*June 19th*

JC's foot tapped and his head bobbed to the beat pouring through the speakers and he couldn't help the small thrill he felt every time he listened to a newly finished track. As he sat behind the console, his fingers moved over the sliders, adjusting the sound to his liking. When he judged the track perfect he would save it and file it away.

That's all he seemed to be doing with his music lately: lay it down, file it away. For all his talk of wanting his new album to come together organically, he felt he couldn't quite put his finger on what he wanted. He had plenty of records he wanted to let the world hear but something wasn't meshing.

He hated to think he was getting gun-shy about his craft.

In due time, that's what he kept telling himself. In due time he would have the right combination of tracks and he would release a new album. For the time being he was content to lay down a couple tracks when something came to him.

For the past week he'd been writing madly, ideas coming to him left and right. Most of it wasn't suitable for anything more than an exercise in brainstorming but he had at least three completed songs on paper and one he was mostly done recording. For the last few months he hadn't felt any inspiration and had felt frustrated whenever he sat down with pen and paper. He couldn't deny he was feeling inspired now. He just wouldn't admit out loud it was all thanks to a certain someone.

He wouldn't analyze it. For now he was happy to ride out the wave and see how long this one would last.

He looked down at his watch and winced. He'd been down in the studio since 6am and it was now a bit past noon. He never brought his cell phone down with him but he would bet good money he'd see a few missed calls from Sasha. Sighing he saved his session and shut his equipment down. He'd have to grovel this time to earn her forgiveness.

He was making his way up the stairs when he heard the sound of the front door opening.

"Yo Chasez!"

Terrence's voice boomed loudly in the house.

"Remind me to take away your keys man."

Terrence walked into the kitchen just as JC did. His arms were heavy with grocery bags and he had a slightly harassed expression on his tanned face.

"Oh please, who the hell would handle your shit when you're away fool? I'm the only one crazy enough to work for you anymore."

He put the bags down with a huff, dropping his cell phone and keys on the marble countertop as well. Leaving everything behind he headed for the refrigerator and grabbed the first water bottle in sight, downing it quickly.

"Dude did you run a marathon or something? You're stinking up my house with that BO you've got going on." JC laughed, peering into one of the grocery bags

Terrence simply sent him a murderous glare as he gulped more water from a second bottle.

"Man, it is hot as a mother out there. Look at you all fresh and rosy, you've probably been in the studio all day."

"Hey, don't hate on me man, I have to make a living if I'm gonna pay your salary."

Terrence rolled his eyes and shut the refrigerator door.

"I had to duck inside the supermarket to try and cool down so I got you some groceries while I was there."

Grabbing some items and starting to place them in the pantry JC shook his head, laughing.

"Terry, you don't have to give me reasons to get me groceries."

"Man, shut up and put away your food."

Together the two men put away all the items. As he was putting away the bags of chips Terrence sighed.

"You eat like an overgrown teenager you know that? Your mom would have my neck if she knew I let you eat that shit on a daily basis."

"Awww, are you worried about my health Terry? That's cute!"

"I'm just making sure my meal ticket lives long enough for me to retire young and wealthy. Which is why I got you some whole grain bread and other healthy shit so your skinny ass can stay around for a while longer."

"Dude, you do realize I barely eat at home anyway? Sasha sure as hell isn't going to cook anything either; I don't even think she knows what my kitchen looks like."

JC was the first to admit to being completely clueless when it came to any sort of food preparation. He could nuke pretty much anything as long as it came with detailed instructions. Nowadays the only times he sat down to a home-cooked meal was when he took the time to visit his parents.

"Of course that girl won't cook a damn thing! Does she even eat?"

Terrence made no secret of his dislike for Sasha and the two butted heads whenever they were in each other's presence for longer than five minutes. He tried to avoid her as much as possible because he knew JC wanted to keep her around and fighting with her was more painful for his friend than for him. Terrence actually enjoyed harassing her.

JC chose to ignore Terry's comment.

"Don't forget you have a meeting with Miss Designer today dude. I can't believe you get to go to her place and all that. The world is an unfair place."

"Repeat after me Terry; her name is Noree Armstrong. Try rehearsing that before you see her again."

"With my luck she won't even notice I'm there. God knows why women like your pasty ass! I'll stick with women who appreciate me, thank you very much."

