The weekend came and Aaron joined Isabel and Tyler on the flight back to Tampa.
Isabel was putting Tyler down for the night while Aaron stood out on the deck, looking out as the waves crashed on the shore every few seconds. He sighed and crossed his arms, nothing new on Nick's disappearance had come up. He heard the door open but didn't look back, he knew it was Isabel. She closed her zip-up sweatshirt as the cool breeze blew by. "Whatcha thinkin' about?"
Aaron shrugged,"I don't know."
"You're frustrated."
"Yep. I can't figure this out. He wouldn't just leave for no reason at all. You two hadn't had a fight and he was expected to meet you in LA last week...I can't figure out why he just..disappeared without a trace."
"I know..I keep going over and over in my mind...did he sound weird? Were there any clues that would make me think something was wrong? Were there any indications? And the answer is always no. Maybe..maybe he just needed some peace and quiet. Away from his manager, his fans, the press, his family and his friends."
"But surely he would of left someone a message letting him know something...I can't figure this out and it's eating my alive.."
"AC..I know exactly how you feel."
"I know this is even worse for you. And Tyler. When I talked to BJ, she suggested getting a private investigator..."
"That doesn't sound like a bad idea Aaron..."
He nodded as they both went back inside, "It doesn't..I think I may give someone a call in the morning and see what they think. We've got to keep the press out of this. If Nick, for some odd reason, doesn't want to be found, then he can't find out we're looking for him till we pounce on him."
She nodded, "I understand."
"No one who doesn't need to know, will learn of the P.I..."
"Ok."
"But who should we tell?"
"Kevin and AJ..at least..and your sisters.."
He nodded, "Yeah..they can find stuff on Nick and everything.."
"Yeah..."
"What about my mom and my dad?"
Isabel shrugged, "I don't know...do you think she should be told?"
"Not right away, at least."
"Ok."
"They left this afternoon, late."
"Good, she'll be out of our hair."
"Yeah, Aaron went with them too. To help out."
"You think he's trying to make the move on Nick's wife?"
"I don't see why he wouldn't..."
"Come on, you can't be serious."
"Anything and everything could happen when it comes to her."
"I guess so.."
"So..how is he doing?"
"Fine. He's been in and out the past day or so...he keeps asking for her."
"Damnit...you've got to make him forget her."
"How?"
"I don't know...I'll find a way, believe me."
"Let me know.."
"Well..send that one guy out, Parker, to keep tabs on Isabel and Tyler."
"Ok."
"Follow her everywhere...the minute it looks like she's gettin' too friendly with another guy, tell him to take a picture and send it to you...I think you know what to do with those pics."
His laughed cackled over the phone line, "I do. Talk to you soon."
"I'll call you."
"Ok bye."
"Bye."
A few days later, Isabel drove over to AJ's house while Aaron was at home with Tyler for the afternoon. She pulled up into the driveway and got out of the car and went inside, knocking once to let him know she was inside. His head popped up from the couch he was lounging on and he grinned, "Hey girl."
"Hi AJ."
He got up, came around the corner, and gave her a big hug, "How you doing?"
"I'm ok."
"You sure?"
She nodded, "Yeah.."
"How's the little man?"
"He's good..playing with his Uncle Aaron today."
AJ grinned, "Cool..how is Aaron these days? I haven't seen him in some months."
"He looks really good and really happy. He's really struggling with the whole Nick thing though..he can't figure why he would just virtually disappear off the face of the Earth."
"I can't either."
"Me neither."
AJ led her into the kitchen and into one of the chairs, "Want something to drink? Coke? Water?"
"Coke will be fine, thanks."
He nodded and opened the fridge, "So, nothing new on the Nick front?"
Isabel shook her head, "Nope. I'm beginning to think it's hopeless and he's not coming back."
AJ was in front of her within a second, he pulled her face so she was looking straight at him, "You don't ever think like that ever again Isabel. He loves you and that kid so much, and I know for a fact he just wouldn't up and leave one day and never come back. He's coming back and everything will be normal."
Tears started to well up in her eyes and she wrapped her arms around AJ, "I just miss him so much J...I can't figure out or even begin to understand why...why would he leave? Why hasn't he called or anything? Why won't he just come back to everyone??"
The man jumped out of the bushes by the man's house, snapping picture after picture of Isabel and AJ hugging. He knew it was innocent..but to anyone else, it would look veeery friendly.
It was very conniving.
And very damaging.
But that was what they wanted and that was what they would get.
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