November 2018- New York

The wee hours of the morning.  Shortly after 2:00 a.m.  Snow had started to fall on the city at a steady pace.  The air was brisk, meaning it wouldn’t be long before the streets were icy and slick.  Thank goodness she was “off duty.”  She didn’t even want to think about the morning commute.  All she wanted was to get home, get a hot shower and climb into her nice warm bed.

Unfortunately, fate had other plans for her. 

Typically, she took the train to work, except for the nights she was “on call.” On those nights she drove to work because she didn’t like riding the train alone that early in the morning.  It just wasn’t safe. 

Her feet were throbbing, her eyes bloodshot and tired and her body felt like it weighed a ton but she was focused on the road in front of her.  She was about five miles from her apartment, stopped at a red light.  Ten minutes and she would be home.  Ten minutes and she would be free for the next twenty- four hours.  Or so she thought. In the blink of an eye her freedom disappeared.

 From out of nowhere a blue Mercedes slammed into the back of her, pushing her car through the red light and right into a motorcycle crossing the intersection.  The impact caused her airbag to deploy as glass from her windshield showered down on top of her. Meanwhile the front bumper of her car had clipped the back tire of the motorcycle sending the motorcycle spinning and the driver airborne.  For a split second she blacked out, when she came to again the Mercedes was gone but she could see the motorcycle lying on its side in the middle of the intersection and just a few feet away, the driver was lying motionless on the pavement.

As if on running on pure instinct and adrenaline she threw her car into park, grabbed a bag from the passenger seat and her phone and ran to the motorcycle driver.  Her head was throbbing now too and she could feel blood on her temple but she kept moving. 

2:00 a.m. in an upscale residential neighborhood in New York.  There was no one around.  It was just her. 

Thankfully, the motorcycle driver was wearing a helmet but he wasn’t moving.

“FUCK!” She grumbled as she dialed 911 on her phone then moved her free hand to check his pulse.

He had a pulse.  It was a bit too high for her liking but it was steady.

“911, What’s your emergency?”

“Yes, I’m on 3rd Avenue a few miles South of Presbyterian Hospital.  I was just involved in a hit and run, a blue Mercedes rear ended me at a red light, sent me into the intersection where I hit BMW motorcycle.  The Mercedes left the scene. The motorcycle driver is unconscious but has a pulse, although it’s not great.”

“Not great?” the dispatcher repeated.

She closed her eyes and sighed.  This was the part she was dreading.

“I’m a doctor.  At Mt. Sinai.  I’m just coming off shift.  Dr. Chloe Hunter- trauma surgeon.”

“Surgical resident?”

Chloe smirked.  “Nope.  Attending.”

“Oh. Oops! I apologize.  The paramedics are on the way.”

Chloe nodded.  “Got it. I’ll stay on the phone until they get here.”

“Are you ok?”

“I’m fine.  Nothing broken.” Chloe huffed.

Chloe looked to the still motionless man beside her.  She couldn’t see his face but even beneath his motorcycle gear she could tell he was in good shape.

She needed to get his helmet off, to examine him.  If he needed further assistance she wasn’t going to accomplish much with the helmet on.

Taking another deep breath she placed the phone on the pavement, hit the button for speaker phone and then began to talk to motionless man in a calm, soothing voice.

“Hey there…my name is Dr. Hunter…Dr. Chloe Hunter…if you can hear me, I am just going to take your helmet off so I can examine you.”

Very gently, and ever so carefully she supported his neck with one hand then unfastened his helmet with the other.  She could feel the blood dripping down the side of her head now but she didn’t care.  She was focused on this man lying almost lifeless in the street.

Then, in one quick, but very careful movement she removed the helmet then quickly covered her mouth to keep from screaming.

She recognized him immediately.  There weren’t many women her age that wouldn’t recognize him. However, there wasn’t time to dwell on his identity, not right then.  Her focus needed to be his wellbeing, not his celebrity status.   

Swallowing the lump that immediately formed in her throat Chloe opened her bag and started to pull things from the inside.  First, a stethoscope and a blood pressure cuff.  His blood pressure was within normal range but his heart rate was elevated higher than she was comfortable with and she was worried about his pulse oxygen levels but didn’t have a pulse oximeter with her.  Thank goodness he was breathing on his own.  Although, he was struggling quite a bit.

Inwardly groaning Chloe placed the stethoscope in her ears and placed the diaphragm piece against his chest.  He was definitely struggling to get air.  A pneumothorax or in laymen’s terms, a collapsed lung.    

“How’s he doing?“ the dispatcher asked.

“He’s struggling. I’m going to guess a collapsed or a punctured lung. I’m going to have to put in a chest tube.” Chloe answered.

“Do you have one?”

“I think so.”

Chloe began to rummage through her bag.  This wouldn’t be the first time she’d put a chest tube into a patient, and it definitely wouldn’t be the last, but this was first time she would be doing it on the side of the road.

Within a few moments she found a chest tube, scalpel and a pair of gloves.  After putting on the pair of gloves she reached into the bag again and pulled out a pair of scissors.

She looked down at his face and closed her eyes briefly.  Even with her eyes closed she could make out his features.  His cheekbones, his chiseled jaw, the scruff on his face.  Truthfully, she’d had a crush on him since she was a kid but never in her wildest imagination did she ever think their paths would ever cross, and definitely NOT like this. 

Quickly, she was able to remove his motorcycle jacket but the shirt he was wearing was a different story.

“I am really very sorry but I am going to have to cut your shirt.” Chloe explained calmly.

She used the scissors to cut an opening in his shirt then used her gloved fingers to feel at his chest.  She felt between his ribs then picked up the blade and took another deep breath.

“This is going to hurt…I’m sorry.  Ok, on three…one, two, three.”

On three she pierced his skin with the blade, cut a tiny opening then quickly inserted the tube as a pocket of air rushed out.  Immediately, he began to breathe a bit easier. 

“Any Identification?” the dispatcher asked, shaking her from her thoughts.

“I was just about to check.” Chloe grumbled.

Truthfully, she didn’t need to check.  She knew exactly who he was but she wasn’t about to divulge that information to the dispatcher just yet.

“If you can hear me, I am just checking for ID” Chloe explained.

There was no response.  He was still unconscious.

Gently, she felt around until she found the pocket of his motorcycle jacket and sure enough, his wallet was inside.  Unfortunately, it was just as she’d feared.  The name on his driver’s license confirmed her suspicion.

Justin Randall Timberlake

D.O.B: 01/31/1981

“SHIT!” Chloe muttered loudly.

“What?” the dispatcher replied.

Chloe tried to calm herself before speaking.

“Oh, umm…the tube is in…he seems to be breathing a bit easier now.”

“Got it, paramedics are about two minutes out. Any luck with the ID.”

Chloe swallowed hard then said a silent prayer to herself.  This had the potential to go very badly.

“What’s your name?” Chloe asked.

“Anna.”

“Ok Anna…can you be discreet?” Chloe replied hopefully.

“Yes ma’am.”

“Ok, Anna, I am going to need to you be as discreet as you possibly can. No one needs to know about this but you, me and your supervisor.”

“Ok?” Anna replied cautiously.

 This isn’t just a John Doe; this is Justin Timberlake.”

“THE Justin Timberlake.” Anna screeched quietly.

“YES! THE Justin Timberlake, which means we are taking him to Presbyterian NOT Sinai.” Chloe replied.

“But didn’t you just say you were a surgeon at Sinai?”

Chloe nodded.  “I did, and I am, but Presbyterian is closer and the sooner we get Mr. Timberlake off the side of the road and at a hospital the better.”

Anna nodded on the other end of the line.  “Agreed. Paramedics should be arriving any minute now.”

Sure enough, the ambulance arrived just as the words left her lips. 

“Thank you. They just got here.” Chloe answered.

“Take care of him…and get yourself checked out too.  I’m going to let the paramedics take it from here.”

“Thank you again, and I will.”

“You must be Dr. Hunter?” A paramedic asked as he approached with a gurney.

“I am.” Chloe answered, still crouched beside the motorcyclist.

“How’s he doing?” the paramedic replied as another paramedic joined them.

“His blood pressure is good but his pulse is elevated.  His airway looks good but I had to place a chest tube.  He hasn’t regained consciousness so I am going to guess at the very least a concussion and he needs X-rays.” Chloe replied.

“And you?” the paramedic continued.

“I’m fine.”

The paramedic made a face.  “Someone should get a look at that gash on your head.  The one on your cheek too.”

Chloe shot him a look right back.  “I might need a few stitches but otherwise I am fine.  Right now, my focus is my patient and right now my patient needs to be taken to the hospital for X-rays and an MRI.”

The paramedic cracked a smile and nodded.  “Yup, you’re definitely a surgeon.  Fine, let’s get him loaded up but you’re coming too.”

“Fine.” Chloe huffed.

Minutes later Chloe and her patient were loaded into the ambulance and on their way to Presbyterian hospital.

As the ambulance sped down the street Chloe took the opportunity to look down at her smart watch.  It was after 3 a.m. She figured that everyone at her apartment was still asleep.  There was no sense waking them and worrying anyone.  Phone calls could wait for now.

It was a short ride to the hospital but not short enough.  As the sirens screamed around her and the ambulance raced down the road Chloe said a silent prayer that she would wake up. She wanted this to be a dream, a bad dream.  She wanted nothing more than to wake up in her bed as if this hadn’t happened.

Once they were at the hospital things got more complicated rather quickly.

“What do we have?” A doctor asked as the paramedics pulled the gurney from the vehicle.

“37- year- old Caucasian male unconscious and unresponsive at the scene.  B.P. is 120 over 75 but pulse was 120.  Patient appeared to be in respiratory distress on scene but a chest tube was placed in the field.” Chloe explained.

The doctor looked back at her in shock.  She could only imagine what she looked like.  Still in her scrubs, her hair limp and wet from the snow and blood on her head and face. 

“And you are?” the doctor continued.

“Doctor Chloe Hunter. I am a trauma surgeon at Mt. Sinai.”

“You were first on scene?” the doctor asked making a face.

“You could say that.” Chloe replied.

The paramedic beside her smirked a bit.  “She was in the accident as well but refused treatment at the scene.”

Chloe shot the paramedic a withering look.  “I did NOT refuse treatment.  I said my patient was the priority.”

“Ok. Well, let’s get him to trauma bay 1 and get someone to look at those cuts.” The doctor said motioning down the hallway.

“Don’t intubate him.” Chloe said as a nurse started to guide her to another room.

“Excuse me?” the doctor replied, stopping briefly.

“I said DO NOT intubate him.” Chloe replied sternly.

“Why?”

Chloe’s eyes were wide and her expression determined. 

“Well, for one, he doesn’t need it.  His breathing has normalized thanks to the chest tube.  His pulse has is within normal range and his airway is clear.  Secondly, he’s recovering from recent vocal chord surgery.  If you intubate him now, you’ll just do more damage.”

“Vocal chord surgery? And you know this how?” the doctor smirked.

Chloe shook her head and took a breath.  How she was going to explain this without looking like a total “fangirl” she had no idea but she at the very least needed to try.

“He’s Justin Timberlake.  He just postponed his tour on account of bruised vocal chords.  It’s been all over the news.”

“I don’t watch the news.” The doctor replied shortly.

Chloe rolled her eyes.  This doctor was being un-necessarily cocky, meaning he was probably a Resident.  A third year Resident if she had to guess.  In her experience, third year trauma residents were almost always cocky.  She definitely had been.

“Then do your due diligence, call his next of kin or his manager and ask them.” Chloe snapped.

“We don’t have time for that right now.”

“Then check his pulse ox.  If it’s anything above 85%, which I am betting it is now that the chest tube is in place you don’t need to intubate.”

The doctor just waved his hand and directed his attention to the nurse next to him. 

“Will you please go get me an intubation kit?”

Chloe’s green eyes were on fire now. 

“Do NO harm!” She snapped at him.

“Excuse me?” the doctor replied.

“You took an oath to do no harm.” Chloe shot back.

“And your point is?”

Chloe took a deep breath and stepped right up to him.  He was a good four or five inches taller than she was but she was no stranger to standing her ground with cocky male surgeons.  She’d been doing it her entire medical career and she wasn’t about to stop now. He didn’t intimidate her in the least.

“My point is this…you’re a Resident, right?”

“I am, but I don’t see how that’s relevant.”

“I’m an Attending.”

“Not here you’re not.” The doctor smirked at her.

“Regardless of where I am an Attending it doesn’t change the fact that I’ve been doing this longer than you have, and I am telling you, given what I know about the patient’s medical history, if you intubate him, you’ll be doing more harm than good.  Not to mention you’d be doing a very un-necessary procedure that could get you sued for negligence or at the very least kicked out of your program.”

The doctor muttered something under his breath that was unintelligible then turned to the nurse again.

“Check his pulse ox first, if it’s above 85% get him on Oxygen, if it’s below get an Intubation kit and I’ll be right there.”

“Got it.” The nurse said before rolling the gurney away.

Once the gurney carrying her patient was out of sight Chloe turned her attention to the doctor again.

“Thank you.” She said.

“Well, what can I say, you made a valid point.  I’m almost done with my program. I really don’t want to fuck it up this close to the finish line.”

Chloe just smirked and shook her head. Of course, he had his own interests in mind and not that of his patient.

“Smart choice.” She replied flatly.

“Now, if you’ll excuse me, I am going to see to my patient and call Plastics for a consult on those lacerations.” He replied nodding back at her.

Chloe smirked.  “I don’t need a Plastic surgery consult.  Just stitch me up and discharge me please.”

“So, you’ll sign an AMA release?” He asked is surprise.

Chloe’s eyes went wide again.  “AMA?! Who said anything about AMA?! I’m not leaving against medical advice. I just don’t need a Plastic surgeon to look at me.  By all means, check me out, make sure I’m not going to keel over the second I walk out of here.  In other words, do your job, you just don’t need to show off!”

Grumbling again to himself the doctor left and proceeded down the hall without giving her a second look.

30 minutes later, after being stitched up by someone she guessed was an Intern or a 1st year Resident she was cleared by the Emergency room Attending and was waiting to be discharged.  In fact, she was just getting up to leave when two police officers stepped into the Exam room.

“Are you Dr. Chloe Hunter?” the female officer asked.

“Yes ma’am.” Chloe answered.

“Do you mind if we ask you a few questions?” the officer continued.

“Not at all. Ask away.”

“Can you tell us what happened?” the 2nd officer asked.

Chloe nodded.  “Sure.  I was waiting at the light at 3rd Avenue.  The light was red and a blue Mercedes slammed into the back of me, pushing me into the intersection where I clipped the back wheel of a BMW motorcycle and sent the driver of the motorcycle flying into the intersection.  My air bags deployed and I blacked out for a second and when I came to the Mercedes was gone.”

The police officers both looked at each other and nodded.  Then the female officer cracked a reassuring smile.

“Traffic cameras and security footage in the area confirm your story.  We have our video forensics team trying to get a good image of the plate of the Mercedes that hit you.  Your car and the motorcycle are both being held as evidence until we finish our investigation.  Although, I’d be willing to bet both vehicles are totaled.” The officer explained.

Chloe nodded and tried not to focus on the last part of his statement. Now wasn’t the time.

“Makes sense.”

“Is there anything you remember about the Mercedes or the driver that might help us find it amongst the hundreds of other Mercedes in the city?”

Chloe paused in thought.  The accident happened so fast that there wasn’t much she could remember for certain.  However, now that she’d had time to actually process what had happened there were a couple things that stood out. 

Also, she was a surgeon.  She was trained to pay attention to details.  When you had your hands in a patient even the smallest detail could mean the difference between life and death.

“Actually, now that you mention it…I do remember it was a new Mercedes.  A Mercedes CLS to be specific.  It still had the temporary paper plates on it.  I remember seeing them in the rearview right before it crashed into me.”

The female officer took a pad out of her back pocket and scribbled down the information, while the male officer continued.

“Anything else?”

Chloe nodded.  “Yeah.  It was new but not so new that the owner hadn’t time to customize it a bit.”

The male officer raised an eyebrow.  “What do you mean?”

“Well, I’m almost positive it had an after-market exhaust.” Chloe explained.

“Excuse me?”

“The exhaust, it wasn’t the exhaust it came with.”

“So, you’re a surgeon and a car expert?” The male officer smirked.

Chloe laughed a bit and shook her head.  “No.  My ex, he is big into cars, sports cars especially.  I learned a lot from him.  The amount of noise coming from that car before it hit was way too loud for it to be a factory exhaust system.  Mercedes are luxury cars, they aren’t typically designed to make that much noise, not unless you are trying to show off.”

“Good point.” The male officer chuckled.

“Just one last question Dr. Hunter.” The female officer replied.

“Sure.” Chloe answered.

“Did Mr. Timberlake say anything to you?” the male officer asked.

Chloe shook her head.  “No. He was unconscious and unresponsive the entire time.  However, I did check his ID to confirm his identity.  The 911 dispatcher can confirm everything.”

“Yes, we have all of that information.  We are trying to get in touch with a family member now.”

Chloe could only nod.  She couldn’t imagine getting that call.  It was a parent’s worst fear.  She knew that much all too well.

“Do you want to press charges?” the female officer asked.

“Against Mr. Timberlake?” Chloe asked in shock.

“No. No. Against the Mercedes driver.”

Chloe breathed a sigh of relief and nodded.  “If you find the person then yes, absolutely.  He or she left the scene of an accident and failed to render aid.  You bet I want to press charges.”

Then the female cracked a smile and nodded towards her.  “Mr. Timberlake is one lucky man.  He might not have survived if it weren’t for you.”

Chloe bit her lip and nodded.  “I was just in the right place at the right time.  Any other doctor would have done the same.”

“You’d be surprised.” The male officer smirked.

Chloe tried to hide a smile.  “Ok, let me rephrase that, any self- respecting doctor would have done the same.”

“Better.” The male officer chuckled.

“Do you have a way home?” the female officer interjected.

Chloe blushed slightly.  “Not exactly.  I was going to just take an Uber.”

“We can give you a lift.  It’s no trouble.” The male officer volunteered.

“Are you sure?”

“Absolutely.” The female officer agreed.

An hour later Chloe was opening the door to her Greenwich Village apartment.  It wasn’t anything fancy or big, but it was cozy and it was home.  Truthfully, she couldn’t remember a day she’d been more grateful to be home.  After the night she’d had, working a twelve- hour shift and then the car accident she was more than ready for bed.  However, first on the agenda was a nice long, HOT shower. 

Looking at her reflection in the mirror Chloe groaned.  The lacerations on her temple and cheek had been closed with skin glue but still looked pretty gnarly and would probably look even worse in the morning.   There was still blood caked in her hair and her scrubs were covered in dirt, blood, sweat and microscopic shards of glass.  In short, she looked a mess and she felt even worse.

Sighing, she turned the shower on in her master bathroom then stripped her clothes off and stepped in.  She stood underneath the hot water for a long time, just letting the hot water wash over her.  Then, after several minutes of just standing there, her hands braced against the shower walls as the water splashed over her head and face, she began to sob. 

In truth, she hadn’t cried over a patient in a very long time but there was just something about seeing Justin Timberlake almost lifeless on the pavement as he struggled to breathe that really got to her.  Not to mention everything she knew he’d been through in recent weeks. 

She couldn’t even fathom how he would feel once he woke up.  It was then that she said a silent prayer that he would in fact wake up.  Then, she got out of the shower, dried off, slipped into a t-shirt and a pair of pajama bottoms and crawled into bed.  Her body gave in to the exhaustion almost immediately.

She was going to HURT in the morning and then there was explaining what had happened.  She didn’t even want to think about it right then.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Several hours later, just before dawn, somewhere just beyond consciousness a voice started to echo in his mind.

“If you can hear me…I’m just going to take your helmet off…”

The voice was calm, soothing, almost angelic, but when he opened his mouth to respond the words wouldn’t come.  Instead, a low moan cut through the quiet causing the person next to him to stir.

“Justin?” a familiar voice replied.

It wasn’t the same voice from his dream but he knew it well.  In fact, upon hearing her voice his eyes started to flutter open.  White walls, one window, a slow, steady beep echoing through the room.  This was NOT his apartment.

“Mom?” He croaked.

His whole body hurt, and not just the dull ache he was accustomed to after performing.  His body hurt so much that even breathing was painful.  In fact, his body hurt more with every breath he took in.

“Shh.  Just rest.  You need to rest. I am just going to step out for a moment and get the doctor.” His mom replied.

The word “doctor.”  It was as if the word ignited his memory again.

“My name is Dr. Hunter…Dr. Chloe Hunter…”

Suddenly, the memory of the accident came flooding back to him.  He’d gone out for a drive, on his motorcycle, trying to clear his head and just relax.  The last few weeks had been physically, mentally and emotionally draining.  He just wanted to escape for an hour.  Apparently one hour of freedom was too much to ask for.  He never saw the car coming.  All he heard was the sound of crunching metal and in the next instant his bike was knocked out from beneath him and then everything went black. 

Minutes later his mother and several other people dressed in white lab coats entered the room.  Obviously, he was in the hospital but he had no recollection of how he’d gotten there. 

“Good to see you awake Mr. Timberlake.  My name is Dr. Ferguson.”

Justin simply nodded.  He didn’t know how else to respond and given that he’d just had vocal chord surgery the week prior speaking was still difficult.

The doctor took his gesture as permission to continue.

“You’re a very lucky man Mr. Timberlake.  You had a guardian angel watching over you this morning.”

Justin’s Mom cracked a smile and nodded.  “He does.  His sister, Laura.  She died when he was 16.”

The doctor nodded then stuttered a bit.  “Umm…actually, I was talking about the doctor that saved his life at the scene.”

Justin’s eyes widened.  He’d thought it was a dream, but apparently the voice he heard belonged to an actual living, breathing person.

“Dr. Hunter?” Justin croaked hoarsely.

“You remember?” the doctor asked surprised.

Justin nodded.  “Just her voice.”

The doctor nodded again then cracked a tiny smile.  “Yes.  Dr. Chloe Hunter was first on scene.  Actually, she was in the accident as well, but her injuries were minor.  She placed the chest tube that saved your life.”

Chest tube?! A chest tube would explain why it hurt so much to breathe.  Not to mention it sounded awful.

“So how is he? When can he go home?” Lynn Harless interjected.

Two hospital stays in less than two weeks.  Needless to say, Lyn Harless was ready to get her son home so he could rest and recover properly. 

“Well, as I said, a chest tube was placed on the scene.  Your left lung collapsed as a result of the trauma of hitting the pavement at high speed.  In addition, you have 3 broken ribs and a moderate concussion.  I’d like to keep you here until tomorrow just to make sure there are no complications.  Then, so long as everything goes well you can go home tomorrow afternoon.”

“How long until he is fully recovered?” Lyn continued.

“6-8 weeks.” The doctor replied bluntly

“And Dr. Hunter, when do I see her?” Justin managed to whisper.

The doctor couldn’t help but chuckle just the slightest. 

“Umm…well, I couldn’t say.  She actually doesn’t work at this hospital.  As I understand it, she works up the road at Mt. Sinai.  She was coming off shift when the car hit her that caused her to hit you.”

Justin’s eyes went wide.  It was not at all what he’d expected.  Truthfully, he didn’t really know what he’d expected but it wasn’t that.  To hear that this woman, regardless of who she was and what she did had gone out of her way to save his life was more than he could emotionally handle at the moment.

Swallowing back tears and the incredible lump in his throat Justin nodded at the doctor.

The doctor caught his expression but said nothing on the subject.  Instead, he kept to the facts.  His patient had been through a lot over the past few weeks and therefore, his emotions were definitely warranted.

“Your MRI and CT scans came back clear.  There is no evidence of any other internal injuries.”

“Thank you, Doctor Ferguson.” Lyn replied breathing a silent sigh of relief.

Dr. Ferguson smiled and nodded.  “Any other questions?”

“No. Thank you.” Justin whispered.

He was still trying to process it all.  Putting his tour on hold, vocal chord surgery, the accident, his new injuries and THAT voice.  It was all a bit overwhelming.

Dr. Ferguson nodded again.  “Then, I will leave you to rest.  Don’t hesitate to reach out if anything changes or you have any questions.”

**

A few miles away, in an apartment in Greenwich village the pitter patter of feet cut through the otherwise quiet apartment.

“Oof!” Chloe exclaimed as small body jumped on top of her.

“Mommy! Wake up! Uncle Adam made pancakes!” a tiny voice exclaimed.

Chloe exhaled deeply then forced her eyes open.  Her eyes felt heavy.  Truthfully, her entire body felt heavy.  She felt as if she’d been hit by a semi.   True, it had been a Mercedes and not a semi but that didn’t change the fact that she felt terrible.  Her neck, back and shoulders were screaming at her, making movement incredibly difficult.

After a few moments she finally pushed herself up to sit only to be greeted by a pair of hazel eyes smiling back at her.  Hazel eyes, long lashes, a cute smile and dirty blonde hair pulled back in a messy braid.  She was all the best and worst parts of her parents but she was also Chloe’s entire world.

“Pancakes, huh?” Chloe said smiling as she struggled to appear unaffected.

Whiplash had definitely settled in, and the adrenaline rush that had warded off any pain was definitely gone now.  Her body was screaming at her.

“Chocolate chip pancakes!” The little girl responded.

Then the little girl noticed her face.

“Mommy, what happened? Are you ok?”

Chloe forced a smile then reached up, wrapped her arms around the little girl and pulled her into her lap.

“Mommy is fine.  I promise.”

“But your face is blue and puffy.”

Chloe forced a weak smile.  She could only imagine what her face looked like.

“Just a few cuts and bruises.  They look bad but I promise they will heal just fine.”

“Do they hurt?” the little girl continued.

Chloe shook her head.  “A little bit.”

It was a lie.  Her face stung more than she wanted to admit but she was not about to divulge that information to an almost six -year-old.  This AMAZING little girl had been through more than her share of bad in the past year.  She deserved a break, even if it was just a small one.

“So, tell me more about these pancakes.” Chloe said, changing the subject quickly.

“Uncle Adam made chocolate chip pancakes.  He said we were celebrating because you FINALLY have a Saturday off.”

Chloe laughed slightly, then tried not to wince.  Laughing made EVERYTHING hurt more.

“Oh really? That’s what he said?” Chloe asked grinning.

“Yup!” the little girl replied grinning.

“Well, then, let’s go see about these pancakes.” Chloe said as she pushed the bed covers off her.

Inwardly, Chloe took a deep breath then groaned quietly as she started to stand.  Her whole body was waging a war against her. 

“C’mon Mommy…” the little girl exclaimed as she went running down the hall towards the kitchen.

A couple minutes later Chloe stumbled into the kitchen to find her daughter sitting at the kitchen counter happily chowing down on a plateful of chocolate chip pancakes.  Next to her, standing at the counter dressed in a pair of a flannel pants and a muscle shirt, holding a cup of coffee was Chloe’s older brother; Adam.

Adam was her rock.  Adam was quite possibly the ONLY reason she’d made it through the last year with her sanity intact.  When things had gone pear shaped with her ex, Adam stepped up and stepped in as the uncle, brother and protector she needed.

Adam looked up at the sound of footsteps in the hallway and immediately his eyes went wide.

“What happened to you?” Adam asked.

His protective “big brother” side had immediately kicked in to high gear.  His sister looked like she’d been in a battle with freight train and lost.  There were at least a hundred different scenarios running through his mind and each one he liked less than the one before.

Chloe shrugged and reached for a cup.  If she was going to function at all coffee was definitely needed.

“Just a little fender bender.  Nothing serious.  It looks worse than it is.”

Chloe knew her brother was worried.  It was all over his face but given the circumstances there wasn’t a lot she could tell him. 

“A fender bender? That looks a bit more serious than a fender bender.” Adam replied.

Chloe gave him a look. 

He knew that look.  It was the “I don’t want to talk about it” look.  However, he was her big brother and therefore, she was going to talk about it at some point.  He shot a look right back at her but she pretended like she didn’t see it.  Instead, she diverted her attention to her coffee cup and the TV in the kitchen.  The sound on the TV was turned down and her daughter was preoccupied with her pancakes so there was little chance she was paying attention but that didn’t change Chloe’s reaction.

Her eyes went wide as she looked at the screen.  The pictures flashing before her eyes were all too familiar. 

“What are you watching?” Chloe asked nervously.

Adam looked up at the screen and shrugged.  “The news.  It’s on every channel.  They are saying JT was in a motorcycle accident last night.”

Chloe sighed inwardly.  So much for discretion she thought.  Truthfully, there were probably at least a dozen people that could have leaked the story, most of them medical personnel, which in truth, made her sick to her stomach but she was going to take comfort in knowing it wasn’t her.

“Oh.” Chloe replied.

“Yeah…what’s even crazier is that if I didn’t know any better, I’d say the other vehicle involved looked a lot like yours but there are probably hundreds of cars that look like yours in the city. I mean, what are the chances that two different Red Honda CRV’s would be in an accident on the same night?” Adam said before taking a sip of his coffee.

Chloe gave her older brother a pointed look.

Immediately upon seeing her expression coffee shot out his mouth and nose as he choked on the hot drink.

“Eww! Uncle Adam! That’s gross!”

Chloe handed her brother a napkin and tried not to smirk.  “You’re right Gabby, that is gross and messy! Uncle Adam better clean that up.”

“Chloe! Stop!” Adam sputtered.

“Stop what? I didn’t say anything.” Chloe shot back.

“You didn’t have to.  Your face said it all.  You don’t mean to tell me you…”

“Again, I didn’t say anything.” Chloe replied seriously.

Adam looked to his niece then back to his sister.  This was not a conversation for little ears.

“Gabby, why don’t you go watch cartoons in the living room for a bit while your Mommy and I clean up the kitchen.  Then we can go to the park like we talked about.”

Gabby grinned, set her fork down then jumped down from her stool.  “OK!”

“Go wash your hands first!” Chloe called after her daughter as she ran down the hall.

“Ok!” Gabby shouted back.

Once he was certain his niece was out of hearing range Adam turned on his sister. 

“SO, let me get this straight, you hit Justin Timberlake with your car last night?” Adam growled.

Chloe gave her brother a dirty look.  “No! Not exactly.”

“Then what…exactly?”

Chloe sighed then sank onto the stool next to her.  “A Mercedes CLS hit me, then I hit Mr. Timberlake, then the Mercedes fled the scene.”

“You saved his life, didn’t you?” Adam continued.

Chloe gave her brother yet another look.  “You know I can’t answer that.  Doctor- patient confidentiality.”

Adam sighed then sat down on the stool next to her.  “Ok, you can’t answer that question.  That’s fair, but tell me this, is he as hot up close as he is from the nosebleed seats?”

Chloe snorted.  “Really Adam?”

“What?! He is HOT! I know you think so, or am I just imagining all those posters you had all over your walls as a kid?”

Chloe blushed then giggled slightly and winced a bit.  “Fine! Yes, he was hot but I really wasn’t focused on that, I was concentrated on helping him.”

“Is he going to be ok? Were his injuries severe?”

Chloe cracked a sad smile.  “Again, you know I can’t answer that, at least not the part about his injuries but yes, I think he’s going to be fine.”

Adam nodded then took another sip of his coffee.  “He’s lucky you were there.”

Chloe shook her head.  “I was just in the right place at the right time.”

Adam grinned.  “Well, I think there are a LOT of people that are going to be thankful you were when they find out.”

Chloe’s eyes went wide as saucers.  “NO ONE is going to find out it was me.”

Adam laughed. “Sure, keep telling yourself that.”

“I’m not telling anyone…aside from you, and you’re not going to tell anyone so I don’t see how anyone is going to find out.” Chloe argued.

Adam chuckled and shook his head.  “You’re right, I won’t tell anyone, but I guarantee it’s going to get out.  Stuff like that always gets out and it’s Justin Timberlake.  Tell me how people aren’t going to find out about that?”

Chloe didn’t want to admit that he had a valid point.  She just hoped he was wrong. 

“Didn’t you mention taking Gabby to the park?” Chloe asked, abruptly changing the subject.

Adam smiled.  “I did, but you don’t have to come.  I can take her.  I can only imagine how you feel after working a full shift and being in a car accident.”

Truthfully, she felt horrible but it was rare she got an entire Saturday off to spend with her daughter so she wasn’t going to waste this opportunity by staying in bed all day. 

“No. I’ll come.  Just give me ten minutes to get dressed.”

Adam nodded.  “Take your time.  We are in no rush.  I’ll pour you some more coffee to go and get you some Advil.”

Chloe smiled.  “Thank you.”

“I’m your big brother.  It’s in my job description.”

Chloe nodded.  “Again, thank you.”

Adam looked at her worriedly.  He could tell she was struggling but was trying to put on a brave face for Gabby.  She’d been doing it for over a year now.

“What about tomorrow?” Adam asked.

“What about it?” Chloe answered.

“Aren’t you scheduled to work tomorrow?”

Chloe nodded and forced a somewhat crooked smile.  “I am but I am going to call Dr. Ross and ask him to switch with me.  He owes me.”

“Good.” Adam replied, appearing to be satisfied with her response.

They spent most of the morning in the park then stopped for lunch at Gabby’s favorite pizza place on the way home.  After that they had a princess movie marathon on the couch and Adam made spaghetti for dinner.  On Sunday, just as she suspected, Chloe’s whiplash was worse than the day before.  She could barely move but yet again, Adam was there to save the day.  He and Gabby made her breakfast and brought it to her in bed.  Then she and Gabby watched another princess movie in bed while Adam took care of the dishes, laundry and grocery shopping for the week.

That night after Gabby had gone to bed Adam came into Chloe’s room carrying two glasses of wine.  He set himself down on the bed next to her then handed her a glass.

“You’re a rockstar, you do know that, right?” Adam said smiling.

Chloe smiled back and shook her head.  “No, you’re the rockstar.  I really don’t know what Gabby and I would do without you.”

“You don’t have to worry about that. I’m not going anywhere.  As I’ve said before, this arrangement works for me too.  My commute to work is great. I don’t have to worry about the neighborhood being sketchy.  I’m saving money by splitting the cost of this place with you and I get the bonus of peace of mind knowing you and Gabby are ok.  Not to mention the quality of the eye candy in the Village is far superior to where I used to live.”

Chloe snorted. “Eye candy? Really Adam?”

“What?! Am I wrong?”

Chloe just giggled and shook her head before taking a sip of her wine.  “I don’t know. I don’t have time for that sort of thing.”

Adam made a face.  “Well, maybe you should make time.  It’s been almost a year Chloe.  You deserve to move on.  You deserve to be happy. I promise you, not every guy is going to be like Eddy.”

Chloe sighed.  “Eddy gave me Gabby.”

Adam nodded.  “And that was the ONE thing he did right.  You gave him every opportunity to change, to be better because you’re a good person, a good wife and an AMAZING mother but in the end…”

Chloe sighed again.  “I know, I know, and if I had to do it all over again I would, but that doesn’t change the fact that I’m not ready…and let’s be real here…my track record for picking guys isn’t the best.”

Adam grinned.  “Well, you didn’t have me around before.  I’ll screen them for you.  Besides, after Eddy it’s not like I am going to just let anyone date my sister.  They have to prove themselves worthy first.”

Chloe laughed.  “Worthy?”

“Hell yeah!  You’re intelligent, talented, attractive, kind, passionate…I could go on and on.”

“Don’t let me stop you.” Chloe giggled.

“I’m being serious…you deserve a guy that is going to treat you like the queen you are.”

Chloe blushed a bit and nodded.  “Did you have someone in mind?”

Adam grinned devilishly.  “Justin Timberlake isn’t a bad option.”

Chloe laughed and swatted at her brother playfully.  “Stop!”

Adam continued to grin at his sister.  “What? He’s intelligent, talented, attractive, obviously passionate…should I keep going?”

Chloe just laughed and shook her head.  “It’s not going to happen.  In fact, I’ll probably never see him again, at least not that close.”

“Don’t be so sure.”

Chloe couldn’t help but smirk at her older brother.  “Do you know something I don’t?”

This time it was Adam who laughed and shook his head.  “No.  I just have this hunch that once the blue-eyed crooner from Memphis finds out that a Good Samaritan saved his life, he’s going to come looking for them.”

“He’s a busy man.”

“Not right now he’s not.  He’s recovering from vocal chord surgery…and a car accident.  I think he’s got some free time.”

“I think you’re delusional.” Chloe teased.

Adam chuckled.  “No. I’m optimistic.  You should try it sometime.”

 

It was almost a week later and things were back to normal, at least for the most part.  The bruising on Chloe’s head and cheek were gone more or less, as was the whiplash.  In fact, the only evidence that she’d even been in accident that was still present were the now pink, puffy scars that had started to form on her temple and cheekbone.

Chloe was back to work too.  She’d only taken two days off, and that was only after her brother had all but threatened to sit on her if she didn’t call in.

On this particular day she was in surgery.  In fact, she’d been in surgery almost all morning. She’d just finished repairing a ruptured spleen and was now headed to the PACU or Post- Op area to check on a patient from an earlier surgery when a gorgeous bouquet at the Nurses’ station caught her attention.  Pink roses, green chrysanthemums, pink Peruvian lilies and yellow Asiatic lilies brightened the counter-top and there was a card nestled at the top. 

“Who are the flowers for?” Chloe asked the nurses behind the desk.

A nurse named Liz smiled.  “The security guard who brought them up said they were for you, Dr. Hunter.”

Chloe’s jaw dropped.  It wasn’t her birthday so she couldn’t possibly fathom why anyone would be sending her flowers. 

“From Eddy maybe?” Liz replied, as if reading her mind.

The nurses in Post Op knew her well and therefore knew about Eddy.

Chloe shook her head.  “No.  He wouldn’t.  Not even when we were together.”

“Well, there is a card.” Liz said grinning.

Chloe nodded then gingerly lifted the card from the flowers.  Carefully, she pulled the card from the envelope and her eyes went wide as she read the words scrawled on the small piece of paper.

There are no words that could possibly express how grateful I am.  The best I can do is “Thank you”

Sincerely,

Justin

Justin? It wasn’t possible!  Was it?  No!  The likelihood that the Justin who’d signed this card and sent these flowers was Justin Timberlake was incredibly slim.  There had to be another explanation, another Justin she’d treated.  There was NO WAY he could have known.  He’d been unconscious the entire time.  Yes, she’d told him her name, but again, he’d been unconscious the entire time.  Was it possible he heard her?  Had someone told him?  IF it was Justin Timberlake, which she was convinced it wasn’t, someone would have had to have told him about her.  That was the only rational explanation.

“Who are they from?” Liz asked, snapping Chloe from her trance.

Chloe stuttered a bit as she placed the card back in the flowers.  “Oh…umm…just a patient.”

“Just a patient…ok, then why does your face look like that?” Liz asked grinning.

“Look like what?” Chloe replied.

“Flustered! If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were blushing.”

“I’m not blushing.” Chloe protested.

“Yes, you are, which begs the question, who is he? Is he cute?”

Chloe fought to calm herself before responding.  “I don’t know.”

It wasn’t a complete lie.  She still wasn’t convinced it was Justin Timberlake who had sent the flowers.

Liz laughed.  “You don’t know?!”

He only put his first name on the card.” Chloe replied honestly.

“So, what is it?” Liz insisted.

Chloe tried not to blush more.  “Justin.”

“A recent date?” Liz wondered aloud.

Chloe gave Liz a look, causing Liz to chuckle.

“Ok, not a date, a former patient maybe?” Liz continued.

Chloe nodded. “Possibly.

“Hmm, well, have you treated anyone with the name Justin recently?”

Chloe tried not to show how she was feeling right then.  In fact, she was trying really hard not to show just how much this discussion and the flowers were affecting her.  She didn’t even want to think about what might happen, or what people would say if they knew the truth.

Chloe nodded nervously.  “At least one.”

Liz grinned.  “Well, then I bet they are from him.”

Chloe eyes flashed with fear for a moment. 

“I certainly hope not.” She muttered under her breath.

That night when Chloe returned home, she had the flowers with her.  Without saying a word, she set them down on the kitchen table and proceeded to cabinets for a wine glass.

Gabby was sitting at the table eating a plate of spaghetti when Chloe walked in.  Adam was standing in front of the stove dishing up a plate for her so he hadn’t noticed the bouquet yet.

“Those are pretty Mommy.   Where did you get them?’

Chloe blushed slightly.  She was still trying to convince herself they weren’t from Justin Timberlake.

“A patient sent them to me.” Chloe answered honestly.

By this time Adam had turned away from the stove where he was dishing up a plate of Spaghetti for all the grown-ups. His eyes widened and a smile tugged at his lips when he saw the flowers sitting on the table.

“A patient sent you flowers?!” He asked grinning.

Chloe nodded.

“Was there a card?”

Again, Chloe just nodded.

Immediately Adam set the plates down at the table and started digging for the card.  A huge grin spread across his face as the words on the paper registered in his brain.

“I told you!” Adam exclaimed.

Chloe just bit her lip and shook her head.  “I treat dozens of patients in a week and Justin is a very common name.”

Adam made a face.  “Really? How many patients have sent you flowers?”

Chloe gave him a look but he quickly dismissed it. 

“Exactly!  I’m not saying it never happens.  I’m just saying, you got flowers from a patient named Justin just a week after treating Justin Timberlake.  What are the odds?”

Gabby’s eyes went wide as she took in a bite of her spaghetti.

“Mommy…”

“Don’t talk with your mouth full.” Chloe said raising an eyebrow.

Gabby nodded then swallowed.  “Sorry Mommy.  Justin Timberlake? He sings that song from Trolls, right?”

Chloe cracked a smile.  “He does.”

Gabby’s eyes went wider still, if possible.

“You helped him?”

Chloe nodded.  “I did.”

Gabby set her fork down then paused in thought.  For almost 6 she was very bright and very mature for her age.  Then again, the past year had forced her to face things no 5-year-old should have to deal with.

“Well…if you helped him maybe he did send the flowers.  Maybe he was trying to say “thank you” for helping him.” Gabby reasoned.

Chloe nodded.  “Maybe.”

 

***

After two weeks Lyn Harless was ready to go home.  She loved her son more than life itself but he was a terrible patient.  The doctors had told him to rest his voice as much as possible after his surgery.  No shouting, no screaming, NO singing and very little talking.  After the accident strenuous physical activity was also frowned upon.  No running, no work-outs, no basketball.  Basically, he was under doctor’s orders to do absolutely nothing. 

It was driving him crazy.  He couldn’t remember the last time that he’d had this much free time to just sit.  He was always busy.  Always working on his next project, or two.  He was supposed to be on tour, performing for sold out crowds almost every night but he wasn’t.  Instead, he was sitting in his New York apartment feeling sorry for himself.

Understandably, Lyn had called in reinforcements.  She knew how badly her son could get in his own head.  How much he would over think things.  He needed a distraction and with that in mind she’d called the four men that knew him almost as well as she did, and in some respects better than her.  Joey was busy with his Game Show network gig and being a dad to his girls.  Chris was a father now too and therefore sticking close to home.  Lance was busier than ever doing about ten different things at the same time which just left JC.

At about 3:00 p.m. on a Saturday, just a little over a week before Thanksgiving there was a knock on the door.  Justin’s mother had left to return to Tennessee just a few hours prior and had insisted he stay put instead of accompanying her to the airport.  It made sense, he was trying to keep a low profile after surgery and the accident so the last thing he wanted was to be spotted at the airport but he still missed having her around.  He missed the company.  Being alone in his apartment felt like the walls were closing in on him.  True, it had only been a couple hours but the silence was already deafening.

Justin heard the knock but dismissed it as just his brain playing tricks on him or a sound coming from the TV that was on in the background.  Then he heard the knock again, louder this time.  Cautiously, he approached the door.  The building he lived in had a doorman, who typically checked in if he had a guest but this time no one had called.  True, he had a list of people that were approved to have entry but everyone on the list was hundreds of miles away, or so he thought.

He checked the security cameras and could only smile, bite his lip and shake his head at the person on the other side of the door.

Justin opened the door and there was JC standing on the other side.

“Your mom thought you shouldn’t be alone.” JC said grinning.

There was a duffel bag over one shoulder and he was dressed casually in a pair of jeans and a t-shirt and very bright floral print coat.  It was the best thing Justin had seen in days.

Immediately he pulled his friend into the biggest bro hug then winced slightly as the pressure against his chest reminded him of his injuries.

JC chuckled as he stepped into the apartment.  “It’s good to see you too man, but yeah, you might want to take it easy.  It’s going to take a while for those ribs and your lung to fully heal.”

“How long are you staying?” Justin asked quietly.

JC set his bag down on the floor just inside the door and shrugged.  “Until we get sick of each other.  I have no definite plans. “

Justin nodded.  As much as he didn’t want to admit outwardly that he didn’t want to be alone it felt good to have JC there.  JC was the one person that understood him sometimes better than he understood himself.  They’d been friends since Justin was 12.  There wasn’t much they didn’t know about each other.  JC was more like an older brother than a friend.  They were just that close and always had been. 

“Thanks.” Justin replied.

JC smiled and nodded.  “No thanks necessary.  This trip was long overdue.”

For the next couple of days, the two men just hung out at Justin’s apartment watching TV, catching up and ordering take out.  It was exactly what Justin needed.  There was no talk of the tour or the accident.  In fact, during those two days the only reminder of any of it was the ache in his chest and the soreness in his throat. 

On this particular afternoon they were sitting on the couch just watching TV and chatting when a picture on the television caught Justin’s attention.  It was an advertisement for TMZ and they were talking about Justin.  The person on the screen was teasing a story about the accident.  Normally, Justin did his best to try to shrug off stuff like this but given the circumstances that was easier said than done. 

It was all coming back.  All of the emotions he’d tried to push aside.  All the anxiety and guilt he felt after putting the tour on hold.  All the anger and disappointment he felt not being able to do what he loved. 

JC looked over at his friend and his eyes went wide.  Justin was starting to panic.

“Easy there, J.  They are just trying to get ratings.”

Justin knew JC was right but he couldn’t help himself.  That one little sound-byte had pushed him over the edge.  His breathing had quickened and the strain on his lung made it feel like an elephant was standing on his chest.  He was struggling to get air and was starting to feel dizzy.  Not to mention the wave of nausea that had washed over him.

“I can’t breathe.  My chest hurts.” Justin said between gasps.

JC looked at Justin again and immediately decided he needed to take action.

“I’m taking you to the hospital.” JC said, standing quickly.

Justin tried to protest but JC wasn’t having it.

“Nope.  No argument.  We’re going!” JC grunted as he helped Justin to stand.

By some miracle they made it down to the garage quickly but Justin was still struggling.  In fact, he seemed to be getting worse.  His face was pale.  There was sweat on his forehead and he was breathing heavily. 

Truthfully, JC knew that he should be calling an ambulance but given what had brought them to this moment he thought this was the better option.  He didn’t want to risk the paparazzi following them.

Once outside the garage JC looked to Justin again.  He did NOT look good.

“Hang in there, J.” JC said, his expression worried.

Justin nodded then tried to speak.

“Mt. Sinai.” Justin whispered.

JC looked at his friend, his eyes wide.  “That’s farther.”

“Please.” Justin replied between gasps.

His eyes were pleading and as much as JC’s gut was telling him to get Justin to the closest hospital his heart told him to honor Justin’s request.

“Ok.  Mt. Sinai it is.”

Thankfully, JC was familiar with the busy NY streets.  He knew his way around well enough that he was able to dodge most of the congestion and make it to Mt. Sinai in record time.  Within minutes they were pulling up to the Emergency Entrance at Mt. Sinai.

JC pulled his rental right up to the door, threw the car in park, shut off the engine then jumped out and raced around to the other side.

As soon as the sliding doors opened, they were met by hospital personnel who quickly got Justin onto a gurney.

“What do we have?” A doctor or nurse asked.

JC couldn’t be sure.  It all seemed to be happening so fast.

“Uhh...we were just hanging out and he started having trouble breathing.  He said his chest hurt and he couldn’t breathe.  He was in a car accident a couple weeks ago.  He broke a few ribs and his left lung collapsed.  He also had surgery on his vocal chords about 3 weeks ago.” JC explained.

“Let’s get him to Trauma Bay 1.” JC heard someone say.

“Call for a surgical consult.” Another voice called out.

Not knowing what to do or where to go JC followed the gurney carrying his friend to the Trauma room.  The doctors and nurses were so preoccupied with Justin that they didn’t even notice.  Instead, he stood quietly in the corner watching in horror as about a half dozen people fussed, poked and prodded at his friend.

JC swallowed the lump forming in his throat and pushed the tears back but it was extremely difficult to watch.

A few minutes later, after being paged to the E.R. for a surgical consult Dr. Chloe Hunter arrived in the Emergency Room.

“Someone paged for a surgical consult.” Chloe said to the nearest nurse.

The nurse nodded and pointed towards the trauma rooms.  “Trauma Bay 1.  Adult male with chest pain, difficulty breathing and history of a collapsed lung.”

For a brief moment Chloe froze.  What were the odds?

Taking a breath Chloe headed for the trauma room but sucked it in when she stepped into the semi-private room.  Apparently, the odds were high.

“Well, FUCK!” She muttered to herself.

The room was full of activity.  Several nurses and at least 2 Residents were surrounding the gurney.  On the gurney, a very fearful looking young pop star and in the far corner, another equally terrified one.  It was time for Chloe to put her own feelings aside and take action.

Chloe looked to the handful nurses and the two Residents and quickly took charge of the situation.  “Ok, everyone out.  Let’s give the patient some space.” she started.

“Except for you and you.” She said pointing to two of the nurses.

Then she looked to JC.  She knew who he was immediately and she could only imagine what he must be thinking right then.

“You can stay too.” She said nodding towards JC.

Once the room was a little less crowded Chloe approached her patient.  She could see that he was struggling to breathe and probably in a fair amount of pain judging by the expression on his face.  His blue eyes were swimming and his brow was covered with tiny beads of sweat.

“Mr. Timberlake…I need you to look at me.” She said calmly.

Immediately his eyes went wide.  He looked to JC.  There was something about that voice that was eerily familiar.

Chloe cracked a tiny, reassuring smile.  “No.  Not at him.  I need you to look at me.”

Justin obliged and shifted his gaze towards her.  Her green eyes drew him in immediately.

“Good.  Now, I need you to try to breathe normally.  I know that sounds like I’m asking a lot but I need you to try.”

Again, Justin followed her directions as he continued to stare into her eyes.

“That’s it.  In and out.  In and out.”

After a few shaky breaths his breathing started to slow to a normal pace.

“Better?” Chloe asked.

Justin nodded but didn’t speak.

“Good.  Now how about your chest? Are you still in pain?”

Again, just nodded the affirmative.

Chloe pulled the stethoscope from around her neck and placed the ear-tips in her ears.

“Ok, I am just going to take a listen to your lungs and your heart.  Just keep breathing normally.” Chloe explained.

She was trying to stay calm herself but this situation was beyond complicated.  She didn’t even want to think about what would happen if and when he figured out who she was.

He gasped as Chloe placed the diaphragm piece against his bare back.

“Did that hurt?” Chloe asked, her brow furrowed.

“No. Cold.” He replied simply.

Chloe tried not to blush then quickly rubbed the piece against her lab coat to warm it up.  “Oh. Sorry.”

Chloe listened for a few moments then turned to JC.

“You brought him in?” Chloe asked.

“Yes Ma’am.  He didn’t want to, but I insisted.” JC replied nodding.

Chloe smiled at him.  “You did the right thing.”

She turned her attention back to her patient.  “Just a question, what were you two doing when this started?”

Justin blushed with embarrassment.  For whatever reason he really didn’t want her to think less of him.

“Watching TV.” He replied sheepishly.

“To be fair, a commercial for TMZ came on.” JC added grumbling.

Chloe’s eyes widened a bit.  She understood what he was implying.

“Got it!” Chloe smirked.

Then Chloe turned to one of the nurses.  “Would you please order a Chest X-ray and an E.K.G.”

The nurse nodded then both nurses quickly left the room.

Justin’s eyes went wide again as did JC’s.

“No need to worry. I just want to make sure I do a thorough examination.  Your lungs sound good. I don’t think you had a relapse but I want to be sure.”

Justin nodded then forced himself to speak.  “Thank you.”

Chloe smiled. “Of course. It’s my job.”

Just then another doctor entered the room.  He looked from the doctor in the room, then to Justin and JC then back to the doctor and his eyes went wide.  It was plainly obvious he knew the identity of the patient.

“There you are Dr. Hunter.”

Justin’s jaw dropped and he felt his heart start to pound again.   Was it possible that there was more than one Dr. Hunter at Mt. Sinai or was this the voice he’d been dreaming about every night for the past two weeks?  Her voice did sound familiar but at the same time he’d been unconscious.  In other words, he wasn’t positive but he had a hunch.

“Here I am.” She replied flatly.

“What are you still doing down here?” the other doctor asked.

“Treating my patient.” She said.

“Is he surgical?” the doctor continued.

Chloe rolled her eyes.  She had a feeling she knew where this discussion was going to go.

“I don’t know yet.  I’m not done with my examination.  I just ordered an E.K.G and a Chest X-ray.”

“Well, then, why not pass him off to an E.R. Resident? He looks stable to me.” The other doctor argued.

Chloe gave the doctor a pointed look.  Justin and JC both noticed immediately. 

Chloe felt her jaw tighten.  This particular doctor was ALWAYS questioning her but NOT today.  NOT with this patient.

“Mr. Timberlake is MY patient.  I’m not leaving him until my examination is complete and I’m 100% satisfied he is NOT surgical.” She shot back.

“Oh! I see!” The doctor smirked looking from Justin to Chloe.

Everyone in the room knew what he was implying. 

Chloe took a deep breath before responding.  Truthfully, she didn’t owe him any explanation.  She was within her right to continue treating him and she knew the Chief would back her up if it came to that but that didn’t mean it made the situation any easier. 

“Dr. Torres, I know what you’re implying and frankly, you can kiss my ass.  I have every right to finish my examination.  Mr. Timberlake became my patient the minute I was called for a consult.  Truthfully, you’re just pissed that no one paged you for such a high-profile patient.  However, given Mr. Timberlake’s recent medical history I am going to guess that he had a reason for coming to Mt. Sinai instead of Presbyterian, which is where he was initially treated following his accident.”  Chloe snapped at him, her eyes on fire.

“And what reason might that be?” Doctor Torres snorted.

“Me.” Chloe replied bluntly.

Quickly, she looked to Justin.  His eyes were wide and searching hers, as if he was trying to gauge her.

“You?” Dr. Torres choked out.

“Yes. You see Dr. Torres I’ve treated Mr. Timberlake before.”

“When?”

“That’s really not your concern.” Chloe replied.

“As your superior it is.”

“No, not really.  I was “off duty” and outside of the walls of this hospital, so therefore you have absolutely zero say in the matter.  Now, if you’ll excuse me, I am going to finish treating my patient.  I’ll see you upstairs when I am done.”

“I’m going to the chief.”

This time it was Chloe that smirked.  “Go right ahead.  You don’t scare me and neither does the Chief.  Besides, he already knows about what happened and has consulted with the hospital legal department.  I’m good. I didn’t violate my contract or break any rules.  In other words, we’re done here.”

Grumbling under his breath Dr. Torres left the room and headed in the other direction.  Once he was out of sight and well outside hearing range Chloe turned back to her patient.

Justin’s blue eyes were wide and he was chewing on his bottom lip anxiously.  He had so many thoughts and questions running through his brain he didn’t know where to begin. 

Cracking the tiniest of smiles Chloe looked at him directly and nodded.  She knew what he was going to ask her without him even needing to say the words.

“Yes, Mr. Timberlake.  It was me.  I was the driver of the other car that night.  I was the one that called 911 and treated you at the scene…and, well, technically speaking I was the one that hit you and knocked you off your bike, but that part wasn’t my fault.” Chloe explained nervously.

“I know…that it wasn’t your fault I mean.  The rest I didn’t know until just now.  I had a hunch, but wasn’t positive.” Justin said softly.

“You had a hunch?” Chloe replied curiously.

Justin smiled a bit.  “Umm…well…your voice.  I remembered your voice. Then that doctor said your name and I thought, what are the odds that there are two doctors with the last name Hunter working here?”

Chloe nodded. “Oh.”

“Thank you.” Justin said as he felt his heartbeat start to slow again.

“You’re welcome.” Chloe replied.

Justin allowed himself to smile and relax a bit more.  Her eyes were still drawing him in and her voice was soothing.  It helped him relax.

“No, really, thank you.  I can’t thank you enough for saving my life, for taking care of me tonight, for sticking up for me just now and for chasing that doctor off.”

“Yeah, that guy was an ass!” JC chimed in.

Chloe giggled slightly.  “Yes. He is, but he’s also my supervisor so unfortunately I have to try to be cordial.”

“Well, thank you, again.” Justin said smiling.

It was a genuine smile and it was making her feel things she didn’t think she should be feeling given the situation.

“And again, you’re welcome, Mr. Timberlake.  I wasn’t about to just leave you on the side of the road that night, even before I knew who you were.  And, as far as tonight goes, as I said, I think you came here and not Presbyterian for a reason.  Or am I mistaken?”

Justin tried not to laugh.  It made his chest hurt but he couldn’t help himself.  She was sassy as hell and he loved it.

He bit his lip and shook his head as he tried not to make his smile too obvious.  “No.  You’re not mistaken.  I was hoping I’d meet you.”

Chloe nodded.  “I kinda figured.  Thank you for the flowers by the way.”

Justin smiled more meanwhile JC could only shake his head.  Of course, Justin had sent her flowers.

“So, you did get them?”

Chloe nodded.  “I did. They were gorgeous.”

It was then that one of the nurses re-entered the room.

“We’re ready for that chest X-ray Dr. Hunter.” The nurse explained.

A flicker of panic flashed across Justin’s face.  Chloe knew what he was thinking.

“No need to worry Mr. Timberlake.  I’m just trying to rule things out.”

“It’s Justin.” Justin said simply.

“Excuse me?” Chloe replied.

“Call me Justin…please.”

Chloe blushed ever so slightly.  “Ok.”

An hour and a half later, after both the E.K.G and the Chest X ray Chloe found herself back in the trauma room with Justin and JC.  She was looking over his test results.  Thank goodness they looked normal.  She really didn’t want to think about the idea of cutting into him.

“Everything looks good.  No evidence of your lung collapsing a second time. Your ribs seem to be healing appropriately. No evidence of any heart complications.  Everything checks out.”

“Then what happened?” JC asked worriedly.

The fact that everything looked normal but he’d still had problems didn’t feel right.

Chloe offered both men a reassuring smile.  “Well, given what I know about what you were doing and the amount of stress you’ve been under lately, in my professional opinion, I’m going to say you had an anxiety attack.”

 Both men made a face causing Chloe to crack yet another smile. 

“I know that doesn’t sound like a big deal but anxiety attacks can be serious, especially when you have such a severe physical response like that.  I would recommend staying away from the news or TMZ for a while, stick with Netflix.”

“Netflix?” Justin asked smiling.

“No commercials.”

Justin chuckled.  “Good point.”

Chloe nodded then paused briefly.  She didn’t know what to say or do now that her job was essentially done. 

“So…umm…I guess I will go sign your discharge papers.” Chloe stuttered.

Justin nodded and breathed a sigh of relief.  Chloe was already headed for the door but he stopped her.

“May I see you again?” Justin asked bravely.

Her voice and those deep green eyes.  He couldn’t explain it but he knew this couldn’t be the last time he saw her.  He needed to get to know her.  That much he was certain of.

Chloe stopped short then turned to look back at him.  The look in his eyes was not what she’d expected.

“I don’t see patients outside the hospital.  I mean, I don’t have my own practice or anything. I’m sorry.”

Justin grinned.  “That’s not what I meant.”

Chloe’s eyes went wide as saucers.  “Oh! Umm…well…I have rules about that.  The hospital has rules about that.  No dating patients.”

Justin grinned more.  “But I’m not a surgical patient, so technically, you’re not my doctor anymore, right? And, well, you are about to discharge me so there is that.”

Chloe immediately bit her bottom lip to keep from showing her emotions.

“Umm…” Chloe started.

“Let me guess…your husband wouldn’t approve.” Justin mused.

Chloe rolled her eyes and shook her head.  “I’m not married.”

“Your boyfriend then?”

Again, Chloe just shook her head.  “No boyfriend either.”

“So, you’re single?” Justin replied grinning.

Meanwhile, JC just stood in the corner trying not to laugh.  He and the other guys knew all about Justin’s mystery “Good Samaritan”, the dreams he’d been having and his mission to find her but this was not what he’d expected when they entered the Emergency Room earlier.

“It’s complicated, but to answer your question, yes, I am single.”

“When isn’t it complicated?  I’m definitely complicated, so is he.” Justin teased pointing to JC.

JC made a face.  “Don’t drag me into this.”

Chloe giggled slightly.

“Good point.” Chloe replied.

She was still chewing on her bottom lip.  Part of her wanted to see where this would go.  Then there was the part of her that was terrified of trusting a man again.  Finally, there was the part of her that knew that her brother would kick her ass if he found out she said “no.”

“Let me take you to dinner.” Justin continued.

“I’m not sure that’s such a good idea.  You’re still recovering…I’m…well…very busy…” Chloe replied as she waved her hand around the room.

Justin just smiled at her.  It was un-nerving.  His smile was adorable.

“I’m not.  Obviously.  We’ll make it work.  We’ll go some place quiet, some place we can talk. C’mon, what do you say?”

“I don’t know…”

“Just one date.  Then, if you have terrible time, we never have to see each other again.”

Chloe laughed at this.  “I highly doubt that’s going to happen.”

“Is that a yes?”

Chloe blushed slightly.  “Fine.”

Justin grinned.  “May I get your number Dr. Hunter?”

“It’s Chloe.”

“Well, then can I get your number Chloe?”

Chloe nodded then proceeded to scribble her number down on pad of paper she’d had in her lab coat pocket.  Once she finished, she ripped the paper from the pad and handed it to him.  It was surreal.  Giving any guy her number felt surreal after what she’d been through.  She just hoped she didn’t regret it. 

Adam was going to have a field day when he found out.

 

Thursday, November 15, 2018

It had been two days since Justin’s visit to the Emergency Room and since then he’d done nothing but think about Chloe.  Her emerald green eyes and the way he felt when he looked into them.  Her calm, soothing voice and the way it sounded when she spoke, especially when she said his name.  Her dark hair and the way it fell in soft, gentle curls across her shoulders.  He couldn’t stop thinking about her.  More importantly, he couldn’t stop thinking about the way he felt when he was around her. 

He’d been with dozens of women.  He’d dated the likes of Britney Spears, Cameron Diaz and most recently, Jessica Biel.  Unfortunately, for a variety of reasons, it never seemed to work out.  Then again, somewhere, deep down, he’d always known those women weren’t meant for him.  Sure, they all had good qualities about them but none of them could ever meet his emotional and intellectual needs.  That wasn’t to say they were dumb.  None of those women were stupid they just didn’t give him what he needed, and vice versa. 

He wanted to find “the one” and although they were amazing women; Britney, Cameron and Jessica just didn’t measure up to the picture he had in his mind. He was beginning to wonder if any woman could.

It was the middle of the afternoon and he was alone in his apartment.  JC was still staying with him but he’d gone out to run a few errands leaving Justin alone with his thoughts.  He was trying to muster up the courage to call Chloe but given that he was under doctor’s orders to use his voice as little as possible he’d decided to text. 

Justin: Hi.  This is Justin.  What are you doing tomorrow night?

A few miles away, at the hospital Chloe was just leaving a patient’s room when her phone dinged, indicating that she had a message.

Chloe: Probably nothing.  I’m off tomorrow at 5

Justin grinned.

Justin: Want to have dinner with me?

Chloe’s face flushed.  If she was being honest, she did and in the same breath, she didn’t. 

Chloe: Where?

Justin: my place?

Chloe stopped and stared at her phone.  Truthfully, given what she knew, it made sense.  Someone recovering from Vocal surgery and a collapsed lung really shouldn’t be going out on the town. 

Chloe: Umm…what time?

Justin smiled more, if possible.  He could only imagine what was going through her mind.

Justin: You said you got off at 5, so how about 6:30?

Chloe paused in thought.  She was trying to figure out how she was going to ask Adam to watch Gabby without going into too much detail with Justin.  She wasn’t quite ready for that discussion yet.  Especially not BEFORE the 1st date. 

Chloe: Do you need an answer right now or can I text you back in a few minutes?

Justin just bit his lip and shook his head.  He was picturing her in his mind, standing somewhere in the hospital dressed in a pair of scrubs and her lab coat, her dark hair pulled back in a messy pony tail, her green eyes sparkling and a tiny smile tugging at her lips. 

Justin: I can wait

Chloe: Thanks

As soon as she “thanked” Justin, Chloe hit the button to call Adam.

He answered on the second ring.

“I need a favor.” Chloe blurted out.

Adam chuckled.  He could tell by the tone in her voice that she was flustered.

“What’s up Chloe?” Adam replied.

“Are you busy Friday night? Would you mind watching Gabby for me?”

Adam made a face.  “Let me guess, you’ve been asked to cover another shift?”

Chloe bit her lip.  “No.  I umm…well, I…I sort of got asked out on a date.”

Adam’s eyes went wide and huge grin started to spread across his face.  He’d been trying for months to get Chloe to go out but she always had an excuse; she wasn’t ready, she had to work, Gabby needed her.  Truthfully, he knew that it was because she was afraid to trust someone like that again and he didn’t blame her in the least for that, but she deserved to be happy.

“A date? Who asked you out on a date? Not one of the other doctors?”

“No. Not another doctor.” Chloe answered.

“Ok. So, who was it, because you haven’t really mentioned anyone recently?”

Chloe sighed.  She knew that she was going to have to tell Adam.  In all honesty, there wasn’t much she didn’t tell Adam.  He was her brother and more recently, her best friend, but she also knew how he would react once he knew the truth. 

“Uhh…well…he’s a former patient.” Chloe replied.

“A former patient?  I thought you had rules about that.” Adam mused.

Chloe nodded on her end.  “I do, but this is a special circumstance.  He’s not my patient anymore, and the likelihood he will ever be my patient again is slim to none, so technically, it doesn’t break my rule or the hospitals rules.”

“A special circumstance?” Adam repeated.

Then it occurred to him.  There was only one “special circumstance” regarding one of Chloe’s patients he could think of and the more he thought about it the more he began to smile.

“Chloe, did JT ask you out on a date?”

Chloe blushed.  “Umm…maybe.”

Adam laughed.  “Do you want me to babysit for you, or not?”

Chloe blushed more.  “Yes, please.”

“Then answer the question.”

Chloe sighed then giggled slightly.  “Ok, fine, but you can’t tell anyone.  This stays between us.”

“Deal.”

“Yes, Justin asked me to dinner on Friday night.”

“Where?” Adam asked grinning like a fool.

“His place.” Chloe confessed.

Adam’s eyes widened.  His protective brother side was kicking in again.

 Apparently, Chloe knew what he must be thinking.

“Going out really isn’t the best idea given what he’s dealing with right now.” Chloe replied, interrupting his thoughts.

  Adam chuckled a bit and nodded.  “Good point.”

“So?” Chloe continued.

Adam nodded.  “Sure.  I’ll babysit.  Maybe Gabby and I will go out.  I will take her for Pizza and Ice Cream or something.”

Chloe grinned.  “Thank you.”

“I better get a full rundown after.”

Chloe laughed.  “We’ll see. I better get back to work.”

Adam smiled.  “Yeah, get back to saving lives.  I’ll see you this evening.”

As soon as she hung up with Adam, Chloe quickly sent Justin a reply.

Chloe: 6:30 on Friday?

Justin: Yes, if that’s good for you

Chloe smiled.

Chloe: Sounds good.  I’ll head over after work.  Just send me your address so I know where to go.

Justin smiled this time.  He was beyond excited that she had accepted his invitation, and maybe a bit nervous too, but it was the first thing he had to look forward to in weeks.

***

Friday turned into the longest day ever.  Chloe was in surgery almost all day and if that wasn’t bad enough her last patient of the day ended up dying on the table.  A 17-year-old girl who suffered numerous internal injuries in a car accident.  There was just too much internal bleeding. 

It was the part of her job Chloe hated the most.  Telling the families that their loved one was never coming home.  Over the years she’d learned to keep it together until she was alone but every loss hurt as much as the first.  Knowing that she’d done everything she could and it still wasn’t enough still made her ache inside.  It always would.

By the time she made it to the Doctors’ locker rooms Chloe was a mess.  Part of her wanted to cancel her date, to just go home and crawl into bed but it was rare she got a night to herself so she was going to push through the exhaustion and grief she was feeling.  Hopefully a nice, hot shower would help.

Sighing to herself, Chloe peeled off her scrubs and shoved them into her bag then wrapped a towel around her and headed for the locker room showers.

Since they would just be having dinner at Justin’s place, she’d opted for a comfy but casual outfit.  A grey, cable knit sweater that came off one shoulder and a pair of mid-rise, boot cut, dark wash jeans paired with a pair of grey, suede boots.  Once she was dressed, she pulled a hair dryer and a small make up bag from her duffel.  She really wasn’t one to wear much make-up especially if she was in surgery.  It just ended up melting off under the bright Operating room lights but this wasn’t the Operating room.  This was a special occasion.  This was a date.  The first date she’d been on in over a year.  The first date she’d been on since her very messy divorce. 

Looking at her reflection in the mirror Chloe forced a weak smile.  The last year had really taken a toll on her.  Thankfully, the make-up mostly covered the dark circles under her eyes.

“This is as good as it’s gonna get.” Chloe muttered to herself.

Her car had been totaled in the accident just as the Police had predicted, the driver of the Mercedes had also not been found yet.  Meaning her insurance was taking the hit for her car as well as Justin’s motorcycle.  In other words, she was stuck taking an Uber or the train.  She decided on an Uber. 

Just a few minutes shy of 6:30 the Uber was pulling up to Justin’s address in Soho.  A doorman greeted her at the door, checked her I.D. then called to confirm before escorting her to the elevator that would carry her to the Penthouse.

“Of course, he lives in the Penthouse.” Chloe muttered to herself.

Now that this was actually happening Chloe found herself feeling a bit nervous.  Typically, she was cool and calm.  A trait she’d developed after years working in a high stress environment, but this was different.  None of her training or experiences had prepared her for this.  Not to mention that her track record with men was lacking at best.

After several tense minutes the bell rang and the elevator doors opened on the penthouse floor.  In front of her, a solid oak door.  The butterflies in her stomach had started to do summersaults as she reached for the doorbell. 

Her breath caught for a moment as she heard the door being unlocked.  It opened and there he was standing in front of her.  He was dressed casually in jeans and a blue plaid button down with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows.  His blue eyes were shining back at her, there was just the right amount of scruff on his face and on his lips; a very boyish smile.  However, before he even had the chance to properly greet her Chloe was reaching into her purse.

“Wait! Before you say anything, I have something for you.” Chloe explained as she dug through her bag.

Justin bit his lip and tried not to smile too much.  This was the first time a girl had brought him something on their first date.

Her bag was rather big, so truthfully, he had no idea what might be inside but given that she’d come straight from work the size of her bag made perfect sense.  Regardless, his curiosity was piqued.

From inside the bag, she produced two items; a small dry erase board and pack of 4 dry erase markers; one red, one blue, one green and one black.  She continued to explain as she handed the items to him, blushing a bit as she spoke.

“I’ve been reading up a bit on your procedure…yeah, I know, what can I say, I was intrigued.  I’m used to Emergency appendectomies, ruptured spleens and gunshot wounds.  Bruising and nodules on your vocal chords aren’t really in my wheel-house.  Anyway, after doing a bit of research I learned that someone who is only 3 weeks Post Op from a procedure like that really shouldn’t be talking much.  Especially not a ten-time Grammy winner who wants to sing again.  In other words, I let you get away with more talking than I should have during our last encounter.  I won’t make the same mistake this time.” Chloe blurted out.

Justin bit his lip, grinned and nodded then busted open the package of dry erase markers and quickly scribbled on the board.  Although not what he’d expected he found it incredibly sweet that she’d taken the time to research his condition. 

“Yes ma’am” He wrote in blue ink.

Chloe laughed.  “Don’t call me ma’am…please.”

He nodded again then started to erase the board with the elbow of his shirt but she stopped him.

“No! Wait! I have an eraser…hold on.” Chloe exclaimed as she began to rummage through her bag again.

A moment later she produced a dry erase eraser in the shape of a cartoon owl.  Justin raised an eyebrow and tried not to chuckle as she handed the eraser to him.

Immediately upon seeing his expression Chloe made a face.

“What?! It was the only one they had and well…you are the “Man of the Woods” Chloe smirked.

Justin laughed silently and nodded then erased what he’d written and began to write again.

“Cute.”

Chloe laughed a bit too.  “Like I said, it was the only one they had and I was in a hurry.”

Justin nodded.  “Would you like to come in?”

“Yes please.” Chloe replied.

Quietly she followed him down the long hallway and into the living area. His place was very sleek and modern, with an open floor plan but it suited him. 

“I hope you like Italian.” He wrote on the board.

On the table, a candle lit dinner had already been set up.

Chloe smiled and nodded.  “I love Italian. I think my grandmother would roll over in her grave if I said otherwise.”

Justin grinned and Chloe felt her stomach do another flip.  That boyish smile was definitely getting to her.

“An Italian girl?! I wondered if you might be.” He wrote quickly.

Chloe laughed.  Even like this, he was incredibly charming.

“Actually, I’m a little bit of everything but yes, my grandmother was full blooded Italian.”

Justin smiled back at her.  The way her eyes lit up when she laughed was drawing him in and the way the lights from the candles flickered across her face made him feel a bit relieved that he couldn’t speak.  Right then, he was finding words to be difficult.

“Would you like some wine?”

Chloe nodded.  “I would love some.”

Smiling he poured two glasses of wine and set them down on the table.  Then, being a gentleman, he pulled her chair out for her and motioned for her to sit before taking the seat directly opposite her.

Once they were both seated and Chloe had the opportunity to take a sip of her wine, she found the courage to speak again.

“Where is…umm…your friend…Mr. Chasez? Did he go home?” She stuttered a bit.

Justin smiled.  He could tell she was nervous.  He was too but he wanted to put her at ease.  This was supposed to be fun, not uncomfortable and awkward.

“No. He didn’t go home.  He’s out with some other friends of his.  He probably won’t be back until tomorrow afternoon.’ Justin replied with the board.

Chloe nodded then looked down at her plate, creamy pesto gnocchi with garlic bread and seasoned asparagus.  It looked almost too good to eat.  Gnocchi was her favorite but then she knew there was no way he could have known that.

“Did you make this?” Chloe asked her eyes wide.

Justin just smiled and shook his head, then reached for his marker again.

“Takeout. I just put it on the plates.”

Chloe blushed again and nodded.  “It looks AMAZING!”

For the next few minutes, they were both occupied with their plates.  The food was delicious but the quiet was a little un-nerving.

Justin looked up at her and felt his breath catch in his throat for a moment.  They way the candles flickered across her face making her green eyes dance was almost hypnotizing.  Taking a sip from his wine he tried to steady himself then picked up the marker and began to write on the white board. If it had been anyone else, he might have been a little put off but he knew her intentions were pure, and, she made a valid point so he was willing to humor her.

“What made you want to become a doctor?” He wrote.

Chloe set her fork down and smiled up at him.  “I like helping people.  Knowing I can give people a second chance at life, bring families back together, spread a little hope, that’s a good feeling.”

Justin nodded.  “I get the impression you’re really good at it.”

Chloe let a sigh escape.  “Most of the time.  There are times, like today, when I doubt myself.”

“What happened? Or can you not talk about it?”

Chloe managed a weak smile.  His concern was evident.  It was incredibly endearing.

“Umm…I can and I can’t.  I can’t give you specifics but then I don’t think you’re going to tell anyone either.”

Justin grinned and bit his lip, then began to write quickly.  “My lips are sealed…obviously.”

Chloe giggled and nodded.  If anything, he was really good at putting her at ease.

“I lost a patient.  Her injuries were too severe.  She was only 17.”

Justin’s eyes widened.  He couldn’t even fathom what that must feel like.

“I can’t even imagine.”

Chloe nodded.  She appreciated the fact that he wasn’t trying to make her feel better with meaningless platitudes.

“Every loss is hard, regardless of what any other doctor says to the contrary.  It hurts every time you just learn to keep moving forward.  Your next patient is counting on you just as much as your last.”

“Makes sense but I am betting you probably want to talk about something else.” The board said.

Chloe smiled and nodded.  “Please.”

Justin paused for a moment and took another sip of wine.  He wanted to get to know her better but at the moment questions were failing him.  He couldn’t get past her eyes and that voice.  Her voice was so calm and soothing.  It forced him to relax, something he really hadn’t done in a while.  The tension he felt as a result of everything was unsurmountable.

“Are you from New York?” He asked in writing.

Chloe smiled and nodded.  “Born and raised.  I grew up in the Bronx. “

“Any siblings?” Justin continued.

Chloe laughed a little at just the thought of her brother.  “Just one.  An older brother.  He’s my roommate.”

Justin raised an eyebrow which in turn caused Chloe to giggle.  She knew what he must be thinking. 

“I know, that sounds weird but it was a win-win for both of us.  My place is closer to his work than where he was previously living.  He needed a place to live when he and his partner split and splitting the cost of my place was cheaper than living on his own.  I needed help with bills, because even on my salary an apartment in the Village isn’t cheap and well, he takes care of things like grocery shopping and laundry so I’m not running myself ragged after a long shift.” Chloe explained.

She’d left out Gabby on purpose.  She wasn’t ready for that truth to come out just yet but she also wasn’t so delusional that she couldn’t admit it would come out eventually, especially if things between her and Justin continued.

Justin smiled and nodded. “It makes perfect sense.  Not weird at all. What does he do?”

Chloe smiled.  “He’s a lawyer. A defense attorney.”

Justin grinned as he wrote.  “So, helping people is genetic.”

Chloe laughed.  “I guess so.”

Justin looked from Chloe to her plate.  Her plate and her wine glass were empty as was is.  He decided maybe it was time for a refill and to move to a less formal setting.

He stood from his seat and grabbed the wine bottle from the table then proceeded to walk towards her.  Chloe felt her pulse quicken immediately.  His white board and markers were still on the table so he looked down at her nodded to her empty glass.  She knew what he was asking.

“Sure.” She replied, her voice quiet.

Justin poured more wine in her glass then poured himself another glass as well.  Once that was done, he lifted his glass from the table with one hand then retrieved his white board and marker with the other and nodded towards the couch. 

Chloe bit her lip and nodded then stood and followed him across the room without a word.

Being the total gentleman, he placed coasters and his writing tools down on the coffee table then waited until she sat down on the couch before sitting down beside her.  He was sitting incredibly close.  His body was turned to face her and he was looking directly into her deep emerald green eyes.  Chloe could feel her pulse quicken a bit and the hairs at her nape start to stand on end.  It was a sensation she hadn’t experienced in a very long time.

Justin blushed slightly then picked up the board and marker and began to write.

“I hope you don’t mind me saying this but…you’re gorgeous.”

Chloe couldn’t help but smile then whisper her reply.  “You’re not so bad yourself…but then, if I’m being completely honest, I’ve thought that since I was 13.”

Justin chuckled quietly and started writing again.  “An *NSYNC fan?”

“But, of course.”

“A Justin girl?”

Chloe giggled and nodded.  “Since I was 10.”

Justin made a face.  “MMC?”

“You know it! Used to drive my brother nuts…that was until he discovered your brother from another mother.”

Justin paused for a moment in thought then his eyes went wide.  “JC? Your brother had a thing for JC?”

Chloe laughed at this.  “Had? No, not past tense.”

Justin visibly chuckled.  “Gotcha.”

Justin had “dated” fans before, but Chloe wasn’t like those girls.  Yes, she was a fan but so far, she didn’t flaunt it.  She was honest but not overzealous.  He appreciated that, more than she probably knew.  It made her more intriguing and him more curious, if that was possible.

“Ever been to a show?”

Chloe blushed.  “*NSYNC or solo you?”

Justin shrugged then began to scribble on the board.  “Both?!”

“Yes, and yes.  I had tickets to Man of the Woods…but…umm…”

Justin nodded.  It stung a bit but it was the truth. 

“Decent seats?” He continued.

“They weren’t terrible.  Adam …my brother…he got them as an early birthday present.”

“When is your birthday?”

Chloe blushed.  He had no idea the significance of his question.

“Two days before yours.  January 29th and yes, I know when your birthday is.”

She knew it because his birthday was the same as Gabby’s.  She’d gone into labor on her birthday but Gabby had been born on January 31st, the same day as him. 

This time it was Justin’s turn to blush but he was trying to hide it as he wrote his reply on the board. 

“Hmm…not terrible” you say.  I think we can do better than “not terrible” if it’s a birthday present.”

Chloe gave him a look.  “Don’t make promises you don’t intend to keep.”

He saw pain flicker in her eyes for a moment.  It was then he realized she’d been hurt before, and deeply.  He knew how that felt.  Taking a deep breath, he set the board and the marker back down on the table and then scooted a bit closer.  He was looking straight into her eyes now, their faces just inches from one another.  Taking another deep breath he raised one hand to her face, gently tracing the scar forming above her brow with his fingertips.  He knew he shouldn’t speak but he also knew she needed to hear him say this.

“I’m not.  It’s the least I can do.” He whispered.

“You don’t owe me anything.” She replied, her voice wavering.

“I know.” He replied, still touching her face.

“Then, why?”

“I want to.”

“Why?”

If this was going to continue, if she was going to take a chance, a leap of faith, then she needed to know where he stood.

Justin pulled away for a moment and retrieved the board and marker.  She deserved an answer but also knew that she’d probably scold him for using his voice too much.

“It would give me an excuse to see you again.  I want to see you again.  To be honest, I feel like I NEED to see you again, to get to know you.  Is that bad?”

Chloe read what he wrote then shook her head.  She would be lying to herself if she didn’t admit she felt the same.  Then again, she wasn’t being completely truthful with him either.

Chloe took a deep breath.  No secrets.  No lies.  No holding back, not this time.  She needed to be completely transparent about her thoughts and feelings if this was going to work. 

“I get it, but there is something I need to tell you, something you need to know about me and if it’s a “deal breaker” for you I completely understand.  If it changes how you feel, I won’t take offense, I’ll just go and we can call it what it was; a really nice evening.”

Her eyes had changed.  There was a sadness in them.  She was struggling.  He could tell immediately.  His hand went to her face again, pushing a curl behind her ear and then lingering on her brow again.  On some level, he was trying to reassure her while at the same time reassure himself.

“Tell me.” He whispered again.

Chloe swallowed hard.  His blue eyes seemed to be searching hers, looking for a way into her soul.

“I have a daughter.  She’s five…almost 6.  You share a birthday.  Her father and I…umm…well…we separated a year ago…we divorced soon after.  He was…well…not a good person.  I wanted to make it work…for Gabby…but …staying wasn’t good for either of us…her or me.  She deserved better…”

Justin had heard all he needed.  Without giving it a second thought he closed the gap between them and silenced her with his mouth.  Chloe’s eyes went wide but she didn’t pull away.  His lips were soft and the whiskers from his face tickled a bit but she didn’t care.  It felt too good.

He was smiling when he pulled away but before she had a chance to speak, he had picked up the white board again and was writing his response.

“NOT a Deal breaker!!!”

Justin’s response to her revelation was not AT ALL what she’d expected.  It was what she’d secretly hoped for, but not what she’d expected.  She’d expected that he’d go running in the other direction.  Truthfully, she hadn’t planned to tell him quite this soon but now that she had she was glad it was out in the open.  She was terrible at keeping secrets and of the things she’d accomplished in her life, Gabby was the one thing Chloe was most proud of.

Gabby was an AMAZING little girl! She was sweet, caring, funny, brave and incredibly smart and any guy Chloe dated would have to be accepting of Gabby.  It was just that simple.

Chloe’s eyes were wide as she looked back at Justin.  His face was still inches from hers and his smile still present.

“It’s not?!” Chloe whispered.

She was still trying to convince herself that she wasn’t imagining his reply.

Justin smiled more and shook his head.

“Tell me about her.” He wrote.

Chloe blushed.  “Well, she’s five…almost six.  She’s in Kindergarten.  She loves Ariel and the Hulk.  Science is her favorite subject and her favorite food is Crab legs.”