"You've got it all wrong man; she was all business with me. You know damn well I've got absolutely no game with women."

Terrence thought for a moment and nodded in agreement.

JC had no illusions about his skills; he had very little when it came to women. Performing in front of thousands of screaming, squealing woman was never as nerve-wracking as talking one on one with a woman he didn't know.

"It's a moot point anyway; I'm not single."

"I think you know my thoughts on that already so I won't repeat myself. Was she looking hot though?"

JC shook his head in disbelief.

"I ain't telling you jack shit man!"

"Ay come on amigo! Throw me a bone here."

JC laughed and turned away, leaving the room.

"Alright, I see how you are. Don't even try to play me; I've seen the face you make when you talk to her on the phone."

JC stopped short at Terrence's words and backtracked.

"What are you talking about?"

"You should see yourself man; you doodle on napkins and shit like some love struck teenage girl! She's getting to you and you only saw her once. How the hell are you gonna survive a month-long reno?" Terrence smirked at his friend

"You don't know what you're saying. I do not act like that." JC's denial was greeted by Terrence's laughter

"Lie to yourself all you want hombre; you've got the hots for her and you know it."

Of course he knew! He'd spent the past week fighting himself and his vivid imagination. The problem didn't lay there. If the people around him could see his reaction to Noree so easily then Sasha wouldn't stay oblivious for very long.

He needed to get himself under control. He needed to focus. He was good at compartmentalizing his life and he just needed to make sure Noree stayed under the "Professional Relationship" tab.

"Alright, so she's a knockout, doesn't mean anything will ever happen. Nothing can happen. Not just because I have Sasha but because she works for me and I doubt I'm even her type."

"In that case, mind if I give it a shot?"

The gleam in Terry's eyes was enough to let JC know he was just testing his reaction.

"Be my guest man. Though I have to warn you she referred to you as the "Latin man with hair like he got smashed into an electric fence"; your chances might be on the slim side."

Terrence just shook in head in disgust and turned away, leaving a laughing JC behind him.

"I called the guys for tomorrow's BBQ and I'll pick up the food tomorrow morning before I head out to my folks'. Do you need anything else done before I leave your ungrateful behind?"

"Who else confirmed?"

"Joey and Kelly are coming but they're leaving Bri with Kelly's mom. Justin and Jess are coming later but they'll be there. Chris didn't confirm yet but you know he'll show up at some point. Lance can't be there cuz of some business he's got out of town. Chad, Pepper and Tum are coming with enough booze for a small, very alcoholic country. Selina, Tommy and Bruno are bringing some food and Sasha's bringing her model posse."

"See, that's one thing you can be thankful for; Sasha's got plenty of model friends that don't know about your past haircuts. You might actually have a chance!"

"You're on to talk: All Hail Caesar!"

At those words both men laughed.

"I was a poor innocent pop star under the control of an evil, boy-fetish, tub-o-lard; I cannot be held responsible for anything regarding my appearance prior to 2000."

"Yeah right, whatever you say man. I'm outta here, don't forget your appointments."

***

The heat was getting to her.

The two fans she had running full blast on both sides of the office were doing nothing more than stirring hot air. No matter what she tried, she was still sweating buckets. With self-preservation in mind she decided to forgo any work on her computer and stick with her drafting table. The heat generated by her PC would positively kill her at this point.

So with her riotous curls piled haphazardly on top of her head, a white sports bra and black shorts on Noree worked diligently on the last of the renderings. She loved the authentic feeling of drafting plans by hand but she could never fault the ease of working with her computer. Erasing details on paper was a lot more work than simply pressing "Delete" on her keyboard.

When she reached to move the parallel ruler downwards, a drop of sweat slid down her nose to land on the exposed table, precariously close to her sheet.

"That's it! No more for today. I'm sweating all over these papers!"

Resigned to it, Noree left her work behind and decided to get yet another shower.

"I should just stay in the tub and get it over with."

She still had an hour before JC was due to show up and discuss the latest renderings and plans with her. By then she should be marginally less sweaty and should've been able to talk herself into ignoring any attraction she might have for him.

-Yeah right!-

All week she'd been fighting an inner battle, reminding herself of her own principles.  She had goals and aspirations and none of them included trying to seduce her client.

She was heading for the washroom when the doorbell rang.

