He’d dreamed about her every night. The past week, she was there haunting his dreams. Dreams of what had happened; of what he thought had happened. Dreams of them being together, Kody calling him daddy instead of Uncle Justin. Thing of it was, he didn’t know why.

”Justin, fairs aren’t my thing. There’s bugs, and what if it rains?”

“You’re going. It’s the biggest thing in the county every summer.”

“But-“

“Jess, you’ve managed to complain about everything at some point this past week. Will you please pretend to like this and have fun? For me?” He made a pouty face in her direction, causing her to laugh.

She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him. “I’ll do my best for you baby.”

“Thank you. We’re meeting my mom and Paul, and the boys up there. The band starts at 9:30.”

“Then why are we leaving now? It’s only 4:30.”

“See the livestock judging, there’s games and carnival rides.” He walked over to the dresser to grab a shirt.

“Can’t hardly wait,” she mumbled and rolled her eyes as his back was turned.

When they arrived, she was shocked. They actually went out in public without being swarmed. There were no photographers, no reporters, no screaming fans.

“How…where-“

“Everyone knows me honey. They don’t care if I’m Justin Timberlake the celebrity or Justin Timberlake the boy down the street.”

“Oh,” she whispered.

They slowly made their way over to the livestock area. As they were looking around, they ran into his friends.

“Hey,” Justin greeted.

Their greetings were all friendly, even toward Jessica.

“Where’s the Anderson’s horses?” he asked, looking around.

“Third row on the end,” Kyle told him.

Justin and the guys slowly made their way over there, Jessica following behind them.

“Hey boys,” Steve greeted, rubbing one of the four horses down.

“Hey Mr. Anderson,” Justin greeted, shaking his hand.

“There’s all my boys!” the heard. Deanna was walking toward them, leading another horse. She stopped in front of them, looking at the girl on Justin’s arm. “Hello dear.”

“Deanna, this is my girlfriend Jessica. This is my best friend’s mama, Deanna.”

“Nice to meet you,” Deanna smiled, hiding her disapproval.

Jessica just smiled.

“Where’s Payton?” Justin asked looking around.

”Oh, she took Kody to the little petting zoo and then to get some food.”

“Food sounds good,” Justin said and looked at Jessica. “You hungry baby?”

Deanna glanced at Steve, watching him shake his head in disappointment.

“A little bit,” she answered.

Justin looked at his friends. “Y’all hungry? I’m buying.”

“Hell yeah!” they all more or less shouted.

They made their way down the hill toward the food vendors, running into Payton and Kody.

“Uncle Justin!” Kody shouted and ran toward him.

“Hey squirt!” he said, picking her up and spinning her around.

Jessica watched the scene, feelings of jealousy hitting at how easily a little girl could lit up Justin’s face.

“Hey guys,” Payton greeted, walking toward the group.

“Hey girl,” Justin said, an even bigger smile on his face now.

The guys stood back, watching and waiting to see what was going to happen.

“Payton, his is Jessica, my girlfriend. Baby, this is my best friend Payton and her daughter Kody.”

The two women sized each other up. Jessica glared down at the 5’4” blond girl with the dark blue eyes standing in front of her. She looked down farther, seeing her tan shoulders and chest exposed by the tank top she was wearing. Her flat tummy showed no signs of having been stretched during her pregnancy. Her tan legs, exposed from mid-thigh by her denim skirt to right below her knees, the rest hidden by her cowboy boots.

“It’s nice to meet you,” Payton smiled. She knew she had nothing to worry about. Yeah she was a little shorter, but she knew she was a lot meaner.

“You too,” Jessica said, forcing herself to smile.

“So, who’s hungry?” Justin asked, walking between the two, trying to break the tension.

“I want a corndog,” Kody whispered in his ear and he smiled.

“I think we can manage that kiddo,” he told her and took off toward the vendors, everyone following him.

“What’cha want sweetheart?” he asked Jessica.

“It’s all fried Justin. Or barbequed. Doesn’t anyone around here know what health food is?”

Payton rolled her eyes, then spoke up from behind Justin. “I think there’s a place down on the end that has fresh fruit and vegetables.”

Jessica rolled her eyes and ignored Payton as she told Justin she’d just take a lemonade. The guys all got their massive amounts of food, Kody got her corndog and french fries. Payton tried to buy her own food, but Justin wouldn’t let her. So he bought her the greasy cheeseburger, french fries and beer, and the funnel cake Kody and her shared.

Jessica sat there disgusted as she watched them all eat. Especially Payton scarfing down her huge burger. “Don’t eat too much of that, you’ll get fat.”

Payton laughed and swallowed the bite she was chewing. “I always eat like this. Growing up with these guys, I had to learn to pull my weight with food.”