Justin grinned as he wrote.  “I like her already.”

Chloe nodded but didn’t know what to say next.  Justin took that as his cue.  He touched Chloe’s face again, this time lifting her chin with his hand so that she was looking directly into his eyes.

“I get it.  No rush.  I want to see where this goes between us, but just know, when you’re ready, I’d love to meet her.” He whispered softly.

Chloe cracked a smile.  “Thank you.”

He was making her melt.  She’d put up a wall, to protect herself, to protect Gabby, and here he was doing a pretty amazing job of putting cracks in it, and on the first date no less.

His blue eyes were still locked on hers.  His face was still close and she could feel his warm breath on her.  Those eyes and the smell of him, the closeness of him, was drawing her in.  She couldn’t bring herself to turn away. 

Justin bit his bottom lip and tried to fight his instincts.  He didn’t want to come on too strong.  He wanted to go slow, take his time, and move at her pace but there was just something about her that was mesmerizing.  He wanted to kiss her again.

Chloe took a breath.  She could feel the tension between them.  The room was quiet.  So quiet that she could hear her own heart pounding in her chest.  She didn’t know why she was so nervous, maybe because she hadn’t done this in a really long time.  Or, maybe it was because of the mental and emotional scars that were still healing.   Regardless of the reason, she was holding back.

For a brief moment Chloe averted her gaze.  When she looked at Justin again his blue eyes were on fire.  It made her breath catch in her throat and in the next moment a shockwave shot down her spine.  Then, before she had the chance to even think about what she was doing Chloe had closed the gap between them.  Her mouth closed over his as her hands went around his neck and her fingers began to play with the hair at the nape of his neck.

Justin moaned softly then wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer.  In fact, she was now practically in his lap and he deepened the kiss immediately, gently applying pressure with his lips, parting hers slightly and then sliding his tongue into her mouth with ease. 

His lips were soft and the whiskers on his face made her cheeks tingle as they rubbed against her skin.  His hands were wrapped tightly around her waist, pulling her into him as much as their bodies would allow.  They kissed rather intently for a long time and when they finally pulled away, they were both gasping for air.

“Damn!” Justin whispered with a grin.

Chloe blushed.  “I’m sorry…I don’t know what came over me.”

Justin grinned more and then reached out and lifted her chin again.  “Don’t be.  I liked it.”

Chloe blushed more if possible.  “Me too.”

Justin took that as his cue.  He pressed his lips against hers and gently pushed her back against the couch before stretching himself out partially on top of her.  Chloe sucked in a breath as his hands cradled her face.  She could feel every part of his body pressed against hers.  It was making her crazy and DAMN was he a good kisser.  Better than Eddy.  Eddy’s kisses were always sloppy and a bit overly aggressive.  Justin wasn’t like that.  His kisses were slow, sensual and made every synapse in her body tingle with excitement and anticipation. 

As far as first dates went, it was the best she’d ever had. 

When she returned home that night, or early the next morning Adam was waiting up for her. 

He painted a very interesting picture, sitting in the kitchen dressed in flannel pajama bottoms and a muscle shirt, sipping on a cup of tea and pouring over case files. 

“You waited up for me?” Chloe giggled as she set her bag down the table.

“No. I’m working.” Adam said, smothering a grin.

Chloe snorted.  “Likely story.  I know you.  I know you waited up because you wanted to hear how the date went.”

Adam laughed.  “Well, how did it go?”

Chloe smiled and tried very hard not to blush.  It didn’t work.

Adam just grinned and shook his head.  “That good, huh?”

“He’s …umm…yeah…”

Adam’s eyes widened.

“You did NOT!” Adam exclaimed.

Chloe giggled.  “No! We didn’t.”

Adam grinned.  “I mean, not that I would blame you one bit if you had.”

Chloe made a face.  “Because you wouldn’t have?!”

Adam laughed.  “Oh no, I totally would have.  No doubt about it, but you’re better than me, at least in that regard.”

Chloe blushed again.

Adam’s smile softened.  He couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen Chloe blush quite like this. 

“Ok, really? How did it go? Are you going to go out with him again?”

Chloe bit her lip.  “It was…not at all what I expected!  He’s a damn good kisser that’s for certain, and yes, we are planning to go out again.”

Kevin grinned.  “Look at my little sister all grown up and dating Justin Timberlake.  I’m so proud!”

“How was Gabby?” Chloe asked, changing the subject briefly.

Adam sighed.  He knew this wasn’t going to go over well.

“She was fine.  We went for McDonald’s.”

Immediately, Chloe knew something was up.  It was in his tone and what he hadn’t said.

“What happened?”

Adam sighed again and set his cup down.

“She took a shower and got ready for bed, even put on her jammies all by herself.  I combed her hair and read her a book.  She went down no trouble.”

“But…”Chloe urged.

“She woke up about an hour ago.  She woke up crying and she’d wet the bed.”

Chloe sighed heavily as she slumped down onto the stool beside him. 

“Another nightmare?”

Adam nodded.  “I think so.”

Chloe buried her face in her hands.  She wanted to scream.  The nightmares and bed wetting were not a new occurrence.  However, this was the first time in quite a while.  Ever since Gabby had started school these occurrences were fewer and farther between but the fact that they were still happening bothered Chloe.

Chloe knew why it was happening. She just didn’t know how to stop it.  Sighing heavily, Chloe pulled her face from her hands and looked over at her brother. 

“I’m going to reach out to the school counselor.  Maybe she can help or at least give me a referral.”  Chloe explained.

Adam nodded.  “Sounds like a good idea.”

Chloe cracked a tiny smile.  “In the meantime, maybe I should talk to her.  We are overdue for a “Gabby and Mommy” day.”

Adam smiled.  “She would love that. Now, my next question, when does Gabby’s Mommy get a “Mommy day”?”

Chloe sighed.  “I didn’t get a “Mommy day” when I was married, what makes you think I would get one now that I’m a single, working mom. ”

Adam gave her a look.  “When is your next day off?”

Chloe scrunched up her face in thought.  “Tuesday.”

Adam grinned.  “Perfect.  Gabby will be in school.  Sleep in, go get yourself some coffee, go shopping or go get your hair done.”

“What’s wrong with my hair?” Chloe asked making a face as she gently tugged at a curl.

Adam laughed.  “Nothing.  I’m just saying you should pamper yourself, enjoy the day.  I’d even give JT a call.”

“What about taking Gabby to school and picking her up?” Chloe reasoned.

Adam smiled.  “I can do that.  I have court on Tuesday.  I can take her on my way.  We can even stop and get donuts and hot chocolate.  I’ll pick her up too.  We’ll get sushi for dinner.”

Chloe smiled.  Gabby was the only five-year-old she knew that loved sushi.  A trait she’d obviously inherited from her uncle.

“Ok.”

“Now, you should get some sleep.  You’re gonna need all the energy you can muster for your Gabby & Mommy day tomorrow.”

Chloe nodded, hugged her brother then started down the hall to her bedroom. 

The next morning Chloe was up surprisingly early.  It was a Saturday, so there was no rush to get Gabby to school before work.  Chloe got up, showered, got dressed and headed to the kitchen to make coffee all before anyone else was out of bed.  About halfway through her cup of coffee Chloe heard the pitter patter of little feet as they scuffled down the hall.  Gabby was up.

“Mommy!” Gabby squealed happily as she ran the last few feet into the kitchen.

“Hey there Gabby bug! Did you sleep well?” Chloe asked wrapping her daughter in a hug.

Gabby buried her face in her mother’s shirt and shook her head.

“I had a nightmare…and I wet the bed.” Gabby mumbled.

Chloe nodded then pulled away a bit, kneeled to her daughter’s level and looked into her Hazel eyes. 

“I heard.  Do you want to talk about it?” Chloe asked calmly.

Gabby shook her head. 

Chloe nodded and pulled her daughter into another hug.

“Ok.  I won’t force you to talk about it if you’re not ready, but if you change your mind and you want to talk to Mommy about it you just let me know.  In the meantime, why don’t you go get dressed and then we can go out for breakfast.”

Gabby’s eyes widened.  “Out for breakfast?”

Chloe smiled and nodded.  “Yup!  Wherever you want to go.  Afterward we can go to the movies or the park or whatever you want to do.”

“Whatever I want to do?” Gabby asked, her smile a mile wide.

“Yup.  Whatever you want.  Today it’s Gabby and Mommy Day.”

“Can we go to FAO Schwarz and the Disney Store?” Gabby asked hopefully.

Chloe smiled.  “Sure.”

Gabby was beaming.  “Really?!”

Chloe nodded and smiled more.  “If that’s where you want to go after breakfast.”

Ten minutes later Chloe and Gabby were headed out for breakfast at a nearby café.  This particular café was known for their gourmet coffee and baked goods.  The display case was filled with some of the most decadent looking pastries Chloe had ever seen.

“May I get a chocolate chip muffin?” Gabby asked.

Chloe grinned and nodded.  “Sure.  Do you want anything else?”

Gabby screwed her face up in thought then looked up at the chalkboard menu, hanging on the wall above.  Chloe could tell she was trying to sound out the words on the board.  She could see Gabby’s furrowed brow and the way she appeared to be mouthing the words.

“F-r-e-s-h” Gabby whispered.

After several moments Gabby turned to her mother.

“Do you want some help?” Chloe asked smiling.

“Yes please.” Gabby replied.

“You can have fresh fruit, scrambled eggs, sausage, or yogurt with granola.”

“Fresh fruit, please.”

“And hot chocolate?”

“Yes. Please.” Gabby replied.

Another ten minutes later they were seated in the corner of the café.  Chloe was eating a small plate of homemade eggs benedict while Gabby was chowing down on a chocolate chip muffin and a bowl of fruit.

“Slow down Bug, you’re going to give yourself a tummy ache.” Chloe said trying not to laugh.

The way Gabby was attacking her muffin with such veracity was making Chloe giggle. 

“Sorry.” Gabby mumbled between bites.

Chloe smiled wistfully.  Gabby had been through so much in the past year.  Things that no five-year old should have to face.  All Chloe wanted was for Gabby to be happy, even if it meant sacrificing her own happiness.  Gabby deserved that much, if not more, but Chloe was still hoping it wouldn’t come to that.  However, if things were going to continue between her and Justin then she needed to be honest with everyone, and everyone included Gabby.

Yes, she and Justin had only been on one date but there would be no 2nd date if she felt like Gabby was uncomfortable or felt threatened by the idea of someone new, especially if that someone was male.

“How’s that muffin?” Chloe asked grinning.

“Delicious!” Gabby said licking her lips.

“Glad to hear it.” Chloe giggled.

“Thank you, Mommy.” Gabby replied, her mouth full of chocolate.

“You’re welcome.”

There was a brief pause.  Chloe took a breath.  This was not going to be an easy conversation.

“So..umm…Gabby, I wanted to talk to you about something.” Chloe stammered.

“Ok.” Gabby replied.

“Well…umm…how would you feel if Mommy made a new friend? ” Chloe asked cautiously.

“Friends are good.  You should have friends, Mommy.” Gabby answered.

“Thanks sweetie.  I think so too.”

Gabby smiled up at her.  “Is your new friend nice?”

Chloe blushed.  “He is.”

Gabby’s eyes widened.  “Your new friend is a boy?”

Chloe nodded.  “Yes, his name is Justin.”

“Does Justin scream and throw things like Daddy did?”

Chloe felt her resolve start to crack.  Such a simple, honest question but one that Chloe knew was important to Gabby and her sense of security.

Chloe bit her lip and shook her head fervently.  “No, no sweetie, he sure doesn’t, and if he ever did, he wouldn’t be Mommy’s friend anymore.”

Gabby looked up at her mother briefly.  Her Hazel eyes were wide.  She was trying to determine if Chloe was being truthful.  After several rather intense, quiet moments Gabby opened her mouth to speak again.

“Does he like kids?” Gabby continued.

Apparently, Gabby had determined that her mother’s word was good enough.

Chloe smiled.  “I think so.”

Gabby took a bite of fruit before nodding.  “If he’s nice to you and doesn’t scream or throw things then I’m ok with Justin being your friend.”

“You’re sure?” Chloe replied cautiously.

Gabby nodded.  “I’m sure.  What does he do?”

Chloe blushed.  “Umm…well…he does a lot of things but he’s known for being a singer and an actor.”

“What’s an actor?” Gabby asked.

Chloe smiled.  “An actor is someone who is in movies.  Like Beauty and the Beast, the girl who played Belle is an actress.  Her name is Emma Watson.”

Gabby nodded as she chewed then swallowed before speaking.  “Yeah.  She looks like Hermoine from Harry Potter.”

Chloe smiled.  “That’s because she is Hermoine from Harry Potter.”

Gabby’s eyes widened.  Chloe could tell that Gabby was trying to digest this new information. 

“Is he handsome?” Gabby blurted out.

“Is who handsome?” Chloe asked confused.

Gabby had just completely changed gears.  However, she was only five, so it wasn’t a total surprise.

“Your new friend, Justin.  Is he handsome?” Gabby replied.

Chloe blushed.  “Umm…yes…I think he’s very handsome.”

“Is he more handsome than Daddy?” Gabby asked seriously.

Chloe took a deep breath.  She was going to have to choose her words carefully or this conversation had the potential to go very badly.

“Oh, Gabby Bug! I want you to listen to Mommy very carefully. On the outside, your Daddy is a very handsome man, but on the inside your Daddy is very sick.  His sickness makes him do things that are ugly and hurtful like scream and throw things and make you and Mommy cry.   I will always, always care about your Daddy but until your Daddy gets help and stops doing those things, I am not going to let him be around you.”

Without saying a word, Gabby put her fork down, climbed out of her chair, walked around her chair and crawled up into Chloe’s lap. 

“That’s what my nightmare was about. I had a nightmare about Daddy throwing the TV remote.” Gabby confessed.

Chloe hugged her daughter tightly.

“I know sweetie. I know, but I promise you, that’s never going to happen again.  You are safe.  I will always keep you safe.”

Gabby nodded.  “Can we go to the Disney store now?”

Chloe cracked a smile.  “Are you full?”

Gabby nodded.

“Ok.  Let’s go.”

It was after 10 a.m. Justin couldn’t remember the last time he’d slept in that late but it felt AMAZING.  In fact, it was the sound of movement in the kitchen that had caused him to stir.  Rubbing the sleep from his eyes Justin rolled onto his side then groaned.  His ribs and lung were still very sore. 

Taking a deep breath, he pushed himself up to sit then swung his legs over the side of the bed.  Once he was standing, he quickly pulled on a pair of joggers and a t-shirt then shuffled out into the kitchen. 

JC was already up and dressed. 

“Hey there…looks like you had a good night.” JC said grinning.

Justin made a face.  “How can you tell?” He asked quietly.

JC chuckled.  “The look on your face.  You walked in here with the biggest smile.  I take it your date was just what the doctor ordered.”

Justin laughed and shook his head.  He’d caught JC’s joke and although it was incredibly cheesy Justin knew JC meant well.

Justin nodded and bit his lip.  “It was pretty great as far as 1st dates go.”

JC grinned.  “Does that mean there will be a 2nd date with the good Doctor?”

Justin smiled and nodded.  “I think so.”

JC then nodded to the Dry erase board and markers still sitting on the counter. 

“What’s the story here?”

Justin visibly laughed.  “Dr. Hunter…I mean Chloe brought them.  She said she’d read up on my condition and I shouldn’t be talking so much.”

JC laughed.  “She has a point.”

It was then that Justin blurted out Chloe’s revelation from the night before.

“She has a kid.”

JC’s eyes widened a bit.  It was definitely not what he’d expected Justin to say.

“How old?” JC asked curiously.

Justin held up five fingers.

“Does that freak you out?” JC asked seriously.

Justin smiled and shook his head.  He couldn’t explain why, but it didn’t bother him in the least that Chloe had a kid.

“Nah.  Not at all.  I mean, it makes sense, we are both of certain age, had life experiences, the likelihood that she has a kid isn’t so surprising.”

“Boy or girl?” JC asked.

Justin smiled.  “Girl.  Her name is Gabby.”

JC bit his lip and shook his head.  Both men had dated plenty of women.  Neither of them had ever dated a woman with a kid but as Justin had just explained, it wasn’t so unbelievable.

“Are you going to meet her?” JC continued.

Justin shrugged.  “I hope to, but I told Chloe I would wait until she was ready.”

JC grinned.  “You really like this girl, don’t you?”

Justin blushed a bit, then nodded.  “Yeah.  I think I do.  She’s intelligent, independent, sassy, kind, beautiful and passionate…and…umm…she’s a DAMN GOOD kisser.”

JC couldn’t help but smile.  It was good to see Justin this happy and excited about something. 

“So, when is date number 2?”

Justin shrugged as he reached for a coffee cup.  “I’m going to let her make the next move.”

JC nodded.  “Smart man.”

Later that afternoon, once Chloe and Gabby had returned home Chloe finally found a moment to text Justin. 

Chloe: Hi

Justin: Hey there

Chloe:  I know it’s the week of Thanksgiving and you probably have plans but umm…I have the day off Tuesday

Justin grinned. 

Justin: Would you like to get together?

Chloe blushed and bit her lip.  She knew he couldn’t see her but if he could he would see that just the thought of a day spent with him was making her a bit giddy.  However, given her previous experiences she was determined to keep her cool.  This would only be their second date and she didn’t want to set her expectations too high and then be disappointed or end up getting her heart broken again.

Chloe: I mean…if you want to…if you’re not busy

Justin smiled and shook his head.  Even through text she was being adorable.

Chloe: Gabby will be in school and my brother has court so I have the whole day

Justin: Hmm… a day date…sounds fun.  What did you have in mind?

Chloe smiled.  She really hoped that Adam didn’t walk in and see her blushing this much.

Chloe: Umm…well…you are Justin Timberlake and you are still recovering.  What are you feeling up to? What can you do without getting mobbed?

Justin smiled down at the phone and began to rub at the back of his neck.  The fact that she was worried about his wellbeing was extremely endearing…and appreciated.  She was treating him like a human being with feelings and not just a status update.

Justin chuckled as he typed his reply.

Justin: Not much.  I may need to bring security, if that’s ok with you.

Chloe nodded.  It made sense.  She could only imagine what he had to deal with just to leave his apartment.

Chloe: If it makes you feel more comfortable, I am fine with that. 

Her calm was so refreshing.  It made him relax, something he needed to do more of during his recovery.

Justin: How about a walk in Central Park? Some fresh air would probably be good for me.  Then we can decide from there

Chloe beamed.  She couldn’t remember the last time she’d walked through Central Park. It sounded perfect.

Chloe: Sounds great.  What time?

Justin: What time works for you? 

Chloe paused for a moment in thought.  Her schedule was typically a bit hectic.  Normally, during the week she worked from 7-5 Monday, Thursday and Friday, took the On Call shift every Tuesday and alternating Saturday and Sundays.  It seemed like a lot, which it was, but it gave her lots of time at home with Gabby which was what they both needed right now.  In other words, it worked. 

Chloe: Is 9:30 too early?

Justin: Nope.  9:30 is perfect.  The Merchant’s Gate Entrance?

Chloe: Sounds good.  I will see you then.

As promised, Adam took Gabby to school on Tuesday morning.  Chloe was up at 7.  Yes, it was her day off but for her, getting up at 7 was sleeping in.  Normally, she was up at 5 to be at work by 7.  Getting up that early also meant that she was able to give Gabby a hug and kiss before she left for school, something she wasn’t able to do on mornings when she worked. 

Once Gabby and Adam were gone for the day Chloe decided to make herself a cup of coffee and head for the shower.  For the first time in what seemed like forever she could actually take her time getting ready.  She took a long, hot shower, letting the hot water warm every inch of her and relax her sore muscles.  Standing in an operating room for hours on end took a toll on her, especially her back, knees and her feet.

After her shower, Chloe wrapped herself in a robe and a towel on her head then grabbed her cup and headed for the closet to pick out something to wear.  It was getting colder in the city, but thankfully, there was no snow in the forecast.  The high for the day was supposed to be in the high 50’s.  However, at 9:30 a.m. the weather would probably be a bit chilly so Chloe opted for her favorite pair of dark wash jeans, her comfiest pair of boots and a dark green, cable knit sweater with a slouch neckline.  It was comfortable but feminine at the same time.  She hoped Justin liked it.

At 9:25 a.m. Chloe was walking up to entrance of Central Park.  It was a Tuesday morning, so the park wasn’t super busy, but it was two days before Thanksgiving, so it wasn’t empty either.  She spotted Justin almost immediately.  Even from this distance she could pick him out of the crowd. 

He was dressed casually in jeans, a t-shirt and a black pea coat with a derby hat and a pair of sunglasses on his head.

Chloe inhaled a bit sharply once she recognized him.  He looked AMAZING!

“Well…crap!” Chloe muttered to herself.

Justin saw Chloe as she approached.  Immediately, a smile tugged at his lips.  She looked comfortable, yet breathtaking.  He couldn’t stop staring. 

Chloe took a breath as she got closer.  She was nervous.  It had been a long time since she’d actually “dated” and this was only their 2nd date.  His smile didn’t help.  Neither did the fact that he was holding two cardboard cups.

“Coffee?” She asked raising an eyebrow.

He grinned and shook his head.

“Hot chocolate.  I would have done coffee but I didn’t want to get your order wrong.”

She smiled and nodded as she took the cup and took a sip.  It was REALLY good.

“Pumpkin Spice Latte in the fall, Peppermint White Mocha in the winter and just a White Mocha any other time.”

Justin smiled and chuckled a bit.  “I will keep that in mind.”

“What about you? What’s your poison?”

“Hmm…good question.  An Iced Triple Grande White Mocha if it’s warm outside otherwise I like to switch it up, I am not picky so long as the drink is hot.”

Chloe nodded.  It was a really good answer. 

“You look great by the way.” Justin blurted out.

Chloe smiled.  She knew he meant it.

“Thanks.  I don’t get an opportunity to wear real clothes during the week very often, so when I do I try to take advantage of it.”

Justin took a sip of his hot chocolate and nodded.  He loved hearing her speak.  There was just something about her voice that was so soothing.  It didn’t matter what they were talking about, it just felt right.

“I can see how wearing scrubs all the time might put a cramp in one’s style.” He mused as they started to walk.

Chloe laughed.  “It does.  Thankfully, we are allowed to wear our own scrub caps in surgery so I can show a little personality.  I have to confess I may or may not have at least one *NSYNC scrub cap in my collection.”

Justin blushed slightly.  “I’m flattered.”

“Surgeons also get to pick music in the Operating Room so there is that too.  Although, I don’t typically play any of your stuff in surgery…*NSYNC or your solo stuff.  I need to concentrate most of the time and your music is a bit of a distraction.”

Justin smiled more and nodded.  “I can see that.”

They walked quietly for a bit, just sipping their hot chocolate and enjoying the beautiful morning.  Justin felt a bit awkward.  Chloe was incredibly smart, obviously, so he was unsure of what to talk about.  Not that he wasn’t smart, he was, he was just feeling a bit intimidated too.

“Umm…so…I’m curious…what’s the difference between a trauma surgeon and just a surgeon.  Isn’t all surgery traumatic?” Justin blurted out.

Chloe couldn’t help but smile and bite her lip.  She found his question incredibly charming and adorable.  She stopped briefly and turned to look up at him to answer.

“Well…a General surgeon can treat almost anyone that needs surgery.  They need to have a good working knowledge of all 9 of the basic areas of surgery.  A trauma surgeon deals with surgery that is a result of trauma such as car accidents, gunshot wounds, farm or work accidents, appendicitis or surgery on patients who were already in the hospital for another procedure or surgery.  So, people who go into Sepsis or Multi organ failure after surgery.”

Justin’s eyes were wide.  It sounded very stressful.

“Did you always want to be a trauma surgeon?” Justin asked, his eyes still wide.

Chloe cracked a smile and shook her head.  “No.  During my Residency I was leaning towards Pediatric Surgery.   Then, towards the end of my last year I got pregnant and realized I couldn’t handle the idea of treating patients that young. “

Justin nodded.  It made perfect sense.

“Occasionally, I do get a pediatric patient who comes into the ER, but if they are even remotely close in age to Gabby, I typically pass them off to another doctor.  It’s just too much.”

Justin nodded again.  He could only imagine how difficult that would be. 

“I would probably do the same thing.”

Chloe smiled.  He was completely wonderful.

“What about you, did you always want to be an Entertainer? I mean, I know you got into it at a young age but did you ever have aspirations of doing something else?”

Justin shook his head and grinned.  “Nope.  As my Mama tells it, I was performing in the womb.”

Chloe giggled.  “Somehow, I can picture that.  You’re really good at it, if you don’t mind me saying so.”

Justin beamed.  “I don’t mind it a bit. “

There was another pause but it was brief.  Justin was doing his best to get to know her as much as possible but he was struggling for questions.  Not to mention he was trying to let her do most of the talking so he wasn’t using his voice too much.

“So…umm…you like *NSYNC and my music, what else is on your playlist?”

Chloe laughed.  “I have very broad taste.  I grew up on the crooners like Nat King Cole, Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra.  I like Kelly Clarkson, Christina Aguilera and Carrie Underwood.  Michael and Janet Jackson are up there too and Adam and I were big into New Kids on the Block when we were kids.  Hip Hop, R & B, Country, Pop, Classical…I will listen to all of it.  I’m not much into Grunge, Alternative, Heavy Metal or Techno but aside from that I’m not picky.”

“So, No Nirvana or Rage Against the Machine. Got it!” Justin said grinning.

“No thank you!” Chloe laughed.

“What about BSB?’ Justin asked.

Chloe made a face causing Justin to laugh.

“I’ll take that as a “no.”

“To be honest, I do like some of their songs, but I find some of their personalities a bit nauseating.”

Justin busted up laughing at this.  He loved her honesty.  It was refreshing. 

“Fair enough.” He chuckled before continuing.

Ok, then tell me this, if you don’t listen to *NSYNC or me in the operating room, what do you listen to?”

“Ever heard of Vanessa Mae or Bond?” Chloe asked smiling.

Justin shook his head.  He knew a LOT of artists but neither of the names she’d mentioned were familiar.

Chloe smiled.  “Vanessa Mae is like the precursor to Lindsey Sterling and Bond is a female, string quartet.  Two violins, a viola and a Cello.”

Justin bit his lip and nodded.  With every new thing he learned about her it made him want to learn more.

“Lindsey is a sweetheart.” Justin replied.

Chloe’s eyes went wide.  True, it wasn’t his style of music but it wasn’t so unbelievable that they had met.

“You’ve met Lindsey Sterling?” Chloe asked in disbelief.

Justin grinned and nodded.  “A couple times.  But now I have to ask, if you’re in to that sort of thing have you ever heard of “2 Cellos?”

Chloe’s eyes widened more and her jaw dropped.  Justin saw her reaction and couldn’t help but grin.  He knew her answer.

“Judging by your expression I am going to guess “yes.”

“Umm…duh.” Chloe smirked.

Justin laughed.  “Didn’t they just announce a tour?”

Chloe nodded.  “They did.  It starts in February.”

Justin grinned and gave her a look.  “I’ll have to remember that.”

Chloe gave him a look.  “Don’t do that.”

“Do what?” Justin asked honestly.

“That! This is only our 2nd date, what if you decide you’re not interested anymore?” Chloe replied.

Justin grinned.  “I really don’t see that happening.”

Chloe bit her lip and blushed.  “No?”

“Nope.  You’re gorgeous, talented, intelligent, independent…just tell me when I should stop?”

Chloe giggled.  “You’re doing good so far.”

Justin stepped closer and dropped his voice to a whisper.  “It’s like I told you.  I really want to see where this goes. I put a lot of effort into tracking you down, I’m not letting you get away so quickly or easily.”

Chloe blushed and nodded.  “Ok.”

Smiling, but staying quiet, Justin took her now empty cup from her hand and tossed it into a nearby trashcan.  Then, without saying a word he took her hand in his and started leading her through the park.  He had an idea of where they should go and although it was a bit of a walk, he was anxious to see her reaction.

Chloe inhaled sharply when his hand took hers, thankfully, he didn’t notice.  In the beginning, Eddy held her hand all the time but it never felt like this did.  This felt different, more meaningful, more intimate.  It surprised her.

“Where are we going?” Chloe asked after several minutes of walking.

She’d been to Central Park dozens of times, almost every week when she was younger but she didn’t recognize the path they were taking.

“It’s a surprise.” Justin replied quietly.

Minutes later they were approaching Belvedere Castle.  She’d walked by hundreds of times but had never ventured this close.  It was gorgeous.

Without a word of explanation, they proceeded past the gift shop and up a set of stairs to one of the lookout terraces.  The view of the park was beautiful and, they were completely alone.

“Wow!” Chloe breathed out as she looked over the terrace wall.

Justin couldn’t help but smile as he looked down at her.  The way the morning sun reflected off her dark curls, making them shine and the cool air made her cheeks flush.  He couldn’t help himself.

“My thoughts exactly.” He whispered.

Chloe turned to look up at him and her breath caught in her throat.  He had that dreamy look in his eye.  He was going to kiss her.  She was certain of it, but she wasn’t going to argue in the least.

Justin stepped closer, wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer.  Smiling a bit, he brushed a wisp of hair from her face then let his hand linger a moment before dropping his head and placing his lips firmly against hers.

Chloe sighed softly and leaned into him, allowing him to part her lips quickly.  His kisses were soft, slow and sensual making her whole body tingle and the longer they kissed the more her body responded to him.  She could feel her heart pounding in her chest, the hairs on her neck stand on end, her breathing quicken and a warmth spread throughout her.

Justin moaned quietly as his hands splayed against her back and pulled her into him as much as their bodies and clothes would allow.  He’d kissed dozens of girls but there was just something about kissing her that felt right.  Special.  Meaningful.  He couldn’t get enough of kissing her.

“I like this.” Justin whispered as he pulled away slightly. 

His forehead was still resting against hers and his lips were hovering so that she felt his breath when he spoke.

“Me too.” She replied softly.

“I could get used to this.” He said smiling.

“Me too.” Chloe said biting her lip.

“Should we do it again?” Justin asked grinning.

“If you want to…”

“I do.” Justin replied with a whisper before closing his mouth over hers.

When they pulled away again, they were both a bit winded.

“When can I see you again?” Justin asked, his voice breathy.

Chloe scrunched her face up in thought. 

“Well, technically I have the day off tomorrow but I also have the On-Call shift tonight, 7p.m. to 7 a.m. and Gabby has Early Release tomorrow then we are doing Thanksgiving at my parents house.”

“Friday?”

Chloe shook her head.  “I work until 5.”

Justin grinned.  “What about Saturday?”

“Umm…I’d have to check…I am not sure if I have the On-call shift Saturday night or Sunday night.”

Justin grinned more.  “Come over…Friday night…after your shift.  We can order in, watch a movie, have some wine…”

Chloe bit her lip and tried not to blush.  She had a feeling she knew what he was implying.

“You’re not spending Thanksgiving with family?”

Justin smiled.  “I am.  I am headed to Tennessee tomorrow but I will be back Friday afternoon.  Don’t get me wrong, I love my mom but two days is enough.”

“Oh. Umm…well…I would have to clear it with Adam or ask my parents to watch her for the night.”

Justin nodded.  “Do whatever you need to.  I don’t need an answer right now.  I’m just putting the invitation out there.”

Chloe nodded.  “I will let you know.”

Chloe’s day with Justin was nothing short of AMAZING.  In fact, she couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt that relaxed around a man who wasn’t her brother or her father.  After leaving the castle they continued to walk through the park for a bit, then visited the Zoo before grabbing a late lunch at a diner just outside the park. 

“So, “On Call” what does that actually entail?  I know what it looks like on Grey’s Anatomy but what’s it like, really?” Justin asked as they were finishing up lunch.

Chloe smiled.  “Truthfully, it varies.  Occasionally, but not often, it’s slow and I actually get to sleep.  However, as I said, that doesn’t happen very often.  Typically, I get there shortly before 7, go over things with the surgeon who was on before me then hang out in the “On Call” room until I’m needed.  Which normally happens within about twenty minutes of me getting there.  It’s the Tuesday before Thanksgiving so more than likely I’ll get a burn patient or two, someone who decided to try out their deep fryer ahead of time.  I’ll probably get a car accident or three.  People racing around doing last minute shopping.  It gets crazy starting at about Halloween and keeps getting crazier all the way into the New Year.”

Justin nodded.  “I can imagine.  I mean, I can’t, but I can.  I know I could never do it.”

Chloe giggled.  “Well, I could never do what you do so I think we’re even.”

“Touche” Justin chuckled.

Chloe smiled more.  His laugh was adorable and the way his eyes lit up when he smiled.  It was making her a bit giddy.

As predicted that night “On Call” was busy.  In fact, they were slammed the entire evening.  Within ten minutes of arriving at the hospital a patient came in with multiple gunshot wounds.  Chloe spent the next 4 hours in Surgery.  After that it was a car accident with multiple victims. 

Just before 2 a.m. after changing into a fresh pair of scrubs in the Doctor’s locker rooms Chloe got a text on her phone.

Justin: Hey there

Chloe smiled a bit and bit her lip.

Chloe: Hi.  What are you doing up this late?

Justin: thinking about you

Chloe blushed.

Chloe: Oh?!

Justin grinned as he sat up in the bed.  He could picture her face and the look of surprise.  It gave him a thrill.

Justin: I dream about you.

Chloe’s eyes went wide.  It was not what she’d expected him to say.

Chloe: You dream about me?

Justin bit his lip and nodded even though he knew she couldn’t see.

Justin:  Ever since the night of the accident.  At first it was just your voice, now I have a beautiful face to go with the voice

Chloe: I don’t know what to say

Justin: You don’t have to say anything.  I just wanted you to know.  I think about you a lot.  I can’t help it.  Is that bad?

Chloe: No. Not bad. Just surprising.

Even through the phone he could sense her unease.  It was time to take a different approach.  He didn’t want to come on too strong too soon.  He was going to take his time and do this right.

Justin: How is it going?

Chloe smiled.  She knew what he was doing.  He’d changed the subject for her benefit.  It was sweet.

Chloe: It’s been BUSY.  I’ve already done two surgeries

Justin: Wow! That bad, huh?

Chloe laughed a bit. 

Chloe: It’s been worse before

Justin: Have you gotten any rest?

Chloe: Not really.  Maybe ten minutes between surgeries

Justin: Well, I hope it slows down for you

Chloe: Thanks. 

It was then that her cell phone dinged again.  It was the E.R.  She was being paged for another consult.

Chloe: I gotta go.  I have another trauma coming in.

Justin: Go do your thing.  I will talk to you soon. 

Wednesday Chloe spent most of the day sleeping but managed to get up in time to pick Gabby up from school. 

“Mommy!” Gabby squealed as she tackled her mom in a tight hug.

“Hey, Sweet girl! How was school?” Chloe said grinning.

“Great! We learned about the First Thanksgiving.  Did you know they didn’t eat Turkey at the First Thanksgiving? They had fish.” Gabby exclaimed.

Chloe smiled.  “I did know that.”

“Can we have fish for Thanksgiving?” Gabby continued.

Chloe laughed.  Gabby was the only five-year-old she knew that would actually eat fish.

“Umm…I think Grandma is already working on a turkey for Thanksgiving but maybe we can pick up some fish sticks for you to have with your turkey.” Chloe replied.

“I missed you.” Gabby gushed as they walked.

Chloe smiled wistfully.  “I missed you too.  Did you have fun with Uncle Adam last night?”

Gabby nodded.  “We got Sushi for dinner.  Uncle Adam even let me order Edamame and Dumplings.”

Chloe laughed a little.  “Sushi, Edamame and Dumplings?! You were hungry.”

Gabby grinned.  “I’m a growing girl.”

Chloe smiled.  “You are.”

“Uncle Adam said you were meeting a friend yesterday.  Was it your new guy friend? Did you have fun?” Gabby blurted out.

Chloe stopped and looked down at her daughter.  It was an innocent question but also one filled with meaning.  She knew Gabby was trying to determine her place in this new relationship.  Chloe didn’t have many friends to speak of, aside from Adam.  There were a couple of doctors from the hospital she hung out with on occasion, but none of them were male.  It made perfect sense that Gabby was curious.

“We did.  We just walked through the park and talked.” Chloe replied.

“What did you talk about?” Gabby asked curiously.

Chloe bit her lip and tried not to blush as she remembered their discussions. 

“We talked about a lot of things.  We talked about music, and our jobs.” Chloe answered.

“Did you talk about me?” Gabby asked, her eyes wide.

Chloe smiled.  “A little bit.  He wants to know about you.”

“What did you say?”

Chloe smiled more and took her daughter’s hand.  “I told him you were smart, and funny and that you love Sushi.”

“Does he like Sushi?” Gabby replied.

Chloe scrunched her face up in thought.  “Umm…you know, I don’t know.  I think he does.”

“You should ask him.  You should ask if he likes sushi and if he does you should invite him to come have sushi and steak with us sometime.” Gabby said very seriously.

Chloe had to fight not to giggle.  “Sushi AND Steak.  Are you going to pay for that?”

“No.  Your friend and Uncle Adam can pay because a real gentleman NEVER makes the lady pay.” Gabby replied, her hands now on her hips.

Now, it was all Chloe could do to not bust up laughing. 

“Oh, so now Uncle Adam is coming out for sushi and steak too?” Chloe asked as she tried to smother her grin.

“Yeah, sure.  It will be like a double date.  Uncle Adam will be my date and your friend…what’s his name again…” Gabby started.

“Justin.” Chloe answered.

“Right. Justin.  Uncle Adam will be my date and Justin can be yours.  We will go out for steak and sushi and then afterward we can go get Hot fudge Sundaes.”

Chloe couldn’t help but smile and shake her head.  She could only imagine what Justin would say once she shared Gabby’s plan.  She was definitely going have to tell him about it. 

“Sounds like a good plan.”

“Really?!  So, you’ll tell him the next time you see him? When are you going to see him again?” Gabby asked beaming.

“Yes. I will tell him.  I promise.  I think I am going to see him on Friday but I have to talk to Grandma and Grandpa and your Uncle Adam about it first.”

“Do you like spending time with him more than me?” Gabby blurted out.

Chloe’s eyes widened and her breath caught in her throat momentarily.  Ever since Eddy had moved out Gabby had been struggling with attachment and abandonment issues.  It made sense she would ask a question like this, but that didn’t mean it didn’t sting any less.

“No way! You are the most important person to me. I will ALWAYS have time for you.  Always!” Chloe replied.

“You promise?” Gabby replied.

“Pinkie promise.” Chloe answered holding out her pinkie finger.

“A pinkie promise?  Are you sure?” Gabby asked grinning.

“Absolutely! 100%!” Chloe grinned back.

“Ok Mommy!” Gabby said before locking fingers with her mother.

Everyone was in bed early Wednesday night, even Chloe.  Thanksgiving was the next day.  Adam and Gabby would be headed over to Chloe and Adam’s parents’ house in the Bronx at around 9.  Chloe would join them as soon as she was off work.

At about 5:00 a.m. Chloe’s alarm went off, signaling the start of another work day.  She was not looking forward to working on a holiday.  It was always crazy at the hospital on a Holiday.  By 6 she was on a train to work.  By 6:45 she was walking into the Doctor’s locker rooms.

Rounds started promptly at 7 and she was a stickler for punctuality.  Chloe hated to be late.  At 6:55, just as she was walking out of the locker room her phone alerted her that she had a message.

It was from Justin and she couldn’t help but smile.

Justin: Happy Thanksgiving. 

Chloe:  Happy Thanksgiving to you too. 

Justin: I have a lot to be thankful for this year

Chloe blushed.  Chloe: Me too

Justin: Oh yeah?

He was grinning and biting his lip.  If she only knew.

Chloe:  Yeah.  I never could have imagined THIS is where I would be a year ago

Justin: Is that a bad thing?

Chloe smiled.  Chloe: No. Not at all.  I’m just still trying to process

Justin: Well, I’m not going anywhere so take all the time you need

Chloe smiled more, if possible. 

Chloe: You’re too sweet

Justin: Not possible

Chloe: See you soon?

Justin: Definitely

That evening, after work Chloe headed to her parent’s home in the Bronx.  Adam and Gabby were already there and just as she knew it would happen, her mother had Thanksgiving dinner ready and waiting when she arrived.  It was delicious as always, and spending the time with her family was good for her soul.

After dinner, the family played board games for a bit before Gabby crashed.  After Chloe tucked her in to bed in her childhood bedroom for the night, she rejoined the rest of the adults in the living room.  Everyone had a glass of wine and there was one for her waiting on the coffee table.

They chatted a bit about normal things; work, the weather, Gabby, and then the conversation got a bit more personal.

“So…Adam mentioned you’re seeing someone.” Chloe’s mother blurted out.

Chloe nearly choked on her wine then shot her brother a withering look.

Adam chuckled then held up his hands in defense.  “They asked why you were working so much lately!  Did you want me to lie to our parents?”

Chloe made a face at him then turned her attention back towards her parents.

“We’ve been on two dates.  It’s new and we are still getting to know each other.  I didn’t want to make a big deal about it.” Chloe replied shrugging.

Truthfully, she hadn’t said anything because she didn’t want to jinx it.  She liked him too much.

“What’s his name?” Her father asked.

Her father had always been protective of her, and given her history with Eddy she really couldn’t blame him for that.  It was natural that her parents had questions. 

“Justin.” Chloe answered calmly.

She could only imagine what they would say when they learned the whole truth.

“Justin?! No last name?” Her mother replied.

Chloe blushed. 

“It’s Timberlake.  Justin Timberlake.” Adam chimed in.

Chloe immediately gave her brother a look but he chose to ignore it. 

“Why does that name sound familiar?” Her father asked.

Chloe blushed more.

“Umm…well, “Trouble with the Curve”, “Edison”, “Runner Runner.” Chloe replied.

“Those are movies.” Her father continued.

Chloe giggled.  “I know Dad.  He’s in them.”

“He’s in “In Time” too.” Adam added.

Chloe watched as her parents’ eyes both widened.  She had been dreading this moment to some degree, but in the end what she was glad they knew.  She just wanted them to be happy for her.  For the first time in a while, she was starting to feel happy.  Justin was the reason for that.

“He’s quite handsome.” Her mother gushed smiling.

“He is.” Chloe said as she nodded.

“How did you meet?” Her father mused.

Chloe swallowed hard then opened her mouth to speak.  Her parents knew about the accident but not all the details.  Truthfully, no one but her and Justin knew everything.

“The accident.  He was the driver of the Motorcycle. He came looking for me after I helped him.” Chloe replied truthfully.

“He’s a patient?!” Her father asked, his eyebrows high.

Chloe shook her head. “No. No. I mean, he was, but he didn’t ask me out until after he was no longer in my care.”

Her father was a retired Cardiothoracic surgeon so his scrutiny made sense.  Chloe knew he was just looking out for her, as his daughter and as a fellow surgeon.

“Is he nice?” her mother asked, sensing the tension.

Chloe blushed.  “Very.”

“Does he know about Gabby?” Her father asked.

It was a fair question and one she’d expected.  Her mother had always been the “romantic” while her father the more logical one.  She and Gabby had that in common, they were all the best and worst parts of both their parents.

Chloe nodded and cracked a smile.  “He does.  He says he wants to meet her, but when I am ready.”

“I am liking this guy more and more.” Her father teased, finally smiling.

Chloe giggled and breathed a sigh of relief.

“When is the third date?” Her mother added, her smile wide.

“Well…that’s what I wanted to talk to you about.  He wants to get together tomorrow, after I get off, but I would need someone to watch Gabby and I feel bad that I keep having to ask Adam.”

Adam smiled reassuringly.  “I’m not complaining.”

Her mother grinned and nodded.  “We can watch Gabby.  She can spend the night.  It’s been a while since we’ve had “Gabby time.” We are overdue.  We can bake cookies and she can help put up the Christmas tree.”

“Really?!” Chloe asked trying to hide her excitement.

“Of course.” Her father replied nodding.

“Oh, she will love that!  Thank you!”

“Just know…if things continue between the two of you, I’m going to want to meet this young man.” Her father replied with a smirk.

“Well, obviously.” Chloe giggled.

“Me too.” Adam chimed in.

Chloe laughed this time.  “Yeah, we’ll see about that.  I’m not sure he’s ready for you.”

“He’s not JC…he’s safe.” Adam smirked.

Friday evening could not come fast enough.  Chloe spent the entire day at work trying not to look at her watch to check the time.  She was excited and also a little nervous for her third date with Justin.  Thank goodness she had plenty to distract her.  It was the day after Thanksgiving, Black Friday and she was swamped. 

She was supposed to be off at 5, but as it often happened a trauma patient that needed surgery came in to the E.R. just a few minutes before her shift ended.  She was going to be late.  Chloe hated to be late but hoped that Justin would understand. 

Her patient was being prepped for surgery, meaning she had a small window in which to text Justin and explain what was happening.

Chloe sighed heavily as she pulled out her phone and started typing.

Chloe: Hey.  I feel awful, but I am going to be late.  I got pulled into surgery at the last minute.  I’ll head over as soon as I finish.  I’m so sorry.

Justin looked down at his phone and couldn’t help but smile. 

Justin: No worries. I’m not going anywhere.  I get it.  Go do your thing and I will be here when you get here.

Chloe smiled then locked her phone in her locker and headed off to surgery.

It was almost 8 by the time she left the hospital.  Truthfully, she hoped that Justin had at least saved some dinner for her.  She was starving. 

“Hey there.” Justin said, his smile wide as he opened the door for her.

She looked tired, and understandably so, but she also looked completely breathtaking.  Her dark hair was pulled up in a messy ponytail and she was dressed in a pair of jeans and a NYU scoop neck sweatshirt.  It was a casual look, because he’d told her they’d just be hanging out, but he found it sexy as hell.

“I’m so sorry about being late.” Chloe sighed as she stepped through the door.

Justin smiled and shook his head.  “Don’t apologize.  I completely understand. How is your patient?”

Chloe cracked a smile.  “Going to be just fine.  He has a LONG recovery ahead of him but he’s going to be ok.”

Justin nodded. “Sounds familiar.”

Chloe’s eyes widened.  She could only imagine how difficult recovery must be for him.  Unlike many of her patients, his recovery was a waiting game.  All he could do was wait, and allow his body time to heal.  Unfortunately, waiting was doing nothing to heal his spirit.

“How are you feeling?’ Chloe asked.

Justin shrugged.  It was a fair question but not one that was easily answered.

“I’m ok I guess.”

Chloe nodded then stepped a bit closer.  The protective caregiver in her was kicking in.  She smiled up into his cool blue eyes then gently reached up to touch his face.  The feel of her soft fingertips against his skin made him sigh and lean in to her as his hands instinctively went around her waist.

“Hey. I know.  It seems like an eternity but stressing about it doesn’t make the time go faster.  Trust me on this.  Cut yourself some slack.  You’ve been through a lot.  Just take things one day at time.” Chloe replied, her voice low.

“How?’ Justin whispered.

Chloe smiled then stepped into him a bit more. 

“Close your eyes.” Chloe whispered back.

“What?”

Chloe giggled softly.  “Just trust me.  Close your eyes.”

Justin cracked a tiny smile then did as instructed.  His eyes fluttered closed and he found himself biting his lip as he waited in anticipation for what came next.

“Ok, now take a deep breath.” Chloe continued.

Justin inhaled deeply then cringed a bit as he felt the strain against his ribs and his lung.

“Still hurts a bit?” Chloe asked quietly.

“A little.” Justin replied.

“That’s normal.” Chloe assured him.

Justin nodded but didn’t speak.

“Ok, take one more deep breath.”

Again, Justin obliged.

“Can I open my eyes now.” He asked, his voice still a whisper.

“Not yet. Just listen.”

Justin nodded.

“I get it. I’ve been where you are.  Maybe not in the same way, but what you’re feeling, all those thoughts racing through your brain those are responses to trauma.  Baby steps.  Don’t worry about what comes next.”

Justin opened his mouth to speak but Chloe quickly quieted him, placing a finger to his lips.

“Baby steps, ok?!” Chloe whispered.

Justin nodded.

“Now can I open my eyes?”

Chloe smiled and bit her lip for a moment.  Then stepped into him just a tiny bit more.

“If you want to.” She replied before closing her mouth over his.

Justin groaned then deepened the kiss.

“I like this, but I bet you’re hungry.” Justin said softly as he pulled away.

“Starving.’ Chloe answered.

Justin pulled away a bit more but not completely.  Smiling, he took her hand and started leading her to the kitchen. 

Chloe couldn’t help but smile and shake her head at what she saw when they entered the kitchen.

On the stove were two William Sonoma Pizza stones, each with pizza dough already rolled out and all the toppings for homemade, flatbread pizzas.  He’d gone all out.  There was pineapple, pepperoni, Canadian bacon, black olives, bell peppers, onions and cheese, just to name a few.  In fact, most of the counter space was covered with bowls of different toppings. 

“Something wrong?” Justin asked, noticing her expression.

Chloe giggled.  “Nope.  This is perfect.”

Justin grinned.  “I wasn’t sure what sort of toppings you liked on your pizza so I got a little bit of everything.”

“You did good.”

“I try.” Justin said as he smiled again and popped a pepperoni into his mouth.

Chloe laughed.  “Are you hungry too?”

Justin nodded.  “Famished.”

“You didn’t have to wait for me to eat.  Trust me, I totally get it.”

Justin smiled.  “It was no big deal, really.”

“Well, thank you.”

Justin grinned more.  “You’re welcome.”

Ten minutes later they were popping their pizzas into the oven to bake.

“Would you like some wine?” Justin asked as retrieved two glasses from the cupboard.

Chloe nodded.  “Wine sounds nice.”

Justin poured them each a glass then handed a glass to her before taking a sip of his own.  His eyes peered at her over the glass.  She was quiet, as if in thought.  It made him wonder what she was thinking about.

“How is Gabby?” He asked politely.

Chloe smiled.  “Good.  She’s with her grandparents.   They were going to go get a Christmas tree and start decorating so she was excited.  I’ll pick her up Sunday morning.”

Justin nodded then cracked a smile.  “It feels weird, doesn’t it?”

Chloe made a face.  “What?”

Justin smiled a bit more.  “Being without her.  I remember…my mom used to get that look.”

Chloe’s eyes widened.  It thrilled her, but also frightened her a bit how intuitive he was.  This was only the third date but already she found herself connecting more with him than she ever had with Eddy.

“Oh. Umm…yeah.  I haven’t really left her for more than a few hours since before the divorce.”

Justin nodded.  “It’s a good thing…for both of you.”

Chloe managed a weak smile.  “I know…I just can’t help but feel guilty.”

Justin smiled.  “Baby steps, right?”

Chloe sighed, smiled and nodded.  “Baby steps.”

There was a bit of an awkward pause that followed.  Neither really knew what to say next.  The tension in the air was palpable.  Chloe wanted nothing more than to relax and enjoy the evening but as they’d both just admitted, there was a lot emotional baggage to sort through.

Chloe took a sip of wine and a steadying breath.  She needed to allow herself to relax. 

“How was Thanksgiving with your family?” Chloe asked.

Justin smiled and shook his head.  “Good.  My mom fussed over me entirely too much.”

Chloe giggled.  “She’s a mom…it’s what we do.  We can’t help it.”

“Yeah, I know.  Which is why I just let her do it.  I’ve learned not to argue.”

Chloe grinned and nodded.  “Smart man.”

“I have my moments.” Justin chuckled.

Chloe blushed a bit and shook her head.  “I don’t think you give yourself enough credit.  You seem pretty smart to me.  I mean…yeah…you’re talented and attractive but any one who can write songs like that definitely isn’t lacking in intelligence.”

Justin grinned and brought his glass to his lips.  “Attractive? You think I’m attractive?”

Chloe gave him a look.  “Duh!”

It was then that oven beeped signaling that the food was ready. 

“Should we eat?’ Justin asked, his voice low.

Chloe nodded.  “Please.”

Chloe was finishing up the last few bites on her plate when she set her plate down and smiled.

“I’m going to steal this idea.  Gabby would love this.”

Justin grinned.  “Steal away.”

Chloe smiled more and bit her lip nervously.  She was reminded of what Gabby had said to her about dinner.  Truthfully, they hadn’t talked about Gabby much.  She didn’t want to overwhelm him.  He was being incredibly patient and understanding and she didn’t want to jeopardize that.

“Gabby has decided that we need to go on a “double date.” Chloe said laughing a little.

Justin raised an eyebrow and couldn’t help but smile. 

“Oh?!”

Chloe giggled more.  “Yes, she thinks you and my brother should take her and I out for Steak and Sushi.”

Justin laughed.  “Bougee! I like her style.”

Chloe laughed, a genuine laugh and Justin couldn’t help but notice.

“Very! She gets it from my brother.”

“Well, I’m game.  You just say when.” Justin replied smiling.

Chloe’s eyes widened.  His response was not at all what she’d expected.

“You don’t have to…”

Justin smiled and shook his head.  “I know. I want to. It sounds fun, but no rush, whenever you decide you’re ready.”

3 dates.  They’d only been on 3 dates.  Not even a month.  Eddy had started talking about marriage at 3 months.  She’d hesitated then and she was hesitating now, but this felt different. 

“Careful Mr. Timberlake.” Chloe warned with a smirk.

“Why Doctor Hunter?” Justin replied grinning.

Chloe swallowed hard.  She knew what she wanted to say but wasn’t sure how he would respond and wasn’t sure she wanted to find out.  Then again, she’d never been one to back down from a challenge, professionally or personally.  She wouldn’t be where she was now if she had.

“Keep it up and I might just fall for you.” She whispered bravely.

Justin took that as his cue.  He set his plate down on the coffee table and scooted closer.

“Is that a bad thing?” Justin whispered, his lips hovering.

“I don’t know. You tell me.” Chloe replied, her voice wavering slightly.

Justin bit his lip and shook his head.  “I think we both owe it to ourselves to find out.”

Chloe’s eyes went wide.  “You do?”

Justin bit his lip and nodded.  “I do.”

Chloe swallowed hard again and nodded.  “Ok.”

“Ok?!” Justin asked grinning.

Chloe nodded.  “It’s not like I have any other offers on the table.”

Justin chuckled.  “And I am totally ok with that.  I don’t want competition.”

Chloe giggled.  “Like anyone could compete with you.”

Justin bit his lip and smiled at her suggestively.  “Is that so?”

Chloe blushed and nodded but didn’t speak.

“Stay with me tonight?!” Justin pleaded softly.

“Stay with you?” Chloe repeated quietly.

“Please.” Justin replied nodding.

“And what?”

Justin cracked a smile.  “Baby steps! Just stay with me, we’ll go from there, no pressure.”

“No pressure?!” Chloe answered.

Justin shook his head and grazed her lips.  “None.  I just want to know what it feels like to wake up next to you.”

Chloe couldn’t help but bite her lip, smile a bit and nod.  “Oh?!”

Justin blushed.  “Umm…yeah…I can only imagine how that sounded.”

Chloe giggled. “You’re fine.”

“I’m fine?” Justin smirked.

“Whatever! You know what I meant.” Chloe shot back.

“Do I?” Justin teased.

“Oh, I think you do!”

“Enlighten me.” Justin replied, his eyes on fire.

Chloe sucked in a breath.  Suddenly, things had taken a dramatic turn.  She could feel the tension between them and the way his eyes were boring into her sent shivers racing down her spine.  He was dangerously close.  He was so close that she could feel his warm breath on her face and she was silently praying that he didn’t hear the way her heart had begun to pound in her chest.

She was attracted to him, and not just physically.  There was just something about him that kept drawing her in.  The more she got to know him the more she wanted to know.  Yes, she knew all the silly superficial stuff that was printed in the magazines but she wanted to know him on a deeper level, beyond the persona. 

Her green eyes were wide. He could tell she was nervous.  He was too.  He wanted to take things slow, to go at her pace, to get to know her, but he couldn’t ignore the chemistry between them. 

“Chloe?’ He whispered after several quiet moments.

She smiled and put a finger to his lips to quiet him.

“I’ll stay.” She said nodding.

Then without another word she took his hand and stood from her seat on the couch next to him.  Justin jumped up immediately, grabbed her bag and started to lead her towards the bedroom.

It was well after 9 p.m., almost 10 so it was after dark.  The only lights in the room were those of city shining through the two glass walls across from her.  Justin stayed quiet as he placed her bag on a trunk at the foot of the bed then quickly hit a button on the wall.  Instantly, the curtains began to close around them, plunging them into complete darkness.  It took a moment for her eyes to adjust but she could just make out his silhouette in front of her. 

A shockwave shot through her arm and then down her spine as she felt his hand take hers and then pull her into him.  In the next moment his hands were gently cradling her face and his lips were crashing down on top of hers.  She moaned softly against him and allowed him to deepen the kiss as her hands went to his waist.  Her hands seemed to act on impulse as her fingers toyed with the hem of his shirt, grazing the skin at the waistband of his pants.  He groaned against her lips and she took that as her cue.  The muscles in his abs and chest quivered beneath her fingertips as she trailed them up his body, pulling his shirt up as well.  For a moment, he pulled his hands away from her face and lifted his arms up in the air as she pulled his shirt off and tossed it on the floor.  With his shirt now gone he reached for her sweatshirt and started to do the same.  With one quick movement her sweatshirt was on the floor beside his shirt leaving her in just a bra and her jeans. 

Justin pulled her close again, then tilted his head and began to place soft kisses against her neck.  She gasped as his lips met her skin causing him to smile.  He couldn’t see her face but he could imagine her expression.

His lips against her neck made her whole body tremble with anticipation.  She hadn’t done anything like this in a very long time.  It was like a drug.  She craved his touch.  The way his lips felt.  The way his tongue felt as it slid into her mouth.  The way his skin felt beneath her fingers.  The way his heartbeat felt against her chest.  It was making her lightheaded and giddy all at once.  Feeling a bit brave she trailed her hands back down his chest and had to bite her lip to keep quiet as his muscles responded to her touch.  Her hands stopped at his waistband and he groaned in her ear as he felt her hands start to tug at his belt.

Justin moved his hand to stop her then whispered in her ear.  “Slow.  Ok?! I’m in no rush.  Let’s just take this nice and slow.  We have all night.  Neither of us has to be anywhere in the morning.”

Chloe smiled in the dark and nodded.  “Ok.”

Smiling again, he wrapped his hands around her waist and pulled her tightly against him then dropped his head and placed his lips back on top of hers.  She smiled against him then made the move to deepen the kiss. Her arms went around his neck and he responded by pulling her into him as much as he could.  They kissed for a long time, his lips sliding expertly over hers and his tongue thrusting and retreating in her mouth with ease.

Again, her hands trailed down his chest and again his body responded as every muscle quivered against her fingertips.  Her hand stopped at his waist band again but this time he made no move to stop her.  He groaned against her lips as her fingers began to fumble with the buckle.  With the buckle undone she quickly moved to the button on his jeans and he felt himself buck against her as her hands grazed the thin fabric of his boxer briefs.  With one quick push his jeans were in a puddle at his ankles and he quickly stepped out of them, leaving him in just his boxer briefs. 

Even in the dark, with his boxer briefs still on she could tell he was excited.  It made her curious and excited as well.  She wanted to touch him there, to know how he felt and to see how he would respond.  Eddy had always been quick, with very little foreplay.  Never allowing her to explore or be curious or playful.  She had a hunch Justin wasn’t like that. 

Biting her lip nervously Chloe gently pushed her hand down beneath the elastic band of his briefs and along the side of his very swollen manhood.  Justin inhaled sharply but didn’t move.

“Chloe.” He breathed out, his voice low and thick.

“I’ll be gentle.” Chloe replied.

He was bigger than Eddy.  That was certain, and it gave her a thrill.

Carefully, she pushed his briefs down a bit, freeing him and he moaned a bit as the air hit his skin.  It was his turn now.  In the dark Justin grabbed at her waist and unbuttoned her jeans then slowly undid the zipper allowing her jeans to fall to her knees.  Chloe held his hips to steady herself then kicked her jeans off the rest of the way.

As soon as her jeans were free Justin lifted her from the ground and carried her to the bed.  He tossed her down gently then climbed on top of her, his mouth on top of hers the entire time.

She felt every bit of him as he stretched out on top of her, burying his face in her neck and whispering in her ear.

“Am I crushing you?” He asked softly.

“No.” Chloe whispered back.

Her bra and panties were still on but even beneath the fabric she could feel her own body responding to him.  She felt a warmth start to course through her as every nerve ending in her body began to tingle with anticipation.  She knew what was about to happen.

He pulled the straps down on her bra so that they fell down around her elbows then continued to kiss and gently nip at her neck.  She stopped him briefly, just long enough for her to sit up slightly, unclasp her bra and toss it off the bed.  Now the only thing between them was her panties. 

“Are you sure about this? I said “no pressure.” He whispered through the dark.

Chloe nodded then whispered back to him.  “I’m sure.”

The next thing she knew his fingers were at her waist.  Gently, he eased her panties down over her hips and to her ankles before pushing his own hips forward and sliding into her.  Immediately she gasped and arched up to meet him.

“Am I hurting you?” He asked quietly.

Chloe shook her head.  “No.  You’re just…umm….”

He smiled and nodded.  “Slow, remember?!  No rush.”

“Ok.”

Very slowly, and gently he began to thrust inside of her, moving his hips in a steady rhythm back and forth.  With every thrust she felt herself rise to meet him, her own hips bucking in time with his pace.

They kept up the slow and steady push and pull for quite a while and Chloe could feel her climax start to build inside of her.  Justin felt the same.

Chloe grabbed at his hips, digging her fingers into his skin a bit causing him to groan.

“Oh GOD!” He moaned.

With her hands pulling her to him his own hands went to her breasts.  He teased her with his fingers and she whimpered softly.

He was losing his resolve quickly.  It was time to pick up the pace a little and move things along.  Taking a breath, he trailed his hands down her body, and snaked them around until he was grabbing her ass. 

“Hold on Beautiful!” He whispered before thrusting himself forward with a bit more force.

“OHH!” Chloe moaned.

“Mmm.’ He groaned back as he used his hands to guide her into his thrusts.

Over and over, he thrust into her until he couldn’t hold on anymore.

“Chloe …I’m….” He whispered, his voice shaking.

“It’s ok.” She replied her own voice trembling.

Chloe felt her whole body began to quiver uncontrollably as she reached her climax and then with one last thrust a fluid warmth spread throughout her causing her to scream.

“JUSTIN!”

He collapsed on top of her gently, his breath quick and shallow.  The room was quiet for several minutes as they both allowed themselves time to recover. 

Justin was the first to move.  He rolled off her gently, breaking the connection between them as he rolled onto his side and reached for the lamp on the bedside table.

Chloe closed her eyes to block out the light, allowing her pupils time to adjust but when she opened her eyes again, he was looking back at her, his eyes swimming and a playful smile on his lips.

“Hi.” He whispered softly.

“Hi.” She replied with a giggle.

“That was…” Justin chuckled, biting his lip.

“Better than I expected.” Chloe said blushing.

Justin chuckled more.  “Oh?!”

“You’re umm…well…my ex…he isn’t…well…he’s not you.” Chloe sputtered.

“Ok.” Justin laughed.

With the lights on she had the opportunity to look at him a bit more closely.  Yes, she’d seen him without a shirt before, as her patient, but they hadn’t been intimate then.  It was different this time.

Tenderly, she reached out and touched the scar still forming on his chest where she’d placed the chest tube.  He sucked in a breath when her fingers met his skin.

“I’m sorry.” She whispered, her fingers still tracing the scar.

He cracked a smile.  “Don’t be.  You saved my life.  I’m grateful.”

“How do you feel now?’ She asked.

He smiled and lifted her chin to meet his gaze. 

“Amazing! I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to…that it would hurt too much.  In my chest, I mean.”

Chloe shook her head.  “You’re nearly 4 weeks out.  Normally, I tell patients 6 weeks but your otherwise healthy and in good physical shape…and well, I’m not your doctor anymore so really it’s what you’re comfortable with.”

“It felt good! REALLY good!” Justin said grinning.

Chloe blushed and nodded.  “For me too…but…”

“But?!” He repeated, his eyes wide.

He was fearing the worst.

Chloe caught his expression and shook her head, giving him a reassuring smile.

“I was just going to say…as a heads up…God, this is awkward…”

Justin chuckled a bit.  Her unease was cute to a degree.  He could tell she cared.

“Go ahead…” He urged softly.

“I was just going to say that at least for a while, until you’re completely healed, it might be better if we did it this way.  The other way may not be so comfortable.” Chloe tried to explain.

“The other way?” Justin replied curiously.

Chloe blushed. “Me on top.”

His eyes widened but he couldn’t help but smile.  She really did care.

“Oh.”

Then his eyes and his smile got a bit mischievous.

“I think we’ll manage.” He teased.

“I won’t argue one bit.” She replied giggling.

Chloe woke up the next morning with a smile on her face.  Truthfully, she hadn’t felt this good or slept that well in a LONG time. For the first time in what seemed like forever she was happy.  Sighing with content she rolled over in the bed.  There was someone in the bed next to her.  For a brief moment she thought it was Gabby, then she remembered. 

The person lying next to her was NOT Gabby.  Giggling quietly to herself Chloe placed a hand over her face and tried to calm herself.  This was NOT her bed.  The person lying next to her was Justin Timberlake.  She’d spent the night.  They’d had sex.  Still giggling, with one hand still covering her face Chloe pushed the sheet aside and tried to get out bed.  She didn’t get far.  A pair of strong arms encircled her waist and pulled her back.

“Oh, no! I’m not letting you get away now! Not that easily!” He said, whispering in her ear.

Chloe couldn’t help but giggle more.  “I’m not leaving…I have to pee…where is your bathroom?”

Justin chuckled in her ear and it sent shivers racing down her spine. 

“Oh…umm…the door on your left.” Justin said, loosening his grip.

“Thank you.” Chloe replied as she slipped out of bed.

She was still naked, but it was also still dark in the room.  The curtains were still drawn, blocking out the light so she didn’t know what time it was or where she was going. 

By some miracle she found her way through the dark to the bathroom without tripping or running into anything.  A few minutes later she returned to the bedroom, the curtains now partially open so that she could see.

Justin was still in the bed, the sheets drawn up to his waist, his hand holding his head up, with his elbow propped against the bed.  He was smiling at her with that adorable boyish smile that she loved but she was trying to appear unaffected.

“Good morning!” He said grinning.

Good morning.” She replied, blushing a bit as she slipped back into the bed next to him.

He popped a quick kiss on her lips, then smiled as he pulled away. 

“Did you sleep ok?” He asked quietly.

Chloe nodded.  “Yes. Thank you.  Your bed is ridiculously comfortable.”

“Good to know.” He chuckled.

“I need a new mattress.” Chloe confessed.

“Ah.” Justin laughed.  “Yeah, that might help.”

“I know, I know.  I just haven’t had the time…I either have my hands in someone’s chest cavity, I’m sleeping, I’m doing the “mom” thing or I’m sleeping.”

Justin chuckled.  “You do realize you just said “sleeping” twice?”

Chloe giggled and nodded.  “I need my sleep!”

“Which is why you need a new mattress.”

Chloe laughed a bit more.  “I know…but I am picky, and well, finding the time and the energy to go mattress shopping is a challenge.”

“Hmm…well…what do you have planned for today?” Justin asked grinning.

Chloe made a face.  “Well, I’m naked and in your bed, so you tell me.”

Justin couldn’t help but laugh.  Of all the things he liked about Chloe, her sass was definitely one of them.

“I have no definite plans.” Justin teased back.

Chloe could only smirk and shake her head.  “Fair enough.”

Justin chuckled.  “Would you like me to come mattress shopping with you?”

“Really?! Today?!”

Justin shrugged and smiled.  “I mean, we could.  Or I could just find out what kind this one is and where I got it and give you the information.”

Chloe nodded.  “Yes. Let’s do that.  I don’t feel like dealing with pushy sales associates today.”

“Done.  Now, what would you like to do today?”

Chloe gave him a look.  “Again, I am naked, and in your bed, so you tell me.”

Justin laughed.  He couldn’t help himself.  He loved that she wasn’t the least bit phased by him, or his status and didn’t shy away from speaking her mind.

He grinned at her and dropped his voice to a whisper.

“Hmm…I have a few ideas…”

Chloe bit her lip.  “Oh?!”

He didn’t respond, at least not with words.  Instead, he dropped his head slightly, capturing her lips in a kiss.  He kissed her tenderly for a bit, placing light kisses on her lips then gently rolled on top of her as his lips went to her neck.

He kept nibbling at her neck and nipping at her ear sending shivers racing down her spine and the feel of his body on top of her, his skin against hers was making her warm and tingly all over. 

She could feel his chest pressed up against hers and the way his heart had started to beat more quickly.  She was having an effect on him too.  It thrilled her and terrified her in the same breath.  She’d been living in survival mode for so long she wasn’t sure she knew how to do THIS anymore.  A relationship.  An actual mature, adult, healthy relationship.  Did they even exist?

Something was different.  He could tell.  He looked down at her.  Her eyes were closed and she was biting her lip but not in a good way.

“Hey?” Justin whispered.

Chloe opened her eyes and looked straight into his blue ones.  They were filled with concern.

“Hey.” She replied, forcing a smile.

“Are you ok?”

Chloe sighed.  “Yes…and no. I’m sorry…I’m just…”

Justin rolled off her, settling himself on the bed facing her.  His eyes were still locked on hers and he cracked a smile before reaching up to push a strand of hair away from her face.

“In your own head.” He finished, his voice low.

Chloe cracked a smile and nodded.  “Yeah…how did you…”

“Me too.” Justin replied.

“Want to talk about it?” Chloe asked bravely.

If this was going to work things had to be different this time.   She couldn’t hide or ignore her feelings.  She had to be honest with everyone, including herself.

“Do you?” Justin replied.

“We probably should.”

Justin nodded.

“Ladies first.” He whispered.

Chloe swallowed hard.  This was not going to be easy.

“I haven’t been with anyone in a really long time.  Not since before Eddy and I split up.  Last night was the first time in over a year and a half.”

Justin nodded but stayed quiet.  His eyes were still fixed on hers and that was where they would stay until she finished.  He wanted her to know that he was listening, really listening.

“Don’t get me wrong, I liked it.  It felt good.  REALLY GOOD, but I also don’t take what happened lightly.  Being with someone like that, being intimate, that’s not something I do with just anyone.”

Justin smiled.  “Me either.”

Chloe blushed slightly.  “I like you.  I like you a lot.  I want to see where this could go but …”

Justin put a finger to her lips.  “I get it.  You said your ex wasn’t a good person.  You’re being cautious…because getting into a relationship doesn’t just affect you.  It affects Gabby too.”

Chloe nodded.

Justin took a breath.  He knew what he wanted to ask next but he also knew that he probably wouldn’t like the answer.

“He hurt you, didn’t he?” Justin managed to get out.

Chloe sighed heavily.  “Not physically, but mentally and emotionally, yes.”

Justin felt his jaw clench.  He knew enough about abuse to know that mental and emotional scars took much longer to heal than physical ones.

“Did he hurt Gabby?”

“Physically? No…” Chloe started.

She didn’t have to finish.  He knew the answer without her even having to say it.

“What did he do?”

Chloe took another deep breath.  As much as she hated talking about what had happened, reliving it, she’d made a promise to herself to make sure it never happened again.  This was part of that.

“Short of hitting…you name it.  He had a temper.  He would scream and yell and throw things, then play the victim.  He had a way of making you feel guilty, like it was your fault, even when he was in the wrong.  One night…he got mad…I honestly don’t remember what set him off but he threw the tv remote against the wall…it shattered and a piece nearly hit Gabby.  That was the last straw.  I kicked him out and filed for divorce a week later.”

Justin stayed quiet for a long time.  He was trying to find the right words. 

“I’m not perfect…” Justin started.

“No one is.” Chloe answered.

“I’m not without my own baggage.  True, my demons may look a bit different than yours but they are still there…”

Chloe nodded.  “Understandable.  You’ve lived your life under a microscope since you were a kid.  I can only imagine what that’s like.”

Justin couldn’t help but smile at this.  Her compassion and empathy were unparalleled.

“I can’t promise I won’t mess up, that I won’t make mistakes, but what I can promise is that I will try my best to NEVER hurt you…or Gabby.”

Chloe sighed and nodded.  “I appreciate that.”

“I like you too.  I like you a lot.  I want to see where this could go probably as much as you do but you’re in charge.  We move at your pace.  If the last few months have taught me anything it’s that happiness isn’t worth rushing.  True happiness takes time. You can’t force it. You have to allow it to happen a little bit at a time.”

Chloe smiled.  “Wise words from an obviously wise man.”

Justin grinned.  “You think I’m wise?”

Chloe giggled.  ‘I told you, anyone who writes lyrics like you do obviously has some semblance of a brain.”

“I do alright.” Justin smirked.

Chloe laughed.  “I’d say you do a fair amount better than just “alright” Mr. 10 Grammys.”

“Not all of those are for songwriting.”

“True.”

It was then that Chloe got a bit more serious.  She had a hunch she knew a least a little bit about what he was in his head about.

“You’re worried you can’t do it anymore, aren’t you?  That it won’t be the same…”

Justin’s eyes widened.  How she could be that intuitive he had no clue.  It was like those emerald green eyes of hers saw straight into his soul.

“How…” He stuttered.

This time it was Chloe with the reassuring smile.  She took a breath then looked up into those blue eyes that were now swimming. 

“This was your 2nd vocal chord surgery, yet you kept this one quiet.  Only those closest to you knew the truth, everyone else just speculated.”

“You knew.” Justin replied.

Chloe shook her head.  “I took an educated guess.  You postponed your tour and you went into hiding.  Then, members of the Tennessee Kids all started tweeting messages of “good luck” on the same day.”

Chloe paused for a moment, but the pause was brief.  Before he had a chance to respond she started again.

“AND…a motorcycle ride at 2 a.m. on a Saturday morning …to me that says trying to get out of your own head.”

Justin nodded.  “I was.”

Chloe smiled up at him again.  “I don’t blame you, but now I have to ask…is it the fear you won’t be able to do it anymore that has you in your head, or is it the worry that you’ll disappoint people if you can’t?”

Justin’s breath caught for a moment.  She’d taken the words he was too afraid to say right from his mouth. 

“Both.” He whispered after a long pause.

Chloe nodded.  “Well, I’m not an E.N.T…”

“E.N.T?”

Chloe smiled.  “Ear, Nose and Throat doctor.”

Justin nodded so Chloe took that as her cue to continue.

“I’m not an E.N.T., but, like I told you, I researched your condition.  Rest is the key…”

Justin opened his mouth to speak but Chloe smiled and shook her head, quieting him quickly.

“I know, I know, you are Justin Timberlake.  You’re always doing about five different things at once…writing, producing, acting, touring, but even Justin Timberlake deserves a break every once in a while.  You need to cut yourself some slack.  Happiness isn’t going to happen if you’re too busy to enjoy it.”

Justin smiled and chuckled a bit.  As much as he was having a hard time admitting it, she was right.

“And I’m the wise one?!”

Chloe giggled.  “I have my moments.”

Justin nodded.  “Ok, now, be serious, what do you want to do today?”

“Well, I have to be at work by 7.” Chloe answered.

“Yeah, I figured as much when you said you were picking up Gabby tomorrow afternoon.”

Chloe smiled at the mention of Gabby and nodded. 

“She’s very curious about you.” Chloe confessed.

Justin grinned.  “Oh yeah?!”

Chloe couldn’t help but giggle.  “Yeah.  She has a ton of questions.”

Justin nodded.  “Don’t most five-year-olds have a ton of questions?”

“Mostly, yes.”

“What does she want to know?”

“Really?!”

Justin nodded and popped a kiss on her lips.  “Absolutely.  I get it.  To her, I’m the new guy taking up all her Mommy’s time.  Of course, she has questions.  I’d be worried if she didn’t.”

“Well, she wanted to know what your name was, and if you were handsome.”

Justin laughed.  “What did you say?”

Chloe blushed.  “I told her the truth.”

“Which was?”

Chloe blushed more if possible.  “I told her that your name was Justin and that I thought you were very handsome.”

Justin grinned.  The way she smiled as she talked about Gabby just made him like her more.

“Good answer.  What else?’ Justin asked, dropping his voice to a whisper.

“Umm…well, she asked what we talked about and if we talked about her.  Again, I told her the truth.  I told her that you were just as curious about her.  Then she asked if you like Sushi.”

Justin chuckled and nodded.  “I do.  Not as much as JC, but I do.”

Chloe nodded and then bit her bottom lip.  This was not where she thought the conversation was going to go but she wasn’t upset about it in the least.

“She knows a little bit about *NSYNC.  She knows each of your names, and can identify you for the most part.  She sometimes gets Joey and Chris confused but she has you, Lance and JC down.  JC is her favorite, and she really likes the video for “It’s Gonna Be Me.”

Justin grinned. 

“She sounds like a smart girl.”

Chloe laughed.  “She’s incredibly smart, sometimes too smart.  I have to remind myself she’s only five.”

Justin could only smile.  “She sounds like a great kid.  I can’t wait to meet her.”

Chloe’s eyes softened.  “You will. Just not yet.  I’m not ready.”

Justin smiled again and reached up to touch her face.  “Like I said, we move at your pace.  I just want you to know I’m ready when you are.”

Chloe nodded and smiled but stayed quiet.

“Now, at the risk of sounding like a broken record I’m going to ask once more, what would you like to do today?”

Chloe bit her lip.  He was being incredibly sweet and charming. 

“Honestly?! This is perfect.  Just talking, getting to know each other.  In surgery, especially trauma surgery there isn’t a lot of conversation.  You’re laser focused on the task at hand.  You have to be.  Then, at home the only people I have to talk to are Gabby and my brother.  Don’t get me wrong, I love them both dearly but having someone who I’m not related to…it’s a nice change from the norm.”

Justin smiled then dipped his head and placed a gentle kiss on her lips.

“Sounds good to me.” He whispered as he pulled away.

Chloe smiled then returned the kiss.

Justin couldn’t help but grin against her kiss.  “I thought we were going to talk.”

“I never said we had to JUST talk…” Chloe started, her smile playful now.

Justin grinned more then rolled himself on top of her. 

“Is this what you had in mind?’ He asked quietly before burying his face in her neck.

“Mmm.” Chloe sighed softly as she felt his lips against her skin.

Chloe’s eyes fluttered closed and she felt her body start to respond to his lips and the feel of him on top of her. 

“You feel good too…DAMN GOOD!” Justin whispered as he continued to nip at her neck.

“Mmm.” Chloe mumbled.

He kissed on her neck for a while before moving his mouth to her collar bone and then between her breasts.  Every nerve ending in Chloe’s body was on fire.  Being with Eddy had NEVER felt like this.  His soft lips felt like heaven against her skin.

Her eyes were closed, her breathing had quickened a bit and the cute little noises she was making made him grin.  Feeling a bit playful Justin closed his mouth over her left breast and gently tugged with his lips.  Chloe immediately gasped and arched her back to meet him.  In the next moment she felt his tongue flick against her as a soft moan escaped her.

“OH!!”

Justin paused for a moment then moved to the right.  Giving her right breast equal attention before trailing his lips down her stomach.

His lips were soft and gentle, his kisses sensual.  She could feel the anticipation building within her.  After several moments of kissing at her stomach Justin changed directions, trailing kisses up her body until reaching her mouth.  His mouth closed over hers, his tongue finding hers as he pushed his hips forward slowly, gently sliding inside of her.

Eddy has always been quick, never lasting more than a few minutes.  Justin was NOTHING like Eddy.  He took his time.  He was slow and attentive, his mouth on hers the entire time.  It was then, in that moment, their bodies merged together, his mouth on hers and the beating of their hearts echoing in her ears that Chloe realized that sex with Eddy was just that, sex, but THIS was different.  This wasn’t just sex. 

Justin had vowed to do his best not to hurt her.  This was his way of showing her he meant it.  The way he was taking great care with her, the slow, steady rhythm of his thrusts, the way he seemed to be meeting her needs before taking care of his own.  THIS was the way it was supposed to feel.  Justin was making love to her whereas Eddy never did.

3 dates.  Not even a full month.  Almost, but not quite.  Could she be in love so soon?  Could he?  True, she’d been divorced for over a year and things had been over between Chloe and Eddy for a while before that, but even things with Eddy hadn’t progressed this quickly.  Then again, this felt different than anything she’d ever experienced from the very beginning.  From the moment she’d pulled his helmet off that night Chloe had known that her life would never be the same.  You didn’t save someone’s life on the side of the road and not have it change, regardless of who the person was.

Chloe took in a deep breath and tried to slow her mind, to calm her thoughts.  She was overthinking it. 

“Take it slow.  Enjoy it.” She reminded herself.

It was time she took her own advice.

It was then as she was trying to “get out of her own head” as she’d put it, that Justin decided to switch gears.  He must have sensed that she was distracted, or that he was losing the connection because without so much as a word he took his left hand, slid it up her right leg and then hooked his arm beneath her knee, lifting it off the mattress and tilting her hips just enough for him to go a bit deeper inside. 

Chloe’s back arched again and she felt her hands grip the sheets as she gasped.

“Are you ok?” Justin whispered.

Chloe nodded but didn’t speak.

“Do you want to stop?” He asked, his own voice shaking a bit.

Chloe shook her head but stayed quiet.

“Open your eyes for me?” He pleaded softly.

Slowly, her eyes fluttered open and she met his gaze.  His eyes were on fire.  It made her breath catch in her throat and a shiver spread throughout her body from her head to her toes.  Nope!  Edward Anthony Hunter was no Justin Randall Timberlake.  There was no comparison.  Of that much Chloe was certain.

For a long time after they stayed quiet.  Chloe’s head was resting comfortably on Justin’s chest and he was gently playing with a few strands of her hair, lost in his own thoughts.

He was thinking about her and the way he felt when he was with her.  There was just something about her that calmed him.  From the very first time they’d truly met she’d put him at ease. 

“Would you like some coffee?” He asked quietly.

Chloe sighed and smiled.  “Coffee sound wonderful.”

Gently, he slid out from beneath her then stood from the bed.  He was still very much naked and Chloe couldn’t help but blush and giggle a bit.

“What?” Justin asked grinning as he pulled a pair of flannel pajama bottoms on.

“Nothing.  It’s nothing…you’re just…” Chloe said blushing.

“I’m just…” Justin replied, stifling a smile.

“It was dark last night.  I couldn’t see.  I mean…yeah…I’d heard stories…but…” Chloe stuttered.

Justin said nothing but bit his lip and raised an eyebrow, waiting for her to finish.  He could tell that she was rarely flustered or embarrassed so he was enjoying this moment more than he probably should.

“You’re …you’re HOT…ok?! There, I said it.  Happy now?!”

Justin chuckled a bit and nodded.  “Not gonna lie, it’s nice to hear, especially from you, but just so you know, I feel the same way about you.”

Chloe allowed herself to blush a bit more.  “Thank you.”

Justin smiled.  “Just speaking my truth.  Now, how about I go get that coffee?”

“Sounds great.”

Chloe smiled and giggled a bit as she snuggled back down under the covers.  She couldn’t help but listen as he moved around the kitchen.  She heard the coffee maker and him opening the fridge as he hummed to himself.  It seemed so normal. 

Minutes later he returned to the bedroom carrying a mug in each hand.

Chloe sat up in the bed, the sheets pulled over her chest, tucked beneath her arms and reached up for the cup when he offered it to her.

“Thank you.” She said before taking a slow sip.

As soon as the warm liquid hit her lips her eyes widened.  She looked down at the cup and grinned.

“Is this whip cream and nutmeg?” Chloe asked, her eyes sparkling.

Justin couldn’t help but smile back at her.  “Pumpkin spice creamer, whip cream and nutmeg.”

Chloe giggled more.  “So, you’re trying to spoil me?”

Justin chuckled.  “Maybe a little.”

“Just a little?” Chloe challenged.

Justin smirked. “For now.”

“Careful Mr. Timberlake, you may get me to fall for you just yet.” Chloe half teased.

In that moment, Justin was feeling feisty.  She brought that out in him.  “Do you mean I haven’t yet?”

Chloe’s eyes widened.  Yes, they were flirting but she hadn’t expected him to say that.  Truthfully, she didn’t know how she’d expected him to respond but his actual response had never even crossed her mind.  Or, had it?

“Umm…” Chloe stuttered.

