When he woke up the next morning Justin was prepared for a hangover. He knew it would hit him the minute he opened his eyes so he tried to prolong the pain as long as he could. He felt someone shaking his shoulder and he tried to ignore it.

“Justin. Justin? You have to get up now. Your phone is ringing.”

“No,” Justin mumbled pulling the blanket up and over his head.

“I know this isn’t my house, but I will kick your butt if you don’t get up,” Anna answered pulling the blanket completely off his dozing form.

“You sure are lively in the morning,” Justin groaned stretching his legs out. He opened his eyes to see Anna standing in front of him with the blanket balled in her hands. He wasn’t used to waking up to the sight of a fully dressed woman, but it was a pleasant surprise. She tossed him the phone and left the room to give him some privacy but not before placing the folded blanket on the back of the couch. Searching the caller ID he saw who had been calling. Instead of calling back he reached for the blanket and laid across the couch this time, taking Anna’s spot from the night before.

“Justin! Get up, please,” Anna pleaded shaking him again.

“Woman! Let me sleep.” He felt Anna sink onto the other side of the couch and heard a sigh.

“Trace won’t get up either.”

“Good,” Justin replied. He scrunched his legs up. “Go back to sleep. I’ll even share the blanket again.”

“I have to go to work Justin.”

“Call in sick.”

Anna rubbed her own sleepy eyes. “I would if I could. But I can’t. People count on me.”

“I count on sleeping all day.”

Anna smacked the back of his legs, “Please? I’ll buy you breakfast and Starbucks?”

“Yeah?”

“Please?”

Justin groaned and pushed the blanket back off. Rubbing a sleepy hand over his eyes he made his way to the kitchen and pulled out his Gatorade. Anna followed nervously.

“You can just go back to sleep as soon as you get home,” Anna told him. “Plus, when Trace tells you to get up and do something today later you’ll have an excuse.”

“Always thinking Anna,” Justin smirked behind the red liquid. His hangover was surprisingly slight this morning, which only had him thinking about how much more he could party tonight. With a shrug Anna followed him into the garage. “Which one shall we take today?”

“That one,” Anna said pointing to a silver sports car in the middle.

Justin grabbed the key. “Nice choice Annester.”

“I’m in a hurry, it looks quick.”

Justin let out a laugh while climbing into the car.

_____

Anna thanked God she had left a few days worth of scrubs in her locker earlier in the week. Pulling the blue top over her white tank top she ran a finger over her teeth praying that the Dentyne Justin gave her would last at least until her lunch break. She hated not being fresh and clean.

Her closest co-worked sidled up to her. “Who’s Mr. Flashypants?”

“What?”

“Mr. Flashypants in the fancy sports car,” he answered without a beat, “don’t think I didn’t miss your little entrance. All decked out in crinkled clothing. I should be disappointed. But I’m not. You go girl!”

Anna nearly fell down in laughter, “Arlen, you really need a social life.”

“Look who’s talking,” he answered, his voice thick with his foreign accent.

“Well,” Anna shrugged, “Mr. Flashypants would disagree.”

Wrapping an arm around the girl’s shoulders Arlen shouted, “Go Anna! Now, tell me more. Tell me more.”

Anna playfully pushed him away, “I have work to do. If you’ll excuse me…” Arlen didn’t miss the smile or the blush working their way to Anna’s face.

_____

“Wakey, wakey!”

“Are you for real,” Justin asked. He opened one eye enough to see his best friend smiling down at him from the edge of the bed.

“For the most part. Now let’s go,” Trace called moving towards the doorway.

“Go where,” Justin asked sitting up.

“We have a meeting.”

“We do?”

Trace tried not to roll his eyes. “Yes.”

“I thought I got to sleep all day,” Justin said slowly getting out of bed and searching for a pair of clean pants.

“Who told you that nonsense,” Trace asked, “we’ve got like twelve issues on the board. What the hell did you drink last night that you can’t remember? You’re the one that wanted this meeting.”

“I don’t think I had that much. That’s the problem,” Justin voiced. He stood in the closet debating shirts.  He pulled one from the hanger. “Anna told me I could sleep all day.” Trace raised an eyebrow. Justin continued, “You know, when you wouldn’t get up and I had to drive her to work. At seven in the morning.”

“I would have driven her,” Trace answered. “But I knew you’d do it. So…”

“Ass.”

“Ready?”

Justin emerged from the closet with gym shoes and hat in hand. “This is going to be a long day, isn’t it?”

