, man! It hurts!"
"I know. I'm just messing with you."
"So, what's up?" he asked, waiting to hear his reason for calling.
"Just calling to make sure you're going to be able to come tonight," he answered.
"Well, AJ, I appreciate your concern. But, that's a little personal, and quite honestly, has nothing to do with you," he retorted, a pleased smile forming on his lips.
"Now who's the smart ass?"
"Just kidding. Of course I'm coming. I told you I was. What's the matter? The ball and chain got you going through the guest list?"
"Don't call her that. And, no, I called on my own."
"Sorry. Just seems like she has you on a very short, very tight leash lately."
"Well, if she does, it's because I choose to let her," AJ replied.
"Whatever you say man. But, yeah, I'll be there. I'm picking up my date at 7. So, we should be there by 8."
"Your date? You're bringing a date?" AJ asked, floored by the statement.
"Yeah. So, what's the big deal?"
"Nothing really I guess. It's just that...."
"What? It's just that what?"
"Well, it's just that this will be the first girl you've brought somewhere like this since.... well, you know."
"Yeah, it is."
"It IS a girl, isn't it?" he laughed.
"Of course it is, sicko!"
"Just checking. Never can be too sure about you."
"You'd just be jealous I wouldn't want YOU if that were the case," he laughed.
"Right! Like I couldn't do better than you!"
"You know you want me!"
"Yeah, I want you, Nicky. You believe that!"
"Man, I'm getting off of here before you profess your undying love. I'll see you tonight."
"See ya, man."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Don't be nervous," Nick said, his hand rubbing Destiny's leg. "They'll love you."
"I hope so," she smiled nervously back at him.
"They will. What's not to love?" he smiled.
"Flattery will get you everywhere, pretty boy!"
"That's what I was hoping for."
She felt as if her heart would jump out of her chest as she and Nick stood at the door waiting for someone to answer it. Part of her couldn't believe she was here, about to meet all the guys. Another part was very scared, nervous.
As the door open, and she saw the man standing there, it all clicked at once. THIS was the man she'd seen in the jewelry store at the mall with his fiancee. THIS was AJ McLean.
"Hey, man. Come on in," he said, stepping back to allow them into the posh home.
As they walked in, the girl she'd seen before walked up behind AJ and put her hand on his shoulder.
"Uh, this is Destiny, guys," Nick started. Turning to her, he said, "Des, this is AJ and his fiancee, Serena."
"Hi," she smiled, extending her hand. "It's nice to meet you."
AJ immediately held his hand out. "I think we've met before, haven't we?" he asked.
"Umm, I'm not....," she started.
"Yeah," he said. "At the jewelry store. Remember?"
"That's right," she nodded. "So which one did you decide on?"
Leaning in towards her, and putting his hand beside his mouth as if to whisper, AJ said, still loudly, "I had to pop for the big one."
Destiny looked towards Serena, who stuck her nose up in the air and turned her head as if she weren't even part of the conversation. Odd, Des thought. She also found it odd that Serena had yet to speak to Nick. Were they not friends?
As the night progressed, Destiny met all the guys and their better halfs. Though she got along well with all of them, she and Howie's girlfriend, Faith, had made an immediate connection. They had spent most of the night chit chatting about different things, from the men in their lives to fashion. Their conversation flowed well, as they seemed to have a great deal in common. But, almost everyone there seemed to have a lot in common.... almost everyone, that is.
Serena stuck out like a sore thumb. She didn't blend in with the girls, and not many of the guys seemed interested in talking to her. But every little while, she would make her rounds, showing off the huge rock she had pitched her fit to have. It was obvious from things she said that the ring was more important to her than the meaning behind it.
"I'm surprised the tightwad came off with enough money to buy this," she had said repeatedly, even with him in hearing distance. She didn't seem to care who heard her.
And her bossing and ordering around of AJ was so overdone. It was quite clear she was doing it to show her dominance over him. Every few minutes, it was "Get me a drink" or "Do this" or "Do that". The poor guy hardly had time to talk to anyone.
Destiny turned to Faith and asked the obvious question.
"This is really none of my business," she said. "But, is she always like this?"
"Who? Serena? Yeah, she is," she nodded.
"She's always like this? And he never says anything to her?"
"Not a word," she whispered. "Sad, isn't it?"
"Very. But, if she is always like this, why doesn't someone say something?"
"They figure if he puts up with it, he must love her. So, they leave it alone."
"Love or not, he shouldn't have to put up with that."
Towards the end of the night, several guests had left, but Nick and Destiny were still there, as were Kevin and Maddie. Nick was totally engrossed in some story he was sharing with Kevin, and Serena had Maddie cornered showing her ring off for about the hundredth time. Destiny looked around the room, locking gazes with AJ. He smiled and stood up from his seat. She watched him make his way over to her.
"Whatcha doing over here all by yourself?" he asked, sitting down beside her.
"Everyone seemed to be doing their own thing, so I was doing mine.... staying out of the way."
"I see," he smiled, taking another sip of the large glass of iced tea in his hand. "So, tell me about yourself."
"Well, there isn't much to tell," she said honestly. "What exactly do you want to know?"
"Let's see. Where are you from? What do you do? How old are you? The basics, I guess."
"Long story short, I'm a 24 year old record industry executive transplanted from Scottsdale, Arizona."