“I guess I will have to keep at it then.” Justin said with a wink.

 

Chloe arrived home late that afternoon to find Adam sitting at the kitchen counter with a cup of coffee and a stack of files in front of him.  He was dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, his face covered in stubble and his brow furrowed.

“What’s all this?” Chloe asked bravely.

Adam looked up from his work and grinned.  Chloe was glowing.  Immediately, his eyes widened.  Realization had just set in.

“OH MY GOD!” Adam exclaimed.

“What?!” Chloe replied startled.

“You!” Adam replied still grinning.

“What about me?” Chloe answered.

“You…you and Mr. Sexy Back…”Adam teased.

Chloe made a face.  “Really Adam?!”

Adam kept going.  “So?”

“So what?” Chloe shot back.

Adam grinned.  “How was he?”

Chloe gave him a look.  “OH MY GOD, really?!”

Adam couldn’t help himself.  He was enjoying this a bit more than he should, but he hadn’t seen this particular look on Chloe in a very long time!

“That good, huh?!” Adam teased.

Chloe blushed and bit her lip.  Adam immediately noticed.

“Better than Eddy?” Adam continued.

Chloe blushed more.  “No comparison.”

“I’m so proud!” Adam laughed.

“Shut up!” Chloe exclaimed giggling.

Adam sobered a bit and then smiled up at his sister again.

“You look happy.  I approve.”

Chloe blushed.  “I think I am.”

Adam “You think?”

Chloe sighed and slumped down on the bench next to her brother.

“It feels different this time, and I know that’s not necessarily a bad thing, but I can’t help but wonder if this is too good to be true.”

Adam sighed a little too.  “I would say stop worrying so much, but I also know you, and I know why you’re worried.  What you’re feeling is completely normal given the circumstances.  A little bit of caution is healthy, but don’t let it take over.  I mean, it’s obvious there’s something there between you. “

Chloe made a face.  “It’s obvious? How is it obvious? You’ve never met him.”

Adam laughed at this.  “Your face! The way you talk about him. The way you blush when I so much as mention him.  I mean, yeah, I know you’ve had a bit of “Fantasy crush” on him since you were a kid but ever since that night you seem like a much happier person.  You seem like the Chloe I remember.”

Chloe’s eyes widened.  “Really?!”

Adam grinned. “Yes, really!”

“Am I crazy?” Chloe wondered aloud.

Adam chuckled.  “No. Why? Because you just happen to be falling for one of the biggest Pop stars in the world?”

Chloe made a face.  “See, it sounds crazy.”

“No, it doesn’t.  Pop star or not, he’s still a guy.  A single, attractive, intelligent guy.  Nothing wrong with that.”

“So, you approve?’ Chloe replied.

Adam grinned.  “If he makes you happy, then yes, I approve.”

“Good to know.”

“Don’t get me wrong…he hurts you and I’ll kick his ass, but for now, yeah…I approve.” Adam replied.

Chloe giggled and nodded.  “Understood.”

Adam grinned more.  “Now what?”

Chloe raised an eyebrow.  “What do you mean?”

“What’s next?”

Chloe gave him a puzzled look.  “Next I am going to go get a shower and get ready for work.”

Adam laughed.  “Well, I figured as much, but that’s not what I meant.”

“Then what did you mean?” Chloe asked, huffing a bit.

“With you and Justin?  What’s next?”

Chloe screwed up her face in thought.  To be honest, she wasn’t sure what came next.  When she and Eddy first started dating things were much simpler.  No job, no child, no responsibilities other than school. 

“I don’t know…I was thinking I might invite him over here for dinner sometime.”

Adam’s eyes widened.  “To meet Gabby?!”

Chloe shook her head emphatically.  “Not yet.  I’m not quite ready for that yet, but soon.”

“In other words, you want me to watch Gabby.” Adam said with a wink.

Chloe shook her head.  “Not necessarily.  Mom and Dad have offered to take her on the weekend every now and then.  I think they like having kids in the house again and my resurrected social life gives them a good excuse.”

Adam chuckled.  “When were you thinking?”

Chloe sighed.  “I don’t know.  Friday maybe.  I know you’ll be in court so Mom said she would pick Gabby up from school.  So long as I don’t get stuck in surgery I could come home, make dinner, and then have him over around 7:30.”

A sly smile crept across Adam’s face.  Because her work schedule was so chaotic and very unpredictable at times, he was the one that did the majority of the cooking in the house. 

“You’re going to cook?! What are you going to make?”

Chloe shrugged.  “I don’t know.  I hear he likes Italian so I was thinking maybe I would make Grandma’s recipe for Braciole.”

Adam’s eyes widened.

“Braciole?!  Wow!  You do like him, don’t you?” Adam teased.

Chloe blushed.  “Maybe a little.”

Adam snorted.  “A little?! You’re making Braciole! I’d say you like him more than a little.  Are you going to save some for me?”

Chloe smirked.  “We’ll see.”

Adam laughed.  “Ok, I will tell you what.  Write a list of what you need.  I’ll do the shopping for you, but on the condition that you save some for me.  I’ll even volunteer to make myself scarce on Friday night.”

Chloe giggled.  “How kind of you.”

***

“Where you off to in such a rush?” Nurse Liz called after Chloe.

Chloe cracked a smile as she handed off a patient chart to the nurse. 

“I have to get home.” Chloe explained.

“Gabby waiting?”

Chloe smiled more.  “Umm…no…I’m having a friend over for dinner.”

“A friend? Is this friend male?” Liz asked grinning.

Chloe couldn’t help but blush.  “Maybe.”

“Are you cooking?” Liz continued, her eyes glinting.

“I’m going to try.”

“What time is he coming over?” Liz asked.

“7:30.”

Liz’s eyes widened.  “Better get going before another surgery comes in.”

“I’m going.” Chloe giggled as she slung her bag over her shoulder.

Once at her apartment Chloe began to scramble.  She wanted everything to be ready before Justin got there.

After setting her bag down in the bedroom Chloe made her way to the kitchen.  The one nice thing about making her Grandmother’s recipe for Braciole was that you could start it in the crockpot.  After stirring the sauce a bit, and checking on the meat it was back to the bedroom to get a shower and get ready.

Chloe felt like she was scrambling and the butterflies in her stomach were going wild.  She couldn’t remember the last time she’d made dinner for a guy that wasn’t her brother or had someone over to the house.

When the doorbell rang Chloe jumped. 

As soon as she opened the door Chloe felt her breath catch in her throat.  He was dressed in dark wash jeans, a dark grey, v-neck sweater and a dark grey peacoat.  In his hands, a bouquet of roses and a bottle of wine.

“Hi.” Justin said smiling.

Chloe blushed and tried to calm the butterflies.

“Hi.”

“These are for you.” Justin said handing over the flowers and the wine.

“Thanks.” Chloe replied, taking the items from him.

Chloe blushed and bit her bottom lip as she ushered Justin into the house.  As soon as he stepped through the door his eyes went wide and smile started to tug at the corners of his mouth.  Something smelled delicious.

“Wow!” Justin breathed out.

“What?” Chloe asked.

Justin smiled.  He could tell she was a tad nervous.

“You look…amazing!  Also, it smells wonderful!”

Chloe looked down at herself and blushed a bit.  She’d picked this outfit on purpose, because she loved it but rarely got an excuse to wear it.  She was wearing a pair of dark denim jeans and a faux cashmere sweater in dark purple that came off her shoulders.  It was soft, super soft and it was comfortable, but sexy at the same time. 

“Cute slippers.” Justin said noticing her feet.

Chloe blushed.  “Umm…thanks…I figured I was at home so, why not?”

On her feet were a pair of fuzzy slippers that looked like moose or reindeer, he wasn’t sure, but on her they were adorable.

“No judgement here.” Justin chuckled.

Chloe giggled slightly.  “I know, I know, they don’t really go with the outfit, but I’m home and after being on my feet all day I wanted to be comfortable.”

Justin grinned.  “Like I said, no judgement.  On you, they look good.”

Chloe simply nodded.  There was an awkward pause that followed.  They were still standing just inside the door.  He was looking down at her, his blue eyes sparkling and his lips curled into a soft smile.  It was making her slightly giddy.

“Is it just us?” Justin asked, clearing his throat a little.

Chloe nodded.  “Adam was going back to his office after court to go over notes, then he and some friends were going to go out.  Gabby is with my parents for the evening.”

Justin cracked a smile. “Do you want to show me around?”

Chloe bit her lip and nodded.  “Sure.  Let me just go put these in some water and put the wine in the wine cellar.”

Justin made a face.  “You have a wine cellar?”

Chloe laughed.  “Yes and no.  We have one of those free-standing refrigerators for wine.  Adam insisted on getting one when he moved in.  I said, “fine” but he had to buy it and install it himself.”

Justin chuckled.  “I see.”

Justin followed Chloe to the kitchen, his eyes taking everything in.  Her house felt cozy and warm.  The décor was Farmhouse style, which he hadn’t expected but it definitely suited her.  The kitchen cabinets were white, the countertops grey marble and all the appliances were stainless steel.  It was clean too.  Very clean.  In fact, if he hadn’t known he would have never guessed that a five-year-old even lived here.

It was then, as he was standing in the kitchen, taking in his surroundings that he spied it on the fridge, a picture of a little girl with dirty blonde hair, hazel eyes and the cutest smile.  A smile that reminded him of Chloe.  The little girl had to be Gabby.

“Is this Gabby?” Justin asked motioning to the photo.

Chloe smiled and nodded.  “That’s her.  It’s her Fall school photo.”

Justin smiled at Chloe.  “She’s beautiful…just like her mother.”

Chloe made a face.  “She looks a lot like her father.”

Justin grinned and shook his head.  “I see you.  Her smile. Her cute little nose.  I bet she has your sass too.”

Chloe laughed.  “Oh, she does.  I swear she’s five going on fifteen.”

Justin chuckled.  “I’ve heard that happens, particularly with little girls.”

Chloe smiled and nodded as she busied herself with putting the flowers in a vase.  He really was as charming as she’d imagined he would be.

Once she finished, she turned and looked up at him again.  He was watching her intently, his eyes completely fixed on her and a flirty smile tugging at his lips.  It made her suck in a breath.

“So, this is the kitchen.” Chloe explained giggling a bit.

Justin grinned.  “Yeah, I got that from the smell.  It smells AMAZING!”

Chloe bit her lip and nodded.  “I hope it tastes as good as it smells. It’s my grandmother’s recipe for Braciole.  I don’t make it very often.”

“Braciole?” Justin repeated confused.

“Have you not ever heard of Braciole?”

Justin shook his head.  “Can’t say that I have, but it sounds delicious.”

Chloe grinned.  “You are a world traveler who claims to love Italian food and you’ve never had Braciole?!”

Justin chuckled.  “Nope.”

“You don’t know what you’re missing.”

Justin chuckled more and shook his head.  “Obviously not! What is it?”

Chloe beamed.  “It’s thinly sliced, stuffed steak.”

“I’m sure it will be wonderful.”

“I certainly hope so.”

Justin shook his head and smiled at her.  “Like I said, it smells wonderful so I really doubt it’s going to taste bad.”

Chloe smiled.  “Would you like to see the rest of the house?”

“I’d love to.”

Without even thinking Chloe took Justin’s hand and began to lead him from the kitchen.  Justin smiled when his hand met hers.  It felt comfortable.  Normal even.  Like her hand was meant for his. 

Chloe led him back to the living room first.  A long, dark grey sectional couch faced the wall mounted, flat screen tv.  Underneath the TV a white wood entertainment center with a dark wood top.  It was very Farmhouse but it fit the room perfectly and it matched the coffee table as well. 

It was as Justin was looking around the room that he noticed there was no Christmas tree.

“Where is your tree?”

Chloe blushed.  “Umm…well…that’s a family thing…Eddy and I used to take Gabby out and let her pick the tree.  Then, last year, it was Adam, and I, but this year Adam is in the middle of a really big case and I’ve been super busy…”

Justin nodded. “What’s your schedule like this week?”

Chloe gave him a puzzled look.  She wasn’t sure where he was going with this but she was going to give him the benefit of the doubt.

“Umm…today is Friday.  I am On Call tomorrow night but off Sunday then I work 7-5 Monday, I’m On Call Tuesday night, I have Wednesday off and I work 7-5 Thursday and Friday.”

Justin grinned and shook his head.  Yes, he typically had a busy schedule, and it was never the same week to week, but her schedule made his head hurt. 

“What are you doing Sunday?” Justin continued.

Chloe made another face.  “Umm…I don’t know…sleeping …”

“Do you typically sleep all day after an On Call shift?”

Normally, Chloe might have been offended by his implication but something about the look in his eyes told her to stand down, that his intentions for asking were pure.  However, that didn’t mean she was going to let him off the hook completely.

“I have a five-year-old, what do you think?” Chloe smirked.

Justin bit his lip and tried not to laugh.  He loved her sass but understood why she was a bit on the defensive considering his question.

“I promise you, I meant nothing by that, I was just trying to figure out if you were busy on Sunday.  If you had anything else planned.” Justin explained.

Chloe’s expression softened. 

“No.  No plans.”

Justin grinned.  “Then what would you say to me taking you and Gabby out Christmas tree shopping?”

Chloe’s eyes widened.  Her jaw dropped.  She didn’t know how to respond.

“I know I said you were in charge, that we would move at your pace but I like you, I like you A LOT.  I want to get to know you, and getting to know you means getting to know Gabby too.  I know you are worried about bringing someone knew into Gabby’s life, how it will affect her if it doesn’t work out, but I have no intention of going anywhere, not so long as you let me stick around.”

Chloe opened her mouth to speak, then abruptly shut it again.  She was speechless.  They’d been dating for several weeks now, quite possibly a month, she couldn’t be sure.  She’d lost track and he’d been extremely understanding up to this point. 

“I won’t be offended or upset in the least if you say “no.” I promised we would move at your pace, that I would never intentionally do anything to hurt you or Gabby, I am just putting it out there.  I’m ready whenever you are.” Justin continued when she didn’t respond.

Chloe swallowed the lump that had appeared in her throat.

“Umm…well…like I said, it’s a family thing…” Chloe stammered.

Justin nodded.  “And I totally respect that.”

Chloe managed a weak smile.  “What I mean is…I’d have to ask her…”

Justin grinned.  “I can respect that too.”

“I’ll ask her tomorrow when I pick her up from my parents’ house and get back to you, is that ok?”

Justin grinned more and nodded.  “Sounds perfect.”

“Thank you.” Chloe managed.

Justin nodded.  “Of course.”

“Should we continue the tour?” Chloe asked nervously.

“I’d like that.”

Smiling and taking his hand again Chloe guided him through the house.  She motioned to the door to Adam’s room, then moved on to Gabby’s room.  It was totally a little girl’s room.  Disney Princess decals on the wall.  A Frozen 2 Comforter and pillow on the bed but it was what was above her bed that made him smile.

“Hmm, wonder where she got that poster?” Justin asked grinning as he nodded to the No Strings Attached poster.

Chloe blushed.  “She found it in some of my old stuff and insisted I hang it up.”

“That hair, OH MY GOD! What was I thinking?” Justin chuckled.

Chloe giggled.  “It wasn’t so bad.  The previous hair-a, now that’s different.”

“Hair-a?” Justin asked raising an eyebrow.

“Hair era.” Chloe explained.

Justin laughed.  “What was wrong with my hair then?’

Chloe blushed.  ‘The bleached blonde ramen noodles never really did it for me.”

Justin snorted.  “Oh?!”

“I much prefer the look you’re sporting now.”

“Is that so?” Justin replied grinning.

“Is it a problem?” Chloe teased.

“Nope.  No complaints here.”

Chloe blushed a bit more.  “Are you hungry yet?”

Justin nodded.  “I could eat.”

“C’mon, the noodles should be just about perfect by now.”

“Noodles?’

“I usually serve Braciole over linguini noodles.  It’s the way my Grandma use to do it.”

“Sounds delicious, but what about the tour? I haven’t seen your room yet.”

Chloe bit her lip and tried not to blush again.  “Maybe AFTER dinner, if you’re good.”

Justin laughed.  “I’ll be on my best behavior.”

Ten minutes later they were seated at the dining room table.  Chloe had done her best to set the mood.  She’d dimmed the lights and lit candles and there was soft holiday music playing in the background.

“This is AMAZING!” Justin said between bites.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome…but now you’ve kind of ruined it for me.”

Chloe’s jaw dropped.  He’d just said it was amazing and now he was saying she “ruined” it.

Justin noticed her expression and couldn’t help but chuckle.  “What I mean is…now I can’t order this the next time I’m in Italy because I know it won’t be as good.  I’ll always compare it to yours.”

“Oh, I am sure there are people in Italy who can make it better.”

“Nope. Homemade is always best.”

Chloe giggled.  “Fair enough.”

For the rest of the meal, they chatted and ate happily.  It was perfect.  No pressure.  Just two people enjoying each other’s company.  In fact, neither could remember a time they’d felt this relaxed or comfortable on a date.

After dinner they settled in the living room in front of the fire casually sipping on wine.  The music still playing softly in the background. 

Justin had just taken a sip of his wine when a familiar melody registered in his brain.  His eyes widened a bit and he couldn’t help but smile bashfully over at Chloe.

“I think I’ve heard this one before.” Justin teased.

Chloe giggled.  “I just typed “Christmas music” into the Spotify search.  It’s not my playlist.”

“Sure, it isn’t.  So, then you don’t own “Home for Christmas?”

Chloe laughed more.  “I never said that.  I said this wasn’t my playlist.  I think you’d be hard pressed to find an *NSYNC fan who doesn’t own “Home for Christmas.”

Justin laughed.  “Touche.  Well played.  So, then, what’s your favorite song?”

“Not “Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays.” Chloe smirked.

Justin smiled and shook his head.  “I would have never guessed that.”

“All I Want is You (This Christmas)” Chloe answered.

Justin bit his lip and nodded.  “I’ll have to remember that.”

 

Saturday afternoon Chloe took a train to the Bronx to pick up Gabby. 

“Hey there Bug.” Chloe said smiling as her mother opened the door.

Immediately, Gabby jumped into her mother’s arms.

“Mommy!” Gabby exclaimed.

Chloe hugged her daughter tightly for a moment before pulling away.  One of the hardest parts about being a single mom, or just a mom, was the guilt.  Any time Chloe did something for herself she felt guilty about leaving Gabby.

“Did you have fun with Grandma and Grandpa?” Chloe asked smiling.

Gabby nodded.  “We made hot chocolate and popcorn and watched “The Santa Clause.”

Chloe smiled.  “I love that movie.”

“Did you know that there is a “Santa Clause 2?”

Chloe giggled and nodded.  “I did.”

“Can we watch it sometime?”

Chloe couldn’t help but smile more.  “Sure, just maybe not today.  Mommy has to go to work tonight so you and Uncle Adam will be hanging out.”

“What about tomorrow?” Gabby replied, her eyes wide.

Chloe bit her lip and tried not to blush.

“Umm…well…I wanted to talk to you about tomorrow…” Chloe started to explain.

“What’s happening tomorrow?” Gabby asked.

Chloe felt her cheeks go warm.  She was definitely blushing.

“Yes, what is happening tomorrow?’ Her mother added noticing her daughter’s expression.

Chloe just giggled.  “Umm…well…WE have been invited to go Christmas Tree shopping?”

Chloe’s mother was grinning from ear to ear.  She knew by the look on her daughter’s face whom the invitation was from.  Gabby did not.

“Who invited us?” Gabby wondered out loud.

“My friend.” Chloe explained.

“Your new guy friend?’ Justin?” Gabby continued.

Chloe nodded. 

“What about Uncle Adam?” Gabby replied.

Chloe bit her lip.  “Uncle Adam is still working on that big case.  He has to go to court on Monday so he said he was going to go to the office for a few hours tomorrow.”

Gabby bit her lip, just like her mother causing both older women to smile. 

“So, it would be me, you and your friend…” Gabby started.

“Yup…but only if that’s ok with you.” Chloe explained.

Gabby was quiet for a long time and although the anticipation was killing Chloe, she would give her daughter all the time she needed to process.

“Can we get hot chocolate?”

Chloe grinned.  “I think that can be arranged.”

“He wants me to come?” Gabby asked nervously.

Chloe cracked a smile.  She completely understood why Gabby was hesitant but Justin had it right.  Getting to know her meant getting to know Gabby too.  They were a package deal and it was time that they met.

“It was his idea!”

Gabby’s eyes were wide.

“So, he likes kids?” Gabby continued.

Chloe smiled and nodded.  “He does.”

“Do you think he will like me?” Gabby replied, her tone hopeful.

“I think he’s going to love you.”

“Ok.” Gabby replied nodding.

“Ok?” Chloe repeated.

Gabby nodded again.  “We can go tree shopping with your friend tomorrow.”

Chloe grinned.  “Ok!”

***

Saturday night at the hospital was a busy one.  Chloe was in surgery almost all night.  It was snowing in New York and with the snow came slick roads and therefore car accidents.  By the time Chloe left the hospital Sunday morning she was exhausted.  Thankfully, everyone in the house was still asleep when she returned home. 

Quietly, she tip-toed down the hallway to her bedroom.  After a long, hot shower Chloe pulled on a t-shirt and a clean pair of pajama bottoms and crawled into bed.  She was hoping for at least a few hours of sleep before she had to get up and get ready. 

Thank goodness for Adam. He made breakfast and lunch and made sure Gabby was ready for the day so that Chloe could sleep. Shortly before 1 p.m. Chloe got up and got ready for the day. She was excited and a bit nervous all at once. She was looking forward to seeing Justin but also a bit nervous about his first meeting with Gabby. She really wanted it to go well. Chloe wanted her relationship with Justin to continue but didn’t see how that was possible if he and Gabby didn’t get along for some reason.

 Taking a deep breath Chloe took one last look at herself in the mirror and then headed for the kitchen. The scene she was met with was not at all what she expected. Gabby was seated at the kitchen counter on a stool, swinging her legs back and forth as she sang along to the video on the kitchen television while Adam was trying his best to pull her hair back into a pony tail.

Nothin’ I can see but you when you dance, dance, dance

Feel a good, good creepin’ up on you

So just dance, dance, dance

 On the screen there was Justin dancing, dressed all in white. Chloe couldn’t help but laugh a little.

“What’s going on here?” Chloe giggled.

 Adam looked over at his sister and huffed a little.

“I was TRYING to get her ready for you but someone is being a wiggle worm.”

 Chloe had to fight not to laugh at her brother. “She’s excited.”

Adam made a face. “You think?!”

Chloe ignored the face and nodded to the screen.

 “And what’s this? Are you prepping your client?”

 Adam’s eyes went wide. “She doesn’t know?!”

“No.” Chloe answered. “

You didn’t tell her?” Adam shot back.

 “No.”

“Why not?” Adam asked shaking his head with a smirk.

“How exactly do you suggest I explain this to a five-year-old?” Chloe snapped.

Adam chuckled. “Ok, you may have a point, but seriously, she’s a really smart kid and she’s not blind. She’s going to figure it out.”

Chloe sighed and nodded. “She is smart, and I know, but I didn’t want her to be nervous or put any ideas in her head ahead of time. This is new for her, and for me, I am kind of figuring it out as I go.”

Adam smiled then quickly hugged his sister. “It’s going to be fine.”

 “I certainly hope so.”

Adam smirked a bit. “I get it, you’re in “mom” mode. It’s your job to worry, but promise me you’ll try to have fun today. If she sees you having fun then she will.”

 Chloe opened her mouth to respond but the doorbell rang before the words could come out.

“Let me get that.” Adam said with a wink.

Chloe laughed. “No way!”

“Oh, come on.” Adam teased.

“Not a chance. I don’t want to scare him off.”

“I’m not scary.” Adam scoffed.

 “You can be.” Chloe giggled.

Adam laughed. “Like I said, he’s not JC.”

 Chloe just rolled her eyes and made a face before turning to Gabby.

 “Go put on your shoes and get your jacket. “

“Ok, Mommy.” Gabby said before darting down the hall.

Moments later Chloe was opening the front door.  Standing on the other side was Justin.  He was dressed warmly, but casually in a dark blue sweater and a pair of jeans.  On his feet a pair of Nike tennis shoes.  He was also wearing a wool lined denim jacket and his beard and moustache were freshly groomed. 

Chloe’s heart skipped a beat.  Then she noticed the drink tray in his hands.

“Peppermint white mocha, right?” He asked grinning.

Chloe grinned.  “Yes, thank you.”

At that moment thundering footsteps echoed down the hall and then a tiny person appeared at Chloe’s side.  She was dressed almost exactly like her mother.  A pair of dark wash jeans; khaki brown, lace-up boots; a khaki brown cardigan and a red, long sleeve shirt underneath.  Her hair was pulled back in a pony tail and her hazel eyes were wide as she looked up at him.

“Mommy?!” Gabby said, her tone confused.

Chloe could only imagine what Gabby was thinking at the moment. 

“What’s up Bug?” Chloe asked, trying not to smile.

“Mommy, is this your friend?” Gabby asked cautiously.

Chloe smiled.  “It is.  Gabby this is Justin.  Justin this is my daughter, Gabby.”

Justin smiled then kneeled down so that he was at Gabby’s level.

“Hi there.  It’s nice to finally meet you, Gabby.” Justin said smiling at her.

Gabby looked from Justin to her mother and then back again. 

“Mommy, this is Justin Timberlake.” Gabby said seriously.

Chloe tried not to laugh.  “It is.”

Justin looked up at Chloe, his eyes wide.

“You didn’t tell her?”

Chloe blushed.  “I didn’t know how.  I didn’t want her to freak out ahead of time.”

Justin nodded.  Although it made things a bit more awkward, he completely understood why Chloe had withheld certain information from her daughter.

“Hey Gabby, I hear you like hot chocolate.” Justin said, still smiling at her.

Gabby nodded.

“What about Peppermint hot chocolate, do you like that?” Justin asked carefully.

Gabby looked thoughtful.  “I don’t know, I’ve never tried it.”

Justin grinned.  “Hmm.  Well, I have some here, just for you, if you want to try it.”

Gabby looked up at her mother, her eyes searching for an answer.

Chloe smiled and nodded.  “It’s fine with me.”

“Ok.” Gabby said smiling.

Justin handed her the cup then waited patiently as she took a sip.

As soon as the warm liquid hit her taste buds Gabby couldn’t help but grin.

“This is really good, thank you.” Gabby said politely.

“You’re welcome.” Justin said, inwardly sighing with relief.

“You sound like Branch.” Gabby blurted out.

Justin chuckled and nodded.  “You think so?”

Gabby nodded emphatically. 

Justin grinned and leaned in close.  “Can you keep a secret?”

Gabby eyed him skeptically.  “Maybe.”

“Ok, but I am trusting you, Gabby.  You can’t tell anyone, except your mom.”

Gabby looked from Justin to her mother.  She was beyond curious. Chloe nodded at her daughter reassuringly.

“I am Branch.” Justin whispered.

Gabby’s eyes went wide as saucers.  “But how?”

Chloe laughed.  “Gabby, sweetie, do you remember how I told you that there are real people who do the voice for cartoons? They go into a studio and record the voice and then it gets added to the cartoon.”

Gabby nodded.

“Well, Justin does the voice for Branch.  When you see Branch talking on the screen that’s Justin’s voice.”

Gabby looked to Justin for confirmation.

Justin nodded and smiled.  “Your Mom is right.”

“So, then do you know Guy Diamond?” Gabby asked, her smile evident.

Justin chuckled a bit more.  “I do.  He’s a friend.  Is he your favorite Troll?”

Gabby grinned and nodded.  Meanwhile, Chloe couldn’t help but laugh.

“Don’t feel too bad, it’s the glitter.  She has a thing about glitter.”

Justin grinned.  “Got it.”

“Branch is too sad and grumpy all the time.  I don’t like to be sad and grumpy.”

Justin bit his lip and did his best to hide his smile.  Only five minutes and he adored this little girl already.

“He is pretty sad and grumpy, isn’t he?” Justin replied.

Gabby nodded.

“Well, I promise I’m not.  Especially not when I get to go Christmas tree shopping with two lovely ladies like you and your Mommy.”

He was being absolutely adorable with Gabby and it was making Chloe melt right there in the doorway.

Justin looked up at Chloe and smiled.  She looked amazing as always and he liked the matching outfit with Gabby. 

“I found a Christmas tree lot just a couple blocks from here.  They had quite a few trees left.  We could easily walk there…if you ladies are up for it.” Justin explained.

Chloe looked down at her daughter.  “What do you think Gabby? Do you want to go for a walk?”

Gabby screwed up her face in thought.  “Is it cold?”

Justin cracked a smile.  “Not too bad.  You’ve got a sweater and a jacket so you should be good.”

“Ok.” Gabby said nodding.

“We are leaving.” Chloe called back to her brother.

“Ok, have fun.” Adam replied from the kitchen.

“Your brother’s here?” Justin asked as he stood up.

Chloe nodded.  “Yeah, but he’s getting ready to leave.  He’s in the middle of a really big case and Opening Arguments start tomorrow so he was going to go in to the office to go over things with his 2nd Chair.”

Justin chuckled a bit.  “Apparently hard working is a family trait as well.”

“Something like that.” Chloe giggled.

Once they were out of the apartment and walking down the street Chloe found her voice again.

“Thank you for the coffee, and the hot chocolate.” Chloe said smiling.

Justin grinned and nodded before taking a sip of his own drink.  “It was my pleasure.  I’m just glad I remembered your drink order.”

Chloe grinned back.  “Me too.  Did you order an extra shot?”

Justin nodded.  “I did.  I figured after being On Call last night you probably needed the extra boost.”

Chloe beamed.  “Yes! I did! It was so busy last night.  I think I did four surgeries.”

“Did you get any sleep?’ Justin asked, his eyes and his voice full of concern.

Chloe shook her head.  “Yes, and no.  I didn’t get any sleep at the hospital but once I got home, I crashed for about 5 hours.”

“That’s better than I expected.” Justin replied.

“Me too.  Thank goodness for Adam.”

“It’s good you have him.”

Chloe smiled wistfully and nodded.  “I’d be lost without him.”

Just then Gabby joined the conversation.  She’d been walking beside her mother, hand in hand, holding her hot chocolate cup with her free hand and taking in the sights but had remained quiet.

“Umm…Jus…I mean…umm…Mr. Timber…umm Sir…what do you want me to call you?” Gabby stuttered.

Justin chuckled slightly.  He didn’t want to seem like he was laughing at her but he couldn’t help himself.

“Justin is fine.  What’s up Gabby?  It is ok if I call you Gabby?”

Gabby smiled and nodded.  “You can call me Gabby.”

“Ok, what did you want to say Gabby?” Justin continued.

Gabby stopped briefly and looked up at Justin, so Chloe and Justin stopped too.

“Well, I was just wondering…about your video…”

“Which one?” Justin answered biting his lip.

“Can’t Stop the Feeling.  You have more?’ Gabby replied, her eyes growing wide.

“A few.” Justin chuckled.

“May I see them?” Gabby asked, looking to her mother.

“Umm…well…” Chloe giggled.

Gabby sighed and made a face.  “Oh, let me guess, they’re not appropriate.”

Justin laughed and shook his head.  “Some of them are, but some aren’t.  I’ll let your mom decide which ones she’ll let you watch, but what did you want to ask about?”

“Did you really ride on the shopping cart or did you just pretend to for the video?’ Gabby asked seriously.

Chloe gave Justin a warning look then tried not to laugh.

Justin laughed.  Her curiosity was absolutely adorable.

“I really did.” Justin said smiling.

Gabby immediately placed her hands on her hips and gave her mother a look.

“How come he can do it and I can’t?” Gabby exclaimed.

Chloe had to fight back her laughter and try to appear serious.  “Because he’s a grown-up and because the store was mostly empty so there was no one to run into with the cart.”

Gabby appeared to pout for a moment, but only briefly. 

“You’re a really good dancer.” Gabby blurted out after several quiet moments.

“Thank you.” Justin answered smiling.

“Did my Mommy really help you?” Gabby asked, again changing the subject abruptly.

Justin cracked a wistful smile and nodded.  “She did.  I was hurt pretty bad and your Mommy helped fix me.”

“I’m glad.” Gabby said smiling.

Justin smiled back at her then looked to Chloe briefly.  “Me too.”

Just a few minutes later they arrived at the Tree lot and immediately Gabby was dragging Chloe towards the back of the lot where the bigger trees were.

“Gabby, these are too big, they would never fit through the door.” Chloe laughed.

“I want a big tree.” Gabby insisted.

Justin laughed.  “Oh yes, you definitely need a big tree, the bigger the better.”

Chloe just giggled and shook her head at Justin.  Seeing him interact with Gabby was the best thing she’d seen in a really long time.

“Fine, we can get a big tree, but it has to fit in the apartment.” Chloe conceded laughing.

“Deal!” Gabby exclaimed.

“You two are trouble together.” Chloe teased as she and Justin followed Gabby through the rows of trees.

“I promise I won’t corrupt her too much.” Justin teased back.

“Thank you.” Chloe laughed.

Then things took a bit more serious tone.

“Chloe, she’s amazing!  Really. She’s a great kid.”

Chloe cracked a smile.  “Thanks.  I’m just glad to see her having fun and enjoying herself.  She’s been through a lot over the past year.  She deserves to be happy.”

Without giving it a second thought Justin reached for Chloe’s hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.

“So does her mother.” He whispered.

Chloe looked up at Justin and tried to not tear up.  Seeing Justin interact with Gabby, being there with him, the feel of her hand in his.  It was almost more than she could handle. 

“I found it Mommy!  This is the one!” Gabby squealed from the end of the row.

Justin cleared his throat and gave Chloe’s hand another squeeze but didn’t let go. 

“Should we go check it out?” Justin asked quietly.

Chloe simply nodded.  Hand in hand they walked to where Gabby was standing, jumping up and down in place in front of her chosen tree.

“Wow! Nice tree! Are you sure this is the one?’ Justin asked grinning.

“Yup! It’s perfect!” Gabby exclaimed.

It was a beautiful tree! Big, and full, and just the right shape.  However, Chloe wasn’t completely convinced that it was going to fit in her apartment.

“I don’t know Bug…I’m not sure it will fit.” Chloe replied.

“Then let’s measure it.” Gabby said seriously.

Chloe made a face.  “Measure it? How? We don’t have a tape measure.”

“Yes, we do.” Gabby said as she pulled a small tape measure from her jacket pocket.

It was all Justin could do to keep from busting out laughing.  Yes, Gabby was definitely her mother’s daughter.

“Where did you get that?” Chloe asked as she tried to smother a smile.

“The toolbox in the laundry room.  Uncle Adam said our ceilings are 9ft tall.”

Justin grinned at Gabby.  “We don’t have to measure it.  The tag on the tree should say how tall it is.  As long as it isn’t a 9ft tree you should be fine.”

“Where is the tag?” Gabby asked as she started to search the front of the tree.

“Hmm…let’s look.” Justin replied.

With Justin’s help Gabby quickly found the tag.  It was an 8 ft tree.  This meant that it should fit in the house. 

Gabby immediately looked to her mother.  Chloe had to bite her bottom lip to keep from giggling.   The look on her daughter’s face was priceless.

“This is the one you want?” Chloe asked.

Gabby nodded as a huge grin spread across her face.

“Your sure you don’t want to look around more…just in case…”

Gabby shook her head.  “Nope.  This is the one.”

Chloe smiled.  “Ok.”

Justin grinned.  “I’ve got you Gabby.  Just wait right there, I’ll go find someone to help us out.”

A few moments later Justin returned with a young guy who looked to be in his mid- twenties.

“Do you want it delivered?” The young man asked.

“Yes, please.” Chloe answered as she started to dig in her handbag for her debit card.

“Oh no, I don’t need payment.  It’s been taken care of.  I just need an address.”

Chloe looked to Justin; her eyes wide.

“You didn’t have to do that.” Chloe said.

Justin grinned.  “I did it for Gabby.”

Chloe blushed.  “That was sweet of you, but not necessary.”

“Of course, it was, I can’t have the sweetest girl I know going without a tree.  Just don’t tell my nieces I said that.” Justin said with a grin.

“Your nieces?” Chloe asked looking confused.

“Briahna and Kloey, Joey’s two girls.” Justin answered.

Chloe laughed.  “Oh, right!”

It was weird, when they were together, she didn’t see Justin Timberlake, Pop superstar and former member of *NSYNC.  She just saw Justin.  The guy she was very much falling for.  However, every time she started to relax and forget about his status something snapped her back into reality.  It was a lot to take in.

A little bit later, after making arrangements for the tree to be delivered Justin, Chloe and Gabby started back towards the house.

Chloe took the short walk and Gabby’s preoccupation with the window displays and people watching as an opportunity to talk to Justin about a few things.

“You really didn’t have to pay for the tree.” Chloe said as they walked.

Justin smiled.  “I know, but I really wanted to.  I wanted to do something nice for the both of you.”

Chloe blushed.  “I appreciate it, but please don’t think for one second that I expect that type of stuff from you.  Really, just having you around is enough.”

Justin smiled more and reached for her hand.  “I don’t think that at all. “

There was a quiet moment that followed.  Chloe was trying to figure out the best way to bring up the topic.  In the end, she decided to just go for it.

“What are you doing on Friday night?” Chloe blurted out nervously.

Justin stopped for a moment.  The look on her face was one he hadn’t seen before.  She looked nervous and excited all at once.  It made him smile.

“Umm…this Friday?”

Chloe nodded.  “It’s the work Christmas party…really it’s the hospital fundraiser disguised as a Christmas party.  It’s sort of a formal thing.  Everyone gets dressed up, there is a big auction, dinner and dancing.  They usually hire some lame ass entertainment and give away an award for Doctor of the Year.  Everyone is encouraged to bring a date.  Last year I went solo because…well…but this year I was sort of hoping…”

She was rambling and he found it totally adorable. 

“It’s this Friday?” He asked again.

Chloe nodded.

Justin’s face fell.  “Chloe…I…I want to …”

“But…” Chloe replied sighing sadly. 

“I have something I’ve committed to that night.  I want to be your date, believe me, I do, but this is something I committed to doing weeks ago.  If I could get out of it or reschedule I would…”

Chloe nodded.  “I get it.  I should have asked sooner. I just didn’t want to seem like …”

Justin squeezed her hand and raised her chin to meet his gaze.  “Chloe, please, don’t do that.  You don’t seem any sort of way other than wonderful.”

Chloe forced a smile and nodded.

“Can Justin stay for dinner?” Gabby interrupted, snapping Chloe from her thoughts.

Chloe cracked a real smile.  “That’s up to him.”

Gabby looked up at Justin, giving him her best “Puppy dog” eyes.

“Mr. Justin would you like to stay for dinner?  We’re going to make Pizza.”

Justin grinned.  “Sounds yummy.”

Gabby’s eyes were wide.  “Does that mean you’ll stay?”

Justin chuckled and nodded.  “Sure.  Sounds like fun.”

They spent the rest of the afternoon and early evening just hanging out.  They watched the Santa Clause 2, ate homemade pizzas and played Candyland.  It was perfect, or so Gabby thought.  Justin thought it was pretty perfect too.  In fact, he couldn’t remember a time when he’d had this much fun and although they’d just met, he absolutely adored Gabby.

“Time to get ready for bed.” Chloe said once the movie finished.

“Aww…do I have to?” Gabby grumbled.

“Yes ma’am.  It’s a school night.  Your last week of school before winter break.  You need your rest.”

“Do I have to take a shower?” Gabby replied.

Chloe tried not to laugh.  Gabby’s negotiating tactics were paralleled only by her uncle.

“Yes ma’am.  Like I said, tomorrow is a school day.”

“Aww man.” Gabby grumbled as she shuffled off down the hall.

“I should get going.” Justin said standing to leave.

Chloe smiled.  “You don’t have to rush off.  I mean, unless you have somewhere else to be.”

“Are you asking me to stick around?” Justin replied, biting his bottom lip.

“Only if you want to.” Chloe replied, her cheeks flushing a bit.

“What do you want Chloe?” Justin asked grinning.

“Stay…please.” Chloe said, blushing wildly now.

“Of course.”

“I just need to get Gabby in bed.  It shouldn’t take more than 20 minutes.”

“I think I can manage that long.” Justin teased.

Justin sat quietly, taking in his surroundings a bit more while he waited.  The house was quiet, so quiet that he could plainly hear Chloe helping Gabby get ready for bed.  He heard the sound of her electric toothbrush running and Chloe’s voice as she read to Gabby.  It was a heartwarming sound.

However, it was the sound he heard after Chloe finished reading that caught him completely by surprise.  In fact, the longer he listened the more he began to tear up.  The sound of Chloe’s voice singing drifted down the hallway and as he listened to her sing the familiar song the words took on a whole new meaning. 

Aren't you somethin' to admire?
'Cause your shine is somethin' like a mirror
And I can't help but notice
You reflect in this heart of mine
If you ever feel alone
And the glare makes me hard to find
Just know that I'm always
Parallel on the other side

'Cause with your hand in my hand and a pocket full of soul
I can tell you there's no place we couldn't go
Just put your hand on the glass
I'll be there to pull you through
You just gotta be strong

'Cause I don't wanna lose you now
I'm lookin' right at the other half of me
The vacancy that sat in my heart
Is a space that now you hold
Show me how to fight for now
And I'll tell you, baby, it was easy
Comin' back here to you once I figured it out
You were right here all along

When Chloe stepped back into the living room a few minutes later Justin was trying to swallow back his tears so she wouldn’t see.

“Wow! That was…” Justin stammered as Chloe sat down beside him.

Chloe blushed.  “You heard that?”

Justin cracked a bashful smile.  “Hard not to.”

Chloe nodded and tried to appear unaffected.  “I was pregnant when that song came out.  I started singing it to her at night, before I went to bed, when she was most active.  It seemed to settle her, so I kept doing it, every night.  On nights when I am working Adam has to play it for her.  He tried to sing it once…it didn’t go well.”

“You sound great.”

Chloe smiled.  “Thanks. I’m not you, but…”

Justin shook his head and placed a finger to her lips to silence her.  “It was sweet. I loved it.  I get why you sing it to her.”

“You’re not upset?” Chloe wondered aloud.

Justin’s eyes went wide.  “Upset?! No! Not at all!   I’m flattered, but I do have a question?”

“What’s your question?”

“Gabby’s father…is he…I mean…why doesn’t…” Justin stuttered.

Chloe took a deep breath.  It made sense that he was curious, that he had questions and he deserved the truth but it didn’t make it any easier to talk about.

“As part of the divorce, and custody agreement Eddy…my ex…he had to complete Anger Management classes and agree to counseling.  He refuses.  He still believes he did nothing wrong and that he’s being made the villain.  Until he completes the required number of hours, he’s not permitted to see Gabby in any capacity.”

“Oh.” Justin replied.

“It’s been really hard on Gabby.  She doesn’t understand why her Daddy doesn’t want to get help.”

“I can imagine.” Justin said nodding.

“I keep hoping he’ll come through, for Gabby, but he’s stubborn.”

Justin nodded.  “I’m sorry.  That must be hard on you too.  Is there anything I can do? Anything I can help with?”

Chloe cracked a smile.  He was so sweet and charming and seeing how much he cared made her heart melt even more. 

“You already are!  Truly, seeing you with Gabby today, how kind and gentle you were with her, spending time with both of us…that’s what I needed.”

“Anytime!  I think you’re both stuck with me now.” Justin said grinning.

“No complaints here.” Chloe said before kissing him softly.

 

The night of the Mt. Sinai Hospital Annual Holiday Party/Fundraiser had come.  This year the party was being held at the Four Seasons Hotel and the dress code for the evening was “Black tie.” In other words, it meant that Chloe had to dress up.  Something she hadn’t done in a very long time. 

Truthfully, Chloe had splurged on a dress for the occasion, back when she still had hope that she would have a true “date” for the evening.  Now she wasn’t even sure she wanted to go.  Unfortunately, certain members of the hospital staff, namely her supervisor; Dr. Torres, and the Chief of Surgery had given her the impression that her presence was not up for discussion.  Reluctantly, she resolved herself to attending the festivities and then begged Adam to be her date so she wouldn’t have to show up alone like she’d done the year before.

Then there was Gabby.  Going to the party meant hiring a babysitter, something she hadn’t done since before the divorce.  Her mother and father were out of town for the weekend, celebrating their wedding anniversary on the beach in Hawaii.  Again, Chloe felt unsurmountable guilt about doing something for herself. 

Sighing to herself, Chloe took one last look at herself in the mirror then headed for the living room where Adam was undoubtedly waiting.

When she entered the room, it was just as she expected.  Gabby was on the couch, dressed in her PJ’s, cuddling her stuffed Monkey and a blanket as she waited for the babysitter.  Adam was fussing with his bow tie but stopped abruptly when his eyes landed on his sister.

Chloe looked from Gabby to Adam.  They were both gawking, their jaws nearly on the floor.

“What?!” Chloe exclaimed.

The way Adam and Gabby were both staring at her was making her uneasy!

Adam grinned.  He looked very dapper in a tux but that smile of his was almost devilish.

“Tell me again why Justin couldn’t be your date tonight?’

Chloe sighed.  She hadn’t needed the reminder.

“He had a prior commitment he couldn’t get out of.”

Adam smirked and shook his head.  “His loss!”

“What does that mean?” Chloe replied.

Adam just grinned more.

“Have you looked in the mirror?”

Chloe made a face.  “Yes. Why?”

“You look like a princess, Mommy!” Gabby chimed in.

“Exactly!” Adam smirked.

Chloe immediately blushed.  The dress she was wearing was a soft cream color.  It had a Sweetheart neckline and the straps twisted into one that came across her left shoulder.  The body of the dress was mermaid style with a slit up the left side that came up to her hip.  Her hair was pulled back into a knot and she was wearing a pair of faux diamond, dangle earrings that caught the light reflecting off the sparkles in her dress perfectly.

Chloe smiled and took a breath.  Truth be told, she actually felt pretty but she couldn’t help feel disappointed that Justin couldn’t see her in the dress.

“Thank you, sweetie.”

“I want to go to the fancy party.” Gabby said, her lip puckered in a pout.

Chloe sighed inwardly.  “I know sweetie, and I wish you could, but this party is for grown-ups only.  I promise we will do something fun tomorrow.”

It was then that the babysitter arrived.  She was the daughter of a family friend and in college now, but when she was younger Chloe had babysat her from time to time.

“Wow! Dr. Hunter you look…Wow!” the girl said as she stepped through the doorway.

“Thanks Maggie.” Chloe said trying to hide her blush.

“You look good too Mr. De Luca.”

Adam smiled. “Thanks.”

Chloe looked to her brother and smiled.  He did look good, really good.  True, he was no Justin, but as far as handsome dates went, he more than fit the bill.

“We should get going.” Chloe said before turning to Maggie.

“We will be at the Four Seasons.  The emergency numbers are on the fridge.  Gabby can stay up until 9.  If you need anything please call me.” Chloe explained.

Chloe knew Gabby was in good hands but it didn’t make leaving her any easier.

“I’ve got this Dr. Hunter.  Go have fun.” Maggie answered.

Chloe nodded then leaned down to give her daughter a hug and kiss.

“Be good for Maggie, please.”

Gabby nodded. “I will Mommy.”

The Uber ride to the hotel was quick.  Once inside they followed the signs to the Greenwich Ballroom on the 2nd floor.  Hotel staff were waiting outside the doors to check coats and greet guests.

“Name please?” A concierge asked.

“Dr. Chloe Hunter and guest.” Chloe answered.

The Concierge looked down at his list briefly then looked back at Chloe and smiled.

“Yes, here it is.  You and your guest will be seated at the Head table; table number 3, directly in front of the stage.”

“Thank you.” Chloe said, her eyes wide.

Adam took her arm then leaned in to whisper in her ear as they entered the ballroom.

“A seat at the Head table, look at you! That means either you impressed the hell out of someone or you royally pissed someone off.” Adam teased.

“Let’s hope it’s the first one and not the second.” Chloe hissed back.

Adam just gave his sister’s arm a reassuring squeeze.  “Knowing you, I’m positive it was the first.”

As they approached the table Chloe took the opportunity to take in her surroundings.  The ballroom was simply but elegantly decorated.  Fake, leafless trees with white twinkle lights lined the perimeter of the room.  Two giant Christmas trees decorated with white & silver bulbs and white lights stood on either side of the stage.   The tables were decorated with floating tea lights, silver dusted pine cones and white poinsettia flowers.

At the head table there were 8 place settings each marked with a place card carefully labeled with fancy silver script.  Chloe noticed her place card first.  Her seat was directly facing center stage.  Adam was the one who noticed the remaining cards.

“Who is Dr. P. Avery?” Adam wondered aloud before taking his seat.

Chloe’s eyes went wide. “Chief of surgery! Why?!”

“He is seated next to me.” Adam answered.

“What do the other place cards say?” Chloe asked nervously.

If they were seated with the Chief of surgery, she wasn’t sure she wanted to know who else was seated at their table.

“All of the others say “Special Guest.” Adam answered.

“That’s it?” Chloe grumbled.

Adam nodded.  “Mine just says “guest” but these five say “Special Guest.”

Chloe picked up the place card at the seat next to her, holding it delicately between her fingers.  Adam was telling the truth.  The only thing printed on the card were the words “Special Guest” in the same silver scroll.

“Any ideas?” Adam asked.

Chloe shook her head.  “Probably some of the hospital trustees or high-profile donors.”

However, as she looked around the ballroom Chloe noticed that most of the trustees were already seated at other tables.  In truth, she had no idea who was sitting at their table and that worried her.  She knew there had to be a reason she’d been seated at the Head table with the chief but what that reason might be, she had no clue.

At the moment the chief was mingling amongst the tables.  As the chief he was also the unofficial host for the evening so it made sense he hadn’t taken his seat yet.

Adam could only chuckle and shake his head.

“So…here we are, seated at the Head table with the Chief of Surgery and five mystery guests.  That doesn’t sound like a set-up at all!”

Chloe groaned.  “It does, but a set up for what?”

Adam wasn’t given an opportunity to reply.  He opened his mouth to speak but before the words could come out music began to play and everyone directed their attention to the stage.  The melody was familiar but Chloe couldn’t quite place it.  Then a saxophone began to play followed by a male voice singing.

Chloe’s eyes widened and she looked to her brother.  She knew that voice.  Chloe opened her mouth to say something to her brother but stopped herself when the person who went with the voice walked out onto the stage.  Dark hair, a dark goatee with that boyish smile, dressed in a simple black tux and that unmistakable countertenor voice.  It was Chris Kirkpatrick of *NSYNC.

“What the hell?!” Adam hissed.

Snowy night, where it's warm here by the fire
Here with you, I have all that I desire
(Here with you)
It's been a long year but somehow we got by
Now, it's Christmas eve and love is on our side

I don't need a hundred gifts beneath the tree
(Beneath the tree)
Don't you know the best thing you could give to me
Nothin' else will do, all I want is you this Christmas
(This Christmas, this Christmas)

Chloe sat, her mouth gaping as she watched Chris on stage.  He was quickly joined by Joey Fatone and Chloe felt her whole body go numb. 

“What’s going on?” Adam whispered in Chloe’s ear.

“I have no idea.” Chloe shot back.

At the moment Chloe was trying to convince herself that what she was seeing was just her mind playing tricks on her.  It was just coincidence.  It was just going to be Chris and Joey.  There was no possible way that the other three were present as well.  They hadn’t appeared on stage together in years.  *NSYNC wasn’t the entertainment for the evening because that would mean that Justin had lied to her. 

By the time the next chorus began Chloe’s heart was in her stomach.  Then, if only to confirm her fears, she heard Justin’s voice as he and the other two members of *NSYNC joined Joey and Chris on stage.  It was as if her heart stopped.

“OH. MY.GOD.” Adam hissed as he reached underneath the table cloth and gripped her thigh.

Chloe couldn’t move.  She couldn’t breathe.  Her heart was pounding in her chest and her eyes were locked on his as he continued to sing.

And I don't need a hundred gifts beneath the tree
(Beneath the tree)
Don't you know the best thing you could give to me
Nothin' else will do, all I want is you this Christmas
(This Christmas, this Christmas)

“FUCK!” Justin thought to himself as he continued to sing.

His eyes were locked on Chloe.  She looked absolutely BREATHTAKING.  However, it was the look in her eyes that captured his attention.  He could only imagine what she must be thinking right then. 

Chloe’s thoughts were running wild.   She had so many questions and so many things she wanted to say.  Then JC began to sing and the only thing she could focus on was the way Adam’s fingers were now digging into her leg.

“OH. MY. FUCKING. GOD.” Adam whispered through gritted teeth.

It wasn’t until the song finished that Adam loosened his grasp but no sooner had they finished the first song they jumped right into another.  This second song was Chloe’s 2nd favorite song on the album; “In Love on Christmas.”   It also didn’t help that Justin looked as if he was singing directly to her.

As soon as the song finished the Chief of Surgery took the stage to address everyone.

“Thank you to * NSYNC for that wonderful performance and for their very generous donation.  We will be presenting the award for Doctor of the Year a bit later, in the meantime, please, eat, dance, mingle and enjoy the evening.”

The next few moments were a blur.  Chloe watched, frozen, as the Chief stepped down from the stage followed by the members of *NSYNC.

“OH! MY! GOD!” Adam hissed as they approached.

“Will you please stop saying that?” Chloe shot back.

Acting purely on nerves Chloe stood as they neared the table and Adam quickly followed.  Justin’s eyes were on hers the entire time and the way he was looking at her, his blue eyes smoldering, was sending chills racing down her spine.

“Good evening, Dr. Hunter.”

Chloe adjusted her gaze so that she was looking at her boss and plastered a smile on her face.

“Good evening, Sir.” Chloe replied.

“I see you brought a date this year…is this…” Dr. Avery started.

Chloe saw Justin’s jaw tighten.  It made sense.  Adam was attractive and he and Justin hadn’t actually met yet.   In other words, she had a hunch as to what Justin was thinking.

Chloe cut in abruptly.  “My brother…this is my brother, Adam De Luca.”

Justin’s eyes softened and his jaw unclenched thus confirming her hunch.

Dr. Avery’s eyes widened a bit.  “De Luca?! I didn’t know your Maiden name was De Luca?!  You wouldn’t be related to Arturo De Luca, the cardiothoracic surgeon.”

Chloe cracked a tiny smile.  “He is our father.  He’s retired now.”

“Are you a doctor too Mr. De Luca?” Dr. Avery continued.

Adam smiled and shook his head then quickly stole a glance at the pop group behind him that were waiting patiently for an introduction.  Justin’s eyes were fixed on his sister.

“No, no…I don’t do blood.  I leave that to my dad, and my sister.  I’m a lawyer.”

“I see.  Well…Dr. Hunter, Mr. De Luca please, allow me to introduce…” Dr. Avery began before pausing abruptly.

His eyes softened a smile began to tug at his lips.  “Oh…that’s right, I forgot, you and Mr. Timberlake have met…”

Chloe forced another smile and nodded.  “To be fair, Mr. Chasez and I have met as well, but yes, Mr. Timberlake and I are…umm…acquainted!”

“Acquainted?” Justin replied raising an eyebrow.

She was upset.  He knew that much.  He knew the reason too, and truthfully, he didn’t blame her in the least.  He also understood that this was a work event for her, and therefore, she needed to keep things professional but that didn’t mean it stung any less.

“Woah! Wait! What?! You met JC Chasez and didn’t tell me?!” Adam exclaimed.

Chloe looked to her brother.  “Doctor- Patient confidentiality.  We’ve discussed this.”

“You TREATED JC Chasez and didn’t tell me?” Adam exclaimed.

JC laughed and shook his head.  “No, no! I was just in the room.  I drove Justin to the hospital.  He had some …umm…issues…after the accident.”

Adam bit his lip to hide his grin and nodded. “Oh.”

It was then that JC turned to Chloe.

“It’s nice to see you again Dr. Hunter, although, I have to say, I like the setting much better this time.”  JC said smiling at her.

Chloe smiled back.  “Me too. “

“Well then, since you’ve already met Mr. Timberlake and Mr. Chasez, please, allow me to introduce…”

Chloe bit her lip and shook her head.  “With all due respect Sir, introductions aren’t necessary, I’m…”

“She’s a big fan of *NSYNC.” Adam whispered, but loud enough so everyone heard.

Chloe’s face flashed the color of crimson while the men of *NSYNC all smiled and chuckled a bit.

Dr. Avery chuckled as well and nodded, then motioned to the empty chairs at the table.  “In that case, gentlemen, please join us.”

“Absolutely.” Justin said grinning at Chloe.

His eyes stayed on her as they took their seats.  He was seated directly across from her and she could feel his eyes on her but couldn’t bring herself to meet his gaze.

“I bet you’re probably wondering why I had you seated at my table?” Dr. Avery asked, snapping Chloe back into reality.

Chloe didn’t miss a beat.  “If you’re implying that my acquaintance with Mr. Timberlake isn’t the only reason then yes, the thought may have crossed my mind.”

Justin had to hide his smile.  He was reminded of the first time they truly met.  He remembered her sass.  He found it attractive then and even more now. 

Dr. Avery chuckled.  “No, your previous encounters with Mr. Timberlake were not my sole reason.  To be honest, I wanted to talk to you about something in a more relaxed setting, off the clock.”

Chloe nodded.  She didn’t know how else to respond so she remained quiet.  It wasn’t like she could tell the Chief of surgery “no.”

Meanwhile, Adam and the members of *NSYNC sat quietly, just watching as the discussion unfolded.

“I don’t know if you’ve heard but Dr. Torres will be leaving Mt. Sinai after the 1st of the year.  He’s taken a fellowship in Philadelphia…”

Chloe couldn’t help but bite her lip and look across the table.  Justin and JC were both trying not to smirk.  Apparently, they were all thinking about the encounter with Dr. Torres in the Emergency Room that day.

“I had not heard that.  Good for him.” Chloe replied as she tried to hide a smile.

Dr. Avery nodded.  “Yes, it’s a great opportunity and I wish him the best of luck but his departure leaves me, or should I say the hospital without a Head of Trauma.”

Chloe nodded but hadn’t caught on just yet.  She was too distracted by the other men at the table, especially one in particular.

“That is a problem.” Chloe agreed.

Dr. Avery smiled.  “Indeed, but I was hoping you might be willing to help me with the solution.”

“Of course, whatever I can do to help.” Chloe replied.

Dr. Avery smiled more if possible.  He could tell that what he was asking hadn’t registered in her brain just yet. 

“I think he wants YOU to be Head of Trauma.” Lance Bass leaned in and whispered loudly.

Immediately, Chloe’s face paled. 

“Me? Head of Trauma?” Chloe croaked.

Dr. Avery smiled and nodded.  “You would be the obvious choice.  You have tenure. You have great rapport with the other doctors.  You are obviously good in a crisis…”

“I’m flattered sir, but…” Chloe started to reply.

Dr. Avery cracked an even bigger smile.  “Your schedule wouldn’t change that much.  In fact, I think you could probably lose one of your “On Call” shifts if you would be willing to trade it for another day shift.”

Chloe smiled.  “I think that could be arranged.”

Another day shift meant she could be home more for Gabby.  It also meant more time with Justin but apparently, they needed to talk first.

Dr. Avery grinned.  “I’ll have Human Resources reach out to you sometime early next week.”

Chloe nodded.  “Thank you, sir. I look forward to it.”

“And on that note, I’m going to step away for a bit.  I need to do a bit more “mingling” before dinner.”  Dr. Avery explained.

“You’re leaving?” Chloe exclaimed.

She wasn’t entirely sure how she felt about being left alone at the table with her brother and *NSYNC.

“I’ll be back once dinner is served.”

It wasn’t until Dr. Avery was out of sight and out of hearing range that Chloe found the courage to speak again.  As soon as she was certain that Dr. Avery wouldn’t see or hear her Chloe’s eyes rounded on Justin again.  There was fire in her eyes and it made Justin suck in a breath.

Chloe’s emotions were all over the place and the fact that he looked THAT good in a tuxedo wasn’t helping the situation any.

“Another commitment?  Isn’t that what you said? You could have just told me the truth.” Chloe snapped.

Justin took a breath.  He knew he needed to respond but also knew that he was treading on thin ice.  However, in true “brother” form his bandmates came to his rescue.

“In his defense, we weren’t entirely sure this was going to happen until a couple of days ago.” Joey jumped in.

Chloe made a face.  “And why is that?”

Chris cleared his throat, then quickly shot a look towards JC.

“Someone is still having doubts about all of this.”

“All of this?” Chloe asked, her eyebrows high.

Justin chuckled nervously.  “Apparently, my accident has put some things into perspective for all of us.”

“Oh?!” Adam said grinning.

“But like Chris said, SOMEONE still has doubts.  We were sort of hoping tonight would give us all a push in the right direction.” Lance added.

Chloe and Adam exchanged looks.  Adam spoke first.

“As the lawyer at the table, I can with confidence say that the evidence just presented supports a “reunion” if that’s what you are getting at, and we the jury are unanimous on the verdict.” Adam said grinning.

“What’s the verdict?” Justin asked trying not to laugh.

“You’ve ALL still got “it!” In fact, I think you’ve all gotten better over time and SOME of you…” Adam said, directing his gaze towards JC.

However, Chloe cut him off before he could finish his statement.  “Adam…don’t…please don’t…like I said, I don’t want you to scare anyone.”

“I’m not scary.” Adam protested with a grin.

Chloe smirked.  “You can be… and he IS JC so there is that.”

“What did I do?” JC asked confused.

Chloe bit her bottom lip and tried not to laugh.  “You don’t want to know, trust me on this Mr. Chasez.”

“You can call me JC.”

Chloe blushed.  “It is nice to meet all of you…”

Joey grinned.  “You too.  I mean, with the way Justin talks about you…”

Chloe looked to Justin, her eyes wide.  “He talks about me?”

“Nope. Not at all.” Chris teased.

“I see.” Chloe replied, blushing again.

Dinner was served shortly after and for the time being everyone was occupied with eating.  After dinner Dr. Avery took to the stage again to make the “Doctor of the Year” presentation. 

“Every year the hospital selects one doctor as the “Doctor of the Year.” Someone who dedicates their life in service to those in need and exemplifies our core values.  This year’s recipient of “Doctor of the Year” is the embodiment of all of these.  Not only she is caring, compassionate and dedicated to her patients but she is also courageous and selfless, having put her own needs aside to help someone beyond the walls of the hospital.  Our recipient of this year’s “Doctor of the Year” award will also be stepping into the role of Head of Trauma after the first of the year.  Please give a round of applause to the 2018 Doctor of the Year, Dr. Chloe Hunter.”

The six men seated at the table with her burst into applause, as did everyone else in the room.  Chloe just sat there in disbelief.  This evening wasn’t turning out AT ALL like she had expected. 

“Get up there, girl!” Joey said grinning.

Adam agreed, nodding emphatically. “Go, Chloe! Go!”

Still a bit dazed, Chloe stood and started up the steps to the stage.  Chloe blushed as she stepped towards the podium.

“I’m not much for speeches.” Chloe said into the microphone.

The crowd all chuckled a bit.

“This year has been filled with ups and downs for me, both personally and professionally, but I couldn’t have done any of it without the support of my family so I am accepting this award on behalf of my brother and my daughter.  I love you both.  Thank you.”

The crowd erupted with applause again as Chloe quickly exited the stage and returned to the table.  As soon as she sat down again Adam wrapped an arm around her and placed a kiss on the side of her head.

“I love you too Sis. You definitely deserve this.” Adam said smiling.

“I agree. I don’t know a more deserving doctor.” Justin added.

Chloe giggled and shook her head.  “Only because you don’t know any other doctors.”

“Not true.  I have my regular doctor.”                                                      

Chloe smirked.  “And what’s your doctor’s first name?”

Justin bit his lip.  “Umm…”

“Exactly.” Chloe laughed.

Once dinner was over and dessert was served music began to play.  Slowly, people started towards the dance floor while others mingled about the tables to make small talk.

“Would you do me the honor of dancing with your big brother?” Adam asked offering his hand.

Chloe smiled and nodded.  “Of course.”

On the dance floor Adam took the opportunity to weigh in on the events of the evening.

“Congratulations Doctor of the year.” Adam said grinning.

Chloe blushed. “Thanks.”

“Doctor of the year, Head of Trauma, superstar boyfriend. I’d say you’re doing alright.” Adam teased.

Chloe made a face.  “He’s not my boyfriend.”

“I think he wants to be.” Adam replied.

“Oh yeah?! Why is that?!”

“A guy doesn’t look like at you like that if he just wants to be friends.” Adam reasoned.

“Then why did he lie to me about tonight?” Chloe snapped.

Adam sighed.  “I don’t know for sure, because I am not him, but I am guessing it had something to do with JC and his “doubts.” I’m going to out on a limb and guess that he didn’t want to tell you and then not have it happen, and call me crazy, but after everything he’s been through, I would bet that he has a few doubts of his own.”

Chloe sighed and nodded but didn’t respond. Adam had given her a lot to think about.

After a few songs Adam escorted Chloe back to the table.  A few more up-tempo songs played before the music slowed down again.  As soon as a slow song started to play Justin was out of his seat and at Chloe’s side.

“Will you dance with me…please?” Justin said, leaning in to whisper in her ear.

Chloe swallowed hard then nodded.  They’d been intimate, a few times, but he still had the ability to make shivers race down her spine.  She inhaled sharply when his hand met her bare back.  Thankfully, he didn’t notice.

“Chloe…I…” Justin started.

Chloe sighed.  “You could have just told me.  You could have explained.”

“I’m sorry.” Justin whispered, his heart sinking.

Chloe took a breath.  She wanted to be mad at him.  She wanted to be furious, but the look in his eyes broke her resolve.  She also remembered how he’d confided in her, how he told her about his fears.

“I don’t appreciate you keeping the truth from me, but I get it.  I know why you did it.”

“I promise, I didn’t do it to hurt you…I just …”

Chloe cracked a smile.  “This was your test, your chance to prove to yourself that you could still do it.  Am I right?”

“Yeah.” Justin whispered.

“And let me guess, you wanted your “brothers” there to support you in case it didn’t go well.  Having them standing there with you took some of the pressure off.”

Justin bit his lip and tried not to smile.  “Are you sure you are a Trauma surgeon and not a therapist?”

Chloe giggled a bit.  “They don’t pay me enough to be a therapist.  I can barely handle my own problems much less someone else’s.”

“Are you still mad at me?’ Justin asked hopefully.

They were on the dance floor, swaying in time with the music. Justin had one hand in his, the other was resting on the small of her back.  There were at least a hundred people in the room but his focus was her. 

Chloe blushed.  “I want to say “yes”, but I can’t.  I can’t be mad at you because I know what a big deal this was for all of you.  I know you’ve been dreading AND looking forward to this moment for weeks now.  Being mad at you, knowing all of that, it just doesn’t feel right.”

Justin smiled.  “Thank you.”

They danced to a few more slow songs before returning to the table to join Adam and the other members of *NSYNC.  Talk at the table was casual and lighthearted.  The men of *NSYNC didn’t pressure Chloe or Justin to talk about their budding relationship and Chloe and Adam didn’t mention anything more about the mini *NSYNC “reunion” they’d just witnessed.  It was a nice evening.

“You should both come to Michael’s art show next week.” Lance said as they were chatting.

“Michael?’ Chloe asked confused.

Adam couldn’t help but laugh at her sister.  Her mind was definitely elsewhere.

“Michael Turchin.  Lance’s husband.  He’s an artist.” Adam explained.

Chloe’s face flushed.  “I knew that.  I promise I knew that.”

Lance grinned.  “It’s ok.  It’s been an eventful evening for you.  I totally get it.  But really, you should both come.  You can bring Gabby too.  It’s a family friendly event.”

“When is it?” Chloe asked screwing up her face in thought.

“Next Friday.”

Chloe nodded and smiled.  “I’ll have to check my schedule but we will definitely try to make it.  Gabby would love it.  She loves art.”

Lance opened his mouth to respond but was interrupted by the sound of phones all around the room.  At least a dozen phones were going off, including Chloe’s as everything else around them came to a screeching halt.

“Excuse me.” Chloe said fumbling for her clutch.

The fact that there were so many phones going off in a room full of doctors was not a good sign.

Chloe’s eyes widened and her face went pale as looked down at the message on screen.

“FUCK!” Chloe hissed loud enough for those at the table to hear.

“What’s wrong?” Justin asked, his voice dripping with concern.

“There’s a MAJOR trauma coming in.  Multiple victims.  A five car pile up on the freeway, one of the five being a high school athletic bus carrying the football team and a bunch of cheerleaders.”

“Are you on call tonight?’ Adam grumbled.

“Technically, no, but it’s all hands on-deck, and in case you forgot, I am about to be the Head of Trauma.  I need to set the example.”

“How do you plan on getting there? We took an Uber to get here.” Adam continued.

“I’ll walk.”

Adam made a face.  “The hospital is two miles from here.”

Chloe gave him a look.  “Then, I’ll call for another Uber.”

Justin shook his head as he started to pull his phone from his pocket.  “Take my car.  It’s chauffeured.  I have the driver waiting on standby.”

“How will you get home?”

Justin smiled more.  He loved that even in a time of crisis she still took the time to show she cared about him.

“The driver can come back for me, or I’ll hitch a ride with one of these guys.”

“Thank you.” Chloe said smiling at him

“Of course, my pleasure, but only if you come over after.”

Adam had to smother his smile as he looked at his sister.  It was obvious that Justin was falling hard for her. 

“Umm….” Chloe stuttered.

Adam chuckled.  “Don’t worry about Gabby.  I promised I would take her Christmas shopping anyway.”

“Christmas shopping?” Chloe asked, her eyes wide.

Adam nodded. “It was her idea.  She wants to get something for you, Grandma and Grandpa…and for Justin.”

“Me?!” Justin exclaimed.

This time Adam didn’t hide his smile.  “She likes you.  It’s a good thing.  Just go with it.”

Justin grinned. “Got it.”

Chloe beamed.  “Once again, you are a life-saver Adam.”

“Just trying to make sure I stay off the “naughty list.” Adam replied with a smirk.

Chloe laughed. “We’ll see.  It all depends on what Bubbles reports back to Santa.”

“Bubbles?” Chris asked confused.

“Gabby’s Elf of the Shelf.” Chloe answered.

Everyone laughed.

“That’s Gabby’s elf.  Not mine.  Now go on, get out of here.  You’ve got patients who need you.”

 

 

As soon as she was out of sight Adam turned to the group of men, his eyes falling on Justin.

“I hope you realize what an AMAZING woman she is, and no, I am not just saying that because she is my sister.  Truly, she is the strongest, bravest, most compassionate, caring and intelligent woman I have ever known and although I am not one for violence, nor do I want to risk losing my license to practice law, I have contemplated kicking the shit out of my ex-brother-in-law on several occasions.  In other words, don’t hurt her.”

Justin cracked a smile and nodded.  “I know, and I agree, but for the record, I would never hurt her, not intentionally.  And, just so you know, I think your niece is equally AMAZING, just like her mother.”

Adam grinned.  “Good answer.”

Thanks to Justin and his chauffeured car Chloe arrived at the hospital in record time.  Once inside she made a mad dash up to the Physician’s locker rooms.  Thank goodness she had the forethought to always keep a set of spare scrubs in her locker, as well as a change of clothes for after.

Chloe sighed heavily as she slipped out of her dress. 

“So much for a fun night off.” She thought to herself as she carefully folded her dress and put it in her locker.

By the time Chloe got changed and made it downstairs the Emergency Room was packed.  There were patients in every bed waiting to be seen.  Doctors and nurses were running back and forth, trying to meet the needs of the most critical patients first.

“We need you in Trauma room 3 Dr. Hunter!” A nurse called from across the room.

Chloe nodded then quickly made her way to the room.  The room was already crowded with people but Chloe didn’t hesitate.  She quickly approached the gurney and took charge.

“What do we have?” She asked.

“One of the victims of the pile up.  6 year-old male.  Complaining of abdominal and leg pain.”

Chloe took the stethoscope from around her neck and looked to the frightened child lying on the gurney.  She HATED treating younger patients like this.  Treating juvenile patients hit a bit too close to home for her but given the circumstances she didn’t have a choice.

“Hey buddy, my name is Dr. Hunter.  I’m just going to check you out, make sure you are ok. Do you understand?”

The boy nodded, his brown eyes wide and tear filled. 

“Where is my mommy?” He asked as the tears started to roll down his face.

Chloe immediately looked to the nurses. 

“Mom is in trauma room 4, Dad is in room 6 and sister is already headed upstairs.” A nurse answered.

Chloe nodded.  “Get a status on Mom and Dad for me, please?”

“Absolutely.” The nurse answered before quickly leaving the room.

Chloe immediately turned her attention back to her patient.  “What’s your name?”

“Toby.”

Chloe forced a smile.  “Ok, Toby, that nurse went to go find out where your Mommy and Daddy are.  She will be back soon, I promise.  In the meantime, I am going to use this stethoscope to listen to your heart, lungs and your tummy.  Will you let me do that?”

The boy nodded.

“Ok, this might be a little cold but I promise it won’t hurt.  It’s just so I can listen to what’s going on inside of you.”

Again, the boy just nodded.

For the next few moments, the room was quiet.  Everyone stood back as Chloe performed her examination.   When she got to the boy’s abdomen the reason for his pain became crystal clear but she had to be certain.

“Someone go get me a portable ultrasound machine, right now!”

As if out of thin air and ultrasound machine appeared and immediately Chloe went to work.

“Toby this is going to feel cold on your belly, but again, it’s just so I can find out what’s going on inside of you.”

“Ok.”

Once the ultrasound jelly was on his stomach Chloe took the transducer in her hand and started her scan.  It was exactly as she’d feared.  This little boy had a ruptured spleen and he was bleeding internally.  He needed surgery…NOW!

Thankfully, the nurse that had been sent to check on his parents reappeared just then.

Chloe shot the nurse a questioning look. 

“Both stable.” The nurse replied.

Chloe breathed a sigh of relief and nodded.

“That’s great news.  Get one of them to sign a consent form, please.  We are headed upstairs.  Let Mom or Dad or both know that I will come update them as soon as we are out of surgery.”

“Will do Dr. Hunter.” The nurse answered before disappearing again.

Chloe then turned to one of the other nurses.

“Would you please make the call and have a Child Life Specialist meet us in Pre-Op.  Also, please find out which Pediatric surgeons are on tonight and ask one of them if they are available to assist.”

“Got it.” The second nurse replied before darting out of the room.

Again, Chloe turned back towards her patient.

“Alright Toby, I want you to listen to me very carefully.”

The little boy nodded, his eyes wide and very much fearful.

“We found your mom and dad.  They are going to be ok but there are other doctors checking them out.  I just sent a nurse to let them know what’s going on with you.  I need to take you upstairs so I can fix you up and make your belly stop hurting.” Chloe explained.

“Will I get to see my mom and dad?”

Chloe took a deep, quiet breath and nodded.  “I will make sure your mom or your dad is there waiting just as soon as we finish.”

Just then Medical transport came to help move the little boy, and his gurney up to a surgical suite.

She needed to move quickly.  The longer it took the bigger the chance that he would bleed out before she even got him on the table.  For the next few hours Chloe was busy repairing this little boy’s ruptured spleen and although he’d lost quite a bit of blood he was going to be just fine.  Thank God! 

As soon as she finished, and as promised, Chloe made her way back down to the Emergency Room to find Toby’s parents and give them an update.  They were beyond grateful. 

“You should go home.” A nurse said.

Chloe was standing at the Nurse’s station in Post-Op, working on charts.  After repairing the ruptured spleen she’d done two other surgeries.  She was exhausted. 

Chloe cracked a smile.  “I know I just wanted to finish up these charts before I left.”

The nurse returned the smile.  “Thank you for that.  Makes my job so much easier.”

“I do what I can.”

“I hear you are going to be running Trauma very soon.”

Chloe blushed.  “Word travels fast.”

The nurse grinned.  “Well, when we heard Torres was leaving, we were all hoping…”

“That’s nice to hear.”

Having nurses that liked you was always a good thing. 

“How close are you to being done?’ the nurse asked.

Chloe smiled.  “Signing off now.”

Smiling, the nurse reached for the charts.  “Go on, get out of here.  Go rest.  You deserve it.”

After handing off the charts Chloe started towards the Physician’s locker rooms.  She was physically, mentally and emotionally exhausted and her entire body ached.  Sighing, she looked down at herself.  She was in her third pair of scrubs.  She’d changed into clean ones after each surgery.  This pair were relatively still clean, thank goodness, because she didn’t have the energy to change.

Groaning inwardly as her body screamed in protest Chloe reached for her phone.  The time on the screen said 7:00 a.m.  Justin probably wouldn’t answer and she didn’t want to wake him if he was sleeping but she’d promised she would check in with him.  That, and well, he had offered to send a car.  At the very least she could text him.  If he didn’t respond she would just take an Uber home.

Chloe: Do you still want me to come over?  If you’re sleeping no worries.  We can talk later.

She was about to put the phone down on the bench beside her when she heard the notification alert.

Justin:  Come over

Chloe couldn’t help but smile. 

Chloe: You’re sure?

Justin: absolutely

Chloe:  Ok, I should be there in about 30 minutes

It was just a few minutes after 7:30 a.m. when Chloe stepped into the elevator at Justin’s Greenwich Street apartment.  She couldn’t wait to crawl into bed.  True, it wasn’t her bed, but at this point a bed was a bed, and his was more comfortable.

Chloe felt herself suck in a breath when he opened the door.  He was dressed in nothing but a pair of flannel pajama bottoms.  It made sense.  It was 7:30 in the morning.  He had probably been sleeping.   Regardless, it wasn’t at all what she’d anticipated.  The waistband of his pants rode low on his hips, exposing the perfect v.  She couldn’t help but stare.  Her eyes trailing up his hard abs and chest until her eyes met his.

He was smiling and biting his bottom lip.  She could only imagine what he was thinking. 

For a moment he didn’t speak.  He was gauging her expression.  Her eyes looked tired.  Understandably.  However, it was the way she was chewing on her bottom lip and the quick rise and fall of her chest that caught his attention.  He knew the reason and it gave him a thrill.

“Hey.” He said, taking her hand and pulling her into the apartment.

“Hi.” She whispered.

“You ok?’ He asked, his voice low.

Chloe swallowed hard and nodded.  “Just tired.”

Justin cracked a smile then pushed a strand of hair away from her face.  “I bet.  How many surgeries did you do?”

Chloe held up three fingers. 

“Did they all make it?” He asked, his voice still quiet.

Chloe nodded.

Smiling again he pulled her into him a bit more then leaned in to whisper in her ear.  “I’m glad, now c’mon, let’s get you out of those scrubs.”

Immediately, Chloe pulled back and made a face.  She looked confused.  It made Justin chuckle a bit.

“Just trust me.”

Chloe didn’t have the energy to protest so instead she just nodded again and allowed herself to be led up the stairs into the master suite. 

Once inside, Justin dropped her bag on the floor then proceeded to the bathroom. 

She’d been in his bathroom before, a few times, but this time felt different.  For one, she’d always been alone every other time.  This time he was standing in front of her, still half naked.  Without a word he pulled her through the room until they were standing beside the doors leading into the shower.  The shower was huge.  It was a walk-in shower that spanned almost the entire length of the wall.

“Wait right here.” He said.

Chloe stayed quiet but managed a weak smile. 

In the next moment he was gone, leaving her standing in the massive bathroom by herself.  Too tired to move.  She didn’t know what was in his head or what he was doing so she stayed still, her eyes wandering the space.  Behind her there was a giant porcelain tub against a marble backsplash.  Next to her, just opposite the shower a long, white, apron sink with two faucets. 

Briefly, she caught her reflection in the mirror above the sink and inwardly she groaned.  She looked as tired as she felt.  Her eyes were bloodshot.  There were dark circle starting to form beneath her bottom lashes.  Then there was her hair.  Her hair that had been twisted into an elegant knot just hours before now had strands sticking out in every direction.

Fortunately, or unfortunately, she didn’t have much time to dwell on the state of her appearance.  Justin reappeared just moments later.  He was carrying what looked to be a t-shirt over one shoulder and an extra towel in his hand.

Again, Chloe gave him a puzzled look.

He grinned.  He loved the cute little faces she made when she was thinking.

“I’m going to guess you probably don’t have anything to sleep in in that bag of yours.” He said smiling.

Chloe shook her head.

“Thought so.  I figured you probably didn’t want to sleep in your scrubs either.”

Chloe bit her lip and shook her head again as she tried not to smile too much.

Justin handed over the t-shirt and watched a bit nervous as she unfolded it in front of him.  Her eyes widened and a blush started to creep up on her cheeks when she realized what it was. 

“It might be a little big.  It was what I could find but I promise it’s comfortable.”

Chloe’s eyes widened more if possible.

“It’s yours.  I mean…of course it is…but …it’s one you’ve worn?” She managed to get out.

Justin chuckled awkwardly.  “It’s clean…I promise.”

“That’s not what I asked.” Chloe replied, her eyes still wide.

Justin nodded.  “Yeah. It’s mine.  I’ve worn it a few times on stage.”

It was a “Man of the Woods” tour shirt, and as Justin had just confirmed it wasn’t just merchandise. It was a shirt he’d actually worn. ONSTAGE. 

“I can’t…” Chloe started.

Justin immediately took a step closer and placed a finger to her lips, quieting her.

“Please.” He whispered.

Chloe could only nod as her heart leapt into her throat. 

In the next moment he was pulling her scrub top over head leaving her in just the bottoms and her bra.  Then, he pushed her pants down and she stepped out of them, kicking them into a pile with her top. 

There she was, standing in front of him in nothing but her bra and panties, her heart pounding in her chest and her pulse now racing.

He smiled at her then opened the door to the shower and stepped in.  Standing clear of the spray he turned the handles, adjusting the water to the perfect temperature then stepped out again. 

“Go on.” He said nodding to the shower.

Chloe blushed.  “Thanks.”

Chloe was feeling a bit self-conscious standing there half-naked in front of him but somehow mustered enough courage to drop her bra and panties with him still standing there.  Once inside the shower Chloe closed her eyes and allowed the hot water to hit her back and neck.  It felt like heaven to her sore muscles.  She stood there for several moments, her eyes closed, letting the hot spray massage her neck, shoulders and back.  She didn’t hear the shower door open again or Justin step in.

Chloe gasped.  She felt his hands at her waist and his breath tickling her neck.  Justin was behind her. 

“Just relax, and trust me, ok?” He whispered.

Chloe nodded and allowed her shoulders to relax.  Trust was a big thing with her and as much as it terrified her, she wanted to trust him.

Her eyes remained closed but she could hear Justin moving behind her.  She was trying desperately to follow his instructions, to relax, but she hadn’t showered with a man in a very long time.   In fact, she could count the number of times she’d showered with Eddy on one hand.

Her mind was racing but not for long.  The moment she felt the loofa against her back all ability to think disappeared.  Involuntarily, she sighed and allowed her body to relax into his gentle touch as he washed her neck, shoulders and back.

Justin took great care with her, washing every inch of her skin. It wasn’t until he finished washing her back that he spoke.

“Do you have pins in this?” He whispered, gently touching her hair.

Chloe nodded. 

Carefully, he removed the pins from her hair, letting her hair fall down her back in waves.  He placed the pins on the bench in the shower then returned to his spot behind her.  Smiling to himself he pushed the hair away from her neck then placed his lips against her wet skin, kissing her softly. The feel of his lips against her wet body sent shivers racing down her spine.  She shuddered slightly then sighed as she felt herself melt into him.  Her back was against him now and she could feel every part of him gently pressed against her. 

After several minutes nipping at her neck Justin took her hand and gently turned her around to face him.  Slowly, Chloe’s eyes fluttered open.  He was looking down at her, his eyes on fire.  It made her voice catch in her throat.  Eddy had NEVER looked at her that way!

Without a word he took the loofa and started soaping up her front.  His brow was furrowed and he was biting his lip in an effort to keep calm.  The way his body had started to respond was definitely making the task more difficult.

After several minutes he stopped then offered her the loofa.

She started at it, her eyes wide.  He wanted her to return the favor. 

“Body wash?” She managed to get out.

Justin bit his lip and grinned, then handed her the bottle but kept quiet.

