Alexis was fuming at this point.

The rest of the meeting beyond that seemed to pass by in a blur.  In fact, now that she and Kenny were both headed back to his car she found herself struggling to remember anything Andrew had said.  It wasn’t like her to zone out, but that was just what she’d done.  The moment Andrew mentioned JC she’d lost all concentration.  Instead, she’d allowed herself to get sucked into the emotions and memories that surrounded her relationship with JC, and she was cursing herself for it.  This was her career, and she took it very seriously so allowing her emotions to get in the way just wasn’t an option.  

“Penny for your thoughts.” Kenny said.

“Excuse me?” Alexis replied snapping from her trance.

“I was just wondering what you were thinking about?  You seem like you’ve got something on your mind.”

If only he knew, Alexis thought.  

“Oh no, nothing in particular.  Just thinking about how busy I am about to be.”

Kenny nodded.  She was about to be very busy but Kenny knew there was more to it than that.  He’d seen her reaction, or lack thereof when Andrew mentioned that he wanted her new song on the album.  He’d also noticed the flicker of panic in her eyes when Andrew mentioned the producer.  And there was the song itself.  He’d hadn’t really been able to hear it all the way through but the part he’d heard definitely sounded like the voice of someone who was carrying a lot of pain.  And, to his knowledge, songwriters typically wrote from personal experiences.  Bottom line, this girl had a lot more going on inside her than she let on.

“Yeah, you are about to be really busy, but that’s a good thing, right?” 

Alexis nodded.  “Yes, it’s a good thing.  It just seems like it’s been a long time coming and now that it’s happening, I guess I am feeling a little overwhelmed.”

That was understatement to say the very least.  Between the upcoming photo shoot, video shoot, meeting Kenny, recording the new song, the release of her single and album and worrying about JC her brain had started to go on overload.

“I think that’s natural.” 

Natural or not it was still unbelievably unnerving.  Alexis had always liked being in control of her life and right now it seemed as if she had absolutely no control over anything.  

“What do you say we go get your sister and grab some lunch?” Kenny suggested.

 Alexis stared at Kenny.  Lunch with him and Michelle was definitely not something she’d thought he would suggest.  Nor did she think it was a good idea.  In fact, she typically made it a point to keep her career and personal life as separate as possible.  It was just easier that way and there were certain things about her life people just didn’t need to know.

“I am sure she is at school.” Alexis bluffed.

Truth be told most of Michelle’s classes were in the morning, and because like her sisters she was an over achiever she’d taken classes every summer since she’d graduated high school and therefore only had two classes this semester.  So, the likelihood that she would be home was high.  

“So, call her and find out.”

He was being logical and it was irritating as hell!  Normally she would jump at the chance to have lunch with Michelle but lunch with Kenny and Michelle made her uneasy.  She knew that Michelle would respect her wish to keep certain things private but that didn’t mean she would be rude either.

There were certain things that only a few people knew and she preferred to keep it that way.  Then, of course there was the fact that she’d only known Kenny for a few hours.  In other words, the jury was still out as to how much she could trust him with.

Yes, Andrew trusted him and therefore she should trust him implicitly but then, there were certain things that not even Andrew knew.  

“If she is in class then I don’t want to bother her.”

“So, you leave a message.  If she can meet up with us then she will, if she can’t then she won’t.”

He was being persistent and although she admired that he stuck to his guns at the moment it was not at all convenient for her.  She wasn’t going to win this one and she knew it.  Now she just had to pray that Michelle wouldn’t answer.  

Sighing to herself Alexis pulled her phone from her small purse and hit the speed dial for her sister.  And, as she suspected and feared Michelle picked up on the second ring.

“Hi there.”

“Hi.”

“I wasn’t expecting to hear from you until later, what’s up?”

“Did you want to join Kenny and I for lunch?”

If this was going to happen then she might as well just go with it.

Michelle perked up immediately.  She knew it was just a matter of time before Alexis would be ridiculously busy so she cherished the opportunity to spend some time with her, and getting to know Kenny would definitely be interesting.

