"So, then, I was like, whatever, because I mean, I work with Hunter. I totally know he is so not going to go for Meredith Swanson! I mean, seriously! Did you see what she wore to prom this year? I didn't know skank ho was in!" Kaylie was gossiping with Madison behind the counter the next day.

It had been a slow morning and James was grateful for it. She didn't feel like going in that morning, but the thought that she'd be picking up JC in just 24 hours was comforting enough for her to get out of bed. She'd cuddled with the pillow JC had slept on the night before and after he'd called during his layover in Dallas, it was even harder for her to sleep. He promised he would call her as soon as he had landed in L.A., which was any minute now. 

"She thinks he's gonna ask her out?" Madison normally never cared about things like this and James knew it, although she was barely listening. She glanced over at the girls and actually smiled for the first time that morning. Madison was trying not to show it, but James could tell she was trying hard not to show just how jealous she was getting. 

"Yeah. And whatever because we both know he's into you!" Kaylie giggled like the high school teenager she was. James had to turn away so that the girls wouldn't see her grinning at them.

She went and began to re-shelve a few items near the couches in the back of the shop so she could think and so that she could better hear her phone when it buzzed. She checked the time again and saw it was five after eleven. JC should've landed five minutes ago. 

"I don't think he likes me, Kaylie," she heard Madison respond. "You know Hunter. He's not into dating anyone."

"Let's ask James her opinion," Kaylie said. "James, don't you think that Hunter likes Madison?"

Just as she was about to answer, James' phone vibrated and she smiled, holding up one finger. "Hang on. This is Josh," James went behind the counter and then back to her office. "Hey," she answered.

"I'm here. In smoggy, trafficky, without you L.A.," came Josh's reply.
Kaylie chuckled. "How was your flight?"

"Long. I didn't sleep. All I wanted to do was call you,"

James felt her heart skip a beat and let out a shaky breath. "Just hurry back, okay?"

"I am. I promise. I have to go to the studio and check in and then we're having a short rehearsal. I have the rest of the night off so I'll get to sleep, I guess,"

"Sutton drew two pictures for you while we were at the airport," James told him. "She wants to bring them to the airport tomorrow."

"I can't wait to see them," Josh yawned and let out a sigh. "Ok, I better go find my ride. I'll call you tonight. I love you,"

She would never get tired of hearing that. "I love you, too."

Los Angeles

JC sat at a table similar to the one on America's Best Dance Crew, facing the stage, and watching rehearsals go on for the acts that would be presented at the pilot shoot the next day. He'd had four cups of coffee in a row and had texted James several times, letting her know that he missed the infamous Brewster's Blend that had made the coffee shop so famous. He rested his chin on his hand and swiveled in his chair as a quartet of girls sang and danced to Nicki Minaj's "Super Bass." They were decent but he didn't really care. He was missing what he'd left behind and as much as there were parts of this that he enjoyed, his heart was miles away on the other side of the country.

His phone buzzed and, hoping it was James, tapped the front and it lit up with a text from Chad that said:

What are you doing? Get back here. James is miserable and I know you r too.

JC groaned inwardly and let out an exasperated sigh as he texted his cousin back:

I'll be back in 2 days. I shouldn't have left. This show is lame. See you in 48.

He put his phone next to him again as the next act was called out to rehearse. He was distracted yet again by another buzz from his phone. He looked down to see it was Matthew Morrison, one of his good friends in the city. 

Going to Nobu at 8. Join? 

Well, if anything could get his mind off of how miserable he was, it was the sushi at Nobu and a good chat with his friend. 

I'm in.

Grayson, Georgia

James aimlessly flipped through channels on the television. Sutton had been in bed for nearly two hours and Chad was out yet again with Lane. She had talked to JC earlier that day, but hadn't heard from him since about three o'clock California time. She checked her phone and felt like Kaylie or Madison, who were constantly checking their phones to see if they'd missed a call from someone they deemed important. No missed calls and no texts. She looked at the clock on her phone and saw it was only eight-thirty out in L.A. A phone call goodnight seemed appropriate.

The phone rang twice before JC picked up. 

"Hey!" he was somewhere where she could barely hear him. "Can you hear me, babe?"

"No, not really," James replied, "Where are you?"

"About to eat sushi with a few friends. Where are you?"

"At home." James suddenly, for reasons she couldn't explain, felt jealous and lonely. He was out in L.A. with his friends eating at some hip California joint she imagined, and she was stuck at home on the couch. "Oh. Well, are you having a good time?"

"Wait, what?" the noise was almost deafening.

"I asked if you were having a good time,"

"Oh! Yeah, it's going well -" he was interrupted by louder voices than before and James could hardly make out what he'd said.

"I can't hear you, Josh," she was trying not to sound defeated, although she doubted he could tell there was any hint of being disgruntled or anything else for that matter because it was so noisy. "Hey, um, I'll just call you tomorrow, okay?"

"Yeah, baby, okay. I'm sorry. It's just really loud here,"

"So I can tell,"

"What?"

"Nothing. I'll talk to you later,"

"Okay. I love you,"

"Love you," James hung up and started to feel insecure. She imagined him surrounded by gorgeous woman, scantily clad, all over him. What if he got drunk and - no, she wouldn't let her head go there.

Turning off the television, James slowly walked up the stairs and into her bedroom. She pulled the covers back and crawled beneath them, hardly believing that it had just been Sunday when JC was in bed with her. She turned her phone off and fell asleep almost immediately.

Los Angeles

JC stared at his phone while conversations went on around him. Matthew and a few of their friends were in a debate about politics that JC might have been interested in discussing, except he could sense that something was wrong with James. She was probably just tired. Still, he figured texting her goodnight wouldn't hurt.

Sleep tight. I'll be home soon. Love you.

Later that night, as he entered his home, JC looked around at the familiar surroundings and rubbed his eyes, tired from jet lag and lack of sleep he'd had since being back. He'd be on the red-eye tomorrow night and back in James' arms before long. He checked his phone to see if she'd texted back and that was when he saw the message from Gail that nearly made him want to throw his phone across the room:

Pilot rescheduled to shoot Friday. Canceled flight and rebooked you for Fri nite at 11. Sorry. 

He took a breath. Okay, so Friday. It was just going to be two more days more than he'd thought. He and James would be fine. It wasn't as if it was two more weeks or even months. She would understand because she'd told him to go and do this. 

But for some reason, this didn't seem to comfort him at all as he climbed into bed.