It had been far too long since she’d come out to the West coast. There were too many opportunities still awaiting her and many friends that had missed her presence (she’d missed them as all). It had been so easy to stay on the East coast and try to not take any chances. Yet, she’d been told time and again that she was smart, talented, and really could make a career for herself. Having some of her jewelry, that she’d made all by herself, shown off at New York Fashion Week as models strutted down the runway accessorizing their outfits with it, really had given her a little more confidence and propelled her to finally get back out to Los Angeles.

Her sister bought her the plane ticket and her friend Tyler had told her she was more than welcome to stay at his older brother’s house. She was thankful for the generosity and she couldn’t wait to see palm trees swaying in the wind, the ocean, beautiful people, and even…JC.

The taxi rode up all the way to the top of the hill and pulled up to a huge, hill-top, architecturally special house. She smiled as the taxi completely stopped and she unbuckled her seatbelt. Her eyes took in the house and she was very excited to get in. She hoped that JC would be happy to see her and that she’d be greeted by one of his warm smiles. After paying the taxi driver and grabbing her luggage, she shut the car door and ascended up to the front door of the house.

Once she made it to the door, she rang the door bell and even knocked three times. There was no answer, so she pulled out a small piece of paper that had the code to the garage. Tyler had given it to her, knowing she’d be able to get into the house with it if JC wasn’t home when she arrived. She sighed and walked over to the garage and found the keypad to press the code into. She was allowed entry as the garage door went up and lucky for her the door that led into the house was unlocked. She twisted the knob, opened the door all the way and then stepped inside the house.

“This could be the beginning of something special. Don’t mess it, Harper.” She told herself.

She stepped into the kitchen, that had a marble counter and funky, colored lights descending from the ceiling. The fridge was huge and she noted dirty dishes sitting in the sink. She laughed to herself, knowing JC wasn’t the most domestic guy.

Setting her stuff down on the floor by his kitchen table, she called out his name, just in case he was in the house and hadn’t heard her.

“JC!?”

There was no response and she sighed. She would just have to wait for him to return. He had to know she was arriving today and would be here. Hopefully he wouldn’t keep her waiting, alone in his house, all alone for too long.

She then realized just how hot his house felt to her. It was as if no air conditioning was circulating and that she’d stepped into a sauna or something. The air conditioning must’ve gone out. So she decided to open some windows and get comfy by taking off some layers of clothing.

Then she walked into his living room and turned on the big-screen TV. After settling on a channel she could live with, she got up and grabbed her huge box of beads and different metals. While she waited for JC to get home, she’d work on making a new piece of jewelry, even if she was scantily clad and feeling very warm.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

JC didn’t know why he tortured himself. Why he would allow friends to set him up with chicks that had more beauty than brains or just wanted his money. He didn’t know why he was once again at a club, sitting next to a brunette (that resembled an ex-girlfriend who’d broken his heart), as she rambled on and on about herself, which proved to him that she didn’t really care to know anything about him. Unless, she had googled him before their date and learned everything already. The thought alone just made him cringe and he wanted this date to end.

“I’m sorry, but I kind of have to be at the studio tomorrow morning. Nice meeting you, Trixie. Enjoy the rest of your night.” He said, interrupting her and getting up from his chair.

“You gonna call me?” He stopped mid-step and tried to not laugh in her face, but he did anyways.

“No, I’m sorry. You just didn’t seem interested in me.”

She scoffed. “Whatever…..you’re cute and all…but it’s not like I couldn’t do better. I think Timberlake might be calling me tomorrow.”

And with those words, he exited the club as fast as he could. He was sick of feeling like #2. He was sick of not finding the right girl. He was sick of this whole dating game. He was sick of being a 30-something and feeling like maybe he really did have a phobia of commitment.

Maybe everyone was right. Maybe he really would just end up a bachelor his whole life or maybe he’s get his own VH1 show down the road, JC Chasez : 45 & Single. The possibilities scared him, yet so did having a relationship. He just couldn’t get his shit together and figure it out. Yet, he wanted nothing more than to find happiness and feel content with his life. While music was his first love, music couldn’t give him everything. It certainly couldn’t give him a mind-blowing orgasm.

He hopped into his Mercedes that the valet guy had driven around for him, and he buckled up. He turned on the radio, blasting it loudly. He also let the windows down and could feel a breeze that helped calm him down a little after such a horrible date.

It wasn’t until he got closer to his house that he started to feeling bad again, knowing he’d be coming home to no one. Tyler had moved out a couple months ago and there definitely was no wife or girlfriend. There wasn’t even a fuck buddy waiting in his bed.

“When did I even last get laid?” He asked himself out loud and groaned when he realized just how long ago it had to have been.

He sighed pulling up to his house and then pressed the button for the garage door to go up. Once he parked his car and got out, he stepped inside his house. He shut the door behind him and sighed, dropping his keys on the counter and kicking his shoes off.

“Shit!” He cursed, feeling the warm air smother him. He knew right away that the air conditioning wasn’t working. He hoped it would be a quick fix, that he could just tinker with it himself. The idea of waiting for someone to come out and fix it, didn’t appeal to him at all.

He grabbed a bottle of water from his fridge and uncapped it, before guzzling it down. Once he set the bottle down on his kitchen counter, he saw two bags of luggage and was immediately alarmed.

