Los Angeles
A few nights later

Having a bad day meant that a bad night was to follow. He’d had a bad day at the studio and he’d come to that bar to continue with the tradition of the day. He’d get drunk, remember all the good and bad things in his life and go to his hotel room. Alone.

Getting an opportunity to make his dreams come true had only been the beginning of his picture perfect life.

At the age of twenty-one he’d had it all. His career was starting with a very promising future. His family adored him. He had endless friends, whom supported him in everything he did. And most importantly he’d had her.

She had been his everything. His reason for living, his muse.

She’d become the reason he’d loved being onstage, singing. He’d loved watching her look up at him while he sang for a few hundred people, that later became thousands, love radiating through her eyes.

Fame came quickly after the album, she’d helped inspire, took off. He took her everywhere with him. Enjoyed everything life on the fast lane had to offer

On one of the rare trips he’d taken without her, he’d purchased a home with hopes to surprise her. Arriving home late that night he felt the excitement course through his being. He’d been ecstatic about the new home he’d just purchased, he couldn’t wait to surprise her.

The house had been eerily quiet as he’d entered but he hadn’t paid much attention to the fact. Quietly he made his way to their bedroom, where the love of his life would be peacefully sleeping.

Instead, he found the love of his life, his everything lying in a pool of blood in front of their bed.

His life, his everything, his inspiration, his muse had taken her life.

And his as well.
 

Los Angeles
Next Day (Noon)

“Yes I understand that. I’ve talked to both producers and they agree that it’s irrelevant. Why complicate matters more? We’ll continue the process of getting the album recorded and then go from there.” Lance said to the person on the other end of the telephone. “Yes, I will let you know if there’s anything new. Have a great vacation.”

“Was that L.A. Reid about Usher’s album again?” Bleechet asked as he ended the conversation.

“The man is acting as if this is his first time out in this business.” Lance huffed. “Moron.”

“Hectic day back?”

“Is the sky blue?’ Lance asked with arched brows. “and I’m not back yet.”

“How was your vacation?”

“I was only away a few days.”

“And yet you’ve managed to relax, get a haircut and buy a restaurant.”

“I didn’t buy a restaurant. I invested.”

“Three million dollars cousin more like a purchase, Lance.”

“Well you know I’m not cheap, Bleechet.”

“The seven hundred dollar bottle of champagne for a half hour meeting indicates just that.” Bleechet said sarcastically. “you usually get the nine hundred dollar one.”

“Well I’m about to write a check for three million dollars, Bleechet. I can’t over spend.” he chuckled.

“Is she coming with her father/”

“Whom are we referring to?”

“So you’re still playing that game? I got out of bed on my day off to set this place up for your meeting and you can’t even tell me if she’s coming?” Bleechet asked annoyed. “You know what? Nevermind, I’ll get the details from Trace later.”

“Don’t believe everything Trace tells you, Bleechet.” Lance said to Bleechet as she pretended to storm out of his office in annoyance.

“Everything he’d said so far has been true, Bass!!” she yelled as she walked down the hallway with a laugh.

“Stop being so nosy!!” he yelled back.

“Stop calling me on my day off!!” she yelled. “It’s Sunday for God sake!!”

“Tell your husband to enjoy the play off tickets!!”

“that game better be worth this little meeting I had to get ready for you because Ben Roethlisberger will see the fury out of me.” She said poking her head inside his office door.

“Should I call Bill Cowher and warn him that a woman is going after his quarterback if they don’t win?” Lance joked.

“I’m not scared.” She smiled. “have a good meeting or check signing or whatever it is that you’re doing. As long as it doesn’t decrease my paycheck.”

“Thanks.”

“Will you be in tomorrow?”

“I’m on vacation.”

“Right.” Bleechet said with a roll of her eyes. “See ya.”

“Bye.” Lance waved.
 

“If you go with me, I’ll go with you to the lighting show.”

“Why are you trying to bargain with me? I thought you agreed that you were going to participate in anything to do with the diner?” Kayla asked from across the kitchen island.

“Why don’t you just get over your PMS and come with me and daddy?”

