Chapter 25
Howie sighed
when he got off the phone with Kevin. Poor guy, he thought
sympathetically, still no luck with Rachel. He wished there was
something more he could do, but other than pretend that Rachel was welcome into
their circle of friends, he couldn't think of anything else that could be of
benefit to his friend. A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts and
he went to answer it. Surprise registered on his face immediately.
"A.J?!"
He grinned at
him. "Hey buddy!"
Laughing, they
shared a hug and Howie ushered him in. "When did you and Sarah come
back from your honeymoon?"
"A few
days ago," A.J replied cheerily and Howie was envious of the smitten look
on his face.
"I'm
guessing it was everything you hoped it would be?"
"And
more!" A.J grin was brighter than the Florida Sunshine and Howie was
delighted for him. "But we'll talk about it later. I just flew
in to see how you're doin'."
Howie
shrugged. "I'm fine. I got back from
"Lisa?!
Who's Lisa?!"
"A girl
I've been seeing."
"What?!"
A.J exclaimed. "Are you serious?!"
Howie nodded
and shrugged again. "What's the big deal?"
A.J raised an
eyebrow. "Hello? I can think of a real big deal. A big
deal that starts with B and ends with E..."
"A.J
don't start."
"Why the
hell are you going out with someone you don't even like?!"
"I never
said that!"
"It's
written all over your face dude. And you know you can't play dumb with me
so don't even try it."
"A.J!
Billie's ENGAGED!!"
"So?
That didn't stop you from...well..."
Howie turned a
light shade of red. "That was just a moment of weakness."
"Hah!
Moment of weakness my ass!" A.J followed him into the living room,
"ten bucks says you don't regret your little rendezvous with Billie one
bit."
He didn't
respond.
A.J grinned in
satisfaction. "I knew it!"
"Does it
really matter whether I do or not man? It changes nothing. She's
already made a life for herself. A life that doesn't include me."
"Only
because you guys were stupid enough to make that pact of yours."
"It was
the right thing to do."
A.J
sighed. "You don't always have to do everything by the book D!
Especially if it costs you your happiness."
"As long
as she's happy then it doesn't matter how I feel."
"And if
she isn't?"
Howie looked
away from his friend's stare. "I don't know."
***
"I'm
going shopping with Sarah for a few hours," Kristin said, her voice
distant.
Kevin rubbed
his eyes in worry. "Oh. Okay. Will I see
you...later?"
"Maybe.
Depends on how I'm feeling."
He took that
as a no and distressed, he said good bye and hung up the phone. He was
losing her. With each passing day, she grew more and more distant...and
until Kevin found his proof, there was nothing he could do to stop her from
permanently separating herself from him. That frightened him beyond
words. Shit, he cursed as he dialed Brian's number, what am I
going to do?!
"Hello?"
"Bri?
It's Kevin."
"Hey
Cuz! Any luck yet?"
"I
wish."
"Oh man,
I'm sorry."
"Don't
be," Kevin sat on the couch in his living room and closed his eyes.
"It's not your fault that Kristin doesn't believe me. There's no one
to blame but myself. Maybe I'm not trying hard enough."
"Don't
lose hope yet Kev. You just need to be a little more patient, that's
all."
"So,
how've you been?" he asked, in dire need of changing the subject.
"Okay.
Leigh and I have been workin' our butts off for our production company.
Aaron came by the studio and I produced a song for his new album. It's
scary how much he reminds me of Nick."
"Yeah,
when I saw him in January, I'd swear I was looking at Nick himself when he was
that age."
"I...I'm
worried about him."
"About
Aaron?"
"No...about
Nick."
Oh no. Kevin groaned
inwardly. He can't be doing this again. "Bri..."
"I'm serious
Kevin. Something's wrong."
"Brian I
thought you were passed this."
"I
am...it's just that..." he sighed, "I don't know how to explain it to
you Cuz. I just have this really bad feeling...
***
"You
have to help me."
Katarina stared at his worried frown and felt her
frustration building. "I don't know how!!"
"Rina please...you're the only one who can help me...I need
you!"
"But
don't you see?! There's nothing I can do...he won't let me help
you!!"