“You always eat like that? You work out a lot then don’t you?”

Payton shook her head. “I’ve never worked out.”

“Then how-“

“I was raised on a farm. Now I have a two year old and I’m one of the only mechanics in town. I don’t have to work out, life works me out more than enough.”

“Oh,” Jessica huffed, disgusted.

After eating, they went around to the games and rides. Justin took Kody on all the rides she was able to go on as Payton snapped pictures of them. Justin took care of Kody most of the night, paying more attention to her than anyone. Which didn’t set well with his girlfriend.

When they made their way to the games, Justin spent quite a bit of money playing. And every prize he won went to Kody. Even the huge teddy bear that Jessica was sure he’d win her.

“He sure likes that kid,” Bobby whispered to Payton as they watched them together on the merry-go-round for the tenth time.

“He should.”

“Pay, I know you’re enjoying this, but don’t let her get too attached. You either. You know he’s leaving again in a little over a month.”

Payton sighed. “I know Bobby. Am I supposed to just tell him no to being around us?”

”I’m not saying that, just be careful.”

“I’m trying. It’s kind of funny watching Miss High and Mighty over there get jealous. I could so knock her ass out in one hit.”

They both laughed as Kody came running over to her mom.

”Hey baby, have fun?”

“Yeah, I go again?”

“Nooo, we need to get going home. It’s getting late.” She looked at Justin. “Thank you.”

”For what?”

“Spoiling her rotten,” Payton laughed, making him blush.

“I didn’t spoil her. We had a lot of catching up to do.”

“Well, whatever it was, we have to get going. I think your girlfriend would like her man back.”

He looked over his shoulder at Jessica and saw her standing with the guys, glaring at him. He turned back around and rolled his eyes. “Yeah, can’t wait for that.”

“What’s that about?” Payton asked, curiosity getting the better of her.

“Nothing,” he sighed. “She’s just getting on my nerves lately. A lot.”

Payton smiled. “I’m sorry.”

”Not half as sorry as me. One more week, the she leaves and I can enjoy myself and stop walking on damn eggshells around her.”

“Don’t have too much fun in that week.”

“Yeah, thanks jerk,” he said, the both of them laughing.

“No problem.” She looked at Kody. “Tell him bye-bye and thank you.”

Kody reached over and hugged Justin. “Thank you. Bye-bye Uncle Justin. Love you.”

Payton smiled as he kissed her. “You’re welcome. Love you too squirt.”

He glanced at Payton and smiled at her before pulling her into a tight embrace. “Camping Wednesday?”

“I’ll see you then. Bye Justin.” She quickly kissed his cheek before turning around and walking away.

He touched his cheek where her lips had briefly touched as he watched her walk away.

He felt someone smack his arm, then heard Jessica. “Hello? What the hell was that?”

“What?” he asked completely clueless.

“She kissed you!”

“It was a friendly kiss, don’t freak out.”

“Bullshit! And you didn’t do or say a damn thing!”

“Because she’s a friend Jessica! That’s all it was!”

She turned to look at his friends. They quickly looked down to avoid her eyes. “Does she kiss you guys like that?”

They all shock their heads yes to cover his ass. She’d never kissed any of them, at least not like that. She’d kissed Bobby when they were dating. And one other, which was her first kiss.

She spun back around to Justin. “It better not happen again!”

They didn’t talk the rest of the night. Until they got back to Justin’s moms and he was trying to go to bed.

“You guys slept together, didn’t you?” she accused, climbing in bed.

“What are you talking about now?” he sighed, completely pissed off.

“You and Payton. You guys have slept together.”

“Yeah Jess, we fuck all the time. And every other woman in town too. I’m the man-whore in the town. They’ve all had my dick up in them.”

“Don’t start with me Justin. You’re on thin ice as it is.”

“I’m on thin ice? Me? Do you know how much hell I’ve been through this past week with you here?”

“Then why’d you bring me?”

“You’re my girlfriend! I wanted you to meet my mom! And my friends!”

“And they all hate me!”

“So? You’re with me, not them.”

“My family love you Justin, and my friends too. Would-“

“You want me to make them like you?”

“No! But-“

“But nothing! If you didn’t act like you’re twenty times better than them, maybe they wouldn’t have a problem with you!”

“That’s not acting, I am better than this. All of it!”

“Well then don’t expect them to like you.”

“You-“

“I’m going to bed! Shut your mouth and go to sleep, it’s past your bedtime!”

She watched him roll over, unable to believe he’d talked to her like that.

‘You want country hillbilly from me? You got it buddy!’ she thought to herself, an evil smile developing on her face.