“Sure.  Where did you want to meet?”

“Ummm..”

She looked at Kenny and once again he had that goofy grin on his face.  She didn’t know why but that goofy grin was actually kinda cute on him.  It made him seem far less menacing and a bit more teddy bear like.  Maybe this lunch idea wasn’t so bad after all.

“Mexican is always good.” Kenny offered.

Alexis smiled then turned her attention back to her sister.

“El Sombrero?!”

“Sounds good. I will see you there in about thirty minutes.”

“See you then.”

A half hour later Alexis, Kenny and Michelle were seated in the patio area of the restaurant.  

The patio was enclosed but there were large windows all the way around so you still felt like you were sitting outside.  A fountain stood in the center of the room and fake tropical flowers hung from the ceiling and walls. It was nothing fancy by any means but both Alexis and Michelle loved it there.

“What’s good here?” Kenny asked.

The waiter had just left with their drink order and now it was just the three of them again.

Michelle licked her lips and smiled.

“Everything is good here!”

Kenny chuckled and shook his head.  Something told him that he and Michelle were going to get along just fine.

“Well then what would you recommend?” 

Michelle looked down at her menu for a brief moment then looked up again.

“Hmm...the shredded beef taco plate is amazing!  The shrimp fajitas are good too but my favorite is the California burrito.  It has rice, pinto beans, cheese, guacamole, sour cream and a little bit of salsa all wrapped up in a homemade tortilla.”

“No meat?”

“No, but trust me this burrito doesn’t need it.”

“Well, it sounds delicious but I need something I can sink my teeth into.”

Michelle giggled while Alexis rolled her eyes and shook her head.  Kenny and Michelle seemed to be getting along just fine but Alexis wasn’t so sure if that was a good thing or not.  At the very least it would make things interesting.  Like it or not she didn’t really have time to dwell on it right then.  The waiter came to take their order and shortly thereafter they were busy stuffing their faces with food.

“So, Alexis you haven’t said a word, how did it go today?” Michelle asked between bites of food.

“Alexis? Who is Alexis?” Kenny blurted out.

The fact that Alexis used her middle name for her career wasn’t a secret but it also wasn’t something she discussed openly either so Kenny’s confusion made sense.  

“Oops! I’m sorry!”

Alexis just shook her head.  “No, it’s fine.  I thought Andrew would have said something but I guess not.”

“Ok, I am really confused here.  Would someone please explain?” Kenny interrupted.

Alexis closed her eyes briefly and sighed.  She hoped that a simple explanation would suffice but she had the sinking feeling it wouldn’t be that easy.

“Alexis is my first name.  Danielle is my middle name.  Only my family calls me by my first name.”

“Why?” Kenny asked.

Michelle found that she had to stuff a fork full of food into her mouth to keep herself from answering.

“I just like keeping my personal life and my career separate and using my middle name makes it easier to do that.” 

Michelle choked and Alexis shot her a look.

Kenny picked up on both immediately but said nothing.  Instead, he filed this new information away for later and nodded.

“Makes sense.”

Michelle swallowed hard.  Oh yes, Alexis’s explanation made sense but it was also complete bullshit.  Alexis was hiding, plain and simple.

Alexis was hiding from her past and the painful memories that were associated with it.  Unfortunately, Michelle had the sinking suspicion that she wouldn’t be able to hide for much longer.  And, just as Michelle knew she would, Alexis quickly changed the subject.

“To answer your question Michelle, today was fine.”

Michelle just smiled.  She knew that getting Alexis to talk about her true feelings in front of Kenny was a losing battle.

“That’s good! Did you get the producer thing resolved?”

Alexis glared at her sister. “Not exactly.” 

Kenny snorted.  “She’s meeting him tomorrow at 9.  She’s not happy about it.”

Michelle giggled and Alexis just rolled her eyes.  Putting Kenny and Michelle together definitely wasn’t helping her mood.

