February 2000
"Nick yo man!" Jessica's younger brother, Matthew, called to Nick as soon as Nick and Jessica pulled up in the driveway.
"Nice to see you too Matt,"Jessica said to her brother, getting out of the car, streching her long legs.
"Oh hi Jess,"Matt muttered walking over to Nick,"So Nick what's goin on?"
Nick glanced at Jessica and smirked then talked to Matt,"Hey. Life's been hectic. What about you? It's your senior year isn't it?"
"Oh yeah. It's great,"Matt smiled widely.
"Please! You're only saying that because you're a womanizer,"Jessica huffed, still annoyed that her brother didn't even talk to her.
Matt raised an eyebrow,"That's a real nice thing tto call me Jess."
"Would you prefer 'pimp',"Jessica asked, smartly, crossing her arms.
"OK! Why don't we go inside,"Nick said, taking Jessica's hand and leading her to the door.
Nick and Jessica were spending the weekend at Jessica's parents' Florida home. Nick suggested it since he really never got to spend too much time with her family. Against Jessica's better judgement, she agreed. Jessica didn't really get along with her family too much. The only person she was really close to was her sister, Alexis. Alexis was a junior in high school and Jessica loved her deeply. Her sister was one of her best friends. Her brother, on the other hand, thought he was hot shit and that bothered her.
"JESS!" Alexis screamed as they stepped into the house.
"LEXI!" Jessica shrieked and embraced her sister in a big hug.
"Wow you look great,"Alexis and stepping back and looking at her sister.
"Thanks you too. It seems like I haven't seen you in forever, even though it's only been like two months,"Jessica said.
"Hey Lex,"Nick piped in.
Alexis smiled then blushed. Jessica knew that her sister had a secret crush on Nick. She wasn't really bothered by it because she knew Alexis would never try and steal Nick. "Hi Nick."
Jessica snuck a glance at Nick and got a funny feeling in the pit of her stomach. The way he looked at Alexis was just unsettling. Jessica pushed the thoughts away. She was probably just imagining things.
"Jessica, sweetie, don't even say hello to your own mother,"Elise Donovan, Jessica's mother, said coming into the room. She was an elegant, stunning woman of 41.
"Hey mom,"Jessica said hugging her mom.
"Hello Nick,"Mrs.Donovan said.
Nick shifted uncomfortably,"Hi Mrs.Donovan." Jessica knew her mother made Nick extremely uncomfortable.
"Please Nick, call me Elise,"Mrs.Donovan smiled.
"God, I knew this was a bad idea,"Jessica mumbled to herself.
"What was that honey?" Mrs.Donovan asked, turning her attention back to her daughter.
Jessica gave her mom a fake smile,"Nothing at all mom."
"Maybe you should show Nick to the guest room,"Mrs.Donovan said.
"I think he could stay with me,"Jessica replied.
"No, he'll stay in the guest room,"her mother said sharply.
"Hey guess what? When you were my age you were already pregnant with me so don't even start with me about sharing a room with my boyfriend who I've been with for 2 years,"Jessica snapped, grabbing Nick's hand, dragging him up the stairs.
"I knew we shouldn't have come here!" Jessica raved angrily, throwing her hands up in the air. "This was a bad idea! She gets me SO pissed off. Thank god my dad isn't here or you would've gotten the third degree already."
Nick smiled soothingly and walked over to her and hugged her,"No family is the Brady Bunch, babe."
"Yeah well we're disfunctional,"Jessica replied bitterly.
"Welcome to reality. Everyone's family is disfunctional. Some are just more public about it then others."
"This just sucks so much."
"I know."
"I have a question."
"Yeah?"
"I may be stupid, but I got a really weird feeling when I saw you staring at my sister,"Jessica said, studying his face for a reaction.
The reaction she got was pure shock,"You think I like your sister?! How could you ask me something like that?!"
"I know. I'm sorry, but I know she likes you-"
"SO!"
"Ok Nick relax. I just wanted to talk to you about it. Can we just forget it?"
"Listen to me Jess. You are the only woman for me. I've believed it since we were 15. I love you so much, it hurts."
"What hurts?" Jessica laughed, her eyes twinkling.
"And you say I'm a perv,"Nick said shaking his head.
"Well you're starting to influence me,"Jessica smiled innocently. She put her arms around his waist. "I love you, my love."
"I love you too,"Nick said, kissing her forehead.
"Nick you wanna go throw the football around?" Matthew asked hopefully, coming into Jessica's room.
"Geez, can't you just leave him alone? We just got here. You can be a pain in the ass tomorrow,"Jessica whined.
Matt shot Jessica a dirty look then Nick said,"No Jess, it's ok. Really. Let's go Matt."
Matt smiled triumphantly at Jessica. Nick kissed Jessica's cheek then walked out of the room with her bbrother.
Jessica sighed then went in search of her sister. She found Alexis lounged out on her bed reading the llatest issue of Cosmopolitan.
"So what have you been up to?" Jessica asked lying down on her stomach leaning on her forearms, next her sister.
Alexis put the magazine down,"Kyle wants me to have sex with him."
"Well what do you think about it?" Jessica asked her sister.
"I don't know. I was hoping you'd tell me what to do,"Alexis groaned.
