Aj watched Theresa walk down the tunnel to the airplane, not once looking back behind her. Aj frowned but let it go. ‘She’s just got other things on her mind. She’ll call me tonight to say what a great time she’s gonna have.’
Leaving the airport, he drove around the beautiful beach scene before heading home. Stepping into his house, he ignored the yipping of the dogs and the incessant ringing of the phone, letting the answering machine get it.
"Umm, hey J, it’s Steph, I just wanted to know if you wanted to hang out or go shopping with me today. Kevin’s busy as usual and I’m bored out of my mind. Grab Trease and we can go catch a movie. Gimme a call when you get in. See ya later Babe." Stephanie’s voice spoke through the speakers of the machine.
Aj smiled, at least she was always around to cheer him up. They were as close as brother and sister and did practically everything together when their significant others were too busy. Picking up the phone, he speed dialed her number.
"Hello?" her soft voice answered.
"Hey Sweet Thang, wanna go shopping? Theresa had another photo shoot so I’m free and the only other person I like spending money on is you." Aj chuckled, petting his small dog, Jack Daniels.
"Sure, I haven’t got anything better to do today since Kev ditched me." Stephanie smiled softly. She still had Bone to rely on. He was her best friend and they were inseparable.
"Okay Sweets. I’ll pick ya up in about an hour. I gotta shower and clean up a little around here for the get-together tomorrow."
"Want some help?" She blushed when Aj laughed at her. "With the cleaning I mean, you sicko. I’m in a spick-N-span kinda mood."
"Sure, I can use all the help I can get to get this disaster area tidy. But gimme about thirty minutes so I can get in and out of the shower."
"Okay, see ya then, Bone."
"Bye, Sweets."
**~~****~~**
Stephanie arrived at Aj’s house exactly thirty minutes later, but Aj was still in the upstairs bathroom so she started tidying up around the living room, then kitchen. She got so into what she was doing she didn’t hear Aj walk down the stairs or come into the kitchen.
"Ya know, Little Miss Neat-Freak, I was gonna help you since it’s my house. Why the hell did you clean everything already?"
"You know how I get when I’m depressed. You’re lucky I haven’t started scrubbing the floors." Stephanie smiled, putting a coffee cup into the dishwasher.
"Well take a break. The guys know me well enough that they no longer expect a clean home." Aj grinned, pulling the towel out of her hands as she tried to wipe off the counters.
"Alright then, what do you want to do? I honestly don’t feel like shopping today, I just really wanted some company." Stephanie sighed, following him into the living room and settling beside him on the couch.
"My God you are depressed, and this is beyond normal, we gotta take you to a doctor. Not wanna shop!" Aj teased, pleased when he got a cheeky grin from her. "We can go watch a movie in the theater if you want. Or you can get what’s depressing you off your chest. I’m a pretty good listener, sometimes…"
"Aj, I’m tired of being second on Kevin’s list. I’m tired of him putting everything before me. I mean I knew when we started dating it would be like this but, I thought I’d at least feel important enough to not be lied to." She started, noticing the question in his chocolate eyes. "We were, umm," She blushed slightly but Aj just nodded, understanding. "…And Mark called saying he needs Kevin right away. Well Kevin said he’s call them back and ask them to get one of you other guys to help so he could spend time with me. After we… finished, he just said, ‘well I guess I better go help Mark in the studio.’ He just lied to me and it just hurts that he does that to me."
Aj noticed her eyes water up and tried to cheer her up. "Well, if I were you, I’d take one of his credit card, go on a mad shopping spree, max out the card and calmly sit him down and show him everything you bought, that you have no intention of wearing, while he’s got the credit card bill in his hand."
Stephanie giggled. "Yeah, but what good would that do me? Then it would seem like I’m just there for the money, and the amazing sex. And I’m not. It wouldn’t matter if he was dirt poor, I’d still love him as much."
"Well, even though I could have done without the sex thing, I kinda know what you’re going through. Only with me and Theresa, it’s not money, it’s just sex. I love her dearly, but sometimes I just wish the model agency would let her spend time with me. That sounds selfish but, I don’t care. I want her here when I need her, and she’s not." Aj let out his pent up feelings he had contained for quite some time.
"Did you know if we weren’t so faithful to our lovers we’d probably be having an affair with each other…" Stephanie laughed at the irony of it.
"Yeah, but I couldn’t see us going at it you know, that’s just, NO!" He joined in with her laughter realizing the truth of her words. Here he was with a beautiful woman, alone in his house, his girlfriend away on her job. It would be so easy, but he wasn’t even going to believe that that would be any type of solution for either of them. Kevin was so lucky to have such a loyal and loving girlfriend. Not that he didn’t trust Theresa on her trips, but all those brainless male models he didn’t trust, especially when she was around them in nothing more than a wonder bra and a thong.
"What ya thinking about J?" Stephanie interrupted his thoughts. He gazed over at her and smiled.
"Just wondering what Theresa’s up to now. Wonder if she misses me yet…" Aj faded out, thinking of her walking away in the airport.
"Of course she misses you. She’s probably sitting on the plane wishing she could call her agent and tell them she doesn’t want to do the photo shoot and is on her way home now." She tried to cheer him up but Aj’s face remained melancholy.
"Can we go watch a movie? I just want to sit back and be completely absorbed in a movie for about two hours."