Morning came far too quickly.  Truthfully, she’d been up for a while just laying in bed, staring at the ceiling.  Alexis was NOT looking forward to this.  Her mind had drifted back to eight years before, to the day that had changed everything.

“I’m sorry Lexi, I just can’t anymore.  It’s done. I’m done.”

“You can’t what?”

“This! Her! You and me.”

“What did she say to you?”

“It doesn’t matter. It’s over now.  The guys and I…we’re going on tour. I’m moving on.  Goodbye Lexi.”

Back then the Moretti family lived in Orlando.  Alexis and April had met Josh or JC back in the MMC days.  Josh had taken a liking to April and they’d started dating but he’d also become close with Alexis.  They were best friends…until April ruined everything. 

“What did you do?!”

“Why do you care?”

“Why do I care?! He’s my best friend and he just left…because of you! What did you say to him?”

“It doesn’t concern you.”

“WHAT DID YOU SAY TO HIM?!”

“It’s none of your business.”

“YOU CHEATED ON HIM, DIDN’T YOU?  THAT’S WHY HE LEFT! YOU BROKE HIS HEART!”

“SHUT UP ALEXIS!”

“You are such a BITCH!!”

Grumbling under her breath, Alexis rolled out of bed and started to get ready for the day.  She pulled on a pair of jeans.  They fit her perfectly, hugging her hips in all the right places.  Then she pulled on a simple, ribbed cotton tank top and pulled her hair back in a pony tail so that her long, dark hair fell straight down her back.

“You’re up early.” Michelle said as Alexis entered the kitchen.

“Might as well get this over with.” Alexis grumbled.

“Do you think he’ll recognize you?” Michelle asked bravely.

She knew this was a touchy subject.

Alexis shrugged. 

“I doubt it.  It’s been eight years.  He’s met a lot of girls since then.”

Michelle rolled her eyes in secret.  She had a feeling that eventually, he would figure it out.

“He might not remember your face but I bet he remembers your name.”

“Not likely.  He’s not going to meet Alexis Moretti, he’s going to meet Danielle M.”

Michelle smirked.  “Hmm.  I wonder why you did that?”

“Funny you’re not.”

Michelle grinned. “I’m not trying to be funny.”

“It’s better this way.” Alexis grumbled.

“For whom?” Michelle replied.

Alexis didn’t answer.  Instead, she grabbed her keys and her purse and headed for the door.  The drive to the studio was quick.  Too quick.  There had been ZERO traffic.  It was just her luck.

Thank goodness Kenny wasn’t with her today.  She didn’t think she could handle putting on a show for two people.

The recording studio was empty when she entered.  She was early.  Then again, if she remembered anything about Josh it was that he wasn’t an Early Bird.  He was typically late, not overly late but enough to make an entrance.

Shaking her head, Alexis slipped into the booth and sat down at the piano.  Smiling to herself she started plucking at the keys.  She started playing the melody from the new song, allowing herself to get lost in it until a voice broke her from her thoughts.

It had been eight years but Alexis remembered this voice immediately.

“Impressive!”

Alexis’s eyes snapped up and locked with a pair of blue ones on the other side of the glass.

Blue eyes, dark wavy hair that fell down to his shoulders, a strong jawline and that same mischievous smile.  Of course, he would still have that ridiculously adorable smile, but that hair.  The hair she had not expected, but he made it look good.

“Thanks.” She replied calmly.

“I’m…”

Alexis cut him off.  “JC Chasez…I know…”

“You must be Danielle.”

She was pretty.  Long dark hair, deep green eyes, full lips and ivory skin.  Those eyes though, those eyes were definitely something and they were drawing him in.

She nodded.

“Nice to meet you.”

Alexis forced a smile.  She couldn’t say the same but she had to pretend. 

“I hear you are quite good.” Alexis replied.

There was something about her tone that seemed…off.  He couldn’t explain it.

“I heard the same about you.  Obviously, the rumors are true.  You’ve got some pipes.”

Alexis raised an eyebrow.  “You think so?”