Taking the body wash in one hand and the loofa in the other Chloe squeezed a bit out and then began to work the soap into the lather.  Once she had enough suds Chloe lifted the loofa tentatively to his chest and gently began to scrub.  He groaned and fell back against the wall.  Watching the bubbles start to slide down his chest sent her pulse racing. 

Swallowing the lump that had appeared in her throat Chloe continued to work the loofa in a circular motion across his chest and down his perfectly toned abs.  When she reached the spot just below his navel she stopped abruptly.  He was excited, that was obvious.  Then again, so was she.  His excitement was just a bit more tangible.

When she didn’t move after several moments his eyes opened.  She was frozen.  Her hand was still on the loofa, still just below his navel and her eyes were wide. 

Justin smiled down at her then took the loofa from her hand and dropped it on the ground.  With his hands free he grabbed her hips and pulled her into him before dropping his head and closing his mouth over hers.  The hot water was now splashing down over the top of them as his lips slid expertly over hers.

It was a sensation that would definitely remain etched in her brain for a long time.

Chloe was still acutely aware of the very excited part of his male anatomy as it was now pressed up against her

She needed to calm her thoughts, but the feel of him against her and the way his mouth slid against hers, his tongue pushing and pulling hers in a steady rhythm was making it hard to focus. 

The feel of his wet body against hers, the taste of his mouth, the smell of the body wash in the air and the sound of her pulse racing in her ears mixed with the sound of the water splashing was making her crazy.

Justin pulled away for a moment and looked down at her.  Her cheeks were flushed, her breathing a bit labored and her wet hair clung to her cheeks.  However, it was the expression on her face that made him smile.  Her green eyes were wide, but sparkling and the way she was chewing on her bottom lip as if in thought made him grin.

“Do you trust me?” He whispered.

There it was, that word again.  TRUST.  She wanted desperately to trust him.  Apparently, it was time to take a leap of faith.

Chloe nodded.

“Put your arms around my neck.” He said quietly.

Chloe did as instructed, wrapping both her arms around his neck and in the next moment he hoisted her off the ground.  Instinctively, she wrapped her legs around his waist as he turned and pushed her back against the wall.

“I’ve got you, ok?! Just relax.” He said, his voice low and thick.

Chloe nodded again.

“Your ribs?” She breathed out.

He smiled and popped a kiss on her lips.  The fact that she was concerned for his well-being made his heart leap.

“I’m not worried.”

Giving her another pop kiss, he used his hands to push her hips back against the wall, using the wall to hold her in place before pushing his own hips forward and sliding inside of her.

Chloe gasped as her head fell back against the wall and her eyes closed.  The feeling of him inside of her mixed with the water splashing down over her and being held against the wall was utter bliss.

“You ok?” He asked.

Chloe bit her lip and nodded again.

Justin took that as his cue.  He pulled back a bit then pushed forward again slowly, thrusting into her and she moaned softly.  Justin smiled the repeated the motion.  Several times he thrust into her, each time pushing just a bit further.

“Chloe?!” He called softly.

Chloe’s eyes fluttered open, her green eyes locking with his blue ones.  His eyes were smoldering back at her.

“Much better.” He said smiling at her.

Chloe looked back at him confused causing him to chuckle slightly.

“Your eyes. I like looking into them.”

Chloe blushed. “Oh.”

Again, he kissed her softly then started to move again.  Over and over, he pushed and pulled inside of her, his pace slow and steady until he felt his climax start to build.

“Justin?!” She called out, her voice shaking.

Her own climax was rising inside of her.

“Oh GOD!” Justin groaned before unravelling inside of her.

Chloe felt a wave rush through her at precisely the same moment. 

For a while neither of them moved.  He stood there, still holding her against the wall until his pulse started to slow.  Once he was able to catch his breath Justin let her down slowly, but the exhaustion she felt from the day mixed with the adrenaline crash she was experiencing after being with him got the better of her.  Her knees buckled beneath her almost as soon as her feet hit the tile. 

“Easy there. I’ve got you.” Justin said, catching her quickly.

“I’m sorry…I guess I’m just a bit shaky after…” Chloe whispered.

Justin wrapped an arm around her, helping her to stand then popped a kiss atop her forehead.

“No apology needed.  C’mon let’s get you dried off and into bed.”

With a flick of his wrist, he turned the water off then moved to help Chloe out of the shower and into a towel before wrapping a 2nd towel around his waist.

“I’m going to go get some clean…umm…” Justin started.

Chloe giggled and nodded.  “Go. I’ll be fine.”

He wasn’t convinced.  “You’re sure?”

Chloe smiled then nodded reassuringly.  “Go on.  I’ll be out in a minute.”

When she emerged from the bathroom a few minutes later she found that the shades had all been drawn and the only light from the room was coming from the lamp next to Justin’s side of the bed.  Justin was in the bed, the covers drawn to his waist, his chest and torso exposed as he propped himself up to look at her.

The t-shirt Justin had given her came down to mid-thigh, leaving her shapely legs exposed and him to wonder if she was wearing anything underneath.

She combed her hair and dried it some but it was still damp, making it look darker against her olive skin.  She looked slightly refreshed but still tired. 

Smiling at her, Justin patted the bed next to him and lifted the covers so she could easily slip in.  As soon as she was in the bed next to him, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, nestling his chin in her hair.

Then, before she had the opportunity to speak, he flicked off the lamp, plunging the room into darkness and pulled her into him a bit more before whispering in her ear.

“Just rest, ok?! We can talk later.”

A content sigh escaped her lips as she allowed her eyes to flutter closed and her body to snuggle into him a bit more. 

Yes, this was exactly what she needed right then.  She could analyze what had just happened later.  Right now, she needed to sleep.

Chloe woke up late that afternoon to the sound of someone moving around downstairs.  Groaning a bit, she opened her eyes and tried to focus.  Justin had partially opened the blinds so there was a bit of light, enough for her to see, but it still took a moment for her eyes to adjust.

Sighing deeply, she rolled over and looked at the clock beside the bed.  2 p.m.  She’d been asleep for almost 6 hours.  Truthfully, she hated sleeping so late into the day but given the events of the previous evening she was willing to make an exception. 

After a few moments spent just laying in the bed, staring at the ceiling Chloe decided it was time to get up.  Her bag was on the floor, at the foot of the bed but rather than get dressed right away she decided to see what Justin was doing first.  That, and the fact that she liked the way his shirt felt against her skin and wasn’t ready to take it off just yet.

Smiling to herself Chloe sat up, pushed the covers aside and stood from the bed.  Justin was humming.  She could hear his voice traveling up the stairs from the kitchen. 

Chloe came down the stairs and into the kitchen to find his back turned.  He was standing in front of the stove.  He was dressed in a pair of grey, drawstring, pajama bottoms and a white male tank top that showed off the muscles in his arms and shoulders as well as the tattoos on his back and arm.  It made Chloe suck in a breath.

“Damn it.” Chloe cursed under her breath.

Looking down at herself briefly Chloe blushed.  The shirt, although not her size didn’t completely hide her curves, and in that moment, she found herself rethinking her decision to wear it downstairs. 

For a moment, she thought about walking up behind him but quickly changed her mind.  She didn’t want to startle him.  He was in front of the stove. 

“Are you cooking?” Chloe asked as she approached.

Justin turned, a smile tugging at his lips when he saw her and what she was wearing.

“Contrary to what you might have heard I do know how to cook some things.” Justin replied.

Chloe giggled and nodded to the stove.  “Obviously.  What are you making?”

“Well, I wasn’t sure what you might be hungry for so I decided to keep it simple.”

Chloe bit her lip to keep from grinning and nodded.  “Fair enough, but you didn’t really answer the question?”

Justin chuckled.  “True.”

“So?” Chloe replied, placing a hand on her hip.

Justin just laughed more and offered her a plate.  “Scrambled eggs and toast.”

Chloe smiled and took the plate.  “To be fair, you could have said just about anything and I would have been happy with it.  I didn’t eat much at dinner last night and I slept through breakfast.  Needless to say, I’m starving.”

Justin nodded.  “I can imagine.  If you’re still hungry after I can make more, or something else, or we can order in or…”

Chloe placed her free hand on his.  “This is perfect.”

“I made coffee too.”

“You’re my hero.”

Justin grinned.  “I try.”

Chloe got serious for a moment.  “Really. Thank you!  Thank you for the car last night, for the shower, for the shirt, for letting me sleep and for the food.  You’re really too good to me.”

Justin stepped closer and brushed a few strands of hair from her face, tucking them behind her ear.

“Not possible.” He whispered.

Chloe opened her mouth to speak but he cut her off. 

“Look, I know, your ex…he wasn’t good to you.  Obviously, he didn’t treat you like you deserve to be treated. Based on the little you’ve told me I can only imagine.  That’s not me.  That’s not how I treat a woman, especially one I care about.   You saved my life, in more ways than one, so of course, I am going to treat you like the queen that you are.  That goes for your little princess too.”

Chloe opened her mouth to speak again but couldn’t find the words.  Not knowing what else to do or say in that moment she closed her mouth, then opened it again, but still, no words came out.  He’d rendered her speechless.

Smiling he nodded to the plate.  “Sit down.  Eat your eggs.  I’ll get you some coffee.”

For a moment she just sat there, staring down at her plate, pushing her eggs around with her fork.  She looked up when he placed the coffee in front of her.  He was still smiling at her, and she still couldn’t find the right words to say.

“Justin…I…” she stuttered.

“Eat! We can talk more after.” He insisted, his smile still prevalent.

He waited for a few moments, allowing her to get some food in her stomach before speaking again.

“So…that was Adam.” He said smiling awkwardly.

He knew that she probably wanted to respond to his previous statements, and he didn’t blame her in the least.  He wanted to hear whatever she had to say but he also wanted her to know that she was under no pressure to respond. 

Chloe giggled.  “Yes.  That was him.”

“He’s…” Justin started.

“Not what you expected.” Chloe finished grinning.

Justin laughed.  “NOT AT ALL!”

“I couldn’t tell.” Chloe half teased.

Justin blushed.  “Yeah, ok, at first I thought…”

Chloe smiled and nodded.  “I know what you thought, and I don’t blame you for thinking that in the least but, just so you know, I am not seeing anyone else, nor do I plan to.  I just didn’t want to go alone again.”

Justin cracked a smile.  “I get it, and for the record, I’d be lying if I said I was ok with the thought of you being with someone else.  I’m not.”

Chloe couldn’t help but smirk just a little.  “Lucky for you I have zero time for anyone else.”

Justin took in a breath.  What he needed to say next wasn’t going to be easy. 

“Yeah, about that…” Justin started nervously.

“About what?” Chloe asked.

Justin cleared his throat.  “Having zero time.”

Chloe cracked a smile.  She had a feeling she knew where this conversation was headed.  Truthfully, she’d been anticipating it for a while.  He was Justin Timberlake.  He couldn’t stay still forever.

Yet again, Chloe seemed to read his mind, forming the words he couldn’t bring himself to say.

“You’re going back on tour.”

Justin nodded, still unable to speak.

“When?” Chloe asked calmly.

She was so calm.  It worried him.  He expected her to be angry or upset but she stayed completely calm.

“I have one day of rehearsal here in New York on the 3rd.  The tour officially resumes on the 4th in D.C.”

“So, 12 days from now not counting today.” Chloe replied.

Justin nodded again.  “I wish you could come with me.”

Chloe bit her lip then offered him a crooked smile.  A part of her wished it too. 

“You know I can’t.”

“I know.” He sighed.

There was a brief silence that followed.  It wasn’t awkward or uncomfortable.  Both understood that the other was just trying to process all the emotions and thoughts running through their mind right then.

“January 31st, Madison Square Garden.  You’re coming! You and Gabby…and Adam too if he wants to come.”

“That’s…” Chloe started.

Justin smiled.  “I know…I want you there…both of you.  We can celebrate together.”

Chloe laughed.  “You want to celebrate your birthday and Gabby’s at Madison Square Garden with 18,000 of your screaming fans?!”

“Think of it as a giant birthday party.” Justin replied grinning.

“I think you’re trying to show off.” Chloe teased.

“Showing off?! No!  Trying to impress?! Absolutely!” Justin answered.

“Trying to impress whom? Me or Gabby?”

“Both!”

“I see.” Chloe said giggling.

“Is that a “yes”?”

Chloe giggled more.  “Well, I do already have two tickets to that show…I guess I could see about trying to snag a third.”

“Yeah, I think you can consider that handled.” Justin smirked.

“Oh?!”

Justin just grinned and took a step towards her.  “I told you, I treat the ladies in my life like royalty.”

“Ladies?” Chloe asked making a face.

“Yeah! You…Gabby…my momma.”

Chloe blushed with embarrassment.  “Oh!”

“Who did you think I meant?”

Chloe blushed more.  “Umm…well…I really don’t know…”

Justin took another step forward, then lifted her chin so that she met his gaze. 

“I’m not seeing anyone else either Chloe.” He whispered.

Chloe nodded then forced herself to speak.  “Christmas?”

“Is on Tuesday.” Justin replied.

Chloe smiled and nodded.  “I know.  Do you have plans?  I mean, are you going to Tennessee?”

Justin smiled.  “No…and no.  I was thinking about asking this girl I am seeing what she was doing?”

“Well, Christmas Eve is ALWAYS at my parents’ house.  We do Italian food. My mom always makes spaghetti, lasagna and brijoles.  Then, Christmas morning everyone comes over to my house.  I make breakfast casserole and Adam whips up his special Mimosas for the adults and we open presents.” Chloe explained.

Justin smiled.  “It sounds delicious but don’t you work Tuesday?”

Chloe nodded.  “Tuesday night.  I have to be there at 7 so we will have a light, early dinner and then I’ll go in.”

“Do you work Christmas eve?” Justin asked.

Chloe cracked a smile.  “Until 5, but it’s Christmas Eve so I doubt I’ll get to leave right at 5.  I’ll join Adam and Gabby at my parents house as soon as I can.”

Justin nodded. He understood what she meant but he couldn’t bring himself to ask what he wanted to.  He didn’t want to seem like he was pressuring her.

Chloe bit her lip and tried to not appear too nervous.  She was about to take a HUGE leap of faith.  She just hoped she didn’t regret it later.

“Would you like to join us?” Chloe asked bravely.

“For?’ Justin replied.

“Christmas Eve…and Christmas morning?  I could text you when I am on my way to my parents’ house Christmas Eve and you could meet me there.”

Justin couldn’t help but grin.  “I’d love to…but are you sure? That’s a big step.  I mean, not that I am against the idea in the least, I just…”

Chloe stood from her seat at the counter, leaving her now empty plate behind and stepped up to him.  She looked up at him and felt her heart leap into her chest.  She was definitely falling for him.

“I am ok with it if you are, and I won’t be in the least bit upset if you’re not.  I get it.”

Justin grinned and dropped his head, capturing her lips in a kiss. 

“I can’t think of anywhere I’d rather be.” He whispered as he pulled away.

Chloe blushed then giggled slightly.  “Ok, so I am seeing you Monday and Tuesday for sure.”

“And Friday.” Justin added.

“Friday?” Chloe replied.

“Michael’s art show.” Justin reminded her.

Chloe blushed more.  “Oh. Right!”

“And next Monday?!”

Chloe made a face.  She looked genuinely confused.  “Ok, wait, what’s next Monday?”

Justin smiled, wrapping his arms around her waist.  “New Year’s Eve.”

“Are you asking to spend New Year’s Eve together?”

Justin smiled more.  “Are you accepting?”

“You didn’t answer my question.” Chloe replied.

Justin chuckled.  “You didn’t answer mine either.”

Chloe blushed slightly and bit her lip.  She wondered if people really knew how completely adorable he truly was. 

“Justin, are you asking me to spend New Year’s Eve with you?” Chloe repeated, her voice barely a whisper.

Justin smiled down at her and nodded.  “I am.  Like you said, I have 12 days before I have to leave.  I want to spend as much time with you as possible before then.”

Chloe sighed.  As much as she wanted to spend New Year’s Eve with Justin, she had made a promise to Gabby.

“I promised Gabby we would do New Year’s Eve together.  Sparkling Cider, noise makers, popcorn, take-out for dinner, board games.”

“Sounds perfect.” Justin said grinning.

Chloe’s eyes widened.  “You’re joking, right?”

Justin chuckled.  “Nope.  I told you.  I get it.  You and Gabby are a package deal.  Besides, who wouldn’t want to spend New Year’s Eve with the cutest 5-year-old on the planet and her mommy?”

Chloe smiled.  In fact, her smile was probably the biggest Justin had ever seen. 

“You’re too good to me.”

Justin grinned and shook his head.  “I told you, that’s not possible.”

There was a brief pause, but it only lasted a moment.

“Will Adam be there?”

Chloe laughed.  “No.  He’s going out with friends.”

“Time Square?” Justin asked curiously.

Chloe laughed.  “No! Time Square is NOT his scene.  I think he and his friends are going to a bar.”

Justin smiled and nodded.  “That makes sense.  He does seem a bit more refined.”

Chloe snorted.  “Refined is not the word I would use, but, yes, he does like a more sophisticated atmosphere. “

“Ok, so, today is Saturday.  I am seeing you Monday, Tuesday, Friday and then next Monday and Tuesday. I’m not sure that’s enough.” Justin said grinning.

Chloe giggled.  “Hmm…well, I’m off until Tomorrow night at 7.  Then I am off again Wednesday.”

Justin nodded again; his expression thoughtful.  He was plotting.

“That’s a start.”

There was another pause, but again, it was brief.

“That shirt looks good on you.” Justin said grinning.

Chloe blushed.  “Thanks.  I should go change, give it back to you.”

“Nah.” Justin his lips curving into a sly grin.

Chloe made a face which made Justin chuckle.  He would never get tired of the cute faces she made. 

“I mean...like I said, you look good, you don’t need to go change for my benefit…and you can keep the shirt.”

Chloe’s eyes widened.  “I couldn’t.”

Justin smiled and dropped his voice to a whisper as he pulled her a bit more into him.  “Please.”

Chloe nodded, then smiled.  “Ok.”

***

Sunday Chloe spent the day with Gabby.  They went out for breakfast and finished up Christmas shopping.  Truthfully, most of Chloe’s shopping was done.  She’d done a lot of it online because she was so busy.  However, she still needed stocking stuffers and then there was Justin.  She had no idea what to get him.  He was Justin Timberlake.  One of the most successful Pop recording artists of all time.  He could probably afford anything and everything he ever wanted or needed.  Not to mention she wanted her gift to be meaningful.

“What are you thinking about Mommy?” Gabby asked, snapping her mother back into reality.

Chloe smiled down at her daughter. She looked so much like her father.  The same eyes, the same dirty blonde hair but Justin was right, she saw herself in Gabby too.  Gabby had her smile and her nose and her spunk.

“Nothing to worry about sweetie. I am just trying to think of something to get Justin for Christmas.” Chloe explained.

Gabby nodded.  “Uncle Adam had to help me with that.  I didn’t know what to get him either.”

Chloe looked at her daughter curiously.  “What did you get him?”

Gabby beamed.  “I drew him a picture then Uncle Adam helped me pick out a tie.”

Chloe smiled.  “That sounds perfect.”

“Do you think he will like it?”

Chloe smiled more.  “I think he will LOVE it, because it is from you.  Just one question, how did you pay for a tie?”

Gabby grinned up at her mother.  “I used some of my chore money.”

In that moment Chloe’s heart melted.  Gabby had been through SO MUCH.  For Gabby to use some of her chore money to buy Justin a present was a HUGE step.

“Wow Gabby, that was very sweet of you.” Chloe replied.

“I like Justin.  He’s nice.  He doesn’t act like I bother him and he includes me in stuff.”

Chloe’s heart gave a lurch.  Eddy loved his daughter, but he didn’t have the best track record in terms of showing it.  Truth be told, Eddy loved Gabby very much but struggled with expressing his love for his daughter in a way that made sense to her.

“He is very nice, and I am glad you like him.” Chloe said smiling wistfully.

“Do you like him?” Gabby blurted out.

Chloe blushed.  “I do.”

“Do you love him?” Gabby continued.

Chloe blushed more. 

“Umm…”

Sometimes Gabby was wise beyond her years.  This was one of those times and she had caught Chloe completely off guard with her question.

“It’s ok if you love him Mommy.  He is nice to you.  Nicer than Daddy, and it’s ok if you don’t love Daddy anymore. “

Chloe’s eyes went wide.  Immediately she stopped and kneeled down to her daughter’s level, taking Gabby’s hands in hers and looking her straight in the eye.

“Oh, Gabby bug…a part of me will ALWAYS love your daddy.  He gave me you, and he loves you so much, but you can love someone and care about them and be mad at them at the same time.”

“You’re mad at Daddy?”

Chloe nodded.  “I am.  I am mad at him for the way he treated us and for not doing what he needs to do to get better.  I am mad at him for not taking responsibility for his actions.”

“Can I be mad at Daddy?” Gabby asked seriously.

Chloe was near tears but managed to force them back so Gabby wouldn’t see. 

“Are you mad at Daddy?”

Gabby nodded solemnly.  “I am mad he won’t come to see me.”

Chloe sighed.  “That’s my fault.  It’s not that he doesn’t want to, he does.  I won’t let him.  The judge won’t let him.  Not until he takes responsibility for what he did and gets the help he needs so that he doesn’t yell and scream and throw things the way he used to.  That’s not healthy or safe for you and I promised you I wouldn’t let it happen ever again.  So, if you want to be mad at me too, I completely understand.”

Gabby shook her head fervently. “I am not mad at you Mommy.  I know you are just trying to be a good mommy and keep me safe.”

“I am.” Chloe whispered.

“You’re a great mommy! The best mommy!” Gabby exclaimed before wrapping her arms around her mother.

“Thank you, sweetie.” Chloe whispered into her daughter’s hair.

They hugged for a long moment before Gabby pulled away and looked into her mother’s eyes, now brimming with tears.

“So, do you love Justin?” Gabby asked grinning.

Chloe giggled through her tears, quickly brushing them away.  “I don’t know…maybe…”

“You should tell him.” Gabby said seriously.

Chloe giggled more, and her cheeks went warm.  She was definitely blushing.  “You think so?!”

“Yes!  You should tell him you love him.  That could be your Christmas present.”

Chloe smiled.  Her daughter really was too smart for her own good.  It amazed her at times just how intelligent and intuitive Gabby was.  She had such a good heart.

“It’s not quite that simple Gabby.”

“Why not? Don’t you always say “it’s the thought that counts.”

Chloe nodded.  “You’re right, I do say that, but when two grown ups say I love you to each other, that’s a big deal.  You don’t just say it unless you really mean it, and if you say it and the other person doesn’t feel the same way…well…it hurts really bad.”

“So, you think Justin doesn’t love you?” Gabby asked.

Chloe cracked a sad smile.  “I don’t know.”

“Do you want him to?”

“Do I want him to what?”

“Love you.  Do you want Justin to love you?”

Chloe blushed.  “Yeah. I do.”

Until then, she hadn’t actually said it out loud.  Now that she had, Chloe realized just how badly she wanted to love Justin and have him love her back.  It scared her a bit, but thrilled her at the same time.

“I do too.” Gabby replied grinning.

Chloe looked at her daughter and couldn’t help but grin.  “You’re pretty AWESOME, did you know that?”

Gabby grinned again and nodded.  “Yeah! I did, but you’re pretty awesome too mommy, and do you know what?”

“What Bug?”

“I bet Justin loves you too.”

December 24, 2018

It was Monday, Christmas Eve.  The house was quiet.  Gabby was still asleep and Chloe had the “On call” shift the night before followed by the day shift today, meaning she’d spent the night at the hospital. In other words, he wouldn’t see her until they met up at their parents’ house later that evening. 

Being that it was Christmas Eve he technically had the day off.  Court was not in session, and wouldn’t resume until the New Year, and his office was closed until the 27th.   Until Gabby got up, he was free, or so he thought.

At about 8:30 a.m. his phone rang.  Grumbling a bit, he retrieved his phone from the counter then cradled it against his ear as he poured himself a cup of coffee.

“Hey Adam, I didn’t wake you, did I?” a familiar voice said as soon as he picked up.

Adam recognized the voice immediately.  It was his good friend, Derek from the District Attorney’s office.  Inside the courtroom they were often adversaries but outside the chamber doors they were good friends and had been since law school.  It wasn’t out of the ordinary for him to call but given that it was before 9:00 a.m. on Christmas Eve, Adam knew something was up.

“No.  I’m up and on my way to caffeinated.  You’re fine.  What’s up?”

Derek cleared his throat nervously.  Something was definitely not right.

“Umm…well…as your friend I wanted to give you a heads up…”

“About?” Adam asked as he pulled the coffee creamer out of the fridge.

“Wasn’t your sister in a car accident back in early November?” Derek replied.

Adam nodded as he stirred his mug.  He didn’t like the vibes he was getting but he was trying to keep calm until he had a genuine reason not to be.

“Yeah.  It was a hit and run, but they never caught the driver that hit her.”

“Umm…yeah…they did.” Derek replied.

Adam could hear the anxiety in his voice.  He didn’t like it.

“Excuse me?!” Adam exclaimed.

“The night of the accident, your sister gave the detectives a tip.  It took some time, but the tip paid off.  They arrested someone in connection with the accident yesterday.  The D.A., my boss, he wants to make a case of it.  He thinks we can get a conviction.  That is if your sister and the driver of the 3rd vehicle are willing to testify.”

Coffee nearly shot out Adam’s nose.  He sputtered a bit before regaining his composure.

“Are you ok?” Derek asked, hearing the commotion.

“Yeah, yeah fine.  What are the charges? Has bail been set?” Adam burst out.

“Oh man, the charges…there are a few.  Reckless endangerment.  Aggravated vehicular assault, and destruction of city property.”

“Destruction of city property?” Adam replied.

“He took out a couple of parking meters when he fled the scene.”

Still ever the defense attorney, Adam had a few more questions. 

“How do you know the suspect in custody is your guy?  Chloe said she never saw his face.”

“Chloe’s tip.  And the suspect’s confession.”

Adam’s eyes widened.  There was more to this story.  He knew it.

“He confessed?!” Adam exclaimed.

“He did.” Derek answered solemnly.

“Derek?!  What aren’t you telling me?  I know that tone in your voice.  You get that way when you’re about to put that last nail in the coffin.”

Adam could feel the blood in his veins, and his heart pounding in his chest.  From the moment he picked up the phone he knew this was not going to end well.

“Adam, it’s Eddy.”

“Eddy?! What do you mean it’s Eddy?  What does my ex- brother-in-law have to do with this?” Adam snapped.

“The defendant is Eddy.  Eddy is the one that caused the accident.  He confessed to the whole thing.”

Adam’s heart dropped.  His blood felt like ice shooting through his veins and bile started to rise in his throat.  Of all the things Derek could have said that was not at all what Adam expected when he’d picked up the phone.

The questions running through his mind in that moment were coming in one after the other. 

“Who is representing him?  Are you the prosecuting attorney?  Do you have a court date set?”

Derek let out a heavy sigh.  “Adam, this is a courtesy call, because I know Chloe is your sister and you are a good friend.  You know I can’t really tell you much.  We are just in the Discovery phase.  We are still gathering evidence.”

“Ok, fair enough.  What can you tell me?”  Adam replied as he slumped down onto one of the barstools.

“I can tell you that a court date has not been set yet.  As I said, we are still in the Discovery phase.  We haven’t even received the full police report from the accident yet, and as far as who is representing the Defendant, I think he’s opted to go with a court appointed public defender.”

“Of course, he has, because he knows no firm in their right mind is going to take him as a client.” Adam grumbled.

“Probably.”

“So, what’s next for you?” Adam replied.

He was still trying to wrap his head around this new information.  He didn’t even want to think about telling Chloe.

“First, is the Arraignment hearing, and we are trying to narrow down our potential witness list…”

Immediately warning bells started going off in Adam’s head.  Justin.  Justin was the third driver.  Meaning this was going to be a very high-profile case.

“Yeah…about that…you’re going to want to petition for a gag order against the media or you’re going to have media zoo on your hands.” Adam warned.

“What?! Why?!”

Adam groaned.  “You said you haven’t received the full police report yet, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Then you don’t know who the third driver is yet, do you?”

“No, not yet.  We are due to receive that later this morning.”

“Do you remember hearing on the news or TMZ a couple months ago that Justin Timberlake was in a motorcycle accident right about the same time as Chloe’s accident?”

Derek nodded on the other end of the line.  “Vaguely.  A Good Samaritan saved his life, right?”

“Yup.” Adam smirked.

“Ok, I’m not following, what does Justin Timberlake’s motorcycle accident have to do with any of this?” Derek huffed.

“Think about it.” Adam grumbled.

Then he waited.  He was waiting for Derek to make the connection between the two accidents, and given what he knew of his long-time friend it wasn’t going to take long.

“Wait?!  Are you saying…” Derek stammered.

“That’s exactly what I am saying.” Adam replied.

“FUCK ME!”  Derek whistled through his teeth.

“Tell me about it.”

Derek groaned then ran a hand over his face.  “You’re joking, right? Please, tell me you’re joking.”

Adam took a breath, running a hand through his hair anxiously.  “I wish I could.”

There was a deafening silence that followed.  Both men were engrossed in their thoughts.  It was a lot to take in.  Adam could only imagine what Derek must be thinking at the moment.

“Stalking.  You will want to add Stalking to the charges.”

“Stalking?! Why?”

“If Eddy caused the accident, then he violated the restraining order Chloe filed against him as well as their custody agreement.  Eddy can’t come within 100 feet of Chloe or Gabby until he completes his court ordered anger management classes.  He hasn’t done that yet.”

“Oh…umm...thanks.” Derek replied.

Another awkward pause followed.

“What was the tip?” Adam blurted out.

“Excuse me?” Derek replied.

“You said Chloe gave the detectives a tip, what was it?”

“Oh, she didn’t tell you?”

Adam chuckled awkwardly.  “Umm…no…not exactly.  To be honest, she didn’t say much about the accident at all.  Doctor-Patient confidentiality was her reasoning.  Hell, technically she didn’t even tell me it was Timberlake in the accident.  I figured it out based on what she wouldn’t say and the news coverage of the accident the next morning.”

Derek groaned.  “Adam…keep talking and I’m going to have no choice but to add you to the witness list.”

“Go right ahead, sign me up.  If Eddy caused the accident, then I absolutely want to testify as a character witness for the prosecution.   I owe it to my sister and my niece.”

Derek’s eyes went wide.  Until that moment he had completely forgotten about Gabby.

“Your niece! OH MY GOD! I completely forgot about her! How old is she now?”

Adam’s eyes immediately darkened.  He didn’t like where he thought this conversation was going. 

“She’s 5.  She will be six at the end of January.  She’s not taking the stand though Derek.” Adam grumbled.

Derek cracked a tiny smile and shook his head.  He and Adam were pretty good friends outside the courtroom so Derek knew that Adam was fiercely protective of his family. 

“Oh, no way! I would never do that, and I wouldn’t let my boss do it either.  IF we needed any sort of testimony from Gabby, which I don’t know why we would, we would get a deposition. “

“Thank you for that!”

“Of course, man, we’re friends, I’ve got you.  Look Adam, I can only imagine what’s going on in that head of yours right now.  This is a lot to take in.  I wish I could tell you more but I really can’t.  Eddy was arrested yesterday. He is in jail pending his Arraignment hearing on the 26th. My boss is taking 1st chair for the prosecution and has appointed me as 2nd chair.”

“You can’t be 2nd chair…we are friends.  You have to recuse yourself.” Adam answered.

Derek smirked a bit and shook his head.  “My boss knows.  It’s why I am only 2nd chair and not 1st.  Not to mention the case is against Eddy, not you.”

“I’ll be there.” Adam replied.

“Where?”

“The Arraignment hearing.”

Derek sighed.  “Not a good idea man.  You are a potential witness.  That wouldn’t look good to the judge.”

Adam groaned.  “I know. I know.  I just…”

Derek smiled into the phone.  “I get it! I do! You want to do anything to protect your sister and your niece, but trust me, I’m looking out for all of you.”

“Thanks. I know you are…I just…I have NO IDEA how I am going to tell Chloe.  Things are FINALLY going right for her…and now this.”

“Don’t tell her yet.  As I said, the Arraignment hearing isn’t until the 26th.  Enjoy the holiday.  I’ll call you after the Arraignment and fill you in with what I can that way you have something more concrete to tell her.”

Adam simply nodded.

“Thank you.”

“Absolutely!  I’m off to go get that Police report and tell my boss about the Gag order.” Derek grumbled.

“You’re going to want a subpoena for Mr. Timberlake’s medical records from the accident too.” Adam replied.

“Shit! You’re right! Thanks.”

“No problem.  Just keep me posted, please!”

“I will.”

He hung up the phone just as Gabby shuffled into the kitchen.

“Hey there Gabby Bug…are you hungry?” Adam asked forcing a smile.

Gabby rubbed at her eyes and nodded.  She was still in her pajamas, hugging her stuffed Monkey tightly.  Meanwhile, Adam was silently praying she hadn’t overheard any of his phone conversation moments before.

“What would you like? It’s Christmas Eve and I don’t have to work so you can have whatever you want.  Pancakes, cereal, French toast, waffles, scrambled eggs…”

“May I have pancakes and eggs, please?” Gabby answered.

Adam smiled.  Given the circumstances pancakes and eggs sounded delicious.  Truthfully, Adam typically tried to eat healthy and not over indulge on carbs but it was Christmas eve AND like the majority of his family, he was an emotional eater. 

“Sure thing.  Then after breakfast you can help me wrap up some of the presents before we go over to Grandma and Grandpa’s.”

“Ok.” Gabby said grinning.

***

It was nearing 5:00 p.m.  Snow had started to fall, but by some miracle Chloe wasn’t walking into surgery.  In fact, it looked as if she was going to get out on time but she wasn’t about to say anything about it.  The last thing she wanted was to jinx it.

At five minutes until 5 she quietly handed off her charts to the nurses at the Nurses’ station and quickly made her escape.  Once inside the locker rooms she retrieved her phone from her locker and shot off a text to Justin letting him know that she was headed to her parents’ house.

Chloe: By some miracle I’m actually getting out of here on time

Justin: That is a miracle! Can’t wait to see you

Chloe blushed. 

Chloe: I have to swing by my place really quick.  I want to grab a quick shower and change and there is some stuff Adam forgot that I need to pick up but I can meet you at my parents’ by 6:30.

Justin grinned on his end. 

Justin: How about I meet you at your place?  I can drop off my gifts for tomorrow so they are already there when Gabby wakes up.

Chloe stared down at the phone.  His reasoning made sense but the idea of showing up at her parents’ house WITH Justin wasn’t something she was mentally prepared for.  Yes, her parents were great and they were excited to meet Justin but that didn’t mean she wasn’t nervous about bringing a guy to meet her parents for the first time since Eddy. 

Chloe: Ok.  I’m leaving the hospital now. 

Justin: See you soon

***

 

“Hi.” Chloe said, smiling as she opened the door.

He looked AMAZING!  Dark wash jeans, a crisp blue button down, a dark grey suit jacket and a tie.  Her heart stopped momentarily.  Chloe sucked in a quiet breath then looked down at her own ensemble.  She was still in her scrubs, her hair pulled back in a messy bun and feeling ridiculously inadequate at the moment.

“Hey.” He replied, his lips curving into a playful smile.

“You look…” Chloe mumbled.

Justin smiled more.  “Yeah?!”

“Good! Really good and I look…well…”

Justin chuckled.  “Well, to be fair, you have been at work for almost 24 hours so I think you get a pass…BUT…I happen to think the scrubs and the messy bun are sexy as hell.”

Chloe giggled.  “Thank you.  Would you like to come in? Didn’t you mention dropping off presents?”

Justin grinned.  “I would love to come in and yes, I did mention presents.”

Chloe made a face.  He was at the moment, empty handed.   Justin just grinned more then stepped aside to reveal the large Santa sack behind him.

“Wow!!  Justin…”

“It’s Christmas…I ALWAYS go big!”

“I see that!  I just hope you don’t make Santa look bad.” Chloe laughed.

Justin smiled then winked.  “Santa has help this year.”

“I’ll take it.  Now, please, come in.  Have a seat, and I’ll go get a quick shower.”

Justin grinned suggestively.  “Does Santa need help with that too?”

Chloe burst out laughing.  “No.  I think I can handle it, besides, if you helped it wouldn’t be a quick shower.  Not to mention I wouldn’t want to mess up that outfit and I promised my mom we would be there by 7.”

Justin laughed. “Gotcha.  I’ll be here.”

Chloe was in and out of the shower in a flash.  She was nervous and excited.  She was nervous about introducing Justin to her parents but excited about having him around for the holiday.  It meant a lot that he was willing to take such a big step. 

Once out of the shower Chloe quickly blow dried her hair with a round brush so that it felt straight down her back, but curled under at the ends.  It was simple but pretty.   With her hair now dry Chloe shimmied into a pair of lace underwear and then pulled on her favorite pair of dark wash, skinny jeans.  Next, she slipped on a matching lace bra then pulled an emerald green, cable knit sweater over her head before giving her hair one more quick run through with her fingers.  Once dressed she put on a bit of light make up before slipping into a pair of knee-high, black, leather boots and giving herself one more look in the mirror.

Chloe walked out into the living room to find Justin all smiles.

“Ok, the scrubs and messy bun are sexy but I don’t hate this either.” Justin teased.

“Oh, no?!” Chloe laughed.

“Not one bit.”

“I will keep that in mind.” Chloe teased.

“You do that.” Justin smirked.

“Shall we get going?” Chloe asked, changing the subject abruptly.

She was worried that if she allowed this discussion to continue, they would be late to dinner.

“Sure.” Justin said as he stood from the couch.

“Ok, just let me go grab a bottle of wine from the wine fridge.” Chloe explained.

Justin grinned.  “Save it.  I’ve already got a bottle waiting in the car.  I thought it would be a nice gift for your parents, as a “thank you” for inviting me to dinner.”

Chloe beamed.  “You really are too sweet.”

Justin smiled and shook his head.  “You say that every time.”

“Because it’s true.  I don’t know how I got so lucky…”

“I’m the lucky one…if you hadn’t been there that night, if you hadn’t jumped out of your car…”

“You were the one that insisted on tracking me down.” Chloe argued.

Justin blushed this time.  “I did.  From the moment I found out you were real and not just a figment of my imagination I was determined to find you.  I had to.  I had to hear your voice again.”

“I’m glad you did.”

“Me too.” Justin said smiling and offering his arm.

The ride to Chloe’s parents’ house was short.  In fact, before Chloe had time to think about it, she and Justin were climbing the steps to the doorway.  Instinctively, Justin laced his fingers on his left hand with hers.  Chloe looked down briefly, swallowing the lump that had suddenly appeared in her throat.  It felt comfortable but at the same time nerve-wracking.  Chloe hadn’t felt this way about a man…well…ever. 

“Should we ring the doorbell?” Justin asked.

Chloe bit her lip and shook her head.  “No.  I guarantee no one will hear it anyway. They are probably all in the kitchen.”

Justin simply nodded.  They both took deep, quiet breaths as Chloe reached for the door and pushed it open.

“Hello?! We’re here!” Chloe called out.

Justin was still holding her hand and she was acutely aware of that fact.  She was also very much aware of the range of emotions coursing through her in that moment.

“Mommy! Justin!” Gabby exclaimed as her footsteps echoed through the room.

In the next moment Gabby sprinted into view, headed straight for Justin. 

“Oof!” Justin grunted, grinning as Gabby collided with him, wrapping her arms around his waist in a tight hug.

“Hey there Gabby!” Justin replied as she pulled away.

He looked up just as Chloe’s parents and Adam stepped into the front room.  Chloe was the perfect mix of both of them.  It made him smile.

Chloe’s parents quickly hugged their daughter then looked to her for introductions.

“Mom, Dad…this is Justin.” Chloe said nervously.

“Nice to meet you Mr. and Mrs. De Luca.” Justin said politely.

Chloe’s mother smiled.  “No, no. Formalities are not necessary.  Please, it’s Katherine and Arturo.”

Justin smiled bashfully and nodded. “Got it.  Thank you for having me.”

Katherine smiled more.  “Thank you for joining us.  It’s nice to finally meet you.”

Justin grinned.  “She talks about me, does she?”

Chloe’s parents both chuckled, as did Adam. 

“Not nearly enough.” Her mother replied.

Chloe blushed.  “Mom!”

“Hmm…I’ll have to see what I can do about that.” Justin teased.

“Please do.” Her father chimed in.

“I hope you’re hungry Justin.” Katherine said smiling.

Justin smiled and nodded as he handed off the bottle of wine to Adam.  “I will NEVER say “no” to Italian food.”

“I like you more already.” Arturo teased.

“Thank you.” Justin replied blushing slightly.

“Will you sit by me Mr. Justin?” Gabby pleaded.

Justin grinned.  “I’d love to sit by you Gabby.  Lead the way.”

Grinning Gabby took Justin by the hand and started to lead him towards the dining room.

Dinner with Chloe’s family was perfect.  No one in the family took themselves too seriously.  They joked and laughed and ate and sipped on their wine.  It was a nice, relaxing evening.  Just what Justin needed.  Just what Chloe needed as well.  Little by little, Justin was chipping away at her walls and restoring her faith in love.

After dinner everyone adjourned to the living room where they cozied up in front of the fire.  Chloe’s mom passed around hot spiced cider and freshly baked cookies as they all sat and chatted a bit.

“Do you like the cookies Justin?” Gabby asked, happily bouncing around the room.

She was five, it was Christmas Eve, she was excited and experiencing a bit of a sugar rush.  The bouncing made perfect sense.

“They are delicious.  Did you help make them Gabby?” Justin asked grinning.

Gabby nodded emphatically.  “Grandma and I made them this afternoon.”

“Best cookies I’ve ever tasted.  In fact, do you know who else would LOVE these cookies?” Justin asked grinning and then giving Chloe a wink.

Gabby shook her head, her eyes wide as she waited for Justin to continue.

“JC.  JC would love these!”

Gabby’s eyes were wide as saucers now. 

“JC Chasez?!”

Justin nodded, his eyes sparkling mischievously.  He knew he was about to rock Gabby’s world.

“Yeah, but Mommy says he lives in California.  They wouldn’t taste good if I shipped them to California.  They would be all yucky and dry by the time they got there.”

Justin smiled more.  He couldn’t wait to see Gabby’s reaction. 

“You wouldn’t have to ship them to California.  JC is coming here.  He will be at the art show on Friday.”

“Art show?! What art show?” Gabby replied.

Justin looked to Chloe.  Chloe could only blush and shrug.  “I hadn’t had the chance to tell her yet.”

“Lance’s partner; Michael, is hosting an art show here in New York on Friday.  Lance invited us to go.”  Adam added.

Gabby’s jaw nearly hit the floor.  Her eyes were wide and Chloe could tell she was holding back a squeal.

“Lance?! Lance Bass?!  He invited us to an art show?  “Us” meaning I can go too?!” Gabby exclaimed.

Chloe giggled and nodded.  “Yes, you can come too.  It’s a family event.”

Gabby’s eyes were still wide with excitement, but it was what Justin said next that sent her over the edge.

“All of *NSYNC will be there.  Chris is bringing Karly and Nash.  Joey is bringing Kloey…” Justin started to explain.

“Is JC bringing someone?” Adam asked, his eyes glinting.

Justin chuckled.  “I don’t think so…not this trip anyway.”

“I get to meet JC?!” Gabby replied, bouncing up and down again.

Justin grinned and nodded.  “Sure.  You can bring him some cookies too, he’d love it.”

Gabby immediately looked to her mother and then her grandmother.  “Won’t they go bad or all get eaten by Friday?”

Gabby’s grandmother grinned.  “We can make more before Friday.”

“Can we make cookies for all of *NSYNC?” Gabby replied.

“ALL of *NSYNC?!  You do know that ALL of *NSYNC means I get some too.” Justin teased.

Gabby grinned and nodded.  “Oh, yes!  Definitely! I couldn’t leave you out.  That’s not how I roll.”

Everyone laughed at this, particularly Chloe and Adam.  Gabby sounded just like her mother.

That night Chloe, Adam and Gabby hitched a ride back to their house with Justin courtesy of his chauffeured car.  Gabby fell asleep in the car almost before they pulled out of the driveway.  Thank goodness Adam had the forethought to pack a pair of pajamas for Gabby so that she could change into them before they left.  He knew she would probably crash and it would make the transition to bed that much easier.

“Thanks for the ride.” Chloe said as the car pulled to stop in front of the house.

“It was my pleasure.” Justin replied smiling.

“We should get her inside.” Adam said nodding to Gabby who was leaned up against her mother.

“I’ll get her.” Justin said softly.

“Are you sure?” Adam asked, his eyebrows high.

The way Justin had taken to Gabby so quickly amazed him.  In his eyes, Justin acted more like a father than Eddy ever have.  It warmed his heart but also terrified Adam in the same breath.  They didn’t know what he did, and he was dreading what came next now more than ever.

“Yeah.  I’ve got her.” Justin said smiling.

Gently, he reached for Gabby and pulled her into his lap, positioning one arm behind her head and the other under her knees before sliding from his seat and stepping out to the pavement.

“I’ll get the door.” Adam whispered.

Chloe watched in awe and disbelief as Justin carried her effortlessly up the steps and through the door.  Quietly, she followed him to the bedroom, standing just outside the door as he gently placed her in her bed and tucked her Monkey under her arm before pulling the blankets over her still sleeping form.

She stirred slightly as he tucked her in and Chloe could just barely make out her tiny voice as Gabby whispered through the dark.  Her eyes were still closed and she was still half asleep so she was unaware that it was Justin and not her mother tucking her in.

“Will you sing our song to me?” Gabby whispered sleepily.

Justin smiled and nodded.  “Absolutely I will Princess.”

Chloe’s breath caught her in throat and her eyes went wide as Justin’s voice began to echo through the dark room. 

Aren’t you somethin’ to admire

Cause your shine is somethin’ like a mirror

And I can’t help but notice

You reflect in this heart of mine

If you ever feel alone and

The glare makes me hard to find

Just know that I’m always

Parallel on the other side

 

By the time Justin finished singing the song there were tears streaming down Chloe’s face.  Yes, she was in love with him and watching him with Gabby just made her love him more.

 

Gabby’s eyes fluttered open momentarily and she looked up at Justin smiling.  Realization had settled in.

 

“That’s one of your songs, isn’t it?” Gabby whispered.

 

Justin smiled and nodded.  “It is.”

 

“Did you write it?” Gabby asked.

 

“I did.”

 

Gabby smiled then closed her eyes again.  “It’s my favorite!”

 

Justin smiled again then brushed a whisp of her hair from her head.  “I’m glad…now get some sleep Sweet Girl.”

 

When Justin stepped out of the room Chloe was waiting for him.  Thankfully, she’d managed to brush away the tears so he didn’t see.

 

“I should get going.  Santa needs to get everything ready so she can’t get to bed.” Justin said, pulling her close.

 

“Do you have to leave?” Chloe asked, her voice full of emotion.

 

Justin smiled then lifted her chin to meet his gaze.  “Not if you don’t want me to.”

 

“I don’t.” Chloe whispered.

 

“Chloe, are you asking me to spend the night?” Justin asked as his heart began to pound.

Justin knew, that for Chloe, this was a huge step.  It meant a lot to him.

 

“Not if you don’t want me to.” Chloe replied, her voice shaking.

“I do.” Justin said cracking a smile.

 

Chloe smiled back at him and nodded.  “Justin, will you stay with me tonight?”

 

“Absolutely, I will.”

 

Chloe blushed then her eyes widened a bit.  Realization had set in.  “What about clothes? You can’t sleep in that.”

 

Justin grinned.  “Don’t worry, this elf comes prepared.”

 

“Well, ok then.” Chloe giggled.

 

Chloe woke up Christmas morning to the smell of coffee wafting through the house.  Adam was up.  It surprised her.  Adam typically wasn’t an early riser.  Then again, it was Christmas.  Smiling to herself Chloe rolled over in the bed.  Her smile widened a bit more.  Justin was asleep next to her.  He was lying on his stomach, his head turned to face her.  One arm was stretched across her stomach.  The other was dangling off the edge of the bed and the covers were pulled down exposing his naked upper half.  He looked so peaceful.  She didn’t want to wake him.

Carefully, she tried to slide out from underneath his arm but failed miserably.  Next to her, Chloe heard Justin sigh then pull her closer, his eyes still closed as he pressed his lips up against her cheek.

“You’re awake.” Chloe giggled softly.

Justin smiled against her cheek.  “Only partially.  I think the smell of coffee woke me up.”

Chloe nodded.  “Me too.”

“Good morning, and Merry Christmas.” Justin said, his eyes fluttering open to lock with her green ones.

“Merry Christmas and Good morning to you too.” Chloe replied before popping a kiss on his lips.

Justin moaned softly and leaned into her kiss.  “Can I wake up like this every morning?”

“Like how?” Chloe asked slightly confused.

She had a feeling she knew what he was implying but she didn’t want to assume anything.

“Next to you.” Justin whispered before returning the pop kiss.

“You can, at least for seven of the next nine days.” Chloe answered smiling.

“Only 7?! How did you come up with that number?” Justin asked chuckling a bit.

He liked that although she did blush and get nervous around him at times, she didn’t shy away from him.  In other words, she communicated with him, and he didn’t intimidate her.

“I have the “On Call” shift tonight and Sunday night, but otherwise I’m all yours.”

Justin opened his mouth to respond but was cut off by the sound of thundering feet and then knocking on the door.

Chloe’s eyes widened and her face paled.  As if acting instinctively, Chloe sat bolt upright then tossed the comforter over Justin so that it covered him completely from head to toe.  Meanwhile, Justin could only quietly chuckle and shake his head.

“Don’t move.” Chloe hissed as the door to the bedroom flew open.

Before Gabby had a chance to jump on the bed Chloe caught her in her arms.

“Mommy! Get up! Get up!  Justin is coming over.” Gabby squealed happily.

Chloe couldn’t help but giggle.  “Justin?!  What about Santa?  Didn’t he come? Did he leave you presents?”

Gabby nodded and laughed.  “Silly Mommy, of course Santa came but I didn’t want to open any presents until Justin got here.”

Chloe smiled and placed her hand where she knew Justin’s leg was and gave the comforter a gentle squeeze.

“Ok, well, why don’t you go tell Uncle Adam to put the casserole in the oven and I will be out in just a few minutes.”

“When is Justin going to be here?” Gabby insisted.

Chloe had to fight not to laugh.  Gabby had no idea that Justin had spent the night.

“Soon.  Very, very soon, which is why I want to have the casserole ready.” Chloe said as she tried to hide her smile.

Gabby beamed.  “Ok Mommy! I’ll go tell Uncle Adam to put it in the oven.”

“Thank you, Sweetie.”

As soon as Gabby shut the door Justin pushed the comforter off his head and sat up next to Chloe.

“What’s your plan?” Justin asked as he smothered a grin.

Chloe giggled.  “Umm…I am going to get up, get dressed and go out to the kitchen and try to distract her.  You can get dressed then join me in a few minutes.  If she asks, I will just tell her that Adam left the front door unlocked for you.”

Justin laughed.  “Ok.”

“Did you have a better plan?” Chloe smirked.

Justin just laughed more.  “Nope.”

Still giggling a bit Chloe pushed the covers aside and got out of bed then quickly made her way to the closet to get dressed.  She settled on a pair of jeans and red sweatshirt.  Christmas in the De Luca/Hunter house was always far less formal than Christmas eve.

As soon as she was dressed Chloe headed for the master bathroom to comb her hair and brush her teeth.  Minutes later she emerged from the bathroom to find Justin out of bed and getting dressed.  He was buttoning the jeans he’d worn the night before.  They were from his collaboration with Levi’s.  She could tell just by looking at them, and as she looked, she couldn’t help but blush because his ass looked great in them.

With his jeans now on he moved to the small pile of the clothes neatly piled on top of his shoes and pulled a simple, grey sweater from the pile.  It wasn’t until he’d put the sweater on and sat down to put on his shoes that he noticed Chloe standing in the doorway.

He smiled as he looked up at her.  She looked comfortable but still gorgeous.

“You’re sure Gabby is still in the kitchen?” Justin asked grinning.

Chloe nodded.  “I’m sure.  She likes to help and if Adam is in the kitchen, he will have put her to work doing something.”

“Well, then, what if we walked in together and just told her that you found me at the front door if she asks.” Justin suggested with a grin.

Chloe blushed again.  “That could work.”

Justin stood from the bed and walked over to where Chloe was standing.  Smiling, he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her into him, letting his head rest against hers. 

“This! I didn’t know I needed this, that I was missing out until I met you.” Justin whispered.

Chloe’s eyes grew wide and her heart started to pound. 

“Justin…”

He pulled away a bit and looked into her eyes.  They were brimming with tears.  Smiling softly Justin quickly brushed them away with his thumb, allowing his hand to remain on her face as he continued to whisper to her.

“Chloe, I know what you’re thinking.  You are thinking that it’s too soon, that I couldn’t possibly feel a certain way about you…but, I do.  I do feel that way about you…and Gabby.  Chloe…I love you…I love you both.”

Chloe sucked in a breath.  She wasn’t completely convinced that what she’d heard was real.

“You love me?” Chloe managed to reply, her voice shaking.

Justin smiled and dropped his head again so that his forehead was resting against hers.  “I do! Very much!  For so long I’ve been alone.  Yeah, I know, I have my family and the guys but when I go home at night it’s just me.  There’s no one waiting for me.  No one to ask me how my day was or wake up next to every morning.  I never realized that’s what I wanted or needed…until I met you.  I love being able to kiss you goodnight and have you next to me when I wake up in the morning.  I’m going to really miss that when I go back on tour.”

“You love me?” Chloe repeated.

Justin smiled and nodded then kissed her softly.  “Yes, I love you, Chloe.”

Chloe cracked the tiniest of smiles and nodded.  “Justin…I love you too.  I just didn’t want to say it first…I didn’t want to say it and not have you feel the same way…”

Justin smiled more.  “I do.  I love you…and I love that adorable, amazing little girl of yours too.”

Chloe finally allowed her smile to take over as she looked up at him.  “Speaking of that little girl, we should probably get moving before she comes knocking again.”

Justin grinned.  “We probably should.”

Taking her hand in his Justin quietly led her to the door and down the hallway to the kitchen.  Adam looked up when they entered and couldn’t help but grin.  He knew that Justin had spent the night but didn’t want to say anything in front of Gabby.  However, his look said it all.

Chloe blushed and shook her head at the face Adam was making.

“Look what I found coming up the steps…” Chloe said with a wink at her brother.

“JUSTIN!” Gabby exclaimed as she bolted across the kitchen and threw her arms around him in a hug.

“Hey there! Merry Christmas Gabby!”

“Merry Christmas Justin!” Gabby replied grinning as she pulled away.

Gabby then turned to her mother, her eyes wide and hopeful.

“Now can we go open presents?!”

Chloe smiled and nodded.  “Yes, we can go open presents…just let me get some coffee first.”

“Agreed, coffee is definitely a must.” Justin added.

Gabby beamed.  “Well, Uncle Adam and I set up a coffee bar.  Creamer, whip cream, syrups…”

Justin squeezed Chloe’s hand.  Gabby really was a great kid.

“Sounds perfect Gabby Bug!” Chloe said smiling as she gently squeezed Justin’s hand back.

Within minutes everyone was settled in the living room in front of the tree.  Justin and Chloe were seated on one end of the sectional, Adam was in his favorite recliner chair and Chloe and Adam’s parents had just arrived.  They took seats at the opposite end of the sectional.  Gabby was standing in front of the tree ready to distribute presents to everyone.

“Justin first!” Gabby exclaimed once everyone was settled.

Before anyone had the chance to argue otherwise Gabby had retrieved a skinny, rectangular box from under the tree and was handing it to Justin.

Justin smiled and looked at Gabby as he carefully took the gift.  It was obvious she’d wrapped it herself but it made him love it more.  He didn’t need to know what was inside.  It was from Gabby, so he knew it would be perfect.

“Are you sure?” Justin asked.

Gabby nodded emphatically.

Justin smiled and looked back to the gift.  Carefully, he began to peel back the tape and open the package.  Just inside the wrapping paper was another piece of paper neatly folded.  Immediately, Justin’s smile transformed to a grin.  He knew what it was.  As carefully as possible he unfolded the paper and looked down at the image in front of him.

On the manila paper Gabby had drawn a picture of herself and Justin picking out the tree together and above them, as if floating in air was a giant, red heart. 

“I love it, Gabby!” Justin said grinning at her.

Gabby beamed.  “There is more.  Look inside the box.”

Justin redirected his attention to the box and his eyes widened when he opened it.  Inside was a gorgeous blue-grey tie with thin, silver stripes running through it.  It was definitely something he would wear and he would absolutely think of Gabby every time he wore it.

“Wow! Gabby! Did you pick this out yourself?!” Justin mused.

Gabby blushed.  “Yeah.  I had to ask Uncle Adam if he thought you would like it, but I picked it out and then I used my chore money to pay for it.”

“Gabby! That’s really sweet of you!  I’m definitely going to wear this!”

Chloe immediately put her mug to her lips so that no one would see her swallowing back happy tears.  This was the best Christmas she’d had in a really long time.

Justin stood from his seat next and headed for the tree.  Turning back around he handed a small box to Chloe and a much bigger box to Gabby.  In fact, the box he gave to Gabby was almost as big as she was.

Gabby ripped into the box almost immediately. Inside the box, the complete set of stuffed, plush Trolls. There was Poppy, Branch, Smidge, Cooper, Biggie, DJ Suki, King Peppy and Guy Diamond along with a smaller, autographed Guy Diamond.

Gabby squealed loudly with delight.

“EEEEK!”

Everyone chuckled as Gabby tackled Justin with a hug.

“Thank you SO MUCH Justin!”

“You’re going to have to make room on your bed for all of those.” Chloe half teased.

Gabby grinned.  “Guy Diamond and Branch can sleep with me.  The rest can go on my shelf.”

“Sounds like a good plan.” Justin said grinning.

Justin looked to Chloe next.  She was still holding her box.

“Your turn.” Justin said nodding to her.

Gingerly, Chloe tore the paper off the box then carefully opened it.  Inside was the most beautiful necklace she’d ever seen.  It was a rose gold, flat hoop with a garnet stone and tiny diamonds around the garnet.  On the hoop was Gabby’s name engraved into the gold in pretty script.  It was a mother’s necklace.  Chloe knew it immediately.

“Wow! Justin…this is…” Chloe stuttered.

“Merry Christmas.” He whispered before placing a light kiss on her cheek.

For a moment, Chloe sat there speechless, unable to move.  She had not expected such a thoughtful and beautiful gift.  In the next moment she stood up and went over to the tree.  From beneath the tree, she retrieved a very small, velvet box and handed it to Justin.

It looked like a ring box and for a moment Justin felt his breath catch in his throat.  Slowly, he opened the box and his lips curved into a smile when he saw what was inside.  Two white gold cuff links with his initials engraved on them and a matching tie tack. 

“Gabby gave me the idea.  I didn’t know what else to get you.” Chloe explained nervously.

Justin smiled up at her.  “This is perfect.”

***

Christmas was perfect.  Just the way Chloe had hoped it would be.  In fact, Chloe couldn’t remember the last time she’d been this happy.  Probably not since the day Gabby was born. 

The day after Christmas Chloe slept in until almost 2.  Justin was coming over for dinner that evening but in keeping with his promise to spend as much time with Chloe and Gabby as possible he came over a few hours early.  At 3:00 that afternoon Justin arrived just as Chloe came shuffling into the kitchen dressed in a pair of jeans and a NYU sweatshirt with her hair pulled back into a messy ponytail.  Gabby was in her room playing with her new toys.  In other words, it was the perfect opportunity for the adults to talk.

Upon entering the kitchen Adam handed his sister a steamy cup of peppermint tea with honey then motioned for her and Justin to sit.

Chloe looked to the tea and then her brother.  Peppermint tea was her go to beverage when she was stressed.  Something about the mint, honey and the warmth always seemed to help settle her nerves.  However, she wasn’t nervous or stressed.  Tired, yes, but that was understandable after working the night before so why Adam was giving her tea was a mystery. 

“What’s the tea for?” Chloe asked, eyeing her brother curiously.

He looked like he could use a cup of tea.  His eyes were bloodshot.  The stubble on his face was scruffy, his brow furrowed and the expression on his face was somber.  Something was up.

“Sit down Chloe.” Adam insisted.

“Adam?!” Chloe replied, giving her brother a stern look.

Adam chose to ignore the look then directed his gaze to Justin. 

“You should sit down too Justin.”

“What’s going on Adam?” Justin asked, also noticing the tension on Adam’s face.

“Both of you, please, sit down.  I will explain everything.” Adam sighed.

Chloe and Justin both sat as instructed then waited anxiously for Adam to begin speaking.

Adam took a deep, steadying breath then started to explain.

“I got a call…Christmas Eve morning…it was from a friend, a fellow lawyer at the New York City District Attorney’s office.  He called me as his friend to let me know they had arrested someone in connection with your accident and that the District Attorney is planning to take the case to court.” Adam started.

“They caught someone?” Chloe asked, her eyes wide.

Truthfully, so much time had passed since the accident she never even considered that they might actually find who caused it.

Adam nodded solemnly.  “They did, thanks to your tip.”

“What tip?” Justin asked looking to Chloe.

Chloe blushed slightly.  “Umm…I told the detectives that I knew it was a new Mercedes CLS based on the temporary tags I saw briefly in my rear-view mirror before the car hit me, and that I was pretty sure whomever owned the vehicle put in an after-market exhaust based on the level of noise it made before it hit me.”

Adam smirked and nodded.  “Yes, the police were able to narrow down a list of suspects based on the number of Mercedes CLS cars sold in New York within 30 days of the accident.  Then, from that list they visited the owner of each car until they found one with a modified exhaust. The suspect was arrested on the 23rd and his Arraignment hearing was today.  He is being charged with 2 counts of reckless endangerment, 2 counts of vehicular assault, destruction of public property and 1 count of Stalking in the 1st degree.  The D.A. is asking for a prison sentence of 15 years, which in my opinion is generous considering the maximum for all the charges carries a prison sentence of about 21 years, if not more.”

Justin could only sit there in shock.  His eyes were fixated on Adam.  There was something about the look in Adam’s eyes that worried him and then there was the Stalking charge.  He’d been hounded by fans before, and the press, even followed, but no one had ever tried to stalk him.

“Stalking?!  This guy was stalking me?” Justin managed to get out.

Adam sighed.  They had come to the part of the conversation that he’d been dreading the most.

“Not you, Justin.” Adam replied seriously.

“Me?! Why would anyone be stalking me?!” Chloe exclaimed.

Adam took a deep breath then reached across the counter to take his sister’s hand.  He squeezed it gently, reassuringly, as he looked directly into her wide green eyes.

“Chloe…it was Eddy!”

Chloe’s face went pale and her entire body began to tremble.  She didn’t want to and couldn’t believe what Adam was telling her. 

“Eddy?! As in Gabby’s father?!  Chloe’s ex-husband?!” Justin exclaimed.

His blue eyes were on fire and his heart was ramming into his chest. 

Adam nodded.  “My friend at the D.A.’s office said that according to his statement, Eddy followed you that night.  He was upset about not being able to see Gabby.  He’d gone out with a friend, they had a few drinks and he decided to follow you home, to try to talk to you, but the more he thought about it the angrier he got.  He started speeding up.  He was going way too fast in a residential area and when he hit the breaks he slid on the snow and ran into you.  Then when you hit Justin, he panicked and sped off.”

Justin was trying desperately to keep calm for Chloe, and so Gabby wouldn’t hear, but right then, he wanted to scream.  He wanted to punch something, or in this case someone.  He wasn’t a violent person by any means but in that moment, he wanted to kill Eddy for what he done to Chloe…and to Gabby.

“So, now what?” Chloe asked, her tone flat.

Adam looked at his sister.  She was calm.  Frighteningly calm.  It worried him.  He’d expected her to get angry or cry but he hadn’t expected this.  Her face was void of expression and her eyes empty.  It was as if he was looking at completely different person.

“Now both sides prepare for trial.  No date has been set yet, but the D.A. thinks it will be late January, early February at the very earliest.  There are a lot of factors at play.  Until then Eddy will stay in jail…because he can’t post bail.”

Chloe’s eyes went wide.  Her primary concern was Gabby.  How was she going to explain all of this to Gabby?  How was she going to tell Gabby that her father wasn’t going to be able to watch her graduate high school, or college or grow up at all?

“Fifteen years...Gabby will be…” Chloe whispered.

Adam sighed heavily and nodded.  “Almost 21.”

“I am guessing we will be asked to testify.” Chloe replied quietly.

Adam nodded.  “Yes.  You both are on the witness list and you both will be receiving subpoenas for medical records from that night.”

Adam looked to Justin next.  “And, yes, the D.A. knows you are the other driver in the accident.  A petition has been filed to keep the media out of the courtroom and my friend in the D.A.’s office has assured me that they will work with your tour schedule.”

Justin, not knowing how else to reply simply said, “Thank you.”

Truth be told, his primary focus was Chloe.  He couldn’t even imagine how she was feeling right then.  All he wanted was to pull her into his arms and escape from the world.

There was a long, deafening pause that followed.  Chloe sat there, staring down at her tea, unable to breathe, unable to speak, unable to move until the tears started to stream down her face, dripping into her cup.

“Damn him!  How? How do I tell Gabby? How do I explain to her that her Daddy can’t see her?” Chloe cried.

Justin and Adam both opened their mouths to speak but Chloe continued, cutting them off before they could utter a single word.

“Selfish! How can one person be so FUCKING selfish?!  He was so worried about himself, and how he was being wronged.  He got himself into this mess, and frankly, I could care less what happens, but did he even think for one second about Gabby? About how his actions affect her?  About what losing her father will do to her?  Of course, he didn’t.”

Without so much as a second thought Justin reached over, took her right hand in his left then lifted her chin and turned her head to face him with his right.

“You’re not alone in this, ok?!  No matter what happens, I’m here.  Even when I’m not, I’m here.  Call me at 2 a.m., text me between patients, fly out on your days off, but you are NOT alone in this.”  Justin said to her softly, looking straight into her eyes as he spoke.

Given the circumstances, Adam was trying to hide his smile.  It was obvious that Justin was in love with his sister and he couldn’t have been happier about it.

“He’s right.  WE will figure this out together.  We will figure out how and when and what to tell Gabby but until then, what do you need?” Adam replied.

“I don’t know! I don’t know how to feel, or what to say.  All I can think about is Gabby.” Chloe gushed.

“Let’s go for a walk…just you and me…some fresh air would be good for both of us.” Justin said smiling as he gently squeezed her hand.

Chloe nodded and cracked a tiny smile.  “Ok.”

“I’ve got Gabby, no worries.  She can help me with dinner.” Adam added.

Chloe smiled at her brother.  “Thank you.  I don’t know what I would do without you.”

Adam smiled back.  “I promise, you will NEVER have to worry about that.  I’m not going anywhere.”

Chloe’s eyes filled with tears at his words.  “That’s what Eddy use to say.”

Adam sighed and nodded.  “Well…Eddy isn’t me…”

“Or me.” Justin chimed in.

“I know.” Chloe whispered.

Thursday morning Adam was up early.  He got up, showered and got dressed for work as normal but he was running on autopilot.  Ever since breaking the news about Eddy to Chloe and Justin the day before his mind had been consumed with thoughts of the impending trial. 

Obviously Eddy still had some semblance of a soul if he’d confessed to the accident but the fact that it had happened in the first place was inexcusable.  Eddy had fled the scene, had failed to render aid.  Not to mention the fact that he’d been following Chloe and he’d gotten behind the wheel while under the influence of alcohol. 

Truthfully, he wanted to get to his office early so that he could do some research regarding the case before his day really began.  It was the least he could do.  He wanted to do more.  He wanted to protect his family.  He wanted to hold Eddy accountable for his actions.  Unfortunately, because he wasn’t a part of the prosecution team there wasn’t much he could do.  It killed him inside, but he was determined to find some way to help his sister through this, Gabby too.  Sighing inwardly, Adam reached for his briefcase and headed for the kitchen. 

Upon entering the kitchen Adam’s eyes went wide.  Papers covered the kitchen counter, along with Chloe’s laptop and a half empty cup of coffee, and there, seated on a stool in front of it all was Chloe, dressed in a pair of pajama pants and a “Man of the Woods” tour t-shirt.

“Don’t you have to be at work?” Adam asked, curiously.

“I took the day off.” Chloe mumbled; her eyes still focused on the screen in front of her.

Adam’s eyes widened a bit more at her statement.  Chloe rarely took a day off.  In fact, after the accident he’d practically had to beg her to take the day off to recover.  The fact that she’d taken a day off voluntarily was not lost on him.

“What’s all this?” Adam asked, nodding to the papers.

“Something I should have done a long time ago.” Chloe replied flatly.

With some trepidation, Adam picked up one of the papers on the counter to inspect it more closely.  A small smile tugged at his lips when he realized what it was. 

“You’re changing your name?”

Chloe looked up at her brother and nodded.  “I need to be free of him once and for all.”

Adam nodded.  He understood completely.

“What about Gabby? She’ll still have his name.”

Chloe sighed heavily.  “I know, but Gabby has no clue as to what is happening right now, and for the time being, I want to keep it that way.  When the time comes, she and I will have that discussion, but not yet.”

Adam cracked a smile.  “Sounds like a good plan.”

Chloe forced a smile back at him.  “Thanks, I just wish changing your name didn’t involve so much paperwork.”

Adam nodded knowingly.  Given the fact that he was a lawyer and therefore had been through law school, he knew all too well how much documentation and paperwork went into legally changing your name.

“Do you want some help?”

Chloe looked at her brother in surprise.  He was dressed for work, but here he was offering to stay and help her.

“Aren’t you going to work?”

Adam smiled and shrugged.  “Eh.  No one said I had to go into the office today.  I can “work” from home.”

“But you’re already dressed.” Chloe countered.

Adam smirked.  “That’s easily remedied.”

“What about Gabby?”

Adam chuckled.  “What about her?”

“Well, if you and I are going to be here filling out paperwork what is she going to do?”

“What was she going to do if you and I had gone to work?”

“Mom and Dad were going to take her for the day.  She and Mom were going to make cookies for *NSYNC.”

Adam couldn’t help himself.  The significance of that statement was just too delicious to ignore.  In more ways than one.

“So, then what’s the problem?”

Chloe giggled.  “That did sound weird, didn’t it?”

“A bit, but it’s not a bad thing.”

“You don’t think so?” Chloe asked, her tone serious.

“Not one bit.  Honestly, I think it’s awesome!”

“Only because it’s an excuse to see JC again.” Chloe teased.

Adam grinned.  “I mean, that’s not the only reason I think it’s awesome, but I’m not one to complain either.”

Chloe smiled then swatted at her brother playfully.

 “Go on, go get changed, call your office. I will make us some more coffee.”

***

Friday was the night of Michael Turchin’s art show and Gabby, Chloe and Adam would all be in attendance.  At 6:30 p.m. that evening Gabby was standing in the entryway to their home, bouncing from one foot to the other with excitement.

“C’mon Mom!” Gabby groaned.

She was dressed in brown boots, yellow leggings, a white shirt with black stripes, an olive-green cardigan and a black cowl knit scarf.  Truthfully, it made her look a lot older than 5 forcing Chloe to choke back tears.  Her baby girl was growing up.

“Did Uncle Adam help you pick that out?”

Gabby grinned and shook her head.  “No! I picked it out myself.  I want to look nice.”

“You always look nice Gabby bug.” Chloe answered.

“Yeah, but I am meeting JC!”

Adam chuckled and nodded.  “That’s my niece!”

“Aren’t you forgetting something?” Chloe asked, trying to stifle her giggle.

Gabby looked down at her outfit, then back to her mom and her uncle.

“Umm…”

Chloe let a little laugh escape.  “Weren’t you planning on taking cookies?”

“Oh yeah! Thanks Mom!” Gabby exclaimed before sprinting towards the kitchen.

Moments later Gabby returned from the kitchen carrying five small, white treat boxes.  She was walking very slowly, biting her bottom lip as she focused her eyes on the boxes, being very careful not to drop them.

“Do you want some help with those?” Adam asked grinning.

“Yes, please.” Gabby replied politely.

The ride across town to the art gallery was quick, but not quick enough for Gabby. 

“Are we there yet?” Gabby asked as she tried to keep from bouncing in her seat.

Chloe smiled and shook her head.  “Not yet, Bug.  Just a few more minutes.”

“How many more minutes?” Gabby insisted.

Chloe had to bite her lip.  It was obvious that Gabby was beyond excited.  Looking down at her Apple watch to check the time Chloe smiled.  There was a text from Justin.  Apparently, Gabby wasn’t the only one who was excited.

Justin: When do you get here?

Smiling to herself, Chloe spoke out loud as she quickly typed a reply.

“About five minutes, depending on traffic.” Chloe explained.

Justin: Can’t wait!

Chloe looked up from her watch and couldn’t help but blush.  Adam was giving her a very knowing look.

“Let me guess, Gabby isn’t the only one who is excited.” Adam smirked playfully.

Chloe blushed more.  “Apparently not.”

Adam chuckled and shook his head.  “You know, if I wasn’t 100% team JC you might be in trouble.”

Chloe laughed.  “I don’t think you are his type.”

Adam snorted a bit then nodded.  “No worries, Sis, I’ll stay in my lane.”

Moments later they were pulling up to the valet.  Chloe immediately sucked in a breath.  This was only the 2nd time she’d be meeting the rest of *NSYNC, with the exception of JC.  She was nervous.  She knew that the other guys were a HUGE part of Justin’s life.  She wanted them to accept her.

“Ok Gabby, you know the drill.  Be polite.  Stay with Mommy an Uncle Adam.  No running….”

Gabby grinned.  “And don’t touch anything.  I know Mommy.  I’ll be good. I promise.  Now can we please go inside?!”

The gallery was already buzzing with activity.  There were people mingling all throughout the space.  Chloe’s eyes scanned the room for Justin but she didn’t see him, at least not right away.  It was Lance that approached them first.

As soon as he started to approach Gabby’s eyes went wide as saucers. 

“Mom!  That’s…” Gabby hissed.

Chloe smiled.  “I know Baby…it’s ok…he’s very nice.”

Lance was all smiles.  “Hey! So glad you could make it!”

“Thanks for inviting us.” Chloe replied.

“Of course.” Lance replied smiling.

Lance turned his attention to Gabby.

“And who might this beautiful little lady be?” Lance asked, his smile wide.

Gabby looked to her mother, her eyes silently asking for permission to respond.  Chloe smiled and nodded.  If this was how Gabby reacted to meeting Lance, she could only imagine her reaction to JC.

“I’m Gabby.  These are for you.” Gabby said taking a box from her uncle and offering it to Lance.

“For me?” Lance asked curiously.

Chloe smiled and nodded as she tried to fight back her giggles.  “Yes…this is my daughter, Gabby.  She’s a bit of an *NSYNC fan, just like her mother, and when she heard all five of you would be here tonight she insisted on making all of you cookies.”

Lance grinned.  “Cookies? There are cookies in this box?”

Gabby nodded emphatically.

“May I try one?”

Gabby nodded but kept quiet.

Smiling, Lance opened the box and just as Chloe had explained there were a dozen cookies in the box.  Oatmeal chocolate chip cookies to be exact.  Still smiling Lance lifted a cookie from the box and took a bite.  Then his eyes went wide.  They were REALLY GOOD cookies.

“Gabby, did you make these yourself?” Lance asked grinning.

Gabby nodded.

“These are SO GOOD!  But listen, I am going to go put these somewhere safe, otherwise I am going to eat them all.”

Gabby smiled.  “That’s ok.  Just promise me you’ll share some with Michael.”

Lance beamed.  “I promise.”

Then he looked to Chloe.  “Feel free to walk around, mingle, Justin is milling around here somewhere.”

“Thank you.” Chloe said smiling politely.

After Lance excused himself, the trio began to walk around a bit.  Truthfully, Chloe felt a bit out of her element.  Being that she was a full-time doctor and a full-time single mom she didn’t get out much. 

They walked around a bit, looking at different paintings and sampling the hors d’oeuvres for a while.  Then, about twenty minutes after they arrived Chloe finally spotted Justin.  He was standing in front of a painting with JC.  They were chatting and laughing.  Chloe couldn’t help but smile.  Justin looked so at ease, so comfortable.  It warmed her heart but also made her slightly jealous.  Given her current situation, her head and her heart were a jumbled a mess.

“Mom…mom…Mommy!” Gabby hissed, tugging on Chloe’s arm.

“What sweetie?” Chloe asked, abruptly snapping back into reality.

“Mom…there he is …there’s JC!” Gabby squealed quietly.

Chloe bit her lip hard to keep from laughing.  Gabby was definitely related to Adam. 

“Gabby…calm down…he’s not Santa Claus.” Chloe replied, trying not to giggle.

“No, he’s JC Chasez…which is so much cooler than Santa Claus!  He’s like …like a unicorn!”

“Exactly!” Adam teased.

“Don’t encourage her.” Chloe said, shooting her brother a look.

“Can we go talk to him?”

Chloe smiled.  “Yes, but remember what Mommy always tells you.”

Gabby nodded.  “I know.  Be polite, don’t interrupt adults when they are talking and be respectful.”

Chloe smiled.  “That’s my girl.”

“Can we go now?” Adam teased.

Chloe just shook her head and gave her brother a look.  “You’re as bad as she is.”

Adam grinned.  “I think I might be worse.”

Chloe snorted.  “No argument here.”

Together, Chloe, Adam and Gabby approached the two men who were happily chatting away in front of a painting entirely in glitter.  Gabby’s jaw immediately dropped.  Not only was the painting covered completely in glitter but it featured several different cartoon characters, some of which Gabby didn’t recognize.

Gabby was completely mesmerized, but at the same time had completely forgotten about JC and Justin.

“Wow!” Gabby whispered, her eyes dancing as she looked up at the painting.

Justin heard the tiny voice and turned to see where it had come from.  He smiled when he saw Gabby gawking at the painting.  His smile grew when his eyes landed on Chloe. She was dressed in a dark grey, cable knit sweater dress and a pair of thigh high black boots.  As always, his heart skipped a beat.  She looked beautiful. 

“Do you like it?” Justin asked, stepping up next to Gabby.

JC smiled then joined his friend and the mysterious little girl.  It wasn’t until he was standing on the other side of her that he noticed Chloe.  He smiled then looked back to the little girl.  Suddenly, it made sense.  This was the little girl that Justin could not stop gushing about.  This was Gabby, Chloe’s daughter.

“It’s awesome!” Gabby breathed out.

“Do you know who all the cartoons are?” Justin asked, still smiling.

Gabby shook her head, her eyes still fixated on the painting.  She hadn’t noticed JC standing next to her yet.

“I know those are the birds from Cinderella and that is Alice from Alice in Wonderland but I don’t know the others.”

Justin grinned.  “Well, let’s see, there is Buttercup from the Power Puff Girls, Popeye, Felix the Cat, Bart Simpson, Hello Kitty and Gumby.”

“Gumby?! Who is Gumby?”

Adam couldn’t help but chuckle and shake his head from where he was standing. 

“Little girl is gonna LOSE HER SHIT when she realizes JC is standing next to her.” Adam smirked.

Chloe smiled.  “I wouldn’t be so sure.  She did fine with Lance.”

Adam smirked.  “That was just Lance.”

Chloe made a face at her brother.

“Don’t get me wrong.  Lance is cool, but…”

Chloe just shook her head.  “He’s not JC. I know, and I know how you BOTH feel about JC, but she is MY daughter so give the girl some credit. “

“True.” Adam said chuckling.

Adam and Chloe both turned their attention back to Gabby and the two men standing next to her.  Justin was trying to explain who Gumby was while JC just stood there grinning and shaking his head.  Watching his friend interact with this little girl was like nothing he’d ever witnessed before.  They just clicked.  It was like watching two friends chat together and Gabby definitely acted more mature than your typical 5-year-old.

“He looks weird.” Gabby said once Justin finished explaining Gumby.

JC chuckled causing Gabby’s eyes to go wide.

“Nah, Gumby was totally cool.” JC chimed in.

Gabby looked to Justin then over at JC, then back to Justin.  She was in shock, and feeling a bit star struck with her favorite member of *NSYNC standing beside her, but much to everyone’s surprise she handled it well.

“You could have told me that Mr. Chasez was standing next to me Justin.” Gabby huffed.

JC just laughed more.  “Mr. Chasez?! Oh, no, no Pretty Little lady! Mr. Chasez is my father, you can call me JC.”

Gabby immediately whipped around to look at her mother and grinned the biggest grin Chloe had ever seen.  JC had just made her year with just a few simple words.

“Did you hear that Mommy?  Mr. Chasez said I can call him JC AND he called me pretty!” Gabby exclaimed.

Chloe giggled and nodded then joined her daughter and the two men, with Adam trailing close behind.

“I did hear that.  You can call him JC so long as he is ok with it.”

“Nice to see you again.” JC said smiling at Chloe.

Chloe smiled and nodded.  “You too.  You remember my brother; Adam and this is my daughter; Gabby.”

JC grinned and was about to respond when Gabby cut him off.  She put her hands on her hips and glared up at her mother.

“You met JC Chasez and you didn’t tell me?!” Gabby exclaimed.

Chloe laughed and nodded. “I have, but only briefly, but then so has your uncle.”

Gabby’s eyes rounded on Adam.  “Traitor!”

Adam laughed.  “Harsh! Gabby, that was harsh!”

JC smiled then looked down at Gabby.  “Hi there.”

“Hi.” Gabby said blushing.

JC grinned.  He had to give it to Justin, she was absolutely adorable. 

“Gabby, are you an *NSYNC fan?” JC asked, his smile still very much present.

Gabby nodded emphatically.  “I LOVE *NSYNC!”

“Oh yeah?! What’s your favorite song?”

Gabby beamed.  “It’s Gonna Be Me!”

JC nodded, looked to Justin and then over to Chloe.  Gabby was definitely her mother’s daughter. That was plainly obvious.  Intelligent, well spoken, polite.  It was no wonder Justin was falling for both Gabby and her mother.

“What’s your mom’s favorite?”

Gabby scrunched up her face in thought.  “This I Promise You.”

“Good choice.” Justin said smiling at Chloe.

Given her history and her current situation her choice of song made perfect sense.  It warmed his heart, but also saddened him a little.  She was hurting, even now, and he wanted nothing more than to take that weight off her shoulders.

Smiling at both men Chloe looked from them back down to her daughter. 

“Gabby, wasn’t there something you wanted to give JC?”

“Give me? Huh?”

Chloe giggled and nodded as Adam handed a treat box to Gabby. 

“I made you cookies!” Gabby exclaimed before handing over the box.

JC looked to Chloe.  This was not at all what he’d expected.  However, he also wasn’t complaining.

“Cookies? There are cookies in this box?”

Gabby grinned and nodded.  “Yes, sir.”

“All her idea.” Chloe giggled.

“You made cookies for me?”

Gabby shook her head.  “I made them for all of *NSYNC.”

It was then, as Chloe was watching her daughter interact with the two men that something across the room caught her eye.  There were people milling all around, engaged in conversations, examining the art but there he was, alone.

He was standing there, dressed smartly in a pair of dark wash jeans that at one time fit him perfectly but now hung off his hips.  The suit coat she recognized as well.  She’d seen it many times.  In fact, it was etched in her brain.  It didn’t fit him right anymore either.  He’d lost weight.  The dirty blonde hair, the stance, the way he shoved his hands in his pockets, the tilt of his head.  It was all too familiar.  It stopped her in her tracks and made her breath catch in her throat.

Swallowing back her fear Chloe looked to Justin and JC first. 

“Keep an eye on Gabby for a moment, will you?”

Justin nodded.  Something wasn’t right.  The look in her eyes told him that much.  Immediately he began to scan the room.  Something had upset her and he found himself desperately trying to follow her gaze.

Chloe looked to Adam next.  She nodded toward the back of the room and his eyes went wide.  Immediately she gave him a pleading look.  She needed him to stay calm, for her sake as much as Gabby’s.

“Stay close.” Chloe mouthed to her brother.

Adam nodded but stayed silent. 

Taking a deep breath Chloe started to make her way across the room, stopping briefly next to Justin and JC before passing. 

“Go find Lance or Michael, tell them to call Security and get Gabby away from here.” Chloe whispered, but only loud enough that JC and Justin heard.