“I’m over my PMS, thank you very much. I just don’t see why you can’t go see your boyfriend without me. None of this had anything to do with me.”

“He’s not my boyfriend, Kayla. Stop being such a bitch.”

“When you start acting like yourself and stop walking around here like a love struck teenaged idiot then I’ll stop being a bitch. Till then, buzz off.”

“What are you insinuating?”

“I’m not insinuating anything, Noemi. I’m flat out saying that you have become a wimpy love struck puppy.”

“Whatever, Kayla. You don’t know what you’re talking about.” Noemi said as she packed a lunch bag for Sean. “I’m going to take Sean to the babysitter’s. I’ll be back in fifteen minutes.”

“I’m getting ready and going to the light show.” Kayla shrugged.

“Whatever, Kayla. I’ll meet you there after this meeting.” Noemi said leaving the kitchen. “Let’s go, Sean. Mommy’s running late.” She shouted up the stairs.

“She’s going to go meet with your new daddy, Sean.” Kayla mumbled as she walked out of the glass doors that lead to the pool area.

She really didn’t want to go to the lighting show by herself but going to a meeting where there was a chance she’d see Juan, wasn’t an option. She’d been constantly teasing Noemi about Lance but deep down she’d been actually cheering her on. It had been a long time since she’d seen her cousin so relax. It was like she’d finally but her player’s card down. That could be good for her or it could be bad. The last time she’d seen Noemi that way was when she’d been in college and she’d met Sean’s father. That hadn’t turned out so good but he aftermath of this little thing her cousin had with Lance Bass couldn’t be worse. If all else failed, Noemi would just go back to being her usual self. The man-eater.

Her own life, was sure not normal. She was about to embark in a restaurant slash nightclub at the ripe age of twenty-seven. And she was going to be on a promotional tour with one of the biggest pop artists of their times.

Life couldn’t be more exciting for her.

Why did she feel like she was missing something? Why did she have the nagging feeling that it was love that she was missing?

And why did Juan Ayala pop into her head when she thought about love?

“Damnit!!” she said as she entered her pool house, slamming the door behind her.
 

Same Day

Juliana watched as her daughter played with her doll, a few feet away from her. Assuring that she was okay she turned her attention back to her husband. Behind a glass that doubled as a mirror on the side her husband had been dancing, for over an hour, were Juliana and Andie.

She’d been surprised when Justin had asked her to come to a last minute rehearsal with him. He’d said he wanted to go out to lunch with his girls.

The Timberlake’s hadn’t been speaking much to each other and the invitation had come as a surprise. She’d already been sitting, watching him rehearse for an hour and she had been impressed. She had forgotten how good her husband could move. Being there had also allowed her to listen to her husband’s new song.

She couldn’t help but bring a smile to her lips when she heard the song. She knew that since there had been some tension between them, that he’d used that opportunity to let her listen to his new track.

She liked it a lot. She couldn’t be more proud of him if she tried. On the other hand it saddened her because with good music came fame. The thought that her husband would become even more sought after and more famous, scared her a bit. Would her husband be in and out of their lives?

She didn’t want that to happen but she also knew that Justin loved his music and she couldn’t and wouldn’t try to take that away from him. Even if it meant that her and her daughter would be on their own for a while.

“Why don’t you get your baby-doll in her car seat, Andie? Daddy’s almost done.” Juls said as she saw Justin say his goodbye’s to the dancers, as they walked out. on the other side of the glass wall.

“Okay.” Andie responded. “Are we going to McDonald’s?”

“I don’t know baby girl. We’ll have to see what daddy wants, okay.”

“He wants McDonalds, too. He said so.”

“We’ll see, Andie.” Juls said. “Let’s go check on daddy.”

“Yay!!” Andie exclaimed running toward the door that led to the dance studio.

“Don’t run, Andie!” Juls said sternly as she picked up Andie’s doll and car seat.

“I’m sorry.” Andie said to her mom as she disappeared into the studio.

“Hey there, baby girl. You ready to go?” Justin said picking his daughter up and kissing her cheeks loudly.

