Kris took a ferry to the Statue of Liberty and did a few other touristy things. She took the subway and arrived at the main gate promptly at 1:45. Angie and Lance along with their assigned body guard, who’d remained pretty invisible, were the next to arrive.

"Well, aren’t we all smile," Kris grinned as they approached her hand in hand with Max, the guard, close behind.

"Good afternoon to you, too, smiley," Lance greeted with a side hug.

"Where’s JC?" Angie asked.

"At the studio with Wild Orchid. He’s supposed to meet us here," Kris explained.

"Who is?" Justin asked as he and Candy joined them with their guard, Joe.

"JC left Kris to go work with Wild Orchid. Guess we’ll have to be sure and pay extra attention to her," Lance smiled.

"No, no. You both need to focus all your attention on these two. I’m a grown woman and if he doesn’t show, I’ll still be fine. You go ahead, I’m gonna wait a few more minutes," Kris smiled behind her Kelly green sunglasses.

"Are you sure?" Candy asked, still glowing from that morning.

"I’m only gonna give him 10 more minutes. It’ll be 2:30 by then and he’ll owe me dinner."

"Dinner? Cool! Wish someone would offer to buy me dinner," Angie teased.

"You can have ANYTHING you want, my angle," Lance purred and wrapped his arms around her.

"Awe!" the others cooed.

"Did you call his cell?" Justin asked Kris.

"No. He gave me the number though."

"I’ll call and remind him while we wait in line," Lance offered.

"Do what makes you happy," Kris smiled as they headed to get their tickets.

She waited out the ten minutes then gave him an additional five. Sighing heavily, she headed to the ticket counter. Damn. I hate this she thought.

"One, please," she said as she slid her money through the opening of the ticket counter.

"Two, actually," a soft voice said just over her shoulder as he pushed his money closer to the window.

He’s here! Yes! She smiled as she looked up at JC.

"My treat since you’re buying dinner."

"No."

"Yes, I insist," she stated and pushed his hand away from the booth.

"Two admissions. Four dollars is your change. Thank you," the woman replied.

"Thank you," they answered in unison.

*******************

Angie kept stealing glances at Candy, trying to figure out what was different. It was as if her eyes were brighter, her smile was wider, and her step was lighter. Angie also noticed that Justin couldn’t take his eyes off of Candy.

"Want some popcorn to munch on?" she heard Justin ask Candy.

"Lance, would you get us some popcorn, too?" Angie asked.

"Sure," he answered and headed off with Justin and the body guards.

"So, what happened?" Angie asked.

"What are you talking about?" Candy grinned as she slid her sunglasses on.

"Don’t play dumb with me, doll."

"Oh my! He’s SO wonderful," Candy praised and leaned against the rail as they overlooked some fish.

"Wonderful?"

"Very!"

"Oh, God! You…." Angie raised her eyebrows suggestively.

Candy couldn’t contain her smile and practically beamed. She chuckled at Angie’s shocked expression.

"When? I thought he was mad about this morning?"

"Not anymore," she answered as the guys rejoined them.

"Ang, close your mouth before you catch a fly," Justin teased before eating some popcorn.

Angie shook her head. She was happy for Candy, but wondered if Lance would expect the same.

"I’m not ready to go that far with you," Lance whispered once Candy and Justin were several steps away.

"What?" she asked, coming to.

"Don’t worry. We aren’t ready for sex and I’m not Justin." He smiled down at her.

"Good." She relaxed and took his hand heading to the monkey section.

*****************

Kris and JC were watching the elephants when his phone rang for the third time in 30 minutes.

"Hello? Hey…no, add in the…yeah…OK,so play it for me…" he suggested, looking at Kris but she just watched the animals expressionless. "You’re right…maybe…try…"

"JC," Kris interrupted.

"Hold on a sec," he said into the phone then smiled down at her.

"Just go."

"I can fix this on the phone."

"Maybe, but in ten minutes there’ll be something else. Just go. Besides, that’s were your mind is anyway," she said evenly, hiding her disappointment.

"But…we…were supposed…" he tried to convince her he could focus on something besides the song.

"Just go." She forced a smile.

"But…" he started to protest but Kris took his phone.

"Hello. How is this?"

"This is Stacy. Who’s this?"

"JC will be leaving for the studio in a matter of minutes. He’ll see you then. Bye," she ended the call and handed him his phone.

"Kris."

"Just go," she sighed and turned back to the elephants.

"I can’t go with you’re mad," he sighed.

"I’m not mad." She forced a smile. Just disappointed. "Just make it a hit."

He believed her and leaned down for a kiss. His lips were soft against hers and their kiss was too short for her liking.

"Dinner, I promise." He smiled.

"Sure." She nodded, not really believing him. "Have fun."

"Bye!"

Kris signed again, but couldn’t resist the urge to watch his ass as he walked away.

"Hey! Is JC going to get peanuts for the elephants?" Candy asked as the others approached Kris.

"Nope. Back to the studio," she replied.

"I’m sorry," Angie comforted.

