Almost two hours later, Kaley comes back to Kaci’s hotel room.
“Where’s Alex?” Kaci asks.
“In the room me and Nick are staying in. What’s going on?”
“Why, what did he tell you?”
“Just tell me what’s going on. I want to know if he’s exaggerating or not.”
“Jose called and I briefly talked to him and since him and his mom aren’t talking, I told him to call my brother and go to the house.”
“Anything else?”
“I told Jose that I love him in Spanish, and when we hung up, I texted him Justin’s number since he didn’t have it. And that’s the truth.”
“Alright, I’ll be back,” Kaley says then leaves and goes back to where A.J. is.
“What was that about?” Kaci asks Nick, confused.
“He probably exaggerated the details of what happened.”
“Well, if she wants the truth without it being exaggerated, all she has to do is call Jose! But he doesn’t know the whole truth. He thinks I’m at your house and he doesn’t know anything about the party and that Alex is here and moving back to Florida.”
“Well, don’t you think he should know exactly what’s going on?”
“He should, but I can’t tell him.”
“And why can’t you tell him?”
“I just can’t okay Nick,” Kaci says getting defensive.
“Alright fine, but don’t come crying to me if shit gets thrown in your face Jess.”
Nick gets up and leaves and goes back to his hotel room.
“You and Jess need to go work your shit out man, I’m going to sleep.”
“What’s there to work out? She doesn’t love me,” A.J. says snapping at Nick.
“If she doesn’t love you then why is she sitting in the hotel room crying because she doesn’t know where you’re at and you just left her without saying anything? If you ask me, you’re a little jealous of Jose because he has your girl and you don’t.”
“You know what Nick,” A.J. says going at Nick.
“Alex stop!” Kaley says coming between A.J. and Nick.
Kaley pulls Nick into the bedroom to keep him and A.J. from going at each other’s throats.
“What the hell is your problem?”
“He says he loves her Kaley, is that how he shows her, by just walking out on her like he did?”
“But…”
“But nothing Kaley. How would you feel if I did what he’s doing to her to you? Where did you find him anyways?”
“He was out by the pool smoking a cigarette.”
“And it took you almost two hours to find him?”
“No it didn’t. We were talking and it took me that long to convince him to go back into the hotel. I’m still trying to convince him to go back up to Kaci’s room. I thought I was getting there until you showed up.”
“Would you rather me spend the night with Jess?”
“I would rather Alex spend the night with her and for you to get off your high horse and quit acting like you are. Now, I’m going to go back and try to talk Alex into going back to Kaci and I would appreciate you not showing yourself until he is back with Kaci.”
Kaley goes out to the living room of the hotel room and manages to get A.J. to go out to the pool with her to talk. When he excuses himself to use the restroom, Kaley texts Kaci.
*****
From: KALEY
Come down 2 the pool
3:27am 4/27/03
*****
From: KACI
Is Alex wit u?
3:28am 4/27/03
*****
From: KALEY
Yeah, just come down here & play if off like u didnt know
3:30am 4/27/03
*****
“Who was that you were texting?” A.J. says coming back from using the restroom.
“You know how us L.A. people are. People back home always thinking everyone is on their time!”
“I seem to recall you are the same way. You were always texting me when we first met!”
“But you were in L.A. at the time! I’m here in Florida now and they’re still in L.A. That’s two totally different things Alex!”
“Alright, you got me there.”
Kaley and A.J. continue talking until Kaley sees Kaci.
“Kaci,” Kaley yells motioning her over to where she and A.J. are.
“Don’t,” A.J. says trying to stop Kaley from bringing Kaci over to where they are.
“Why not? You love her and you know she loves you too, so quit being a jerk! Just because she told Jose that she loves him doesn’t mean she doesn’t love you. Did you ever think maybe that’s how they hang up with each other and if she didn’t say it then he would get suspicious of her? Did that ever cross your mind?”
“No but…”
“But nothing! You knew coming here they were together! Now, I’m leaving and you and Kaci are going to work this out.”
Kaley gets up and meets up with Kaci by the doors of the hotel.
“Go talk to him please. I think I finally got through to him,” Kaley says to Kaci before going back inside.
Kaci goes over to where A.J. is sitting by the pool and sits down next to him and grabs his hand in hers.
“Look at me,” Kaci says turning to face A.J.
A.J. turns around to look at Kaci.
“You know my situation. You know I have never stopped loving you. This situation that I’m in frustrates the hell out of me because I care a lot about Jose, but I have always been in love with you. From the second I met you in Europe I knew you were meant for me. I love you with all my heart and then some, but I’m not going to be the one to end things with Jose. Things right now aren’t good with him – his mom kicked him out of his house and if it weren’t for me, he’d be living out of his car. He’s my best friend before he’s my boyfriend and I’m not about to let him sleep in no car!”
“But what about telling him you love him right in front of me?”
“Did you ever think that’s how we hang up with each other? And did you seem to forget that he thinks I’m with Nick at his house because we went out on the boat today for my birthday?”
“I didn’t think about that until Kaley brought it up. And I didn’t know that he had no idea that you were here. Is that why you told him to go to your house?”
“He wanted to stay at a hotel, had he happened to pick this one, what would I tell him if he saw me here and saw you here? He’s not stupid, he will put two and two together! I was covering both our asses tonight, and yet this is how you thank me.”
“I understand now and I’m sorry for acting the way I did,” A.J. says kissing Kaci on her forehead.
“So we can go back up to the room now so people aren’t staring at us?”
A.J. turns around to realize he and Kaci had a crowd gathering (at 4:00am!) before them.
“That sounds like a good idea,” A.J. says getting up and grabbing Kaci’s hand.
Chapter 38/Story Index/Chapter 40/E-mail Brittany
A.J. and Kaci go back up to their room for the night.