“Can we go to McDonalds, daddy?” Andie asked.

“Well of course we can. Where’s your mom?”

“Right here.” Juls said entering the room, carrying Andie’s toys. “You all done?”

“Yeah.” Justin said setting Andie on the floor again. “Let me get that.” He said to Juls, taking the toys out of her hand, before placing a kiss on her lips.

“Yum. What was that for?” Juls asked with a smile.

“Just cause.” Justin shrugged. “We’re going to Mickey D’s.”

“Okay.”

“See you tomorrow, Mart!!.” Justin said to the man across the room, talking to the remaining dancers.

“Alright man!!” Marty responded as the Timberlake family walked out of the room.

“So tell me again, what’s going on?” Juls asked as they drove out of the parking lot.

“Jive wants the video by next week. We have to start shooting the video tomorrow.” Justin replied. “Which is fu..messed up because none of the dancers, we picked in Orlando, are scheduled to come to L.A. until next week, for rehearsals.”

“Those dancers, Marty got don’t seem bad at all, though.” Juls said.

“Yeah, they are but I would have liked to have Marty’s first choice of dancers, not emergency back ups he has, ya know?”

“Yeah, I know. At least Trace won’t have to see Kayla for another week.” Juls giggled.

“He wants to see her, he’s just frontin’ right now. Speaking of, I mentioned to Jive that Trace would do the tour wardrobe. He should be getting a nice chunk of change out of that.”

“Does Trace know this?”

“Not yet. But he’ll be cool with it.”

“You better hope so because he’s been moody lately. Throwing another assignment on him might backfire.”

“He’ll be alright. He’ll do anything for me.” Justin shrugged.

“He’s gonna kick your ass!” Juls said. “Butt. Your butt.” She said with a cringed as she checked if her daughter had heard her foul language.

“You said a bad word, mommy.”

“Oooooh she sure did.” Justin taunted pointing at Juls as he drove.

“Sorry Andie. Mommy didn’t mean it.” Juliana said giving Justin a playful glare.

“Did mom talk to you about the nanny situation?” Justin asked as they pulled up around to the Drive-Thru window at a McDonalds.

“Nice set up by the way.” Juls said. “It’s not happening, Justin. End of conversation.”

“Why not?” Justin asked after placing their order.

“Because it’s not needed. I told you this before. End of conversation, Justin.” She repeated.

“Fine, Juls. Whatever you want.” Justin barked as they waited for their food. So much for a nice lunch with his girls.
 

A lighting show? Apparently if someone wanted to see a person one is trying to avoid, one had to go to a lighting show. He’d wanted to spend a day doing some shopping for the store. No hassles. No drama.

Instead he’d walked into the lightings show, where Chris had recommended he go, to run smack into the back of a bored looking woman.

“Are you seriously following me?” she snapped.

“Tell me, why the fuck would I be following you?” he retorted.

“You tell me. As far as I’m concerned you don’t own a restaurant.”

“As far as I was concerned, you were single. But that’s just me.”

“What are you doing here? I mean beside following me.”

“Don’t flatter yourself. And why I’m here is none of your business.”

“It is when you’re following me.”

“No one if following you, so get that little idea out of your big head. Restaurants aren’t the only establishments that need light fixtures, Kayla.” Trace said. “Now if you’ll excuse me, and even if you don’t, I have shit to do.”

“I’m not done talking.”

“I’m not caring.” Trace said starting to walk away from her.

“What’s your problem?”

“Problem? I don’t have a problem.” Trace shrugged.

“You’re being really mature right now, Juan.”

“Trace.”

“What?”

“My name is Trace.”

“Whatever, Trace,” she said over pronouncing the name, purposely. “You seem to be a bit confused because I should be the one being a bitch toward you.”

“Well you’ve done a wonderful job.”

“Listen to me, asshole. We went out a few times and that was it. You are the one that forgot my number.  It was your loss. You seem to believe I owe you something and I don’t.”

“You’re right, you don’t owe me anything, Kayla.” Trace shrugged. “But you will pay.” He said before walking away without another word.

It was supposed to be a drama free day.