Chapter 39

"Hey Mandy do you....oh sorry didn't mean to interrupt. I'll talk to you in a few minutes then," Jasmine said and Mandy pulled away from Howie.

"Uh no, what do you need?" Mandy asked a little shaken up from Howie kissing her.

"I was just going to ask if you were going to go out with me and Kristen for some dessert or something. Just the three of us, sort of like a little celebration."

"Yeah actually that would be great." Mandy looked at Howie for a second with a small nervous smile as she went off with Jasmine.

"What was that with Howie?"

"Nothing. We'll talk about it later." The three of them went to a restaurant and sat down at a table Kristen and Mandy on one side, Jasmine on the other, and they ordered drinks and some dessert. "So what is going on between you and Howie?"

"Something is going on between you two?" Kristen asked confused.

"No, nothing is going on between us."

"If nothing was going on between you two then you wouldn't have been kissing him."

"You kissed Howie!" Kristen asked shocked.

"No I did not kiss him."

"What would you call it?"

"I call it him kissing me."

"He kissed you! I can't believe he finally kissed you!" Kristen yelled.

"What do you mean he finally kissed me?" Mandy asked confused.

"Howie is practically in love with you. You didn't know that?"

"No I didn't know that. Thanks for someone informing me about it now."

"I think we both should have established that when he was kissing you," Jasmine said. "So how did it happen?"

"I asked he was okay since he looked a little nervous and he said he was fine. Then I asked if he was sure he said no and grabbed me and kissed me."

"What kind of kiss?" Kristen asked curiously.

"Kristen!" Jasmine yelled.

"What? I know you want details too so don't act like you don't. Now what kind of kiss was it?"

"It was just a kiss. Like I said he grabbed me and kissed me. He just pressed his lips firmly against mine. I could tell that he was putting a lot of passion into it. I don't know how to describe it."

"How did it feel for you?" Jasmine asked.

"Honestly? It scared me. I'm actually glad that you interrupted us because I was afraid to pull away and I didn't know what to say to him."

"Mandy, Howie is a great guy and he likes you more than you think," Kristen said. "I don't think you should be afraid of him."

"That's just the thing though. I never did think he liked me. I thought we were only really good friends and nothing more. And besides I'm not afraid of him it was just the kiss I was afraid of. To me Howie always seemed the type of guy that would ask a girl if he could kiss her. Not just do it out of the middle of nowhere and that is what scared me."

"So what kind of kisser is he?" Kristen asked.

"You definitely ask the wrong questions at the wrong time," Jasmine said.

"How do you figure? The whole subject is about that one kiss so we might as well get as many details out of it as we can."

"Why don't you just go kiss him yourself and find out."

"Because after kissing AJ many times a kiss from any other guy wouldn't even be able to compare. So spill more of the beans Mandy."

"I don't know. I can't say if he was good or bad because our lips were just pressed against each other's. I can say that he's a sweet kisser though," Mandy said remembering the touch of Howie's lips.

"You kissing her now that was spontaneous," AJ said high fiving Howie when he told AJ about kissing Mandy.

"It was wrong Bone. I don't think I should have done that."

"Then don't think and you'll be fine. What did she say when you separated?"

"Nothing. Jasmine interrupted us and she left with her without saying a word."

"Well was she resistant or did she give in to you?"

"I, I'm not sure. God AJ she is beautiful. I can't get her out of my head. Have you ever been like that with a girl before?"

"Yeah when Nick and Kristen were going out. I knew I couldn't have her and it only made me think of her more. When we started dating and got married I still thought about her but it was just different. I don't know how to explain it but it was," AJ explained.

"That wasn't a very good comparison with Nick and Kristen. That's like saying I'll never get Mandy."

"But I did end up with Kristen, Howie. You just have to work on her for a little while."

"Yeah I guess you're right." Early the next morning Kristen woke up to take Howie and AJ to the airport. She asked Mandy to go with her but she refused. She didn't want to have to face Howie after he kissed her last night. She wasn't sure what it meant to her so she figured she would just have to avoid him until she did know what it meant. Kristen walked the guys to their gate and when it was time for them to get on the plane she went up to Howie and hugged him.

