I was sitting out on Nick’s deck staring out at the ocean. I was so lost in thought that I didn’t hear Nick open the sliding glass door and walk over to me. He put his hand on my shoulder and I jumped about five feet in the air. Nick looked at me, apologetically:
“I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.” I managed a weak smile:
“Don’t worry about it. I was just thinking.” Nick smiled and pulled up a chair next to me:
“How do you feel today?” I shrugged, not once taking my eyes off of the ocean:
“A little better, I guess. I called my friends. They’re going to shower and stuff and call me back. I hope you don’t mind.” He quickly turned his head to me:
“Mind? Why would I mind? They’re your friends and they’re probably worried sick about you. Don’t even worry about it.” The two of us sat there in silence for a few minutes. The only sounds that could be heard were the waves crashing on the beach and the seagulls flying over head. Finally, I was able to take my eyes off of the ocean and I turned and stared into Nick’s crystal blue eyes:
“I don’t even know how to begin to thank you for everything you’ve done for me, Nick.” Tears started to glisten in my eyes:
“Who knows what would’ve happened to me if you hadn’t decided to take that walk. I don’t know how I can ever repay you.” He smiled at me:
“You don’t have to. Just promise me that you’ll talk to someone about it.”
“Well, it’s helped that I’ve had you to talk to.” He smiled again:
“Come on. Let’s get some breakfast.” I stood up and followed Nick inside.
After we ate, I helped Nick clean up and then I went to take a shower. As I undressed in front of the mirror, I could feel the tears spring to my eyes. I was a mess. Black eye, fat lip, bruised ribs, skinned knees and elbows, etc. I looked awful. I started to cry at my appearance. Apparently, Nick had heard me and knocked on the door:
“Kate, are you okay?” I swallowed:
“I’m fine. I just really need a shower.”
“Okay. Call me if you need anything.”
*** *** *** *** *** ***
The shower felt so good. I felt like I washed some of Rob away. I got out and got dressed in some tear-away pants and a tee shirt that Nick’s sister had left at his house. I walked downstairs and heard Nick whispering to someone on the phone. I stopped at the bottom of the steps and listened carefully:
“I know, Bri, but how could I just leave her there? She was cold, bleeding, and terrified. She needed help…A little bit better now. I’m sure it’ll take awhile before she gets over it…What?…Katelin…Maryland….19…No I didn’t play 20 questions. After she fell asleep, I looked through her wallet….What? I’m allowed to. She’s the strange girl in my house, remember? …No, I don’t think that’s a good idea…If she did recognize me, she didn’t show it…I don’t think she’s a fan. I’m pretty sure she didn’t know who I was…”
'Knows who he is? A fan? What’s he talking about? Who is he?'
“Okay Bri, I’ll call you later. Don’t come over here. Tell the guys we’ll do it another time. She might realize who we are if we’re all together and I don’t want her to know about that yet….What?…I don’t know…However long she’s here for, I just want her to get to know the real Nick Carter. Not the--…Whatever Rok, I’ll talk to you later….Tell A.J. not to let his curiosity get the best of him and to stay the hell away from my house…Okay…Later man.”
'The real Nick Carter? Who’s Nick Carter? Well, obviously he is but what’s so special about that?'
When I heard him hang up the phone, I walked into the kitchen:
“Who was that?” Nick turned around, startled:
“Just one of my friends. I talked to your friend, Ashley. She and her boyfriend are on their way here.” He sat down at the table with me. I looked up at him:
“I hope I’m not keeping you from something today.”
“Oh, believe me, I spend enough time with my friends as it is. It’s actually kind of nice to have a day without them, ya know?”
“Yeah, I guess. Did Ashley say it was just her and Drew?”
“Yeah she did. I think she said that Rob went home.” I looked up at Nick, in surprise:
“He left? Just like that?” Nick looked at me with pleading eyes:
“You’re not happy about that? Now he can’t hurt you.”
