Chris had made up his mind about going to Grayson, especially after being hung up on by Lesly. He wondered what on earth could have happened for her to end the call so abruptly. Nonetheless, he had to tell her and he had to tell her in person. He didn't tell Stephanie of his plans. She was much too busy trying to get her friends to plan a baby shower for them. She'd already told Chris that he'd better tell his "hick friends in Georgia" - meaning James and JC - that it would be a couples shower and that they were invited. She was only doing that so that Lesly was sure to find out about the pregnancy and Chris knew it. 

He wished he could've taken it all back. Everything. If he'd been smart, he would've snatched Lesly up the minute he had her. He wouldn't have freaked out and gone back to Stephanie because it was familiar. She may have been familiar but she was also the worst thing that had ever happened to him. He still cringed thinking that for the rest of his life, a part of him would be connected to her. 
But he still had to tell Lesly. He wanted to be honest with her. Maybe he didn't stand a chance with her anymore, but he still needed to come clean and he had to do it face to face.

**
It hadn't felt right. Any of it. She felt like Gabe had lied to her and she felt as though the last week and a half had been just that. Lesly quietly got out of her bed and went into the den as not to wake Gabe, who was still asleep. There was just something about their lovemaking the night before that hadn't settled well with her. He'd been so aggressive and, so it seemed to Lesly, all about himself. It was that phone call she'd gotten from Chris and deep down she knew it. She'd pushed it all from her mind - Chris, everything that James had told her about Gabe - just so she could feel wanted. It hadn't mattered when she was in Gabe's arms that he might have been with someone else the night before. Lesly had only wanted to feel like she mattered to someone.

She knew what she had to do. She had to break it off with Gabe. She was ready to hear Chris out. And if what Chris said was true, she'd get to tell him that next week. 

**
Gabe wasn't used to being dumped. He was the one who did the dumping. Always. He'd ended things with Lesly in high school and he had been determined from the beginning of this little tryst with her to end it on his terms. And so that morning when he'd woken up and gone into the den where Lesly was, he expected another round of sex before he had gone back to Brandi, the girl from the sex shop. This little trip home had certainly proven successful for him. His divorce was still being finalized back in California and he was seeing his personal trainer on the side as well. He hadn't meant to seduce Lesly - or Brandi for that matter - but he had and he had enjoyed himself immensely. 

"Gabe," she started when he sat down next to her and immediately began to kiss her. "Gabe, wait. Look, I need to talk to you." 

"Okay," he ignored her and tried to kiss her again. This time she got irritated and pushed him away.

"I'm serious!" she snapped at him and stood up. This took Gabe by surprise and he raised an eyebrow at her. She was usually so responsive when he tried seducing her. She took a breath and sighed. "I think we need to stop. I can't do this with you anymore, whatever this is." she waved her hand between them. 

Gabe snorted and shook his head. "So, you're listening to James I take it?"
Lesly shook her head. "No. I'm listening to me. I need to figure a lot of stuff out and being with you isn't helping,"

Gabe stood and glared at her. "Okay, whatever." He stormed back to her bedroom and Lesly heard him throwing his clothes on and then slammed her bedroom door behind him. "You'll be sorry, babe." Gabe took three strides over to her front door and slammed it on his way out. No one had ever done that to him and he felt completely humiliated. He was determined to get Lesly back at any rate he could. Yes, there was Brandi, but she was too easy, in every sense of the word. And yes, there was Lisa, his personal trainer, but he was putty in her hands. Lesly was different. Lesly had started out as the putty and soon had eased her way out and Gabe didn't like it.

He didn't like it at all.
**

"But why can't I go with you, Daddy?" Sutton was sitting on top of JC's suitcase the night before he and James were to fly out for Greece the next morning.

"Because Mommy and I need a little vacation," JC swiftly picked her up, removing her from the suitcase so that he could start putting clothes in it. He kissed her cheek and then put her down on the bed. "But you're staying with Lesly and I bet she has a lot of fun things planned for you."

Sutton frowned. "And how come I can't stay with Uncle Chad and Uncle Lane?"

"Because they're going on a trip, too," JC was rummaging through the closet, picking out shirts for the trip, then laying them on the bed next to Sutton. 

"But it's not fair, Daddy. I want to go on a trip!" Sutton was on the verge of tears and JC knew it was because she'd never been separated from her parents -especially James - for this amount of time. 

"Baby, we went on a trip a few months ago, remember? I took you and Mommy to Disney World and the twins didn't even get to go on that trip!" JC reminded her as he began to fold his Polos. 

"That's cause they're too little to ride any rides," Sutton mumbled. "Are you and Mommy going on any rides?"

JC had to bite his lip from laughing out loud. He certainly planned on going on lots of rides with James. For hours and hours. There was a lot of lost time to make up. He cleared his throat, "Just a long boat ride, honey. Are you going to help me or are you going to see if Mommy needs help with the twins?"

Sutton hopped off the bed and ran out of the room, calling for her mother. JC shook his head and had to smile. He loved Sutton like his own flesh and blood and he did feel a little twinge of guilt that they were leaving her for two weeks. But they needed this. JC remembered a few nights before when he and James had been so close to having sex and Olivia had decided at that moment to vomit all over her crib. They'd finally succeeded but it had been quick and, JC felt, quite unromantic.

His phone buzzed and he was diverted to a call from Chris.

"Hey, man, what's up?" he answered, taking another shirt off the hanger. 

"I'm coming to town next week. Wanna put me up?" was Chris' response.

JC chuckled. "I wish we could, but James and I will be in Greece and Lesly will be here with Sutton."

"Perfect. She's the reason I'm coming to town anyway. I'll just stay in the guest room,"

"She'll be in the guest room,"

"Exactly,"

JC sighed, "Chris, I don't think -"

"No, listen, I know what you think and I think you're wrong. I can hear it in her voice when I've talked to her. It's been brief and last time she was interrupted but even when we text I can tell she misses me. It'll be good for me to come back,"

"Chris, she's, well, she's kind of seeing someone,"

Silence. Then, "Who?"

"Her ex-boyfriend from high school. He came into town and to be honest, he's kind of a jerk. No, he is a jerk. But she's seeing him and they've gotten quite close in the last week,"

"Well, then, we're both full of surprises," Chris replied quietly. "Have you talked to Joey?"

"No, why?" JC started going through his underwear drawer and throwing garments into his suitcase. He then went over to where James kept her lingerie and began throwing in a few of his favorite items. 

"Um. Well, Stephanie's pregnant. And she claims it's mine,"

"Then I guess you two do have a lot to catch up on. Good luck on that one," JC sat on the edge of the bed. "Look, dude, I need to finish packing and then help James with the twins' bath. Come to town if you want but I don't think staying here is the best idea. You can always call Chad and Lane and see if you can stay there. They're gone on vacation, too, and probably wouldn't mind a house sitter."

"Ok. Well, I'll see what happens I guess," Chris replied and hung up without saying goodbye. 

At that moment, James walked in with her empty suitcase and saw JC's expression. "What happened?" she asked, laying her suitcase next to his.

"Chris is coming to see Lesly next week. And Stephanie is pregnant. With his baby," JC answered, standing up. "You know, I thought when I moved out here, there wouldn't be any drama. I guess I was wrong."

James wrapped her arms around his neck and reached up to kiss him. "Well, at least it isn't your drama."

JC grinned at her. "True. Oh, I already started packing some of your things."

James looked in his suitcase and shook her head, a smile spread across her face. "I will need other clothes, babe."

JC shook his head, "Not if I have anything to do with it."