He’d been feeling droplets on his face for quite some time. He didn’t want to open his eyes because that would mean his date was over. It would mean the warm body snuggled on his, would wake.

He could feel every breath she took. He could feel her heart beating which was what he’d been doing up to the point when he started feeling the water. At least he hoped it was water. He’d wiped his face with his hand and the movement had caused her to stir. The way they were laying she had to be careful how she moved. Other parts of him, that had been fighting with him all night, would wake up is she kept it up. No pun intended.

Suddenly he felt a decent amount of liquid being thrown at the top of his head. His eyes jerked open and he jumped causing her to jump from her sleep. Both of them stood, teeth shattering from the cold fluid.

“Jesus Christ!!” Kayla yelled.

“What the hell?” Trace said wiping yet more water out of his face to look at the little kid standing before them.

“Good morning, Kay.” the kid said with a giggle.

“I’m going to kill you, you little brat.”

Trace didn’t know where Kayla had picked up the energy after being woken by a bucket of water but she took off chasing the little kid around the pool twice before the kid went inside the house yelling for his mom.

“What was that?” Trace asked with a huge smile on his face as she walked shivering up to where he stood.

“That my friend is Sean.”

“Sean? Noemi’s Sean?” Trace asked mouth wide open in shock.

“The one and only.” she said grabbing the soaked blanket they had been covered with moments before.

“Seriously?”

“As serious as being frozen to death. Which is what is going to happen to me soon. Come on.” She said walking towards her pool house.
Trace turned to follow her but turned to look where the kid had entered the house.

“She has a son?”

“Yup.” Kayla said as she entered the pool house.

“I can come in today?”

“Yeah.”

“You didn’t let me in last night.”

“Last night was different.”

“It was different alright.” Trace said with a smile directed at her from the door. She was in the middle of drying her hair with a towel before she looked at him with blushing cheeks and a smile. “Do I get a towel?”

“Oh sorry.” she said going into what he assumed was the bathroom.

“Do you think I could use your bathroom?” he asked finishing up drying his barely there hair.

“Yeah sure, go ahead. I’m going to go change into dry clothes. Sorry I don’t have anything for you to wear.”

“I wouldn’t think so.”

“Funny.” she said before going into the room next to the bathroom.

When Trace emerged from the bathroom he could hear Kayla in the kitchen opening and closing cabinet doors. He couldn’t help but have a cheesy smile on his face as he walked towards the kitchen. Instead of the jeans and blouse she had been wearing she had on a very low-cut pair of sweats, she had a bikini on underneath and a pink zip-up sweatshirt she wore to match her sweats.

“Are you making me a special breakfast?”

“If you call a bowl of cereal, a special breakfast then I guess I am.” Kayla said with a chuckle.

“A woman after my own heart. A bowl of cereal sounds wonderful. Justin and I grew up on it. Well Justin grew. I stopped.” he joked.

“You don’t do anything without Justin, huh?” Kayla asked as she poured milk over the Captain Crunch cereal in his bowl and then on hers.

“I do a lot of things without Justin, Kay Kay.” he said before putting a spoonful of cereal into his mouth, winking at her.

“Anyway, I want to apologize for the brat. His mom probably put him up to it. Her room is right above the pool, she probably saw us sleeping.”

“I can’t believe I thought Sean was a man. A grown man, that is.”

“I can’t believe we fell asleep for that long.” Kayla said off topic.

“You fell asleep way before I did.” Trace said finishing up his bowl.

“More?” she asked but Trace shook his head. “Why didn’t you wake me?”

“What for? I didn’t have anywhere to be. And besides you looked and felt comfortable.”

“Yeah right. You just wanted to take advantage of me.” she joked.

“If I wanted to take advantage of you, I would have. But I want you to be awake and looking at me when I DO take advantage of you.”

“That sounds confident and kinky, Juan.”

“I know.” Trace said getting up from the stool, to put his bowl in the sink. When he turned to walk back to the other side of the counter, she was facing him. She had completely turned around on the stool with her knees together perched up on the stool’s foot bars. She smiled and kept her eyes on him.

“I had a really good time last night.”

“Me too.” he said placing his hands on either sides of her knees slowly spreading them apart. He walked into her space and put his hands on her hips. “We should do it again sometime. Minus the water of course.” he said while he kissed the side of her neck up to her ear and finally looked her in the eyes before kissing her soft and sweet.

“Did you and Justin learn how to kiss a girl together too?” she asked after a few soft kisses.

“Nope. I learned all by myself.”

“That sounded really bad.” Kayla laughed.