Swearing to herself, Noree made her way to the front door, shoving her glasses on top of her head. Not bothering to look through the peephole, she opened the door, letting in a new wave of heated air. Her greeting stayed stuck in her throat as she laid eyes on JC.

JC's own words stopped short as he took in the sight before him. Noree's tanned skin was glistening with sweat, some curls clinging to her temples and forehead. Her hourglass figure was in full display, the bra and shorts leaving nothing to the imagination. JC averted his eyes as quickly as he could from her generous chest to settle further down.

-God! She's got legs up to her chin!-

He had to look away. He couldn't look away. If he'd known this body was hiding under her plain suit he would've probably spent the week in a constant state of arousal. As it was, he would have to concentrate to keep his body from betraying him. Vivid images kept flashing in his mind like a constant movie reel. He had the urge to run his hands down her body, bring her close to him and bury his face in her neck where the skin looked so soft. He wanted to hear her breath catch when he kissed her, touched her, thrust into her...

Gritting his teeth against the onslaught of emotions battering his senses, JC focused his eyes on Noree's own. He wondered if the flush on her cheeks was due to the heat or embarrassment.

"Hi." He said dumbly

"Hi. You're early."

"Yeah, my earlier appointment was cancelled and I figured I'd come by now. I'm sorry, I really should've called."

"That's alright. Come on in."

Moving aside Noree let JC walk in and closed the door behind him.

-Shit! Shit! Shit!- She took a deep breath as she locked the door

With Noree's back turned away from him, JC could get a full view of her back and he nearly swallowed his tongue. Making its way down, right on her spine was the tattoo of a vine. Normally the view of a tattoo brought to mind needles and the associated crippling fear in his gut but, for some reason, his first thought as his eyes followed the vines path from between her shoulder blades down to where the shorts interrupted the pattern was to kiss and lick his way down to what appeared to be a fantastic ass.

Fighting the urge to get a closer look, JC balled his hands and shoved them deep in his pockets, his stance shifting from one foot to the other.

Noree turned to him, a slightly self-conscious expression on her face. She was a sweaty mess and JC was looking so fresh and put together. His crisp white button down shirt was left open to reveal a bright yellow t-shirt tight enough for her to see some muscle definition. His dark slacks hung low on his narrow hips, held there by a simple black belt she guessed cost more than any of her own accessories. She'd gotten a quick whiff of his cologne as he'd passed by her; something musky and woodsy that just made her want to nibble on his neck to her heart's content. The sleeves of his shirt were rolled up to his elbows, exposing toned forearms. His hands weren't those of a pianist but looked strong and powerful.

She wanted those hands around her, on her, in her...

-Dream on girl, you are NOT in his league.-

"Would you like something cold to drink?" She hoped her voice didn't sound too strained

"Sure. It's like a sauna in here." JC laughed, trying to ease some of the discomfort

He tried not to follow her movements as she headed for the kitchen.

"You're telling me! The AC broke down 2 days ago and I've been melting ever since."

From the corner of his eye he could see her riffling through the fridge, no doubt in search of a water bottle. He trained his eyes straight ahead of him, keeping them away from her bent figure.

She handed him a bottle and when their fingers brushed, JC could've sworn he heard a buzzing in his ears.

"If you wouldn't mind I was about to head for the shower. You can wait in the living room or in my office; I won't be more than 5 minutes"

JC simply nodded, not trusting his voice. He watched as Noree walked away, his eyes following the motion of her curves in motion. He would not think of her in the shower.

­­-Down boy!-

Trying to clear his mind he downed half the bottle before making his way towards the only other opened door. When he walked in he saw he was in the office, with a desk and guest chair on one side and a drafting table on the other. Curious, he made his way to the table. He could see plans and other drawings, all done by hand. Cautiously he flipped through the series of renderings for the space, showing the club in different angles.

***

Noree rushed inside her en-suite bathroom shedding her clothes as she went. She turned the cold water on and let the water wash over as she quickly washed off the day's sweat.

She didn't take the time to wash her hair, simply letting the water soak through. In less than 5 minutes she was out and drying herself, a towel wrapped around her head. She knew she shouldn't feel embarrassed by the situation; it's not like she opened the door naked or anything. She wasn't wearing anything less than she would for a workout at the gym. Granted, she tended to visit gyms for women only but that was beside the point. She had nothing to be ashamed of and she wouldn't let this affect her professionalism.