_____

“We still haven’t decided the new name for the next style,” Trace said looking at the next order of business on the agenda. Beside him Justin drummed his fingers on the table; partly in frustration, but mostly in boredom. Normally he was excited and interested in what was going on. But the not-so-bad-hangover he thought he had reared it’s uglier side when he was met outside with a gaggle of photographers. Now he just wanted to go home, take a nap, and see what kinda ass he could get for the night.

“Excuse me,” the pepper haired secretary called sticking her head into the room.

“Yes,” Justin and Trace chorused, one more relieved than the other.

“There’s a girl out here with doughnuts claiming she knows you?” Neither one to turn down free food Trace and Justin ventured into the hallway.

Anna was standing nervously against the receptionists desk looking around the office. The light blue scrubs made her stand out against the fashionable staff running to and fro around the office. Her face lit up when she saw the guys following the receptionist.

“Are you lost Nemo,” Trace asked giving her a one armed hug and reaching for the box of pastries.

Anna poked his stomach unsure where that new nickname came from, “No. I actually promised this one breakfast because he got up.” Trace’s jaw fell when Anna pulled the box away from him and handed it to Justin.

“Tease,” Trace played watching Justin pull out a sprinkled covered doughnut. Gloating, Justin took a huge bite, sprinkles falling on his red vintage t-shirt.

“Don’t be a baby,” Anna told Trace, “I’m sure he’ll share. Right?”

Justin looked between Anna and his doughnuts. “All right,” he sighed with exaggeration. Trace grabbed a powdered doughnut and gave Anna a kiss on the cheek in thanks.

“I have to get back to the meeting. They actually need me there,” he said. Walking backwards down the hall he pointed at his watch and bit into the doughnut. Strawberry filling squirted from his mouth and he jumped back quickly to avoid staining his white shirt. The carpet now had a big pink blob on it and as Trace tried to help the receptionist clean it up he caught Justin and Anna laughing. So what else could he do but flick them off and return to the meeting room.

Justin turned to Anna, “You really didn’t have to bring me food. I told you not to worry about it.”

She pulled a plastic cup with its green straw from the desk and handed it to him, “I keep my promises. Sorry it took so long. I didn’t have a break until now, and then I didn’t know where you were. So I had to call Kendall, and you can assume how that went. Ten minutes later I finally found this place. Which is beautiful might I add.”

Sipping the iced beverage Justin closed his eyes. It was the perfect combination of refreshment and caffeine that he needed. And it was peach; a flavor he’d been craving for some reason for the past week. “Anna, I love you.”

“Love you too,” Anna asked, more than proclaimed.

Chuckling Justin pulled her in for a hug. “I really needed this,” he said raising his cup.

“Anything for my chauffer.”

Justin took another sip. “About that…I think it’s becoming a habit Annabelle. You’re just using me for my fancy cars.”

Anna laughed and tucked her hands into the pockets of her shirt. “What else would I use you for?”

With the straw in his mouth Justin wiggled his eyebrows. “Lots of things.”

Blushing Anna gave his shoulder a push, “Oh get out of here, you little pervert.”

Adopting a serious face Justin looked shocked. “Anna! I was just saying you could use me for some free food too. But now that I know you’re thinking these things about me, maybe I don’t want to have you at my house alone.”

Not knowing what to say Anna kicked the toe of her white gym shoes against the carpet. She wasn’t sure how it had happened but their playful banter had just turned awkward. Standing next to Justin she wished Trace was there, he’d be some comic relief to stop the jitters Anna was feeling. Justin pushed the box in front of her.

“Eat. You didn’t give up your lunch to watch me eat did you?” Anna pulled out a glazed doughnut and broke a piece off. She ate it slowly while Justin scarffed down two more.

“So are you planning on falling asleep at my house again tonight,” Justin asked breaking the silence, “or do you have better plans?”

“No.”

“No what,” Justin asked leaning down to look Anna in the face. “What’s with the shyness all of a sudden Annester?”

Anna took a deep breath, “They’re looking at me.” It was the best she could come up with without saying she was feeling very nervous. Justin swept the room quickly noting that the two were indeed getting curious glances before leaning into Anna’s ear.

“They are waiting for us to leave this box unattended. Then they can swoop in.”

“You think so,” Anna asked, a little more at ease.

Justin took a gulp of his drink, “Maybe. Who knows.”