Jessica laughed,"I can't tell you what to do. But let me ask you something. Do you love him? REALLY love him."
Alexis thought for a minute,"I don't know."
"Your first time should be special with someone who you love with your heart and soul. It should be special for both of you. You should be absolutely, positively sure it's something YOU want. Once you lose it you can't take it back."
Alexis smiled,"Thanks Jess. I might've made a big mistake."
"Anytime babes. I love you, you know that. I'm always here for you," Jessica replied.
"You and Nick have done it right?"
"Yeah we have, but don't tell anyone."
"I won't, although I'd make myself a pretty hefty profit selling that story out to the tabloids."
"Don't you dare."
"I won't, you know I wouldn't do that to you."
"I know."
"What was it like?"
"Really,really special and romantic,"Jessica said, smiling dreamily thinking back to her first night with Nick. "There was music and champaign and flowers and candles. It was absolutely perfect."
Alexis smiled,"He's a great guy."
"I know."
"So do you think he's the one?"
"I don't think so. I KNOW so. It may sound corny but we were made for eachother Lex."
Alexis smiled again,"I'm so jealous. I'm probably going to be an old maid and your gonna go off and have a dozen kids with the man of your dreams."
"You are NOT going to be an old maid. You're gorgeous and have a great personality."
Alexis sighed dramatically,"I don't know. But anyways, to change the subject, you really told Mom off today."
The two girls looked at eachother and broke into a fit of giggles.
"It was priceless. The look on her face was just great!" Alexic giggled.
"She deserved it. She's such a bitch sometimes. I love her because she's my mother but, god I can't stand her."
"Oh I know what you mean,"Alexis nodded. "So where did Nick go?"
"Doing that male bonding thing with Matt,"Jessica said. "So I figured I'd come in here and do the female bonding thing with you."
"Well I'm glad. I miss you. I practically go insane without you here,"Alexis said, rolling over to her back.
"Yeah,"Jessica said.
"GIRLS! Dinner!" Mrs. Donovan yelled up the stairs.
"This is just like it used to be,"Jessica said, taking her sister's hand and pulled her up.
"It's good to have you back. Even if it is only for a few days,"Alexis said as her and Jessica walked down the stairs.
"So Nick you better be taking care of my little girl,"Frank Donovan said.
"I am, sir,"Nick replied, trying hard not to say the wrong thing.
Mr.Donovan glanced at his daughter to double check. Jessica smiled,"He is daddy, I promise."
Frank Donovan was a pure Italian man. He was a tall with dark hair and eyes. He was outspoken and over protective of his daughters. Elise Donovan, on the other hand, was Australian. She came to the U.S. with her family when she was young, but still had a trace of the accent. She was tall and graceful with a mane of blond hair and pure blue eyes. She was more laid back then her husband.
"When are you going to continue with your dance Jessica?" her mother asked.
"I don't know. I'm pretty happy with my life right now,"Jessica shrugged knowing full well it would get a rise out of her mother.
"Listen to me Jessica Marie. You WILL continue with your dance. You have a future in it,"Mrs.Donovan comanded.
"I have a future with Nick,"Jessica replied. Nick threw her a dirty look for bringing him into the war zone.
"Hey Nick, did I tell you about my football season?" Matt asked quickly, looking at the glares being exchanged at the table. Nick was more then happy to get the subject off of him. This was going to be a long 2 days...
"I told you my family was crazy but you didn't believe me. Now that we're spending a weekend, you'll see,"Jessica said, as she snuggled up to Nick in her bed. Her bed felt good to her. She was so used to sleeping in hotel rooms that she forgot how much she loved her own bed. "My brother's preoccupied with you. He's in awe. It's sad"
Nick laughed,"That's ok."
"To make it worse, my mom keeps nagging me about my dance,"Jessica groaned.
"Don't worry bout it,"Nick said pulling her close, pressing her body against his. He stared into her blue eyes then kissed her. Jessica rolled on top of him, sliding her hand between their bodies and grabbed his crotch. She heard him moan.
Jessica broke away from him,"Ok, sorry, that's enough. I think I'm already on my mom's shit list as of now, getting it on where she could hear probably wouldn't be a smart move."
"Tease,"Nick said playfully.
Jessica smiled,"Yeah well..."
"G'night, angel,"Nick said, spooning up against her.
"Night, baby,"Jessica yawned, placing his arm over her waist and closed to eyes. Pretty soon the two were sound asleep.
The next two days were a nightmare for Jessica. She was thrilled when they were back in the car on the way to the airport so Nick could get back to his business. She had to listen to her mother bitch about going back to dancing for the full 48 hours and complain that her and Nick were way too serious. Her father kept giving Nick little tests to see if he was "worthy enough" for his daughter, and her brother was just annoying. Jessica promised Alexis that she'd come visit really soon and that she'd write to her.
Nick didn't tell Jessica, but he was pretty glad to get away himself. To think, when Jessica and him got married these people would be his inlaws. If it weren't for her father playing 20 questions with him and her mother glaring at him for "corrupting her daughter", then it might have been a nice weekend.
Both of them breathed a sigh of relief as they stepped on the plane. The looked at eachother and smiled. It was definately a long weekend...
