With a glance at his laptop screen, he feels his heart tighten in his chest for a moment as he takes in the picture there. She’d sent it to him a couple of hours ago and without hesitation he had made it into his computer background. He stares at her genuine smile and the look of laugher in her bright blue eyes. It was a picture she’d taken of them while at the beach that afternoon, it was an impromptu sort of selfie that included her hugged to his side as they sat on the sand and Maestro trying to squeeze himself between the two of them. They were both laughing and the picture seemed to capture the pure happiness of spending their time together.
I’m falling for her.
He grabs his pencil from behind his ear and starts to add lyrics to what he’d already written before:
You wanna be loved
You wanna be loved
This feels like falling in love
Falling in love
We're falling in love
He’d felt his phone vibrate in his pocket a few minutes earlier but had ignored it as he played his guitar. Now, all of a sudden his phone starts to vibrate every few seconds.
What the hell?
He pulls his phone out and flicks screens to see that several text messages have come through on a group text conversation.
LanceB: So JC, what’s this I hear about a new girlfriend?
CKirkPat: Whaaaaa?!
JFatone: Is she hot?
Fucking Timberlake.
JC rolls his eyes and types back.
JChasez: So someone’s been talking to Timberlake? Should have guessed he couldn’t keep that quiet. Yes, I did meet someone new, her name is Arianna. Yes, we are dating. And yes, I really like her and…well, that’s all I’m going to say about that right now.
JFatone: But, seriously, is he hot?
JC rolls his eyes.
Married the longest and still the biggest flirt around.
CKirkPat: Whaaaa?!
LanceB: J just let it slip the other day that he’d been chilling at your house with you and your girlfriend. Just wanted to find out what was up and when we could meet this girl?
JChasez: Um, it’s still kinda new but I’m happy. I don’t think it would be a good idea to pile you all on her at once…she’d probably leave me LOL. But meeting one of you at a time couldn’t be so bad…I’m sure you’ll be nicer than J was.
JRTimberlake: WTF? I was awesome to her after a few hours…
JC laughs as he scrolls through the texts and shakes his head. They always keep in contact this way; random jokes or anecdotes always coming through on his phone. Every time he reads one of his buddies’ texts he always ends up hearing it in their voice and it always makes him miss the guys even more. Chris and Joey are in Orlando so they don't always get to get together as often as they like but they always make time for each other when one of them is on the other’s coast. Justin and Lance both also live in the LA area so they see each other more often.
JChasez: I guess you made up for it later. Lance, she actually has her first gallery show on Thursday night of this week. She’s a freelance photographer and this will be her first event. I’ll talk to her and ask her if it would be okay for me to invite you and Mike to the opening? I know you guys are into that stuff…and it would be nice to have more people there for support.
LanceB: That’d be awesome! Let me know and we’ll make it happen. I’m really happy for you dude if you can finally find the right one. You deserve it more than any of us.
CKirkPat: Whaaaaaa?!
JFatone: I agree with Lance, especially if she’s hot.
JRTimberlake: If they get married, I called it first!
**********************************************************
I’m going to throw up.
Ari wipes her trembling hands onto the sides of her dark plum colored dress as she looks around at the open space of the gallery.
Tonight’s the night.
She bites her lip and her eyes glance from one person to another as they walk around the gallery slowly, stopping and staring at her various pictures. Her heart is beating wildly in her chest and she feels as if she’s about to pass out or get sick. Or both.
What if they hate them?
What if I suck but no one really wants to tell me?
She watches as her friend Patrick moves around the room speaking to different people and welcoming others that are just arriving. He catches her eye and winks at her with a smile.
“You look petrified.” She hears a familiar voice say quietly before she feels a warm hand slide onto her lower back, “Absolutely gorgeous, but petrified.” He adds before she feels soft lips press against the back of her neck.
JC.
Her eyes flutter closed for a moment and she takes a deep breath. It’s incredible how his mere presence seems to bring her immediate peace and comfort.“Hi.” She says softly and turns her head to find his eyes gazing at her. “Thanks for coming.” She smiles and kisses him gently. “It really helps.”
He smiles back at her and she watches him as he takes in the room and the people filling it. He looks great; dark blue jeans, a black v-neck sweater and a dark suit jacket on top. He looks suave and smells even better.
How did I ever get this guy?
“Good turn out.” He says as Patrick walks over to shake his hand. “Hey, man. Looks good.”
“Yeah, really good. Proud of our girl here.” Patrick grins at her and reaches forward to tug playfully at the fish-tail braid that rests on her bare shoulder.
Patrick and JC had met a few days ago when she’d gone to the gallery to bring her picture frames. They had hit it off instantly and Patrick had quickly texted Ari that if she didn’t marry JC, he would. She’d laughed and been really pleased that Patrick had approved of him; she still probably would have dated him if he didn’t, but this made things much easier.
