Chapter One

ONE YEAR LATER

“Kara, I can't find my denim jacket, where is it?” Carly yelled as she bounced down the stairs of their condo.

“It's in the closet as you put it for the first time in ages young lady.” Kara stated as she finished putting her make up on and looked at herself in the mirror.

“Oh,” Carly said as she looked in to her stepmother's room and continued on, “you look great, what's the occasion.” she asked standing there

Kara took a deep breath and looked at the combonation of her love and hate for two people. Two people that were put six feet under less than a year ago.

“I have an interview for a personal assistant job.” she said smiling back at her in the mirror.

“Who for Kara?” Carly asked as she watched her stepmother get ready.

“Some hotshot guy who's making a comeback.” He needs help and well Jive, asked me to go and take a shot at this because well...” she trialed off giving herself a once more over and walking out of her room. Carly in tow.

“Kara, build that confidence back up...you know you got this if the company you work for already.” she then asked, “who's the client?”

“N' Sync.” Kara said as she put her portfolio in her bag and then closed it shut and looked to Carly. Who looked back at her in shock She laughed and continued, “Speak Car, flys gonna find a home with your mouth wide open like that.”

“The group that....wait Kar, you can't be serious.” Carly said as she sat there looking at her stepmother like she was an alien.

“Yes I am serious. Don't look too deep into it. True I know the group from working at the the WEG building but even at that I am up against like 6 others...this is gonna be hard. “ Kara said as she looked at Carly.

“Wait I know the guys love you to pieces, why wouldn't you get it?” Carly asked as she looked over her homework then put it away and grabbed herself some breakfast.

“Well if I do get it it's gonna be a big change. I just don't know” Kara said as she began to second guess herself.

“Kara,” Carly said as they both walked out of the house, locked it up, and went to the car. She continued, “I know you think, you don't deserve to be happy or that what you want doesn't count because you are afraid of what I'm going to do or say, but I want what you want. It's time for you to be the old you.” she said then added, “Even if My father was a prick for doing what he did to you, he would want you to be happy.”

“Ugh I hate when u talk about your father like that.” Kara said as she drove the two miles to school. She then looked at the spitting image of her life, love and hate, “But you have a point.” Kara stated

“Finally you realize it.” Carly said rolling her eyes. She saw the school in the distance and groaned,”ugh really Kar?”

“Yes young one...go and I will see you at home around 5, do your homework and I am checking it when I get home. No half assing it young lady.” Kara said as she saw her look back in the car.

“Yes Mam!” Carly made a salute then walked into the school.

Kara smiled to herself and shook her head as she drove off to the other side of town to the WEG building.

“Good morning Mike, what the hell are you doing here?” Kara said as she walked into the building and saw him walking in.

“Gotta care for Justin, he claims he needs to go shopping.” Mike said as he rolled his eyes.

“Sorry there,” she said as she got to her office and saw him smile at her. She looked at him dumbfounded. “what is the smile for?”

“Nothing, can't a man smile at his lovely friend. Might I add you look very nice today.” He said

“Thanks, I got my interview today.” she said looking at him.

“Ahh the personal assistant position, for the boys themselves.” Mike said as he heard commotion in the hallway. “Speaking of one of them,” Mike said as he looked at her.

“Let me guess,” Kara said as she turned on her computer she looked up at Mike when she heard him singing, “Chris?” she said.

“One for one, there's one more in the hallway now he's quiet so if you get it right I will give you a gold star,” Mike said.

“Well being that they do have dance rehersals in studio b in about 30 minutes I am going to guess it's Justin, being that he likes to be early.” She said as she saw the two of them. She never could get used to working in a building where the group she liked worked. Turns out that they were getting ready for a reunion tour and album to drop.

Kara got this job a year and a half ago being the scheduling manager for, Nsync, and the all ever loved Jordin Sparks. She did such a good job with her tour over the three months, she took over Nsync and met them. Right away they were all her friends.

Joey became an instant life saver when she moved to Orlando, in more ways than one. He helped her get Carly into a great high school, and in that she met his wife Kelly, who was a great person.

It helped that their daughter Brianna, went to the school because the two girls became friends very easily and it made their transition down from NJ to Orlando even easier.

She considered Joey a life long best friend and brother.

Next was Lance. He made her smile at how sweet and kind he was. True he was gay and he had did his whole coming out thing. But she like him for who he was. He was a gentleman through and through and she liked that she felt comfortable around him.

Then there was Chris, the jokester. He was the second one to meet Carly and he loved how Kara took her in after all the hell she had been put through. She told Chris that even if she's not hers by blood there was no way in hell that she was going to give her up. She loved her as if she was her own and made sure that she was going to have the life she and her Husband had dreamed of. Whether he was alive or not.

Justin made her laugh. He was like the little brother she never wanted, then suddenly got. He was very protective of her and Carly. Even more of Carly since she took a liking to him and how he was the perfect brother figure.

JC was nice to her. She wished in the past year and a half she worked there they got to know one another better. Was he not talking to her cause of Carly. No...he liked Carly, he always asked about her. Was he afraid to talk to her. Maybe because of all that happened. No. Only two who knew the real deal behind her getting Carly was Joey and Chris and they kept that secret because she didn't want people to think she was crazy for caring for another woman's child.

She smiled as Chris came into the room smiling at her, “Well Ms. Evans, you look very nice today.” Chris said as he looked at her and said ,”What's the occasion?”

“The interview, remember I told you I put myself in the hat to see if I am worthy enough to become and I quote 'Nsync's Personal Assistant'” Kara said.

“You know we have the final say so on the what they have to say right?” Chris said as he looked at her.

“Yeah I do, I know four out of the five of you are pulling strings, if I could get the last one to..” Kara said looking and hearing Chris cut her off.

“Yeah he actually brought your name up last night during our pow wow, “ He looked at her with a smile.

“What, Chris what the hell is that smile for, you know I can call Dani and have her tell me.” Kara said as she looked at him. At the moment Chris was bout to speak her phone rang, internal office call.

“Kara Evans office, Kara speaking.” She said as she heard Johnny's voice, “Yes he's here, okay we are on our way down...okay bye.” Kara hung up the phone grabbed her folder that held her resume, and looked to Chris, “Johnny wants to see us.”

“Cool beans.” Chris and Kara were walking to the office as JC, smiled at her for the first time she ever remembered he said, “Morning Kara.”

Shocked and taken back she didn't know what to say but recovered fast and said, “Hey Josh, how are you this morning?”

“Good,” he said looking at Chris.

Kara looked at the two goofballs and knew something was bout to go on and for her not to know she was not liking it.