_____

That night Justin watched Trace run around the kitchen grabbing objects and placing them on the kitchen table before running back upstairs. Then into the living room. Back upstairs. Bathroom. Kitchen.

“You know too many energy drinks can kill you. It’s been proven,” Justin teased when Trace entered the kitchen.

“You know what,” Trace asked, slightly out of breath. Without finishing his comment he unplugged his phone and slid it into the front pocket of his jeans.

“Where are you goin,” Justin asked swinging himself up on the counter top and leaning against the cabinets.

“Out.”

“With who?”

“Does it matter,” Trace questioned tapping his car keys against his thigh, obviously impatient and ready to leave.

Justin shrugged. “You know how I worry.”

Trace outright laughed. “Right.” They were interrupted by the ringing of the doorbell. Trace had to go that way anyway to leave so he made his way to the front door.

“Anna?”

She smiled up at him from behind another box that looked just like the one from earlier in the day. “Tracie! Are you joining us too?”

Trace’s face twisted in confusion. “For what?”

Behind him Justin cleared his throat. “Let her in Trace. Weren’t you in a hurry to get somewhere?”

Taking a step to the right Trace allowed Anna entrance into the house. “I got the last cobbler,” Anna proclaimed proudly following Justin into the kitchen and tossing her bag on its usual spot. Debating, Trace looked at his car and then back into the hallway leading to the kitchen. Curiosity won out and he joined the other two.

“What are you guys doing,” he asked sliding onto a stool.

“Weren’t you in hurry to be somewhere,” Justin asked again. Trace was surprised at Justin’s tone. Was he trying to kick him out?

“If you’re worried about the cobbler, we’ll save you some,” Anna chirped interrupting the stare down between the two men. “Look. I’m putting some on a plate right now.” Trace watched her put some on a plate and stick it in the refrigerator. “See? All is well. Now go out. Have fun. Call if you need us to pick you up.” Trace felt her grab his shoulders and spin him back around towards the door. Was she kicking him out too?

_____

“I call this meeting to order,” Kendall laughed pounded her tub of ice cream on the table.

“Kendall, please,” Tani rolled her eyes. “Just give me the Funky Monkey.”

The three roommates sat around the kitchen table decked out in their grungiest clothes. Kendall’s usually neat hair was pulled up into a rat’s nest of a bun and Tani’s t-shirt left evidence of their Sloppy Joe dinner. Zoe was relieved to loose her bra and enjoy her tank top in peace.

“Does this feel awkward to anyone else,” Zoe asked the other two. It seemed almost unnatural to not have Anna around. Either Kendall invited her everywhere or she was tagging along with Justin and Trace. But obviously she hadn’t been invited tonight.

“A little,” Kendall admitted, “but it’s for Anna’s own good. I don’t know what happened, but something got twisted around and now she’s got a thing for Trace. Trace! Of all people.”

“Is that so hard to believe,” Tani asked.

“Trace!” Kendall repeated. “The same guy who tried to catch all of us in the shower.”

“In his defense,” Zoe replied, “it’s not often we do it together.”

Kendall snickered remembering that day, “His poor face when he sneaks in and we’re still in our suits.” The three friends laughed. “See, look. Now we’re thinking about Trace instead. Ugh!”

“He does have a way of sneaking in, doesn’t he,” Zoe asked pulling the top off of her Neapolitan ice cream and plunging her spoon into the strawberry section.

“Anyhoo,” Kendall drawled, “back to Anna and Justin.”

Tani let out a sigh. “This was all fun and games before we knew anything about Anna. But now? I feel like we’re meddling where we aren’t wanted.”

“We made a bet,” Zoe reminded her. “I adore Anna to pieces too, but I won’t let Justin win.”

“But you heard him yourself,” Tani voiced, “he said this whole bet thing was a joke.”

“Well of course he would say that,” Zoe cried, “he wants to win. He says it, we believe him and knock this off, and then he wins because we lose.”

“Duh,” Kendall proclaimed.

“I’m not even sure Anna’s a good match for him anyway.”

Kendall licked the edge of her spoon, “Anna’s a good match for anyone. If she was a pie, she’d be apple. Everyone likes apple pie.”

“Thanks Ken,” Zoe smirked, “now I’ve got images of-oh. No!” Beside her Kendall licked her lips, but not from the ice cream.

“You two are bad,” Tani laughed.

“So,” Zoe started squirting a dollop of whipped cream on her finger, “Mission Justin and Anna Hookup, Stage II. What’s going to happen?"