Resolute she grabbed the white skirt and blue blouse she intended to wear for the meeting, dressing quickly. Looking herself over she decided to forgo make-up and simply applied some moisturizer to her face. There was no point in trying to put her face on if she would just sweat it off in a matter of minutes. She pulled her hair in a tight ponytail, not wanting to take the time required to tame it.

She made her way to the office, taking a deep bracing breath before walking in.

She saw JC sitting in the guest chair, looking over the renderings.

"I'm really sorry about the AC; I placed a call to the landlord and he should be passing by to fix it."

"No worries, I'll survive."

"Alright. So I see you've looked through some of the drawings already; what do you think so far?"

"I think it all looks awesome. I can't believe you've done these by hand. I was expecting some computer-generated images or something but not this. You're really talented." JC's smile was infectious and Noree couldn't stop the grin forming on her own features

"Thank a lot, I appreciate that. You would've gotten a computer rendering but I thought I would just die of heat by turning on my pc. Now I've got the sample boards here and you can tell me what you think about the fabrics and materials I've chosen. We can make any changes you want at this point."

Methodically they worked their way through all the drawings and samples Noree had selected. JC dismissed some but was very satisfied with the overall choices.

They looked over plans one by one with JC giving his input.

"Not everyone can see a plan and understand it, you're very good." Noree was impressed by JC's understanding of the complicated plans laid before him

"When I was a kid I wanted to become an architect and it stuck with me I guess. I eat up those home improvement shows!"

"Well, it makes my job easier that's for sure. So since the plans are to your liking I'll send them over to your GC and I'll order the materials and furniture. If everything stays on schedule, and I'll make sure it does, we should be starting the demo this coming Monday."

"Can I just say that you are the quickest designer I've ever met? The girl that decorated my house took forever. You're awesome!"

Noree blushed at his words.

"Thanks a lot."

When the silence grew between them JC scrambled to think of something else to talk about.

"Do you live out here by yourself?"

"Yep. My cousins are all still back home, so is my grandma."

"What about your folks, where do they live?"

"They don't; they passed away about 20 years ago." Noree's voice was neutral as she spoke the words

-Great going shithead!-

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. You have a husband, boyfriend or fiancée back home?"

-Why the hell did I ask her that? I don't want to know!-

"Oh no! What about you?"

"Girlfriend. We don't live together but she's around a lot. My folks are still in Maryland."

Noree simply nodded at his comment and the heavy silence settled between them again.

-This is beyond awkward. I need to say something. Come on girl, think!-

"You look like you've settled in really quickly. I think I unpacked the last of my boxes last month."

"When did you move in?"

"More than 2 years ago." JC replied with a sheepish smile

"Now that's just wrong! Then again, I think I may be the only person who can move in within the span of 24 hours. I think I might have overdone it with the Red Bulls; I was still twitching the next day!"

"You should see me when I have a cup of coffee. I try to stay away from the stuff cuz I can't keep up with myself! I try to keep my zen as much as possible."

"Your zen huh?"

"Once you have found your zen you'll understand what I'm talking about young grasshopper."

At his words Noree cracked up, her eyes watering. JC sat there, smiling and observing her. He'd seen her smile and even blush but watching her laugh whole-heartedly was a sight to behold. Her whole face lit up and her cheeks were flushing with color. Her laugh was deep and smoky like her voice, hitting him straight to the loins.

When she noticed that JC was looking at her, Noree self-consciously stopped laughing, running a nervous hand over her hair.

"Well, I guess I should let you get on your way. I'll send the info to George and he can tell me what he thinks. I'll relay what he tells me if you'd like." As she spoke she stood and started making her way out of the office, JC following closely behind her

"Sure, whatever works best. The faster we can move on this project, the better."

As they passed by the living room JC's eyes landed on a series of black and white framed pictures. Letting his curiosity win he made his way over.

The picture of a little pigtailed girl with a microphone almost as big as her face caught his attention.

"Is that you?"

Noree swallowed the groan. She knew she should've kept her pictures in her bedroom where no one but her would see them but she'd been feeling sentimental.

"Yeah. That was eons ago."

"Were you singing?"

Of course he would ask her that.

"Just some little talent show my parents had signed me up for; no big deal."