She watched
as his figure became more translucent. "Wait...where are you
going?!?"
"Rina..."
"No,
don't go yet! Please!" She reached out for him and grabbed nothing
but the fog that surrounded them. "Nick wait!! Nick!!!"
"NICK!!!!"
She screamed and sat up in bed, dripping with cold sweat, her heart beating
wildly against her chest.
Her bedroom
door opened and Billie rushed into the room. "Rina?
Are you all right?"
That was the
last straw. "NO! I'm NOT ALL RIGHT!! I'LL NEVER BE ALL
RIGHT UNTIL I HELP HIM DAMMIT!"
Billie's eyes
widened. "Rina!"
She put her
head in her hands and desperately tried to calm down. "I...I'm sorry
Billie. I didn't mean to yell. I'm just...I'm just so scared for
him..." She felt her sister sit next to her and wrap her arms around
her.
"Why?
Is Nick in some kind of danger?"
"Not the
criminal kind of danger," she murmured softly.
"Huh?"
Katarina pressed her hand against her chest, feeling the heavy necklace and
closed her eyes.
"I
bought it for myself before...well, you know, and I want you to have it.
It used to be my most cherished possession, until you came along."
She was losing
him. The Nick that she knew and loved with every fiber of her being was
being consumed by the hurt and anger that had ruled over him once before.
Anger and hurt
that was directed at her.
I have to
do something! But how could I possibly help him without Kris finding
out?!
At the moment, nothing came to mind. But she would think of
something. She had to.
She would not
let Nick destroy himself.
***
Howie hid
behind the bushes in front of Billie's apartment complex and wondered what the
hell had possessed him to drive to Tampa and see her after all this time.
He smiled ruefully. A.J. Who else could convince him to do
something spontaneous and possibly stupid?
"I'm not
through with you Kris!"
"So
what?!"
Alarmed, Howie
peered over the bushes and saw Billie racing after Kris who was heading toward
one of the cars parked in the front. Her arms were flailing everywhere
and her cheeks were bright red.
She was
downright pissed.
"You
didn't answer me Kris! Why do you keep looking at Rina
like you want to eat her alive! She's 19 YEARS OLD!!!"
"I don't
have time for your atrocities Billie. Call me when you decide to grow
up."
Howie clenched
his fists. How dare he talk to her that way?! He moved to give him
a piece of his mind, but he was already in his car and speeding away from the
scene. Billie stared after him, trembling from the force of her
anger. Cautiously, he stepped out of the bushes and moved toward
her. He cleared his throat.
Billie whirled
around and her jaw dropped in shock. "Howie?!"
"Uh,"
he shoved his hands in his pockets. "hi."
She closed her
mouth and blinked in disbelief...and then she rushed toward him and pulled him
into a tight embrace. "Oh Howie..."
He closed his
eyes and returned her embrace, letting her cry on his shoulder. He
stroked her hair, trying to calm her. "It's all right Billie.
I'm here now."
"I...I'm
so...glad."
So am I, he thought as he
replayed what he'd just witnessed. What kind of guy talked to a woman
that way? What kind of guy was Kris Reid? Why on Earth was a girl
like Billie marrying him?!
After a few
more moments of wonderful closeness, she drew back and wiped her eyes.
"Do you want to come in?" she asked shakily.
He nodded and
held back a smile when she took his hand and lead him to her apartment.
It just felt so good to see her and feel her again after so many months
apart. She opened the door and he followed her in. It still looked
exactly the same, except for a few new items like books on interior design that
sat on the coffee table. He picked one up and flipped through it.
"Are you studying something new?"
"No, I
love my job and I wouldn't trade it for anything. They're my
sister's. She goes to the International Academy of Design and
Technology."
"Oh I
see. I didn't know your sister was back in town."
Billie sat on
the couch. "She came back in January...Howie, why are you
here?"
He gulped and
took the seat across from her. "I came...to see you."
"But I
thought..."
"We were
wrong Billie...I know that now. We shouldn't have made that stupid
pact... It only made things worse."
"Worse?"
she murmured and held his gaze.
"Worse.
Because I missed you so much."
Her eyes
glimmered with fresh tears. "I missed you too Howie...but..."
