"You sure you're gonna be okay?" Brian asked as he walked me up to the hotel entrance. I nodded.
"Thanks for listening," I said. "Tell Nick and Matt I said thanks, also." Brian nodded.
"What do you want me to tell Kevin?" he asked. I thought for a moment.
"Tell him I'll meet him at the Starbuck's Cafe in Annapolis tomorrow at 5pm. It's right by Ego Alley." Brian nodded and kissed my cheek. I smiled and hugged him. "You can come, too."
"I'll come as long as we can pretend today never happened. I'll tell him some other time that we went out to lunch. That time probably being be over the phone when he's in Orlando and I'm in Los Angeles." I laughed and turned towards the hotel door. "Bye, Alex."
"Bye, cuz," I said, liking the sound of it. I went inside and up the elevator, thinking off all that days events. When I got to the hotel room, I hesitated to go inside. When I did, I found JC on the window-sill, his head buried in his hands. He turned when he heard me put my purse down.
"Hey," he said quietly.
"Hi," I said, not looking up at him. I took off my coat and hung it up in the closet.
"Alex?" I looked up at him, my expression blank, and saw his eyes filled with tears. My eyes immediately softened and I walked over to him. Brushing my hand against his cheek, I sat down next to him. "I'm sorry," he whispered. I smiled softly.
"It's okay," I said, "but why did you do it?" He looked down at his hands.
"I was scared, I guess," he admitted.
"Of what?" I asked, confused.
"Of losing you." I looked at him strangely.
"Jay, baby, Brian's my cousin. How do you think you would lose me to him?"
"Well, if you end up liking them and wanting to spend more time with them, you'll move away from us and be with them. Then we'll be pulled apart and I don't want that." I smiled softly at him and took his hand.
"Baby, look at this." I help up my hand with the engagement ring on it. "This means I'm with you, always and forever. It means you're stuck with me 'til the end . . . whether you like it or not." He chuckled softly and kissed my fingertips.
"You mean that?" he said, hopefully.
"You meant that when you gave it to me, right?" He nodded. "Then I mean it now." He sighed and pulled me onto his lap. Smiling down at me, he kissed my softly. "I know you're gonna hate me for bringing this up, but I have to meet Kevin in Annapolis tomorrow. I want you to come with."
"You still want me around after my behavior tonight?" he asked, incredulously. I laughed.
"Only if you're on your best behavior," I said, wagging my finger at him like he was a two year old. He tried to bite it and I giggled, pulling it away. "Brian's coming, too. Kevin doesn't exactly know we went out today, so we're gonna pretend we're just really meeting for the first time. You can start off with a clean slate, too."
"Brian's okay with this?"
"He was the one defending you on the way back to Nick's boat." JC raised an eyebrow. "Yep, he just said you were trying to protect me. Then he convinced me to stay awhile and talk with him, Nick, and Matt."
"Who's Matt?" JC asked, putting his head on my shoulder.
"A friend of theirs," I explained. "Really creepy, actually. He kept looking at me strangely."
"You mean, like this?" He crossed his eyes and stuck out his tongue. I giggled. "Or like this?" He rolled his eyes back and widened his nostrils. I cracked up and swatted him on the arm.
"You're too much," I laughed. He smiled brightly, his face going back to normal.
"But that's why you love me, right?"
"Right," I said, sarcastically, getting up off his lap and walking towards the door and opening it.
"Where're you going?" he asked.
"You're too strange for me. I'm going to find a replacement." He leapt off the window-sill and ran towards me, grabbing me around the waist and pulling me back into the room.
"I don't think so," he growled, playfully.
"You don't think, period," I laughed as he began to tickle me mercilessly.
What a day, I thought. What time is it? I looked at my watch. 3am!! Damn! It took her that long to fall asleep? I looked down at the sleeping Alex curled up next to me. I know she told me I'm not gonna lose her, but . . . I still can't help feeling worried. I smiled softly and brushed a strand of hair out of her face. I have to do something.