"How old were you, you look so tiny."

"I think I was around 6 years old or so. I don't remember exactly."

That was a bold face lie and she knew it but she wasn't in the mood to rehash her past.

"What about in this one? You look a little older." JC pointed to another black and white photograph of Noree holding a microphone, seemingly in the middle of a song, her eyes closed and head tilted up

"I was about 7, almost 8."

When JC's eyes landed on a picture of a young Noree standing onstage holding a trophy as tall as her he stopped to read the inscription underneath, his eyes growing wide.

"You won Star Search in '90? That's amazing! Even Justin didn't win it in '91 and God knows that little fucker was talented even then."

"It was a really long time ago. I keep the pictures more for sentimental value then anything else. My grandma keeps the trophy at home." Noree was feeling increasingly uncomfortable and JC could tell

With a surreptitious glance towards another picture he decided to change the subject. He pointed towards a color photograph of 4 girls, one of them Noree.

"Are they siblings of yours?"

"My cousins Sophie, Anna and Toni."

"You guys were so cute!"

Noree turned to look at the picture herself. It had been taken on her 12th birthday. She'd pleaded with her grandmother to let her have a party at home but when none of the kids in her class had accepted her invitations her cousins had descended upon the house in hopes to cheer her up. Looking back she could see it as a sweet gesture but back then she'd felt alone and rejected.

In the picture all four of them were sitting in the grass in the backyard, with the girls striking different poses.

"You should see them now; they're killer. Actually you might have seen them; they're all models now. They're the "Deadly Three" of the fashion industry!" Noree laughed at the nickname because she knew her cousins hated it with a passion

It had taken her some time but she was now able to see her cousins without feeling that pit of envy deep in her stomach. She loved all three of them unconditionally and wouldn't trade their childhood together for anything.

"Models huh? Maybe they know Sasha."

Noree's smile dropped a fraction. His girlfriend was a model? Figures.

-You've got your confirmation now girl; there's no way in hell you can compete with some leggy model. It's good! Now you can focus on something else.-

"Actually, I'm having a little get together tomorrow at my place with some friends of mine and Sasha; would you like to come?"

-I'd rather run through briars buck naked-

"I'd love to, as long as it's not an imposition."

"I would love to have you there. You can meet a bunch of people and even network. My friends are loaded and they tend to have too many houses that need redecorating every year or depending on what girl they're trying to impress at the time."

Noree laughed "That's always good for business."

"It's settled then. I'll see you tomorrow around 3pm though I doubt anyone will be on time. Dress comfortably; we'll be playing some football or basketball or whatever else we can think of. Bring your bathing suit if you want to take a dip in the pool or just catch some rays."

-Nice going man, now you've got a mental picture of her wearing a bikini stamped in your brain!-

"I'll be there."

As they stood in the entranceway JC wasn't sure what his next move should be. Beating him to it, Noree extended her hand for a firm handshake.

"Thanks again for your help on this."

"It's my pleasure really."

With a wave of her hand, Noree let JC out, closing the door behind him. Leaning on it she groaned as she slid down to the floor.

"You're and idiot Ree, an idiot of the worst kind!"

***

*BBQ - Next Day*

Noree nervously tugged at her shorts with one hand while the other balanced the Tupperware. What the hell was she doing here? She should've cancelled. She didn't belong there with these people. She was about to walk inside a house, in the Hollywood Hills nonetheless, that would be crawling with musicians, actors and models. What in the world had she been thinking?

She would make an appearance, that's all. She would go in, spend an hour just to be polite and then make a quick exit. No one would remember her anyway. With a cringe she looked at the casserole she'd made. Who the hell brought casserole to some A-list BBQ? This wasn't a PTA meeting for Christ's sake! Maybe she should leave it in the car, no one would know and she wouldn't feel as ridiculous. But she couldn't go in without some sort of host gift; she'd been brought up right after all. She should've bought a bottle of wine or two. Oh who was she kidding? She didn't know what these people drank and it was more than likely she couldn't afford it.

She would just have to risk it and get it over with. Determined she made her way towards the front door of the Spanish-style house. The drive up to the gates had taken her breath away and she was glad no one had been around to see her gaping at the extravagant homes. She couldn't help but feel a small thrill when the security guard buzzed her in through the gated community after checking her name on the guest list.