“What’s wrong?” Justin asked, catching her arm.

Chloe nodded to the man at the back of the room.  He looked unassuming enough but Justin knew looks could be deceiving.

“Is that?”

Chloe nodded.

“But how?”

“I don’t know…”

Justin nodded.  As much as he wanted to intervene, to protect both women he knew he needed to keep his emotions in check.  He needed to keep cool for Gabby and for Chloe. 

“Gabby is safe.  I promise.  We’ll go find Chris, Karly and Nash.”

JC nodded in agreement but kept quiet.  He could tell by the look in Chloe’s eyes and the expression on Justin’s face that right now, Gabby was the priority. 

“C’mon Gabby, there’s another glitter painting over this way.” Justin said taking Gabby by the hand.

Only once Gabby, Justin and JC were out of sight did Chloe allow herself to breathe.  She knew that Justin and JC would keep her safe and away from Eddy.  Hopefully, he hadn’t seen her.

Taking a deep breath, and with Adam just a few paces behind but staying out of sight Chloe approached Eddy.  He looked to be examining a piece of artwork.  Meanwhile, a million and one thoughts rushed through Chloe’s brain.  How did he make bail? Did he know she’d be there? How did he know? Had he seen Gabby? 

“I should call the cops.” Chloe hissed quietly, her lips just behind his left ear.

Eddy turned.  The feel of her breath sending shivers down his spine but that was nothing to the look in her eyes.  Her eyes were dark, cold, but on fire at the same time.  He swallowed hard.  She looked beautiful, but at the same time dangerous.  He hadn’t seen this particular look on her in a long time, not since the night she’d kicked him out of the house. 

“Chloe…please…baby…”

“Don’t!” Chloe snapped.

“Chloe…”

“You shouldn’t be here…you’re violating the terms of the custody agreement and the restraining order.”

“Chloe…listen…please…there is something I need to tell you…”

“How did you make bail?”

“Bail?! But, how did you…”

There was true fear in his eyes now.  She’d caught him off guard, and in that moment, she realized he had no clue that she knew.

“I know you caused the accident! I know you were following me!  You could have killed someone, you nearly did! He would have died if I hadn’t…”

Eddy’s face was white by this point.  “He?! He who?”

“The motorcycle driver! The person I crashed into when you hit me and pushed me into the intersection! He went flying off his bike and hit the pavement.  I saved his life! I did that! Not you, because once again, you can’t take responsibility for anything…EVER!”

Eddy just stood there dumbfounded.

 “Jesus, you really have no fucking clue, do you?”

Justin and Lance appeared at that moment, WITH security.  Chloe gave Justin a questioning look.  Justin simply nodded.  Inwardly, Chloe breathed a sigh of relief.  Gabby was safe and tucked away from Eddy’s reach.

Eddy looked from the two superstars to Chloe.  He knew who they were.  He’d been married to Chloe for almost ten years.  It came with the territory.

“Since when do you hang out with Popstars?” Eddy snapped.

This time it was Chloe’s eyes that widened.  He really didn’t know. 

“Since I saved one’s life!” Chloe snapped back.

Chloe watched quietly as little by little realization started to cross Eddy’s features.  He was putting the pieces together. 

He looked over at the two men briefly.  Lance pursed his lips and shook his head, and with that simple gesture the last piece of the puzzle fell into place.

“OH GOD!” Eddy said running a hand over his face.

“I think it’s time for you to leave, sir.” The guard said.

Eddy nodded then looked to Chloe again.  “Gabby?”

Chloe sighed sadly.  “No, she doesn’t know, if that’s what you’re asking.”

Eddy nodded again but didn’t respond verbally.  He just stood there, silent for several moments as he continued to watch Chloe.  She looked angry, sad, and broken, and he knew, without a doubt, he was to blame for that.  After a long, agonizing pause he opened his mouth to speak again but Chloe spoke first.

“Give up your parental rights!” Chloe exclaimed.

Behind her, Adam’s eyes grew wide.  Her words were a true testament to how far she’d come in the past year.

Eddy felt as if the wind had been knocked from his chest.  He couldn’t breathe, but he’d be lying if he said he hadn’t seen this coming.  Unless the jury found him innocent, which he knew they wouldn’t, Eddy was staring down the face of a very LONG prison sentence.

“What?!” Eddy sputtered.

Justin and Lance exchanged looks.  This was NOT at all how they’d anticipated things going. 

“You heard me!”

“Chloe…” Eddy started.

“You’re going to jail Eddy.  I know it.  You know it.  The only question is, for how long?”

“You’re not serious!”

Chloe’s eyes darkened and ice shot through her veins.  This conversation had been a long time coming.  She needed to be free of him, once and for all.  She deserved that much, and so did Gabby.

“Oh, I am very serious.  Give up your parental rights.  Let Gabby have a normal life.”

Eddy nodded solemnly.  She was right.  He knew it.  He’d ruined any chance of redemption.  His bad choices had brought him to this moment and now, he realized that the very least he could do was give Gabby some semblance of a normal childhood.  However, he wasn’t ready to let go just yet.

“She’s my daughter too…”

Chloe was trying to remain calm, to not make a scene but as always, Eddy was able to get under her skin with just a few simple words.

“Oh, don’t I know it! She is all the best and worst parts of you.  She has your temper and your stubbornness.  She has your analytical brain.  Every time I look at her, I am reminded of you.  And even now, after everything you have put us through, she still loves you unconditionally but when have you EVER acted like the father she deserves?  Tell me, how am I supposed to explain THIS to her?  How am I supposed to tell her that her father won’t be there, not for her birthday, not to see her graduate high school or college…”

“I’m sorry.” Eddy mumbled.

Chloe’s eyes flashed with rage.  His lackluster apology was the last straw.

“You’re sorry?! Oh, NOW you’re sorry?!  A bit too late for that, don’t you think?”

Eddy sighed heavily and nodded.  He knew she was absolutely right.

“Ok.” Eddy whispered.

“What?! I didn’t quite catch that.”

Eddy sighed.  “I said, ok. I will give up my parental rights.  Send the documents to my mother’s place, I’ll sign them.”

Chloe smirked and shook her head.  “I should have known your mother posted your bail.”

Eddy looked at her, his eyes full of sadness and regret.  It was the first time she’d ever seen him look that way.  This was it.  He’d hit rock bottom and now he was trying to atone for all his past mistakes.  This was his Swan song.  His last attempt to make things right.  She could see it now.  He wasn’t going to fight her anymore.

“Can I say “goodbye” ?”

“I’ll think about it.”

Eddy nodded again.  “That’s fair.”

 

Saturday, December 29, 2018

Smiling to himself, he looked at his reflection in the bathroom mirror.  His hair was combed nicely.  His beard and moustache perfectly groomed.  Now to get dressed.  Still smiling Justin walked into his closet and quickly pulled down his best pair of jeans and a white button down from the rack. 

He hummed to himself as he pulled on the jeans, then slipped into the shirt, tucking the bottom into his jeans.  Next, he went for his ties.  He already knew which one he was going to wear.  In fact, he’d been saving it for just such an occasion.  Once the tie was on, he gave himself one more quick look in the mirror.

“Not too shabby, Gabby.” He said grinning at his reflection.

He completed the ensemble with the cuff links and tie tack from Chloe before grabbing his keys, wallet and phone and heading for the door.

Twenty minutes later his chauffeured car was pulling up to a stop in front of Chloe’s place.  He was excited and a bit nervous to be honest.  He just hoped Chloe liked the surprise.

Taking a breath Justin rang the doorbell then waited for someone to answer.  It was Chloe who appeared at the door.  She looked comfortable and at the same time completely shocked. 

“Justin?!”

“Hey.” He replied grinning.

“I wasn’t expecting you until later.  You said you had plans.”

He could see the confusion in her eyes and it made him smile.  He knew she wasn’t expecting this, but he’d been planning on that.

“I do.”

“Ok, I’m confused.”

Justin just grinned more. 

“I’m taking Gabby out.  Steak and sushi, right?!”

Chloe’s jaw dropped and tears sprang to her eyes.  Eddy had NEVER taken Gabby out, just the two of them.  Not once. 

“You’re serious?!”

Justin chuckled and nodded.  “I am.  You deserve a night off.  Take a bath, have a glass of wine, relax! I got this!”

“What about our plans?”

Chloe was still having a hard time believing Justin.  Years of disappointment and her current situation had left her jaded.  This was just too good to be true.  She was almost certain of it.

Justin smiled and lifted her chin to meet his gaze.

“Her bedtime is 8, right?”

Chloe nodded.

“It’s 5 now.  I’ll take her out to dinner, and maybe dessert after.  I’ll have her home by 7:30 so you can get her to bed on time then we can do that movie we talked about.”

“How?” Chloe managed to reply.

Justin looked back at her puzzled.  He didn’t understand the question. 

“How, what?”

“How did I get so lucky?”

Justin just smiled more and pulled her close.  “We’ve been over this.  I am the lucky one.”

Chloe allowed herself to smile back at him then nodded.  “Give me ten minutes.  I’ll go get her ready.”

Exactly ten minutes later Gabby came bounding into the living room dressed in a black and white checkered dress, a black pea coat, lace black boot socks and knee-high black boots.  She looked like quite the little lady. 

“Hi.” Gabby said grinning.

“Hey there Gabby.” Justin replied.

“Mommy said you’re taking me out on a date.”

Justin grinned and nodded.  “I am.”

Gabby’s eyes were wide and a smile had slowly started to tug at the corners of her mouth. 

“Just me and you?”

“Just the two of us.”

Gabby’s grin grew.

“Ok, let’s go.”

Chloe looked to Justin and smiled.  Right then there were no words that could describe the range of emotions she was feeling.  So much happy and sad in such a simple gesture.  She was over the moon happy that Justin had embraced Gabby.  The bond between them was growing stronger with each passing day.  This was how it was supposed to be.  This was how the bond between a father and daughter should be, and the realization that Gabby and her actual father would never have that broke her heart in so many ways.

Shaking the thoughts from her head Chloe looked down at her daughter and couldn’t help but smile.  She looked like quite the little lady and the smile on her face melted Chloe immediately.

“Have fun, but listen to Justin.  He’s the adult so he’s in charge.”

“We’ll be fine.” Justin said flashing a reassuring smile.

“Yeah, you worry too much Mommy.  I’ll be good. Promise.”

Chloe giggled slightly.  “You better.”

“I’ve got this.  Go relax.” Justin replied.

 As soon as Justin and Gabby were gone Chloe flopped down onto the couch and began to cry.  Her emotions were all over the place.  Her tears a mix of joy and pain.  It warmed her heart that Justin had taken to Gabby but it also killed her that Gabby’s father couldn’t do the same.     Not to mention her feelings towards Justin.  She was in love with him.  No doubt about that, but he was leaving.  He would be gone for months. 

Their relationship was still new, still changing.  They were still learning about each other.  How did a relationship like that survive such a pause?  Sure, there were phone calls, text messages, Facetime, but it wasn’t the same as being in the same room, or even the same city. 

For a long time, she just sat there and cried.  Not moving.  Not thinking.  Just letting her emotions come out.  That was her.  She held her emotions in until she couldn’t anymore, until she broke, but she never let anyone see.  She always kept it together until she was alone.  Her breakdown in front of Justin and Adam had been the exception.  She would not allow it to be the rule. She had to stay strong for Gabby.  She had to stay strong for herself.  If she allowed herself to break down, to crack, to let herself feel her grief and anger for too long there would be no coming back. 

Shaking herself back into reality Chloe stood from the couch.  Upon entering the kitchen her eyes shifted from the wine fridge to the cupboard, and back again.  Wine or hot tea?

Why not both?!  No one was there to judge or give her the side eye.  She was a grown woman and she could do as she pleased.  Smiling at the thought she poured herself a glass of wine then pulled a mug from the cupboard to make a cup of tea.  With a drink in each hand Chloe proceeded down the hallway to the master bedroom and then to master bathroom.  One of the many things she’d loved about this place was the tub.  The master bathroom had a shower and a tub for soaking, and the tub got plenty of use.  On days with back-to-back surgeries, she often soaked in the tub late at night or early in the morning when she got home.  The hot water did wonders for her tired, sore muscles and Justin had said to relax.

Smiling to herself at the thought of him she began to peel off her clothes.  She could see his dirty blonde hair, with just a hint of a curl and his deep blue eyes.  The picture of him in her mind paired with the hot water caused shivers to race down her spine.  She was going to miss him.  A LOT.

Only once she FINALLY settled down in the tub did Chloe allow herself to relax.  She closed her eyes, leaned her head back, then slumped down so that the only part of her body above water was her head.  For a long time, she just sat there, soaking in the water and occasionally reaching out to take a sip from her wine or her tea.  Truthfully, she didn’t know just how long she’d been in the tub but it wasn’t terribly long before there was a soft knock on the door.

“Chloe, are you in there?”

It was Adam.

“Yeah.”

“I just came home to drop off my briefcase and change.”

Chloe cracked a smile.  Adam had been at work all day but had promised to make himself scarce so that she and Justin could have some alone time after Gabby went to bed.

“No problem.”

“Are you ok?” Adam continued.

Chloe smirked.  If he only knew.  “I’m fine.”

Adam wasn’t convinced but knew well enough to not press the issue.

“Umm…ok…where is Gabby? I didn’t see her in the living room and she’s not in her room.”

At this Chloe couldn’t help but blush.  She could only imagine what Adam’s reaction would be.

“She went out.” Chloe replied bluntly.

Adam made a face at his sister through the bathroom door.

“Out?”

Chloe had to bite her lip to control her giggles.  She didn’t really know why she was enjoying this so much but she was.

“Yeah.  Apparently, she had a date tonight.”

“A date?! Wait?! What?!  I’m confused.  It’s been a long day.  My head hurts.”

Chloe giggled and shook her head.  She could picture Adam rubbing the bridge of his nose as he tried to make sense of what she was saying.

“Justin took Gabby out for dinner.”

Adam’s jaw nearly hit the floor.  It was not the answer he’d EVER expected.  Justin was many, many things but a true softie and a complete romantic were not at all what Adam had expected from the superstar.

“Wow! Damn! Yeah, WOW!  I’m impressed! That’s …well…that’s just…WOW!”

Chloe giggled more.

“I know, right?!”

Meanwhile, not too far away, at a somewhat upscale Japanese steakhouse in Manhattan Gabby and Justin were just sitting down to dinner.

Truthfully, Justin had chosen this particular restaurant because he knew the proprietors well enough that he was able to make a reservation on short notice.  They’d also arranged for a chef’s table so that Gabby and Justin could eat without being disturbed.  The restart of Justin’s tour was just days away and he was trying his best to keep a low profile until then. 

“Wow!” Gabby mused as they took their seats.

Justin could only grin.

“Pretty cool, huh?”

Gabby nodded, her eyes dancing around the kitchen as she tried to take it all in.  There was so much to see, so much going on.  She didn’t know where to look first but as Justin watched her, he could only smile.  She looked happy, truly happy and truthfully that was all he wanted, for Gabby and for Chloe.

Within moments a waiter appeared at the table and handed menus off to both Gabby and Justin. 

“May I get you and the lovely lady something to drink?”

“Just water, please.” Justin replied.

The waiter looked to Gabby next. 

“Water for me too, please.”

Once the waiter was gone Justin turned his attention back to Gabby.  She was looking at the menu, her expression serious.  He could tell she was trying to read it on her own.  It was incredibly cute.

“If you need help just let me know.”

Gabby looked up at him and grinned as she shook her head.  “I am one of the top readers in my class, besides, I already know what I want.”

“Oh yeah?” Justin chuckled.

Gabby nodded; her smile almost mischievous.  It made him grin more and shake his head.  Gabby definitely had a strong personality.  He loved it.

“I’ll have the 4 oz Filet Mignon; 1 California roll and the Miso soup.”

“Well, ok then!  Are you going to be able to eat all that?”

Gabby nodded emphatically.

Once they’d ordered and the food was delivered, they ate quietly for a bit before picking up a conversation.

“How is the food?” Justin asked.

“Delicious!” Gabby replied grinning.

“I’m glad.”

Then, in the next moment Gabby did a complete 180 on him.

“Mr. Justin how come you’ve never taken my Mommy out on a date like this?”

Justin chuckled nervously.  It was true.  He and Chloe had been seeing each other for a couple of months now and they had done things together but he hadn’t really taken her out on a proper date. Then again, he’d been trying to lay low ever since his surgery and the accident.  He’d also been trying to protect Chloe, and Gabby.  He knew that if it got out that Chloe had been the one that saved his life the press would have a field day.  He didn’t want that for either of them, and now that the trial was about to begin, he wanted to protect Chloe and Gabby even more.

Unfortunately, all those things didn’t make it any easier to explain to Gabby.

“Umm…well…you know what I do, right?”

Gabby nodded.  “You’re a singer and an actor.”

Justin chuckled nervously and nodded.  “Mostly, yes.  And you know that I’m pretty popular, right?”

Gabby grinned and nodded.  “Yeah, my teacher loves *NSYNC and you…she even has a poster in the classroom that says you can’t interrupt her while she is teaching unless you are sick, hurt, you are in danger, you brought her coffee or if Justin Timberlake walks into the room.”

Water nearly shot out Justin’s nose at this revelation and it took a bit for him to regain his composure but after a few moments he was able to speak again.  However, Gabby wasn’t done yet.

“I told her I knew you, that you and my mommy were friends but she didn’t believe me. She just patted me on the head and said, “that’s nice Gabby.”

Justin laughed a little and nodded.  “Hmm, well, we might have to see what we can do to fix that, but, yes, lots of people know who I am and the last thing I want is for anyone to bother you or your mommy or say anything mean to either of you because you know me.”

Gabby nodded.  His reasoning made sense. 

“BUUUT…you’re right, I haven’t taken your mommy on a proper date, but I do plan to fix that before I leave, I promise.”

Gabby’s face fell at his words.

“You’re leaving us?”

Immediately, a lump began to form in Justin’s throat.  The look on Gabby’s face was heart-wrenching.  She was only five, of course she didn’t know his schedule and apparently Chloe hadn’t told her yet about the tour.

Justin nodded slowly then cleared his throat. 

“When your mommy and I met…when I…”

“When you got hurt.”

Justin nodded.  This was harder than he’d anticipated.

“When I got hurt and your mommy helped me, I was taking a break from work, from singing and acting because before the accident I injured my vocal-chords and I had to have surgery.  Afterward I had to rest my voice.  I wasn’t allowed to sing so I had to put the rest of my tour on hold…”

“And now you have to go back.” Gabby finished solemnly.

Justin nodded.

There was a long pause as Gabby digested this new information.  It made her sad to think that Justin wouldn’t be around to do fun things like this together but even her young mind understood that he couldn’t stay “on hold” forever.

“I’ll miss you.”

Justin cracked a smile.  “I’ll miss you too Gabs…for sure, but we can FaceTime and I’ll call every day…and I will definitely come visit when I have long breaks.”

“When is the tour over?”

Justin sighed quietly.  The longer this conversation went on the worse he felt. 

“April.”

Gabby counted on her fingers then looked up at him.  “Four months…that’s four months…that’s a LONG time.”

“It is.”

“When do you have to leave?”

“January 2nd.”

“What is the date today?”

“December 29th.”

Again, Gabby began to count on her fingers quietly to herself.  Justin sucked in a breath when her little fingers stopped counting at four.  Four days.  That was it.  Suddenly his chest felt tight and he was having a hard time finding his voice.

Gabby was still holding up four fingers when she looked at him. 

“Oh.”

Gabby was trying really hard not to cry in front of Justin.  She wanted to be a “big girl” and be brave but the idea of Justin being gone for almost four months was hitting her hard. 

Justin had wanted this to be fun for Gabby, and here he was making her sad.  It was time to switch gears before they both lost control of their emotions.

“How about some dessert?” Justin asked cracking a smile.

Gabby shook her head and looked down at her near empty plate.  There was only a tiny bit of steak left. 

“I don’t know…I’m kind of full.”

Justin nodded as the smile on his lips began to grow a bit.  She’d definitely impressed the hell out of him with how much she’d eaten.

“We could share it.”

Gabby cracked a smile.  “Yeah?!”

Justin grinned more.  “Yeah.  C’mon.  Let me pay the bill and then we will go.  I know this place not far from here that has the BEST dessert!”

Once the bill was paid Justin stood, helped Gabby to stand, offering his hand and then with her tiny hand tucked into the crook of his elbow he escorted her to the door where his chauffeured car was waiting.

Within minutes they were settled at a cute little pizza joint in Manhattan.  The place was decorated with paraphernalia from 50’s and 60’s and black white TVs hung from the ceiling, playing movies from the era.  The menus were old album covers and the waiters and waitresses were wearing shirts with phrases like “Can U Dig It” or “Wanna Pizza Me?” It was a much more “kid friendly” place than the steakhouse and even though they were dressed up no one seemed to care

“What is this place?’ Gabby asked taking it all in.

Justin smiled.  He could tell that Gabby felt much more at ease in this place.  Then again, so did he. 

“This place is called “Oreganos.” It’s a pizza joint but they serve pasta too.”

Gabby nodded, the smile still present on her face.  “Mommy would like this place; you should bring her here.”

“You think?”

Gabby nodded emphatically.  “Oh, absolutely!  Steak and sushi aren’t her favorite but she loves pasta and pizza.”

Justin chuckled and nodded.  “She does, doesn’t she?”

Just thinking about Chloe put Justin in a better mood.  She really was great and he loved spending time with both her and Gabby.

Gabby saw the far off look in Justin’s eyes.  He was thinking about something.  She knew that much.  Her mom often got that look, especially lately. 

“So, what is this dessert?”

Justin immediately snapped from his thoughts. 

“Oh! It’s the best!  It’s a barely baked cookie dough, baked in a deep-dish pizza pan with three scoops of vanilla ice cream on top.”

Gabby’s eyes went wide.  It sounded delicious!

“Oh, yes! That sounds AMAZING!”

“Done! One chocolate chip pizza cookie coming up!”

When the pizza cookie arrived at the table Gabby’s eyes went wide as saucers, and the look of excitement on her face was evident.  Justin had known all along that this would be her reaction.

“This is so good!” Gabby said, her mouth full of chocolate and ice cream.

Justin laughed then nodded and handed her a napkin.  “It is, but maybe don’t talk with your mouth full.  Your mom will kill me if I bring you home and your dress is all messy.”

Gabby immediately took the napkin and wiped her mouth and chin. 

“I’m sorry.”

Justin stifled his laugh and grinned at her.  “No need to apologize.  Believe me, I get it.  I just don’t want to get in trouble with your mom.”

“Me either.” Gabby replied.

Once the dessert was gone it was already after 7 p.m., meaning it was time to get Gabby home if he was going to make “curfew” and get her home before her bedtime. 

“Are you full yet?” Justin asked grinning at Gabby.

Gabby grinned and nodded then patted her belly.

“I’m stuffed.”

“Yeah, let’s get you home before your mom sends out a search party.”

A full belly and the lull of the tires on the road must have been quite soothing because Gabby was slumped against Justin’s shoulder, asleep before they reached their destination.  Justin just smiled and brushed the hair from her face as he looked down at her.  Gabby looked peaceful as he watched the gentle rise and fall of her chest.  He found himself wondering what she dreamed about.

Once they reached Chloe and Gabby’s place Justin gently shook Gabby, trying to wake her.

“Gabby.  Hey, Gabby, we’re home…time to get up.”

Gabby stirred but didn’t wake up.  Chuckling softly, he undid his seatbelt first before stepping out of the vehicle and jogging to the other side.  Carefully, he reached across Gabby, unbuckled the seatbelt then gently scooped Gabby up into his arms. 

He carried her up the steps with ease to where Chloe was waiting with the door open.  Chloe gave Justin a smile as he carried Gabby through the door and down the hall towards Gabby’s bedroom.  Chloe followed.  Once inside the room Justin placed Gabby down on the bed.  She didn’t move or stir. 

“Let me get her changed.  I’ll be out in a minute.” Chloe whispered.

It was then that Gabby began to stir.  “No, mommy I want Mr. Justin to sing to me tonight.”

Chloe looked to Justin.  Her eyes searching his for an answer.  She didn’t want to assume he would sing but a part of her wanted him to.

Smiling at Chloe he nodded.

“Ok baby, let’s get you changed then Justin can sing to you.”

Still half-asleep Gabby allowed her mother to change her into a pair of pajama bottoms and a t-shirt while Justin waited patiently in the hall.  Once she was in her jammies and tucked under the covers Justin stepped back into the room. 

Smiling wistfully Justin settled himself on the edge of the bed next to Gabby and softly began to sing to her.  Once again, when he finished Chloe was near tears.  There was something just so beautiful and sweet about watching Justin sing to Gabby.

“You know your ruining this for me.” Chloe teased as Justin stepped out into the hall.

“What do you mean?” Justin asked curiously.

Chloe blushed. “You’re spoiling her.  She’s going to expect it to be you that sings to her all the time.  She’s not going to want to hear me.”

Justin blushed and shook his head.  “You’re her mother, of course she will.”

“I would want it to be you every-time too if I was her.”

Justin grinned.  “Oh?!”

Chloe blushed more.  “You know how I feel about you.”  

Justin chuckled a bit awkwardly.  “Do I?”

Things were suddenly taking a more serious tone and he was close, very close.  It made Chloe’s heart start to pound in her chest.

“I told you…I love you.” Chloe managed to whisper.

Justin nodded then stepped closer, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her into him a bit more. 

“You say that but…” Justin answered quietly.

Chloe took a step back and looked up at him.  His blue eyes were filled with emotion, a mix of love and trepidation.  He was scared and she had a feeling she knew why.

“You’re worried about the distance?!  You’re worried that our relationship is too fresh?! You’re scared that four months is a long time to be away and that we won’t survive everything that lies ahead of us?! The tour, the trial…”

Justin nodded but stayed silent.  It still amazed him how incredibly intuitive she could be.  It felt at times as if she saw straight through the deepest parts of his soul.  This was one of those times.

Chloe cracked the slightest of smiles and pulled him close again.

“I get it. I’m scared too…honestly, I’m terrified, but…I am willing to try to make it work if you are.”

Justin stepped back again, looking down at her, once again, his eyes searching hers for an answer.

“You are?’ He managed to reply.

Chloe nodded.  ‘If you are.”

“It won’t be easy.” Justin stammered.

Chloe smiled sadly and nodded.  “No, it won’t.  Our schedules aren’t the easiest to navigate, even when we are in the same city but I am willing to make the effort if you are.  We can call or text or FaceTime …”

“But what if you’re in surgery?” Justin asked quietly.

He was trying desperately not to show how much this conversation was affecting him.  He didn’t want Chloe to see the fact that the idea of leaving her and Gabby, for any of amount of time was tearing him apart. 

Chloe took a deep, shaky breath.  It was a valid question, because of her specialty surgeries were always last minute.  She could never predict how things were going to go once she was within the hospital walls.  There was no way she could commit to a set schedule for calls and FaceTime chats. 

“I’ll tell you what, on the days when I work the day shift, I will always call and leave a message before my shift starts, and again as soon as I am headed home.  I will try to text between surgeries too and on the days, I am off or don’t work at night Gabby and I will try to call or FaceTime before you take the stage.”

Justin nodded.  It wasn’t the perfect solution but it was something. 

“I’ll try to come visit as much as I can on the days I have off too.”

Chloe smiled.  “That sounds perfect.”

“Or I could fly you out on your days off to come visit me.”

Chloe giggled.  “What about Gabby?”

“Bring her along.”

Chloe laughed more at this.  “We’ll see…I don’t really want her missing a bunch of school either.”

“True.  Then again, her teacher might let an absence or two slide if I was to just show up at the school one day.” Justin replied with a smirk.

“What?!”

Justin chuckled at the memory of what Gabby had said at dinner.

“Gabby told me that her teacher has a poster up in the classroom that says you can’t interrupt her unless you are hurt, sick, in danger, brought coffee or Justin Timberlake walks into the room.”

Chloe snorted loudly at this. 

“Why am I not surprised?!”

“She also said that she tried to tell her teacher that she knew me and her teacher just patted her on the head and said, “that’s nice Gabby.” That she didn’t believe her.  I don’t think I can let that one slide.”

“Well, she doesn’t go back to school until the 7th…”

Justin smiled.  “I’ll figure something out.”

Chloe just giggled and shook her head. 

“C’mon, let’s go get settled on the couch and pick a movie.”

“And after?” Justin asked, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

Chloe giggled more and took his hand. 

“We’ll see…”

“Yes, yes we will Dr. Hunter.”

 

10 days.  Justin had only been gone 10 days, not even two weeks, but it already felt like an eternity.  He’d stayed true to his word; calling, texting and using FaceTime as much as he could, but it wasn’t the same.  It was hard.  Harder than he imagined.  Yes, he loved performing, the stage was his home and it felt good to be back in his element but he missed having Chloe and Gabby around. 

4 shows.  He’d done 4 shows and now he was in Memphis for one night.   He was about to take the stage and he was excited.  Memphis was special!  He’d grown up here.  He had family here.  Tonight, was a “homecoming” so to speak but it didn’t feel like it had before.  There were so many thoughts and emotions running through his mind but the one thing he kept going back to, the one thought that kept replaying in his mind was of Chloe. 

He wanted her there, to share in this moment, but he knew she couldn’t be. Looking down at his watch he sighed.  It was a Saturday night, meaning that she was either at home or “On Call.” Truthfully, he’d tried to keep track of her schedule but it was hard.  He could barely keep track of his own. 

There was still a bit of time before he took the stage so he decided to at least get off a text.

Justin: Hey there

A smile crept across his face as he watched the “Chloe is typing” pop up on his screen.

Chloe: Hey.  Aren’t you supposed to be on stage?
Justin: In a few. 

Chloe: And you’re texting me?!

Justin smiled more.

Justin:  I miss you! I’m in Memphis tonight!  Wish you could be here.

 Chloe sighed and pushed a strand of hair behind her ear.  She wanted to be anywhere than where she was right then.

Chloe: Me too.  I’m about to head into surgery.  Gunshot wound.  Stray bullet.  It’s a kid.

Suddenly, Justin’s feelings felt far less important.

Justin: Damn! How old?

Chloe: 3!!  I had to call in a Pediatric surgeon to assist.

Justin: You got this!

Chloe cracked a half smile.  She hated working on kids, especially young ones, so his words of encouragement were appreciated.

Chloe: you too!

Justin: You want to call me after?

Chloe blushed.  He definitely knew what she needed, even from far away.

Chloe: Won’t you be onstage?

Justin grinned at this. 

Justin: Maybe. Maybe not.  How long does a gunshot wound usually take?

Chloe: Depends.  I won’t know until I get in there, at least a couple hours.

Justin nodded and quickly typed his reply.  He knew they were both on a tight schedule.

Justin: Call me when you get done…if I can, I will answer. 

Chloe: Good luck

Justin: You too

Apparently, fate was smiling on Chloe that night because she was able to remove the bullet with minimal damage.  The little girl would make a full recovery. 

Wiping the sweat from her brow and pulling her surgical cap from her head Chloe made her way out to the waiting room.  It didn’t take her long to find the girl’s family.  They were seated in a back corner, holding each other, their heads bowed as they prayed. 

“Mr. and Mrs. Thomas?” Chloe managed to get out.

Immediately, their eyes snapped up to meet her gaze.  She could see the fear in their eyes and her heart lurched.  She could only imagine what they were feeling.

“I’m Dr…De Luca. I operated on your daughter.”

Truthfully, the paperwork wasn’t finalized yet but it was just a matter of days.  Her name change had been approved. 

“How is she?” the father choked out.

Chloe smiled and instantly, she saw both parents start to relax.

“Everything went really well.  We were able to remove the bullet with minimal damage.  She is going to be really weak for a bit but she should make a full recovery.”

“OH, THANK GOD!” The mother exclaimed.

“Thank you! Thank you so much!  Thank you isn’t enough!” the father chimed in.

Chloe smiled again and nodded.  “I’m a parent too.  I get it.”

“Can we see her?”

“Absolutely!  In fact, I will take you back to the Recovery room myself.”

After escorting the family back and finishing up her charting Chloe retreated to the “on call” room where she could be alone.  It was well after midnight in New York, meaning it was after 11 in Memphis.  Justin was probably done with his show by now, or so she hoped.

Flopping down on the cot Chloe pulled the phone from her pocket and dialed Justin’s number.  He answered on the first ring.

“How did it go?” Justin asked as soon as he answered.

Chloe sighed and tried to get comfortable.  Her nerves were shot and her body was exhausted but hearing his voice made her relax.

“Good. I was able to remove the bullet pretty quickly, with very little damage.”

Smiling to himself, Justin put one arm behind his head and laid back on the bed.  He was staying the night in Memphis but would be flying out early the next morning to surprise Chloe and Gabby.  Two days in New York before he had to be in New Orleans. 

“That’s awesome! I’m glad to hear it.  I know how much you hate operating on kids.”

Chloe nodded even though he couldn’t see.  “I do.  It always gets me, especially in situations like this, but I was really glad to help this family get their little girl back.”

“I’m sure they are very grateful.”

“Yeah, but could we maybe talk about something else? How was your show?”

He didn’t blame her in the least for wanting to change the subject.  It wasn’t his favorite either.  Just the idea of it was making his heart ache so he could only imagine how she felt.

“It was good.  It’s always nice performing for my hometown crowd.  I just wish you could have been there.”

Chloe sighed and snuggled into the pillow a bit more.  It amazed her just how much she missed him, and how connected she felt even from hundreds of miles away.

“Me too, but soon.  Madison Square Garden isn’t that far away.”

Justin grinned.  She had no idea that he was planning to surprise her.

“No, it’s not, but it feels that way.”

Chloe nodded.  She understood completely.  She’d been counting the days since he’d left.  The show at Madison Square Garden was 19 days away.  19 days until Gabby and Justin’s birthday.  17 days until her birthday.  Not quite 3 weeks.  It couldn’t come fast enough.

“You get a break tomorrow, don’t you?” Chloe wondered aloud.

Justin grinned more if possible.  He was trying to keep his excitement in check but just the idea of seeing her was getting to him.  In more ways than one.

“I do.”

“Do you have plans? Are you going to hang out with your family or just chill?”

“Not sure yet.  What about you?”

Chloe stifled a yawn before smiling into the phone.  “Sleep in some.  Then, I don’t know, probably just hang out with Gabby.”

“Do you have tomorrow off?”

This time, a yawned escaped.  It was late.  She’d already done two surgeries.  Chloe was beyond tired.

“I do.  Since I had the “On Call” shift tonight I don’t have to be “On Call” tomorrow night, meaning I get the day off.”

“I should let you get some rest while you can.”

Justin had caught the yawn.  Not to mention he could hear the exhaustion in her voice.  Yes, he was tired too.  Performing night after night on stage for thousands of people was definitely tiring, but it was nothing in comparison to what she did every day. 

“I’m good.”

Justin chuckled softly.  She was trying to stay awake for him.  He knew it.

“Well, yes, you are.  Very good.  Great even, but even sexy, intelligent, beautiful, trauma surgeons need sleep.”

Chloe closed her eyes and sighed into the phone.  His voice was making her feel warm and tingly all over.  “You think I’m sexy?”

“Mmm! Very!” Justin replied, his voice low.

“You’re not so bad yourself.”

“Oh?!”

“Mmm!  That hair, those eyes, your lips, that brilliant mind of yours.  Ugh! That voice. Damn! I wish you were here.” Chloe groaned.

Justin sucked in a sharp breath then had to quickly adjust himself.  Laying in bed, the lights off, hearing her voice and her talk that way was getting him revved up. 

“Chloe…” He whispered, his voice shaking a bit.

She knew what he was thinking, probably because she was thinking it too. 

“I know…I’m sorry…I didn’t…”

“Don’t apologize…I get it …trust me…”

Just then her phone dinged.  She had a message.  Groaning inwardly, she pulled the phone away from her ear and looked at the screen.  Immediately, she sat bolt upright.

“Shit! I’m sorry Justin…I have to go…car accident coming in!”

“Go! Do your thing! We’ll talk more tomorrow.”

“Promise?!”

“Absolutely!”

The next day Chloe started to stir in her bed sometime after noon.  She had gotten home around 7:30 a.m. and by some miracle everyone in the house was still asleep.  She hadn’t even bothered to get in the shower she was so tired.  Instead, she pulled off her scrubs, leaving them in a pile on the floor along with her bra, pulled on a t-shirt and slipped into bed. 

She’d fallen asleep almost immediately but now she was starting to wake.  She didn’t want to get up or open her eyes.  Truthfully, she was in the middle of a delicious dream, one she didn’t want to end and she knew if woke up the dream would slip away.  It felt so real.  It felt like heaven.  She could feel a pair of strong arms encircle her waist, soft lips nibbling at her neck and warm breath tickling her ear.  Then there was his scent.  She could smell him, almost as if he was there next to her.  It was his shirt.   The “Man of the Woods” shirt he’d given her.  She’d worn it to bed, because it smelled of him.  It made her feel close to him, even when she wasn’t.  Apparently, it made her dream of him too. 

Sighing happily, Chloe tried to snuggle deeper into her pillow only to have those strong arms tighten around her. 

“Mmm! Damn, I missed this!” He whispered.

Chloe’s eyes opened wide.  It wasn’t a dream!  He was there, in the bed with her!

Chloe turned over in the bed only to have her eyes lock with his blue ones.  His eyes were on fire! It made her suck in a breath.

“How did you…”

Justin chuckled and kissed her forehead. 

“I flew in early to surprise you.  Adam let me in.”

“And Gabby?”

She still couldn’t believe he was there.  If she was still dreaming, she definitely didn’t want to wake up any time soon.

Justin grinned more.  “Already beat me twice at checkers.  I’ve been here for a while.”

“How did you escape?”

Justin popped another kiss on her forehead and pulled her into him a bit more. 

“I told her the truth, that I was going to come check on you.  Don’t worry, I locked the door behind me when I came in…”

It was then that his eyes seemed to deepen.  She was also acutely aware of the fact that she was pressed tightly against him.  He wasn’t wearing a shirt, or pants for that matter.  In fact, the only clothes he was wearing were a pair of boxer briefs.  She could feel the fabric against her legs.  She could also feel the very male parts of his anatomy against her. 

“That…and…well…Adam said he was going to take her out for pizza…and to the park…give us some alone time…”

Chloe’s eyes widened and smile started to form on her lips.  She knew what he was implying.

“We’re alone?’ She whispered.

Justin grinned and nodded.  “Mmm Hmm.  I heard them leave about five minutes ago.”

“It’s just us?”

Chloe still wasn’t completely convinced this was real.

“Just me and you.” Justin replied softly.

“Hmm…what should we do about that?” Chloe giggled.

Justin laughed then buried his face in her neck, whispering in her ear.  “What do you want to do Dr. Hunter?”

“It’s De Luca.”

Justin pulled back, his eyes searching hers.  The look in her eyes was serious, yet calm.  Content even. 

“Come again?!”

Chloe cracked a smile then reached up, placing a hand against his cheek.

“It’s not completely official yet.  I am still waiting for my new Social Security card and my Driver’s License, but those should be here tomorrow…”

“Chloe…are you saying…”

“I’m saying I took my maiden name back.  As of tomorrow, I will be Dr. Chloe De Luca again.”

Justin’s eyes were wide.  He understood the significance of what she was saying.  He also understood why she was doing it.  He didn’t blame her in the least.  However, it did make him curious…about a few things.

“Does Gabby know?”

Chloe nodded.  “She does.  I didn’t want to her find out the wrong way so I sat her down and we talked about it.”

“Was she upset?”

He was worried about Gabby.  It warmed her heart.  The fact that he cared so much about Gabby made Chloe fall for him just a little bit more. 

“A little.  She was mostly upset by the fact that we wouldn’t have the same last name anymore.”

Justin nodded.  He totally understood how hard that was for a child to grasp.  He’d felt the same way after his mother had married his step-father.  In fact, he’d been just about Gabby’s age when his mother had remarried.

“Do you think you’ll ever change your name again?”

“What do you mean?” Chloe asked, her voice quiet and a bit shaky.

She didn’t want to assume what he was implying but that didn’t mean she wasn’t curious.  Truthfully, she’d thought a lot about her future over the past few weeks, particularly since Justin had left on tour. 

“Like if you got married again…” Justin started.

Chloe’s heart started to pound in her chest.  She wasn’t sure where this conversation was headed but she was quite certain, either way, she wasn’t ready.

“Justin…I…”

Justin smiled softly, placing a finger to her lips.  He could see the panic in her eyes.  He knew what she was thinking.  He was thinking it too, but for now, it was just a question.

“Shh! Slow, ok?!  I promised you we would move at your pace. I meant that.  I’m not rushing anything. The tour just started.  We still have the trial…”

“Then, why?” Chloe asked bravely, her voice still shaking.

Justin smiled more then popped a kiss on her lips.  “I’m curious.  I want to know what you think.  I want to know what goes on in that beautiful mind of yours…and…well…I can’t lie to you and say the thought hasn’t crossed my mind.”

“What thought?”

This was dangerous territory. A conversation she was not at all ready for, but as much as he was curious about what went on in her head, she was curious about what went on in his.  Somewhere, deep down, she needed to know where this was going.

Justin smiled.  This wasn’t what he’d envisioned when he got up that morning but he was going to complain about it either.  This leg of the tour had only just begun, but from the very beginning it felt different.  Not bad. Just different.  Maybe it was coming back after surgery.  Maybe it was the accident.  Maybe it was the impending trial.  He loved performing.  He loved the thrill of the stage and sharing his talents with the world but it didn’t feel the same. 

He would step off the stage and it was as if he was crashing.  The adrenaline and euphoria he felt just disappeared.  Before, with *NSYNC, with his “brothers”, he had someone to share with.  It never really bothered him before, but now, since Chloe, it did.  It bothered him a lot.

“Getting married.  Settling down.  Starting a family.  I’m about to be 38. I’ve been doing this since I was 12…before that even.  For almost 30 years I’ve let my professional life dictate my personal life…that’s not acceptable anymore…”

Chloe bit her lip and tried with all her might to not blush, or at least not let him see that she was blushing.  Hearing him talk about settling down was definitely making the butterflies in her stomach go wild.

“It’s not?” Chloe whispered.

Justin smiled, pulled her into him and placed his lips lightly against hers.  “No. It’s not.  It’s time I started thinking about what I want and not just what others want from me.”

“And what is it you want?”

Justin grinned against her lips.  “For starters…”

In the next moment Justin was on top of her.  His lips pressed firmly against hers, parting them quickly.  Chloe moaned softly against him as his hands went up her shirt, teasing her with his fingers.

His kisses were slow, sensual and attentive making every nerve ending in her body tingle.  While his fingers teased at her breasts her hands went to his briefs, pulling them down to his knees exposing the very excited part of his male anatomy. 

She reached for him and he stopped her, grabbing her hands and lifting them above her head, holding them to the pillow with one hand while the other continued to tease her.

“Mmm, NO! Do THAT and this is going to be over very quickly.  We have the house to ourselves and nowhere to be.  I want to enjoy this for long as possible.”

Chloe nodded but didn’t speak.  She understood completely.

Smiling, he popped a kiss on her lips then let go of his grasp on her, allowing his hands to trail down the length of her body.  His hands were gentle.  His fingertips grazing her skin sending shivers racing down her spine.  Gently, he eased off her panties then pushed her knees apart and slowly pushed his hips forward, sliding inside of her very slowly.

For a moment, he didn’t move he just stayed there, un-moving, his hands at her waist, holding her hips and pulling her towards him.

Chloe moaned, then arched her back slightly.

“Are you ok?” Justin whispered softly.

Chloe nodded and smiled then grabbed at his hips.

“I missed you.”

Justin grinned then dropped his head, placing his lips just above her ear.

“Oh yeah?!

Chloe giggled as his warm breath tickled her neck.

“Yeah.”

Justin continued to grin as he began to nip at her neck.

“I missed you too.”

“How much?” Chloe replied.

“Let me show you.”

With his lips and teeth still nipping at her neck Justin began to push and pull inside of her, thrusting and retreating in a slow, steady rhythm.  Instinctively, Chloe’s hands went to his waist, grabbing at his hips and gently digging her fingers into his skin. 

He groaned against her, causing chills to shoot down her spine as he whispered in her ear.

“Damn! You feel good.”

Chloe giggled ever so slightly.

“You do too!”

In the next moment, and without any warning, Justin snaked his arms around her, pulled her as close as their connected bodies would allow and rolled her over so that now she was on top of him.

Chloe’s eyes widened as she looked down at him.

“Are you sure?”

Justin bit his bottom lip and nodded, his blue eyes smoldering.

“Mmm, yes, I like this!”

“I’m not hurting you?”

“Chloe…”

“Yeah?”

“I’m good.”

***

“Yes, yes you are VERY good!” Chloe giggled, flopping back onto the bed sometime later.

“I’m glad you think so.” Justin teased as he rolled on his side to face her.

Chloe blushed.

“You’re not…well…I’ve never…I mean…”

She was flustered, maybe even slightly embarrassed but it didn’t bother him in the least.  He found it incredibly charming and adorable.  However, he also wanted to put her at ease.  He wanted her to feel comfortable enough to speak her mind.

Smiling, he lifted her chin so that she met his gazed and popped a kiss on her lips.

“Whatever it is you want to tell me, or whatever you’re trying to say…I want to hear it.  I promise. No judgement here.”

“You’re not Eddy.” Chloe confessed.

Justin chuckled awkwardly.  “Yeah, you mentioned that.”

Chloe blushed more if possible.  “Sex with Eddy…was just that… sex.  With you it’s…”

“It’s what?”

“Different.  Better.  More meaningful.  You’re also…well…you’re umm…Eddy wasn’t as...”

Justin laughed and popped another kiss on her lips.  “I think I know what you’re getting at.”

Chloe giggled.  “Thank you for not making me say it.”

Justin grinned and nodded.  “Like I said, I get it.”

“I’m glad.”

“So, what are your plans for the rest of the day?”

Chloe laughed out loud at his question.  “You’re asking me to think coherently after that?!”

Justin chuckled then kissed her lightly on the lips, letting his own linger a bit.

“Let me take you out tonight.” He whispered.

“Out?”

Justin nodded.  “On a date, a proper date.  You know, you wear something nice.  I pick you up.  I take you out.  I take you home…”

“Home?  Whose home?”

Justin bit his lip and gave her a mischievous smile. 

“Hmm…well…you said it yourself…my bed is more comfortable.”

“I did say that, didn’t I?”

“You did.” Justin replied, his grin still present.

“Where are you taking me?”

Justin grinned more at the memory.  He had a hunch that Gabby was right and Chloe would love the place he was planning to take her.

“Just somewhere Gabby said you would love.”

Again, Chloe laughed out loud. 

“You’re taking me somewhere Gabby picked?!”

Justin shook his head and smiled.  “No, I picked it. Gabby just said she thought you would like it.”

Chloe made a face.

“No steak or sushi, I promise.”

***

Thank GOD for Adam!  She hadn’t really needed to even ask.  Truthfully, he knew how much she’d been missing Justin since he left on tour.  He’d also seen the way she’d thrown herself into Gabby and her work since Justin’s departure.  She needed the night out.  She needed some fun, especially with the trial looming in front of her.

Now Chloe found herself standing in her closet trying to pick out something to wear.  Justin hadn’t really given many details about where they were going.  All he’d said was that it wasn’t super formal.  There was no dress code.  Not very helpful, but it was at least something.

She sighed as she stood staring at the racks, praying that an outfit would jump out at her.  She really didn’t know what to wear.   She hadn’t been on a date in over a year, almost two.

It was then that Gabby bounced into the room, clutching her Branch doll, dressed in pair of pajamas. 

Chloe gave her daughter a questioning look, and apparently, Gabby knew what her mother was thinking.

“Uncle Adam told me that if I took a shower before dinner, we could order pizza and watch a movie before bed.”

Chloe smiled.  “I see.”

“Where is Justin taking you?” Gabby blurted out.

Chloe shrugged.  “Not sure.  He said it was some place you said I would like.”

At this, Gabby’s smile grew a mile wide but instead of saying anything she reached for a pair of dark wash, skinny jeans hanging from the rail then turned and grabbed a soft, dark green faux cashmere sweater from the other side.

“Wear this.” Gabby said, handing the clothes to her mother.

The jeans were dark wash and skinny but they were also low-rise, and therefore hugged her hips perfectly.  The sweater, was one of her favorites that she rarely ever wore.  It was a dark emerald green, fell off her shoulders on both sides and expertly tailored so that it clung to her curves in all the right places.

Chloe eyed the clothes and then her daughter and couldn’t help but bite her lip to keep from giggling.  The look on Gabby’s face was priceless.

“You think so?’ Chloe asked.

Gabby nodded then pointed to a pair of black knee high, leather boots that were sitting on a shoe rack in front of them.

“Wear those with it.  Justin will think you look pretty.”

Chloe smiled.  She did love those boots.  They made her feel confident, even sexy at times.  Tonight, she wanted to feel confident and sexy. 

Once dressed Chloe stood in the bathroom examining her reflection in the mirror.  The outfit looked good.  It was comfortable too.  An added bonus.  But now she had to figure out what to do with her hair.

Up? Down?  At work her hair was usually tucked away in a surgical cap, and when she wasn’t in surgery it was pulled back in a messy pony tail.  True, it usually started off as a neat pony tail but by the end of her shift it was always a mess.  However, this wasn’t work.  This was a date.  A real date.  With a real man.  A man she had very strong feelings for.  A man who had been gone for the past ten days.  She wanted to look her best.

Gabby was still standing next to her, watching her mother with interest.

“What are you thinking about Mommy?”

Immediately, Chloe snapped back into reality.

“Hmm?! Oh…umm…I was just trying to decide what to do with my hair.”

Gabby smiled and nodded to the clothes still in her mother’s hands.

“Why don’t you put on the outfit first, then decide.  Maybe it will help.”

Chloe beamed down at her daughter.  She really was wise beyond her years.  She didn’t sound like a five, almost six-year-old at all most days.  She sounded like a little adult.

“That’s a great idea Gabby! Thank you!”

As soon as Chloe put on the outfit Gabby’s grin grew exponentially.  In fact, she was grinning so big she resembled the Cheshire cat.  It was obvious she had thoughts on what Chloe should do.

“Up! Put it up in a pony tail!” Gabby exclaimed.

Using her fingers as a comb Chloe pulled her hair back into a pony tail.  She just wanted to get an idea of what it would look like pulled back, but as soon as she did, she had to bite her lip to keep from giggling.  Gabby was right.  Up was the way to go. 

“Sounds good to me.” Chloe replied as she grabbed a brush and began to neatly pull her hair back.

Once she was finished, she turned to Gabby for a final approval.

Gabby was still all smiles.

“You look SO pretty Mommy!”

“Thank you.”

Twenty minutes later Chloe was ready.  Her make-up was light and natural, but then she rarely wore make-up, just because it melted off during surgery so really, any make up was a lot of make-up.  Thank goodness it didn’t feel like a lot.  In other words, she didn’t feel uncomfortable.  Her hair was pulled back in a high ponytail with her hair falling down her back in gentle waves, her bangs combed to one side and soft tendrils framing the sides of her face.   Her jeans rode low on her waist, hugging her hips perfectly and her sweater paired with the pony tail exposed just the right amount of skin on her neck and shoulders.

For the first time in what seemed like forever she felt sexy.

When the doorbell rang Chloe felt the butterflies in her stomach surge.  She didn’t know why she was so nervous, but she was.  

As soon as the door opened, Chloe let out the breath she didn’t even realize she’d been holding.  Meanwhile, Justin’s heart had jumped into his throat.

She looked HOT as hell!  He found himself forcing a gulp of air down his throat, while at the same time trying to calm his now racing heart as well as his hormones. 

“Damn!” He whispered.

Chloe blushed and nodded at him.

“Funny, I was thinking the same thing.”

He was dressed in jeans as well, but they were the type of jeans that were obviously made for him.  In other words, they fit his body perfectly.  Snug where they needed to be, and loose where they didn’t. Then again, given that she knew he’d worked with Levi’s to design a line of jeans it made sense. 

His shirt was a simple steely blue-grey button down with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, exposing his strong forearms, and the top two buttons were undone showing off just the right amount of his chest.   

Suddenly, the room felt very warm.

Gabby’s timing couldn’t have been more perfect.  She came bounding into the room dressed in her unicorn zip up onesie headed straight for Justin.

“Hey there Gabby bug!” Justin said sweeping her into his arms.

“Hey! Mommy told me you are taking her to that place you took me for dessert.”

Justin grinned and nodded.

“I am.”

“What should I get Gabs?” Chloe asked smiling.

It was amazing and heartwarming to watch Justin dote on Gabby the way he did.  He would make an excellent father some-day, she was certain of it.

Immediately she pushed those thoughts to the back of her mind.  Chloe was getting a head of herself.  The conversation from earlier in the day had made her start to wonder.  She needed to bring herself back to the present. 

Gabby beamed.  “Get the dessert.”

Chloe giggled.  “Well, of course, but what about dinner?”

Still in Justin’s arms Gabby screwed her face up in thought, then looked from Justin to her mother and back again.

“Hmm…well…I didn’t really get to look at the food menu but I know how much you love ham & pineapple…so…the ham & pineapple thin crust pizza, garlic bread…because…yum…and the chocolate chip dessert.”

Justin made a face.  “Thin crust, really?!”

Chloe laughed.  “Don’t knock it until you try it, especially if it’s done right.”

Justin nodded.  “Fair enough.”

“Ok, Gabby bug…come give me a hug.  Be good for Uncle Adam and I will see you tomorrow when I get home.”

Justin passed Gabby off to her mother then watched in complete awe and admiration as Chloe loved on her daughter. 

“Ok Mommy.” Gabby replied, nuzzling her mother’s shoulder.

***

The atmosphere of the restaurant was just as Gabby had described it.  Charming and cute, but not over the top, and yet, still believable as a “date night” destination.

It was a popular spot, and although it was a Sunday night, still relatively busy.  Thank goodness they had a reservation.  Justin was on tour, and thus burning off thousands of calories on stage every night.  In other words, he was hungry.

“Do you come here a lot?” Chloe asked.

Justin smiled and shook his head.  It was evening, meaning the lights in the restaurant had already been dimmed and candles were lit at every table.  The way the light from the flame flickered across her face kept drawing him in. 

“Not really.  Every once in a while.”

“I like it.  It’s really charming.”

“The food is really good here too.”

Chloe nodded then took a sip of water.  There was just something about him tonight that made him seem sexier if possible.  Maybe it was the way dim lighting cast the perfect shadow against his face.  Maybe it was the way his blue seemed even deeper, almost as if she was swimming in them.  Whatever the reason, she was beginning to realize just how strong her feelings for him were.  It was terrifying and thrilling all at once.  It made her heart beat a little faster than it normally did around him. 

“Well, I know at least the dessert is.  Gabby has been talking about it for weeks.”

Justin chuckled.  The sound of his laugh rumbling in his chest, making the hairs at the nape of Chloe’s neck stand on end.  She loved the way his voice sounded when he laughed. 

“She was pretty impressed with the dessert, then again, so was I the first time.”

It was then that the waiter appeared to take their order.

“Do you want to share a thin crust pizza?” Chloe asked, scanning the menu quickly.

“Sure.”

Chloe looked to the waiter “A large thin crust pizza with Canadian bacon and pineapple, please.”

The waiter smiled and nodded then quickly scribbled down the order on a pad.

“Anything else?”

“The Kick Butt garlic bread.” Justin added.

This time it was Chloe that laughed.  “Wait?! What?! That’s what it’s called?”

Justin grinned at her and nodded.  The way her eyes lit up when she laughed was breathtaking.

The waiter chuckled too.

“Yeah, it’s corny, I know, but customers love it.”

“Sounds good to me.”

“Anything to drink?” the waiter continued.

“I’ll have the Original Gibblini Bellini” Justin answered.

Again, Chloe quickly scanned the menu. 

“Umm…the Dirty Monkey?!”

She couldn’t help but giggle a little at the name but the drink itself sounded delicious.

“Perfect.  I’ll have those out in a few minutes along with your garlic bread.”

About an hour later they’d polished off all of the garlic bread, most of the pizza as well as nearly all of the dessert.  Not to mention that Chloe had sucked down two of the Dirty Monkey drinks.  They were incredibly strong, and although Chloe could definitely hold her alcohol, and wasn’t feeling drunk or sick she definitely felt less inhibited.  What she felt was happy, relaxed and incredibly full.

“You ready to get out of here?” Justin asked, his voice low.

He was feeling the effects of the alcohol as well.  He was no stranger to alcohol, and although he wasn’t drunk there was just something about the mix of alcohol and the beautiful woman sitting across from him that was making him a bit lightheaded.

Chloe nodded but didn’t speak. 

It was mid-January, so still chilly in New York.  Justin helped Chloe into her coat before pulling on his own then took her by the hand and started to lead her to the door.  A bolt of electricity shot through her body when his hand met hers.  Yes, they’d held hands before but tonight felt different on several levels.  She couldn’t help but notice the way her hand fit perfectly in his.

A blast of cold air hit them as they stepped out into the New York air causing Chloe to shiver slightly.  Justin wrapped an arm around her, pulling her into his warmth as a camera flashed in their faces.

The flash temporarily blinded Chloe but she could hear the voices shouting around her.

“Shit!” Justin cursed under his breath.

“Justin, who is your date?”

“How are you feeling?”

“How long are you in town?”

“Are you postponing the tour again?”

Her eyes finally recovered; Chloe looked up at Justin.  He looked angry, but also sad.  She knew he’d been trying to avoid this, to protect her and Gabby from this part of his life.  She appreciated it immensely.  However, she wasn’t so delusional to believe that something like this wouldn’t happen eventually.

Quickly, she scanned her surroundings.  She was a surgeon.  Details were her specialty.  Quick thinking came second nature.  Four reporters.  All male.  Two vehicles parked along the curb, clearly illegally parked in the Fire Lane. 

Chloe gave Justin’s hand a gentle squeeze then looked to the reporters. 

“You know the fine in New York is $115 for parking in a safety zone, and you can get 3 points on your license and in some cases arrested for obstructing emergency vehicles …and well…I did just call for an ambulance to assist another restaurant patron who was complaining of shortness of breath and difficulty breathing…”

In the distance, not too far away, the sound of sirens echoed at that exact moment and they were getting louder by the second.

Justin was immediately forgotten as the four reporters scrambled into their vehicles and pulled away.  As the cars rounded a corner Justin’s chauffeured vehicle appeared, pulling to a stop safely out of the Fire Lane.

It wasn’t until they were inside the vehicle and moving that either of them spoke.

Justin pushed the button to raise the partition between the backseat and the driver then pulled Chloe close.  She was next to him, her body slightly turned to face him.  His eyes were on fire, his hands at her waist and his face mere inches from hers.

“That was incredible! Did you make that up?” Justin asked, his voice low and his eyes on her.

Chloe smiled and shook her head.  “The part about the person with chest pain, obviously, yes, but the part about the fine and the points on your license…no.”

Justin grinned then dropped his head so it was resting against hers.  “Mmm…that brain of yours…that’s sexy as hell.”

Chloe giggled and popped a gentle kiss on his lips.

Justin returned the kiss, but applied just a bit more force behind it.  Meanwhile, his hands were grabbing at her waist, trying to pull her closer.

Shockwaves went racing down her spine when his fingertips found the small band of skin that was exposed between her waistband and the hem of her sweater.  It made her suck in a breath.

He kept trying to pull her closer, but the angle, the way they were sitting, it was all wrong.

Chloe could feel her breathing start to quicken, and her heart start to pound.  The hairs at the nape of her neck were standing on end and a warm, tingly sensation had started to course through her body starting in her jeans.  She knew what was happening.  More importantly, she knew what she wanted to happen. 

It was then, in that moment that she decided to take action.  Justin had made the first move and now she was going to follow his lead.

Without a word she moved from the seat beside him, crawling into his lap, her legs straddling his waist and her body facing him.  She was on top of him and his eyes went wide but he made no move to stop her.  Instead, he ran his hands up the back of her sweater pulling her to him as she dropped her head, her teeth gently tugging at his bottom lip, her hands and fingers pulling his shirt untucked from his jeans.

Justin groaned against her as the feeling of her fingers grazing the skin at his belt sent his pulse racing.

“Chloe…” He whispered.

“Shh…do you want me to stop?”

“God, NO!” Justin replied.

The ride from the restaurant to his apartment was short, not short enough, but short and as soon as they pulled to a stop Justin began to fumble for the door.  His lips were still attached to her and she was still on top of him but he wasn’t complaining, he just wanted to get her inside so they could continue in privacy, where it was more comfortable.

Chloe felt the car stop moving and heard Justin grappling with the door.  She took it as her cue to move.  Quickly, she slid her body off him and grabbed for her bag. 

Within a few seconds they were both out of the car.  He waved to his driver with one hand, gripping hers with the other as he started for the door. 

They moved quickly across the lobby of the building.  He nodded and waved at the security guard as they passed, headed straight for the elevator.

Once inside Justin moved quickly to punch in the code, his free hand still grasping hers.  As soon as the doors shut completely and the elevator started to move Justin pushed Chloe up against the back wall of the elevator, his lips falling onto her neck as his arms encircled her waist.  Chloe was wedged tightly between the elevator wall and Justin’s body but she wasn’t complaining.  In fact, she was quite enjoying the feeling of him pressed up against her. 

He was kissing at her neck and shoulder, nipping gently at her neck with his teeth sending a shiver through her.

Chloe let out a soft moan and allowed her body to melt into his.  The bell signaled their arrival and the doors opened into the foyer.  Instinctively, Chloe’s hands went to Justin’s belt, his mouth moving to hers as his hands went to the button of her jeans.

Kicking off his shoes, his lips still connected to hers, his fingers fumbling with the zipper of her jeans he pushed her backwards through the living room area, headed towards the kitchen.  They weren’t going to make it the bedroom, that was certain.

Not wanting to break the connection Justin opened his eyes slowly, his eyes scanning the darkened room looking for a place to land.  They’d already passed the couch and the kitchen counter was too high.  That left the dining room table.  It wasn’t the most comfortable spot, but it was long enough, sturdy and the perfect height.

Following his lead Chloe kicked off her boots as well then used her feet to pull off her jeans as he continued to push her backwards.  Meanwhile, his hands had snaked around her and up her back, his fingers unfastening her bra with one quick flick. 

Chloe let out a small squeak as her backside hit the table.  She knew where this was headed, but she wasn’t mad at it one bit.

Quickly, Chloe hoisted herself up on to the table then reached for Justin’s pants shoving them and his boxer briefs down with one fluid motion.

Justin leaned forward, his lips above her ear as his hands reached for the hem of her sweater, pulling it over her head and tossing it into the darkened room.  With her sweater gone and her jeans somewhere along the trail of clothes scattered through the dark she was left in her unfastened bra and her panties.

“Chloe…” he whispered.

He was hesitating slightly, the events of the evening pushing that small sliver of doubt to the forefront.  There was proof now! Proof of her existence, proof of their relationship.  He wanted to be sure she was ok with it.  He NEEDED her to be ok with it.  He NEEDED her. 

She looked up at him.  His blue eyes were filled with such emotion.  She could seriously get lost in those eyes of his.  He didn’t need to say the words, his eyes told her everything she needed to know.  She understood what his eyes were asking, what his lips were too afraid to speak.

Slowly, she reached for his hands, pulling them to her waist. 

“I’m ready…”

His lips smiling against hers, he let out a slow breath as his hands trailed from her waist down her legs, his fingers gently pulling her panties free leaving them to fall off her ankles.

With her panties gone, and her bra hanging from her shoulders Justin pulled her forward, then pushed her knees apart before pushing his own hips forward and sliding into her.  He slid into her with ease.  She felt warm and wet and he groaned as her hands went to the buttons on his shirt.  One by one she undid them and as her fingers lightly trailed up his chest

 

 

 

Justin found himself gripping at her hips to steady himself. 

Once his shirt was gone Justin grabbed at her hips again, pushing himself deeper inside as he pulled her to him.

Chloe gripped the edge of the table as Justin used his grasp and her hips to guide his thrusts.

“OH!” Chloe moaned loudly.

“Mmm” was Justin’s response.

His thrusts were slow and steady at first but he could feel his climax building inside of him.  It was time to pick up the pace. 

Grabbing her hips a bit tighter, he dropped his head, his lips parting hers quickly and before she could think the push and pull of his tongue matched the pace of his thrusts. 

Chloe whimpered softly against him as her hands continued to grasp the table.

“Justin...” she managed to breathe out quietly.

“Chloe…I love you…”

“I love you too.”

“Justin…please…”

“After you Beautiful…”

Chloe nodded against him and let a small scream escape as a wave of euphoria crashed over her.  Then, with one last long thrust Justin allowed himself to release as well.

He stood there holding her to him for a long time. Letting the rise and fall of her chest and the sound of her breathing calm him.  When he finally pulled away, they were both smiling.

“C’mon…let’s go get comfortable.” He whispered.

“What about the mess?” Chloe giggled nodding to the floor.

Justin grinned.  “I don’t see a mess.”

Chloe laughed. “That’s because it’s dark smart ass.”

“You weren’t complaining about my ass a minute ago.”

Chloe laughed more at this.  “And I never will.  I happen to like your ass…and other things.”

“Oh?!”

Chloe blushed.  “C’mon.  Let’s go…this table is cold…and hard.”

Chuckling, Justin turned so that his back was facing her then waited for her to climb on.

“A piggy back ride?” Chloe giggled.

“Can you walk after that?”

Chloe laughed.  “Can you?”

“I’ll manage.”

Chloe woke up the next morning to the sound of her phone.  Immediately, she sat up.  In the bed next to her, Justin was starting to stir.

“Make it stop! Too early!” Justin groaned; his voice muffled by the pillow.

Looking at the caller ID Chloe saw that it was Adam.  He wouldn’t call her this early unless it was important.

“Is everything ok?  Is Gabby ok? Is she sick?” Chloe whispered into the phone.

Adam couldn’t help but smile and shake his head on the other end.  He could almost picture Chloe, somewhere in Tribeca, Justin probably nearby, listening to her go into panic.

“Gabby is fine! She’s getting her shoes on as we speak.  I just wanted to make sure you remembered Career Day…”

“Career Day…that’s not…”

Adam laughed more.  Of course, she’d forgotten.  She’d had a lot on her mind lately but it didn’t change the fact that it was happening.

“Today!”

“No! It’s the 14th…”

“Yeah, that’s today.”

“SHIT!” Chloe exclaimed.

Chloe looked at the clock on the bedside table next to Justin.  7:00 a.m.  She’d completely forgotten about Career Day at Gabby’s school.  Today was her first day as Head of Trauma…she couldn’t miss rounds.  Not today.

“Adam…I can’t…”

“Neither can I…we have Voir Dire today…jury selection…”

“SHIT! SHIT!” Chloe exclaimed massaging her temples.

Justin rolled over to look at her.  He could tell by her tone that she was upset and the look in her eyes was heartbreaking.

Immediately, he sat up next to her, placing a hand on her leg.

“What’s wrong? What can I do? How can I help?”

Chloe looked to him, her eyes now brimming with tears.  She couldn’t ask him for such a big favor, could she?

“Tell me…let me help if I can.” Justin pleaded softly.

Chloe nodded and forced back her tears as she started to explain. 

“Today is Career Day at Gabby’s school.  I completely forgot! I promised her I would be there, but now I can’t…and neither can Adam…”

Justin grinned, then leaned in and popped a kiss on her lips.

“What time?” he asked throwing the covers from the bed.

Chloe’s eyes went wide.  She definitely hadn’t expected this.

“9:00.” Adam answered, loud enough for Justin to hear.

“Justin…I couldn’t ask you…”

Justin leaned over and popped another kiss on her lips, cutting her off midsentence.

“You’re not…I’m offering…I’m not going to let Gabby be left hanging…”

Chloe watched, her jaw dropping as he sprang from the bed, still naked and headed for the shower.  She was still gawking when she heard the water start, but Adam snapped her back into reality.

“Is he really?” Adam asked, sounding a bit dumbfounded as well.

“Umm…I think so…” Chloe giggled.

“What do I tell Gabby when she asks, because you know she will.”

Chloe bit her lip, still giggling and shook her head.  “Umm…”

“Tell her not to worry...someone will be there at 9:00…pinkie promise.  Also, what kind of coffee does her teacher drink?’ Justin called from the bathroom doorway.

Chloe made a face.  “Vanilla latte! Why?”

“Hot or iced?”

He was grinning mischievously.  His head the only part of him visible as he stood just to the right of the bathroom doorway. 

“Justin, what are you planning?”

“Answer the question, Chloe.” He smirked.

“Hot.  Now, you better answer mine.  What are you planning?”

“I told you…her teacher…”

“Mrs. Hawkins.” Chloe corrected.

“Right! Mrs. Hawkins didn’t believe Gabby when she told her that she knew me.  I can’t let that slide!”

Chloe snorted loudly.  “So, you’re going to give her teacher a heart attack.”

“Nah…nothing like that…just set the records straight.”

Chloe just giggled and shook her head.  She would have to remember to email Gabby’s teacher later just to make sure she was ok and didn’t need medical attention.

“You sure about this?” Chloe asked nervously.

“Absolutely!”

***

At precisely 9:00 a.m. Justin walked into the office of Gabby’s school.  He was dressed in a pair of Limited-Edition Nike sneakers, jeans, a white button down, a light blue sweater vest and a dark, navy-blue suit jacket.   His guitar was over his shoulder and in his hands a drink carrier with two cups of coffee, one for him and one for Gabby’s teacher.

The front desk at a school was always teeming with activity.  Today was no different.  In fact, it seemed busier than normal.  Then again, if it was Career Day it made sense.

From behind the front desk a woman’s voice called out, signaling that he wasn’t being ignored.

“I’ll be with you in one moment.”

Justin smiled.  She was busy writing something down, she hadn’t really looked at him directly yet.  It made him wonder what her reaction would be. 

“Take your time, I’m not in a huge hurry.” He replied.

 A few moments later the woman approached the front desk and FINALLY looked at him. 

“Good morning, how can I…”

Her voice trailed off and her jaw dropped in shock.  Justin had to smile and bite his lip to keep from laughing.  This was the reaction he’d anticipated.  There weren’t many women between the ages of about 20 and 50 that didn’t know who he was, and MANY of the women younger than that at least knew his voice.

“Umm…WAIT?! You’re…”

Justin chuckled and nodded.  This was not the craziest encounter he’d ever had but it was definitely amusing.

“I am…I’m looking for Gabby Hunter, she’s in Kindergarten, Mrs. Hawkins class. I am her guest for Career Day.”

The woman, still in shock nodded and pushed the sign-in sheet towards him.  “Right.  Career Day.  Could you please sign in?”

Justin set the drink carrier down on the counter then quickly scribbled his name on the “Guest Sign-in” sheet in front of him.  Once finished he looked up at the woman again, she was obviously trying to pull herself together.

“Gabby Hunter? Mrs. Hawkins class?”

The woman shook herself from her daydream and smiled as she handed him a Visitor badge.  “Oh, yes! Umm…Room 103.  Down that hallway, third door on your right.”

“Thank you.”

The door to the classroom was open.  The teacher was standing at the front of the room, addressing the students and the other parents and guests that had gathered for Career Day. 

Justin surveyed the scene and couldn’t help but smile.  4 colored tables with little chairs around them.  In each chair a different kid, all with bigger chairs set next to them, occupied by an adult, except for the chair next to Gabby.  That one was still empty. 

His heart lurched a little.  He was late.  He could only imagine what Gabby was thinking.  However, he didn’t get to dwell on it for long.  As soon as he stepped into view 16 tiny hands shot up in the air at once. 

You could see the excitement in their eyes as they all tried to get their teacher’s attention.  Some of the adults looked a bit excited as well, especially some of the women in the room.

“Boys and girls, please put your hands down.  I will answer questions in just a moment.”

“But…Mrs. Hawkins….” One little boy started.

“What’s the rule about interrupting?”

Gabby saw Justin and her frown immediately turned upside down as her hand shot up in the air again.

“Excuse me, Mrs. Hawkins, I’m not trying to be rude, none of us are…you always say the rule is we can’t interrupt you unless we are sick, hurt, in danger, we brought you coffee or…”

“Justin Timberlake walks into the room” the rest of the class chorused while pointing to the poster behind her and then to the doorway.

Sure enough, on the wall behind her there was a handmade poster that said everything Gabby had just explained, complete with pictures, including one of him. 

The teacher smiled politely and nodded.  “Yes, that is the rule.”

Her growing irritation was evident but Gabby was now determined to make her point.

“Mrs. Hawkins…Justin Timberlake just walked into the room.” Gabby said with a grin.

The teacher offered Gabby a polite, slightly placating smile then opened her mouth to speak but Justin realized that was his cue and quickly cut her off.

“Sorry, I’m late…I stopped to get you coffee, Vanilla latte, right?”

The teacher froze as the class all began to giggle.  Slowly, she turned towards the familiar voice.  Her eyes went wide and her jaw literally dropped to the floor as he offered her the cup.

“Mister…” the teacher stuttered, taking the cup, her hands shaking a bit.

“It’s Justin.  I’m here for Gabby Hunter.”

Mrs. Hawkins eyes widened even more.  Realization had just set in.  She realized in that moment was this was all about.  She hadn’t believed Gabby and now here was the proof.

Mrs. Hawkins nodded to the empty chair next to Gabby and offered Justin an awkward smile.  “Please, have a seat, you’re not late…we were just getting started.”

Justin nodded then carefully squeezed his way through the already crowded room before taking his seat next to Gabby.  As soon as he was seated, he leaned in and very quietly whispered in Gabby’s ear.

“See, I told you I wouldn’t let that slide, and I would NEVER let you feel left out and forgotten on a day like today.”

Gabby smiled and nodded. 

“Thank you, Justin! Thank you SO SO much!”

“I got you girl!”

Justin and Gabby then turned their attention back to the front of the room.  Mrs. Hawkins was still standing at the front.  She still looked a bit starstruck but she was handling it well. 

“Before we continue, Gabby, I owe you an apology.  I should have believed you.”

Gabby beamed.  “It’s ok Mrs. Hawkins, I get it, apology accepted.”

Mrs. Hawkins smiled and nodded then turned her attention back to the whole group.  She explained that in the interest of fairness she would be drawing names from a hat to decide the order in which the children would go to present their “special guest”. 

As each name was drawn the student and their guest stepped to the front of the room.  The student introduced the guest giving their name and what they did.  After the guest spoke for a bit, the students were then permitted to raise their hand and ask questions. 

One by one Gabby and Justin listened attentively until it was Gabby’s turn.  As soon as Gabby’s name was called, she leapt from her seat, took Justin by the hand and guided him to the front of the room with his guitar in tow.

Gabby was grinning a mile wide as she stood in front of the class. 

“This is my friend; Mr. Justin Timberlake.  He is a singer, songwriter, producer and an actor.”

“Hi.” Justin said, waving awkwardly.

He could handle the press, the paparazzi, screaming fans, critics and haters with ease, but apparently, standing in a room filled with 5- and 6-year-olds was a bit intimidating.

For the next fifteen minutes Justin stood in front of the class explaining a little bit about what he did in more detail.  Everyone in the room, parents included seemed to be hanging on his every word.  Even some of the dads looked impressed. 

Once he finished it was Mrs. Hawkins that spoke first.

“Mr. Timberlake …I see you brought a guitar with you today…would like to play something for the class?”

Chuckling a bit Justin looked out into the crowd.  All of the kids were nodding emphatically meanwhile several of the moms were blushing. 

“Umm…I mean…I could…but I know there are other guests that haven’t gone yet…I wouldn’t want to take anyone else’s time.”

“Does anyone have a problem with Mr. Timberlake playing a song for us?”

“No.” was the overwhelming response.

Justin chuckled again then positioned his guitar in front of him.  “Ok, well…since I know Gabby is a big fan of the movie “Trolls” I’ll play something from that.”

Giving Gabby a wink and a smile Justin moved his hands into position and then began the first few chords of the song “True Colors.”

You with the sad eyes

Don't be discouraged, oh I realize

It's hard to take courage

In a world full of people

You can lose sight of it all

The darkness inside you

Can make you feel so small

As soon as he finished the song tiny hands started to shoot into the air all around the room.  Most of the moms were still trying to regain their composure, and a few were trying to choke back tears. 

“Ok, Tommy, what’s your question for Mr. Timberlake?” Mrs. Hawkins asked as she tried to not sound choked up as well.

Little Tommy didn’t hesitate.  He got straight to the point.

“Why do you sound exactly like Branch?”

The parents and other adults in the room were all smiles.  Justin could only laugh and then look to Gabby. 

“What do you think Gabby? Can we trust your classmates with the secret?”

Gabby nodded.  “I think so.”

Justin gave her a wink then leaned forward and whispered loud enough that everyone heard.

“I am Branch!”

Again, tiny hands shot up all around the room.

“Melanie.” Mrs. Hawkins replied, nodding to a little red head with curly pig tails.

“How?  How are you Branch?” Melanie blurted out excitedly.

Justin bit his lip and grinned.  “Well…umm…Branch is animated character, a cartoon.  An animator draws the character and then they hire an actor to do the voice.  The actor or actress who does the voice goes into a recording studio and records all the dialogue…the words the character says…then they use computers to match the recording up with the drawings, which is what you see on screen when you watch the movie.  I am the voice for Branch.  When he talks that’s my voice you are hearing.”

All the kids appeared mind-blown, all of them except for Gabby.  Gabby was beaming and Justin couldn’t be happier. 

Gabby was a great kid and the smile on her face was all the affirmation he needed that he’d done good.

***

Later that day, Justin was milling around his apartment, preparing to leave to join the tour again the next day.

The last two days had been nothing short of perfect and although he was excited about continuing on with the tour the idea of leaving again definitely tugged at his heart strings. 

He would definitely be counting the days until he was back in New York. 

His thoughts had drifted off to Chloe and Gabby.  He was thinking about what he should do for their birthdays when the sound of his phone ringing in his pocket snapped him from his thoughts and back into reality.

Shaking himself a bit he pulled the phone out and looked at the screen.  It was Chloe and a smile formed on his lips. He answered immediately.

“Hey boss lady…how’s it going on your first day? Are you kickin’ ass and taking names?”

Chloe giggled on the other end and shook her head.  He really was adorable. 

“Not hardly but thanks for the confidence boost.  I’ve been running around all day.  In addition to it being my first day as head of the department the new Surgical Interns started today.”

“Sounds exhausting.” Justin replied.

“Not too bad…it’s just going to take me a bit of getting used to being in charge.”

Justin nodded and smiled.  On some level he understood.  He’d gone from being in a band with four other guys to being on his own.  It wasn’t that much of a stretch.

“Everything else ok?”

Chloe smiled.  He worried about her.  It was sweet.

“Yeah, how was Career Day?”

Justin grinned.  “I think I was a hit.”

Chloe smirked.  “I’m sure you were.  Which brings me to why I called.  I need another favor.”

“Sure.  Whatever you need.”

“There is no way I am going to be able to leave early to go get Gabby from school and Adam is still stuck at court.  If I call the school and give Parental Consent over the phone, would you be willing to pick up Gabby from school for me today?   You could bring her home and then stay for dinner.”

Justin grinned more.  He would have agreed without the dinner invitation but any excuse to spend more time with Gabby and Chloe was a good one.

“Absolutely!”

“Really?!”

“Of course.  I’d love to.”

“You’re a lifesaver, thank you.”

“No need to thank me, at least not right now, we can discuss a proper “thank you” later.”

Chloe giggled.  “Oh, I bet.”

***

As she’d promised, Chloe made the call to Gabby’s school authorizing Justin to pick her up.  Truthfully, she’d contemplated adding him to her Emergency Contact list for Gabby but then decided it against it.  For a number of reasons.  The first being, she wanted to discuss it with him first, and the second, she didn’t want his home address or contact information falling into the wrong hands.

Not to mention that he would be on tour for most of the rest of the school year so there really was no point.

At 3:05 Justin was standing in the “Walker” pick up line waiting for Gabby. 

Gabby bounded down the steps when she saw him.  Her teacher could only blush, wave and smile.

Together they walked down the sidewalk towards the subway.  It was a short ride from the school to Chloe’s apartment and then an even shorter walk.  Justin thought about driving but then there was the hassle of parking and a booster seat for Gabby.  It was just easier to take the train and walk.

“How was the rest of your day?” Justin asked.

“Great!  We had fish sticks for lunch and everyone cannot stop talking about how Justin Timberlake came to Career Day.”

Justin chuckled and shook his head.  “How do you feel about that?”

Gabby smiled then shrugged.  “I’m ok.  The fuss doesn’t bother me.  I’m just glad you came.”

They were coming up to the apartment when Justin spotted someone sitting on the front step.  It was a male someone.  He was dressed in jeans and a long sleeve t-shirt.  In his hand was a rolled-up copy of the newspaper.  Immediately Justin’s guard was up. 

Unfortunately, Gabby spotted the person too. 

“Daddy!!” Gabby exclaimed.

Justin’s hand went for his phone.  His gut told him to call Chloe.  Truthfully, he should be calling the cops but with Gabby right there he really didn’t want to make a scene.

Gabby let go of Justin’s hand and sprinted towards her father who was beginning to stand.

“Hey Bug!” Eddy said.

Eddy swooped Gabby into his arms, wrapping her in a tight hug.

“What are you doing here Daddy?”

Justin was thinking the same thing.  What was he doing there?

“I came to see you!”

“Really?!”

“Of course, you’re my best girl!”

Eddy’s eyes slid to Justin, the smile disappearing from his face quickly.

“You again?! What are you doing here?”

Justin tried to stay calm, but he had a feeling this was not going to end well.  Even with Gabby there.

“Chloe is stuck at the hospital and Adam is still in court.  I picked up Gabby from school.”

“So, it’s true, you and my wife are shacking up?” Eddy said, crumbling the newspaper in his hand.

Justin could just make out the front page from the crumpled picture.  It was a photo of him, and Chloe from the night before.  Apparently, news traveled fast. 

Justin made a face, then looked to Gabby.  Her smile was already gone. 

“C’mon Man, we both know she is your ex-wife.  You are divorced, and you really shouldn’t talk like that in front of your daughter.”

“That’s right, she’s MY daughter, not yours.”

“Daddy…please…don’t be angry…”

The sound of Gabby’s voice and her words made Justin’s heart clinch.  He needed to get her inside.  Quickly.

Apparently, Eddy was so desperate he was looking for a fight and as much as he wanted to, Justin was not going to engage.  He also wasn’t going to let Gabby stand there and watch any of this happen.

Taking a deep breath Justin kneeled down to Gabby’s height and leaned in to whisper in her ear.

“It’s ok, your daddy is just upset he hasn’t been able to see you.  I promise, nothing is going to happen, but right now, I need you to do me a big favor.”

Gabby nodded nervously, but stayed quiet.

“Your mom said you know where the spare key is. Why don’t you go inside and set up a game of Candy Land or Sorry…I’ll be right there.  I’m just going to talk to your Dad for a minute.”

Gabby nodded then stole a look at her dad.  He had that angry look in his eyes, the one that terrified her.

“Ok.” Gabby whispered back.

Justin breathed a quiet sigh of relief.   

As soon as Gabby disappeared into the house Justin turned on Eddy.

“Look, you want to see your daughter.  I get that, but not like this.  You shouldn’t be here. You know that. I know that.”

“You don’t get it! I’m going to jail! For a LONG time…”

“Yeah, I know…for nearly killing me! You left me there…on the side of the road…to die! Chloe too!  You left the mother of YOUR child to die!  She called for help, she saved my life, not you!  You didn’t stop, you didn’t slow down…you just ran!  That’s not being a father, that’s being a coward!”

“I’m NOT a coward!” Eddy snapped.

Justin gave Eddy a look.

“Really?!  Really?!  I know why she divorced you! I know all about how you treated them! I know how you would scream and yell and throw things.  That’s not being a man!”

“So…you’re a MAN, are you?”

“A bigger one than you! You want to be a man? You want to redeem yourself a little?  Stop running! Stop placing blame everywhere else! Take responsibility for your actions!  Let Chloe and Gabby move on!”

“Move on? Or move on with you?”

Justin took in a deep breath then let it out slowly. 

“This isn’t about me.”