“You know what I meant?” Trace said pretending to be mad at her and walking back to the other side of the counter.

“I know what you meant. It just sounded bad.” Kayla explained getting up to put her bowl in the sink.

“You going somewhere?” Trace asked.

“Why do you ask?”

“I don’t know. Do you always wear a two peace bathing suit underneath your clothes, to be around the house?”

“No, smart-ass. I’m gong to the gym for a few laps.”

“Oh.”

“You can come with me if you want.” Kayla offered. After she’d said it she wanted to slap herself. She wasn’t clingy. She never had been. Now she sounded like a complete ass. “I mean if you want to. I didn’t mean to indicate that I wanted you to come because….”

“Relax, Kayla. It’s all right. I would love to come with you but….”

“But you have things to do. I understand.” Kayla was quick to cut him off. ‘Stupid’ she told herself.

“Are you done now?” he asked. When she shook her head he continued. “What I was going to say was that I had a better idea.”

“About what?” Kayla asked a bit confused. She damned herself to hell for acting like a stupid teenaged girl with a crush.

“Come swimming at Justin’s.”

“I don’t think so.”

“Why not?”

“Because it’s too cold outside. The gym has a pool inside the building.”

“Justin’s pool is heated.” Trace said matter of fact. “Come on, what do you say?”

“Do you usually make a habit of bringing girls to Justin’s house?”

“No not really. Just you. Why?”

“Why me?”

“I’m giving you the benefit of a doubt, Kayla. Take it.” Trace said looking her directly in the eyes. “Are you ready to go?”

“You’re going to have to explain that to me later. And who said I was going?”

“I can tell you want to go.” He winked.

“I’ll tell you what.” Kayla said walking up to him. “I will go if you promise to rethink your plans about your clothing line.”

“You don’t care about my plans. You’re just wanting me to go back to those horrible accounting classes with you.”

“Yeah right, don’t flatter yourself.” Kayla said before he kissed her and made her forget her train of thought.

“Can we go now?” Trace asked after a few kisses.

“I guess. You sure Justin won’t mind?”

“I’m sure. He’s recording right now I bet.”

As Trace followed Kayla through the house he noticed Noemi coming down the stairs. Trace gave her a once over because she had the same type of attire Kayla had. She looked at him with a raised eyebrow as if to say ‘Why are you looking at me like that?’.

“Come on baby. Kay is ready.” Noemi yelled up the stairs.

“Oh.” Kayla started to say before looking at Trace and back at Noemi. “I won’t be going to the gym today. Juan invited me to go swimming at Justin’s place.”

“That’s fine.” Noemi said looking at the both of them and once again calling up. “Sean, baby let’s go.”

“Speaking of baby.” Trace said getting closer to Noemi, who in turn took a step back. “You have one.”

“Yes I do. Although he isn’t quite a baby anymore.” Noemi said as she watched Sean come down the stairs slowly pausing when he saw Kayla at the bottom of the stairs.

“Am I in trouble?” he whispered to his mom.

“Yes you are you little brat!!” Kayla said running up the few steps to get the little kid. Sean laughed as he tried to get away from Kayla but his little legs didn’t match up to hers and he was caught and tickled continuously. “This is what you get.”

“No playing on the stairs, Kayla. Please.” Noemi said sounding very motherly. Trace found himself staring at her. She was a mother.

“Party pooper!!” Kayla and Sean said together with a giggle as they descended the stairs.

“You can come with us.” Trace said Noemi.

“No thanks.” She was quick to respond.

“Why not?” Trace asked.

“Just because.” Noemi responded. “Go get your things, Sean.” She said to the kid who kept looking at Trace.

“What’s up buddy?” Trace said bending to meet him face to face. “You know what?”

“What?” Sean whispered.

“You should try using whipped cream on people’s faces. It’s funnier.”

“Oh great.” Kayla said with a laugh. “Don’t encourage him, he already has his mother for that.”

“So what do you say Noemi?”

“No.”

“Come on. I promise Lance won’t be there.” He lied he knew that there was a high possibility Lance would be at Justin’s because he had been spending most of the days there lately.

“Who?”

“Alright. All right. I get it. If he’s there I promise I’ll bring you home. Deal?”

“Come with me, No-No.” Kayla said looking at Noemi with pleading eyes. She thought it would be good for Noemi to come so that she wouldn’t stick out like a sore thumb among the celebrities she knew would be looming at Justin’s mansion.

“Just for a few laps.” Noemi said with a shrug. “Is this pool heated?”

“Yeah.” Trace and Kayla responded.