She was even happier to see that JC's house wasn't as ostentatious as the others she'd passed by. The vividly green vines climbing up the sides of the house combined with the simple landscaping gave her the impression of a warm home instead of some grand estate.

With one final inspection of her clothes - she was wearing a white tank top and mid-thigh cargo shorts over her brown and white striped bikini with a pair of maroon and taupe Chuck Taylor Converse - she rang the doorbell. She'd debated long and hard on her footwear selection but she'd chosen to be comfortable instead of trying to strut around in shorts and heels. She'd also decided against trying to keep her hair under control; the humidity was making it impossible to tame it so she'd let it loose and free to do as it chose. She'd brought a couple elastic bands just in case, along with her tongue sandals.

Just as she was about to ring the doorbell again, the door opened to reveal a tall, stunning brunette. Her long straight glossy hair was falling in tumbled waves, framing a narrow face with high cheekbones. Her yellow sundress was fitted around the torso and revealed long slim limbs. The look on her face that had been friendly at first quickly changed as she took in the sight - Noree - in front of her.

"I think you have the wrong house honey." The woman's voice was cool and neutral

Noree frowned, reaching her free hand inside her purse to dig out her BlackBerry. She scrolled down to JC's information and looked at the number besides the front door.

"Actually I believe I have the right house. I'm here for the BBQ; I was invited."

"Oh. Who are you with?"

"No one, I'm by myself."

"Then you definitely don't have the right house honey because if you're not with someone who was invited and I don't know who you are, you're not coming in."

Noree bristled at the words.

"I was invited by Mr. Chasez himself. I'm Noree Armstrong, the designer for his club on Sunset."

-Who the hell does that heifer think she is?-

"Sasha, babe, who's at the door? If it's Joey tell him to bring his fat ass to the backyard so he can man the grill; I'll just end up burning the house down." JC's voice was heard from inside the house

-Oh, Sasha... figures.-

"It's some chick who says she's your designer."

Noree told herself to calm down and not take offence to the tone and words Sasha was using to describe her. If she'd been in her place and some random woman had shown up at her party, she'd be wary too.

Noree could hear fast footsteps approaching and she nearly dropped her Tupperware when JC rounded the corner and appeared in the doorway. He was wearing knee-length cargos with a grey muscle shirt. God she wanted to take a bite out of him!

"Hi Noree, come on in! Sorry about that babe, I forgot to tell you I invited her."

JC hadn't forgotten. He'd wanted to avoid a "talk" with Sasha.

With a stiff smile plastered on, Noree walked inside the cool air, trying to not gawk at her surroundings. What she could see of the house was fabulous.

"Oh cool, you brought some food!" At JC's exclamation Noree snapped her gaze back towards him

"I wasn't sure what to bring so I put together a casserole."

"Babe, would you mind taking this to the kitchen while I show Noree around?"

Before she could answer JC took the container from Noree's hands and handed it to a gaping Sasha. With a barely audible huff she turned towards the kitchen, stomping away in her platform sandals.

Noree sighed quietly, already anticipating the tension that would accompany any run-in with Sasha. Maybe she could stay 45 minutes instead before bailing.

"You don't have to give me a tour, really. I don't think your girlfriend was very happy with you."

"Don't worry about it, Sasha's cool. I insist on giving you the tour, if for no other reason than to avoid having to send a search party when you try to go to the washroom or something."

"Has that ever happened?" Noree chuckled

"We've lost a couple guests, found some the next day. They usually find their way out somehow but I'd rather be on the safe side."

Noree followed JC as he took her through most of the rooms on the first floor. The house was bigger then it looked from the exterior and it didn't feel like some showpiece; it felt lived in and warm. The furniture was very masculine so either he'd chosen all the pieces himself or Sasha hadn't had her say yet.

"And here's the backyard."

Noree didn't hold back her initial reaction at the vision that welcomed her. The backyard was enormous with a full deck to one side and a large in-ground pool to the other. There were already some women on the lounge chairs taking in some sun and a couple men sitting on the deck, drinking beers. The scene could look pretty typical if it wasn't for the fact that everyone looked picture perfect.

"It looks like a Gap ad..." Noree muttered the words under her breath as she stepped out on the deck with JC.