“I’m going to walk around and check everything out.” JC says before kissing her cheek quickly and walking away, leaving her with Patrick for a moment.
“He really is crazy gorgeous isn’t he? I don’t even know how you leave the bedroom…” Patrick smirks at her as he takes a sip of the red wine he is holding.
Ari blushes and laughs, “We’re about more than that…but yeah, he is crazy gorgeous.”
As Ari and Patrick make the rounds through the people attending the opening she starts to relax, people are actually complimenting her and seem to genuinely enjoy her work. She feels much better about herself and begins to enjoy herself much more. Of course, the 2 glasses of wine she drinks may have some influence on that as well.
Later in the evening, JC and Ari are speaking with another couple when from behind JC comes a familiar deep voice, “C!”
JC turns and smiles as Lance and Michael move forward and the three men embrace in friendly hugs. He grins widely as he turns and stretches his arm out to Ari, beckoning her forward.
“Ari, this is Lance and his fiancé, Michael. Lance, Michael, this is Ari.”
Wow, they both look like they just stepped out of a magazine spread.
Ari steps forward and smiles at both men while reaching out to shake their hands. Lance chuckles deeply and shakes his head.“Anyone that makes JC look this happy is part of the family now, we give hugs.” He grins and envelops Ari in a hearty hug.
She laughs softly and blushes as she accepts a hug from Michael as well. As they pull apart he smiles at her, “This is really great and those pictures are awesome. I never thought something as seemingly common place as hands could make such an impact and tell such a story. Congratulations!”
“Thank you. I’m so happy to meet the both of you, I appreciate you coming tonight.”
“We had to meet this girl JC is raving about.” Lance smiles as he nudges JC’s side playfully.
JC laughs and shakes his head, “You mean that now you can go report back to the other 2/5ths?”
Ari raises a brow and looks between the men as she watches their interactions; she is pleased to see that their relationship seems just as solid as it did back in the day when they did interviews or shows. She listens and has a good conversation with the three of them until Lance and Michael have to excuse themselves as they have another engagement that night. After another round of hugs and promises to have dinner together soon, they depart leaving JC and Ari alone again.
As the evening winds down, Ari thanks patron after patron for attending her event and eventually finds JC standing next to Patrick near the gallery office door. “That’s it. It’s over.” She sighs tiredly.
“This was a great turn-out Ari, I’m really proud of you.” Patrick says again and JC nods in agreement. “Go ahead and head home, I’ll take care of the rest. We’ll get together this weekend to return the frames to your place.”
With a few more parting words and a kiss on his cheek from Ari, JC and Ari leave the gallery and get into his car. She’d driven there with Patrick and had been planning to take a take a taxi home but since JC had stayed the entire night he convinced her to get in with him.
“I can’t believe you stayed the whole evening.” She smiles and reaches across to slip her hand into his.
“Of course, I wanted to support you.” He smiles back and squeezes her hand.They sit in comfortable silence for a few minutes with the soft hum of jazz playing in the background. “Are you hungry? Did you eat anything today?” He asks glancing at her before looking at the road again.
“Actually I’m starving, I was so nervous today. I guess I didn’t eat much.”
“Want to pick something up and go back to my place? You can stay over tonight; we’re closer to mine than yours anyway.”
“Yeah, that sounds great actually.” She answers while closing her eyes and leans back against the smooth leather of the seat to relax for a few moments. “Oh! I did thank you for the beautiful flowers didn’t I?” She asks, her eyes opening quickly.
He chuckles and nods while he sets his hand comfortingly on her thigh, “Yes. Three times already.”
She laughs with him and rests her hand on top of his on her thigh, “I’m right out to lunch aren’t I?” The look on his face says it all and she laughs loudly, “Another Canadian expression you’re not familiar with?”
He shakes his head and rolls his eyes, “I’m gonna need a translator pretty soon, honey.”
She laughs for a few more moment as they gaze at each other. His eyes flicker back to the road but hers remain on his face; she admires the high cheekbones, the defined nose, the full lips and the stylish stubble that covers his cheeks and chin. Her heart flutters as she think of her feelings for him.
I’m falling for him.
She hears the clicking sound of his blinker as he slows and pulls into a drive-through restaurant. They order their meals and then he finishes the short drive to his house. After he pulls into the garage and turns off the engine, she touches his arm gently as he reaches to open his door.
“Josh…” She says softly as she leans forward and pulls him into a slow kiss, her lips part and her tongue gently probes the seam between his. Without hesitation his lips part and their tongues slowly touch and caress each other while his hand touches her cheek gently. After a few moments, she pulls away and meets his eyes. “I want to be with you…”
They look at each other for a few beats and then without further conversation they are both getting out of the car and making their way into the house, their paper bagged dinners forgotten on the back seat.
