As she entered the kitchen she could see JC sitting on top of the counter peeling an orange.

"JC, what the fuuu--" Laura quickly caught herself when she saw another body moving behind the counter."---uudgesickles are you doing in here bothering your mom for when she is trying to cook?"

Laura shot JC a dirty look and then quickly smiled. "Hi Mrs. Chasez. I saw your car when I pulled up. I assumed you were out reading under that tree you love."

JC tried not to laugh at her desperate attempt to recover. His mother simply smiled, "Its OK sweetie. It looked like it was going to rain earlier so I came inside. I'm almost finished here. JC's been working so much lately. I wanted to make sure he got a hearty meal in his stomach. You see how thin my baby's getting?"

"Yeah, he is almost just skin & bones." Laura responded as she pinched his side for not warning her about his mother's presence in the kitchen.

JC smiled as he tossed a piece of orange in his mouth. "That's not what you said last night....When we were working out--"

"In the gym!" Laura quickly added as she slammed the refrigerator door shut and glared at him.

"That's a pretty comfortable gym I have isn't it?" JC grinned.

"Yes...You know how I get self-conscious when I'm at the public gym." she said as she took her free hand and moved it across her neck to signal that he cut it out.

"JC..." His mother said warningly. She never turned around from the cutting board.

"What? What'd I do?" he asked defensively.

"Stop teasing Laura with your innuendoes." She said as he lifted the knife in the air as she spoke and finished the salad.

"I haven't the faintest idea of what you're talking about mom?" JC said as he acted shocked.

Mrs. Chasez turned around with the knife in her hand and smiled, "I may be old, but I am not that old, Joshua."

JC laughed. "You're right. I'm sorry mom."

"What about an 'I'm so sorry, Laura?' Don't I get one too?" She complained.

The door bell rang and JC plopped down off the counter to go and answer it. When he returned his mother asked who it was.

"Just the FedEx guy. I ordered some new equipment for the studio."

"Okay well my work here is done. Everything for tonight is on the stove. I made enough for you for the week."

"It looks like enough for the month mom." JC said as he looked at all the containers.

"Well I know how Laura and everyone else likes to come over all the time so I made extra just in case.Wait until these cool and them put them in the freezer till you're ready to heat them up."

"Thanks Mrs. Chasez." Laura smiled as she grabbed a plate.

His mom grabbed her jacket and purse and headed towards the front door. "JC, Laura told me about how stubborn you are being about an offer she got today. "

"Mom, Jerry is heading up the project."

"At least listen before you turn it down sweetie."

"For you I will hear her out..." JC smiled.

"There's my boy." His mom said as she hugged him and kissed his cheek before walking out the door.

"I'll call you tomorrow." JC said as he watched her disappear down the driveway.

As he shut the door he heard Laura call out for him to bring her bag with him.

"I don't know which part of my forehead says 'Laura's bitch' on it..." JC said as he placed the bag in the chair next to her before getting a plate and sitting down at the table.

"Oh shoosh. You're just mad cause I told on you." Laura laughed.

JC rolled his eyes. "So what's this so called proposition?"

She grabbed the contracts from her bag and handed him one to read while she explained it in detail.

"I can tell your curiosity is peaked, JC." Laura grinned.

"And how can you tell that?" JC continued to read through the contract, never looking up.

"Because you are on page 3 and you are still reading it instead of tossing it aside like you usually do when you lose interest."

"You think you know me so well don't you?" JC asked as he sat back and crossed his arms.

"I know you better than you know yourself." Laura smiled as she stood up and took both their plates to the sink.  She turned on the faucet and filled the sink with soapy water. Hands soon draped next to hers under the running water.

"Laticia will take care of that before she leaves." He said softly in her ear. Laura quickly turned off the water and walked out of the kitchen and back into the living room.  JC looked oddly towards her direction and soon grabbed both documents and followed her.  "Did you read this part here about a 5 month deadline?" JC asked as he sat next to her on the couch.

"No...let me see." Laura said as she grabbed the papers to see what he was referring to. "I knew there had to be a catch. The deal seemed too good to be true."

"He expects us to pop out 13-15 amazing songs in only 5 months?" JC asked.

"I'm sorry. I should have looked this over more before I even brought it to you." she said as she went to grab the papers to throw them away.

JC stared off into space momentarily before speaking. "Wait....We can do this." He smiled.

"Excuse me?" Laura asked with a shocked look on her face.

"Its a great challenge...I like a challenge. We can do this." JC repeated.

"How? You know how meticulous you are with every single thing. We are going to be at each others throats in the first week."

"We can write a certain amount of songs each by ourselves and then collaborate on 2 or 3. See right here it says that he wants a minimum of 2 songs written collaboratively by the two of us. The rest can be done separately.  See Laura, he just wants our name status on this album. Two well known's sell better than just one well known. This will be a piece of cake.  Plus sole production rights and freedoms? I may despise Jerry, but I am willing to put up with him for this." JC joked.

"Are you sure?" Laura asked as she sat back down on the couch. She couldn't believe that she didn't have to beg or bribe him.

"Yes I'm sure....Aren't you?" He asked as he leaned in closer, starring down at her lips.

"Mr. Chasez?" a voice from behind them called out.