-What the hell am I doing here? I don't do well with large amounts of people, especially people I don't know.-

Just then a redhead made her way across the yard towards the deck and grabbed a water bottle from the heaping cooler. To Noree's eyes she was built like every man's wet dream. She moved with a dancer's grace and her body, clad only in a pair of shorts and a bright lime bikini top, was tight and toned.

-30 minutes. I'll stay 30 minutes.-

"Everyone, I'd like you to meet Noree Armstrong, she's the designer helping me out for the club."

The men waved at her and so did the women.

"Not everyone's here yet but they should be there soon. In the meantime I want you to make yourself at home, grab a beer, some water, wine or whatever else you might want."

Noree had to restrain herself from grabbing a hold of JC to keep him from leaving her alone. What was she supposed to do now? She was never good at socializing, especially with a crowd of people that already knew each other.

-Maybe I can tell JC I'm not feeling well...-

"Hi, I'm Tum." The redhead smiled warmly, extended her slim hand for a handshake

"Tum?" Noree couldn't stop the question from popping out

"Short for Tummy; my nickname. I never go by my real name but I can give you a list of aliases."

Noree smiled, encouraged by the woman's teasing tone.

"It's nice to meet you Tum."

"So, do you want me to introduce you to the gang since JC's skills are limited in that area?"

"Sure..."

Tum turned to point towards the pool where 4 women were lounging.

"From left to right you have: Blonde Model Bitch 1, Brunette Model Bitch 2, Redhead Model Bitch 3 and just now joining her court is Queen Sasha Model Bitch 4."

Noree's laugh was loud and she quickly clamped a hand over her mouth.

"Not part of the fan club I see."

Tum rolled her green eyes and shrugged.

"Their job is to sit there and look pretty. I have nothing against models but these ones just rub me the wrong way and that's saying a lot because any rubbing is good rubbing in my book."

"All three of my cousins are models and I've been exposed to their "co-workers" enough to understand what you mean."

"Oooh, a partisan to the cause; I think I like you already. Now, here on the deck we've got Tommy, Chad, Bruno and Pepper - not an alias by the way - and the lovely Miss Selina."

At the mention of their names, the men turned from their conversation to smile and wave to Noree. Selina seemed engrossed in the inner workings of the monster BBQ and simply stuck a hand out and waved in their general direction.

"Selina likes to think she knows something about big bad BBQs and we tend to let her indulge in her delusions so long as she doesn't set the house on fire." Tum explained in a fake whisper loud enough for all to hear

"Bitch I heard you." The tone was light and friendly in direct contrast with the bird Selina was currently flipped towards Tum's direction

A loud crashing sound could be heard from inside the house, startling Noree. When no one flinched besides her she turned to Tum who was simply shaking her head.

"Do you have a good sense of humour and a deep well of patience Noree?"

"I believe I do... Why?"

"Another guest has arrived..." Tum's grin spread evilly as she just looked towards the patio door

Noree's trained her gaze in the same direction, curious as to who would come through. She barely had time to blink when a shorter dark-haired man bolted through the open door and ran across the deck, managing to grab a beer on the fly. She followed his trajectory as he headed straight for the pool. With a loud battle cry he leaped off the diving board, gathered his limbs tight to his body, beer still clutched in his hands and landed in the pool.

The water gushed out and managed to soak the four women who all, to Noree's amusement, shrieked in horror. When the man emerged to the surface he brought the beer to his lips and grinned like a loon as he drank from it. Through the booming laughter surrounding her Noree could hear Sasha's curses directed at the man. All four women stomped away towards what looked to be the pool house, each one dripping wet.

Before Tum could confirm it Noree knew who she staring at. She might not have been their biggest fan back in the day but she could plainly see Chris Kirkpatrick leisurely making his way out of the pool, his beer still in hand.

Dripping wet he made his way back on the deck, a grin plastered on his face as he made sure to hug every single person in his path. When he reached Noree he stopped and stared.

"I don't know you, you're new."

"Chrissy-poo my dear, this is our lovely Noree Armstrong; JC invited her."

Chris observed her closely, one eyebrow raised in question.

"Are you a member of the Model Bitch Clan?"

Noree inelegantly laughed at his comment.

"My allegiances lie with the résistance." Noree's grin was quick as she replied, playing up her French accent

"Ah-ha! A woman after my own heart I see. Welcome to the cause."