“ I guess. I just never thought he’d leave like that. No apologies, explanations, nothing.” Nick looked at me with questions in his eyes:
“Do you honestly want to talk to him again? I mean, look what he did to you. Do you really want to see his face?” I thought about this for a minute:
“I guess not. I guess I just want to know why he could do something like that. Are all guys like this?” Nick looked hurt by that last question:
“Katelin, not all guys are like that. Most guys are genuinely nice guys. Your friend Drew sounds like a nice guy. I know that I would never lay a hand on a girl. Neither would any of my friends. Don’t lose confidence in all of us just because of one scumbag.“
I didn’t get a chance to respond. The doorbell rang. Nick got up to get it. I followed him into the foyer. I heard the familiar sound of Ashley’s voice. She looked past Nick:
“Katelin! Oh my god! How are you feeling?” She threw her arms around my neck and hugged me so tight that it hurt my ribs:
“Ashley, let go. You’re hurting me.” She giggled a little bit and pulled away:
“I’m sorry. You don’t look….that bad. “ I stuck my tongue out at her:
“Thanks. That’s reassuring.” I saw Drew and Nick shaking hands:
“Hey Drew.” He walked over to me and carefully hugged me:
“Hey Kate. How are you feeling? Where does it hurt?” I pushed him away:
“Would you guys stop? You’re making me feel like an invalid. I’m not dying or anything!!” I turned around and stomped out to the deck. Ashley and Drew looked at Nick, puzzled at my behavior. He just shrugged:
“I don’t know guys. Come on in, though. “ They followed Nick into the kitchen and Nick and Justin sat at the table and started to get to know each other. Ashley walked out onto the deck to talk to me. I was sitting on a chair with my knees pulled up to my chest, just staring out at the ocean. She pulled up a chair next to me:
“Kate, I’m so sorry you had to go through all of this. I know you don’t want people to feel bad for you so I’m just going to say it this one time and that’s it. One thing I have to ask though is how the hell did you manage to find this Nick guy? He is hot as shit!!!” I giggled:
“He just sort of stumbled upon me, I guess. I guess he is cute. I haven’t paid much attention. I don’t know though. There’s something odd about him. I heard him on the phone earlier and he was saying some weird shit.”
“Like what? And why were you eavesdropping, you little sneak.” I laughed:
“I couldn’t help it. Anyway, he was saying something about me not knowing who he was and me not being a fan. Then he said that he wanted me to know the real Nick Carter.” Ashley looked puzzled:
“Do you recognize him from anywhere?” I shook my head:
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen him. Have you?” She also shook her head:
“I don’t think so. But the mission of the day is to find out where he’s from.” I smiled at Ashley. We sat there for a few minutes in silence. I couldn’t stand it any longer. I had to know:
“So, Rob left, huh?” Ash turned to me:
“Yeah. He did. He left a note and the hotel key for us.”
“What’d the note say?”
“Just that he had to leave. He couldn’t bear to face you. He said, for whatever it was worth, he was sorry and that he loves you.” I pondered that for a minute and looked back out at the ocean. Then I looked at Ashley again:
“I don’t care. I don’t want to ever see him again. EVER!” She put her hand on my shoulder and squeezed it:
“You don’t have to sweetheart. It’s over. You’ll never have to see him again.”
The two of us walked back inside to Nick and Drew. Drew was sitting at the table and Nick was getting something to drink:
“Do you guys want something?” I shook my head and sat down across from Drew:
“No thanks. So what’d you guys do last night?” Ashley started giggling:
“We went down to some street with all these little shops on it. It was really cute.” Drew rolled his eyes:
“Yeah, really cute. This one here dragged me into EVERY single store so she could find the perfect present for her mom. EVERY single fucking store!” Nick laughed:
“Sounds like fun. Anyway, what’d you guys plan on doing today?” I looked down at my hands:
“I never really thought about that. I guess I should get out of your hair. You’ve done enough already.” Nick looked hurt:
“No! That’s not what I meant. I mean you guys aren’t from around here so I thought maybe I could show you around or something. I wasn’t trying to get rid of you.” I half-smiled:
“Thanks. Anyway, I’m not much in the mood for going out in public. Looking like this, if ya know what I mean. People will stare at me all day and I don’t feel like dealing with that.” Ashley looked at me, sympathetically:
“I understand. Don’t worry.” Nick also smiled:
“You can stay here as long as you want. It’s kind of lonely here all by myself. It’s nice to have people to hang out with.”
So finally, it was settled. We were just going to hang out at Nick’s house all day. Ashley was fine with that because it was right on the beach and she could lay out. She somehow remembered to bring my bikini in case I wanted to join her. I decided that I might as well make the most of my so-called vacation and get a tan. Drew was happy because at least he would have someone to hang out with instead of just the girls. And Nick seemed happy because he wasn’t all alone in this big house by himself.
“Why does he live in this huge house all by himself? He looks kind of young to own all this.”