“Isn’t it?!”

“Only because you’re making it.  You are the one that just showed up.  You’re the one that is trying to start a fight.  You’re the one that is violating a Restraining order, and I am pretty sure you’ve probably been advised to not have any contact with Chloe until after the trial.”

Eddy sighed and stared at the ground but didn’t say anything for a long while.  When he finally looked up at Justin his eyes looked broken and sad.

“I want to see my daughter.”

Justin sighed again and ran a hand over his face.  “And I totally get that, but not like this!  How does that look to Gabby?  How is that going to look to a jury?”

“She still doesn’t know, does she?”

“About the accident?”

Eddy nodded solemnly.

“She knows that there was an accident, that her mom got hurt, and that her mom helped me, but no, she doesn’t know you were the one that caused it.  However, you can thank Chloe for that.”

Eddy just nodded again.  For a moment, he stayed silent but the moment was brief.

“Are you in love with her?”

Justin’s eyes widened.  Was he really asking this?

“Excuse me?!”

“Are you in love with Chloe?”

“I don’t see how that’s any of your business.”

Eddy smirked a bit.  If he was being honest, he completely understood why Justin was on the defensive.

“Yeah, not going to lie, I deserved that.”

Slowly, Eddy uncrumpled the newspaper he was holding and offered it to Justin.  Justin hesitated at first but took it from Eddy’s outstretched hand.  The picture was, as he suspected, from the night before.  He had his arm around Chloe, holding her close.  

Eddy nodded to the photo then allowed his eyes to meet Justin’s gaze. 

“She looks happy…really happy…happier than I think I’ve ever seen her.”

Justin opened his mouth to speak, to respond but Eddy cut him off.

“I know.  I know that I screwed up BIG TIME.  I know that there is NO excuse for what I did.  I know there is NOTHING that can make up for all the damage I’ve caused.  I failed Chloe…and Gabby.  I tore my family apart and there is NO coming back for that…I realize that now…I realized that the moment they put those handcuffs on me.”

Eddy paused briefly, but Justin could see in his eyes that he wasn’t finished.

“Like I said…I know I FUCKED UP…but if there is a silver lining, if there is anything good to come from all of this…it’s YOU!  Going to jail…for as long as I will be…because let’s face it…you and I both know I’m going to get the MAXIMUM punishment.  I almost killed Justin Timberlake.  How could I not?”

“You never know.” Justin replied.

Eddy snorted at this.  “Yeah, ok.  Whatever. You said it yourself, I nearly killed you and the mother of my child.  I’ll get 15 years at least.  BUT…knowing Chloe and Gabby are taken care of, the way they deserve to be, well…that makes the reality of prison a little bit of an easier pill to swallow.”

Justin took another deep breath, then let it out slowly and quietly.  This was definitely not how he’d seen the conversation going minutes earlier.  He’d expected a fight, at least a verbal one but it was obvious as he looked back at Eddy that reality had FINALLY started to sink in.  He was owning up to his previous transgressions.  A bit late, for sure, but better late than never.

“Look, regardless of what anyone or any piece of paper might say, you are Gabby’s father, and I get that you want to see her, to give her a proper “goodbye” but do it the right way, the legal way.  Contact your lawyer…or Chloe’s, please.”

Eddy nodded.

“I will.”

“Thank you.”

“Give her a hug for me?”

Justin cracked a smile and nodded. 

“I think I can do that.”

“Thank you.”

Adam was the first to arrive home that evening.  He couldn’t help but smile at the scene that greeted him when he walked into the apartment.  Gabby and Justin were seated around the living room coffee table deep into a game of Candy land.

“I win!” Gabby exclaimed, moving her piece to the finish line.

Justin could only chuckle and shake his head. 

“Yup.  You win again Gabby!”

“Again?” Gabby asked hopefully.

Justin smiled.  “Umm…I think I need a Candy land break.  How about you and I clean up then you can watch a little TV while I talk to your uncle.”

“Ok.”

Once the game had been put away and Gabby was settled in front of the television Justin went to find Adam.  He was in the kitchen, rummaging through a drawer in search of Take-Out menus. 

“Thanks for picking up Gabby today.” Adam said as Justin entered the kitchen.

Justin cracked a nervous smile.  He didn’t really want to have this conversation but he knew he needed to.  Adam needed to know about Eddy, just as Chloe did, but he was hoping that telling Adam first would make telling Chloe easier.

“No problem…I was happy to help but…”

Adam heard the hesitation in Justin’s voice.  The take-out menus temporarily forgotten; Adam shifted his attention to Justin.  He could tell by the look in Justin’s eyes that something wasn’t right.

“But?” Adam repeated.

“Uh…well…when we got back to the apartment this afternoon Eddy was here waiting.”

Adam nearly swallowed his tongue.

“Excuse me?!”

“Eddy was here, waiting on the steps.”

“Did you call the cops?”

Justin shook his head.

“Umm…no…I thought about it, I know I probably should have, but I really didn’t want Gabby to see that.”

Adam nodded quietly.  Justin did make a valid point.  Watching her dad be taken away in handcuffs really wasn’t something Gabby should witness.

“I get it. I probably would have done the same. Did he talk to you?”

Justin nodded slowly.  He was trying to keep an eye out on the living room to make sure that Gabby didn’t overhear the conversation.

“A little.  First, he tried to be Macho and play the “I’m her father, not you” card.  Then he gave me shit about being with Chloe and then he did a complete 180 and told me I was the “silver lining” of the accident.  That he felt better about going to jail knowing that Chloe and Gabby were being treated the way they deserved to be treated.  He knows he’s going to jail for a LONG time and he wants to say “goodbye.”

Adam sighed heavily then sunk down onto one of the benches in front of the island counter.

“No punches?’

Justin smirked a little.  “I contemplated it briefly, but no, I didn’t want a fight and I really don’t think he did either.  I think he just wanted to be heard.”

Adam nodded solemnly.

“Are you going to tell Chloe?”

“Yeah, as much as she won’t like it, she needs to know.”

At this, Adam cracked the tiniest of smiles.  Although he was still trying to wrap his head around the idea, Adam realized that Justin was just the type of man that his little sister needed.  Eddy had been right about that.

“Good answer.”

“Thanks.”

“Do you want some back-up?” Adam offered.

Justin smirked a bit and nodded.  “That would be appreciated, yes, thank you.”

About 30 minutes later Chloe arrived home.  Gabby was still in the living room watching cartoons and Justin and Adam were still in the kitchen.

“Hi Mommy!” Gabby exclaimed jumping up to hug her mother.

Chloe smiled and wrapped her arms around her daughter.  Having her daughter greet her with a smile and a hug was one of the best feelings in the world.

“Hey Gabby Bug, how was school today?”

Gabby pulled back a bit and beamed up at her mother.  Chloe had to bite her bottom lip to keep from giving herself away.  She knew that Gabby was excited to talk about her day.

“Awesome! Justin came to Career Day!  He totally surprised my teacher and he sang a song from Trolls that made all the moms cry and Daddy came to see me.”

Chloe’s jaw dropped.  The way that last bit had just come out caught her completely by surprise.  Her mind was reeling, a thousand different questions flying through her brain but she was trying to keep her emotions in check.  Gabby didn’t know anything about what was really happening.  Chloe had made sure of that but it was becoming increasingly obvious that she was going to have to tell Gabby something, and soon.

“Where? At school?” Chloe choked out.

Gabby shook her head and looked up at her mother. She didn’t want her mom to be mad, but the look in Chloe’s eyes reminded her of the night she’d kicked her father out of the house.

“Please don’t be mad Mommy!” Gabby pleaded.

Chloe looked down at her daughter and immediately sucked in a breath.  Moments before Gabby had been so happy, now she looked scared and sad.

Letting her breath out slowly and quietly Chloe sank to her knees and took her daughter’s hands in hers. 

“Oh baby, I’m not mad.  I promise! I’m just worried.  Your dad isn’t supposed to come around…not without permission… and right now, he doesn’t have permission.”

“Because he yells and screams and throws things?” Gabby asked, her eyes wide.

Chloe nodded slowly.  She wasn’t ready for this conversation but apparently it was coming whether she was ready or not.

“That’s part of it.”

“What’s the other part?”

Chloe took a deep, steadying breath.  “Why don’t you go grab your monkey, let me put my stuff down and go say “hi” to Justin and your uncle …then you and I can talk while Adam and Justin handle dinner.”

“What’s for dinner?”

“What do you want?” Chloe replied.

Truthfully, Chloe was anticipating the forthcoming conversation.  She had a feeling that she and Gabby would both need some cheering up when it was over. 

Gabby scrunched her face up in thought. 

“Tacos.”

Chloe cracked the tiniest of smiles and nodded.  “Tacos it is.  Go find your monkey and I’ll be there in a minute.”

“Ok.”

Once Gabby was out of sight Chloe started for the kitchen.  Adam was leaned up the cabinets sipping on a beer.  Justin was seated at the counter with a beer in his hand as well.  She gave both of them a pointed look then forced herself to speak.

“You two are in charge of dinner.  Gabby wants tacos.  I’m going to go have a chat with her about her father…”

“She told you?” Adam asked shaking his head.

Chloe made a face.  “She’s 5, she has no filter, of course she told me.”

“What are you going to say?” Adam continued.

Chloe sighed.  “I have NO clue…the truth…”

“ALL of it?” Justin asked, his eyes wide.

“No. Not all of it, but I have to tell her something.”

Both men nodded.   Neither knew what to say.  It was a sticky situation for sure.  How did one tell a five-year-old that her father was going to prison for nearly killing her mother and the man her mother was now dating?

“What can we do to help?” Adam asked seriously.

Chloe gave them another pointed look.  “Take care of dinner and get me a drink.  Wine, margaritas…I don’t care…hot tea isn’t going to cut it…not this time.”

Inhaling deeply Chloe proceeded down the hallway to her daughter’s room.  Gabby was already curled up on the bed clutching her stuffed monkey AND her Branch doll, one under each arm.

Forcing a smile, Chloe took a seat next to her daughter on the bed and turned to face her.  Gabby’s hazel eyes were staring back at her, wide with worry.  She was too smart to not know something was up.

“Something happened…with Daddy…didn’t it?”

And there it was.  The question Chloe had been dreading.  Truthfully, Chloe had been trying to mentally prepare herself for this moment since she found out the truth but she still wasn’t ready. 

Chloe let out the breath she’d been holding rather loudly.   The air just rushed out of her.  It caught her by surprise.

“Yeah, Bug, it did.”

“What happened?”

Chloe took a much quieter steadying breath. 

“Your Daddy was in a car accident.  Actually, your daddy caused the accident.  People got hurt, pretty badly and your daddy should have stayed to help but he didn’t, he left.  He left the scene of an accident which is bad.”

“Is he in trouble? Is he going to jail?”

“Yes.”

Gabby’s eyes were tear filled now and her bottom lip trembling and Chloe could feel her heart breaking in her chest as she watched her daughter struggle with this new information.

“Daddy’s going to jail? For how long?”

Chloe took another deep breath.  She needed to just to keep her own composure.  She could feel her resolve cracking.  She couldn’t let it break.  She needed to be strong for Gabby.  Right then, Gabby was all that mattered.

“A long time sweetie.  A really long time.”

“How long?”

“I don’t know for sure.”

“But what if he said he was sorry?  What if he apologized to the people he hurt?”

Chloe looked down at her daughter and tried with all her might to keep her emotions in check.  The tears were now streaming down Gabby’s face.  Instinctively, Chloe pulled Gabby into her lap and began to brush away her tears and stroke her hair softly.

“Oh baby, when you’re a grown up it’s not always that simple.  When you are a kid and you do something bad you get grounded or you get things taken away.  When you are an adult and you do something bad you go to jail.  Leaving the accident, not staying to help the people who were hurt that was really bad.”

“Are the people Daddy hurt ok?”

Chloe cracked the tiniest of smiles at the thought of Justin and nodded. 

“Yeah, baby, everyone is ok.”

“When?” Gabby blurted.

“When what?”

“When is Daddy going to jail?”

Chloe made a face then turned Gabby so she was facing her.  The tears were still falling in a steady stream down Gabby’s face but now that this conversation was happening, she wasn’t going to stop it until she was finished.  Gabby needed to know the truth, or as much of the truth as a five-year-old brain could handle.  She was going to leave some of the more finite details out of it, for everyone’s sake.

“Well, baby, I’m not sure. There are some things that need to happen first.”

“What things?”

“Well, first there is going to be a trial.  Then, when the trial is all over the jury will decide how long your daddy has to go to jail for.”

“When is the trial?”

“We don’t know yet.  Probably not until February or March.”

“What about my birthday?  Daddy has to come to my birthday!”

“Oh sweetie…”

“Mommy …PLEASE…he has to….”

Gabby was sobbing now.  Chloe could feel her daughter’s tears soaking into her shirt as Gabby clung to her, burying her face in her chest.  In that moment, with her daughter’s arms wrapped around her waist, her tear-stained shirt clinging to her and the sound of Gabby’s cries echoing around her Chloe’s sense of control broke. 

As angry as she was with Eddy for putting them in this situation Chloe knew that closure was needed.  Gabby needed to be able to say “goodbye.”

“Ok baby…ok…I will see what I can do.” Chloe whispered.

Gabby pulled away from her mother and looked up into Chloe’s tear-filled eyes.

“Really?”

Chloe sniffed, nodded and brushed away a few tears before speaking.  “I can’t make any promises.  Daddy still hasn’t done what he needs to do to be able to come see you but I will see if I can talk to the judge.”

Gabby nodded, then wrapped her mother in another tight hug.

“Ok.”

For a long time both girls just sat there, on Gabby’s bed, holding each other while Gabby continued to cry softly.  Chloe was crying too but tried not to let Gabby hear her.

After what seemed like an eternity Gabby’s cries began to subside.  Her sobs were now sniffles and her grip wasn’t as tight anymore.

“Can we still have tacos?” Gabby whimpered.

Chloe smiled through her tears and nodded.  “Absolutely, and since Justin and your uncle Adam are both here maybe we can talk about what you want to do for your birthday.”

Gabby nodded and pushed away her tears.

“Ok.”

Hand in hand Gabby and Chloe walked back towards the kitchen.  Justin and Adam were busy setting up the food but stopped as soon as Gabby and Chloe entered.  The fact that both girls had been crying was not lost on either man. 

“May I sit by Justin?” Gabby blurted out.

Chloe smiled.  “Sure.  If it is ok with him.”

Justin smiled and nodded.  He knew that right then, Gabby needed to know that no one else was going to leave her.  Not even him.

“Absolutely Gabby Bug!”

With a deep sigh of relief Chloe took her seat across from Justin and mouthed the words “thank you” to him so Gabby wouldn’t see.  Justin could only smile and nod.  He knew they needed to talk about what happened, but not now, not here with Gabby listening.  Gabby needed a break, so did Chloe.

It wasn’t until they’d all been seated and eaten for a while that anyone spoke.  Emotions and hunger were running high.  It made perfect sense that it was quiet.  However, with a five-year-old at the table the silence wasn’t going to last forever.

“I want a Trolls birthday party.” Gabby exclaimed.

Justin couldn’t help but chuckle.  Neither could Adam.

“Oh yeah?” Chloe asked smiling and shaking her head.

“Yes. I want a Trolls birthday party with cupcakes and a pinata and I want to invite Mr. Chris and Mrs. Karly and Nash, and Mr. Lance and Mr. Michael and Mr. JC.”

“Oh, yes please.” Adam smirked.

Chloe gave her brother a look then turned her attention back to her daughter.

“What about Mr. Joey and Justin?”

Gabby nodded emphatically.  “Yes, them too but I understand if Justin can’t come…I know he’s on…”

“Oh no! No, Pretty girl! Let me just stop you right there.  If you want me at your birthday party, I will be there…I promise.  I wouldn’t miss your birthday for anything.”

“Really?!” Gabby asked, her eyes sparkling.

“Absolutely!”

Gabby beamed.  “Ok!  Then I want a Trolls birthday party with cupcakes and Pinata.  I want to invite Mr. Chris, Mrs. Karly and Nash, Mr. Lance and Mr. Michael, Mr. JC and Mr. Joey, Justin, a couple of kids from my class, Grandma and Grandpa and…Daddy.”

Justin and Adam’s eyes both went wide but they stayed quiet.  The look in Chloe’s eyes said enough.

Chloe sighed and forced a smile.  “I can’t make any promises about your Daddy coming to your party…but I will try…I can promise you that.”

“Thank you, Mommy.”

After dinner and after Gabby had been tucked into bed Chloe returned to the living room.  Justin and Adam were waiting with Margaritas.

Without saying a word Chloe sat on the couch next to Justin and took a long sip from her drink.

“What happened today?” Chloe managed to get out.

Justin took a breath then turned to look at Chloe.  As much as he had been dreading this conversation, he was determined to be truthful, because it was what Chloe deserved.

“Eddy was waiting for us when Gabby and I got here after school.  He was sitting on the steps with a copy of the newspaper in his hand.  He was upset.  He wanted to see Gabby.  At first, I thought he was going to start a fight, but he didn’t.”

“Why didn’t you call the cops? Why didn’t you call me?”

“I didn’t call the cops because I didn’t want Gabby to see that.  I didn’t want to be the one responsible for putting the image of her dad in handcuffs in her brain and I didn’t call you because what could you have done?  You said it yourself, you couldn’t get away.  That was the whole reason you called me to pick Gabby up in the first place, and if you had called the cops…again, how would have that looked to Gabby?”

Chloe sighed and dropped her head.  Justin was right.  Even if she wanted to, she couldn’t have called the cops on Eddy.  Not with Gabby there. 

“What did he say to you?”

“That he wanted to see Gabby. That he wanted to say “goodbye.”  That he knew that he was going to jail for a long time.  That he knew there was NO WAY a jury wasn’t going to give him the maximum sentence given that he’d nearly killed the mother of his child and Justin Timberlake.  That you and I were the only good thing to come out of the accident.  That it made him feel better about going to jail knowing that you and Gabby would be taken care of, the way you deserved to be.”

Chloe’s eyes went wide as saucers and her jaw dropped.  Of all the things she’d expected to come from Eddy’s mouth none of what he’d actually said were among them.

“He said all that?”

Justin nodded.

“So …what now?  What did you tell Gabby?” Adam chimed in.

“I told her the truth.  I told her that her Daddy caused an accident and that people got hurt and that because her Daddy didn’t stay and help, because he ran away, he was going to go to jail.  I just left names out of it.  She doesn’t need to know that part.  It doesn’t change the outcome.”

“And the party? Are you really going to invite him?” Adam continued.

Chloe nodded.  “This is the last birthday he is going to get with her for a LONG time.  Gabby has done nothing wrong, it’s not right for me to punish her for her father’s mistakes.  She deserves to get to say “goodbye.”

“What about the restraining order?”

Chloe looked to her brother and Justin, her eyes filled with sadness and her tone somber as she spoke.

“He’s already violated the restraining order twice and no one has called the cops yet, because of Gabby.  I think we can all agree to let it go…one last time …for the same reason.”

“I don’t know Chloe…” Adam hesitated.

“Don’t do it for him…I couldn’t ask you do that…do it for Gabby.”

Adam nodded.  “For Gabby.”

Justin nodded in agreement.  “Just for her.”

‘Thank you.” Chloe replied, her voice wavering.

“Now…what do you need?  What can we do?” Justin asked.

Chloe cracked a smile.  “Can you help me with a Trolls party?”

Justin chuckled and nodded.  “I think I can handle that.”

Adam took that as his cue.  He checked his watch briefly then cleared his throat before standing from his chair.

“Well…I’ll leave you two to the party planning.  I have a date.”

“A date? With whom?” Chloe asked grinning.

Adam blushed.  It surprised Chloe.  She’d never seen Adam blush like this.

Justin caught the blush too and couldn’t help himself.

“I know JC isn’t in town.”

Adam smirked.  “Ha ha, funny Timberlake. Funny!”

Chloe just giggled and shook her head.  “Seriously, who do you have a date with?”

“Derek.”

Chloe’s jaw dropped.  “Derek?! Do you mean Derek the Assistant D.A.?  Derek, the Assistant D.A. who is the prosecuting attorney in the case against Eddy?”

“He’s only 2nd chair.”

“Isn’t that a conflict of interest?”

“Again, he’s only 2nd chair and he’s not going a date with you.”

“Obviously!”

“It’s no worse than you dating the other defendant in the case.  If I was representing you, or defending Eddy, or even testifying it might be different…”

“Wait?! You’re not testifying? Why am I just hearing this now?”

“I don’t need to.  I was merely a character witness, someone to testify to the type of man Eddy was.   They have a strong enough case without me.  They have street cam footage of the accident, they have you and Justin as well as the 911 dispatcher, the EMTs, the E.R. Resident who treated you and the detectives who interviewed you after the accident.  Not to mention Eddy’s confession.  It’s an open and shut case. “

Chloe nodded.  Adam made valid points.  Also, much like her, Adam had experienced his fair share of heartache over the past year.  He deserved to be happy just as she did.  Chloe needed to be supportive of him, just as he had been to her.

“I am happy if you are.  Go! Have fun!  You deserve it.”

Adam grinned then leaned over a placed a gentle kiss on the top of his sister’s head. 

“Thank you.”

Once Adam left it was just Chloe and Justin. 

“I hope you’re not upset with me.” Justin whispered quietly.

He’d made a judgement call that he knew wasn’t entirely his to make and now he was praying that it didn’t come back to haunt him.

Chloe took his hands in hers, looked up at him and cracked a smile as she shook her head.

“No. I’m not.  I get it.  You were trying to protect Gabby and I appreciate that.”

“Good because the thought of you being mad at me…”

Chloe shook her head again then quieted him with a finger.

“Shh! Don’t!  I will never be angry with you for trying to keep my daughter safe.”

“Good, but now what?  What can I do?”

Chloe smiled.  “Well, I know you have to leave early…that you have a plane to catch but I’d love it if…”

Justin grinned.  He knew what she was about to say before the words ever left her lips.

“Chloe, are you going to ask me to stay?”

Chloe nodded, her cheeks flushing.  “Please.  I don’t want to be alone tonight.”

Justin popped a kiss on her lips and nodded.  “Of course, I would have insisted on staying even if you hadn’t asked.  I don’t want you to be alone tonight either.”

“Thank you.”

Justin gave her another pop kiss then stood from his spot, pulling her up with him.

“You’re welcome.  Now c’mon, let’s go get comfortable.”

Once in bed together Justin wrapped his arms around Chloe and pulled her close, nestling his chin in her hair and allowing himself to relax.  His eyes fluttered closed and his breathing slowed, the sound of Chloe’s heartbeat and her steady breathing lulling him to sleep quickly.  He really was going to miss waking up next to her while he was on tour.  It made him think about what came next, after the tour. 

He had a lot to think about. 

Leaving New York, leaving Chloe and Gabby to go on tour had been hard the first time, but it was even harder this time.  Justin had needed to get to the airport and Chloe needed to get Gabby to school so their “goodbye” was brief.  Now, his flight had just taken off and he was already wishing he was back in New York.  12 days.  Twelve days from now he would be back in New York for Gabby’s birthday party. 

Gabby.  He adored Gabby.  From the moment he’d met her he had adored her.  She was a great kid.  Intelligent, just like her mother.  Compassionate, again, like her mother.  Independent. Funny.  Curious.  Wise beyond her years.  Truly, he’d never met another child who was as well spoken and mature as Gabby.  Then again, Chloe was her mother so it wasn’t a complete surprise. 

She wanted a Trolls themed birthday party and he was going to do everything in his power to make sure Gabby had the best Trolls birthday ever.  Just thinking about it made him smile.  However, thinking about Gabby naturally led to thinking about Chloe.  Truthfully, he couldn’t stop thinking about Chloe.  He was in love with her, but he wasn’t just in love with her he was head over feet in love with her.  He’d never felt quite this deeply about any woman and it was beginning to make him think about things he’d never really thought about before.  The thoughts running through his mind terrified him yet excited him at the same time. 

By the time his flight landed in New Orleans his thoughts were running wild.  A chauffeured car was already waiting when his plane landed.  As soon as he was in the car Justin flipped his phone out of Airplane mode and quickly shot off a text to his “brothers.”

Justin: I need help

Joey:  that’s nothing new

Justin smirked at Joey’s response.  Joey was always the jokester, the one with the sarcasm but he wouldn’t change Joey for anything in the world.

Justin: I’m being serious

JC: what’s up?

Justin sucked in a breath.  He trusted his “brothers” with his life but for some reason, putting his heart out there still scared the shit out of him.

Justin:  Lance? Chris? How did you know?

Lance: How did I know what?

Justin chewed on his bottom lip nervously.  If he did this, if he said what was on his mind and in his heart, there was no turning back.  He didn’t want to go back.  He wanted to keep moving forward but putting the words out there made it real. 

Justin: With Michael? How did you know?

Lance:  I don’t know.  It just happened.  Not all at once but over time.  A little bit more everyday until it was the only thing I could think about.

Chris: Same

JC: What’s going on J?

Justin: I’m in love with Chloe

Joey: Yeah, we knew that

Justin: No, you don’t get it…

Lance: I do!  I get it!  Let me guess…you can’t stop thinking about her but that’s perfectly fine because you don’t want to stop thinking about her.  When you’re around her you don’t want to ever leave her and when you’re gone you feel like a piece of you is missing.  Does that sound about right?

Justin: YES!!! 

Lance: not a terrible problem to have

Justin: No, it’s not, but I don’t know what to do.  It’s only been a little less than three months

Chris: SO?  Why does that matter? 

Justin: I mean…it doesn’t…not to me anyway, but I think it does to her

Joey: Did you ask her?

Justin sighed.  The answer to that question was simple, but at the same time it wasn’t.  There was so much going on, for both of them, that although the topic had come up a few times neither had the courage to really talk about it.

Justin: Not exactly.  We’ve sort of talked about it…but with the tour and the trial…

JC: talk to her

Justin: Yeah, ok, when? Our schedules don’t really mesh well at the moment if you know what I mean.  Just getting her on the phone is hard enough

JC: Don’t do it over the phone, trust me on this

Justin: Obviously

Lance: When is the next time you see her?

Justin: The 27th for Gabby’s birthday party…which by the way you are all invited to…Gabby insisted, but I am literally flying in for the party that morning and flying to Denver the next morning

Chris: Ok, you’re right, probably not the best timing and yeah, you should probably wait until after the trial, but I agree, you need to talk to her

Justin nodded at the phone.  He knew his friends couldn’t see him but just having them there to listen was helpful.  True, nothing had been solved and his brain was still operating on overdrive but at least he had a little clarity.  Expressing his thoughts and his emotions in a safe space amongst people he trusted had been just what he needed.

Justin: Thanks guys

JC: Absolutely!

Lance: Always

Joey: what they said

Chris: Anytime

After closing the text Justin lay his head back against the seat and closed his eyes.  He needed to focus, to get his head back in the game but his mind kept taking his thoughts elsewhere.  His heart told him he was ready, ready to take a leap of faith, but his head kept telling him otherwise.

Following the show in New Orleans Justin did shows in North Little Rock, San Antonio, Houston, Dallas and Oklahoma City.  As soon as he stepped off the stage in Oklahoma City Justin jumped into a chauffeured car, headed for the airport.  He was flying back to NYC for Gabby’s birthday. 

Justin grinned at the thought of Gabby.  With the help of the people at DreamWorks as well as some guidance from Chloe, Justin had been able to put together quite the party for Gabby. 

It was Trolls everywhere!  Chloe and Adam’s brownstone had a small backyard that was just big enough to serve as a party space without feeling cramped.  However, it didn’t look much like a backyard at the moment.  It had been completely transformed.  In fact, it looked like a scene straight from the movie.  Even Justin was impressed.

As promised, Chloe had invited a few classmates from Gabby’s class, Gabby’s grandparents, all of *NSYNC and Gabby’s father.  Unfortunately, not all of *NSYNC could make it.  Joey, Lance and JC had other commitments but Chris, along with Karly and Nash were able to make the trip.  However, all of the guys had sent gifts.  

“I have to say…I think you outdid yourself.” Chris chuckled.

He and Justin were standing in the backyard next to the food as guests began to file into the space.  Justin smiled as he watched the few classmates that Gabby had invited walk around in awe. 

“It wasn’t all me…I had help.” Justin replied.

“Of course, I know you hired someone to execute everything, and Chloe and Adam helped but you’ve set the bar kind of high, don’t you think? I mean…Nash wants a Toy Story party but I don’t have this kind of sway with Disney…”

Justin grinned more.  “You do realize that two of your best friends are practically Disney royalty?!  We’ve got you covered man…don’t sweat it.”

“I’m going to hold you to that.”

“Go right ahead.   You know I love Nash.”

“It’s true, you do, but I get the feeling that he’s not the only kid that has you wrapped around their little finger…”

Justin immediately blushed.  He knew exactly whom Chris was referring to but he wasn’t about to deny it. 

“Well…I love Briahna and Khloe too.”

Chris just smirked and shook his head.  “Not whom I was talking about, and you know it.”

“Yeah, I know, and you’re right.  She’s just…”

Chris looked over at his friend and couldn’t help but smile.  That look in Justin’s eyes, he understood it completely.  It was the same look he got every time he looked at Nash.  In other words, Chloe wasn’t the only one Justin was in love with.

“Hey…no judgement here.  I get it.  Trust me.  That’s a different kind of love right there.  The kind that takes you completely by surprise.”

Justin nodded and chewed at his lip.  Chris had it exactly right.  “It did.  At first, I thought, this is going to be weird, dating a girl with a kid…but now…now I can’t imagine it any other way.”

“They’re good for you…both of them.”

Justin grinned.  “They are.”

It was then that Eddy entered the yard.  Justin stiffened a bit and Chris immediately noticed.  His gaze followed his friend to where the other man was standing and Chris’s eyes went wide.  He was tall, about as tall as Justin.  He had sandy brown hair, blue eyes and it was obvious from his frame that he used to be lean and muscular.  Now he just looked thin.  His clothes hung on him and there were dark circles under his eyes.  He was dressed in a pair of acid wash jeans and a dark blue long-sleeved shirt with a black wool coat over the top.  Truthfully, he looked kind of creepy. 

“Is that…” Chris trailed off.

Justin nodded.  “Yup.”

Chris had been with Nash and Karly, keeping Gabby occupied the night of the Art show so he hadn’t seen Eddy like Lance and JC had.  Now he could see what they meant when they said he looked like a “ghost.” The fact that he was a shell of himself was apparent, if not in his eyes, then definitely in his expression. 

He had a gift, perfectly wrapped in pale pink paper and a dark pink bow on top under one arm and in the other hand he was carrying a large manila envelope. 

Gabby still hadn’t made her entrance.  She and Chloe were still inside the house as were Adam and Gabby’s grandparents.  Meaning Justin was the first adult Eddy noticed.

“SHIT!” Justin hissed under his breath.

“Umm…he’s coming this way…” Chris whispered to his friend.

Justin shot Chris a pointed look then grumbled his reply.  “Yeah, I see that. “

Eddy was indeed headed in their direction.  He looked sad, but also determined and as much as Justin didn’t like it, he knew that it needed to happen this way.  Eddy needed to be allowed to say “goodbye” just as Gabby needed to be able to hear it.  He was just praying that Eddy didn’t make it harder than it needed to be, particularly on Gabby.

“Where is Gabby? “Eddy asked as he approached.

Justin nodded to the back door.  “Inside.  They should be out any minute.”

“Did she know I was coming?”

Justin nodded.  “Chloe told her.”

“I won’t stay long.”

Justin sighed quietly.  He understood why Eddy seemed hesitant but today was about Gabby.  No one was going to chase him off or call the cops on him.  Gabby deserved to have happy memories of her birthday and her father and Justin was determined to see that she got those memories, regardless of his feelings towards or about Eddy.

“Don’t rush off on my account.  Today isn’t about me…or Chloe.  Today is all about Gabby.  Gabby is the one that wants you here, to see you and spend time with you.  Stick around for her.  You may not get another chance for a long time.”

“Thank you.” Eddy replied solemnly.

“I’m not the one you need to thank.”

Eddy smirked.  “Oh, no?! So, then THIS was all Chloe’s doing?”

Justin blushed and cracked the tiniest of smiles.  Yes, it was awkward but Eddy did make a valid point.

“I may have helped a little.”

Eddy just smiled and shook his head.  He didn’t comment further.  There was something unspoken between them.  An understanding.  Words weren’t needed. 

It was then that Gabby and Chloe stepped out into the yard.  Chloe was dressed casually in jeans and a deep green sweater and a pair of boots.  It was a simple outfit but never the less, Justin thought she looked stunning.  The way her dark hair fell across her shoulders and down her back and the brisk air colored her cheeks.  It made his heart skip a beat.

Gabby, on the other hand looked like she was ready to party.  She was dressed in brown, knee high, lace up hiking boots, black, shiny leggings, a black, long sleeved turtle neck sweater and a bright pink, puffy vest.  Her hair fell in soft curls down her back and the cool air gave her cheeks just the right amount of color.  She looked like quite the little fashionista and absolutely adorable.

As soon as Gabby spotted her father she sprinted across the yard, headed straight for him. 

“Daddy!” Gabby squealed.

“Hey Bug!” he replied, kneeling to her level and pulling her into a tight hug.

“You came!”

“Of course, I wouldn’t miss your birthday!”

Eddy’s eyes were wistful and full of emotion as he looked up at Chloe.  Meanwhile, Chloe was trying to put on a brave face, to appear unaffected but this whole scenario was getting to her in the worst way. 

“Is that for me?” Gabby asked nodding to the package still in his hand.

Eddy pulled back a bit and smiled into her wide, hazel eyes.  Looking at her, so happy, so full of life, it was heartbreaking.  It was also a reality check.  This was it, the moment he’d been dreading since his arrest.  He held his breath as he looked at her, trying to memorize her face while keeping his emotions in check.  He wanted to remember this moment; the smile on her face, the joy in her eyes.  This was how he wanted to remember his little girl.

“Absolutely!” Eddy replied.

Chloe cracked a tiny smile and looked from her daughter to Gabby’s father.  The moment was not lost on her but she also wanted Gabby to enjoy her party. 

“Why don’t you go put your gift on the table with the others?  Then we can start games in a few minutes.”

“Ok.” Gabby replied before taking the package and bouncing off towards the gift table.

It wasn’t until she was out of hearing range that Chloe spoke again.

“Thank you for coming.”

Eddy nodded.  “Thanks for inviting me.”

“I did it for Gabby.”

Eddy sighed and nodded.  “I know.”

A brief pause followed.  There were so many things Eddy wanted to say but right then his words failed him.  That was until he remembered the envelope he was still holding.  Taking a deep breath, Eddy pulled the envelope from underneath his arm.  He then offered it to Chloe, the expression on his face sad but serene.  It was as if he was at peace. 

“This is for you.”

Chloe took the envelope cautiously.  She didn’t know what was inside and frankly, she was nervous to find out but something about the look in Eddy’s eyes told her to trust him, at least this time.

He answered her question before she could even utter the words.

“In a way, it’s my birthday present to you.  All that I ask is that you open it after the party, when Gabby isn’t around.”

Chloe nodded then opened her mouth to speak but Eddy quieted her quickly.

“Everything is explained.  I promise, it will all make sense, just please wait until after the party.”

Chloe nodded solemnly.  “I will.”

The party was a huge success.  After playing several games the kids moved to the cake table.  Justin had gone all out for the cake.  In fact, he’d gone so far as to have Joey call in a favor with Buddy Valastro to create a very realistic, but also delicious looking “Poppy and Branch” cake.  It looked ALMOST too good to eat.  ALMOST. 

After cake it was time for presents.  Gabby opened her presents from her grandparents and uncle first.  Her grandparents had given her some stylish new clothes as had her uncle and she was already planning which outfit she was going to wear and when.  Her father had gotten her and her mother tickets to see Frozen on Broadway as well as some new Frozen gear.  JC had given her a matching beanie to his signature pink beanie as well as a floral jacket so they could be “TWINS.”

“OH LORD! Of course, he did!” Justin chuckled.

Immediately, Gabby stripped off her pink vest and replaced it with the floral jacket and beanie.

“Not fair.” Adam teased, pretending to pout.

“Don’t encourage her.  I’m never going to get it off her as it is.”

“It looks better on her.  Just don’t tell JC I said that.” Chris added.

Chloe laughed.  “No worries, Chris! My lips are sealed…also …I agree with you.”

Chris grinned.  “I knew I liked you.”

Chloe giggled and shook her head.  “Don’t get me wrong, you’ve all made questionable wardrobe choices over the years JC’s just happen to be more recent and therefore fresh in my mind.”

“Hey?!” Justin protested.

Chloe giggled more.  “Three words Justin…sparkly…blue…jumpsuit.”

“Well played!” Chris chuckled.

Lance and Michael sent an original Michael Turchin Glitter painting of the characters from Trolls and Joey, Khloe and Briahna sent a gift as well but it was the gift from Justin that sent Gabby over the moon. 

“What is it?” Gabby asked, eyeing the box carefully.

“Open it and find out.” Justin urged.

Slowly, and very timidly Gabby began to pull the paper from the package.  She was being super careful so as to not rip the paper.  Justin couldn’t help but grin and shake his head.  Watching her take such great care with his gift just made it more heartwarming to watch.

“Get in there, girl!” Adam teased.

“I don’t want to mess it up.” Gabby insisted.

Justin grinned more.  “You won’t mess it up, I promise.”

The paper was shiny Trolls themed paper with pictures of the characters in crazy poses all over. 

“Can we save the paper?” Gabby asked looking to her mother.

Justin couldn’t help but chuckle a bit.  “Girl! I’ve got at least a dozen rolls of that paper…if you want more, I’ve got you…but trust me… the paper isn’t the best part.”

“So, I should just rip it?”

“Go for it!” Justin insisted.

Taking that as her cue Gabby ripped into the paper and pulled it free from the package.  Inside the paper was a flat, rectangular box.  Gingerly, Gabby lifted the lid from the box, then gasped as soon as what she was seeing registered in her brain.

Lying neatly in the box was a laminated lanyard with a picture of Justin and the words “Man of the Woods Tour” on the bottom were the words “All Access VIP”

Gabby stared down at the gift for several moments trying to read the words.  She was one of the top readers in her class but she was still struggling with some of the words.

“Are we going to the show?” Gabby asked nervously.

Justin beamed.  “You are! You, your mom and your uncle Adam.  Front row.”

Gabby’s jaw dropped.  “Front row?!”

“You bet!”

Immediately Gabby threw her arms around Justin in a tight hug then squealed into his shirt. 

“Thank you! Thank you, Justin!”

Justin’s grin spread across his entire face.  Knowing he’d made Gabby happy was one of the best feelings in the world.

“Of course, I can’t think of a better way to spend our birthday!”

Gabby pulled away; her eyes wide as she looked up at Justin.  She was trying to wrap her head around what she’d just heard.

“Our birthday?!”

He hadn’t thought it possible, but somehow, Justin grinned more.

“Your actual birthday is January 31st, right?”

Gabby nodded.

Justin bit his lip and tried not to chuckle.  “Mine is too.”

Gabby’s eyes went wide as saucers and her jaw dropped. 

“Wait?!  Wait?!  Your birthday and my birthday are on the same day?”

Justin nodded.

“And on OUR birthday, I get to go to your concert?!”

Chloe giggled.  “That’s the plan.”

“What about school?”

Chloe laughed at this.  Her daughter loved school and hated being absent, so her question made perfect sense.

“I’ll pick you up a little early and we will head to Madison Square Garden but since it will be a LATE night you will probably miss the day after.”

“Just one day?”

Chloe smiled and nodded.  “Just one day.”

Gabby grinned. “Ok. I’m good with that.”

It was a great birthday party.  Gabby enjoyed herself as did everyone else.  After the majority of the guests left only Justin, Adam, Chloe, Gabby and Eddy remained.  The time had come for Eddy to say “goodbye.”

Taking a very deep, quiet breath Eddy kneeled down in front of his daughter and took her hands in his.

“Hey Bug, listen, Daddy has to go now, ok?”

“Right now?”

Eddy swallowed hard and nodded.  There were so many things he wanted to say but he held his tongue.  He wanted his daughter to have happy memories of him, and today was for her, he wasn’t going to spoil the day for her by telling her that this was the last time he was going to see her for a very long time. 

“Yeah, right now, but listen to me, I want you and your mom and your uncle to have so much fun at the concert and at Frozen.  Will you promise me that? Will you promise me that you’ll have fun?!”

Gabby nodded.

Eddy forced a smile.  “Good, now come give me a big hug and be good for your mom and your uncle, ok?”

Again, Gabby nodded then wrapped her father in a tight hug.  Eddy held on for a long time but no one said a word.

When Gabby finally pulled away Eddy was forcing back tears as was Chloe.

“I love you sweet girl.”

“I love you too Daddy!” Gabby replied before wrapping her arms her around her dad one more time.

“I’ll walk you out.” Chloe said quietly.

Eddy nodded then pulled away from Gabby, gave her a quick peck on the cheek then stood to leave.

As promised Chloe walked Eddy to the gate.

“A trial date hasn’t been set. You still have some time.” Chloe said, stopping at the gate.

Eddy cracked a sad smile.  “No…I don’t…this is it…but I promise what’s in that envelope will explain everything.”

Chloe looked at Eddy skeptically.  Something was up, she knew it.  However, there was something different about the look in his eyes.  She couldn’t quite put her finger on it but he definitely wasn’t acting like she’d expected.  It worried her.

“What’s going on Eddy? What did you do?”

Eddy smirked and shook his head.  “Just look in the envelope…tonight…after Gabby goes to bed.”

Not wanting to start an argument Chloe simply nodded.  Then, Eddy left.

That night after Gabby was in bed Chloe found herself alone with the envelope.  Adam had gone out for the evening and Justin was on his way to Denver for his next show. 

The envelope was lying on the kitchen counter untouched.  Truthfully, she was a bit afraid to touch it, to see what was inside but she also knew that not knowing, ignoring it, was only delaying the inevitable.

After sitting at the counter, just staring at the envelope for what seemed like an eternity Chloe stood up, went to the cupboard and retrieved a wine glass.  Wine glass in hand she then turned to the wine fridge and pulled out a bottle of “Josh” brand Rose wine.  She smiled at the name then wondered if JC knew there was wine that shared his name.  She would have to ask him sometime. 

Again, she smiled and shook her head.  Her life had changed so much in such a short amount of time.  It was all a bit unbelievable, but it was her life now.  Slowly, Chloe poured herself a glass of wine then took a small sip before setting the glass on the counter next to the envelope.

Gingerly, Chloe broke the seal on the envelope and carefully slid the contents from inside.  It was a stack of paper at least a ½ inch thick.  On the top of the stack, a short note addressed to her. 

Dear Chloe,

First, and foremost I want to say that I am truly sorry for all the pain I’ve caused you and Gabby.  You were the best partner and mother to our daughter that I could have asked for and I took that for granted.  I know there is nothing that I can say or do that can ever truly make up for the things I did but I hope this helps make it a little easier to pick up the pieces and move forward.

As you will see from the enclosed documents there isn’t going to be a trial.  I’m guilty.  I ran from the scene and I failed to render aide. Not to mention that I violated the terms of our custody agreement and the restraining order.   A trial would just postpone the inevitable and cause you and Gabby additional stress and pain. I don’t want that.   I’ve taken a deal.  12 years in prison with the possibility of parole after 10.  I will be turning myself in tomorrow morning (Monday) and thus begin my sentence. 

I plan to send Gabby a card each year on her birthday, but I will let you decide if and when she receives any correspondence from me.  You will also see from the enclosed documents that I have liquidated all my assets and placed them in a Trust Fund for Gabby.  I have named you sole executor of that Trust however my mother will be making contributions to the Trust on my behalf.  I know you don’t have the best relationship with my mother, truthfully, I don’t either but we’ve agreed to cooperate for Gabby’s sake. 

I am so sorry that things turned out the way they did.  If I could take it all back, do it over and fix my mistakes I would but I take solace in knowing you and Gabby are taken care of.  Justin is a good guy, even I can admit that, and I am glad that you and Gabby have him to fix what I broke.  I wish you and Gabby all the best in life.

Love always,

Eddy

The documents were just as Eddy described.  There were copies of the legal paperwork outlining his deal with the District Attorney as well as all of the Trust fund paperwork.  Some of which still needed her signatures but it was all there. 

Tears were welling in her eyes.  It was as if a huge wave of relief had washed over her.  No trial.  No testimony.  No courtroom.  No jury. No media.  It was all over.  Finally, she could move on with her life without this cloud of uncertainty and sadness looming over her.

But, what now? What came next? For almost a year and half she’d been living in survival mode.  Even with Justin her guard had been up.  She was waiting for the fallout of the accident, waiting for the verdict, waiting to see what Eddy would do or say next.  Now the waiting was over.  The guessing was over.  Yes, she and Eddy were legally divorced and yes, she had changed her name but now, in this moment she finally felt FREE!

For the first time in what seemed like forever Chloe was excited for what came next.

 

 

 

That night, after his date with Derek, Adam returned to the house to find it eerily quiet.  All the lights were out except for a lamp in the living room and the track lighting underneath the cabinets in the kitchen.

Adam entered the kitchen to pour himself a glass of water.  The glow from the track lights cast shadows on the counter tops and that’s how he found it, the package from Eddy.  Forgetting about his glass of water Adam picked up the envelope and carefully removed the pages from inside.  His eyes strained to read the words in the dark so he quickly flipped on the kitchen light then waited for his eyes to adjust before looking down again.

Adam’s eyes scanned the words on the page and his jaw dropped as he digested the information.  Derek hadn’t mentioned anything about a settlement.  However, they’d also agreed to not discuss the case on their dates so he couldn’t really fault Derek either. 

A settlement?!  Adam smirked a bit and shook his head.  It was a smart move.  There had been no doubt in Adam’s mind that Eddy would get the maximum sentence if it had gone to trial.  Truthfully, if Adam had been the Defense attorney in this case, he would have argued for a bit lesser of a sentence but then again, there were quite a few charges against Eddy.  The possibility of parole after 10 years wasn’t a bad deal given the circumstances.

The Trust fund was a shock too.  Adam knew that Eddy came from money but this was even more than he envisioned.  Another smart move on Eddy’s part.  For once, Eddy had acted like a father should, ensuring that Gabby was taken care of even though he wasn’t around. 

Adam’s thoughts turned to Chloe.  What a relief this must be for her.  He knew that she had been dreading the trial; that she was worried about how it would affect her, how it would affect Gabby and more importantly, how it would affect her relationship with Justin.  Now she didn’t need to worry anymore.  It was over.  She could breathe.  She could move on.  Adam couldn’t have been happier for her.  She deserved the break. 

Thinking of Chloe made Adam think of Justin.  How was he going to respond to all of this?  Adam knew that he’d been worried about the trial too.  Balancing tour life with testifying and the media attention that went with both were a lot to handle.  Stress wasn’t good for either of his injuries.  Adam wondered if Chloe had the opportunity to share with Justin yet.  More than likely not given that Justin had left for Denver almost immediately after the party wrapped up.

Monday meant back to work for Chloe and Adam and school for Gabby.  Adam got up the next morning and got ready for work as normal but when he stepped into the kitchen, he found Chloe in the kitchen dressed in a pair of dress slacks and a silk button down blouse.  Her hair was pulled back in a sleek pony tail and at the moment she was pouring coffee into a travel mug.

“I thought you’d be out the door already.”

Chloe turned from the counter and looked to her brother, a smile tugging at her lips as she lifter her mug to take a sip.

“We have a department head meeting with the chief this morning so I don’t have to be at morning rounds.”

“Does that mean you’re taking Gabby to school?”

Chloe smiled more.  “That was the plan.  She’s getting ready now.  I told her if she hurried, we could stop for a donut on the way.”

Adam smirked a bit and shook his head.  He’d used bribery on more than one occasion to get Gabby to move a little faster in the morning but Chloe typically tried to steer clear of sugary treats this early.

“I know what you’re thinking…but once isn’t going to hurt, it’s rare I get to take her to school and well, I am in a good mood this morning.”

Adam smiled and nodded.  He had a hunch he knew why Chloe was in a good mood.

“I get it.  I don’t blame you in the least, but now I have to ask, does Justin know?”

Chloe’s eyes widened.  “Does Justin know what?”

Adam didn’t respond verbally.  He simply nodded to the envelope still on the island counter.

“You read it?!” Chloe exclaimed.

Adam chuckled a bit.  “Chloe, you’re my sister, I’ve been looking out for you since the day you were born.  That hasn’t and will not ever change.  When your emotionally and mentally abusive ex-husband hands you an envelope and says “don’t open it until you are alone” of course, I am going to read it.”

Chloe giggled.  “Fair enough.”

“Glad you approve.  Now…answer my question.”

“What question?”

Adam made a face.  “Does Justin know?”

Chloe blushed with embarrassment.  “Not yet.  Call me crazy but I really feel like that’s a conversation we need to have in person.”

“True…but…”

“But what?!”

Adam chuckled.  “But I know you.  You’ve been holding back with him, because of Eddy, because of the trial but now that there isn’t going to be a trial and Eddy is totally out of the picture you are panicking.  You are worried about what comes next.”

Chloe opened her mouth to protest but Adam cut her off.

“Tell me I’m wrong…”

Chloe glanced at her smart watch.  “Gabby and I need to get going.”

“Chloe?!”

“What?!” Chloe huffed.

“Stop! Stop second guessing! Stop playing the “what if” game!  Stop waiting for the other shoe to drop!  He’s not Eddy…he’s SO MUCH HOTTER! “

Chloe giggled.

“I’ll give you that.”

Adam’s smile softened as did his tone.  She was listening and that was something. 

“I get it…your guard has been up for almost 2 years.  I know that’s not something you can just turn off, but …”

This time Adam glanced down at his watch. 

“But…” Chloe prodded.

“But…in about an hour Eddy will be out of your life completely.”

“And your point?!’

Adam bit his lip to smother his grin.  “My point being although he doesn’t know it yet, in about an hour there will no longer be anything or anyone standing between you and Justin.”

“So?!”

Adam could no longer hide the grin.  Instead, he embraced it as he looked back at his sister.   “AND…my dear, sweet, beautiful sister, although I could be wrong, I really don’t think I am when I say once he knows that I have a pretty good feeling he’s going to jump on the opportunity…”

“The opportunity to what?!”

Adam laughed.  “Oh, I think you know.  I think you’ve known for a while now.”

Chloe made a face.  “Gabby…let’s go…”

Adam laughed more.  “You think I am crazy…”

Chloe smirked.  “I know you are…”

“I guess you’ll have to just wait and see.”

“It hasn’t even been a full day yet.  He doesn’t know…”

“And whose fault is that?”

Chloe sighed heavily.  “I told you…that’s a discussion we need to have in person.”

“You are seeing him tomorrow, right?”

Chloe shrugged.  “I don’t think so…he has a show in Denver tonight.  I don’t think I will be seeing him until Madison Square Garden.”

Adam’s jaw dropped.  He was certain Chloe had it wrong.  She better have it wrong, otherwise there was a popstar in need of an ass kicking.

“Does Justin not know what tomorrow is?”

“Tuesday?!  Tomorrow is Tuesday, and if he doesn’t know that I wouldn’t blame him.  I would imagine it is easy to lose track of what day it is when you live that sort of life.”

Adam’s eyes went wide and his jaw dropped even more if possible.  Apparently, Chloe didn’t remember what tomorrow was either.  However, on some level it made sense.  Her thoughts had been occupied elsewhere as of late.

It was then that Gabby entered the kitchen.  She was dressed in her school uniform, her hair pulled back into a French braid and her backpack slung over her back.

“Uncle Adam…why does your face look like that?”

Adam shifted his gaze towards his niece.  Her timing couldn’t have been more perfect.

“Gabby…would you please tell your mother what tomorrow is!”

“Tuesday.” Gabby replied confidently.

Adam smirked and shook his head.  He wasn’t giving up just yet.

“Ok, yes, it is Tuesday.  We’ve established that, but why is tomorrow important?”

Gabby grinned.  “Oh!  That’s easy, it’s Mommy’s birthday!”

Chloe’s face went a bit pale.  She’d been so laser focused on Gabby’s birthday and the impending trial that she’d completely forgotten about her birthday.  Eddy had never made a big deal about her birthday.  He didn’t ignore it completely but he definitely didn’t go out of his way to make her feel special on her birthday.  In fact, the only reason she’d ever gotten a gift from Gabby on her birthday was because Gabby took the time to make her one on her own or because Adam helped her so of course they remembered.

“So…again, does Justin know what tomorrow is?”

Chloe nodded slowly.  “I’ve mentioned it before, back when we first started dating but I don’t think he is planning anything.  As I said, he’s in Denver tonight …”

“And then?”

Chloe shrugged.

Gabby grinned devilishly.  “And then he has off until the show at Madison Square Garden.”

“What?! How do you know that?” Chloe exclaimed.

Gabby just grinned more.  “I looked up the tour schedule on the internet and printed off a copy.”

“You didn’t?!”

“I did, and don’t worry Mommy, he has something planned.  He didn’t forget.”

Adam chuckled and shook his head at his niece.  Meanwhile, Chloe was looking at her daughter as if she sprouted a 2nd head.

“Gabby…you wouldn’t be keeping secrets from Mommy, would you?”

Gabby shook her head emphatically.  “Nope.  No secrets.  Promise.  It’s not a secret if he didn’t tell me anything.”

“What DID he tell you?”

Gabby smiled.  “Just what I told you.  That he didn’t forget that tomorrow is your birthday and that he was planning something.”

“When did he tell you all this?”

“Yesterday, before he left.  When he was saying “goodbye.”

“I told you!” Adam teased.

“Yeah, ok Smart Ass!” Chloe shot back.

Justin was indeed planning something for Chloe’s birthday.  Truthfully, he’d been working on a plan since the beginning of the tour.  He wanted to do something nice for her.  Something special.  Briefly, he contemplated a night in one of New York’s Five Star hotels but decided that was too predictable.  Also, he was trying to keep a low profile while in town and given that Chloe was no longer a complete secret, he didn’t want to give the press any opportunity to bother her.  She had enough on her plate. 

Not to mention that he was planning a few things for later in the tour as well.  He was going to take his time and do this right because that was what Chloe deserved.

The rest of the day went as normal.  Adam went to work.  Gabby went to school and Chloe attended her first Department Head meeting.  Overall, she tried to remain engaged and pay attention but her thoughts kept taking her elsewhere.  The idea that Justin was planning anything for her birthday was a surprise and not something she was prepared for given her history with Eddy.  Truthfully, she hoped he wasn’t planning anything too extravagant.  She didn’t think she was ready for that.  Yes, she understood he had a bit more disposable income than Eddy but now that she was older, she didn’t make as much of a fuss over her birthday.  The little things meant more.  Then again, over the years with Eddy she’d grown accustomed to the disappointment. 

After the meeting she returned to her office to respond to a few e-mails.  Truthfully, she was still adjusting to the fact that she had an office.  It came with the Head of Trauma position and she was still trying to make it her own.  She had her diplomas hanging on the wall behind her desk as well as some of Gabby’s artwork.  On the desk was a photo of Gabby but aside from that she hadn’t done much decorating.  However, the HUGE bouquet of roses that now sat on her desk definitely made up for that.

Her eyes were wide as she gaped at the bouquet.  There had to be at least 100 roses in the arrangement. They were a deep red and their sweet aroma filled the room.

It didn’t take much guessing to figure out who they were from. 

Her mouth still wide, Chloe reached for the card peeking out of the top of the bouquet.

I know it’s technically not your birthday yet so these are just because…

Lunch at my place tomorrow…see you around noon. Plan to stay for dinner…we’ll go from there.

Love,

Justin

There was nothing else.  No more explanation or directions.  She could only imagine what he was planning. 

Chloe could feel her cheeks go warm.  She was blushing.  Just the thought of what he might be planning was making her a little giddy.  Thank goodness she’d had the forethought to take the day off, otherwise his plans would have been spoiled.  Then again, she almost always took her birthday off from work.  The idea of spending the day elbow deep in someone’s body cavity just didn’t sound appealing.  It never had, so she always took it off.  True, she rarely did anything special on her birthday but at least she had the option.

Still blushing Chloe pulled her phone from lab coat pocket and looked at the time.  It was just noon meaning it was only 10 in Denver.  At the risk of waking him Chloe decided to text Justin instead.

Chloe:  OMG! These flowers are GORGEOUS!!  You didn’t have to…

A reply came back almost immediately.  Justin had been waiting anxiously to hear from her for over an hour.

Justin: I know I didn’t have to…I wanted to! Gorgeous flowers for a gorgeous woman! 

Chloe blushed more then quickly changed the subject.

Chloe:  So…lunch tomorrow? AND dinner?

Justin: And maybe breakfast Wednesday morning….

Now Chloe was certain she was beet red. 

Chloe:  I see…should I bring anything?

Justin: Nope!  Just that beautiful body of yours and those kissable lips….and maybe something to sleep in

Chloe placed a hand over her face and tried not to giggle.  He was being very flirty but she didn’t hate it one bit.

Chloe: What are you doing right now?

Justin: Just finished a radio interview.  You?

Chloe: Just walked out of a Department Head meeting with the Chief. 

Justin: Sounds exciting

Chloe: Not really.  I was a bit distracted.

Justin: I would be too

Chloe: Why? Because I was there?

Justin grinned on his end. 

Justin: Pretty much

Chloe giggled.

Chloe: You’re terrible

Justin: Am I?

Chloe: No, not really. 

Justin: Good to know.  So…what’s next?

Chloe: Lunch…then I should probably head down to the Pit

Justin: Pit?

Chloe: Emergency Room

Justin: Ah.  Well, I should let you go…do your thing…I will see you very soon

Chloe: Can’t wait!!

Justin: Oh, you have no idea!!

The rest of the day was rather uneventful, or as uneventful as it could be given her surroundings.  A day at the hospital was never completely quiet.  However, Chloe was able to enjoy a quiet lunch in her office before going down to the Emergency Room.  All in all, it was an easy day.  She ended up doing two surgeries but still managed to leave on time. 

The next morning.  Tuesday morning.  Her birthday.  Chloe woke up to the sound of shuffling outside her bedroom door.  Smiling, then rubbing the sleep from her eyes she sat up in bed just as the door opened.  Gabby and Adam were on the other side.  Gabby had a bouquet of flowers in her hand and Adam was carrying a breakfast tray.

“Happy birthday Mommy!!”

Chloe smiled.  “Thank you, sweetie.”

Adam set the tray down in Chloe’s lap then took a step back. Chloe could only smile down at the tray.  Waffles.  Fresh strawberries.  Scrambled eggs, and of course, coffee.

“We know you have plans with Justin this afternoon but we thought this could be our little family celebration.”

Chloe grinned.  “Sounds perfect.”

It was perfect.  In fact, Chloe couldn’t remember a better start to her birthday.  The food was delicious and being able to spend family time with her brother and Gabby filled her heart with joy.  At about 10:30 Chloe finally got out of bed and started for the shower.  When she stepped out of the master bathroom and into her bedroom to get dressed Adam was waiting for her.  Thank goodness she was wearing a robe.

“Adam?!” Chloe squealed.

Adam grinned and shook his head.  This wasn’t typical behavior for him but this wasn’t your typical occasion either.

“What?”

“What are you doing in here?”

“Helping.”

Chloe shot him a look.  “I can assure you; I don’t need help getting dressed.”

“Oh, no?! Then tell me, what do you plan on wearing to Justin’s?”

Chloe made another face.  “I don’t know, something casual.  I don’t think we are going anywhere.”

Adam’s eyes sparkled with mischief.  He was definitely plotting.

“Yeah, you definitely need my help.”

Chloe watched in disbelief as Adam moved to her dresser and opened the top drawer.

“Adam! Get out of there! That’s my underwear drawer!”

Adam laughed.  “Exactly!”

“Adam!! I’m being serious…get out of there!”

“So am I…don’t you own any lingerie?” Adam huffed as he rummaged through the drawer.

Chloe’s face paled.  “Ewww!! Adam, you’re my brother….”

Adam laughed more.  “Correction…I am your OLDER, WISER, GAY brother…and that man is HOTTT…and it’s your birthday…”

“I thought you were a JC girl?!” Chloe smirked.

“Just because I lean towards JC doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate the beautiful specimen of a man that is your boyfriend.”

“Boyfriend?! Since when is he my boyfriend?”

Adam turned from his task and gave Chloe a hard look.  “Oh c’mon?! I get that neither of you have used that label yet but it’s been at least 3 months, neither of you is seeing other people, let’s call what it is…”

Chloe opened her mouth to protest but apparently, Adam wasn’t finished.

“Then again…I have a feeling…”

Chloe cut him short.  “Don’t!!  Don’t go there!”

Adam couldn’t help but chuckle.  “Why?!  I guarantee he’s been there.  You have too, you just don’t want to admit it.”

Chloe didn’t respond but she didn’t need to, the expression on her face said it all.  Adam just smiled and shook his head then returned his attention to her underwear drawer.

“Seriously?! You don’t own ANY lingerie?”

“I do.” Chloe huffed.

“Where?”

Chloe giggled and shook her head.  Gay or not, looking for lingerie with her older brother was a little weird.

“Umm…try the back of the drawer.”

Moments later Adam turned around holding an emerald green pair of lace, hipster underwear and a matching lace bra.  His eyes were smiling and he had an evil grin on his lips.

“This!! Oh, yes!”

“I’ve NEVER worn that!”

“Which is why you should DEFINITELY wear it today.”

“What if he hates it?”

Adam snorted.  “I guarantee you…there is NOTHING about you wearing this that he is going to hate!”

“You say that…but…”

Adam gave her a warning look.  “No Ma’am!  I may be Gay, and yes…you are my sister…but you are GORGEOUS…and you …wearing this…trust me…”

Chloe huffed and blew a strand of hair from her face. 

“Hand it over.” Chloe grumbled.

Thirty minutes later Chloe was dressed and ready to go.  It was cold out, and overcast so she’d settled on a pair of leggings and her favorite NYU hoodie.  She had the lingerie on underneath. She was still unsure it was a good idea but she was also curious as to how Justin would respond.

Another thirty minutes after that Chloe was stepping out of the elevator just outside Justin’s front door.

Tentatively, she raised her hand to knock but the door opened before she had the chance.  Justin was standing on the other side.    His eyes were on fire as he looked at her but she didn’t notice right away.  At the moment her focus was elsewhere, particularly his chest.  He was standing in front of her, a gray male tank pulled tight across his chest and abdominal muscles and a pair of dark, navy-blue sweats riding low on his hips. 

Justin could only smile as he looked down at her.  Her cheeks were pink from the cold and she was breathing deeply.  She looked comfortable but sexy as hell in her leggings and hoodie and the way her hair was pulled back in a messy pony tail, exposing her neck was making him crazy.  Biting his bottom lip, Justin reached for her hand with one of his and used the other to lift her chin so her eyes met his gaze.  As soon as her green eyes locked with his blue ones she sucked in a breath and a cold chill shot down her spine.  She couldn’t remember a time when he’d EVER looked at her the way he was now.  It made her heart pound in her chest.

Swallowing hard she opened her mouth to speak but he quieted her with his finger then gently pulled her into the apartment.

Still not saying a word he led her through the house, his fingers laced with hers, his thumb rubbing the back of her hand.  It was a simple gesture but it was making the hairs at the nape of her neck stand on end.

She noticed that all the curtains had been drawn but somehow, it wasn’t completely dark in the house.  There was a glow coming from somewhere.   She was just about to speak when he stopped.  Her eyes fell on the scene in front of her causing her breath to catch yet again and her jaw to fall to the floor.

The glow was coming from the fireplace.  He’d lit a fire and there were candles lining the mantle and rose petals covering the ledge as well.  On the floor in front of the fireplace was a bed of thick blankets and pillows and next to it, a tray covered in Chinese take out boxes and a bottle of champagne on ice.

The shock was evident in her eyes.  Smiling to himself Justin leaned forward, his lips hovering over her left ear, his hands sliding gently to her waist. 

“Happy Birthday.” He whispered.

“Justin…. I…” She stammered.

Justin chuckled.  His laugh rumbled in his chest and echoed in her ears sending her pulse racing.

“I told you…I take care of the women in my life.”

Not knowing how else to respond Chloe nodded.  She was acutely aware of his hands still at her waist and the way his warm breath felt on her neck.

“Hungry?”

Chloe nodded again then managed to force words past her lips.  “I could eat.  What did you get?”

His hands still at her waist he pushed her forward and helped her settle down on the blankets in front of the fire.  It wasn’t until they were both seated that he spoke again.

“Well…I had some help picking out the menu, but I think I got all your favorites…”

“Help?! Help from whom?”

Justin laughed again.  His boyish smile and the sound of his laughter was going to be her undoing today. 

“Gee…I wonder…who could I have asked…”

Chloe just smirked and shook her head.  “Ok, yeah, maybe that was a silly question but seriously…what did you get?”

“Hmm…let’s see…Cashew chicken, beef lo Mein, pork dumplings, spring rolls….”

This time it was Chloe that laughed.  “I really hope you weren’t planning on me eating that all by myself.”

Justin grinned.  “Well…it is your birthday…”

“Yeah, no…I won’t be eating all that by myself.  I’ll share.”

Within minutes they were settled on the blankets, facing each other, plates of food in their laps as they talked and ate.

“Justin…this really is…”

“If you are going to say “too much” I am not hearing it.  It’s your birthday, I love you, you’re worth it… and I know how stressed you’ve been…what with your new position and Eddy and the trial…”

Chloe sucked in a breath and set her chopsticks down on her plate.  Until that moment she had almost forgotten that Justin knew nothing about the recent developments regarding Eddy and the trial.

“Umm…yeah…about that…Justin…”

“What?! What happened?!  Did Eddy do something?!  Did he hurt you? Gabby?”

His eyes were filled with panic now and although it was heartbreaking it also made Chloe love him a little more. 

“No, no!! Nothing like that!  Everything is fine! Actually, everything is more than fine.”

“What do you mean?”

Justin felt his heartbeat begin to slow.  There was something calming about the look in her eyes.  It was almost as if she was at peace. 

“Justin…I don’t know how to say this other than to just say it.  There isn’t going to be a trial.  Adam took a settlement deal.  12 years in prison with the possibility of parole after 10.  He turned himself in yesterday.  I would have told you sooner but I wanted to tell you in person…I didn’t think it right to deliver that kind of news over the phone.”

Justin’s eyes were wide now.

“You’re serious?! No trial?!”

Chloe nodded.  “I’m serious.  No trial. That was what was in the envelope he gave me.  Copies of ALL the legal paperwork…his settlement deal, his surrender of parental rights, and the Trust fund he set up for Gabby.”

“Trust fund? I didn’t know he had money?”

Chloe smiled slightly.  “Some.  His family is wealthy.  He sold off all his stock, sold his condo and his other car, and liquidated all his other assets and put them in a Trust for Gabby.  Then named me the sole executor but his mother will continue to make contributions.”

“Wow! Chloe…I …wow…I don’t even know what to say.  How do you feel?”

Chloe sighed and cracked a tiny smile.  “Relieved.  Sad.  I don’t know.  I’m just glad the case isn’t going to trial…”

“We should celebrate.”

Chloe laughed.  “I thought that’s what we were doing.”

Justin grinned.  “Well, yes, but I think news like this warrants a bit more.”

Chloe blushed.  She didn’t know what he had in mind but she knew what was on her mind at the moment.

“What were you thinking?”

Justin’s eyes were on fire again and there was a playful grin on his lips.  Was it possible he was thinking the same thing she was?

“Are you still hungry?”

Chloe shook her head.  “No.  I think I’m full for now.”

Justin nodded then jumped from his seat.  “Me too.  Why don’t you let me clean up? You pour us some of that champagne and then we can get cozy in front of the fire.”

Chloe watched for a moment as he walked away.  He looked so comfortable, so at ease as he carried the dishes to the kitchen.  This was the Justin she loved most.  The confident, tender, romantic Justin who took her breath away just by being himself. 

She smiled as she listened to him milling around the kitchen.  He was humming to himself.  It was then she realized he was humming along to the music playing softly from the speakers above.  Until that moment she hadn’t even noticed.  She couldn’t tell who was playing but the she could make out a slow, sexy melody playing. 

Sighing happily, she turned her attention to the champagne.  He’d popped the cork already.  Thank goodness.  The last thing she wanted was to make a mess or shatter glass everywhere.  She didn’t know why but Chloe was getting nervous.  In fact, her hands were shaking a bit as she carefully poured the champagne into the flutes.

In an effort to steady her nerves Chloe lifted the glass to her lips to take a sip.  Justin stepped into view just as the liquid passed her lips, and in that moment, she found herself fighting not to choke.  Justin had returned to the living room without his shirt.

His perfectly toned arms, abs and chest were now completely exposed leaving absolutely NOTHING to the imagination.

Justin noticed her expression and the way the clear liquid in her glass had started to disappear at lightning speed.

“Something wrong?” He asked.

Chloe shook her head fitfully but didn’t speak.

Smiling, Justin settled himself back down on the blankets, his body facing her and the crackling fire.  He kept quiet as he took a sip from his own glass then took her empty one and set it down on the tray next to his.

“Where’s your shirt?” Chloe managed to whisper.

Justin grinned and scooted closer, almost closing the gap between them.  “Got it wet rinsing off the dishes so I took it off.”

“Oh?!”

Chloe’s voice was still no more than a whisper.

“Is that a problem?”

He’d dropped his voice as well and his hand was now reaching for her face.

“No.”

“Glad to hear it.  Now what about you, aren’t you warm in this?”

His free hand was now toying with the edge of her hoodie and his lips were hovering over hers.

“Maybe a little.”

Taking that as his cue Justin lifted her arms above her head and then gently pulled the hoodie over her head revealing the lace bra she was wearing underneath.  Her breath had quickened slightly and the rise and fall of her chest mixed with the way the lace hugged her breasts perfectly sent his own pulse racing.

“Is this new?” He asked, his fingertips gently tracing over the lace.

Chloe sucked in a breath and shook her head.  “Yes…and No.”

Justin chuckled, but his laugh was low and thick.  Sexy.

“What does that mean?”

Chloe giggled slightly.  “It means that it’s new in that I’ve never actually never worn it before but not new in that I’ve owned it for a while.”

Justin made a face and pulled back a bit.  “Did Eddy buy it…”

Chloe immediately cut him off, placing a finger to his lips to quiet him before he was allowed to finish his statement. “No! Absolutely not! He would never…I bought them for myself…a long time ago…because I wanted to …well…I wanted to feel a certain way…”

Justin’s eyes widened a bit.  “Them?”

Chloe blushed.  “I might be wearing matching underwear.”

Justin’s eyes went wider still and mischievous smile tugged at his lips.  “Oh?!”

“Guess you’ll have to take my pants off and find out.” Chloe teased.

“Is that a challenge Dr. DeLuca?”

His eyes were smoldering now but as he looked into hers, he realized hers were too.

“More of an invitation than a challenge Mr. Timberlake.” Chloe whispered back.

In the next moment Justin was carefully pushing her back so that she landed gently on the blankets and pillows.  His hands went to the waistband of her leggings, quickly pulling them down around her ankles and then free as she shivered at the feel of his fingers against her skin.

Once the leggings were free Justin tossed them aside then leaned back on his knees so he could get a good look. 

It was just as she’d explained.  Emerald green, lace panties that rode low on her hips and high enough on her ass to show off just the right amount of skin.  They were sexy as hell!!  And the way the light from the fire and the flicker of the flame cast shadows against her olive skin was making him feel lightheaded and giddy.

“Damn!” Justin breathed out.

“Is that good or bad?”

Justin didn’t respond.  Not in words anyway.  Instead, he stretched out on top of her, his mouth falling onto her neck as he began to nibble and suck at the delicate skin just below her ear.

Chloe gasped then moaned softly.  Her hands instinctively went to his back, her fingernails gently digging into his skin.

“Good! You feel SO GOOD!” Justin groaned.

His legs were between hers and although he was still wearing his sweat pants, she could still feel him pressed up against her.  She could feel the way he had started to swell as well as the tingly sensation that had started just beneath the lace.  They were both getting excited.

His mouth was still at her neck but his hands had started to move from her face and were now pushing the fabric of her bra up over her breasts.  Slowly, and gently, with just the tips of his fingers he traced lazy circles around her nipples causing her to whimper softly.  Justin took that as his cue and moved his mouth from beneath her ear to her throat and then down between her breasts. 

Chloe gasped and arched her back as his mouth closed over her left breast while his left hand teased at her right one.  

That tingly sensation had started moments before was now a pulsing shockwave igniting every nerve in her body. 

Smiling against her skin Justin paused briefly then trailed his lips across her chest, making sure to give her right breast equal attention with his mouth.  Meanwhile, his hands began to move as well.  With one hand he resumed teasing at her breast while the other trailed down her body and gently pushed her panties to one side, being careful to not rip the delicate fabric. 

His fingers slid inside of her and she arched and whimpered again, this time a little louder than before.

Justin couldn’t help but smile.  She was already warm and wet, but when he began to use his fingers to tease the soft spots inside of her, she groaned and gripped at the blankets as her back arched yet again.

Chloe felt her eyes flutter closed and her eyes roll back as she continued to grip at the blankets at either side of her.  Her knuckles were turning white as she twisted the fabric in her hands but she made no move to stop him. 

Justin continued to tease her, his mouth on her breasts and his fingers inside of her for several long minutes.  His tongue was drawing circles around her breasts as his fingers mimicked the motion inside of her until he stopped. 

Her eyes fluttered open, but only briefly before his mouth resumed its journey trailing kisses down her body.  He started between her breasts, placing light fluttery kisses against her skin, then moved down her stomach and to the waistband of her panties.  Again, he paused briefly and she felt his hands move to her waist.  In the next moment she sucked in a breath as she felt his fingers move down the sides of her legs, pulling her panties down with them.  However, she didn’t get much time to dwell on what he was doing before she felt his lips graze the skin just above her lady parts.

In the next moment she felt him pushing her knees apart and she let out a small scream as his tongue took the place of where his fingers had been just moments before. 

Justin flicked his tongue inside of her and then began to draw circles around her most sensitive parts as she began to feel a tremble start to grow inside of her.  Then, when his hands went back to teasing her breasts as his tongue continued flick and dance inside of her, she nearly lost it completely.

“OH GOD!” Chloe cried out.

Justin brought her to the edge of bliss then held her there for what seemed like an eternity.  Then, just when she thought she was going to lose it completely she felt him shift.  His lips found her neck again as he pushed his hips between her legs and slid the now very excited part of his male anatomy inside of her.

Chloe arched to meet him and he moaned against her ear.  His thrusts weren’t too fast or too slow but moved in a steady rhythm as she bucked her hips to meet him each time.

His voice was low and gravely as he whispered in her ear.

“I love you!”

“I love you too Justin.”

Justin smiled and kissed her forehead.  “Open your eyes for me beautiful!”

Chloe allowed her eyes to flutter open and immediately her green eyes locked with his blue ones.  His eyes were on fire and that fire was directed at her.

“That’s better.  Now, say it again Gorgeous.”

“Say what?” Chloe whispered confused.

“Say that you love me.”

Chloe blushed and nodded.  Then she whispered it again as she felt him unravel inside of her.

“I love you, Justin.”

Her body continued to tremble for a long time afterward but he stayed there, inside of her, his arms now wrapped around her and his face nuzzled in her neck.

Once their heartbeats slowed to normal pace and the quaking inside subsided Justin broke the connection and rolled off her but immediately pulled one of the blankets over them and then reached for her, pulling Chloe closer.

They were both on their sides, facing each other, their bodies tangled together and their faces mere inches from one another.

“I love you too, Chloe.  I hope you know that.” Justin whispered, his hand drawing lazy eights on her shoulder.

“I do.” Chloe whispered back.

“Happy birthday!”

Chloe blushed and giggled.  “Thank you.”

“Have you made a wish yet?”

Chloe made a face.  “A wish?”

Justin chuckled.  “Yeah, a birthday wish.  You know, you blow out the candles on your birthday cake and make a wish.”

Chloe laughed and shook her head.  “Well, I haven’t had any cake today so no, I haven’t made a wish.”

“What?! No cake?!  Oh no, the birthday girl needs to have cake and blow out her candles.  Please hold!”

In the next moment Justin jumped from the makeshift bed on the floor and headed for the kitchen.  He was still naked and Chloe couldn’t help but giggle, blush, cover her face with her hand and shake her head as he jogged towards the kitchen.

Moments later he returned carrying a small plate with a single cupcake and lighted candle sticking out of the top. 

“Happy birthday to you…” Justin began to sing.

Chloe giggled and shook her head.  “Careful with that…I wouldn’t want you to burn your…”

“Well, my girlfriend is a doctor…”

Chloe laughed.  “I’m a surgeon, not a doctor, and since when are you calling me your “girlfriend”?”

“Is that not accurate?” Justin smirked.

Chloe made a face.  “You tell me. You said it, I didn’t.”

 

Justin grinned but continued singing.  “Happy birthday to you.  Happy birthday dear Chloe.  Happy birthday to you.”

He settled down on the blankets in front of her and held the cupcake up to her.

“Chloe…you’re my girlfriend…now make a wish.” He whispered.

Chloe took a breath, closed her eyes and blew out the candle.

Her eyes fluttered open just as his lips closed over hers.  He kissed her tenderly then smiled as he pulled away.

“What did you wish for?”

Chloe shook her head.  “Can’t tell…”

“Well, I know what I wished for.” Justin said, his eyes smoldering back at her again.

“What?” She asked, her eyes wide.

“You’ll have to wait and see.”

It had started to rain outside.  Chloe could hear the rain hitting the windows.  It was a soft sound, barely audible over the pounding in her chest.  Her heartbeat was fast and deep.  There was just something about sitting there, in front of the fire, half naked with Justin looking back at her that was making her anxious. 

She needed to relax.  This was her birthday.  It was supposed to be fun, and it was, to a degree, but given what had just happened and the conversation that had just transpired her thoughts and emotions were all over the place.  It didn’t help that Justin was still essentially naked in front of her.  Yes, he was under the blankets again, as was she, but he was still exposed from the waist up.  So was Chloe.  Her bra was back in place but her panties were tangled up in the blankets somewhere, where exactly she wasn’t sure but right then, her panties were not her focus.

Chloe’s focus was Justin.  He was sitting close.  Very close.  So close that she could feel his warm breath on her face.  His blue eyes were swimming.  He was leaning on one hand, supporting his weight while the other reached to touch her face.

Justin could see the way her breathing had quickened and the way she was biting her bottom lip the way she did when she was nervous.  He understood.  She’d been living in Survival Mode for a long time.  Her fight or flight response was still active.  It was going to take time for her to find a new normal.  As much as he wanted her to relax and take comfort in him, he completely understood that her defense mechanisms and the walls she’d put up to protect herself and Gabby weren’t easily shut off or removed. 

“What’s going on in that pretty head of yours?’ Justin asked quietly.

Chloe shook herself from her thoughts.  His smooth, sultry voice breaking her from her trance.

“Hmm?”

Justin cracked a soft smile.  “I just wondered what you were thinking about?”

Chloe sighed then took a steadying breath.  “Nothing.  Everything.  Too many things.”

“Care to share?”

Chloe swallowed hard.  “I wouldn’t want to scare you.”

Justin brushed the hair from her face, letting his fingertips linger on the tiny scar on her brow, the scar from the accident, then he looked deep into her eyes and dropped his voice to an audible whisper.

“Try me.”

Chloe blushed and bit her lip.  There was that “trust” thing again.  She looked at him.  Her eyes were wide.  His were sincere.  There was no doubt in her mind about that.  And then, if only to drive his point home, Adam’s words from earlier in the day echoed in her brain:

 “Stop! Stop second guessing! Stop playing the “what if” game!  Stop waiting for the other shoe to drop! 

As much as her inner demons were trying to convince her otherwise, Adam was right.  She was free!!  There was no longer anything or anyone standing between her and Justin, or her happiness.  She needed to start embracing that.  She needed to start allowing herself to LIVE again.

“This is going to sound completely ridiculous…”

Justin smiled and shook his head.  “I seriously doubt that.”

“I’m free!  I have nothing holding me back anymore! No reason to keep my guard up.  No real reason to doubt myself.  I have a job that I love, a supportive and caring family, a beautiful and amazing daughter…AND…a pretty INCREDIBLE boyfriend and I guess…I am still trying to wrap my head around that…and by “that” I mean the idea that I get to “celebrate” and be happy!”

Justin leaned forward and popped a kiss on her lips, whispering as he pulled away.  “Not ridiculous at all.”

She smiled and he continued.  “I mean, it’s only been about 24 hours since Eddy turned himself in, things are still fresh.  I get that.  I don’t think anyone expects you to just flip the switch that quickly, but I am definitely willing to help in any way I can.”

Chloe blushed wildly.  “Oh, you’re helping. Trust me!”

Justin laughed and popped another kiss on her lips.  Chloe loved hearing him laugh. The way his eyes twinkled and his face lit up.  It was adorable and sexy all at once. 

“Am I?”

“Yes! Definitely!  More than you know!”

“Good! I’m glad! I’ll try to keep it that way.”

Chloe giggled and returned his pop kiss.  “No arguments here.”

***

As far as birthdays went, this birthday was the best one Chloe had in a very long time.  However, all good things must come to an end…at least to some degree.  After a perfectly wonderful birthday spent with her family and Justin, Chloe had to go to work on Wednesday.  Typically, Wednesday was a day off but given her new position and her need to make up for the fact that she’d taken her birthday off and was planning to take Thursday, the day of the show at Madison Square Garden off she needed to log some hours.  True, her position was a salary position but she was also new to the Head of Trauma title and therefore wanted to make a good impression. 

Adam had work as well and Gabby had school, but there was a plan for the evening.  Given that Justin was in town and was free for most of the day the plan was for everyone to get together for dinner.  Adam was cooking.  Chloe had offered to cook but Adam was pretty insistent that he be the one to cook for the evening.  Truthfully, she knew that although they had known each other since Law school Adam was really using dinner as an excuse to impress Derek with his cooking skills. 

In all honesty, she was a bit nervous for her big brother and for herself.  Yes, she’d interacted with Derek over the phone in regards to the trial but they’d never actually met.  Adam had always been the type to keep his work life and his personal life separate.  This was a big step for her brother and after everything he’d been through over the past couple of years, she really wanted things to go well for him.  He deserved to be happy just as much as she did.

Chloe finished up for the day at around 3, then headed for Gabby’s school to pick her up.  Meanwhile, Adam was headed for home to start dinner and get things ready.  At about 3:15 the doorbell rang and Adam nearly jumped from his skin. 

Chloe wouldn’t ring the doorbell, neither would Gabby, not even if she was goofing off and Derek wasn’t due to come over until 6.  Thank goodness he’d already changed out of his work clothes and was dressed again.

Adam’s eyes widened and a small smirk started to spread across his lips when he opened the door.  Justin was on the other side.

“You’re early…dinner isn’t until 6” Adam chuckled holding the door for Justin.

Justin grinned and for a moment Adam thought he saw the pop superstar blush a bit too.

“I…umm…I was in the area…had some things I needed to take care of…thought it was silly to go home just to come back again.”

Adam just smiled and shook his head.  There was something about the look in Justin’s eyes.  If he didn’t know any better Adam would think Justin was up to something.  What that something might be, well, Adam had his suspicions but he wasn’t ready to share.

“Hmm?! Things?! Not my business, but ok.  Chloe should be here soon.  She was headed to pick up Gabby on her way home.”

This time Adam was positive that Justin was blushing.  “Uhhh…that’s ok…I sort of wanted to talk to you privately anyway.”

Adam could barely contain his grin by this point.  He had a feeling where this was headed but he didn’t want to assume anything just yet.

“C’mon in…we can chat while I start dinner…would you like a beer?”

“Love one.” Justin replied as he followed Adam to the kitchen.

Once inside the kitchen Adam headed for the fridge.  He pulled two cold beers from inside then retrieved a bottle opener from one of the drawers.  He popped the top on both before sliding one across the counter towards Justin.

Miraculously, it didn’t spill and Justin caught it easily.

“Thanks.” Justin managed before taking a long sip.

“Sure thing.  Now, what’s up Timberlake?”

Justin chuckled awkwardly.  Adam was definitely a no bullshit, get straight to the point type of guy.  Then again, he was a lawyer, so it made sense.