"She can provide inside intel on the enemy; her three cousins are models." Tum added in mock seriousness

Chris' eyes grew as his smile widened.

"Oooh, are they hot?"

Tum quickly slapped him upside the head.

"Don't mind him Noree, he has relapses once in a while. The last time it happened we enrolled him in the MFA intensive program."

Noree was almost afraid to ask but she had to know.

"MFA?"

"Model Fuckers Anonymous." The words were spoken in unison by all; even Selina's voice echoed from inside the BBQ

The giggle that was bubbling inside her broke through and Noree was quickly in tears, her sides hurting.

"We've been trying to get JC in the program but he's in deep." Chris' words were met with mock-solemn nods from all

"What program?"

JC walked out on the patio, a large platter of assorted cuts of meat in his arms. He looked at his friends, clueless as they just shook their heads and continued laughing. With a shrug he walked over to the BBQ and set the platter down. With a nudge of his hips he moved a protesting Selina out of the way and Noree finally got a better look at the woman.

She was short, shorter than Noree, with a cropped hairstyle of sleek black hair. Her face seemed dominated by large expressive blue eyes. Her slight body was covered in a pair of beige capris and a simple blue t-shirt but she oozed elegance somehow. She looked like a tiny pixie and Noree immediately liked her.

-Okay, maybe I'll give this a shot.-

Hour after hour passed and, as more and more guest arrived, Noree couldn't bring herself to leave just yet. Even after a chilly run-in with Sasha.

Right now they were all seated under the canopy, listening to Chris and Justin rib into each other. Her first reaction at seeing Justin Timberlake walk in with his girlfriend had been sheer panic. For some reason, she'd been able to dissociate Chris, Joey and even JC from their celebrity but she'd frozen when she'd seen Justin. He was imposing but not in an overbearing, ‘hey look at me, I'm Justin-Fucking-Timberlake!' sort of way. He just had a natural swagger to himself that made Noree want to either hide under a rock or gush like a teeny bopper. Thankfully she'd done neither.

"Listen here, infant, I can still kick your ass so don't test me." Chris' finger was right under Justin's nose, taunting him

"Still? There's no still about it old man! You couldn't take me back when I was shorter than you, you sure as hell can't take me now!" Justin's amused grin was wide as he tapped Chris on the head teasingly

"That's it! It's on now pipsqueak! Who brought the football? I'm taking you down Vanilla Ice!"

Justin's expression turned to mock indignation as he stood up and looked around.

"What the hell did he call me? Did he say what I think he did? You're on Leprechaun!"

The words were enough to prompt most of everyone to stand up and get ready to join in on the fun. Noree looked over in time to see a hushed conversation between JC and Sasha, who looked everything but pleased by the turn of events. JC just kept shaking his head and pointing towards his friends, already moving lounge chairs and obstacles out of the way to make room for the impromptu game. With a set jaw, Sasha stood up, gathered her things and walked straight back inside the house, her cronies following closely behind her. JC's shoulders slumped visibly as he looked towards Sasha's retreating form.

Noree frowned, her dislike of Sasha quietly growing. All night she'd either been glued to JC's side or calling him to her side like some puppy. She hadn't been bothered by her behaviour so much as by his. Even while he'd been in the middle of a conversation with friends he obviously had not seen in a while, he'd dropped everything and gone to her. That in itself wasn't worrisome if it wasn't for the fact that anytime he seemed to be having a good time that didn't involve Sasha, she called him over with some stupid excuse.

Noree could only guess that she'd pitched a fit about the game about to take place; Sasha didn't strike her as the sporty type.

-Well too bad Your Highness, you can't dictate everything he does all day long!-

Determined, Sasha stood up and dusted herself off as she walked over to JC.

"Are you joining the game?" she asked, breaking him out of his thoughts

"I might actually go back in and check on Sasha... she's not feeling well." The explanation sounded wrong even to his hears

"When I don't feel well, I like having my girlfriends with me; guys just get in the way. Why don't you go play, I might even try it myself."

JC perked up at her words.

"You play football?"

"I can handle myself on the field when I have to. Guess you'll just have to play to find out."

Without another word, Noree turned and walked towards the cleared area where Justin and Chris were still exchanging taunts.

JC quickly stood up and jogged after her.

From her corner under the canopy, Tum smiled.