He didn’t know how or when they got there and who they belonged to. He sometimes had friends stay with him for a visit, but they never dropped in unexpectedly. He always knew when someone would show. His ears perked up, hearing his television on and he tried to remain calm. He took slow steps over to the living room and what he saw definitely surprised him and left him speechless for moment.

JC’s jaw dropped as he saw a tall, beautiful, brown-haired, chocolate-eyed, young woman laying upon his couch. To make things even more interesting, she was wearing just a light blue bra with lace and matching boy shorts.

She must not have heard him come in, as it seemed that she was entranced in a Lifetime movie. So it wasn’t until it dawned on him who she was and he spoke her name that she turned and smiled up at him.

“Harper?” He choked out.

“JC!” Her smiled huge, as she sat up and looked at him.

“What….what..are you doing here? And…dressed like that?” She laughed at his reaction.

“Well as if you couldn’t tell, it’s a freaking sauna in here. I was trying to stay as cool as I could, waiting for you.” His lips pursed into a smile and his expression softened.

“Okay……but that still doesn’t answer my question of why you’re here.” She then contorted her face in confusion.

“I thought you knew, Jace. I spoke to Tyler last week and he said you’d agreed to let me stay with you while I tried to launch my jewelry line out here in LA.” He shook his head and sighed.

“Not a clue. I’m going to kill, Tyler.” He clenched his fists as if he was ready to knockout his brother. Harper immediately felt awkward and bad.

“I…I can..leave. I swear I didn’t know, you didn’t know. I mean, Tyler even gave me the code to the garage. He told me all was swell.” She waited for JC to speak up again and noticed his eyes were on his coffee table now, looking at the latest necklace she’d created.

“You made this?” He finally asked, holding up the blue and purple beaded necklace that was strung together with silver wire.

She nodded her head, shyly.

“It’s beautiful. If I was a chick, I’d wear it.” A soft chuckle escaped Harper’s lips then.

“Thank…I do recall you wearing girly things though before. It might not be that far of a stretch.” He then stuck his tongue out at her playfully.

“Way to make a man feel like a man, Harp.”

She then grinned as he called her by her nickname. He had told her before that her voice and her laughter were just as angelic as the sound of a harp. It was cheesy to say the least, but sweet.

“Welcome. So…should I get dressed and get out of here or what?” He shook his head. His blue eyes serious then, as they looked into her chocolate ones as he spoke.

“I didn’t know you were coming and I’m still going to have a good chat with my brother, but it’s not your fault. You assumed I knew and well……it really has been awhile since we’ve seen each other. Plus, you know I’m all about supporting people in their endeavors and all. I want to help you out even if it is just giving you a place to stay while you become a huge jewelry designer.”

Harper grinned and then laughed. She stood up then and a couple steps to JC, pulling him into a hug. She squeezed him tight. “Thank you. You’re the best. I missed you, JC.”

He hugged her in return and nodded his head. “No problem. It’s good to have a friendly face around. I could use the company, Harper.”

Then she peeled away from his arms and she looked down at herself, still in just her bra and boy shorts.

“You must’ve been really shocked seeing me laying on your couch like this.”

He laughed. “Ummm….yeah. It was…outrageous.”

She blushed slightly and quickly grabbed her t-shirt and shorts she discarded. She slid them back onto her body and then looked back at JC.

“So…..now what?”

“I’m going to see if I can fix the air-conditioner myself. If not I’m going to have to call someone in the morning.”

“Sounds like a good idea.” He then stepped over to her two bag and lifted them up in his hands.

“I’ll take this up for you and make sure one of the guest rooms is clean for you.” She nodded and smiled with appreciation.

“Do you mind…if I ask where you were tonight?” JC was half way up the staircase as he heard her question. He had no reason to not tell her the truth. Harper was a good friend and the kind that could be confided in.

“Just another bad date at a club.”

“Aww…that sucks.”

“I suppose….” He said before making it all the way upstairs and settling her stuff in the guest room at the end of the hall. He was satisfied it was in good enough condition for Harper and then came back downstairs to find her back on his couch.

She looked up at him and patted the cushion beside her. “Come on..sit down. We should talk. I feel like we haven’t talked in forever, Jace.”

He laughed. “That’s because we haven’t. I’ve been such a horrible friend.”

“Oh please…don’t go there with me.” He took a seat beside her and smiled.

“Fine…I won’t. So…let’s talk.”

Harper turned his television off and then eyed him carefully. She took note of the bags under his eyes, the lack-lusterness of his usually sparkly blue eyes, and the wrinkles upon his face. She even caught his yawn and he just looked like a hot mess.

She reached out and ran a hand through his dark hair and smoothed it down. “Maybe we should talk in the morning. You look like you could use the sleep.”

“What’s that suppose to mean?” He scoffed.

“Just that I can spy a tired man and you’re definitely tired. I think that bad date wore you out.”

She then placed a soft kiss to his cheek and stood up from the couch. “Where are you going?”

“Upstairs to get some sleep. Which you should too. We can most definitely talk tomorrow, JC.” He sighed and then nodded his head.

“Alright…sweet dreams, Harp.”

He then watched as Harper left the room and he heard he walk upstairs. Then he collapsed against his couch, laying his body out upon the cushions. He let out a huge sigh.

He certainly hadn’t expected to come home to a friend he hadn’t seen in awhile and he certainly hadn’t expected for her to stay with him as she chased her own dream. Yet…something inside told him, that maybe…just maybe..this would be a good thing. Maybe Harper would have all the answers he was looking for.