“Umm…what makes you think something is up?”

Adam laughed.  “This isn’t an interrogation, you’re not on the witness stand, I promise.  I just know that look.”

“What look?”

Adam took another sip of his beer and averted his gaze by pulling pans from a cupboard.  He was trying to smother a smile so Justin wouldn’t see.  Truthfully, if this conversation was headed in the direction Adam suspected it might be he couldn’t be happier about it.

“Really Timberlake?!  Playing dumb doesn’t suit you, because I know you’re not.   I’m a lawyer.  A big part of my job is reading body language and facial expressions.  You can learn a lot about a witness, plaintiff or defendant by watching non-verbal cues, and right now, yours are telling me you want to ask or tell me something that you don’t want my sister to know.  At least not yet.  Not to mention that you pretty much said as much at the door and well, my sister did come home yesterday GLOWING and looking happier than she has in almost 2 years …so…yeah…my brilliant skills of deduction are telling me something is up.”

By this point Adam had turned back around to face him.  He was leaning back against the stove, his beer to his lips as he watched Justin digest what he’d just said. 

Justin couldn’t help but chuckle and shake his head.  Adam was looking out for his sister; he had been for a long time and Justin couldn’t fault him for that in the least. 

“Are you sure you’re a defense attorney?”

Adam smirked.  “Most days…but we are discussing my sister, are we not?”

Justin laughed and shook his head again.  “Remind me never to get on your bad side.”

Adam softened and smiled.  “You’re doing good so far, or at least according to Chloe you are, but if you really want this conversation to stay private you might want to get to it.”

“Right?! Umm…. well…I don’t think it’s a secret that I’m in love with your sister…”

Adam grinned a wide, Cheshire grin.  Yes, he was quite certain that this conversation was going precisely in the direction he suspected it was.

“Nope, not a secret.  I think you’ve made it pretty obvious.  She’s pretty smitten with you too…”

Justin grinned.  “Yeah, I got that much…which brings me to why…well…umm…”

“Why you wanted to talk to me.” Adam offered with a smirk.

“Yeah…umm…”

Justin was struggling.  If Adam hadn’t been so amused by the interaction, he would have found it incredibly sweet.  However, he also knew that Chloe would be home at any minute so in the interest of time, and sparing Justin additional discomfort Adam decided to offer the younger man a life line.

“Do you want some help?”

Justin breathed a sigh of relief.  He had a feeling that Adam already knew where this was going, or at least that was what he was hoping for.

“Please.” Justin managed to reply.

Adam grinned and took a final swig from his beer before setting it down on the counter in front of him, between him and Justin.  For Justin’s benefit he was trying to hide his complete and utter joy regarding this conversation.  He was trying to stay calm, to appear unaffected, but inside he was squealing with delight.

“Alright, because I actually like you, I’m going to help you out, but if you say anything to my sister, I will deny this conversation ever happened until my last breath.”

Justin laughed and nodded. “Got it.”

Adam smiled at Justin.  He felt ready to explode so he could only imagine what Justin was feeling.  It was obvious that Justin was hanging on to his every word.   And in the next moment everything Adam wanted to say came tumbling out.

“Chloe’s ring size is a size 6.  No, you don’t have to ask our father for permission.  She’s a grown ass woman who is perfectly capable of making her own decisions. She’ll probably be put off if you do. If you really feel the need to ask someone for permission, I would advise you to ask Gabby.  Yes, she will consent to signing a pre-nup, because she is a smart woman and will do what is necessary to protect herself and Gabby, especially when you consider everything you BOTH bring to the table.  No, she probably won’t take your name, not when she just got her maiden name back.  And don’t propose at one of your shows or on Valentines’ Day.  Not if you want her to say “yes.”

Justin’s jaw fell open.  Apparently, Adam was more intuitive than even he realized.

“How did you…”

Adam laughed.  “I’m not dumb either…and like I said…you have that look.”

Justin laughed and nodded. “I didn’t realize I was that transparent.”

Adam bit his lip.  It was his turn to feel a bit embarrassed.  “You’re not.  I’m just that perceptive…and well…truth?”

Justin gave Adam a questioning look.  The expression was not one Justin had seen from Adam before.

“Of course.”

Adam smiled bashfully.  “I’ve been rooting for you since the day Chloe brought that bouquet you sent home.”

“Three whole days…wow…”

Adam smirked and shook his head.  “Not that bouquet.  That one is still in her office.”

Suddenly, Justin’s eyes were wide.  Realization had set in.  Adam wasn’t being sarcastic he was being sincere, and he was talking about the bouquet Justin had sent before he’d met Chloe.

“Oh!” Justin whispered. “Uhh…WOW…thanks…I don’t…”

Adam grinned.  “No thanks needed.  You make my sister happy.  That’s enough…but umm…since…we are talking…I was wondering…I mean…I know you haven’t formally met yet…”

Justin chuckled.  “Of course, you can bring Derek to the show.  Consider it done.”

“Thanks.” Adam said grinning.

It was then that Chloe and Gabby’s voices began to float through the house.

Justin immediately looked to Adam, his eyes silently pleading.

Adam smiled and nodded.  “Not a word.  I promise.”

Justin nodded silently and smiled.  His eyes were saying “thank you” because his lips couldn’t. 

Chloe’s eyes lit up when she saw Justin.  Meanwhile, Gabby was already tackling Justin in a hug!

“Justin!” Gabby squealed happily.

Justin grinned and swooped Gabby up into his arms.  “Hey there! How’s my favorite girl?”

“I thought Mommy was your favorite girl?” Gabby asked, not missing a beat.

Chloe raised an eyebrow then gave Justin a wink.  Meanwhile Adam was laughing and shaking his head as he busied himself with the pots again.

“Proceed with caution Timberlake...there is absolutely NO right way to respond to that.”

“Your mommy is not a girl…she’s a woman…and she is definitely my favorite one of those…but as I said, you are definitely my favorite girl!”

“Nice save.” Chloe giggled.

“I stand corrected.  Nicely done.” Adam laughed.

“I try.” Justin chuckled before setting Gabby back down.

“You’re here early.  Not that I am complaining.” Chloe quipped.

“I was in the area.”

“Oh?!” Chloe replied, her eyes tracking to both Justin and Adam.

Neither looked suspicious but her gut was telling her that there was more happening than either man was letting on.

“Yeah, just taking care of some stuff before I have to leave town again.”

Chloe gave Justin a puzzled look but then quickly diverted her attention back to her brother. 

“I forgot to ask this morning.  What are you cooking?”

Adam grinned and nodded to the crockpot on the counter.   Justin looked too.  Until that moment he’d completely missed that it was even there.   Then again, his thoughts had been a bit pre-occupied since his arrival.

“Can’t you tell?”

Chloe took a moment for the aroma to sink in and then her eyes went wide.

“You’re making Grandma’s Braciole?!”

Adam smirked. “It worked on Justin.”

Justin chuckled and Chloe blushed.  “I’m not picking one over the other, so don’t ask.  I will not be responsible for that battle.”

Chloe giggled.  “That’s sweet Justin…but trust me…his is better.”

Justin smiled.  “Like I said, I’m not commenting one way or the other.  I know better.”

“Smart man.” Adam teased.

At precisely 6:00 p.m. the doorbell rang again, and for a moment a flicker of panic flashed on Adam’s features.  Chloe smiled and stepped up to her brother, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder.

“Relax.  It’s going to be fine.  He likes you, that’s all that matters.”

Adam took a steadying breath then looked down at his sister.  She had definitely come a long way in the past two years.  She looked happy.  She was right.  It was his turn now.

“I should get that.” Adam said nodding.

Chloe shook her head and patted him again on the shoulder.  “You finish in here.  I will get the door.”

And before Adam could argue Chloe was headed for the door.  Her jaw dropped for a moment when she opened it and saw the man on the other side.  He was dressed casually in a pair of jeans and tennis shoes.  His shirt, a light blue button down that made his blue eyes seem even bluer.  His hair a dirty blonde/brown.  He was very handsome but not at all what she had expected.

For years she had teased Adam about his obsession with JC Chasez, even more now that she was dating Justin but nothing could have prepared her for this.  He didn’t look like JC.  Not one bit.  In fact, the only similarity between Derek and JC was the blue eyes.  Adam had always been a sucker for blue eyes.  She couldn’t fault him for that.  She was too.  Justin was proof of that.  However, he did remind her of a boyband member.  Just not the boyband she’d expected.

“You must be Chloe.”

Chloe snapped herself from her thoughts and looked back down at Derek.  He was holding a bottle of wine in one hand and juggling two bouquets in the other.

Chloe felt her cheeks go slightly warm and she nodded.  She felt bad for staring but the resemblance was just uncanny. 

“Yes, hi, I’m Chloe.  I’m sorry…please…come in.  It’s nice to finally meet you, Derek.”

“You too, and thanks for having me.  I have to admit I’ve been looking forward to this all week. Oh yeah…these are for you.” He said, handing over one of the bouquets.

It was a Spring mix of flowers.  Roses, Daisies, lilies.  It was bright and beautiful and a very sweet gesture.  Chloe couldn’t help but notice the other bouquet he was holding was just roses.  Beautiful red, dark pink, light pink and white roses.  She knew they must be for Adam.

“Thank you.  These are gorgeous, but extremely un-necessary.”

Derek bit his lip.  “Well, it is your house so …”

Chloe smiled.  “True, my name is on the deed but Adam does pay rent so it’s his place too, but again, I appreciate the gesture.”

There was a brief, awkward pause.  Neither really wanted to mention Eddy or the case but there was no escaping it either.

“I’m glad things worked out the way they did.” Derek offered.

“Me too.  I know it was a lot of work for nothing on your part but …”

“No way.  Trial or not it was a great learning experience.  Actually, I’m relieved it didn’t go to trial.  I’ve dealt with high profile cases before…but…umm…your…”

Chloe giggled.  “My boyfriend?! Yeah, I’m still getting used to that too…”

“I can imagine…I mean, I really can’t but I can.  Adam said he was going to be here tonight.”

Chloe nodded and smiled.  Derek really did seem like a nice guy.

“He’s in the kitchen with Adam.  Are you…umm…”?

“Am I a fan?!” Derek chuckled.

“I know, it’s weird, right?!”

Derek shook his head and grinned.  “Not at all.  I mean, maybe a little, but I’ve always been of the opinion that celebrity or not, we’re all human, but to answer your question, “yes” I am a fan.  Admittedly I was more in to Joey back in the day but I’m not going to lie…I’ve been to a JT show or two.”

Chloe had to bite her lip to smother her grin.  The fact that Derek had basically just admitted he had a “type” was not lost on her.  True, Adam was a bit more toned than Joey Fatone but he wasn’t a little guy.

“Joey Fatone, huh?!” Chloe teased.

Derek blushed.  “Yeah, I know. I know.  What can I say?”

Chloe laughed.  “No judgement here.  I promise.  C’mon, come on back…before Adam sends in the cavalry.”

“Cavalry?! Do you mean Gabby?”

“Or Justin.”

“He would, wouldn’t he?!” Derek laughed.

“Definitely.”

Chloe entered the kitchen with Derek in tow and as soon as they entered Justin’s jaw dropped to the floor.  Derek was NOT AT ALL what he had pictured and he was definitely going to give Adam shit about it.

“I’m SO telling JC!” Justin snickered.

“Why?” Adam mused.

Justin grinned devilishly.  “Umm…cause you’re essentially cheating on him with another boyband.”

Derek laughed.  “I know what you’re going to say…you think I look like…”

“Joe McIntyre…umm…yeah…you could be his twin…”

“I know, right?! It’s crazy.” Chloe added giggling.

“Not the first time I’ve heard that.  Probably not the last either.  I get it a lot actually, especially now that he and his family live in the city.  Nice guy.”

Justin couldn’t help but chuckle and shake his head.  “Never met him, but that’s what I hear.  The Knight brothers on the other hand, them I’ve met…obviously.  Probably two of the humblest guys I’ve ever met.”

Adam’s face lit up.  “That’s right! I forgot Jordan opened for *NSYNC.”

“Wow! That was a LONG time ago…wow…I had forgotten about that until just now.  That must have been so weird for him, opening up for you guys.” Chloe chimed in.

Justin shrugged.  “If it was, he didn’t make a big deal about it.  He was cool.  Kind of quiet but a really nice guy.  We don’t keep in touch but Joey and Chris are friends with Joe and well…it’s not public knowledge…so you can’t tell anyone I told you, but Lance is going to be in one of their music videos.”

Until then Gabby had been quiet.  Politely observing and letting the adults chat but her curiosity was getting the better of her.

“Excuse me…” Gabby started politely, a sweet smile on her face.

Four pairs of eyes slid over to her, and as soon as she knew that everyone’s attention was focused on her she continued, letting her questions tumble out in a rush.

“Who is Joe McIntyre and who are the Knight brothers? And what music video is Lance going to be in?”

Derek’s eyes went wide, then fell on Adam. He couldn’t resist teasing just a bit.  Gabby had given him the perfect opportunity, and, well, he could tell that Adam was struggling with nerves so he was hoping this would relax him a little.

 “Adam?! I have to admit I’m shocked and a little disappointed.  You haven’t educated your niece about the OG of boybands?”

Justin laughed.  “You’re a Blockhead, aren’t you?”

Derek chuckled and nodded.  “Guilty as charged.  Jordan Knight was my first celebrity crush.  Your buddy Fatone was my 2nd.”

Justin laughed more and shook his head.  This conversation was not what he’d expected when he’d agreed to come to dinner but it was definitely entertaining.  Truth be told, a lighthearted and fun conversation after the intense one he’d had with Adam earlier was just what he needed right then. 

“What’s a Blockhead?” Gabby interjected confused.

This time it was Chloe who laughed and shook her head.  “A Blockhead is what they call really big New Kids on the Block fans.”

“New Kids on the Block?”

“Oh Adam?! Really?!”

Adam, however, didn’t bat any eye.  He just looked at Derek, a flirtatious smile on his lips and shot it right back at him.  “Well, I guess that just means you need to come around more often now, don’t you?”

The back-and-forth banter between Adam and Derek was fun to watch. 

“Tell you what, I know tickets went on sale months ago but I bet if I talked to Chris, Joey or Lance, they could get us all tickets.  I mean…if you wanted to go.” Justin teased.

Gabby, being Gabby and her mother’s daughter as well as her uncle’s niece seized the opportunity when it presented itself.

“Do you think Chris, Joey or Lance could get us tickets to an *NSYNC show too?!”

Immediately, Chloe, Adam and Derek busted up laughing.  Meanwhile, Justin could only blush a bit and shake his head.  She was definitely her mother’s daughter and he absolutely loved her for it.

“One tour at a time kid.  Let me get through this one.”

“After?!”

Justin chuckled and tried not to look at Chloe or Adam when he answered.  He did not want to accidentally give himself or his plans away prematurely.

“Umm…well…I’ve got some things I am working on after the tour wraps up…BUT…we are discussing the possibility.”

Gabby grinned and nodded, seeming to be satisfied with his response.  “Ok, I can accept that answer.  I have tomorrow to look forward to first anyway.”

Adam laughed and nodded.  “I think we can all accept that answer but please, Justin, if there is anything we can do to help encourage certain individuals in that discussion let us know.”

“I’ll keep you posted.”

Adam then turned Derek.  He was excited about taking him to the show and couldn’t wait to see the reaction on his face.

“Speaking of tomorrow, Derek, would you like to go to the Justin Timberlake concert at Madison Square Garden with us tomorrow night?”

“Really?!”

Adam grinned.  “Really! BUT…there would be no Barstool VIP…”

Justin smirked.  “Well…technically…there is a bar at my shows but no, I’ve seen the stage set-up for New Kids…it’s nothing like that.”

“I think I’ll manage.” Derek laughed.

***

Thursday was concert day and EVERYONE in the De Luca house was excited.  The initial plan was that everyone would go about their day as normal until about noon.  At noon Chloe would pick up Gabby from school and Adam would come home and then everyone would meet up and leave for the show at about 2.  That HAD been the initial plan. 

However, at 5:30 a.m. that morning Chloe stumbled into the kitchen to find Adam already awake and pouring coffee.

“Couldn’t sleep?” Adam asked as he reached for a 2nd cup.

Chloe grinned and shook her head.  “No. You either?”

“Nope. I’ve been up for about an hour.”

“Excited?”

Adam smirked.  “You’re not?!”

Chloe giggled then swatted at her older brother.  “Oh, I totally am!  Who knew when you bought me tickets for my birthday that THIS is how it would turn out?”

Adam laughed out loud at this.  “THESE are NOT the tickets I bought you.”

“Yeah, ok, what did you do with those anyway?”

Adam smiled.  He knew Chloe would have absolutely no problem with what he’d done with the initial tickets. 

“Donated them to the PTO auction at Gabby’s school.”

“Oh yeah?! Wow!  That’s a really good idea.”

Adam chuckled and shook his head a bit.  “Yeah, then I think a group of the parents in Gabby’s class got together and bid on them for Gabby’s teacher.”

Chloe beamed.  “OH MY GOD!  Does Gabby know?”

“Yeah!  She told me and Justin yesterday while you were greeting Derek at the door. She said Ms. Hawkins came into class after lunch near tears because she was so excited.  Then, Justin said he was going to make sure Ms. Hawkins had a good time.”

Chloe smiled.  “He’s so sweet.”

Adam chuckled and nodded.  “He is.  Aren’t you glad you listened to your big brother?”

“Listened to you? About what?”

Adam made a face.  “Umm…about giving him a chance, about him wanting to find you, about him being interested…should I keep going?”

“Ok, Smart Ass…yeah, you were right.”

“I’ll be sure to mark this day on my calendar for future reference, you know, because you admitting I was right is something I want to remember.”

Chloe just laughed and shook her head then reached for the cup of coffee he was offering to her. 

“Are you going to work today?” Chloe asked before taking a sip.

Adam took a sip from his cup as well and shook his head.  “Nah! I have sick days!  And…well…not going to lie…I wouldn’t be able to concentrate anyway.  What about you?”

Chloe blushed wildly.  “Umm…I may or may not have called in a few favors and am now taking the day off too.”

Adam grinned.  “I don’t blame you in the least…if I was going to my SUPER HOT and RIDICULOUSLY TALENTED boyfriend’s concert at Madison Square Garden tonight, I’d be taking the day off too!”

“Speaking of your super-hot boyfriend…”

“Hey now!” Adam teased.

“No worries big brother, I’ll stay in my lane.  I was just going to say…it’s good to see you happy.  He suits you.”

Adam took another sip of his coffee, admittedly, it was to hide his blush but Chloe had a point.

“I really like him…I mean…I’ve always liked him…we’ve always been friends but…with him…”

Chloe nodded and gave her brother a reassuring smile.  “I get it! Believe me!  With him it just works.  You feel comfortable…like you can be yourself.  He has a way of calming you, even when he is the reason you’re nervous.”

Adam grinned.  He knew that his sister was speaking from experience.

“Exactly!  You sound like you know.”

Chloe blushed.  “I do!”

“Thought so…”

“So…when is he coming over?”

“I don’t know…what’s your plan…is Gabby going to school today?”

Chloe took another long sip of her coffee and shook her head.  “No.  I don’t think so.  I mean, I’ll give her the option, but I was thinking since today is her actual birthday we would do something fun like go get our nails and hair done before the show.”

“That sounds fun!  I think she would LOVE it!”

Chloe nodded.  “Yeah. Me too.  Do you and Derek want to meet us for lunch after?”

“Sounds like a good plan.”

“What are you wearing?”

“Excuse me?”

Adam snorted and laughed.  “What are you wearing to the show?”

“Oh…umm…I don’t know.  Nothing fancy.  I’m trying to keep a low profile.  I don’t think many of his fans know about me yet…”

Adam laughed and snorted again. “I highly doubt that’s accurate.  JT fans are hardcore.  There are photos of you…in public…together.  I guarantee that a pretty significant number of the really dedicated ones know exactly who you are.”

“You think?”

Adam grinned.  “I know.”

“How?”

Adam smirked.  “There’s this thing…it’s called social media…I do use it from time to time.  Not to mention when your little sister starts dating one of the MOST popular Male recording artists of all time you keep tabs on that shit!”

“That’s great but I don’t have time for Social media.” Chloe huffed.

“Well, I do…trust me…the fans know about you.”

“Awesome!” Chloe grumbled sarcastically.

***

As Chloe suspected, Gabby jumped at the opportunity to go get her nails and hair done before the show.  It was a great Mother-daughter bonding experience and the perfect start to Gabby’s birthday as well as a way to unwind before the real excitement began.  Meanwhile, Adam and Derek spent the morning together as well before meeting up with Gabby and Chloe for a late lunch/early dinner. 

Chloe couldn’t help but laugh when she saw the way both men were dressed.  Adam was wearing nice jeans, tennis shoes and a vintage *NSYNC t-shirt circa the Pop Odyssey tour.  Derek, in true Blockhead fashion was wearing a vintage NKOTB shirt from the Hangin’ Tough era.  It was cute, and sweet and would definitely get a reaction out of Justin. 

Gabby had gone all out for the show, choosing to wear a pair of black leggings, tan tennis shoes and a pink buffalo plaid button down shirt.  Her fingernails had been painted a pretty pink and her hair was piled on top of her head in a high, messy bun with whisps of hair and her bangs framing her face.  In truth, she looked a lot older than six.

As she’d explained to her brother that morning about keeping a low profile, and in keeping with the jeans and t-shirt theme of her concert companions Chloe had opted for a pair of faded and distressed jeans and a V-neck “I love NYC” shirt with a denim jacket and a pair of high-top Converse sneakers for her outfit.  She just hoped Justin approved of the outfit. Her long, dark hair had been curled and styled in soft beach waves that cascaded down her back and over her shoulders.  She felt good and it was nice to not be in her scrubs or a lab coat for a whole day.

“Do you have your pass?” Chloe asked Gabby as the approached Will-Call.

Gabby pulled the lanyard from inside her shirt and held it up for her mom to see.  “All set!”

“Dang! All Access!  I feel honored.” Derek whistled through his teeth.

Chloe giggled.  “Yeah, my brother, he has a habit of spoiling the people he cares about.”

“Apparently so does your boyfriend.” Derek teased.

Chloe blushed.  “Yeah…about that…if you wouldn’t mind…keep the “boyfriend” comments on the Down low…at least for this evening. I’m not trying to get mobbed or harassed tonight…not with Gabby in tow.”

Derek smiled and nodded.  “No worries, Chloe. I got you!  Consider Adam and I your personal guards for the evening.”

After checking in at Will-call and getting their passes they were permitted inside.  There was still a couple of hours until the start of the show but as Chloe guessed it, Justin must have given instructions to let them in as soon as they arrived.

There were already fans gathered outside the arena, waiting anxiously to gain access and as they passed through the glass doors, she was almost certain she heard her name being whispered amongst a group of fans.  Apparently, anonymity was a luxury she no longer had.  She understood it came with the territory and she was fine with it so long as they left Gabby alone.  Chloe had no problem going full “Mama Bear” if needed. 

Shaking any negative thoughts from her head Chloe snapped herself back into the present and took in her surroundings.  It had been years since she’d been to a concert.  Motherhood, her career and the *NSYNC hiatus had put a damper on her Fangirl status.  The night would definitely be one to remember for a long time.  She was certain of it.

Currently, Gabby was eyeing the merch table from a short distance while Adam and Derek chatted about the opening acts.  They hadn’t even been inside two minutes when someone Chloe could only guess was a Security guard approached.

“Chloe De Luca?”

“That’s Dr. Chloe De Luca…” Adam started stepping between the man and his sister.

The man smirked a bit and shook his head.  “You must be the brother, Adam De Luca.”

“I am…and you are…”

“My name is Eric.  I am Justin’s personal security.  He asked me to come find you and bring you backstage.”

Adam softened then smiled sheepishly. “Oh.  Umm…yeah…makes sense.”

Then Eric turned his attention to Gabby, kneeling down to her level as a giant grin spread across his lips.

“And this beautiful girl must be the birthday girl, Gabby, right?”

Gabby grinned and nodded but kept quiet.

“I hear there is a cake backstage with yours and Justin’s name on it…should we go check it out?”

Again, Gabby nodded.

As they made their way backstage, following Eric down the concrete hallways various members of the Tennessee Kids smiled, waved and a few even said “hello.”

After what seemed like an eternity but in reality, was just a few minutes they arrived at what Chloe determined must be Justin’s dressing room.

Justin’s eyes lit up when they entered the room and Chloe sucked in a breath.  He looked comfortable, yet at the same time, unbelievably sexy dressed in pair of red sneakers, black jeans, a white t-shirt and a black leather jacket with the word “Memphis” on the back and the state flower of Tennessee; a white Iris.

At the moment he was sipping on a mug of hot tea.  Chloe knew it was tea because the cup was steaming and she could smell just the slightest hint of lemon and honey in the air. 

“About time.” Justin teased.

“Someone was hungry.” Chloe answered nodding to Gabby.

Justin grinned.  “Did you save room for birthday cake Gabby?”

“Definitely!”

“Awesome, let’s go get some, shall we?’ He asked offering Gabby his arm.

Adam, Derek and Chloe followed Justin through the backstage area to the Craft services/catering area which was already crowded with people.  In fact, Chloe was pretty sure that pretty much everyone associated with the tour had gathered to wish Justin a “Happy Birthday.”

Justin was about to get sentimental.

“Ahem! If I could have everyone’s attention…”

Immediately, the room got quiet.

“I just wanted to say …in case I hadn’t said it enough…thank you…thank you to all of you for making this tour so great.  Tonight, is special…it’s my birthday…we are in Madison Square Garden…but it’s not just my birthday…everyone…this lovely lady on my arm…this is Gabby…and that beautiful woman over there…that’s…”

“Chloe!” Everyone chorused.

Chloe giggled and blushed.  “He talks about me, does he?”

“Just a little.” One of the band members teased.

“It’s nice to finally meet you.” One of the dancers chimed in.

“Thanks…I’m excited for the show tonight…you all are AMAZING!!!!”

After cake and introductions Chloe and her “entourage” returned to the dressing room with Justin.  They hung out, relaxed and talked casually until Eric appeared at the door again.

“Ten minutes J.”

Then yet again, Eric directed his attention to Gabby.

“Ok Birthday girl, if you would like to bring your mom, uncle and friend and follow me I’ll show you to your spot.”

Chloe and the rest of the group stood to follow him but not before Chloe directed her attention at Justin. 

Chloe smiled at Justin and bit her lip.  “I would say “break a leg” but I don’t think that’s right…and …well, I’m off duty tonight …so…I’ll say “knock em’ dead!”

Justin chuckled and nodded.  “Works for me.”

“See you in a few?”

Justin grinned at her.  “I’ll definitely look for you!”

Minutes later Chloe, Gabby, Adam and Derek were standing in the “Pit” surrounded by fans, as the house lights went down and the arena erupted in screams.  At Justin’s request a small part of the space nearest the rail had been blocked by Security, reserving the area for his “special guests.” Security also provided Gabby with a pair of headphones to protect her ears from the volume.   Chloe was beyond grateful.

Yet again, Chloe could see people around her whispering amongst each other but she did her best to tune them out.  She was here to enjoy the show just like everyone else. 

The first song was “Filthy” and as soon as Justin stepped out on the stage Chloe felt her heart skip a beat and her breath catch in her throat.  The screams around her were deafening but her focus was Justin.  As promised, halfway through the song, just before the dance break Justin found Chloe in the crowd and winked at her.  The girls around her screamed and swooned, convinced that his gesture was meant for them.  Chloe knew better.

She watched in awe as he danced and sang to “Midnight Summer Jam.” He was definitely in his element and she absolutely loved watching him perform.  “Love Stoned” followed and throughout the whole song she and Gabby were bobbing their heads and dancing along.  Meanwhile, Adam and Derek were next to them dancing and singing along as well.

During “Sexy Back” Adam and Derek were the focus as he pointed at Adam, twerked and sang the lyric “let me see what you’re twerking with…” causing Adam to laugh and shake his head.  Then Justin stuck his tongue out at Adam causing both men to laugh more.

At the Start of “Man of the Woods” Justin made a point to address the NYC crowd but he also made a point to find Chloe again and gesture again. 

He ran across the stage to stand close to her and pointed as he sang “I brag about you to anyone outside…”

Chloe blushed and shook her head as several of the fans nearest her gave her questioning looks. 

He winked at her then proceeded to direct his attention to a few other fans so as to not completely single her out. 

Justin was a true performer, making sure to show his love for as many fans as possible at different points throughout the show.  He gave hand grabs or “Timber touches” as Chloe overheard one fan say and took selfies and just interacted as much as possible.

However, he also made it a point to show his love and attention for Chloe and Gabby as well. 

“Mommy! LOOK!” Gabby squealed as Justin danced and sang with a neon microphone in the center of the stage during “Suit & Tie”. 

Gabby’s eyes were fixed on him and her jaw was gaping open.  It was obviously Gabby’s favorite part so far.

Then, to Chloe’s complete surprise and to the shock and awe of probably everyone in the arena, after a brief intro Justin took to the center of the stage, directly in front of where Gabby and Chloe were standing and as the melody to “Mirrors” began to play he said clearly into his microphone. “This is one is for you, Gabby!”

Gabby squealed like a little Fangirl, meanwhile Chloe was near tears.  The fact that he’d dedicated this song to Gabby in front of 20,000 people meant more to Chloe than Justin could possibly ever know.

About halfway through the show Justin stopped to banter with the crowd.  He was absolutely adorable as he “apologized” for his delay and then thanked the crowd for coming out to celebrate his 38th birthday with him.  As if right on cue, from somewhere off stage a stage hand produced a tray with shots that were quickly passed around to Justin and the Tennessee Kids.  At the same time another stage hand appeared next to Adam, with another tray of shots, one for Adam, Derek and Chloe and Sprite for Gabby.  Yet again, this earned Chloe several looks from fans around her but she was having a great time and chose to ignore the stares.

Then the Tennessee Kids led the entire arena in a round of “Happy Birthday” as they presented him with a cupcake on stage.  Justin, in true Justin fashion teased his fellow entertainers about the size of the cupcake and how he paid them more than enough to afford a better cake.  Then, with a wink and a smile he passed the cupcake off to Gabby who devoured it happily in just a few bites.

The entire show was INCREDIBLE.  Justin was an AMAZING performer and the happiness and joy he felt performing again was evident.  In that moment, Chloe couldn’t have been happier or prouder.  And just as he was about to take his final bow Justin lifted his microphone to his lips, put two fingers in the air and with a smile on his face, happy tears in his eyes and sounding a bit emotional he said very clearly “New York City, thank you so much, I love you so much! Best Birthday ever! Happy Birthday Gabby! I love you, Chloe!”

It was the perfect end to the perfect evening!

That night, after the show there was a party for Justin and of course, Chloe was invited.  Adam and Derek were too but decided to take Gabby home and spend some time together cuddled up on the couch together.

At first, Chloe was a bit nervous about attending a high-profile party but she ended up having a great time.  Also, some of Justin’s friends at the party had arranged for Mase to perform as a birthday surprise.  Justin was definitely surprised and watching him “fanboy” was one of the most adorable things Chloe had ever seen.

Friday, February 1st was a recovery day for everyone.  Everyone slept in late, even Gabby. 

On Saturday, Chloe had to work.  It made sense.  She had taken several days off, but she wasn’t really excited about the idea of working an “On Call” shift while Justin was in town.  He was in town until the 3rd and then he was headed to Canada for almost two weeks.  She wanted to spend as much time with him as possible while he was there.

Unfortunately, Justin was unavailable most of Saturday during the day.  Or at least that was what he told Chloe.  Truthfully, because he was in New York for a few days there were a few things he wanted to accomplish, things he couldn’t tell her, at least not yet.  He felt bad about not being completely truthful with her, in fact, it was eating at him, but given what he was actually doing he hoped that the end goal would be worth it.

One of the things on his list involved Gabby.  He’d been thinking a lot about everything Adam had told him and what he’d said about Gabby had really resonated.  Chloe and Gabby were a package deal.  Gabby was the one person, besides Chloe, who would be affected the most by what Justin was planning.  He wanted Gabby to be ok with it.  In truth, Justin wouldn’t feel right about a proposal unless he knew for certain that Gabby was on board.

Late Saturday afternoon, after Chloe left for work, Justin arrived at Chloe’s house to talk to Gabby.

Adam and Derek were there when Justin arrived. 

“Justin?! Everything ok?! Adam asked as he greeted Justin at the door.

Justin smiled and bit his lip.  “I thought I’d…umm…come over…see if Gabby wanted to play some Candyland…maybe chat a bit.”

Adam beamed.  “Taking my advice, are we?”

“Something like that.”

Adam grinned more.  “Smart man.”

Justin chuckled a bit awkwardly.  “Yeah, what can I say.  The opportunity presented itself and I don’t know for sure when I’ll be seeing Gabby again…so…”

“Don’t blame you in the least.”

“Any words of wisdom?”

Adam laughed.  “Nah! You’ve got this.”

“Think so?”

Adam smiled, his eyes softening.  “That little girl…thinks the world of you…trust me, you’ll be fine.”

Taking a deep breath, and forcing a nervous smile Justin stepped into the house.  He started down the hallway towards Gabby’s room, trying to wrap his head around what he was about to do.  He wasn’t sure what to say to Gabby, but whatever he did say, he knew he needed to be honest and speak from the heart.

Gabby was playing with her Troll dolls when Justin entered.  It made him smile. 

“Hey there?!”

Gabby whirled around, her eyes lighting up when she saw Justin in the doorway.

“Justin!”

Justin chuckled.  She had her mother’s smile, one that lit up the entire room.

“Hi.”

“What are you doing here?  Mommy is at work.”

Justin nodded and stepped into the room.

“I know…I came to hang out with you.”

Gabby’s eyes widened and the smile on her face seemed to grow exponentially.

“Me?!”

Justin grinned.  “Yeah.  You! I thought we could play some Candyland, maybe go for a walk and get some ice cream in a bit.”

“Ok.” Gabby replied happily.

For the next half hour Justin and Gabby sat on her bedroom floor playing Candyland.  They played 3 games and Gabby won every time.  She won fair and square.  Justin hadn’t let her win.  Apparently, his luck at Candyland left something to be desired.  He was hoping it didn’t extend to the conversation he was gearing up for.

“Ready to go get some Ice cream?” Justin asked.

Gabby grinned and nodded then jumped up to go find her shoes.

There was an ice cream shop just a couple blocks from Chloe’s place so after checking in with Adam that’s where they headed.  It wasn’t until Justin had paid for the ice cream and they were seated outside that he found the courage to speak.

The tables outside were empty.  It made sense.  It was February in New York.  Not too cold but not very warm either.  Gabby didn’t seem to mind as she was happily digging into her cup of strawberry ice cream.

“Good?” Justin chuckled noticing her sticky, pink lips.

“Delicious!”

“I’m glad.”

Justin took a breath then laughed a little at himself and shook his head.  He’d done hundreds of interviews over the years, talked about himself at length and never had a problem.  However, talking to Gabby, about this, well that was a struggle.

“So…umm…Gabby…you know I love your mommy, right?”

Gabby smiled and nodded but continued eating her ice cream.

“Yup.”

Justin took another deep breath, then continued.

“I love you too…”

Gabby looked up and beamed at Justin.

“Really?!”

Justin grinned.  “Really.  I love both you and your mommy very much.”

Gabby smiled at Justin.  “We love you too.’

Justin blushed.  “I’m glad.  That makes me really happy.”

“It does?!”

Justin bit his lip nervously and nodded.  “It does…because…umm…well…there is something I really want to ask your mom but I wanted to make sure you were ok with it first.”

“What is it?”

Justin blushed which was not something he did frequently or easily, but given the topic and his conversation partner it made sense.

“Well…umm…I want to ask your mom to marry me.”

Gabby’s ice cream was quickly forgotten.  Now that his words were out in the open, he couldn’t take them back.  Not that he wanted to.  All he could do was wait, wait for Gabby to react or respond.  He would say nothing more until she did.  It was making him crazy but Justin was determined to give Gabby all the time she needed to process what he’d said.  It was a lot for a six-year-old to process. He knew that.  It was a lot for him to process so he could only imagine what she must be feeling.

For what felt like forever Gabby sat quietly.  Truthfully, she had a LOT of questions but was trying to decide where to start.

“What about me?” Gabby blurted out.

Gabby wanted to know if Justin was going to take her mother away.  Given everything Gabby had been through over the past two years it made perfect sense.  Justin didn’t blame her one bit. However, he was determined to put her at ease.

Justin turned, slid off his chair and crouched at Gabby’s level so that their eyes met.  He took her sticky hands in his and looked straight at her, his lips cracking a smile as he spoke.

“I promise you…if I married your mom, you would come too.  I wouldn’t leave you behind.  Not ever!”

Gabby nodded, but stayed quiet.  She was still unsure, but had more questions.

“So…if you married my mom…you would be my…”

“Uhh…well…I guess that would make me your Step-dad.”

Truthfully, Justin had thought a lot about this too.  He had thoughts about what he wanted to do about it but wasn’t ready to share with anyone just yet.  He was taking all of this one step at a time.  Talking to Adam had been the first step.  Gabby was step 2.

Gabby looked to be deep in thought.  She sighed sadly and looked to Justin. 

“My real dad is in jail…he’s not coming out for a long time…”

Justin’s eyes widened.  “Wait?! Gabby, how do you know that?”

“Mommy told me.  Yesterday.  She said she wanted to wait until after my birthday because she didn’t want to make me sad.  My dad is in jail because he hurt people and then didn’t stay to help…he ran away.”

Justin nodded but it was what Gabby said next that nearly broke him.

“My daddy is gone…for a long, long time and I won’t be able to see him or talk to him so really…it’s like I don’t have a daddy anymore…”

“Oh Gabby…”

Tears were welling in Justin’s eyes but before he could make sense of what was happening Gabby threw her arms around Justin’s neck and buried her face in his shirt.

“I want you to marry my Mommy, Justin.  I want you to be my Daddy.”

For several moments he just stayed there, unmoving, holding Gabby in his arms, hugging her tightly.  It was not at all how he’d expected this conversation to go. 

When he finally pulled away, they were both a bit teary-eyed.

“Oh Gabby…I could never take the place of your dad.  No matter where he is, or for how long, he will always be your dad, and he will always love you, but I would be honored to be a family with you and your mom.”

Truthfully, Justin knew that Eddy had signed over his parental rights which meant that technically, or at least legally speaking, he wasn’t Gabby’s father anymore.  It was a detail that Gabby didn’t need to know.  Regardless, Eddy was a part of her, and he did love her, and no legal document was going to change that.

Then again, there was some truth to what Gabby was saying.  Eddy was gone, and he would be gone for a long time.  He would be gone for most of her childhood, and if Gabby wanted Justin to step in, to be the father that Eddy couldn’t be and hadn’t been for a long time then that was EXACTLY what Justin was going to do. 

“Could I…I mean …would it be ok…would you mind if…if I called you Dad?!” Gabby stuttered.

Justin smiled and wiped the tears from her face.  “That would be up to you…and your mother.  I don’t have a problem with it, if that’s what the two of you decide, but I have to ask your mom to marry me first.”

“When?!” Gabby asked grinning.

“When what?”

“When are you going to ask her?”

Justin chuckled.  “Umm…well…I haven’t worked that out yet.  There are some things I need to do first.”

“What things?”

Justin laughed more.  “Uh…well…I need to get a ring for your mommy.”

Gabby’s eyes lit up like a Christmas tree.  “Ooh!  Can I help you pick it out?”

Justin smiled and nodded.  “Actually, that’s a really good idea.  I would LOVE to have your help but we might have to get your uncle to help too so your mommy doesn’t find out.”

“Uncle Adam will help! I know he will, and if he doesn’t want to, I’ll just tell Derek on him.”

Justin had to laugh at this.  Gabby was just like her mother in that she wasn’t afraid to fight for what she wanted.

“Sounds like a good plan to me, but Gabby, you can’t tell your mommy about any of this.  She can’t know.  It has to be a surprise.”

“Mommy doesn’t like me keeping secrets from her.”

Justin nodded.  “I know. I know and I don’t like keeping secrets from her either, but this isn’t really a secret.  It’s a surprise.  She is going to find out, just not yet.  I’m not ready.”

Gabby nodded.  She understood but still had some concerns. “She doesn’t really like surprises either.  She says that the only surprise she ever got that she liked was me.”

Justin couldn’t help but chuckle.  “Well, I don’t blame her, but you are a pretty great surprise and well, I am sort of hoping she likes this one too.”

Gabby giggled.  “I think she will.  I won’t tell. Promise.”

“Pinkie promise?!” Justin asked holding out his pinkie finger.

Gabby grinned and nodded, locking her pinkie with his.  “Pinkie promise.”

“What else do you need to do? Can I help?”

Apparently, now that Gabby knew she had her mind set on helping.

“Well…I need to decide when I am going to ask her, and where, and how?”

“Don’t do it on Valentine’s Day…she HATES Valentine’s Day.”

Justin nodded.  “Yeah…your uncle said that too.  Wait?! What?! She hates Valentine’s Day…why?”

Gabby made a face.  “Daddy.  Daddy always ruined it for her.  She always said it wasn’t a big deal.  That she didn’t care, but I could tell it hurt her.”

Justin cracked a wistful smile and nodded.  “Well, I will definitely have to work on fixing that.  Your mommy deserves to have a nice Valentine’s Day.”

“But don’t ask her then…she won’t like it…”

“Oh, no, I won’t…”

***

Step 1 in his plan had been talking to Adam.  Step 2 was talking to Gabby.  With those two conversations out of the way the next step seemed like piece of cake.  In truth, it was a bit nerve- wracking but necessary.  He was meeting with his lawyers to draft a pre-nuptial agreement as well as some other legal things he wanted to discuss.

It was happening quickly.  Maybe a little too quickly, but given that he was only in New York for a few days and it would be a while before he would be back, he had things he needed to accomplish.  Especially now that he was planning to propose before the tour finished. 

The next day, after talking to Gabby, Justin spent most of the morning meeting with his lawyers. Yes, it was a Sunday but thankfully, everyone involved understood that he was on a tight schedule.   It was long, and a bit tedious, but he walked out feeling like he was floating.  Things had been set in motion.  His plan was moving forward and he couldn’t be more excited. 

Now he was back on tour.  He had just finished a show in Winnipeg and was now headed for Edmonton for two shows.  It was hard being away from Chloe and Gabby.  He missed them both.  However, being away gave him time to think and plan. 

At that moment, he was on his bus, lying in the bed, staring up the ceiling as he tried to figure out his next steps and how it was all going to work out.  He should have been sleeping but ever since making the decision to marry Chloe he just didn’t sleep the same, at least not when she wasn’t next to him.  He slept better, more peacefully when he was with her.  It was as if just being next to her put him at ease. 

Sighing he looked at his watch.  It was late.  Really late.  If Chloe wasn’t in surgery, then she was probably asleep.  He didn’t want to wake her if she was sleeping but wanted her to know he was thinking of her.

Pulling his phone from beside him, Justin sat up, propping the pillows on the bed behind his back and started to type out a text.

Justin: I am really sorry if this wakes you up.  It’s 3:36 a.m. and I am wide awake because all I can do is think about you.  I miss you!

Chloe had been asleep.  Her phone was on “Do not disturb” since she wasn’t “On call” but she’d programmed it so that calls and texts from certain people were able to get through in case of Emergency.  Justin was one of those people.

Chloe yawned, rubbed the sleep from her eyes and reached for her phone. 

As soon as the words on the screen came into focus, then fully registered in her brain she snuggled into the covers a bit more and smiled as she typed her response.

Chloe: I’m awake now.  I miss you too!

Justin: Aww.  I really didn’t mean to wake you. 

Chloe: It’s ok.  I haven’t been sleeping very well lately anyway

Justin: No?

Chloe: Truth?

Justin: Always

Chloe blushed.  He couldn’t see her but it didn’t matter.  Just the thought of admitting this was making her giddy.

Chloe: I don’t know what it is…but I just don’t sleep as well as I used to when you’re not here

Justin: Truth?

Chloe: Absolutely

Justin: Neither do I.  I like having you next to me.  It’s not the same when you’re not

Chloe felt her heart flutter just a bit.  He was being absolutely adorable.

Chloe: I really do need to look at my calendar and figure out when I could potentially come visit

Justin grinned at this and pulled his I-pad from the nightstand.  Immediately, he started to scroll through his calendar examining the dates.  He had an idea but wanted to be sure before telling it to her.

Justin:  Do you have a passport?

Chloe made a face.  She didn’t know what he was thinking but just thinking about the possibilities excited her.

Chloe: Yeah. 

Justin: Is it valid?

Chloe: Yeah.  It is now that I changed my name back to my Maiden name.

Justin chuckled and shook his head.  Apparently, fate was smiling in his favor.

Justin: Come to Vancouver next week.  I will be there for two shows

Chloe: Valentine’s Day is next week

Justin grinned.  Thanks to his intel from Adam and Gabby he knew how Chloe felt about Valentine’s Day.  He didn’t blame her in the least, but she felt that way because of Eddy.  He was NOT Eddy and although he knew that Chloe knew that, he was determined to prove to her just how different they were.

Justin: that was the idea, and I know, you HATE Valentine’s Day but trust me…you will NOT hate it with me

Chloe’s jaw dropped.  She had never told him anything about her feelings regarding the holiday but he knew.  She could only imagine how he knew.  She had a few ideas but as much as she didn’t want to admit it, her curiosity regarding what he might be planning was getting to her.

Chloe: What dates? I mean…I know what date Valentine’s Day is, but what dates are you in Vancouver?

Justin: February 14th and 15th.  That’s a Thursday and Friday. 

Chloe giggled and placed a hand over her face.  The fact that she was considering the idea of hopping a flight to spend Valentine’s Day with her boyfriend in Vancouver was completely out of character for her.  Chloe never went anywhere.  In fact, the last time she’d left NYC was her honeymoon with Eddy.  She was overdue for a vacation, or at least a mini one.

Chloe: It’s short notice but let me see what can I do.  Being Head of the trauma department has to be good for some things, right?

Justin grinned.  He was getting excited about the possibility of seeing her. 

Justin: One would think

Chloe: I’m off tomorrow…I mean today…but as soon as I can get it approved, I will let you know.

The following day was Thursday.  Thursday, February 7th.  Chloe had to work, but she didn’t have to do “rounds” that morning so she didn’t have to be up super early.  She was up, sipping on a cup of coffee when Adam made his way to the kitchen.

Chloe handed him a cup of coffee then waited for him to take a sip before speaking.

“Good morning!”

Adam smirked.  Chloe was up and cheerful, and prying him with coffee. He had a hunch she was gearing up to ask him for something.

“Morning.” Adam replied.

“Do you and Derek have plans for Valentine’s Day?” Chloe blurted out.

And there it was, the “something” he’d been waiting for Chloe to ask about.  He couldn’t fault her though, trying to coordinate your first Valentine’s Day with your superstar boyfriend who was currently touring across the country did require a bit of forethought.

“Yes, and no.” Adam replied.

“What does that mean?” Chloe asked making a face.

Adam laughed at the face she was making.  He couldn’t help himself.

“It means we are planning to spend it together but we don’t have plans to go out.  We were talking about having a quiet night here at home.”

“Oh.” Chloe replied, her face falling a bit.

This was Adam’s first Valentine’s Day with Derek as well.  She did not want to spoil it for him by asking him to watch Gabby. 

Adam chuckled and shook his head a little.  He could already see the disappointment in Chloe’s eyes, but he had a hunch that it was a bit premature.

“What did Justin ask you to do?”

Chloe blushed.  “Umm…well… he asked if I would fly out and spend a couple days in Vancouver with him?”

“Vancouver?! As in Canada?”

“No, Vancouver, Washington…yes, Canada!” Chloe shot back.

Adam smirked.  “Do you even have a passport?”

“Yes.”

“Is it valid?”

“Yes.” Chloe huffed.

“Ok, ok.  Although I can’t speak for Derek, I am fine with watching Gabby, but why don’t you ask Mom and Dad first and then if they can’t Derek and I totally will.”

“Really?!” Chloe asked hopefully.

Adam grinned.  “Really.  No worries little sister. I got you.  I wouldn’t let you spend your first Valentine’s Day with your man, without your man.”

Chloe rolled her eyes and swatted at him, then she grinned.

“Deal.”

Chloe’s parents jumped at the opportunity to watch Gabby.  It was a huge weight off Chloe’s shoulders.  She really hadn’t wanted to interfere with Adam’s Valentine’s Day plans but also really wanted to see Justin.

Now she had to ask for the time off work.

Three days.  She needed three days off work.  Her plan was to fly out EARLY the morning of the 14th and fly back the afternoon of the 16th.  However, now that she was the Head of Trauma her direct supervisor was the Chief.  In other words, he was the one who would approve or deny her request for time off.

Chloe went to work that morning with the intention of going straight to the Chief to ask for permission for time off but as would luck would have it; she didn’t have to hunt him down.  She ran into him outside the elevator almost as soon as she arrived at the hospital.

“Good morning, Dr. De Luca.” He said smiling.

“Good morning, sir.”

“How are things going in trauma?”

Chloe smiled.  She was nervous about asking him for time off, but at the same time she wasn’t.  Chloe had always had a good working relationship with the Chief.  Yes, he was the Chief, and therefore her superior but although there were times, particularly in her personal life where she lacked confidence her professional life was much different.  She was good at her job, damn good, and because she was so good, she commanded a certain level of respect.  Also, she was a good teacher.  A valuable skill in a teaching hospital such as Mt. Sinai.  All things that worked in her favor.

“Very well sir.  A couple of the interns have already demonstrated an aptitude for trauma so I am looking forward to nurturing those skills.”

“Excellent.”

Chloe took a breath.  Now was her chance.

“Sir…if you have a moment…I was hoping I might talk to you about something else…”

“Sure.  Going up?” He asked nodding to the now open elevator.

Chloe nodded.  “Yes, please.”

Together they entered the elevator and Chloe waited until doors were shut before proceeding.

“I’ll get straight to it.  Sir, I was hoping I might get permission to take a few days off next week.  The 14th, 15th and 16th to be specific.”

“Valentine’s Day?” the Chief asked grinning.

“Yes, sir.” Chloe replied trying not to blush.

“Hmm.  Planning to visit your very high-profile boyfriend on tour I’m guessing?”

Chloe stood dumbfounded for a moment, unaware that her jaw was literally gaping open.  Yes, he’d known that she treated Justin and that they were acquainted but she had no idea that he had any knowledge of the fact that they were dating.

The Chief saw Chloe’s expression and tried very hard not to laugh. 

Still grinning he reached into his briefcase and pulled a copy of the New York Times from within.  He held the paper up for her to see and smiled at her as he spoke.

“I make a habit of reading the paper every morning.  I like to keep up on what’s happening in the city we serve, so you can imagine my surprise when not once but TWICE in recent weeks a member of my Supervisory staff has graced the front page of the Entertainment section.”

“Oh.” Chloe replied, no longer able to contain her blush.

“I am not upset.  Frankly, I’m thrilled. A good work/life balance is important, especially in our field.  It helps prevent burn out and you, Dr. De Luca haven’t had a good work/life balance until very recently.  In fact, I can count the number of days you’ve taken off since you became an Attending here on both hands and still have fingers left over.  Despite being a single mother, being in a major car accident and a budding relationship you’ve worked every major holiday for the past two years.  Major Entertainer status aside, Mr. Timberlake is good for you and your career.   Three days is not an unreasonable request.  Go…have fun, relax.  You’ve more than earned it.”

“Thank you, Sir.” Chloe replied still blushing like a fool.

“You’re welcome.  Just one question…”

“What is that Sir?”

“Where are you going?”

Chloe giggled.  “Vancouver.”

“Ever been?”

Chloe blushed more. “Nope.”

“It’s a beautiful city.  Very picturesque.  Take some to explore if you get the chance.”

Chloe nodded.  “I will.”

She and the Chief parted ways soon after.  Once inside the privacy of her office, Chloe took the opportunity to text Justin.  It was almost 9 in New York, meaning it was almost 11 in Edmonton.  She wasn’t sure if he would be awake yet but she’d promised she would let him know as soon as she could about the trip.  Her meeting with the Residents was due to start in just a few minutes, after that she may not get another opportunity to notify Justin for a while.  Now was the perfect time.

Chloe: So…umm…how early on Thursday would you like me to get there and where should I fly into?

Justin had been awake for a bit.  He wasn’t due at the arena for a few more hours so he was enjoying a leisurely morning at the hotel.  Currently, he was indulging in his regular “pre-show” breakfast of coffee and a gluten free waffle.

His phone dinged on the table beside him and he reached for it, a slow grin tugging at his lips as he read the words on the screen.

Justin: Good morning to you too.  Don’t worry about your flights. I’ll take care of that.  I’ll send you a travel itinerary as soon as I have it. 

Chloe: Good morning.  That really wasn’t an answer to my question.

Justin: It’s Valentine’s Day. I’m spoiling you.  Just let me, ok?!

Chloe laughed and shook her head.  He was persistent, that was certain.  He was also adorable.

Chloe: Ok. I won’t argue

Justin: Smart woman.  You look beautiful today by the way

Immediately Chloe started looking around her office confused.  They were texting each other, not video chatting.  He was in Edmonton, Canada she was in New York. 

Chloe: You can’t even see me

Justin: I don’t have to

Chloe laughed and shook her head.  Not even 9 a.m. yet and here he was making her feel things already. 

Chloe:  WOW!  Smooth Mr. Timberlake.  That was really smooth.  You wouldn’t be trying to get me to fall for you, would you?

Justin: I thought I had already.  Do I need to try harder Dr. De Luca?

Chloe:  No. No need to try harder.  I can assure you, your mission has been a complete success

Justin: Glad to hear it

Chloe:  I should get going.  I have a meeting with my Attendings in about two minutes

Justin: Go! Do your thing Mama!

Chloe: Mama?!

Justin laughed then typed into his phone.

Justin: Hot Mama?! Is that better?

Chloe snorted.  He was being very flirty.  Her “meeting” after this conversation was going to be interesting.

Chloe:  Umm…sure…Sexy

Justin: Yes, you definitely are

Chloe: Ok…I’m going now.  I love you

Justin: love you too

After Edmonton Justin was scheduled to be in Tacoma for two shows.  However, extreme weather conditions in the area made it nearly impossible for crews to even reach the arena much less set up the stage.  There was more than 6 inches of snow on the ground and the roads were extremely unsafe.  Ultimately, the shows had to be canceled and fans were issued refunds. 

Admittedly, Justin felt bad about having to cancel.  However, the extra two days off before Vancouver did present him with a much-needed opportunity.  An opportunity that he fully intended to seize, but not without a little help.

It was Monday, February 11th and on this particular afternoon Adam was in his office going over case files. 

His cell phone rang, snapping Adam from his thoughts and causing him to startle a bit but he managed to answer on the third ring.

“Well, hello there.” Adam said chuckling into the phone.

“Hey, Adam.  Listen. I don’t have a lot of time so I am going to cut straight to the chase.  What’s Chloe’s schedule like tomorrow? Is she off?”

“No.  She has the “On Call” shift tomorrow.”

Justin breathed a sigh of relief.  His plan was actually going to work.

“Good.  I need a favor…”

“Ok?!” Adam replied cautiously.

“I’m in town, but NO ONE knows, not even Chloe…”

“Ok?!” Adam repeated.

He didn’t know where this conversation was going or what exactly Justin needed from him but he definitely had Adam’s undivided attention.

“Are you picking Gabby up from school tomorrow?”

Adam nodded.  “That’s the plan.”

“Do you mind…I mean…would it be ok if I came with you?”

“Yeah, sure, not a problem.  Justin, what’s going on?”

He was a no bullshit guy.  Justin knew that.  It was time to cut to the chase.

“I need to run an errand tomorrow, but I need Gabby to come with me.  I promised her she could.”

“Come with you where?” Adam insisted.

Justin chuckled nervously.  “To pick out a ring for her mother.”

Adam grinned and shook his head on his end of the call.  “Say no more Timberlake. I got you! Wait?! I thought you agreed, you weren’t going to propose on Valentine’s Day…”

Justin laughed at this.  “I’m not.  The shows in Tacoma for yesterday and today got canceled due to extreme weather.  I don’t have another show until Vancouver.  I’m not proposing yet but I also don’t have a ring yet.  I need one…and soon…and…well…this may be my only chance for a while.”

Adam grinned and nodded.  “Understood.  No further explanation needed.  Meet me at Gabby’s school tomorrow at 3:00.  I won’t say a word to Chloe.”

“Thanks man! I owe you one.”

Adam smiled and shook his head.  “Nah.  You don’t.  You putting that ring on my sister’s finger is all the thanks or payment I could ever need.”

 

“Justin!!” Gabby exclaimed.

It was just after 3:00 and Justin and Adam were standing in the pick-up line outside of Gabby’s school.

“Hey Gabby Bug!” Justin replied grinning.

He was a bit nervous but was trying not to show it.

“Mommy didn’t tell me you were coming with Uncle Adam.”

Justin blushed and shuffled his feet a bit.  He really didn’t like keeping things from Chloe but she couldn’t know about this, not yet.  Not if his plan for the proposal was going to work.

Fortunately, Adam came to his rescue.

“Your Mommy didn’t know.  You and Justin have an errand you need to run, a really important errand…”

Gabby’s eyes widened.  “Oh!  Are we going…”

Justin grinned bashfully and nodded.  “Yeah. You up for it?”

Immediately Gabby took her backpack off and thrust it at her uncle, then reached for Justin’s hand.

“Let’s go!”

Adam and Justin both laughed.

“I think she’s up for it!” Adam teased.

“Looks like it.”

Meanwhile, Gabby had grabbed Justin’s hand again and was now trying to pull him down the sidewalk. 

“C’mon! Let’s go! We don’t have much time! My bedtime is in FIVE hours, AND I have to have dinner, take a shower, brush my hair and my teeth, set out my uniform for tomorrow, read books…”

Justin laughed and allowed himself to be pulled away.

“I’ll have her home way before bedtime.” Justin called to Adam.

Adam just laughed and shook his head, slinging Gabby’s backpack over his shoulder.

“I’m not worried.”

Justin chuckled nervously.  “Well, I’m glad one of us isn’t.”

“You’re in good hands.  Gabby won’t steer you wrong.”

When they entered the jewelry store Gabby’s jaw dropped.  Her eyes were wide with excitement, her jaw just as wide as she gaped at her surroundings.

“Wow! It’s just like in mommy’s favorite movie…or one of them…”

Justin looked to Gabby.  “What’s your mommy’s favorite movie?”

“Sweet Home Alabama.”

Justin nodded and smiled.  Gabby was right, this was just like the movie.  In fact, they were in the same shop and the scene in front of them was exactly the same.

  “And the other?”

Gabby grinned.  “On the Line!  What does “Dee Nee Ro” mean?”

Justin laughed and covered his face with his hand momentarily.  “Oh boy! Umm…it’s a joke…we were being silly.  C’mon, let’s go pick out a ring, shall we?”

“Yes!”

For at least the next hour Gabby and Justin combed through the shop carefully examining nearly every ring.  There was only one case left and Justin was getting nervous they wouldn’t find what he was looking for.

He was looking for something simple, yet elegant.  Something that wasn’t too overpowering.  He also wanted something a little non-traditional.

“May we see that one?’ He asked pointing to a ring on the top shelf of the last case.

The Jewelry store clerk, an older woman, probably in her late 40’s or early 50’s nodded, smiled and retrieved the ring without a word.

The ring he’d asked to see was a 1 carat, square cut halo diamond engagement ring with an alternating rose gold and diamond twisted band.

It fit his criteria perfectly but he wanted to know what Gabby thought.

“What do you think Gabby?” Justin asked nodding to the ring.

Gabby grinned.  It was obvious to Justin that she was trying very hard to be respectful, polite and contain her excitement in public.  Her grin was one of the biggest he’d ever seen.

“I LOVE it!” Gabby exclaimed.

“Do you think your mommy will like it?”

“YES!!”

“I think this is the one.” Justin said, smiling at the clerk.

“Does it come with a pretty box?” Gabby asked seriously.

“Yes?!” The clerk replied, her expression puzzled but polite.

Gabby could tell by the clerk’s expression and the one on Justin’s face that she needed to explain.  Like her mother, details were important.

“In the movies the guy always has a ring in a pretty box…”

Both Justin and the clerk smiled and nodded but Gabby wasn’t finished with her explanation.

“And…well…mommy will need somewhere safe to put it when she is at work…she doesn’t wear jewelry to work…not even the ring my daddy gave her.  Not because she didn’t want to, but because she didn’t want it to get lost or stolen…AND…you can’t wear a ring with surgical gloves…it rips them.”

“Let me guess, your mommy is a doctor?”

“A surgeon.” Gabby corrected.

The clerk’s smile grew and she nodded then proceeded to produce one of the signature Tiffany blue ring boxes from inside the case.

“A surgeon!  Wow! Well then, in that case, will this work?” she asked Gabby showing her the box.

Gabby grinned.  “PERFECT!”

***

It was the perfect ring, or so he hoped and Justin was beyond excited.  However, he wasn’t ready to propose quite yet.  Some of the finer details still needed to be worked out.  In the meantime, he had Valentine’s Day to look forward to. 

History aside, Chloe was excited about Valentine’s Day as well.  As promised, Justin had taken care of her travel plans.  Justin had taken care of pretty much everything.  It was not at all what Chloe was accustomed to.

Chloe was up early that morning.  Not at as early as she normally had to get up for work but still early.  Adam was already awake and getting ready for the day when she stepped into the kitchen, her carry-on duffel bag over one shoulder and her purse over the other.

“Wait?! You packed clothes?” Adam teased before taking a sip of his coffee.

Chloe made a face as she went to the cupboard for a coffee mug.  Justin was sending a car to take her to the airport but it wasn’t due to arrive for a few more minutes.  She had time for a small cup of coffee.

“It’s not like we are going to be holed up in the hotel the whole time. He does have two shows to do.”

“Right. Right.” Adam smirked.

“Whatever! I don’t have to explain myself to you.”

Adam chuckled and nodded.  “No.  You certainly don’t.  All teasing aside…I want you to have a really good time.  You deserve it.”

Chloe smiled, lifting her cup to her lips.  “Thanks.  You too.  I hope you and Derek have a wonderful time together, and thanks for taking Gabby to school for me. Don’t let her forget her Valentine’s box and the treats for her classmates.”

“Got it! No problem.  Mom said she would pick her up after school.”

“Yeah, I will pick her up Saturday when I get back to town.”

“Did you go say “goodbye” already?”

Chloe smiled wistfully and nodded.  This would be the first time she would be leaving Gabby for this long EVER.

“Yeah.”

Adam gave Chloe a reassuring smile.  He knew this was the one part of the trip that Chloe was struggling with the most.

“Gabby will be fine.  She will be at school for most of the time you are gone and when she isn’t Mom and Dad will be spoiling her to death.”

“I know…it’s just…”

This time it was Adam that made the face.  “Stop!  This is good for you…for both of you.”

“I know.”

Adam grinned.  “Good. Go! Have fun!  Just don’t do anything I wouldn’t…”

Chloe smirked.  “That’s not saying much.”

Right then the doorbell rang.  Chloe’s car had arrived.

Adam and Gabby walked her to the door.  Gabby was dressed and ready for school, her backpack already on her back, her Valentine’s box and treats tucked safely inside.

“Have fun mommy! Give Justin a hug for me.”

Chloe smiled and hugged her daughter.  “I will.  Be good for your uncle and for Grandma and Grandma.”

“I will.”

Adam just shook his head and grinned at her.  “Go!”

“I’m going.” Chloe said stepping out of the Brownstone and onto the steps.

The chauffer was standing next to the car, waiting to take her bag and help her inside.  Chloe rolled down the window and waved as the car pulled away from the curb.  Only once the car turned the corner did she direct her attention to her surroundings. 

It was your typical chauffeured car, leather seats, privacy glass, darkened windows.  Giggling a bit Chloe leaned back into the seat.  She was still trying to wrap her head around what was happening.  She closed her eyes briefly, trying to take it all in but when she opened her eyes again her eyes fell on the cupholder in front of her.  There was a Starbucks cup and a note on top.

White Chocolate Mocha, right? Can’t wait to see you

Love,

Justin

Chloe giggled again and took a sip.  She hadn’t even made it out of New York yet and already her Valentine’s Day was better than any other she could remember.

The ride from the Brownstone to the airport was quick, or at least it felt quick.   She’d barely made it through a third of her coffee when the car pulled to a stop on the tar-mak at La Guardia.  In front of her, a private jet was waiting.

Chloe felt her heart jump into her throat.  This was not at ALL what she’d expected.  A member of the flight crew was already waiting next to the stairs leading up to the plane.

Immediately upon stepping out of the car Chloe retrieved her phone from her bag and snapped a photo then sent a text to her brother.

The text consisted of a photo of the plane and a caption that simply read “Holy SHIT!”

Adam was in the middle of a meeting when the text came through but he managed to discreetly check his phone and send back a quick reply.

Adam: Nicely done Timberlake! Enjoy it girl!

Giggling to herself Chloe returned the phone to her purse and started for the stairs.  The chauffeur had already handed off her duffel bag to the flight attendant.

“Welcome aboard Dr. De Luca.” The captain said as Chloe stepped through the cabin door.

“Thank you.”

Once inside the plane Chloe’s heart jumped again.  The inside of the plane was gorgeous.  Plush, cream colored, recliner seats, a big screen television, large windows and there in front of her seat, a beautiful breakfast spread.

Chloe couldn’t help but blush and giggle as she took her seat.  On the table in front of her, next to her breakfast was another note.

I wasn’t sure how you did on planes so I opted for something light.

Counting the hours until I see you.

Love,

Justin

Her breakfast consisted of fresh fruit, yogurt and granola and a Mimosa with a slice of orange hanging from the rim of the glass.

“Can I get you anything before we take off Dr. De Luca?”

Chloe blushed and looked up at the flight attendant.  She was smiling down at Chloe.  It made Chloe blush more.  She was still trying to get her bearings and convince herself she wasn’t dreaming.

“No, thank you.  I’m ok.”

“If you need anything please don’t hesitate to ask.  It’s a 6-hour flight to Vancouver.  We should be getting there about 4 p.m. local time.  A car will be waiting to take you to the hotel to get settled once we land.”

“Umm…thanks.” Chloe managed to reply.

“My pleasure Dr. De Luca…”

“It’s Chloe…please…I’m off duty for the next three days.”

The flight attendant smiled and nodded.  “Understood.  We should be taking off in about five minutes.”

“Thank you.”

Once the flight attendant stepped away Chloe turned her attention back to her breakfast.  She hadn’t been on a plane since her honeymoon and nearly ten years had passed since then.  Truth be told, she wasn’t sure how she was going to do on the flight so she appreciated Justin’s attention to detail.

Five minutes later they were taking off as scheduled.  Chloe felt her stomach lurch a bit but once they reached cruising altitude, she was fine.  Smiling, she leaned back against the seat and tried to maintain her giggles.  This trip was definitely going to be one to remember. 

Shaking herself a bit Chloe opened her eyes and turned her attention to the food in front of her.  She typically didn’t eat much for breakfast so this was perfect.  Chloe took a sip from the mimosa then reached for the spoon.  After several bites of yogurt, she took the opportunity to look around. 

It really was a nice plane.  Very comfortable.  The remote was on the table.  She took it and turned on the television.  A movie had already been cued up to play.

Chloe made a face and then hit the button on the remote to start the movie.  Her eyes widened as the opening credits and the music began to play, her jaw dropping as the two figures on the screen came running into view.

“What the hell? How did he…”

The movie on the screen was “Sweet Home Alabama”

Chloe had her suspicions but rather than make a fuss she decided to just go with it.  Giggling, she took another long sip from her glass and sat back in the chair.  If Justin had gone to all this trouble, the least she could do was enjoy it.

About halfway through the movie Chloe drifted off to sleep.  When she woke up again the flight attendant was bringing lunch.  A chicken salad sandwich, a cup of creamy tomato basil soup and a pickle on the side.  It was delicious.

Just a few more hours and they would be landing in Vancouver.

Chloe couldn’t help but smile and look out the window as they made the final descent into Vancouver. The city did look very pretty from this vantage point. Her stomach lurched again as she felt the wheels of the plane hit the runway and the butterflies in her stomach did summersaults as the force of the plane pulled her back in the seat. 

After a brief stop at Customs Chloe was escorted to a car waiting for her outside the airport.  Minutes later they were pulling up to the Valet at the Rosewood Hotel Georgia. 

The driver helped her from the vehicle and Chloe stepped out on the curb, her eyes traveling up to the top of the building.  From the outside, it was a beautiful hotel so she could only imagine what the inside looked like.

Chloe tipped the car driver then followed the Valet who was carrying her bags into the hotel. 

“Good afternoon, how can I help you?”

Chloe bit her lip nervously and looked at the front desk clerk.  Justin hadn’t given her any further instructions on what to do once she got to Vancouver so she was going to have to figure this out for herself.

“Umm…well…to be honest, I don’t know…I hope so…”

“Do you have a reservation?”

“Umm…” Chloe stuttered.

“What’s your name? Do you have some I.D.?”

Chloe blushed and reached for her purse.  “Yes, yes of course…the name is Chloe…Chloe De Luca…Dr. Chloe De Luca.”

Chloe retrieved her Driver’s license from her purse and handed it to the clerk, then waited patiently while the clerk typed something into the computer.

After several agonizing minutes of waiting the hotel clerk looked up again and smiled.

“Yes.  Here it is.  I have you booked in the Rosewood suite for two nights.”

At hearing the clerk’s words Chloe couldn’t help but let a small laugh escape her lips, but quickly corrected herself.  Meanwhile, the clerk was giving her a curious look.

“I’m sorry, please forgive me. I am not laughing at you.  The Rosewood Suite…yes…that sounds lovely.”

“Perfect, I’ll have our Concierge show you to the room.  Here is your key as well an extra for your “guest.”

Chloe blushed and took the card keys from the clerk’s hand then giggled slightly as the clerk winked at her.

“Enjoy your stay.”

“Thank you.”

The butterflies in Chloe’s stomach began to surge again as she waited patiently for the Concierge to open the door.

Chloe gasped as she stepped into the suite.  The word “beautiful” did not do it justice.  Truthfully, words couldn’t describe what she was feeling right then.  Spoiled indeed! 

Quickly, Chloe tipped the Concierge then held her breath until the door shut behind him.  She was alone.

Her eyes darted around the room taking in every inch of the space.  In front of her, a spacious living room that featured a seating area as well as en-suite bathroom and a dining area.  Every flat surface in the room was adorned with bouquets of roses and there were rose petals scattered across the sofa, floor and leading a trail to the master bedroom. 

In that moment Chloe realized Justin had recreated a scene from the movie.  It made her smile immediately.

The master bedroom was just as, if not more beautiful than the living space. Inside the room, a king size bed, also covered in rose petals.  A HUGE master bathroom connected to the room complete with a walk in, fully tiled, rainforest shower, a large soaker tub, dual sink vanities and a separate toilet area.

However, Chloe’s favorite part of the suite was the rooftop garden terrace.  It had a STUNNING view and featured a plunge pool and a fireplace.

Chloe couldn’t help but snap a few photos and send them to Adam.

Chloe: made it to Vancouver.  Currently admiring the view

Moments later Adam’s reply popped onto the screen.

Adam: DAMN! 

Chloe giggled then quickly typed her reply. 

Chloe: My thoughts exactly

Adam: GO! Enjoy! I’ll talk to you soon

Chloe smiled and tucked her phone into her back pocket then proceeded to the master bedroom.

Her duffel was already at the foot of the bed. There were rose petals all over the bed as well as the couch and chair in the room.  On the coffee table, a bouquet that mirrored the one Justin had sent for her birthday, complete with a card.

Chloe giggled as she lifted the card from where it was resting amongst the flowers and carefully opened the envelope.

A rose for every moment I thought of you today.  Relax.  Get ready.  A car will bring you to the arena as soon as you are ready. 

Love,

Justin

He’d quoted the movie and Chloe couldn’t help but notice. 

It was Valentine’s Day and the first time Chloe would be seeing Justin in over a week, almost two weeks, meaning she had decided to dress up a bit more.  Nothing too crazy, but definitely an occasion to wear something a bit nicer than jeans and a t-shirt.

Smiling to herself, Chloe grabbed her bag and headed for the bathroom to get ready for the show.  She was dressed and ready to go in record time. 

When she looked into the mirror Chloe couldn’t help but giggle.  Given that she spent the majority of her waking hours dressed in scrubs or a lab coat and business attire, this was a HUGE deviation from the norm, but even she could admit she looked pretty good.

Her makeup, for the most part was natural, except for hint of a smoky eye and a bit darker shade on her lips.  Her hair had just the slightest curl.  Her top, a sparkly emerald green tank top with a plunging V neck line, paired with a leather jacket that she would definitely ditch in Justin’s dressing room before the show.  Her pants, black faux leather and on her feet a pair of black leather, ankle boots. 

Once she was ready to go Chloe stuck the hotel card key, her ID and a debit card in her pockets and headed for the door. 

Before Chloe could blink, she was following Eric, Justin’s guard, through the backstage halls of the arena.

Eric had mentioned that Justin was in the shower when they first arrived so rather than just sit in the dressing room Chloe opted to find the Craft services table in the hopes there would be something left to eat.  Lunch on the plane was hours ago and she had been so excited about seeing Justin and getting ready for the show that she really hadn’t had dinner.

Several of the Tennessee Kids were mingling about but Chloe kept to herself.  She didn’t want to disturb their “pre-show” routine. 

Chloe was piling some cheese and crackers onto a plate when a vaguely familiar voice interrupted her thoughts.

“Yeah, sorry, there isn’t much left.  Some of us tend to over indulge a bit before the show, especially when the spread is good.”

Chloe turned to look to her right only to be greeted by a pair of chocolate brown eyes and a warm friendly smile.  She recognized the woman as one of the back-up singers.

“It’s ok, this is actually more than I typically get at work so I’m good. It’s Nicole, right?!”

The woman smiled and nodded.  “Yes.  That’s right.”

Chloe blushed a bit and bit her lip.  “Thought so.  I’m still trying to remember everyone’s names.”

Nicole laughed, her laughter lighting up her face.  “How’s that going?”

“Umm…well…I’m still struggling with a few of the band members but I think I have everyone else memorized.”

“It’s an admirable goal.  I know he appreciates it.”

“Well, I know how much he loves all of you.  You’re like family, so I thought it was worth it to make the effort.”

Nicole smiled at Chloe, and it was a genuine smile.  Chloe knew that much immediately.  On all accounts, based on the little she did know Nicole was very sweet.  Definitely someone worth getting to know, especially if Chloe continued to date Justin for any length of time.  More importantly, she knew that making friends outside the walls of the hospital might actually be good for her. 

“You are family too.  You and your daughter, whom by the way is absolutely ADORABLE.”

“Thanks.”

There was a bit of an awkward pause but it was extremely brief.

Nicole eyed the plate of cheese and crackers then grinned up at Chloe.  “It’s Valentine’s Day, you’re on vacation, calories don’t count, right?”

Chloe giggled and made a face.  “Umm, I guess not. Why?”

“C’mon, follow me.  Justin splurged on a frozen yogurt bar.  To be honest, I think it was because he knew you were coming, or maybe he was craving frozen yogurt.  Either way, I’m not complaining.”

Chloe laughed and followed Nicole around a corner.

“What happened to “gluten free?!”

“He cheats sometimes.  Not a lot, but every once in a while.  I think tonight might be one of those exceptions.”

Minutes later Chloe and Nicole were happily indulging in cups of frozen yogurt.  Chloe’s cup was filled with Cookies and Cream frozen yogurt with Heath bar pieces mixed in.  Nicole had a much smaller cup of vanilla with chocolate and caramel syrup poured over the top.

“Protecting your voice?” Chloe asked nodding to Nicole’s cup.

“Yeah…can’t have too much…”

Chloe nodded knowingly.  “Yeah, I know…the dairy…”

“Oh, that’s right, you’re a surgeon…”

“A trauma surgeon, so I don’t work on vocal-chords much but I know enough.”

“So I’ve heard.”

Chloe blushed furiously.  “Do all of you know…I mean…do all of you know what happened that night?”

Nicole gave Chloe a reassuring smile, her eyes softening as she spoke.  “No. Not everyone, but there is a core group that know.  What you did…jumping out of your car…saving his life…WOW! Just wow!  I could never…”

Chloe giggled nervously and bit her lip.  “Well, as I told him, I could never do what you do.  Seriously! Your voice …and I do mean your voice in particular is INCREDIBLE!  Your rendition of Lauryn Hill…probably one of my favorite parts of the show!”

“Hey now! I heard that!” Justin exclaimed as he approached.

Chloe and Nicole both laughed and turned towards Justin.  He was smiling, a great big cheesy smile.

He put an arm over each woman’s shoulder and hugged each of them as soon as he was close enough to do so.

“BUT…I happen to agree!” Justin said, still grinning.

“Thanks.” Nicole replied smiling.

“No thanks needed.  I see you found the frozen yogurt.”

Chloe giggled.  “I had help.  We decided it was a better dinner option than cheese and crackers.”

Justin chuckled and nodded, reaching for Chloe’s hand.  “Agreed.  And it’s Valentine’s Day so calories don’t count.”

“Exactly!” Nicole laughed.

“Mind if I steal her away?”

Nicole smiled knowingly and nodded.  “Not at all.  I need to go get ready for Sound Check anyway.”

Nicole then turned directed her attention back to Chloe.

“We’ll chat again later?!”

Chloe grinned.  “Definitely!”

Once inside the dressing room Justin locked the door then pulled Chloe close.  He slid his arms around her waist, pulling her to him, then leaned his head against hers, allowing his eyes to flutter closed as he breathed in her scent.

“I missed you!” Justin whispered quietly.

“I missed you too.”

Justin stood there for a long moment just holding her to him, his arms wrapped around her waist, their foreheads touching, reveling in the closeness. 

Chloe sighed and allowed herself to relax into him.  She’d been waiting for this moment all day.

“How was the flight?” Justin asked as he pulled away slightly.

Chloe smiled and bit her lip.  “Good.”

Justin chuckled.  “Just good?”

Chloe giggled and pulled away a bit more.  “You spoil me. The coffee, the plane, breakfast and that suite…OH MY GOD!”

“Nice?”

Chloe’s eyes grew wide.  “You haven’t seen it?”

“Not yet.  We rolled into Vancouver late last night.  I slept on the bus.  Actually, I tossed and turned on the bus…I was too excited to sleep.”

Chloe nodded.  She understood his dilemma.  “I couldn’t sleep either…I mean…I was in surgery until late so there is that.  We were SLAMMED yesterday, but even when I got home, I couldn’t sleep, but I did take a bit of a nap on the plane.”

“Comfy, isn’t it?”

Chloe giggled.  “Very.  Although you’ve now ruined any future flights for me.  I am not going to want to fly commercial ever again.”

Justin laughed and shook his head.  This little vacation was all about spoiling her so hearing that she’d enjoyed herself made him extremely happy.

“Well, it is my jet…”

Chloe laughed at his statement, letting her head fall back a bit.  It made Justin blush.  She really was gorgeous when she laughed and the way she was dressed, it was giving him a thrill and making him think and feel things he shouldn’t this close to show time.

“You look…AMAZING by the way…”

“Thanks. You do too.  Don’t get me wrong…I’ve always appreciated the “Suit & tie” look from the 20/20 tour but THIS…the jeans…the t-shirt…sexy and comfortable…I love it!!”

Justin grinned, pulling her close again, their noses touching.  “Mmm, yeah?”

“Yeah.” Chloe replied, her voice dropping to a whisper.

Justin took that as his cue, his lips closing over hers.  His hands were at her waist, his fingers grazing the skin where the hem of her shirt met the waistband of her pants.  Chloe sucked in a breath when his fingers met her skin, but there was no move to stop him.  She had been dreaming of this moment for weeks.

Justin deepened the kiss, groaning against her lips as he pushed her back against the door.  They kissed, rather intensely for several minutes until a knock on the other side of the door snapped them both back into reality.

“You ready for Sound check, J?”

Justin let a grumble escape his lips as he pulled away causing Chloe to giggle.

“Yeah.” Justin grunted.  “Give me a minute.”

Chloe just giggled more.  “Now, don’t get grumpy…I promise, we can pick this up later.”

“Pinkie promise?!”

Chloe laughed and nodded then reached for his face, rubbing off the lipstick that was now smeared across his stubble with her thumb.

“Sure.”

Justin reached out, returning the gesture but allowing his fingers to linger on her face for a moment before grunting again and quickly adjusting himself.

“C’mon.  You can see what Sound Check is like.”

Chloe nodded and smiled then allowed herself to be lead through the intricate hallways and corridors leading to the stage.  When they reached the arena floor everyone else was already in position. 

“About time!” One of the band members teased.

From the stage, Nicole looked down and gave Chloe a wink and a smile. 

“Cut the man some slack, it is Valentine’s Day and Chloe is in town.  Like you wouldn’t do the same if your lady was here.”

The band member chuckled a bit and nodded.  “Touché, well played Nicole.  Nice to see you again Chloe.”

“Thanks.” Chloe said blushing.

The fact that EVERY single person on stage was so welcoming was not lost on Chloe.  Justin really did have the BEST team. 

Sound Check was fun to watch.  Chloe loved seeing how everyone interacted with one another and how they supported each other throughout the show.  It was almost like watching surgery.  Every single person had their part to play and everyone had their moment to shine. 

After Sound Check it was back to the dressing room for a bit.  Chloe sat with Justin and they chatted a bit about casual things; the tour, her work, Gabby, Adam and Derek.  It was nice to catch up and just be in the same room together.

Soon, it was time for Justin to get ready to take the stage and Chloe to find her spot. 

“It’s Valentine’s Day…I can’t promise I won’t sing to you a bit more tonight.” Justin said grinning at Chloe.

“I can’t promise I won’t enjoy it a bit more tonight.  Are you going to give me a Timber-touch too?!” Chloe teased back.

Justin laughed and shook his head as his eyes went a bit wide.  The thoughts running through his head right then would definitely make Chloe blush.

“A what?!”

Chloe laughed a bit more and bit her lip.  “Apparently, it’s a THING!  It’s when you touch a fan’s hand while you are singing.  I overheard someone call it that at Madison Square Garden.”

“It sounds dirty!!!” Justin chuckled.

Chloe giggled and made a face.  “Well…”

Her expression made Justin laugh more.  Given the discussion he was feeling a bit flirty. 

“Hmm…how about we save the “Timber-touches” for later…at the hotel…”

“Ok, now it sounds dirty!”

Justin grinned devilishly.  “So, you’re saying you don’t want one…or three…”

Chloe put her hands on her hips and gave Justin a look.  It was a playful, mischievous look but it was still a look.

“Did I say that? Did those words even come out of my mouth?”

“No.” Justin chuckled.

He absolutely loved this side of her.  True, he loved every side of her, but this confident, flirty side of her definitely ranked high on the list.

“Then I guess you have your answer, don’t you?”

“Guess so.” Justin smirked.

“It’s time J.” Eric called from the other side of the door.

“I’ll find you.” Justin said before popping a kiss on Chloe’s lips.

“You better.” Chloe replied.

Moments later Chloe was standing on the arena floor in the Friends & Family section with security just a few feet away. 

The lights went down and Chloe felt her heart stop and her breath catch in her throat. She loved watching Justin perform.  Watching him in his element, doing something that gave him such joy made her heart happy.

As promised, Justin devoted a lot of his attention to her throughout the show. 

During “Man of the Woods” He sang the line “I brag about you…” to her just as he’d done in New York.  When he sang “Higher, Higher” he found her in the crowd and sang at least three bars, his eyes never straying from hers.

“Mirrors” was the highlight.  He moved about the stage, interacting with fans but he found ways to let her know that he was singing to her.

Midway through the show, just before the “campfire” section Chloe heard someone say her name.  At first, she thought she was just being paranoid, but out of the corner of her eye she saw two girls looking in her direction.

It was loud, and hard to hear but she could just make out what they were saying.

“That’s her! That’s Chloe De Luca! She and Justin are dating.  She was at the Madison Square Garden show, with her daughter and two guys.  The rumor is she’s the one that saved his life the night of his motorcycle accident.”