He shifted his weight a bit then pushed the button to talk again.  Those green eyes looking back at him.  There was something about those eyes that seemed strangely familiar.

“I mean…I’m just going off the rough cuts I heard, but yeah…you can sing.”

Alexis nodded and bit her bottom lip.  He had no clue.  That was clear.

“So, should we get to it?” Alexis forced out.

He grinned.  She didn’t waste time.  He liked that.

“Whenever you’re ready.”

She smirked a bit and looked back at him.  “I’m waiting on you.”

He chuckled a bit and settled down into the chair.

“Do you want to try that one you were just playing?”

Alexis could only smile a bit and nod.  She was going to enjoy this just a bit too much.

“Sure.”

She took the headphones from their spot, on top of the piano and placed them on her head.  Then, carefully, she placed her hands on the piano, closed her eyes and started to play.

No, I can’t take one more step towards you

Cause all that’s waiting is regret

And don’t you know I’m not your ghost anymore

You lost the love I loved the most

I learned to live half alive

And now you want me one more time

And who do you think you are

Running around leaving scars

She was looking at him as she sang.  In fact, it seemed as if she was singing to him.  And her voice, her voice was haunting.  It was almost as if he’d heard it before.

When she finished it took him a moment to snap back into reality.

“How was that?” Alexis asked.

The look in his eyes spoke volumes.

“Umm…yeah…that was…”JC stuttered.

Silently, he was cursing himself.  He’d never had this type of reaction to a song or an artist before, so why now? 

“That bad?” Alexis teased.

JC shook his head furiously.  “No! No! It was good…you wrote it?”

Alexis nodded. “I did.”

“So, who was he?” 

Alexis had to fight to keep her cool.  She had NOT expected him to ask THAT.  Not yet anyway.

“Excuse me?” she managed to get out.

“It’s about a guy.  Am I right?”

Alexis could only nod.

JC grinned.  “Thought so.  A song like THAT comes from experience.  An old boyfriend?”

Alexis had to bite her tongue to keep from laughing.  If he only knew.

“Nope! Just a guy I knew a LONG time ago.”

“Just a guy?! Hmm…I’m thinking there is a story there.”

Alexis laughed.  “Oh, there is!”

“There always is.” He said smiling.

Alexis just smiled and shook her head.  Clearly, he had NO IDEA who she really was and for now, she was fine with that.  Unfortunately, she knew that eventually the truth would come out but until then she planned to savor every moment of this.

“You have no idea.” She smirked.

JC chuckled a bit.  “Let me guess…. He was dating your best friend?”

Alexis snorted.  “Nope! My sister!”

“Your sister?! Damn!”

Alexis nodded then bit her lip and grinned.  She had a feeling that what she said next was going to strike a chord.

“My TWIN sister!”

For a moment JC froze.  Those green eyes, the way she bit her bottom lip, her voice and the mention of a TWIN.  For a moment, he felt like he was seeing a ghost.  And that song!

Shaking the though from his head he looked back at her.

“Do you want to try that again?  Maybe just half a step slower this time?”

Alexis nodded and tried to hide her smile.  She wasn’t playing fair, but she didn’t care.  This had been eight years in the making.

They did the song a few more times, and each time she did it she sang the song directly to him.  It was getting to him, she could tell.

JC was intrigued.  He didn’t know why, but there was something about this girl that was getting to him. 

After about the fourth time going through the song JC decided he needed a break.

“Are you hungry?” he asked.

Truth be told, she really hadn’t eaten breakfast.  She’d been too anxious about seeing him again to eat.  However, she wasn’t sure she could stomach the thought of sharing a meal with him.

On the other hand, she would be lying to herself if she didn’t admit that she was at the very least curious about him.

“I could eat.” She managed to get out.

“Do you like Chinese?”

Alexis had to fight to keep the smile from her face.  The Josh she remembered had always been a sucker for Chinese food.

“Sure.”

A half hour later they were sitting in the production booth on opposite ends of a couch eating Chinese food and chatting a bit between bites of food.