"I'll talk with Mandy. Things will be good when you see her next, I promise," she said.

"Don't make promises you can't keep. I'll see you in about another month take care," Howie said giving her a kiss on the cheek then turning walking through the gate.

"Come here baby," AJ said wrapping his arms around Kristen's waist and pulling her close to him. "You going to be okay while I'm gone again?"

"What do you think?"

"What I think is what is actually worrying me. So that's why I need you to tell me that you'll be okay."

"AJ I'm not as fragile as you think."

"Lately? I think you are," AJ said looking her in the eyes.

"You better get on the plane before they close the gate," Kristen said avoiding his eye contact.

"I love you."

"Love you too," Kristen said then stood on her toes and gave AJ a quick kiss on the lips then turning and walking away. AJ watched her leave in confusion before he turned and got on the plane taking his seat next to Howie.

"What's wrong with you?"

"I'm worried about Kristen. She just didn't seem right when we were saying good-bye."

"She seemed fine to me."

"I know she seemed fine yesterday too but she's been in such a down mood for a while that it seems a little odd that she's perfectly fine in one day."

"I wouldn't worry too much about her Bone. She's got Toni, Mandy, and Jasmine too look after her while your gone."

"Yeah you're probably right," AJ said leaning his head back closing his eyes as he tried to rest up for the concert that night. About two weeks had passed the sale of the girls' album had sky rocketed and had gone double platinum. They did a few promotional concerts in Orlando which were all crowds of a few thousand people since the venues were fairly small. It was the day after one of their concerts when Jasmine went over to Kristen's completely ecstatic.

"You know you have got to be one of the happiest people I've ever met and it's starting to freak me out," Kristen said answering the door and letting Jasmine inside.

"I'm trying to make up for your sadness all the time. Hopefully some of my happiness will wear off on you soon."

"Don't count on it. What brings you by again? And why don't you ever call to tell me any news? You always come over instead."

"That's because I would rather see your reaction instead of hearing it. Although you haven't exactly been very enthusiastic lately. I swear when AJ was here it was the first time I saw you really happy in a while and now that he's gone your depressed again. What happened to the pills the doctor put you on?"

"I quit taking them and please Jasmine just spare me the lecture of how I should be taking them and tell me why you're here."

"Okay are you ready for this? We're going on tour!" Jasmine screamed excitedly.

"When?"

"In a month. So we'll start rehearsals tomorrow."

"How did you find out about this? Wouldn't Lou have called me too?"

"Well Lou called Howie, Howie called Mandy, Mandy called me, and I came over here to tell you."

"Howie called Mandy? What did they say to each other since they haven't spoken in the past few weeks?"

"Literally nothing. He just told her about it and she said okay and she was busy and had to go. That was it."

"Why am I always the last one to find out about everything going on with this group?" Kristen asked.

"Because you haven't been keeping up on anything going on with this group since the beginning."

"That's what I have you for," Kristen said with a smile. "Since I know nothing and you know everything who's going to be our opening acts?"

"I'm not sure but Lou is going to try and get either LFO or Youngstown."

"I will pay him to get LFO. Brad is so hot. Did I tell you about the time I went to a concert of theirs and was front row and he was doing pelvic thrusts in my face?"

"Did I tell you about the time you married a wonderful man named AJ a year ago?"

"I was there I think I would know. What does that have to do with anything?"

"It has to do with you not getting excited when another guy does a pelvic thrust. Besides AJ is the king of that kind of stuff," Jasmine said and an evil smile formed on Kristen's face. "Okay I don't even want to know what is going through that head of yours right now."

"That sounds like something Toni would say."

"Yeah it does huh? Scary thing."

"Yeah I know. I can only deal with one of her."

"That's why you two have so much in common. We can only deal with one of you two. I'll see you later. We all need to rest up for rehearsals tomorrow."

"Alright, see ya tomorrow," Kristen said as she walked Jasmine to the door.