“Oh God the bopsie twins.” Noemi said rolling her eyes.

“Sean can hang out with Andie, Justin’s daughter. Andie has a playhouse as big as my condo in Florida.”

“Yeah right.” Kayla said with a chuckle.

“Well I’m exaggerating. But it’s big. She has her own garage for her BMW.” Trace said tugging Kayla’s ponytail.

“You ready?” Noemi asked Sean who appeared dragging his book bag behind him.

“Yup.”

“Come on, little man.” Trace said grabbing the book bag and Sean’s hand. “You can ride in the front with me.” Trace said heading out of the front door with Sean.
 
Juls and Jenn watched out of the window as Trace pulled up. At first they couldn’t see who was in the car with him but then saw a little kid about Andie’s age step out of the tall SUV helped by a brunette neither recognized. Out of the passenger side another brunette stepped off.

“Who’s that?” Jenn asked Juls.

“I don’t know but from what Justin told me I’m guessing the short one is, Kayla. The other one I don’t know. She might be the cousin who went out with Lance and hates him or vise versa. I don’t try to understand Justin when he’s mumbling about shit I don’t really care about.”

“Well for not caring that’s a whole lot of information.” Jenn said with a laugh. “Are they going swimming?”

“Looks like it.” Juls said turning to watch Trace come to the door with the kid. The two women stayed by the car and seemed to be admiring the gated property.

“What’s going on, chicken heads?” Trace said when he got inside.

“I’ll respond to that comment later when there isn’t any children around, midget.” Juls said giving him a mean look. “One night away from home and you come in with a child? You work fast, little man.” Juls joked.

“Shut up.” Trace said rolling his eyes at her. “This is Sean. He’s Noemi’s son. Noemi is Kayla’s cousin. I brought him in to meet Andie. Is she around?”

“Yeah, she’s in her TV room.” Juls said pointing towards the back of the house. “Hey there, Sean. How are you doing, cutie?”

“I’m good.” He shyly stated. “You want to go watch movie with Andie?”

“Who is he?” Sean asked.

“She. Andie is a girl. She’s my daughter.” Juls smiled. “Come on, I’ll take you to her. There are lots of things I’m sure she’ll share with you.” Juls waited until he took her extended hand and walked away from Jenn and Trace.

“You going swimming?” Jenn asked continuing to look outside the window.

“Yeah for a little while. Will you stop looking out there like they are going to steal something.”

“Oh shut up. She just looks familiar.”

“Whatever. Do you know if the pool heater is on?”

“How should I know? I’m a chicken head. Besides, I don’t live here. You do.”

“Thanks, Jenn. I appreciate your help.” Trace said sarcastically.

“Anytime.” Jenn said with a smile.

“Can you move out of the way? I need to get the keys for the pool box.” Trace said shoving Jenn to the side playfully.

“You know you seem to have grown some balls ever since you met this chick.”

“I’ve always had balls, Satan. And I’d appreciate if you don’t refer to Kayla as a chick.” Trace said grabbing the keys he needed from the drawer. “Here they go.”

“Well. Well. Looks like our little Trace has feelings for a certain chick. Oh sorry. Woman. Good for you, little bit.”

“I’d also appreciate it if you stop the random name calling at least while I have guests.” Trace said once again shoving Jenn out of his way.

“Bastard!!” Jenn said pushing him back.

“Where’s Justin?” Trace asked before heading to the back door again.

“He’s in the studio with Jc and Lance working on some music.”

“Lance is here?”

“Yeah. Why do you ask like that?” Jenn asked once again looking outside. “You know Lance is on vacation. And his vacation spot seems to be here this year.”

“Shit!!” Trace said.

“Oh I get it. Didn’t you have a little squabble with Lance the other night?”

“It’s amazing how shit travels in this circle of psychotic people we are members of.” Trace said to himself. “I’m not the one with a problem with Lance. Noemi is.”

“That’s the cousin, right?”

“Yeah. Listen. If Lance comes up. Please don’t…”

“Don’t what?”

“Lance stay inside the house for the next few hours.” Trace ordered.

“Yeah okay I’ll get right on that, dad.”

“I’m serious, Lance. Please.” Trace said sternly.

“Why is it that you want me to stay inside the house like a caged animal?”

“Kayla is here.”

“So?”

“So, she’s not alone.”

“I know.”

“Huh?”

“If you haven’t noticed this breakthrough invention, Trace, let me explain it to you. This piece of structure you are standing in is called a house. With me so far?” he stopped and looked at Trace, which in turn gave him a bored look. “Houses have windows and I can certainly see out the one in front of me.”