"Damn! Was I supposed to shower? Why didn’t you remind me?" Kris teased, hating to see everyone look so sad. Everyone smiled.

"Wait! If you didn’t shower, then why was your hair wet when.." Lance stopped talked when Angie elbowed him.

"When what?" Justin asked and they looked guilty.

"Were you spying?" Candy asked.

"Yes, but only for a second, I swear," Angie apologized to Kris.

"No biggie. Not like we were naked or anything," Kris answered pointedly, eyeing Candy.

Angie’s eyes darted toward Candy and Justin. Kris saw it.

"Ladies, join me for a refreshment. Boys, do you want anything?" Kris offered.

"Boys!? I ain’t no boy," Justin mouthed off.

"She’s old than we are so chill. Yes, please." Lance smiled as he reached for his wallet.

"Our treat," Candy said.

"Don’t keep her tool long. It’s not my fault you can’t keep JC’s attention," Justin called playfully after them.

That hit Kris hard. She knew he was only joking, but it hit her too close to her insecurity.

"He’s teasing," Candy explained.

"I know." Kris forced another smile.

"JC likes you," Angie added.

"Sure, but can’t find time today to show me or even talk to me…Moving on! Why are you glowing?" Kris asked Candy.

"She and Justin…" Angie answered and did the eyeybrow thing.

"Really? Wow!"

"It was SO fabulous," Candy whispered as they waited in line.

"So, no thoughts of JC?"

"None. All yours."

"How can you keep his attention?" Angie wondered aloud.

"Short tight dress," Candy offered, looking her friend up and down.

"Classically sassy." Angie nodded. Together they went off on a tangent of a make over.

"With her hair down," Candy finished.

"Sounds perfect if I was tall and bulimic. Listen, thanks for the hep but that’s not me and it’s too much work to try and be something I’m not. If this thing with JC doesn’t turn out like yours, it’s not the end of the world. Trust me, there have been…" she stopped as s delivery man approached.

"Are you Kris?" he asked.

"Yes."

"Sign here," he instructed then handed her an envelope.

"OK? That was weird," she commented as they rejoined Lance and Justin. She opened it and chuckled.

"What?" the others asked.

"It’s the studio address, a pass, and a note that reads ‘Make reservations anywhere for dinner then come get me. I promise not to resist. JC’." She smiled.

"How sweet," Angie complimented.

"Just be prepared to physically remove him from the chair," Justin said.

"And watch out for Stacy. I think she likes him," Lance informed.

"OK. Thanks for the warning. I’m gonna go see the monkeys. Wanna join me?" Kris asked.

"We were just there but we…" Candy started to offer.

"OK. I’ll see you later then. Let me know if you wanna go to dinner…with us." She smiled before heading off.

"Bye!" Lance called.

"Is she always a lone?" Justin asked.

"I don’t think she wants to be a fifth wheel, you know?" Candy explained as they watched the elephants.

"Someone should smack JC. Why can’t he stop for one day and find out just how wonderful she is?" Angie asked.

"That’s just JC but let’s concentrate on something more pleasant," Lance offered and pulled her close for a sweet kiss.

"OOOOOH! Smoochin’, smoochin’," Candy teased.

"Look, there goes his tongue," Justin added in, causing everyone to laugh.

"You’re so rude," Angie pouted and playfully shoved Justin.

"You lookin’ for a fight, girl?" he asked in a funny voice.

"Oh, I bet I could take you, stick boy." She smiled and turned to face him.

"Let’s not and say we did." Candy stepped between them and led Justin away.

"You’re lucky. My woman needs me." Justin smiled down at Candy as they walked away.

"I SO could have taken him," Angie fronted.

"I know, but you don’t have to. See…mean, rude boy all gone," Lance comforted.

"He’s lucky."

"No, I’m lucky." He smiled and kissed her again.

"So am I," she said with her lips still on his.

They caught up to Candy and Justin and spent another two hours at the zoo before splitting up.

**********

Kris was walking through the lobby when someone shouted her name. She looked around and saw Chris waving her hover.

"Hey!" She smiled as she walked up to him. She saw Joey and a blonde that looked kind of familiar.

"Hi! Where’ve you been?"

"The zoo."

"Cool! This is Danielle," he introduced the girl.

"Nice to meet you," the blonde said.

"You as well. Um…Joey…about this morning…I had no right to scream at you like that. I’m sorry," Kris said warmly.

"I shouldn’t have barged in or said what I said. I was only kidding but you didn’t know that. I’m sorry, too."

"So…we’re OK?"

"Yep." He smiled and put his arm around her.

"Cool. Well, I should go decide what I want to eat."

"With JC?" Joe asked and she nodded. He gave her an address of a Chinese place they always went to. "He loves it."

"Thanks. See you!"

"Hey! Tomorrow you’ll have to go by the FumanSkido store and pick out something for your sister," Chris offered.

"I’d love to. Thanks! She’d like that since I don’t think there’s room for you in my suitcase and Danielle would probably object to me stealing you away." Kris smiled.

"I would. It was nice meeting you," Danielle said politely.

"You, too. See you!"

*************