"Sure, Kevin probably won’t be home until supper time anyway." Stephanie smiled softly, accepting his hand he offered to get her off the couch and followed him up to his theater room. She sat in the chair next to Aj and watched him scan through his DVDs for a movie.
"Okay, Cruel Intentions, Boogie Nights, or Wild Things?" Aj asked holding up the movies. Stephanie cocked an eyebrow and met his eyes.
"I guess Cruel Intentions, at least Ryan Phillippi naked ass is in it." She giggled softly and stared at him for a moment. ‘I’m so glad I have him. He’s so great, how could Theresa stand leaving him for even a moment?’
**~~****~~**
Kevin pulled away from the studio and drove back to his large home. He vaguely wondered how mad Stephanie was gonna be this time. He knew she wasn’t happy he left this morning. But they finished what they had started and he was the only one who could fix everything back at the studio. He pulled into his driveway, noticing the next door neighbor’s children playing in the front yard, drawing on the sidewalk and playing hop-scotch.
He smiled, wondering when he’d get up enough courage to ask Stephanie the one question that had been on the tip of his tongue since their second date. He wanted to be a father, but with his career he would hardly see them, unless he got Stephanie and the child to go on tour with him. No, he banished that thought quickly. Tour was so hectic and stressful, it would be too hard for Stephanie to deal with.
Still the thought of having a baby to raise and watch grow remained in his mind. He could see Stephanie being a mother, her soft voice and caring eyes, she’d make a wonderful mother. He smiled at the thought of her being the mother of his children.
Kevin walked in the front door, noticing everything was quite. "Hey, Steph, I’m home. Honey, you here?"
He was only greeted by the excited yipping of the puppies as they tumbled from the kitchen, their tiny paws clicking against the hard wood floor of the hallway. He ignored their barking and walked into the kitchen. He looked around slowly, noticing a slip of paper hanging on the fridge under a Garfield magnet. Pulling it off, he read her elegant writing silently.
‘ Boo, I went to Aj’s to help him clean up for the BBQ tomorrow, I’ll be home soon. Luv ya,. Your Baby-Doll XOXO.
"She went to Aj’s?" He asked to no one.
**~~****~~**
The ending credits rolled up the screen, but Aj nor Stephanie noticed. They were too involved in their conversation to even notice.
"It is amazing, how much we really have in common. Where were you when I was single?" Aj laughed, stretching back in his chair slightly.
"Hmm, introducing you to Theresa." Stephanie giggled, taking another sip of the drink Aj had made for her. It caused a prickling sensation down her throat.
"So is the Vodka and orange juice good?" he asked, finishing his off in one gulp.
"Yeah, but if I drink anymore, I won’t be able to drive home. Then again Kevin probably wouldn’t be there anyway…" she faded angrily. Aj climbed out of his chair and scooted her over in hers, making room for him to sit next to her.
"Then stay here. You could probably fit in Theresa’s clothes and I do have guest rooms." He suggested softly, his fingers tracing over her cheek.
"I couldn’t it would…" She turned to his face but met his lips in the process. They both jerked away, Aj landing on the floor and Stephanie nearly falling out of the chair. They both looked at each other confused and turned away.
"Boy, well, umm, that was interesting…" Aj started, then glanced back over at Stephanie, who was desperately trying not to laugh. "Oh, so you think it’s funny huh?"
She tried to shake her head but started laughing anyway. "I’m sorry, J, it’s just what you said early. Could you ever see us going at it…" Aj had already crawled up next to her and started tickling sides. "Oh, J, stop, that… tickles…"
They both wound up on the floor, Stephanie under Aj as their childish giggles died down. They stared at each other for a moment, Aj leaning in closer to her lips, brushing them slightly. He increased the pressure a little, his hand resting on her cheek. They remained kissing on the floor, until the front door opened and shut.
"Hey Aj? Steph? You guys here?" A deep voice called from downstairs. Stephanie suddenly jerked up bumping her head right into Aj’s.
"This didn’t happen… did it?" She asked softly, looking up into his eyes.
"No, it didn’t." He helped her stand and followed her down stairs. Kevin still stood at the front door watching the two descend from upstairs.
"Hey Kev, what’s up man?" Aj asked, trying to be as casual as possible.
"Oh, not much, I got done in the studio early and I found Steph’s note that she was helping you clean and I thought I could help. I mean six hands are better than four." Kevin explained, oblivious to Stephanie’s tenseness.
"You’re a little late, Kev, we tidied enough for the cookout. We just got done watching a movie." Stephanie mumbled, stepping down the stairs and stopping in front of her boyfriend.
"Oh, well, I’m sure you were call the help Aj needed." Kevin smiled, wrapping an arm around her small shoulders.
"Yeap, she’s a regular Neat-Freak, she’s fits so perfectly with you, Train." Aj teased, noticing Stephanie was avoiding eye contact with either of them.
"Hey, Steph, since you’re done helping J clean, why don’t we head home. Bone, can she just leave her car here until tomorrow? I wanna talk to her." Kevin looked down at his short girlfriend, noticing her jerk her head up to face him.
"I don’t care. Don’t worry Steph, I won’t take your cute little car out for a spin, I promise." Aj chuckled, knowing it would make her grin a little.
"You better not, Buster, or I’ll have to get mean…" Stephanie smirked, giving him a small hug. "I’ll call ya later, Bone."
Kevin lead Stephanie out to his black four-runner and helped her in. He waved to Aj, who was still standing at his front door.