“Are you just producing now?” Alexis asked.

Truthfully, she didn’t know much about his career or *NSYNC.  She’d boycotted anything to do with him since the day he’d walked out of her life.  Also, there was the fact that her parents had banned any mention of him or *NSYNC in an effort to keep the peace within the house. 

However, she wasn’t completely oblivious.

He shook his head and swallowed.  “No.  I am writing a bit too both for myself and the group.”

Alexis nodded.  She’d heard he had one solo album but she could never bring herself to listen to it, even after she’d moved out of her parent’s house. 

“The group?”

His eyes widened a bit.  It was rare that he met a girl her age that didn’t at least know about *NSYNC.

“*NSYNC.”

“Oh, yeah, right!”

He chuckled a bit and she cringed.

His laugh had always been her undoing, and his smile. 

“Let me guess, not an *NSYNC fan?”

Alexis smirked and shook her head.  “Not really my style, but I can respect talent when I hear it.  You guys can definitely sing.”

He grinned and she could feel the blood start to boil inside of her.  He was being charming and it was making her crazy!

“Was that a compliment?!”

“It’s possible.”

“What about you? What is your style?” JC asked curiously.

“Can’t you tell?”

She wanted to hear his answer.

He sat back a bit on the couch and rubbed the back of his neck.  It was something she’d seen him do at least a thousand times, particularly when he was tired or stressed.

“Hmm…well…you’re definitely not a Pop princess…you’ve got an edge.  You’ve got some soul in you too.  I don’t think I would classify you in any one category.”

Alexis couldn’t help but smile.  As much as she didn’t want to be, she was actually impressed by his assessment.

“Was that a compliment?” She teased.

He bit his lip and smiled.  “It’s possible.”

GOD he was infuriatingly charming!  She hadn’t expected him to be quite so charming but then, he didn’t really know the truth.

After lunch they worked on the song a bit more.  By the time they finished for the day they had pretty much finished with the song, and although she hated admitting it, Alexis was surprised by his talent as a producer.  He knew how to bring out the best in her voice and that irritated her beyond belief.

JC returned to his house that evening feeling a bit confused.  None of the artists he’d ever produced for had ever intrigued him the way she did.  There was just something about her that was mesmerizing but yet haunting at the same time.

He could not get her out of his head.

Sighing to himself he allowed his bag to hit the floor at the door then dropped his keys on the coffee table before walking to the fridge.  He pulled a beer from the fridge and popped the top then took a long, slow sip as he leaned back against the counter.

“Dude…you are trippin’!” He muttered to himself.

JC pulled his phone from his pocket and hit a button on his speed dial.  The person on the other end answered on the 2nd ring.

“Let’s go out.” JC said immediately.

“Tonight?”

“Yeah! I need to get out of my head.”

The male voice on the other end of the line started to chuckle.

“Which girl is it this time? Chelsea? Christine? Michelle?”

“It’s not like that.”

“So, you’re saying it’s not about a girl?!”

JC sighed loudly.  “It is…”

“I knew it!”

“Like I said, it’s not like that.  It’s this girl I met today at the studio.  I’m producing her album…”

JC produced for a lot of different artists but this was the first he’d mentioned any female solo artist.

“Oh yeah?! What’s her name?” Justin Timberlake asked.

“Danielle…Danielle M.”

Justin grinned. “Oh yeah! I’ve heard talk of her.  She’s good from what I hear.”

JC smiled.  “Good is an understatement.  She’s…she’s….”

Justin chuckled.  “Are you interested in this girl?”

“I’m telling you man…it’s not like that…there’s something about her…”

It wasn’t like JC to get this flustered over a girl.  Something was up.

“Something?! Ok! What does “something” mean?” Justin asked a bit more seriously.

“I don’t know…that’s the problem.  She has these eyes…and her voice…it’s almost haunting…it’s like I’m seeing a ghost.”

“A ghost?!”

JC sighed and rubbed his neck again.  “I know how it sounds…but I’m telling you, something about this girl is seriously messing with my head.”