"Really? You're in the record industry?" he asked.
She explained to him what her job entailed, saying it wasn't as glamorous as it sounded. He seemed genuinely interested in what she said, his attention never leaving her.
"So, how long have you and Carter been seeing each other?" he asked.
"Oh, not long. About two weeks."
"You seem to get along really well," he pointed out.
"Yeah. We do," she smiled, looking over at Nick, who was still deep in his story. "What about you? I mean, how long have you and Serena been together?"
"A little over two years," was all he said.
"Well, you two must get along well, too, to be taking this big step."
"We do get along well," he said. "But I didn't come over here to talk about me. I came to talk about you."
"Well, like I said, there isn't much to talk about."
"Ok, then, what's say we talk about your romeo, then. I've got a few little tidbits of information I'm sure you'd love to have," he smiled, as he slid closer.
"Really? And what are they?" she asked, her curiousity peaked.
AJ leaned in and whispered into her ear, not paying attention to anyone else. After a few seconds, he sat back up with a laugh as Destiny began to laugh as well.
"Really?" she asked. "He did that??"
"I shit you not," he nodded.
"Ok. What else?"
He sat there a minute, scratched his head and once again leaned to whisper in her ear. This time she began to laugh hysterically even before he was finished telling her. She tried her best to stifle the sound with her hand, but whatever he was telling her was too hilarious and she couldn't stop herself. Both she and AJ were laughing so hard they were almost crying, the connection between them becoming obvious, when someone cleared their throat.
AJ looked up to see Serena standing over them, looking down disapprovingly.
"Hey, babe. What's up?" he asked.
"Oh, don't let ME interrupt," she said hatefully. "Carry on with whatever you were doing that is more important than your engagement to me."
"Honey," he started, as he stood up and placed an arm around her. "We were just talking. You were busy and I didn't want to bother you, and she was sitting her by herself, so I just....,"
"Well, your place is beside me. That's where you need to be," she hissed and turned and walked off.
He followed closely behind her, turning around halfway across the room and mouthing the words I'm sorry to Destiny. She smiled and nodded, wondering what exactly it was this woman had that kept him strung along like a little lost puppy.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
On the ride home, Destiny asked Nick about the tension between him and Serena.
"What was up between you two? Are you not friends?"
"No. We aren't. We've never hit it off. We just tolerate each other."
"So, why did you go to this engagment party to start with?" she asked.
"Because AJ is my friend, and I support him."
"Even though you think he is making a mistake? If you were really his friend, it looks like you'd tell him what you think."
"He has been through a lot. If he can find happiness with her, then I wish him all the best. As long as he is happy, then that's all that matters."
"I guess so," she said, still not sure of that.
"Speaking of AJ, you and he seemed to hit it off really well," Nick smiled.
"We did. We had a wonderful conversation... all about you!" she chuckled, remembering AJ's words.
"What's so funny?" he asked.
"Nothing," she said.
"Right. Like I believe that!" he smiled.
"Believe it or not. That's your choice," she said.
He simply smiled at her, not seeming too worried about it.
"See, I told you they'd love you," he said.
"I'm glad they did."
"What about the girls?"
"Well, I really didn't get much time around Maddie or Graycie. Faith and I really clicked. We have a lot in common and got along great. We have even planned a shopping expedition together."
"Oh, no. Just what the world needs. You two together.... shopping!" he laughed.
"Well, if you're gonna be mean, I won't buy you that surprise like I'd planned," she said.
"What surprise? Tell me. Please. Please???"
"Oh, come on. Tell me. I won't make fun any more. I promise," he said, poking out his bottom lip until she couldn't resist.
She leaned over and sucked it in between her own two lips. He immediately stopped the car and put it in park, sitting in the middle of the two lane back road. His hand came up behind her head as he allowed her to continue sucking and licking his lips. As she traced her tongue around his lips for the third time, he opened his mouth, devouring hers in a very heated kiss. As she felt his hand on her upper thigh, she immediately tensed. But, he didn't try to go any further, which gave her quite a relief. She allowed her upper body to go limp in his arms, the strength of them holding her in place. She was drifting off to that world of ecstasy when a horn startled both of them back.
"Damn, girl. You've gotta stop doing me that way. You're gonna get me in trouble."
"Me get YOU in trouble? I think not, Mr. Speedo," she laughed, sliding back over into her own seat.
"What? No. He didn't! Tell me he did not tell you about that!" he said.
"Oh, he did," she nodded, with a knowing smile.
"That little shit! I'll kick his ass!" he laughed.
"Oh, come on now, Nick. Don't be mad. I'm sure there are plenty of people who have lost their 'package' in those little things. It's nothing to be embarrassed about."
"Maybe so, but not in front of their grandma!" he exclaimed.
She burst into laughter once more. "Why the hell were you wearing speedos in front of your grandma? Hell, why were you wearing them AT ALL???" she asked, tears rolling down her cheeks from laughing so hard.
Nick didn't look over at her. He just shook his head and said, "You just wait. You and AJ can BOTH kiss my ass! I'll get you back. Just wait," he finished with a smile.
Destiny didn't know what he meant, and it didn't really matter. All that mattered was the fact that they had so much fun together. She was very pleased with the way things were progressing between them, and was looking forward to seeing where the rest of the relationship would take them.