“Good for you Lance. Trace and Justin get all the comebacks. I’m happy for you.” Jenn chimed in but was ignored.

“What are you freaking out about?” Lance asked keeping his line of vision outside the window where the two women where standing, laughing about something.

“If Noemi sees you she’s going to want to bolt. I promised her that you wouldn’t be here. That’s the only reason she agreed to come over for a swim.”

“The only reason she agreed to come over was because she knew I WOULD be here. That woman has issues.”

“Confidence. I like it, Bass.” Jenn added. “I’ll leave you two to discuss this stupid situation you’re in.”

“You’re stupid.” Trace said childishly.

“No, little man. You’re stupid for thinking you’re going to get that pool heater in five minutes when it takes two hours.” Jenn said walking away from both of them.

“You think you know it all.” Trace yelled to her. “Damn it she’s right. Lance, you’re going to have to leave.”

“Again. I’ll get right on that, daddy. This isn’t you house. Your place is over there.” Lance said pointing outside the window to the pool house.

“My place is still a Fumanskeeto warehouse. I can’t take Kayla in there.”

“You should have thought of that before you brought her over.”

“Come on, Lance. You owe me.” Trace said with raised eyebrows.

“I’m going to go hang out with Andie. I’m not leaving but I’ll stay out of your way.” Lance said taking one last look at Noemi and Kayla outside.

“Thank you. Just try to keep busy with Andie and oh..” Trace cringed. “Wait.”

“What? I can’t be around Andie either?” Lance asked agitated. “I don’t owe you that much, man. You can forget it. It’s Andie for crying out loud.”

“No, I mean.” Trace didn’t know how to explain to Lance that being around Andie would mean being around Noemi’s son, which he was yet to know about. He didn’t quite get his words together in his head because in walked Andie followed by her mother and a little boy.

“Who is this?” Lance asked no one in particular. He bent down to talk to the kid. “What’s your name?”

“Sean.” The kid responded shyly.

“Neighbor?” Lance asked Juliana who was busy opening Go-Gurts for the kids.

“He’s here with us.” Trace said opening the back door and signaling to the women that he would be right out. “He’s Noemi’s son.”

“Noemi? As in Noemi, Kayla’s cousin? And she’s his mother?”

“That would be the way it works, stupid.” Juliana said smacking Lance on the back of his head.

“So you’re her little secret?” Lance whispered smiling at the kid. Sean gave him a strange look at first and them smiled back at him.

“Well he’s five so I don’t know how that’s much of a secret.” Juliana said giving Trace a weird look. “You do know it takes at least two hours to heat that pool, right?”

“Yeah, Jenn already pointed that out to me. Thanks.” Trace said. “I’m going outside. Maybe I’ll give them the grand tour on the four-wheelers while we wait for the pool.”

“I think they might need fuel.” Juliana said before collecting the kids and leaving before Trace had a chance to say anything.

“Great!!” Trace said.

“Maybe you should just have a bar-b-Q. It’s nice out today.” Lance suggested before he left the kitchen to follow Juliana and the kids to the playroom.

“Thanks Lance.” Trace said before leaving out the door. Kayla and Noemi were standing by the car looking around the place when he got close to them. “Sorry I
made you guys wait. We have a little problem.”

“Where’s Sean?” Noemi was first to ask.

“Oh, he’s fine he’s with Juliana and Andie I think they were going to the play house. The problem is that the pool isn’t heated yet. I have to go turn it on and it will take a little while to completely heat it.”

“What’s a while?” Kayla asked.

“About two hours.”

“Yeah right, I’m not staying here that long.” Noemi said quickly.

“Why not?” Kayla asked Noemi which in return surprised Trace.

“Because I have things to do. I knew this was a bad idea.” Noemi huffed.

“Hey people!!” Justin said coming out to meet them.

“Taking a break?” Trace asked Justin as he walked towards the three of them.

“Heard you going swimming.” Justin said to Trace. “You know it takes at least two hours, right?”

“Why does everyone keep asking me that? Yes I know. I was getting ready to give these two beautiful ladies a tour of the house.

“The four-wheelers need fuel.” Justin stated.

“Yes I know that also. Does anything around here work?”

“Apparently not because I am done working for today and it’s only eleven o‘clock. You could use one of the golf carts for your tour.” Justin suggested. “Although I would suggest one of you ladies drive the thing because Trace has this fascination with trees and crashing into them.” Justin said to the women making them laugh.

“Thanks, we’ll keep that in mind.” Kayla said with a chuckle.