His heart
stopped. "But what?"
"But what
about your girlfriend..."
He could've
smacked himself silly right now. He'd forgotten how news spread easily
about his relationships since he was still considered a celebrity. She
must've read or seen something about him and Lisa. "We're not
together anymore."
Hope flickered
in her eyes. "Really?"
He
nodded. "We broke up last week after someone opened my eyes to the
fact that I was helplessly in love with someone else."
Billie's hand
flew to her mouth. "What?!" she exclaimed.
Before he
could respond the door opened and a pretty but exhausted looking young woman
strolled in with groceries in her hands.
"Billie,
could you he--" She stopped in stunned silence when her eyes fell on
Howie.
He stood and
grabbed the bags from her hands. "I'll help you." As he
set the bags of food down on the table, he could hear Billie and who he assumed
was her sister whispering at a mile a minute about his visit. He smiled
and shook his head.
Women.
He walked back
into the living room and was not at all surprised when the whispering came to
an abrupt halt. Billie's sister was now seated beside her, curiosity
blatantly obvious in her eyes.
"Howie,"
Billie stood, "I'd like to introduce you to my sister, Katarina
Clark. Katarina, this is Howie Dorough."
A shy smile
turned Katarina's lips and she extended her
hand. "Hello."
"Hi,"
he shook her hand before taking a seat again. "It's nice to finally
meet you Katarina. Billie's told me a lot about
you."
"Call me Rina and I've heard a lot about you too."
He
smiled. "Good things I hope."
She returned
his smile. "Of course."
Howie marveled
at how pretty these two women were. It was almost intimidating. And
he was still positive that if Nick were alive, she would definitely catch his interest.
"So I guess you know about my previous career."
"Well to
be honest I never followed your career as much as Billie did...and still
does," she shot her a little smile, "but I've learned a few things
about all of you now."
"Oh?"
"Yeah..."
Howie expected
her to elaborate but she didn't.
"Would
any of you like some Iced Tea or something?" Billie asked cheerily.
Howie was glad
to see her smiling again. "I'd like a glass if you don't mind."
"None for
me Billie, thank you."
She
disappeared into the kitchen and Howie noticed a determined look on Katarina's face suddenly. He wondered why.
"Howie,
do all of you live here in
He
laughed. "Now I do believe that you didn't follow my Backstreet Boys
career."
She smiled
sheepishly. "Sorry."
"No, it's
okay. In a way it's kind of refreshing to have someone not know every
little detail of my life. Uh, I live in
"
Howie
laughed. "I see you know your geography."
Katarina blushed. "I must seem like a real nut case to you."
"Nah,
you're just as charming as your sister." His smiled died down.
"Nick lived here in
"...The
small town outside of
"Yeah,"
Howie sighed, "he was a great guy and awesome friend."
"Yes he
is...I mean," Katarina cleared her throat,
"I'm sure he must've been."
Howie didn't
pay much attention to her suddenly odd mood because Billie had returned to the
room with a cool pitcher of Iced Tea. She looked at him and immediately
frowned. "Nick."
He nodded, but
put a smile on his face. "I was just telling Rina
about him."
"Well, it
was nice to meet you Howie," Katarina stood,
"I've got to do some studying now."
Howie stood as
well and smiled. "It was nice to meet you too."
She returned
his smile and then turned to Billie. "I'll be in my room if you need
me for anything."
Billie nodded
and after Katarina was out of earshot, she let out a
worried sigh.
Howie
frowned. "What's wrong?"
"She's
sad again."
"Why?"
"Well,
her ex-boyfriend...his name was Nick as well. The name probably brought
back the memories again."
"Oh
no," Howie groaned, "I had no idea! I should apologize..."
"It's
okay. I'm sure she knows you didn't do it intentionally."
"What
happened?"
Billie filled
the two glasses and set down the pitcher before responding. "I don't
know. Nick lives in
Howie
nodded. "That's too bad."
"I
know."
He
smiled. "You know? I was just thinking that if Nick were still
alive, he'd totally be into Rina."
Billie
laughed. "You really think so?"
"Sure!"
"But I
thought Nick only like brunettes or something."
Howie
shrugged. "There's always the occasional exception..."
***