Chloe sucked in a breath and diverted her attention back to the stage.  Apparently, Adam had it right, the fans knew about her. 

Then, to the complete surprise and shock of everyone in the arena, including Chloe, the melody changed and Justin started to sing “Morning light.”

Shockwaves shot down her spine as he sang the first part of the song.  He sang, danced around and reached out to fans, grabbing their hands as he sang.  Meanwhile, Chloe couldn’t help but notice that he was making his way towards her, inching closer with each note.

Then, before she even had time to process what was happening, he stopped in front of her, reached for her hand and sang:

Cause I’m in love with you

Laying here in the morning light

And all I wanna do

 is hold you tight

Just one more night

If the fans didn’t know about her before, they certainly did now, but truthfully, she didn’t care.  She was totally in love with him.  She was 100% certain of it in that moment.

Now it was nearing the end of the show.  Justin was just moving into the last song, “Can’t Stop the Feeling.” About a third of the way through the song a guard signaled that it was time to move.  Security wanted to beat the crowd and right then, Chloe was more than happy to oblige.

Quickly, Chloe followed Security across the crowded arena floor and backstage.  They stopped briefly at Justin’s dressing room to collect her jacket then headed for a secret exit that was inaccessible to anyone not involved with the tour.  As soon as the door opened a blast of cool Vancouver night air hit Chloe causing her to shiver slightly.  A car was already waiting and Chloe thanked the driver as he held the door for her.

“Mr. Timberlake will be joining us shortly.” The driver said once he was in his seat.

Chloe nodded then smiled.  “Thank you.”

Without another word Chloe leaned her head back against the seat and closed her eyes.  She was trying to soak it all in.  The flight, the hotel, the show.  Justin had gone out of his way to make sure that this Valentine’s Day was memorable for all the right reasons, and it wasn’t even over yet. 

She didn’t know how long they sat there, the car idling in wait, but after some time she heard the door open and felt the seat beside her shift.  Someone was sitting next to her.  Then, just as she was about to open her eyes, she felt a hand on her thigh and his voice echoed in her ears.

“Hey Beautiful…you asleep?”

Chloe pushed herself up to sit then turned her head towards him.

“No.  Just trying to process everything.”

“Need any help?”

Chloe smiled and shook her head.   He was looking at her, that cute smile on his lips, the one she couldn’t get enough of. 

“Maybe once we get to the hotel.”

Justin grinned, then signaled the driver they were ready to move.

Given that the hotel was less than a mile from the arena it was a short trip but neither said much until they were safely tucked away inside the hotel room.

“Wow!” Justin said as he surveyed the room.

Chloe giggled and nodded.  “You did good.”

“I had help.” Justin said, blushing with embarrassment.

Chloe smiled then popped a kiss on his lips.  “I get it.  You are a busy man.  I am not complaining one bit.  In fact, I’m going to wager a guess that this was at the very least, all your idea, so really, just the thought does count.”

Justin grinned.  “You’re cute…did you know that?”

“Cute?!” Chloe replied making a face.

Justin chuckled at her expression.  “Yeah, “cute.” Not “cute” like I want to pinch your cheeks but “cute” like I want to push you up against a wall…again!”

“Again?! Do you mean like you did earlier, in your dressing room…”

Justin’s eyes were glinting now. 

“Something like that.”

Chloe giggled.  “Hmm…well…”

Justin laughed then leaned into her a bit, letting his voice drop low.  “How about we get a shower, get comfortable, then we’ll see about the wall…”

Chloe nodded then allowed herself to be led towards the bathroom.  Once inside, Chloe’s hands went to the hem of his shirt while his went for the button on her pants.  Eyes locked on each other and hearts pounding they both made quick work of removing the clothes off each other, letting them fall in heap at their feet.

With the rainforest shower streaming down on them Justin pulled Chloe to him, capturing her lips in a kiss.  His tongue found hers easily and for a long time they just stood there, underneath the warm water, kissing.

“Not sure I have the energy for a repeat performance of the last time we did this.” Justin whispered.

Chloe giggled and nodded then pulled away slightly.  “I’ll let you finish…washing up I mean…”

“K.” Justin said popping a kiss on her lips.

Chloe washed up quickly then stepped out of the shower, wrapping a towel around her and a 2nd around her hair.

After getting out of the shower Chloe found her way to the sink.  She washed the make-up from her face with a bar of the hotel soap and a washcloth.  Next to the sink was a cupboard with two big, fluffy, white robes inside.  She put one on then set the other out for Justin to find.

With her hair freshly combed, the towels hung to dry and her robe in place Chloe proceeded out to the garden terrace.  Immediately she noticed that the fireplace had already been lit and there was bottle of champagne in a bucket of ice on the patio table closest to the fire.

Chloe smirked softly and shook her head.  Justin really had gone all out.  There wasn’t a single detail he’d missed.  Not one.

The champagne and the fire momentarily forgotten Chloe stepped to the edge of the terrace, letting her legs and her waist press up against the concrete as she looked out at the Vancouver skyline.  It was close to midnight so the streetlights were on, illuminating the city below but they were on the 12th floor so there was little chance of anyone seeing her.

Even from the opposite side of the terrace she could feel the warmth from the fire on her back, but the cool breeze coming from the night air still colored her cheeks. 

Chloe sighed happily, pulling the robe tight and closed her eyes.  This was what true happiness felt like.

As soon as Justin got out of the shower, he found the robe.  Quickly, he dried himself off with a towel then slipped into the robe.  He combed his hair and brushed his teeth then went to find Chloe.

He couldn’t help but smile when he saw her.  She was standing out on the terrace, her back to him, a matching robe tied around her.  She looked peaceful.

Quietly, so as not to startle her Justin stepped out onto the terrace then moved to stand behind her, slowly slipping his arms around her waist and burying his face in her neck.

“Aren’t you cold?”

Chloe smiled and shook her head, turning in his arms to face him. 

“No.”

“What are you doing out here?”

“Just thinking.”

“About?”

Chloe blushed, thankfully, because her cheeks were already pink from the night air, she didn’t think he noticed.

Or did he?

There was something about the way he was looking at her.  It was almost as if he knew something she didn’t.

“You. Me. The future.”

Justin had to fight to smother a smile.  He knew things, things she didn’t, and keeping those things quiet for the next couple of weeks was going to be harder than he initially anticipated. 

“And what are your thoughts telling you…about the future I mean…”

Chloe blushed more, and as she looked up at him, she was sure he could tell.

“I’m not sure…not yet anyway…”

“No?!”

“No.  Why?”

“No reason…I just like knowing what goes on in that brilliant mind of yours.”

Chloe laughed and shook her head.  She wasn’t buying it.  Her gut instinct was telling her something was  up.  However, she wasn’t about to spoil things by overthinking. 

“Hmm…well…right now I’m thinking that couch in front of the fire looks awfully cozy.”

Justin grinned.  “Sounds good to me.”

Chloe’s entire trip to Vancouver was utter bliss.  Truly, she had never had a more incredible Valentine’s Day.  Justin had gone above and beyond to make her feel like a queen.  Now it was back to reality.  Back to the grind.  A week had passed since Chloe returned to New York and as much as she tried to deny it, she was still floating. 

Justin was on the west coast, doing shows in California meaning there was a 3-hour time difference between him and Chloe.  It made communication difficult but they were trying to make it work.  Today was not a good day.  It was Saturday.  Chloe was at work and although her shift was nearly over there was no indication that things were letting up anytime soon.  Things were BUSY, and that was putting it nicely.  Truthfully, it had been CRAZY all day.  One trauma after another.  She’d done three surgeries already and was silently praying a fourth didn’t come in before her shift was over.

At the present moment she was standing at the Nurses’ station, outside of Post-Op, working on charts as she munched on a granola bar. 

She’d just finished the granola bar and was throwing the wrapper in the trash when a disembodied voice came over the hospital P.A. system. 

Paging Dr. De Luca to the Emergency Room.  Dr. De Luca to the E.R.

Chloe groaned and handed her charts over to the nurse.

“Duty calls.” Chloe grumbled.

Quickly, Chloe made her way down to the Emergency Room.  As expected, it was chaos.  She didn’t understand why.  It was just a typical Saturday.  It wasn’t a holiday.  There were no major events happening in the city that day.  So, why the hospital was so busy was a complete mystery.

Upon entering the Emergency Room Chloe found the nearest Attending doctor.  She was hoping it was just a simple consult but Chloe’s gut was telling her it wouldn’t be that easy.

“I was paged.” Chloe told the Attending, a doctor named, Dr. Wilson.

Dr. Wilson nodded, directing her gaze to the private trauma rooms.  “Yeah, trauma bay 2.  The patient was actually pretty insistent that it be you.”

Chloe made a face.  Now that her name and face were out there, she was praying it wasn’t a Justin fan trying to get close.

“Female?” Chloe questioned.

Dr. Wilson shook her head.  “Nope.  40-year-old adult male.  Severe abdominal pain and vomiting.”

“Got it.” Chloe replied heading for the trauma room.

She grabbed a pair of gloves from the dispenser outside the door and put them on before entering the room.

Adam was 42, not 40 so it wasn’t him, and because he was immediate family, she couldn’t treat him anyway.  Adam knew that.  She didn’t think it was Derek either.  Adam would have let her know.  Aside from the two of them, and Justin, she really didn’t know who might have requested her specifically. 

Upon entering the trauma room that question was quickly answered.

Chloe’s eyes went wide.  On the gurney in front of her was a very familiar face.  The pain in his green eyes was evident and his bleach blonde hair was drenched with sweat. 

Across the room, two very panicked looking men.  One with dark, curly hair that was peppered with grey and just brushed the top of his shoulders.  The other had darker, shorter hair and looked to be near tears.  Chloe recognized both men immediately.

Chloe looked to the man with the peppered gray hair first. 

“Really Mr. Chasez?! This is starting to become a habit with you.”

Before he had a chance to respond Chloe diverted her attention back to the man on the gurney.  Truthfully, she felt as if she was experiencing a bit of déjà vu.  Shaking the thought from her head she looked down at her patient and offered a reassuring smile.

She was just about to open her mouth to speak when he turned his head away and proceeded to vomit into a bin.

Chloe then directed her gaze towards the other man in the room.  The one that looked as if he was ready to cry.

“Nausea, abdominal pain and vomiting.  Any fever?”

The man nodded.

“When did symptoms first start?”

“This morning.  We flew in last night.  Here for a birthday party.  He started complaining that his stomach hurt shortly after we got up.”

“Has he eaten anything today?”

The man shook his head.  Chloe forced a smile then proceeded to approach her patient.

“Ok Mr. Bass, let’s figure out what’s going on here, shall we?”

Lance looked up at Chloe and managed a weak smile as he nodded.  “It’s Lance…and please…”

Chloe nodded then directed her attention to the nurse in the room, who until now, had remained quiet.

“I’m about 99.9% positive I know what this is, but would you please go find me a portable ultrasound machine so I can be sure?”

“Sure thing Dr. De Luca.”

“What do you think it is?” the dark-haired man asked.

Chloe could see the fear in his eyes.  It warmed her heart.  She’d only met the man once, but it was obvious then, and even more now, that Michael Turchin would do anything for his husband.

“Well, Mr. Turchin.  I think your husband is suffering from a case of Acute Appendicitis.”

“What does that mean?” Lance groaned.

Chloe couldn’t help but smirk slightly and shake her head.  Apparently, the universe really wanted her as a member of the *NSYNC inner circle of trust.

“Well Lance, unfortunately, it means that whether I like it or not, I’ve apparently become the un-official surgeon for the members of *NSYNC.”

“He needs surgery?” Michael blurted out.

Chloe shifted her gaze.  She understood that watching someone you love go through this kind of pain was heart-wrenching.  Feeling helpless to do anything about it was even worse.

“Yes, Mr. Turchin I am fairly certain that your husband needs surgery.  I’m going to use the portable ultrasound machine to confirm, but based on his symptoms, his appendix needs to come out before it ruptures and we have an even bigger problem.”

Moments later the portable ultrasound machine arrived and it didn’t take very long at all for Chloe to confirm her suspicions.

“Ok Lance, this is going to feel a little cold.  It’s just the gel I need to run the machine properly.”

Lance nodded then groaned a bit when the transducer hit his skin.  Even the slightest pressure was causing him some pretty significant discomfort.  That was obvious.

Chloe kept quiet as she moved the device around on Lance’s stomach, being very careful not to put too much pressure on him.  Lance groaned loudly when she hit the spot where his appendix was located.

Chloe sighed quietly and looked at her patient.  “Yup.  That’s a rather inflamed appendix.  It needs to come out!”

“Now?!” Michael asked, his voice wavering in panic.

Chloe nodded.  “I’m afraid so. “

Once again, Chloe turned her attention to the nurse in the room.

“Would you please go book me an Operating Room? Also, page my team…”

“Your team?! It’s a routine procedure, a Resident or an Attending could easily do it…”

Chloe cracked a smile and shook her head.  “Nope.  I got this one!”

“You have a team?” JC half smirked.

“Don’t you?” Chloe shot back.

JC chuckled.  “Well…”

Chloe couldn’t help but laugh as well.  “Yes, and No.  I have certain people I prefer to work with in surgery but I don’t have anyone “officially” assigned to me.”

“But aren’t you technically off duty…” the nurse blurted out.

Chloe gave the nurse a stern look but still managed to plaster a smile on her face as she spoke.  She didn’t like being questioned in front of a patient, but also understood that this particular nurse meant no ill will.  She was just looking out for Chloe’s wellbeing.

“Nope.  Mr. Bass became my patient the minute I was paged down here.  I’m not going to pass him off to another doctor just because my shift was over five minutes ago.  That’s not how I work and you know that…”

“I know…I just…” the nurse stuttered.

Chloe smiled, this time a bit more genuinely.  “I know…you were just looking out for me.  I appreciate it, but I got this!  Now would you PLEASE go book me an O.R. and if you would, find a private waiting room for these two?”

“Joey is on his way.  He is in town too.” JC chimed in.

Chloe’s eyes went wide as she sucked in a deep breath, then glared at JC.

“GEEZUS JC!  Really?!  Three of you…in the same building…at the same time…”

JC smiled and held his hands up in surrender.  “I know…I know…but I couldn’t tell him not to come…I mean I could have…but…”

Chloe just laughed a little and shook her head.  Blood or not, they were family.  She couldn’t fault them for that.  In fact, it was one of the many things she loved about *NSYNC.

Smiling at him and Michael, Chloe reached for bars on the gurney and yanked them up into a locked position, then she reached down to disengage the lock on the wheels so she could move the bed, still smirking to herself as she did so.  This was not at all how she had envisioned her day would go.  If Joey was on his way and JC knew, there was a good chance that Justin and Chris knew as well.  She made a mental note to check in with Justin after surgery.

“I get it.” Chloe said looking to JC.

“I’ll go notify your team first.  I will also find an Intern to escort them to a private waiting room…and…should I notify security we have a high-profile patient?” the nurse asked.

Chloe couldn’t help but giggle.  “Probably a good idea.”

“Anything else I should know?” Chloe asked looking between all 3 men.

Lance nodded.  “I’m type 2 Diabetic.”

Chloe smiled and patted his arm reassuringly.  “I actually knew that, but thanks for the reminder.  I’ll let the Anesthesiologist know so he can monitor you more closely.”

Chloe then looked to Michael who still looked like he was ready to break down.  She gave him a reassuring smile and then spoke to him directly.

“Mr. Turchin…”

“YOU…are practically family…so you can drop the formal bullshit…It’s Michael…”

Chloe nodded then blushed a bit.  It made her feel good to know that the other guys AND their significant others accepted her.

“Right.  Ok, Michael…I know you are going to worry anyway…he’s your husband…I get it.  However, I can assure you, Lance is in good hands.  I will take good care of him.”

Michael cracked a smile and nodded.  “I know you will.  That’s why Justin told us to come here.”

Chloe just laughed and shook her head.  “Figured as much.  Ok Lance, let’s roll.”

Minutes later Chloe was in the Prep area scrubbing up for surgery.  The fact that the members of the group trusted her enough, and were confident enough in her skills to do this was both heartwarming and humbling.  Not something she took lightly.  Treating Justin had happened by fate.  THIS, treating Lance, was happening by choice.  She was definitely going to treat him with great care.

Then again, this would be the 2nd member of *NSYNC she would be cutting into.  That detail was not lost on her either.  Yes, he was just another patient and yes, she could probably do this procedure in her sleep, but he wasn’t just another patient.  This was Lance Bass of *NSYNC! More importantly, this was Justin’s friend.

Shaking herself a bit, Chloe stepped into the Operating Room and moved to stand near Lance’s head.  He was being prepped for anesthesia but he wasn’t asleep yet. 

“Nice cap.” Lance teased nodding to her head.

Until then, Chloe had completely forgotten that she had put on one of her *NSYNC scrub caps.

Chloe blushed and giggled.  “Would have you preferred a BSB one?”

Lance raised an eyebrow and made a face.  “Do you own a BSB one?”

Chloe laughed more and shook her head.  “Ewww! No!”

“Didn’t think so.” Lance replied as he winced.

“Yeah, ok, let’s get that taken care of before it pops.  I promise I’ll bring Michael back just as soon as I can.”

For a moment, Chloe thought she saw a flicker of fear flash across Lance’s face, but he managed a weak smile and a nod.  Chloe reached for his hand and squeezed it gently.

“I got you Lance! I promise!  You are going to be just fine.”

“Thanks.”

The surgery went well.  No complications whatsoever.  Then again, Chloe had done Appendectomies at least a hundred times if not more since becoming a doctor.  She was in and out in just a little over an hour.  As soon as she finished Chloe helped wheel Lance to a recovery room then proceeded to the private waiting room to update Michael, JC and Joey on Lance’s status.

All three men stood when she entered the room. 

Joey and JC both noticed the scrub cap immediately.

“That’s cute.” Joey teased nodding to Chloe’s head.

Chloe blushed then pulled the cap from her head and shoved it in her scrub pocket before speaking.

“Lance thought so too.  He’s in Recovery right now.  The surgery went great. No rupture.  We got it in time.  I’m going to admit him for a couple days just for observation.  Technically, I am off until Monday but I’ll call to check in on him and so long as there are no complications or signs of infection, I’ll discharge him then.”

“Thank you so much!” Michael said, rushing to hug her.

Chloe gently hugged him back then smiled as she pulled away.  “No thanks needed…family…right?!  Besides, it’s what I do.”

JC grinned, responding first.  “You’ve got my vote!”

“Mine too.” Michael agreed.

“Ditto.” Joey added.

Chloe blushed.  She was beyond flattered. 

“When can I see him?” Michael replied anxiously.

“He’s still pretty out of it.  I need to go check on another patient I operated on earlier, but as soon as I am done, I’ll go check on him, then I’ll bring you back as soon as I can.”

Michael nodded and smiled, breathing a silent sigh of relief.  “Will you…”

Chloe bit her lip.  She had a feeling she already knew what Michael was about to say.  “Text Justin and let him know Lance is ok?! Yeah.  Sure. I’d be happy to, but one of you needs to text Chris.  I don’t have his number.”

“Yeah, I’m thinking we are going to fix that problem.” JC teased.

Chloe’s eyes went wide.  “So help me JC, if you bring another one of your bandmates in to this hospital for me to treat, I am going to have to ban you for life…not to mention sick my brother on you!”

JC laughed.  “I thought Justin said your brother was seeing someone.”

Chloe smirked.  “He is.  He and his boyfriend have an agreement…”

“An agreement?”

Chloe smiled evilly.  “You’re Adam’s “Hall Pass!”

Behind JC, Joey snorted.  “That’s awesome!”

JC, on the other hand, was beet red.

“Who is Adam’s boyfriend’s…”Hall Pass” I mean?” Michael asked.

He was trying to smother a grin but it wasn’t working very well. 

“Jordan Knight.” Chloe smirked.

All three men laughed at this.

After checking on her other patient and escorting Michael back to the Recovery room Chloe retreated to the Physician’s locker room to change and head for home.  First, she needed to text Justin.

Chloe:  Lance is doing well.  Michael is with him

Justin: That’s great news! Thank you

Chloe: Michael told me you sent them

Justin: I did.  Michael was freaking out.  I wanted to help.  I’m sorry if I overstepped

A smile tugged at Chloe’s lips.  Justin really was a sweet guy.  She was grateful she got to see that side of him.

Chloe: You didn’t.  I get it.  I was happy to help.

Justin: Is he going to be ok?

Chloe: Yeah.  He is going to be just fine.  A little sore for a while but that’s to be expected

Justin: Thank you.  Really.  It means a lot

***

After a run of shows in California Justin had a much-needed break.  8 days off to relax and recharge.  As soon as he stepped off the stage in Sacramento he was on his way to the airport, headed for New York.  First on the agenda when he arrived in New York…sleep.  Yes, he’d dozed on the plane but it wasn’t the same as sleeping in your own bed. 

As soon as Justin’s head hit the pillow he was out.  Hours later he woke up and rolled over in the bed.  The other side of the bed was empty.  Sighing, he sat up, rubbed the sleep from his eyes and slung his legs over the side.  It was after noon.  Groaning Justin stood from the bed then looked back, his eyes landing on the unused side of the bed.

Having an empty side of the bed wasn’t acceptable anymore.  He wanted someone to snuggle up to at night, someone to mess up the sheets with, someone to come home to after a long day in the studio or weeks on tour.  That someone was Chloe.

It was Monday.  Chloe was at work.  Meaning he had 7 days not including today in which to take action.  Truthfully, he knew that he wasn’t going to wait seven days, he didn’t really want to wait even seven hours but Chloe was at work and would be for a good part of the day.  Today was out.  Then again, he wasn’t going to rush this.  Yes, he’d been preparing for weeks but all the preparation in the world would be for naught if he mucked it up now. 

He wasn’t going to muck it up.  Justin was determined to give Chloe the proposal she deserved.  With that thought in his head Justin made his way to the closet to get dressed.  He settled on a pair of jeans and t-shirt then grabbed his laptop from his office before heading down to the kitchen.

Upon entering the kitchen, he put his laptop on the island counter then proceeded to the Keurig.  He wasn’t a huge coffee drinker but he was hoping the boost of caffeine would help give him some clarity.  Steamy cup in hand he returned to the island counter, sat down on one of the barstools and opened up his laptop. 

He didn’t even know where to begin.  For a long time, Justin just sat there, staring at the black screen.  He hadn’t even turned on his lap top yet.  Justin took a long sip from his coffee then tried to shake himself from his thoughts.  Sighing he pushed the button to turn on his laptop, took another long sip of his coffee then scratched at his beard.  He needed to focus.  He needed to think about Chloe and what she would want.

He needed help.

Justin picked up his phone and quickly dialed a number.

“How did he do it?” Justin blurted out.

“Hello Justin.” Adam replied, leaning back in his office chair.

“Hi.  I need help.  How did he do it?”

“How did whom do what?”

Adam had an idea as to what Justin was referring to but wasn’t certain. 

“How did Eddy propose?”

Adam laughed. His suspicions had been correct. 

“Umm…well…I wasn’t there, but as she tells it, Eddy came over and asked if she wanted to go out for ice cream.  They went to a nearby ice cream shop and Eddy made this big production of limping the whole time.  Then he told her they needed to stop and sit down because he thought he had a “rock” in his shoe…”

“A “rock” in his shoe?” Justin smirked.

“Yup.”

“I can do better than that.”

Adam laughed and nodded on his end.  “Well, I should hope so.”

“Thanks Adam.”

After ending his call to Adam, Justin turned his attention back to his computer.  He didn’t know what he was looking for.  Inspiration?!

There were plenty of romantic places to propose in New York City.  Times Square. Rockefeller Center. The Empire State Building.  Central Park.

Central Park?!  Suddenly, Justin remembered one of the first times he and Chloe had gone out together and in that moment; he knew what to do.

Smiling to himself Justin quickly pulled up his web browser and typed something into the search bar.  Moments later the information he needed popped onto the screen. 

After a few phone calls around the city his plan was finally starting to take shape.  He was getting excited.  Unfortunately, he would have to contain his excitement until the following day.  A proposal didn’t work without Chloe, and she wouldn’t be available until tomorrow. 

Justin spent the majority of the remainder of the day making sure everything was perfect.  That night he was jumble of nerves.  He didn’t sleep much at all.  He tossed and turned most of the night.  At about 8:00 a.m. Justin finally dragged himself out of bed.  He had a very IMPORTANT day ahead of him and wanted to be certain he was ready.

Chloe had to work but had assured him that she would be off on time for their “date.” Her day was scheduled to be over at 5.  It was an administrative duty day, meaning there was no chance she would get pulled into surgery at the last minute. 

Justin had sent Chloe a text asking her to meet him at their entrance to Central Park, the Merchant’s Gate Entrance at 7:30 p.m. and to dress warm.  It was supposed to be COLD in the city, really cold, and although they would be outside for a bit Justin did not want Chloe to freeze.

After the text to Chloe, he sent one to the “group.”

Justin: I feel like I’m going to be sick

Chris: You got this

Lance: He’s right.  Just breathe.

Joey: She loves you! That’s obvious.  You’ll be fine

JC:  No matter what happens, we love you, remember that, but I agree, everything is going to work out just fine

Justin: Thanks.  I needed this.  You have no idea how much.

Lance: Give her an extra hug from all of us

Justin: I will

Chris: Now go on, go sweep her off her feet

At 7:25 p.m. that evening Justin stood outside the Merchant’s Gate Entrance dressed in a pair of Nike tennis shoes, a dark wash pair of jeans, a grey ribbed cotton sweater and a dark blue pea coat.  In his hands, two steamy cups and in his left, front coat pocket was the Tiffany’s signature blue box with the engagement ring inside.  He was a nervous wreck.

Justin sucked in a breath and let it out slowly as Chloe approached.  She looked absolutely incredible.  Her cheeks were already pink from the cold, her eyes were shining, her dark hair cascaded down her back and over her shoulders in soft waves.  On her feet, a pair brown boots that went clear to her knees.  She was also wearing a pair of black leggings, a white tunic top underneath a dark grey, thick wool, cable knit sweater and a plaid grey and red scarf with a knitted, grey wool beanie nestled atop her head.  It was the perfect outfit.

He smiled and offered the cup to her as she came to a stop in front of him.

“This is for you.”

Chloe took the cup and smiled.  “Coffee?”

Justin grinned and bit his lip as he shook his head.  He noticed she wasn’t wearing gloves and had to immediately smother his smile to keep from giving himself away.  It was almost too perfect.

“No. Hot chocolate.”

“Hot cider. Hot coffee. Hot chocolate. I don’t care…it’s hot…that’s good enough for me.”

“Where are your gloves?”

“At home, in my other coat.”

Justin nodded then offered her a hand.  Chloe took his hand in hers, using the other to hold her drink as they started through the gate into the park.

“Where are we going?” Chloe asked curiously.

“Just for a little walk.”

Chloe gave Justin a puzzled look.  Something was up.  She could feel it. 

“Justin, it’s FREEZING!!”

Justin chuckled and nodded.  “It is, but I promise, we aren’t going far.”

“Where are we going?” Chloe repeated.

Justin looked over at Chloe and smiled.  “You ask too many questions.”

“I asked the same question, twice, and you’ve declined to answer both times.  What is going on?”

Justin couldn’t help but laugh. 

“You worry too much.”

“I’m a mother…we are pre-programmed that way.”

Justin’s eyes caught her gaze.  He knew she was trying to solve this, to figure out what was happening and although he could tell that at least a part of her already knew, he could also tell that she was still questioning it.

“Just go with it, ok?! I promise I’ll make it worthwhile.”

“Justin?!”

“Relax! Enjoy the night air, the company, the stars…”

Chloe opened her mouth to speak then quickly changed her mind, lifting her cup to her lips.  They walked for a bit, hand in hand. 

It was cold but the heat of the hot chocolate and the warmth of his touch radiated through her. 

After walking for a while, the path they were on started to seem familiar.  It was dark, except for the lights coming from the street lights above, but Chloe had a feeling about where they were going.

Moments later they were rounding a bend in the path.  Chloe could see light up ahead, a lot of light, flickering lights.  As they drew closer things became clearer.  The light up ahead was coming from candles, a lot of candles.  They were at Belvedere Castle.  There were candles leading up the steps all the way to the highest terrace.  Along with the candles there were rose petals, rose petals everywhere.

Chloe stayed completely silent at Justin led her up the steps.  She was quiet, trying to take it all in as she looked around the terrace.

“WOW Justin...this is beautiful!”

“It is.” He replied looking only at her.

 When she turned back around to look at Justin, he was down on one knee.

“Justin?” Chloe asked, her voice cracking.

“Chloe, I love you.  I love you more than I ever thought possible.”

“Justin?”

“Chloe, I wake up most mornings alone.  I go to bed most nights alone.  I don’t want that anymore. I want you.  I want you be the one I wake up to, the one I go to bed with every night, the one I come home to.”

“Justin, are you…”

Smiling Justin pulled the ring from coat pocket and lifted it for Chloe to see.

“Chloe, will you marry me?”

Tears sprang to her eyes, clouding Chloe’s vision.  They were tears of joy but she was struggling to find her voice.

He was looking up at her, a smile on his lips.  She couldn’t deny that smile, nor did she really want to. 

Chloe nodded, choking out a reply.

“Yes! Yes, Justin, I will marry you.”

Justin grinned and moved to stand, slipping the ring on her finger as he did.  The range of emotions swirling through her in that moment were almost overwhelming but it was what he said next that sent the tears spilling over.

“There’s just one more thing…” He started, the smile still present on his lips.

“What’s that?” Chloe managed to whisper.

His arms were around her now, pulling her to him.  His voice no more than a whisper.

“I want to adopt Gabby!”

Chloe was having a hard time believing her ears.  Somewhere, deep down, a part of her had been hoping for this moment but the part about Gabby was a complete shock. 

“What?!”

“She’s right…technically…and legally speaking, she doesn’t have a dad anymore.  I love you both! I have from the beginning and I don’t just want to be her step-dad. I want to adopt her.  I want to be her dad!”

“OH MY GOD! Justin!” Chloe exclaimed as the tears started to stream down her face.

Justin chuckled and moved to wipe the tears from her eyes.  “Is that a “yes?!”

Chloe, unable to speak, simply nodded.

It took a moment but once she was able to collect herself, Chloe finally forced words past her lips.

“I mean…it’s ok with me if it’s ok with her.”

Justin grinned and popped a kiss on her lips.  Chloe immediately blushed then took the opportunity to look down at the engagement ring that was now resting on her finger.

“Justin, this ring is…”

Justin grinned.  “I can’t take all the credit…Gabby helped me pick it out.”

Chloe’s eyes flashed with surprise.

“She didn’t?!”

Justin couldn’t help but chuckle and nod.  The look on her face was everything he’d hoped for.

“She did.  When the Tacoma shows got cancelled, I snuck into the city.  I met her and Adam after school then she and I went ring shopping together.”

Realization set in.

“Wait?! How long have you been planning this?”

Justin’s cheeks went a bit pinker.  They were already pink from the cold but she could tell that he was blushing now too.

“Umm…since the end of January.”

“A month?!  You’ve been planning this for a month?!”

Justin nodded.

“Valentine’s Day?!  You had the ring then?!”

Justin laughed.  The face she was making right then was adorable.

“I did…well sort of…I had the ring in my possession but I didn’t have it with me at the time…and I was advised by several reliable sources that if I wanted you to actually accept my proposal Valentine’s Day was not an option.”

“I see.” Chloe giggled.

“Should we go share our news?” Justin asked pulling her close again.

Chloe smiled and nodded.  “Yes! Please!”

Justin grinned, then closed his mouth over hers, kissing her softly.  He smiled as he pulled away.

“By the way, I hope you don’t mind but I made plans to spend the night with my fiancé tonight?”

Chloe laughed. “Sounds perfect!”

That evening, upon returning to Chloe’s apartment there was a small celebration waiting.  Unbeknownst to Chloe, Justin had texted ahead to let Adam know that Chloe had indeed said “yes” to his proposal.  Adam then took it upon himself to invite his parents and Derek over.

Chloe couldn’t seem to wipe the smile from her face as she looked around her.  She hadn’t felt this happy in a really long time.  Her eyes caught her mother’s gaze and the smile on her lips grew.  She continued to smile as her mother wrapped her arms around her.

“Congratulations sweetie.”

“Thanks mom.”

“It’s good to see you happy again.”

Chloe smiled and hugged her mother a bit tighter.  “It feels good to be happy again.”

After the party dissipated everyone went home.

Gabby was passed out on the couch.  Chloe smiled as she looked down at her daughter.  She looked so peaceful. Happy.  Chloe didn’t want to wake her.  She wanted to let her sleep, to allow her to dream, because that’s what this was, a dream, right?!

From behind, Chloe felt a pair of arms wrap around her, pulling her back, into him.  She felt his breath on her neck and his chin on her shoulder.

“We should get her in bed.”

Chloe sighed and leaned into him, letting his arms tighten around her.  Just that word on his lips made her melt.  We.

“Justin…”

“You’re not dreaming…”

Chloe smiled then let a deep, content sigh escape her lips.

“You sure?”

Justin chuckled and nodded.  His laughter rumbling in his chest sending a warmth spreading throughout her.

“If you are, then I am.”

Justin pulled away gently then crossed the room to the couch.  Carefully, he swept Gabby into his arms and started down the hall to the bedroom.  Once inside the room he laid her on the bed then gently pulled the blankets over her, tucking her in.

Gabby stirred, rolling to one side, facing him, her eyes still closed, her voice barely a whisper.

“Is it ok if I call you Dad now?”

Justin bit his lip, trying to keep his smile and all the other emotions he was feeling in check.  He reached for her, brushing the hair from her brow as the smile broke free.

“Absolutely sweet girl.  Now get some rest.”

Gabby smiled, snuggling into her pillow and clutching her stuffed monkey tightly to her, the rest of her body relaxing as she drifted back in to sleep.

After tucking Gabby in for the night the couple retreated to Chloe’s bedroom.  Adam had gone to spend the night with Derek so it was just the two of them. 

Chloe shut the door, locking it behind her then turned to face Justin.  He was standing close.  Very close.  Chloe swallowed hard. Engaged or not, he could still take her breath away.  Smiling softly, she took a step forward, closing the gap between them.

“Are you ok?”

Justin reached out, his hands rubbing up and down her arms.  His eyes searching hers.  He could tell she was still trying to process.

Chloe smiled and nodded. 

“I’m good, just trying to take it all in.”

“You’re not…having second thoughts, are you?”

Chloe’s eyes widened.  He was nervous too.

“No, no! Not at all.  I just…I never thought I would be in this place…again.  It feels different this time.  Better.”

“It feels perfect.”

“I’m glad…but…I umm…I do have questions.”

Justin raised an eyebrow.  Given her history it didn’t surprise him.  He was more than willing to answer any question she wanted to ask.  Not to mention the face she was making right then was absolutely adorable.

“Let’s get comfortable then I promise, I will answer all your questions.”

Chloe nodded then proceeded to the walk-in closet to change.  When she came out Justin was already in the bed, his legs covered by the blankets but his torso was exposed.  He was leaning on his elbow, his hand propping his head as he watched Chloe walk back into the room. 

She was wearing her “Man of the Woods” shirt and he couldn’t help but grin.

“I will NEVER regret giving you that shirt.”

Chloe giggled shaking her head as she slipped into the bed beside him.  “I’m glad you approve.”

Justin reached for her, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her to him.  Her head was on the pillow now, as was his.  They were facing each other, just inches from one another.  Justin closed his eyes and inhaled.  He was breathing her in.  The smell of her, the feel of her in his arms, the sound of her heart beating.

His eyes fluttered open and he looked at her, a smile stretching across his face as he opened his mouth to speak.

“Do you know how happy I am right now?”

Chloe blushed and nodded.  Seeing him like this was more than she could have ever dreamed of.  She knew exactly how he felt.

“I think I have an idea.”

Justin smiled then closed the small gap between them, his mouth finding hers easily.  They kissed for a while, rather intensely, and when Justin finally pulled away both were gasping for air but smiling as well.

After a few moments Justin managed to find his voice.

“You said you had questions.”

Chloe nodded.

“I do.”

“Ask away.”

Chloe took a breath.  She had so many thoughts swirling through her head.  She didn’t even know where to begin.  Logically, it made sense to start with the beginning so that was what she was going to do.

“When? I mean when do you want to get married?”

Justin grinned.  He’d actually put a fair amount of thought into the finer details.  However, he didn’t want to freak her out, and, he didn’t want to make any decisions without her, not ever again.

“I was thinking June…once Gabby is out of school.”

Chloe’s eyes widened.  It was not at all what she expected him to say.

“June?! This June?!”

Justin laughed at her expression.  She was flustered.  It was obvious and it was cute.

“Are you laughing at me?!” Chloe snapped, pretending to pout.

Justin chuckled more and shook his head then popped a quick kiss on her nose.

“No, I am not laughing at you.  I would never laugh at you.  I am laughing at the adorable face you are making right now.  You always make the cutest faces when you are flustered.”

“I’m not making a face.”

Justin took that as his cue.  He leaned forward, capturing her lips in a gentle kiss then pulled away slowly,

“You are. It’s adorable. I love it.  And yes, this June.”

Chloe bit her lip, chewing on it for a moment as she counted in her head.

“That’s in three months.”

“It is…and I hope that’s ok because I don’t think I can wait much longer to spend the rest of my life with you.”

Chloe nodded and returned the pop kiss from moments before.

“I think that’s doable.”

“Good. Next question.”

Chloe giggled.  Right then she found everything he was doing to be incredibly sweet and adorable.  It just made her giddy.  He made her giddy.  It was a feeling she didn’t think she’d ever get over but she wasn’t going to complain one bit. 

“Ummm…ok…where?  Where are we getting married?”

Justin smiled.  Details were important to her.  He knew that and therefore her questions made sense but he also knew that this particular question was probably one of the more important ones.

“I was thinking here…in New York.  Three months isn’t a ton of time to plan a wedding…I know that…and I’m going to be gone for a lot of it.  I want to make this as easy as possible for you…for both of us…and well, your family is here.”

Chloe sighed happily and smiled at him.  He really was one of the most considerate men she’d ever met.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.  Was that it?”

Chloe shook her head.  If the question about where they were going to have the wedding was ONE of the more important ones than this one was definitely the most important.  This was the one question that Chloe was the most nervous about asking, mostly because this was the question that regardless of his answer, she knew she wasn’t going to be ready for.

Obviously, Justin could see the trepidation in her eyes.  He knew what her next question was going to be.  He’d known this question would come even before he’d asked her to marry him.  In truth, he’d been thinking about this question for weeks. 

“You want to know where we are going to live once we are married?”

Chloe nodded but didn’t speak.  It still amazed her that he could read her, know her thoughts without her having to say a single word.

Instinctively, Justin reached out, lifting her chin to meet his gaze then allowing his fingers to brush the hair from her face, tucking a few strands behind her ear.  He smiled at her.  It was a reassuring smile and Chloe felt herself relax, just a little.

“You have family here. A support system. I get that.  You have a career here. I get that too. Whereas I can work from anywhere and have the means to travel as needed.   In other words, I could never ask you to leave New York.  As to WHERE in New York we would live, well, I’ve been thinking about that too…”

Chloe smiled and shook her head.  The fact that he’d already put this much thought into this question warmed her heart.  He’d made it a priority because it was a priority to her.

“Ok?”

Justin chuckled.  The look of curiosity and anticipation on her face was beautiful and funny all at once.

“Umm…well…I know you own your place and that Adam helps you pay the mortgage so I would never ask you to sell it completely.  I couldn’t and wouldn’t do that to Adam…”

“He can’t afford it…not on his own…”

Justin nodded.  “I know…like I said…I wouldn’t do that to him…if you wanted to continue to pay your portion that is fine with me.”

“So, we would move in with you?”

Justin chuckled and shook his head.  This conversation wasn’t going exactly as he’d hoped but given the topic, he wasn’t completely shocked by that. 

“Yes and no.”

“What does that mean?”

Justin was trying very hard to maintain his composure, but the face she was making at him right then was making it difficult.  She was an independent woman.  He understood that completely but that didn’t change his desire to take care of his new “family” in every sense of the word.

“It means that my place is just that…my place.  I don’t want a place that is mine…or yours…I want a place that is “ours.” Yours, mine and Gabby’s.”

Chloe immediately blushed.  “Oh.”

“I was thinking five, maybe six bedrooms …maybe an office or studio space for me.”

“It’s just the three of us.”

Justin grinned.  “Yeah…it is …BUT…it would be nice to have extra room for guests…you know…like if JC comes to town…and…well…maybe it won’t be just the three of us forever.”

Chloe’s jaw dropped.  Justin had rendered her completely speechless.  There had been occasions, when Gabby was younger that she’d thought about having another child, but back then she was finishing up her Residency.  Juggling her career and family was hard enough with one child.  Then there was Eddy.  Eddy was so unstable.  She wasn’t going to bring another child into that environment. 

Now things were different!  Justin wasn’t Eddy and she wasn’t a Resident anymore.  She was the Head of her department.  Her schedule was a bit more flexible. 

Chloe looked at Justin, her eyes still wide and tried to gauge his expression.  He was being serious.  She could tell.  Slowly, she closed her mouth and forced the lump back down her throat.  Then, by some miracle she managed to find her voice. 

“You want kids?!”

Justin smiled softly and nodded. 

“I do! I LOVE Gabby! I absolutely adore her and I was completely serious when I said I wanted to adopt her, but I won’t lie and say the thought of a baby…with you… hasn’t crossed my mind.  I’ve thought about it a lot actually.  What can I say…I think Lance has given me a bit of baby fever.”

Chloe laughed at this.  She couldn’t help herself.  His admission was both hilarious and adorable. 

“Baby fever?! From Lance?!”

“Now you’re laughing at me?” Justin asked, pretending to pout.

Chloe laughed more at his pout and shook her head.

“No. No, I’m not.  It’s just…if you could hear that they way I heard it.  How is that going for them by the way?”

Justin smiled.  He knew that her question was a thinly veiled attempt to change the subject but he also knew that she genuinely cared as well.  It was for that reason that he was going to humor her, but he also wasn’t going to let her off the hook, not completely.

“Not well, but they are trying to stay optimistic…but…I thought we were talking about us right now.”

Chloe smiled and nodded.  He deserved a genuine response. She wasn’t going to deny him that.

“With Eddy…one child was enough…but with you…I’m open to the possibility.  Just maybe not right away.”

Justin grinned and nodded then leaned forward, placing his lips gently against hers.  He gave her a very feathery light kiss then whispered to her as he pulled away.

“I can accept that answer.”

Chloe smiled and kissed him back.

“Thank you.”

“Any other questions you want me to answer?”

Chloe giggled and shook her head.  One of the many things she loved about Justin was that he wasn’t afraid to talk to her.   They could actually have an adult conversation.  It wasn’t always like that with Eddy.

“I think I am good for right now.  I mean, three months isn’t that long so we should probably start discussing the wedding, but not tonight.  Tonight, I just want to relax and enjoy being your fiancé.”

Justin grinned, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her to him.  His lips falling on her neck.

“Mmm! I like the sound of that…my fiancé…not as much as my wife…but it will do…for now.”

The next morning Justin was the first one awake, or so he thought.  He opened his eyes and rolled over in the bed.  Chloe was still asleep.  She looked peaceful, happy, and he didn’t have the heart to wake her.  Yesterday had been and emotionally charged day for everyone, especially her.  She deserved to rest. 

Smiling to himself Justin got out of bed, pulled a pair of jeans and a t-shirt on and shuffled out to the kitchen.

A huge smile spread across his lips as he stepped from the hallway into the kitchen.  Gabby was sitting on one of the stools at the kitchen island, a bowl of Lucky Charms in front of her, dressed in her school uniform and watching cartoons on the kitchen television.

Justin chuckled and shook his head. 

“Did you get up, get dressed and get breakfast all by yourself?” Justin asked.

Gabby turned her attention away from the television and smiled. 

“I’m a big girl now.  I’m six.  I don’t need my mom to get me up and get me dressed.”

Justin had to bite his bottom lip to keep from laughing.  Gabby was definitely her mother’s daughter, independent and sassy when she wanted to be.

“Good point.”

Justin looked down at his watch.  It was almost 7:40 a.m.  He was pretty sure Gabby needed to be at school by 8:00 a.m.    He looked back up at Gabby.  She was finishing her cereal.  Without a word she put her spoon in the empty bowl, hopped down from her seat and carried the bowl to the sink.  Then, she turned the TV off, slung her backpack over her shoulder and looked up at Justin.

“Do you want to walk me to school?”

Justin grinned.

“I’d love to, just let me go get my shoes and my phone.”

Tiptoeing quietly into the bedroom Justin tried to retrieve his phone and his shoes without disturbing Chloe but she started to stir just as he was reaching for his phone on the bedside table.

She rolled onto her side, facing Justin and sighed heavily. 

“I’m awake.” Chloe grumbled.

Justin chuckled then leaned in and popped a kiss on her forehead.

“Not really.  Relax.  I will take Gabby to school.”

Chloe smiled and snuggled into the pillow a bit more.

“Thank you.”

“Coffee?”

Chloe grinned and nodded. 

“Please!”

“Do you work today?”

“No.  It’s Wednesday.  I’m off today.”

Justin grinned and licked his lips.  He had an idea as to what he wanted to do for the day, or at least a large portion of it.

“You stay there.  Don’t move.  I will take Gabby to school and pick up coffee and breakfast.”

“Coffee and breakfast?!  You spoil me.”

“Better get used to it.  I don’t plan on stopping…ever!”

Chloe giggled and nodded.  “Go! Before you make Gabby late.”

Justin got Gabby to school in record time.  After giving her a quick hug, Gabby bounded up the steps leading in to the school.  Then, just before she reached the door she turned and waved at Justin, the smile on her face at least a mile wide.

It was the best feeling.

Justin could not wipe the smile from his face as he started back towards Chloe’s apartment.  As promised, he stopped for coffee and breakfast on the way.  About 45 minutes later Justin walked through Chloe’s front door carrying a drink tray and a to- go bag. 

He stopped in the kitchen and quickly found a tray and some plates to arrange the food on.  Then, he proceeded back to the bedroom. 

Chloe was sitting up in bed, her laptop in her lap, chewing on her bottom lip as she looked at the screen.

“I said not to move.” Justin teased.

Chloe looked up and smiled.  He looked pretty cute trying to carefully balance the tray loaded with food and their coffee.

“I couldn’t help it, I got antsy waiting, and this kept me from thinking about being hungry.”

Justin set the tray on the foot of the bed then walked around to sit next to her, kicking his shoes off then leaning in to see what she was working on.  He smiled when he saw what she was looking at but she closed it quickly before he could get a good look.

“You’re not supposed to see that…it’s bad luck.” Chloe squealed, half giggling.

“It’s only bad luck if the groom sees the bride in the dress before the wedding and you aren’t wearing a dress currently, nor do I see you wearing any of those that were on the screen just now.”

Chloe laughed a bit and nodded.  He made a valid point.

“Truth?!” Chloe asked.

“Always!”

“I know you are Justin Timberlake…and with that comes certain…expectations… but a big wedding isn’t really my scene.  Don’t get me wrong I still want the basics; a dress, the ceremony, a party after just maybe not all the Hollywood mixed in.”

Justin smiled and handed her a cup of coffee before taking a sip of his own.  He let the warm liquid warm his throat before responding.

“I wasn’t thinking anything too big.  Maybe 75 guests at the most.  Something intimate but still elegant and classy.”

Chloe grinned and nodded before lifting her cup to her lips.  It was nice, and reassuring knowing that they were on the same page.

“I mean…I know there are certain people you will want to invite…the rest of *NSYNC, Jimmy Fallon…but aside from my family there are only a few people I would even want to invite.”

“Nothing wrong with that.”

Justin pulled the tray closer and opened up the bag and started pulling things from inside.  He pulled out two sandwiches and two pastries, placing one of each on the two plates.

“What is this?” Chloe asked eyeing the wrapped packages.

“Just some place I keep walking by and have been meaning to try.”

Chloe took one of the wrapped items and slowly began to unwrap it not sure what to expect. 

“What’s it called?”

“Umm…Paris Baguette or something like that.”

Chloe took the sandwich in her hand and bit into it, her eyes growing wide and her mouth smiling as she chewed.  Egg and Cheese on a brioche bun.  It was delicious!

“OH MY GOD!” Chloe said between bites.

Justin grinned and nodded, licking his lips between bites.

“It is good.  I wasn’t expecting it to be this good.”

After polishing off the sandwich Chloe dove for the pastry.  Fresh strawberries and some sort of vanilla cream in a warm, flaky croissant. 

“I think you’re going to have to take me to this place.”

Justin grinned and nodded.  “No arguments here.”

After finishing breakfast Justin cleaned up then returned to the bedroom.  Chloe was sitting up in bed, sipping at her coffee.  She smiled up at Justin when he entered the room. 

“You told me not to move, so what exactly did you have in mind for today?”

Justin grinned devilishly. 

“This!”

“This?!  I’m confused.  We are in the bedroom, not doing anything.”

Justin just grinned more and bit his lip.

“Exactly!”

“You want to stay in bed and do nothing all day?”

Justin laughed and crawled across the bed, then made himself comfortable next to her.

“Well…maybe not nothing.  I can think of a few things …but maybe…since you have your laptop out, we could talk about a wedding for a bit.”

Chloe smiled and looked over at him.  He looked excited.  It made her smile more.  The fact that he was excited about planning a wedding made her more excited.

“You really are excited about this, aren’t you?”

Justin nodded. 

“I am!  I’m excited about planning the first day of forever with you.”

Chloe’s jaw dropped.  How he could be so damn romantic without even trying she would never understand.  However, she wasn’t going to complain about either.  It was a vast improvement over Eddy.  She was going to enjoy it thoroughly.

“Wow! Well…umm…since you put it that way…”

Justin chuckled and then popped a kiss on her lips.  That was another thing she would never complain about; his pop kisses. 

“In all seriousness Chloe…I am excited.  I am really excited.  I know…you’ve done this before so for you…it’s different but I haven’t so…”

Chloe looked at Justin, her eyes wide.  He really had no idea, but how could he? It was time to set the records straight.

“Woah…woah…let me just stop you right there.  Yes, I’ve done this before but not the way you think.  I was just starting my Residency when Eddy and I got married.  He had just started a new job.  We barely had enough money to afford our place.  We were living paycheck to paycheck with our families helping here and there.  We got married at the courthouse.  It was just our immediate families.  Our reception was dinner at restaurant afterwards.  I wore my mother’s dress.  I was “on call” the night before…”

“Oh?!” Justin chuckled awkwardly.

There was a moment of silence that followed but it was brief and before Chloe could say anything Justin was looking at her, his eyes sparkling and his lips curved into a gentle smile.

“Whatever you want, ok?”

Chloe smiled back at him and nodded. 

“Elegant and classy, is that what you said?!”

Justin bit his lip and nodded.  “It is.”

“I like that.  Nothing huge but still nice.”

“Sounds good to me.”

Chloe looked at Justin again.  He still had that charming smile on his face.   The one that she couldn’t resist.  The one that sent her butterflies into overdrive and in that moment all the things she’d been thinking about a wedding, everything she’d ever wanted just came tumbling out.

“I want a dress! A real dress! My own dress, not my mother’s!  AND…I don’t want a huge wedding party…just one person.  Adam! I want Adam to be my Man of Honor.  He’s my best friend.  I want a sweetheart table at the reception and Tiramisu flavored cake.  AND…I want your friends to sing the first song we dance to.”

Justin grinned and nodded.  She was absolutely beautiful and adorable when she was excited.

“Done! I just have one request?!”

Chloe screwed her face up causing Justin to chuckle.

“What is it?”

Justin smiled.  “I want Gabby as my Best Girl.  The guys can be ushers and sing at the reception but if you’re going to have Adam up there Gabby needs to be there too.”

Chloe beamed and nodded as she tried to not cry happy tears.  She really couldn’t have asked for a more perfect guy. 

“Absolutely!”

“And …she can wear whatever she wants…a dress…a suit…I don’t care…and I am paying for it…”

Chloe opened her mouth to respond but Justin wasn’t finished.

“ALL of it.”

“But…the Bride’s family usually pays for the wedding.”

Justin just grinned and shook his head.  “Usually, not always. I can afford it, and more importantly, I want to.  I want to give you whatever you want because that’s what you deserve.  You deserve the fairy tale Chloe.”

“Stop! You’re gonna make me cry.”

Justin just smiled.  “I’m not trying to make you cry.”

“I know.” Chole said smiling though her eyes were already brimming.

“Anything else?”

Chloe shook her head and brushed a few stray tears away all while giggling and smiling up at Justin. 

“Nope.  I think I’m good.”

Justin grinned.  “Oh, you’re better than good.”

Chloe laughed.  “Are you flirting Mr. Timberlake?”

“Absolutely Dr. De Luca!”

 

“This feels weird.”

Chloe was standing on a podium in Kleinfeld’s Bridal in New York.  Klienfeld’s was the largest luxury bridal retailer in the world and Justin had arranged for Chloe to have a private appointment to pick out the dress of her dreams.  They had only been there a few minutes but already Chloe was feeling a bit overwhelmed.  There were so many beautiful dresses to choose from and she really wasn’t sure what she wanted in terms of style or fit.

Thankfully, Adam, Gabby and her mother had come along to help her choose. 

Adam smiled up at his sister.  Dresses were a bit of novelty for Chloe.  She rarely wore them so he could understand why she might feel a bit awkward given the circumstances. 

“It’s not supposed to feel weird; it’s supposed to be fun. “

Chloe made a face which in turn made Adam laugh.

“Yeah Mommy, you get to dress like a princess.” Gabby quipped.

This made Chloe smile. 

“A princess, huh?”

Gabby nodded emphatically.

“Do you think Justin would like a princess dress?”

Adam smirked and shook his head.  “I think Justin would marry you wearing a paper bag and not care but since I think they are fresh out of bags here I am with Gabby…a princess dress seems like a good choice.”

Right on cue the Bridal consultant appeared at Chloe’s side.

“Are you ready to get started?”

Chloe swallowed hard and nodded.  “As ready as I am going to get.”

“Great! Any ideas?!”

Chloe bit her lip and looked to her entourage for support.  She had no idea where to start.

Thank goodness for Adam.  Yet again, he was there to come to her rescue.

“She’s a surgeon.  Dresses are foreign territory.  Scrubs, dress slacks and lab coats are pretty much her staple.”

The Bridal consultant smiled and nodded knowingly.  She understood completely.

“I see.  Well then, let’s start with who you have with you today?”

Chloe smiled and winked at her brother.  Thankful for the opportunity to answer a question that she was actually comfortable with.

“This is my mother, my daughter and my Man of Honor, also known as my big brother.”

“Ah, very Patrick Dempsey, I like it.”

“Not quite, but I won’t argue that he is nice to look at.” Adam smirked.

Chloe giggled as their mother just rolled her eyes and smiled.  Meanwhile, Gabby was giving the adults in the room disapproving looks.

“Who is Patrick Dempsey?” Gabby asked.

“The guy in the movie, Enchanted.”

Gabby grinned and nodded.  She’d seen the movie a few times. 

“Oh! He is handsome but not as handsome as Uncle Adam.”

Adam chuckled and squeezed Gabby in a hug.  “Thanks Gabs!  Now, how about we get back to your mommy’s dress?”

“Please!” Chloe sighed.

“Hmm…well, is there anything you don’t want in a dress?”

Chloe let out another sigh, but this was a sigh of relief.  There was a reason that Justin had sent her here.  They obviously knew what they were doing.

“Sleeves! I don’t want sleeves! The wedding is in June, here in New York.  I want to be comfortable.”

“Ok, so something strapless.”

Seeing an opportunity, Gabby decided to weigh in on the topic as well.

“A princess!  She needs to look like a princess!”

Adam nodded in agreement then smiled up at his sister and the Bridal consultant.  He knew exactly what to say to communicate the look Gabby had in her mind, and he had the feeling that once Chloe understood she would go for it as well.

“I agree.  Something strapless and sleeveless, with a ball gown silhouette and maybe beads or some other applique on the skirt.”

Chloe looked at her brother in disbelief.  How he knew this type of stuff was beyond her realm of understanding.

“How do you know that?”

Adam chuckled, his face coloring a bit with embarrassment. 

“I dated a guy once who was obsessed with “Say Yes to the Dress” so I have seen a few episodes. “

Chloe just shook her head and then directed her attention to the Bridal consultant.

“Sure.  What he said.  Let’s start there.”

Minutes later the Bridal Consultant returned to the private fitting room with an armful of dresses.  All of them gorgeous.  Chloe swallowed the lump that had suddenly appeared in her throat.  This was not going to be an easy task.  She knew that much.

With a bright smile on her face the Bridal Consultant looked at Gabby and winked.

“A princess, is that right?”

Gabby nodded emphatically; her smile as equally wide.

“I think I have just the dress.”

Chloe looked at the Bridal Consultant, her eyebrow arched in question but said nothing as she followed the woman to the changing room.  The room was small, or at least it seemed that way with two women and a large ball gown cramped inside but some-how, they fit.  Truthfully, Chloe would have preferred a bit more privacy but given the enormity and intricacy of these dresses she understood getting any one of them on was a two-person job.

Chloe quickly stripped out of her jeans and t-shirt, leaving her in just a bra and underwear.  Thank goodness she’d had the forethought to wear a strapless bra just in case. 

“Are you ready?”

Chloe laughed nervously and shook her head.

“No, not really…but I don’t know when I will have another day off before the wedding …AND…well…I know my fiancé went to a lot of trouble to get this appointment.”

“No worries. I promise to make this as painless as possible.”

Chloe bit her lip and nodded as the consultant helped her step into the dress and then fasten the seemingly endless row of buttons down the back of the bodice. 

Chloe couldn’t help but gasp at her reflection. 

“Wow!” Chloe whispered.

“It looks gorgeous on you!  Would you like to show them?”

Chloe felt a lump start to form in her throat and her eyes were starting to well with tears but some-how she managed a nod.

In a daze she followed the Consultant to the room where her family was waiting.  Gathering the dress in each hand Chloe stepped onto the podium then waited for a reaction, afraid to look at anyone seated in the room.

The dress was absolutely the most beautiful dress Chloe had ever put on in her life.  It truly felt like a dress fit for a princess. A beaded bodice featuring a shimmering rose brocade, a ballgown silhouette with sparkle tulle, rose sparkle patterned organza, soft English net, embroidered lace with crystals and beads throughout and soft pickups in the skirt and train.

Adam grinned, Gabby’s eyes lit up and tears started to glisten in her mother’s eyes.

“That’s the one!” Adam exclaimed.

“Really?!” Chloe asked, her eyes still brimming.

“Oh honey, you know it is.” Her mother added.

“Gabby bug?”

Gabby grinned more and nodded.  “Yup! You DEFINITELY look like a princess!”

“But it’s only the first dress I’ve tried on.”

Her mother brushed away a few tears and smiled.

“If you know, you know and I can tell that you already know.”

“And it just so happens, that dress is IN FACT a princess dress.  It’s from the Disney Fairy Tale Wedding collection.”

Chloe smiled and bit her lip as she tried to force back the lump in her throat.  It was an emotional moment.  For several seconds she just stood there in silence, looking down at her family and her reflection.  Her mother was right, she knew with 100% certainty that this was the dress she’d be wearing when she and Justin said their “I do’s.”

“I don’t need to try on any more dresses …this is the one.”

***

Today was the day.  Justin and Chloe were getting married.  After a lot of searching around the city and some guidance from Adam they had found a venue.  The wedding and the reception would be at the St. Regis Hotel.  Once again, Justin had gone above and beyond for the occasion renting out the Dior Suite and the Milano suite for the bridal party. 

Chloe and Gabby would be getting ready in the Dior Suite while Adam and Justin got ready in the Milano suite, and although the other members of *NSYNC were not officially part of the wedding party, but were performing at the reception they would be joining Justin and Adam.   Truthfully, Justin wanted his “brothers” with him on his big day.  It just wouldn’t be the same without them.  He needed them by his side.  He knew that on a day like today they would be his sanity, his calm in the chaos, because right then he was a jumble of nerves.

At the moment he was sitting in the master bedroom, on the bed, his feet on the floor dressed in his tux pants and an under shirt as he tried to get a hold of his emotions.  Everyone else was in the living room area getting ready.

There were a million things running through his mind.  He wasn’t having second thoughts, not even for a moment but all the emotions swirling inside of him were a bit overwhelming. 

It was as he was sitting there, trying to calm his breathing and steady his racing heart that a small voice seemed to break through his haze.

“Justin?”

Justin looked up and there standing in the doorway to the bedroom was probably the most adorable thing he’d ever seen in his life.

Gabby was dressed in a sleeveless tuxedo dress.  The top looked like a true tuxedo with black lapels, a royal blue bow tie at her neck and a matching cumber bun at her waist but the skirt was all sparkly black tulle.  It was perfect for her. 

“Wow Gabby…. you look…”

Gabby beamed.  “Yeah?”

Justin smiled.  “Beautiful.  You look beautiful Gabby but aren’t you supposed to be helping your mom get ready?”

Gabby shook her head and then bounced into the room; her hands tucked not so discreetly behind her back.

“Nope.  She said I could come over.  Grandma and Mrs. Karly are helping her and besides I am the “Best Girl.”

Justin laughed and nodded, feeling a little bit of his nerves start to melt away.

“That you are.  Actually, I am glad you are here.  I have something for you.”

Gabby grinned.  “I have something for you too.”

Justin nodded and smiled as she approached and produced the small, square box from behind her back.  It was a simple, square, flat, white box with a dark blue ribbon tied around it.  Justin took the box when she offered it to him then carefully began to untie the ribbon.  With the ribbon now sitting on the bed beside him Justin lifted the lid and couldn’t help but get a little choked up at what he saw.

Inside the box, lying on one of those cotton inserts meant for jewelry was a silver key chain.  On a square silver plate were the words “Thanks for being the dad you didn’t have to be”, and on a small, rectangular plate next to it was the word “Gabby” with a heart.

Immediately, Justin set the box down next to him and pulled Gabby into a hug. 

“Thank you.” He whispered into her hair as a few tears spilled over.

After several moments Justin pulled away and looked back at her.  He opened his mouth to speak but she surprised him.  Her little hand reached up and brushed the tears away from his face with her finger tips as she smiled back at him.  It was such a sweet and loving gesture but one he had not expected. 

“No tears today, Dad.  This is a happy day.”

Justin chuckled and sniffled a bit before nodding. 

“You’re right.  Today is a happy day, but these are happy tears.  I’m happy because today I get to make you and your mom a part of my forever family…officially.”

Gabby giggled a bit and nodded.  “Well…since you put it that way…”

Justin grinned and hugged her again then retrieved the box he had for her from the night stand next to the bed.

The box was similar to the one she’d given him.  Square, white, but this one was tied with a pink ribbon.  Justin handed the box to her and waited anxiously for her to open it.

Gabby’s eyes went wide when she pulled the tissue paper away.  Inside the box was a silver necklace with a heart shaped pendant on the chain.  The heart had tiny diamonds running along one side and a vibrant, red Garnet in the middle.  The card the necklace was sitting on had a sweet poem printed on it, but because the script was fancy Gabby was having a hard time reading it.

“Do you want me to read what it says?” Justin asked gently.

Gabby nodded.

Smiling wistfully Justin took the card and read it out loud to Gabby.

To my Handpicked Daughter,

You may not be flesh of my flesh nor bone of my bone, but I’ll proudly still call you my own.

So never forget for a single minute.

You didn’t grow under my heart, but in it.

I love you.

As soon as he finished reading the card Gabby threw her arms around Justin again, wrapping him in a tight hug.  They hugged for several minutes but as soon as Gabby pulled away, she immediately nodded towards the necklace.

“Will you help me put in on?”

Justin nodded and gently freed the necklace from the card then carefully fastened it around Gabby’s neck.

Gabby fingered the necklace for a moment, making sure it was perfectly placed against the fabric of her tuxedo dress then she turned her attention back to Justin.  He looked as if he wanted to say something so she stayed quiet.

“There’s something else Gabby…something I want to tell you.”

“Ok?!”

The butterflies in Justin’s stomach were going wild again.  True, what he was about to say wasn’t as nerve wracking as proposing or saying “I do”, but it was as equally important, or at least it was to him.

“I already asked your mom…and she said it was ok with her if it was ok with you…”

Justin paused for a moment and took a deep breath before speaking again.

“I want to adopt you, Gabby.  I don’t want to be just your step-dad. I want to be your dad!”

Gabby’s jaw dropped and her eyes went wide as saucers.  It was obvious she was in complete shock.

“Really?!” Gabby whispered.

“Really! I mean…if that’s what you want…”

Gabby grinned, her eyes dancing in front of her and the smile on her lips illuminating her face. 

“Yes!  I want you to be my dad!!  I told you that’s what I wanted!  I want to be Gabriella Michelle De Luca-Hunter-Timberlake!”

Justin couldn’t help but chuckle at the last bit.

“Are you sure?  That’s a lot of names for one person.”

Gabby made a face and nodded.  “It’s not any crazier than North West or Blue Ivy Carter.”

Her sass only made him chuckle more.  One thing was certain, he was going to have his work cut out for him with her but he wouldn’t have it any other way.

“Good point.  Ok, we will work on that AFTER your mom and I get back from the Honeymoon.”

Gabby seemed satisfied with his response and therefore, in true 6-year-old fashion abruptly changed the subject.

“Shouldn’t you be getting dressed?” Gabby asked.

The top half of his tux and various accessories were still in the garment bag on the other side of the bed.

Justin smiled and nodded.

“Yeah.  I probably should.  I was just taking a moment.”

Gabby nodded, giving him a reassuring smile.

“You’re nervous! Mommy is too!  Mrs. Karly and my grandma were helping her get into her dress when I left.”

“Yeah?!  Have you seen it…the dress I mean?”

The thought of seeing Chloe in her wedding dress was giving Justin some serious butterflies.  He knew that regardless of what the dress looked like she would be absolutely radiant in it.

Gabby grinned and nodded.  “At the shop…when she picked it out.  She definitely looks like a princess!”

Justin smiled and nodded.  “I bet she does.  What about you? Are you all set? Do you have the rings?”

Gabby shook her head.  “I’m all set, ready to go, but I don’t have the rings yet.  Mr. JC has them right now.  He said he would give them to me just before we go out there.”

Justin nodded.  He had asked JC to pick up the wedding bands for them when he’d arrived in town.  He knew that Chloe and her family would be too busy with last minute preparations and with Chloe working right up until the day before the wedding he wanted to take as much of the burden off her as he could.  Calling in a few favors with the guys had been the perfect solution.

Just a few floors away in the Dior Suite Chloe was standing alone in the master bedroom, staring at her reflection in the mirror.  Her make-up was done, her hair fell in lush curls around her shoulders and down her back, with a bit pulled back at the sides helping to secure her jeweled comb veil in place.  Around her neck, a single pearl pendant necklace.  It was her “something old” and “something borrowed” from her mother.  It had been her grandmother’s.  Her dress was her “something new” and her “something blue” was the blue ribbon and lace garter currently hugging her left thigh beneath the folds of her dress.

Chloe’s dress really was fit for a princess and she felt like a princess in it.  It was probably the most beautiful thing she’d ever worn and also surprisingly comfortable.  Although, she was grateful to her mother and Karly for insisting she use the restroom BEFORE putting on the dress. 

Being the only other wife within the *NSYNC inner circle Karly had been a God-send!  She’d been the one to share tricks like wearing a button-down shirt to get ready in so Chloe wouldn’t mess up her hair or make-up.  She’d also volunteered to help Chloe bustle her dress after the ceremony so it wouldn’t get trampled during the reception.  Having another female around was definitely something Chloe was looking forward to.

Chloe couldn’t help but smile and chew on her bottom lip as she looked at her reflection.  This was definitely a HUGE departure from scrubs.

“Wow!  Chloe…DAMN…you look…”

Chloe turned at the sound of his voice and couldn’t help but giggle.  Adam was leaning against the bedroom doorway his jaw on the floor.

“Good? Bad?”

Adam chuckled.  “Good! Really good! You look gorgeous!  Wow! Just wow! Look at my little sister all grown up and marrying the man of her dreams…literally!”

Chloe giggled. “Stop!”

“Am I wrong?”

Chloe giggled more and shook her head.

“No.”

“Didn’t think so.”

Just then, the hotel Wedding coordinator appeared in the doorway.

“Ready when you are Dr. De Luca.”

Chloe nodded and took a breath.  Adam took that as his cue.

“Give us a moment?!”

The wedding coordinator smiled and nodded.  She understood that the bride needed another minute to collect herself.

Adam crossed the room and stepped towards his sister, stopping just in front of her and taking her hands in his.

“For almost 3 years now I’ve watched you fight tooth and nail every day to be the best doctor to your patients, the best daughter to mom and dad, the best sister to me and the best mother AND father to Gabby.  You never ask for anything in return.  THIS is your moment, Chloe! This is your happy ending!  I have no doubt that Justin will fight every day to be the husband you’ve always deserved…and if he doesn’t…”

Chloe couldn’t help but giggle through her tears.

“I’m not worried.”

Adam nodded and smiled.  “Neither am I.”

“I guess it’s time then, isn’t it?”

Adam offered his arm and Chloe immediately accepted.  “I think so.”

The wedding ceremony was being held in the Versaille room while the reception was going to be in St. Regis roof ballroom.

All of the guests had been seated and the ushers, or Justin’s bandmates, were now escorting members of the family to their seats. 

Joey and Chris escorted Justin’s stepmother to her seat alongside Justin’s father and step-brothers.  Lance had the task of escorting Justin’s mother, Lyn Harless to her seat with Justin’s step-father and JC escorted Chloe’s mother to her seat.

Justin was already standing at the podium with the officiant for the ceremony.

Traditionally, the bridesmaids walked down the aisle next but since nothing about this ceremony was traditional Adam and Gabby walked down the aisle arm in arm with JC handing the rings off to Gabby as she took the podium next to Justin. 

Gabby gave JC a wink and a thumbs up as everyone stood and directed their attention to the back of the room where Chloe and her father had just stepped into view.

Justin immediately sucked in a breath and held it.  Nothing, absolutely NOTHING could have prepared him for the emotions that swirled through him in that moment.  Chloe looked absolutely ANGELIC in her dress.  It was the happiest he’d ever felt in his entire life.  Justin could feel his eyes start to cloud with tears and he swallowed hard as he tried to force them back. 

Everyone was looking at Chloe but her eyes were only on Justin.  She’d always been of the opinion that he looked AMAZING in a tux but this tux, this tux was different.  This tux was special.  This tux was a part of this moment, and then she spied the cuff links she’d given him for Christmas attached to his tuxedo and her own eyes started to brim with tears.  She knew that he’d worn them for her.

“Who gives the bride to be wed?” the officiant asked.

Chloe’s father, Arturo opened his mouth to answer but Gabby beat him to it.

“I do!” Gabby exclaimed.

Everyone in the room chuckled, meanwhile Gabby’s grandfather nodded before speaking as he tried to force back his own laughter.  In a way, she had a point.

“Her mother and I do…as does her daughter.” Arturo said winking up at Gabby.  Then he turned, offering Chloe’s hand to Justin and stepped back to join Chloe’s mother in the front row.

The officiant smiled and nodded and then continued on with his speech.

“Welcome loved ones, we are gathered here today to join Dr. Chloe Rae De Luca and Mr. Justin Randall Timberlake in holy matrimony.”

The ceremony carried on as normal until the exchanging of the rings.

“May I have the rings please?”

All eyes turned to Gabby and while any other six-year-old might have been nervous with all those adult eyes on her she didn’t miss a beat.  Very carefully she reached over to her left side and untied a ribbon that was attached to her dress.  The rings were tied to her dress with the ribbon, but she quickly released them and handed them to the officiant.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

Justin took the opportunity to give Gabby a high-five.  He’d known all along that she was the only one capable of being his Best Man/Girl for this moment.

Once again, everyone chuckled.  The bond between Gabby and Justin was evident and that was just how Justin wanted it.  Also, it made Chloe’s heart soar.  There was no doubt that Justin would be the father that Gabby deserved.

The exchanging of vows and rings followed and then before Chloe could even blink the Officiant was saying the words that Chloe had been dreaming of at first subconsciously, and then very consciously since their first date.

“And now…by the power vested in me by the state of New York, I now pronounce you husband and wife.  You may kiss the bride!”

Everyone clapped and cheered as Justin wrapped his arms around Chloe and dropped his head, capturing her lips in a very PG kiss. 

Pictures followed while the guests enjoyed appetizers and drinks in the ballroom reserved for the reception.  Once the photo session was complete the bridal party joined the reception already in progress.

Tables surrounded the dance floor.  Each table set with tall crystal vases, adorned with beautiful white flowers.  The lights were down low save for the tea lights flickering in vases on the tables and the soft glow from the lights of the chandeliers above.  There was a place card at every table along with a carefully selected menu card atop each table setting. 

At the head of the room, a gorgeous sweetheart table with two chairs facing the dance floor and guest tables.  It was even prettier than Chloe had imagined it.

As soon as they took their seats the sound of silverware being tapped against glass echoed around the room.  Justin obliged without hesitation kissing his bride softly as everyone cheered.

“Be ready for Joey and Chris to do that about 1,000 more times before the night is over.” Justin whispered.

“Adam too.” Chloe giggled.

Just before dinner was served Adam stood from his seat and looked to Justin and Chloe, a mischievous grin on his face.  Apparently, someone had given him a microphone.  Chloe instinctively knew what was about to happen.

“Uh oh.” Chloe giggled quietly.

“So…umm…since we are all friends and family here and there are no Paparazzi, I think I can tell this story without breaking any confidentiality agreement or getting my ass handed to me to by my sister later…”

Chloe gave her brother a warning look meanwhile everyone else was laughing.

“Anyway…as I was saying, about nine months ago…give or take a day my sister came stumbling into the kitchen one morning after a night at work looking like a freight train hit her…”

“Gee thanks.” Chloe grumbled.

“Patience little sister…I’m getting there…”

Chloe just smirked and shook her head. 

“She looked rough, but being a good doctor, she wouldn’t tell me what happened.  She told me she had a fender bender.  I figured out the rest on my own and when I did, I told her that I had this feeling that a CERTAIN individual was going to come looking for her once he figured it out.  She said I was delusional but here we are…so thank you Justin…for proving me right and for making my sister the happiest girl in the world.”

Justin smiled and nodded but didn’t get a chance to respond before JC popped up.  Chloe smiled and bit her lip while Justin could only chuckle.

“So…we just heard from the Man of Honor and technically it should be the Best Girl’s turn but being the awesome little lady that she is she asked me to do the honors.  She said she knew that it would mean a lot to Justin if I did and that title or not, I was just as much his Best Man as she was.”

Around the room a chorus of “awws” could be heard as both Chloe and Justin choked back fresh tears.

JC grinned at Gabby and then turned back to the happy couple. 

“So…about nine months ago…give or take a day…”

Everyone started to chuckle.

“I got one of the worst calls I’ve ever gotten in my life.  My best friend had been in a motorcycle accident and was lucky to be alive.  A Good Samaritan had saved his life.  For at least a week or two after he would not SHUT UP about this mysterious “Angel.” He said he couldn’t get her voice out of his head and once he found out her name, he was determined to find her…apparently, he even sent her flowers…semi-anonymously.  Then I went to visit…and he had a panic attack…insisted I take him to Mt. Sinai hospital…and there she was…”

JC then turned his gaze on Chloe.

“He hasn’t shut up about you since that day.  Not that I blame him in the least.  You saved my best friend’s life that day…in more ways than one and for that …well…we…and by “we” I mean the rest of the guys and I and pretty much everyone in this room, are eternally grateful.  You are an “Angel” to all of us.  Thank you, Chloe!”

“To the happy couple!” Joey chimed in raising his glass.

“To the happy couple.”

After the toast dinner was served and as predicted Joey, Adam, Chris and even Lance initiated a kiss at least a half a dozen times throughout the meal.

Once dinner had been cleared away it was time for the first dance.

JC, Joey, Chris and Lance stood and started to make their way to one corner of the dance floor with microphones in hand.  Meanwhile, in the opposite corner of the ballroom Adam and Gabby were cooking up a surprise of their own.

Lance put the microphone to his lips to invite Chloe and Justin to the dance floor.

“And now ladies and gentlemen, it’s time for the bride and groom share their first dance as husband and wife.”

Hand in hand Justin and Chloe stood and started for the dance floor as the opening melody of “This I Promise You.”

Chloe looked to Justin in surprise as he slipped one arm around her waist, pulling her to him.

“You asked them to do THIS song?” Chloe asked, her lips curving into a smile.

“I did.  It is your favorite, right?!”

Chloe nodded as they started to sway.

Typically, Justin sang the first verse of the song but given that it was his wedding day and he wanted to actually focus on dancing with his wife he’d asked JC to cover his parts, or at least that had been the plan. 

As the first verse started JC opened his mouth but before he could sing a single note another voice took Justin’s part.

From the opposite side of the dance floor from the rest of *NSYNC Gabby stepped forward, a microphone in her hand as she sweetly sang Justin’s part.  She was actually quite good. 

JC’s mouth fell open as did the mouth of almost every person in the room.  Even Chloe and Justin looked a bit in shock.

Oh, oh
When the visions around you
Bring tears to your eyes
And all that surrounds you
Are secrets and lies
I'll be your strength
I'll give you hope
Keeping your faith when it's gone
The one you should call
Was standing here all along

All four members of *NSYNC grinned at Gabby and quickly joined her for the chorus while motioning her over to join them.

“Did you know she could do that?” Justin chuckled shaking his head as they danced.

“Nope! I mean …it makes sense she knows the song…it is my favorite…and well…”

“She sounds great!  Damn! Maybe the guys don’t need me after all…” Justin teased.

“Hush!  And don’t be putting any ideas in her head…she wants to be a scientist.”

JC took his verse as normal and Gabby joined the group for the harmonies.  They finished the song up until the very last line, which Justin sang quietly to Chloe.

Every word I say is true
This I promise you
Ooh, I promise you

When the song finished everyone clapped and cheered, congratulating the happy couple.  Just off to the side of the dance floor JC, Joey, Chris and Lance were busy fawning over Gabby.

“WOW! Gabby, you got some pipes!” JC said grinning.

Gabby blushed.  “Thanks.  I wanted to surprise my mom and Justin.”

Chris chuckled.  “I think you surprised everyone!”

“Yeah girl, you can sing Justin’s part with us anytime you want.” Joey teased.

Gabby giggled.  “Nah.  That was just for fun, just for tonight.  It’s not really *NSYNC without Justin…besides I want to be a scientist.  I want to cure cancer or diabetes or something like that.”

Lance grinned at this and nodded.  “I bet you will…and when you have that cure ready, I’ll be your first patient.”

“Deal!”

After a few songs it was time to cut the cake.  Rather than go with a traditional cake the couple had opted for cupcakes, each choosing a favorite flavor.  Justin chose Red Velvet while Chloe chose Tiramisu.

“No smashing!” Chloe said giving Justin a look.

“What?! What do you mean? Where is the fun if I can’t smash it?”

“Absolutely not!  I’m not getting cake all over this dress.”

Justin laughed and nodded, smiling at his bride.  Just the thought made him giddy.  He wasn’t going to spoil her mood, not tonight.

“Alright, no smashing.”

After cake and a bit more dancing it was time for the garter and the bouquet toss.

The garter toss was first.  A chair had been set up in the middle of the dance floor.  Chloe sat in the chair while Justin got on his knees in front of her.

“I’ll be gentle.” He whispered before popping a quick kiss on her lips.

Chloe giggled and nodded as he started to lift the hem of her dress with his hands.

“Oh, NO J! No hands! Just teeth!” Joey called out.

“I don’t think so!” Chloe shot back.

“That’s how I did it.” Chris snickered.

“Me too.” Joey agreed.

Lance just shook his head and made a face at Chloe. 

“Don’t look at me.”

Chloe just blushed and covered her face with her hand.

Justin chuckled and put his hands behind his back.  “Like I said, I promise to be gentle.”

Chloe bit her lip and gave Justin a warning look.  “You better.”

As if right on cue “Sexy Back” began to play causing Justin to turn beet red as he looked across the room at the DJ.  Adam was standing at the DJ booth with a sly grin on his face.

“Ha Ha! Very Funny!’

Still giggling and shaking her head, Chloe lifted the hem of her dress up as Justin clasped his hands behind his back and leaned forward, grabbing the garter with his teeth.  Across the room, at the table where Gabby and Chloe’s parents were sitting Adam’s boyfriend, Derek was covering Gabby’s eyes with his hands.

Once the garter was free everyone cheered as all the single men in the room were directed towards the dance floor.  Chris and Lance made a big production of pushing JC and Joey towards the dance floor.  Justin gave Chloe a wink then turned and launched the garter in the air.  The garter was airborne for several seconds before it as if by magic it landed in JC’s hand.

Both Chloe and Justin laughed as JC just shook his head and shuffled off the floor.  Lance and Chris could only snicker as Joey congratulated JC with a pat on the back.  It was all in good fun and it made Chloe feel good to see them interact with one another like this.  They truly did act like brothers. 

The bouquet toss was next and there weren’t nearly as many single women at the wedding as there were men.  Seeing an opportunity, Chloe saw her brother had rejoined the family table and she smiled to herself as she approached him and pulled Adam out to the dance floor.

“Umm…I think I have the wrong plumbing for this.” Adam laughed as Chloe dragged him out onto the floor.

Chloe just laughed and shook her head.  “I’m the bride so what I say goes and what I say is…so what.  There aren’t nearly as many women at this wedding as there are men.  Besides, I got my happy ending…I think it’s time you got yours.”

“It’s only been six months…” Adam protested.

“Nonsense.  You two have known each other since Law school…”

“Chloe…I…”

“Adam, you have been looking out for me my whole life…you can stop now…I promise…I’m in good hands this time…”

Adam smiled and nodded.  He knew she was right.  Justin wasn’t Eddy.  Justin was the man she’d deserved all along.

“I know.”

“So, what’s your excuse?”

Adam laughed and shook his head.  They were definitely related.  Chloe could definitely be stubborn when she wanted to be.

“Umm…I guess I don’t have one.”

“Exactly!”

And with that Chloe walked across the dance floor, turned her back to the crowd and tossed her bouquet back, over her head where Adam caught it with absolutely no effort whatsoever.  In fact, it seemed as if the bouquet found him all on its own.

Shortly after the bouquet toss Chloe and Justin quietly made their exit.  They were spending the night in Justin’s suite before leaving the next morning for the honeymoon.  A week in Italy, just the two of them.  Chloe was excited.

They were standing at the doors to the elevator hand in hand, waiting in silence for the doors to open.  As soon as the bell rang and the doors opened Justin grinned to himself and without saying a word, he swept Chloe into his arms and carried her into the elevator, both of them laughing as the doors closed in front of them.

“Justin, you can put me down.” Chloe giggled.

Justin shook his head before popping a kiss on her lips. 

“No ma’am.  Not until we are in our suite.”

“I thought you were supposed to do that when you came home from the honeymoon.”

“Oh, I plan to do it then too…and when we get to the hotel in Italy.”

Chloe giggled and nodded.  “I see.”

“Do you know how happy I am right now?” Justin asked, his voice low.

“I think I might have an idea.” Chloe whispered back.

“I’m SO happy right now.  I’m happy because I am the luckiest guy in the world.  I am the luckiest guy because I get to be your husband.”

“I love you too Justin, and I’m the lucky one, because I get to be your wife.”

Justin grinned and dropped his head as the doors opened into their private suite.  His lips captured hers in a gentle kiss.  Chloe moaned softly and leaned into the kiss as he stepped into the suite, still carrying her in his arms.

“Mmm…my wife…yeah…I like that.”

“That does sound nice.  Now, why don’t you set me down and then help me get this dress off.” Chloe whispered back.

Justin chuckled and nodded.  “That sounds even better.”

“I thought it might.”

Several minutes later they were tucked into the bed together, their bodies facing each other, their faces mere inches from one another as they both stared into each other’s eyes.

“Thank you.” Justin whispered.

“For what?” Chloe replied.

“For saving me.”

Chloe blushed and nodded.  “I think I should be thanking you.”

Justin smiled as he gently played with a few strands of her hair, his eyes locked on her.  “For what?”

“For saving me back.”