“So are you ladies staying for the cook-out?” Justin asked.

“What cook-out?” Noemi asked.

“Lance said we were having a cook-out.” Justin said innocently.

“I never agreed to it.” Trace said under his breath.

“A deal is a deal, Juan.” Noemi said to Trace.

“He promised to stay out of the way, Noemi. It’s cool.”

“So you told him something that made him promise that? That’s great because that just means he thinks I am avoiding him. I’ll take a cab home. Can you get my son please?”

“You have a son?” Justin asked confused.

“He’s inside the house.” Kayla volunteered.

“Oh, he’s probably at the play house with Andie.” Justin said nonchalantly. “So you ladies have any special requests for the cook out? Drinks? Food? Snacks? Anything?”

“No thanks. Thank you for inviting us but I’ll be leaving.”

“Why? Because of Lance?” Justin asked. “You know you’re the first woman in over fifteen years that has actually stayed away from Lance.”

“There’s a first for everything.” Noemi smiled. “Can you get my son please?” she asked him.

“Yeah sure. I’ll get him. As soon as we get back from the store. I don’t take no as an answer very often.” Justin said with a smile to her. “And before you give me another ‘there’s a first time for everything’ let me jus tell you that this isn’t one of those moments. Stay for the cookout it would be fun. Everyone is coming over.”

“Who is everyone?” Noemi asked leaning against the car they had been standing by.

“Unbelievable.” Trace muttered to Kayla. “She’s about to stay, but when I asked she wanted to rip my head off.” he whispered.

“Everyone. Juls, Trace, your cousin, Jenn, Jc, Joey I am sure is going to show up. My mom, my little brothers are in town and Lance.”

“But…” Noemi started to say.

“But nothing. Lance won’t hurt a bug. You don’t have to talk to him if you don’t want to although that’s kind of impossible cause he is kind of irresistible. Our fans said so. And they are always right.”

“I don’t know why.” Noemi muttered.

“See, there you go. That’s the spirit.” Justin said with a charming smile. “So, you’ll stay?”

“I guess. For a little while.” Noemi responded.

“Great. Now go on to your tour. I’m sure your son is fine. My wife is great with kids.” Justin said giving Trace an ‘I’m the shit’ look. “Jenn, Jc and I are going to the store, we’ll be back in half an hour.”

“Yeah.” Trace simply said.

“Alright well I don’t know about you guys but I’d like to see this house.” Kayla said excited that she would spend a day off.

“You’re just trying to avoid going to the diner today.” Noemi said with a laugh.

“That’s right. That place runs itself. What’s little ol’me going to do there?”

“I don’t know how about manage the place.” Trace said sarcastically.

“My uncle is there today, so ha!”

“Come on lets go get this golf cart.” Trace said guiding the ladies to one of the garages.
_____________________________________________________________________
 
Trace showed the girls all of Justin’s cars and motorcycles in the rear garages. He showed them the big playhouse that Andie had towards the back of the house where the courts were. He also showed the girls a tree that Justin had specially planted when Andie was born which made the girls uhh and ahh. After half the grand tour that almost took an hour Trace invited the women up to his pool house.

“What exactly are you getting us into, Kayla?” Noemi asked as they walked towards the pool house.

“Oh shut up.”

“Yeah shut up. I don’t want to take advantage of either one of you. I just want to show you ladies something. Geez.” Trace said acting as if he had been insulted by Noemi’s comment.

“I was kidding.” Noemi said with a laugh. “ I’m actually having a good time.”

“If asking about Sean three time every five minutes is a good time to you then so be it.” Trace said receiving a friendly punch to his side. “Beware Noemi but you just made physical contact with me.”

“Oh please!! You wish.”

“Not really.” Trace laughed. “Here we are. Go shopping girls!!” Trace said opening his door for them and letting them walk in to the pool house which was packed with Fumanskeeto merchandise.

“What’s all this?” Kayla asked immediately looking through a rack on the far left of the room.

“You are really trying to buy our time here, aren’t you?” Noemi asked heading towards a rack in front of her.

“Is it working?” he asked with a cheesy smile towards Kayla who in return gave him one just as cheesy.

“You bet it is.” Noemi answered without even looking at him.

“You ladies have fun. I’m gong to go check on the pool and the maniacs I call my best friends. I’ll come back with some bags for your stuff. Don’t be shy. The more you take the more I’ll be able to see my furniture.” Trace said with a laugh.

“Okay.” both girls said in unison, which made Trace smile.

“You guys will fit right in.” Trace whispered to himself as he walked towards the house.