I watched and listen to the ticks of the clock as I heard my mom make dinner; it was like counting down the moments in my life just waiting for my fate.

I jumped when the timer went off and just shrugged when my mom looked at me with question.

I was in the middle of setting the table when I heard the door bell and than a knock on the door, I almost dropped the plate but I got it in time.

“Right this way Jessica,” I heard my mom say.

“Shit, shit, shit,” I said to myself but masked a smile the moment they entered the room.

“OH Hollie, it’s been too long,” Jessica said pulling me in for a hug.

“Yea, how about that,” I said slowly watching my mother smile at us.

“Why don’t you two sit down and I’ll bring dinner out, oh Jessica did you know that Hollie is getting her book published,” my mother mentioned.

“NO, that’s great,” she smiled at my mother, but the second my mother exited she turned and glared at me.

“Look you better listen and you better listen well, I’m giving you till after your little stint in New York to end things with JC, if you don’t I’m gonna hurt everyone you care about,” she said.

“Jc’s someone I care about,” I reasoned but she backed me up against the way with her hand to my throat while I was still in the chair.

“I wouldn’t be miss smarty pants if I was you, and by the way I’m not stupid,” Jessica seethed.

“Could have fooled me,” I whispered but choked as Jessica pushed harder.

“What did I say, “She glared at me.

“Okkk,” I managed to croak out.

Jessica was about to say something else but at the moment bless my mother’s heart she decided to enter the room and Jessica pulled away from me quickly and started to help my mom with putting things on the table.

“Awe isn’t she thoughtful,” my mother said smiling at me and I just raised my eyebrows with a grin afraid to speak as I rubbed my throat.

--

Dinner had gone pretty smoothly we talked about whatever Jessica or my mom decide I only talked when spoken to, I thought I would be safer that way.

“Well that would be awesome,” I heard my mother say catching my attention.

“Did you hear that,” I heard my mom question me, I shook my head and smiled at Jessica.

“I offered to take your dog for you and your mom since she is going up to see family in Oregon for the weekend after you leave,” Jessica smiled at me wisely.

“What no, mom what happened to the pet hotel you always left him at,” I asked looking down at my jack terrier who sat at my feet.

“Don’t be silly, she is so much closer to me, and half the cost,” my mom told me with a smile and I saw an evil smirk appear on Jessica’s face.

“Well I’ll be back on Friday to pick him up, Hollie you want to walk me out I want to ask you something,” Jessica said getting up and giving my mom a hug which she gave back with eagerness, “Sure,” I mumbled.

As we headed out Jessica pulled me to her and close.

“You know the deal now, and I bet you can guess what will happen if you don’t come through,” She asked me.

Nodding she let me go and as she walked around her car and was about to get in I had to ask.

“JC, put a restraining order against you, what makes you think me being gone is gonna make him drop it and go to you,” I asked.

“What was that JC, she’s just joking once she’s gone you’ll be with me forever and ever,” I heard her say to herself while looking at the passenger seat.

“Remember our deal,” Jessica smiled as she backed up looking at me and over her shoulder and drove away.

Shaking my head I jumped was the shiver went down the back of my spine, there was something seriously wrong with her, “Oh baby,” I cried as I pulled my dog up towards me and brought him with me to my room and laid him down on my bed and pet him as I looked up at the ceiling, as tears ran from my eyes.

I had spent two more days at my mom’s before she drove me to the airport we said our goodbyes and  I headed towards my gate while I wanted for my flight to be called my new phone I had gotten with change of number rang.

“Hello,” I whispered.

“Why you so quite babe,” JC questioned and at first I bit my lip before I took and breath and spoke, damn it felt good to hear his voice.

“I didn’t want to wake the person next to me I’m waiting to board,” I mentioned looking over to my right to see an older lady slightly dozing.

“Well I just wanted to wish you a safe trip and good luck,” I heard the smile in his voice and it made me crack a grin as well.

“Thank you baby, I hope your video shoot is great too,” I said as I heard the intercom announce my flight.

“Cross your fingers and I will mine,” he laughed.

“Their, crossed, but hey they just called my row I gotta go,” I said as I heard them call my flight again.

“Alright, I miss you and I’ll see soon,” he said.

“Ditto,” I said softly than hung up the phone.

Getting on board I found my seat with a sigh my dog was gonna face his doom on Friday and there was nothing I could do about it.

--

I had spent the last two days talking about book covers and planning last minute radio and TV show stops to promo the book in early September I sat in my hotel room after a meeting with my editor, they had told me to take the rest of the day to write my dedication page, I told them I didn’t need that much time but they sent me on my way with knowing smile.

I guess they had been right because here I sat it was almost dinner time on Wednesday and I had yet to even start it, every time I went to do it what I wrote never seemed right.

“To my mom for her constant guidance, and to my father for his unlimited amount of knowledge, and to Josh, the man who has my,” I was about to write heart but for some reason it just didn’t seem to fit, he had more than that.

Backspacing I deleted the words up to Josh and sat there and watched my cursor blink at me for a second.

Hearing the knock at my door made me jump as I had fallen asleep I guess, because  I hadn’t written anything and my head was leaning on my shoulder against the headboard of the bed.

Hearing the door be knocked on again I put the lap top on the bed, “I’m coming I’m coming keep your pants on,” I yelled as I made it out of the bedroom towards the living room and to the door. Looking out the peep hole I saw JC with a single white and pink lily in his hand.

Opening the door I stood against the door frame.

“You're not suppose to be here,” I told him.

“Yeah and I don’t want to keep my pants on either,” he smiled.

“You heard that,” I asked with a blush, “The whole floor did,” he told me handing me the lily and kissing my cheek.

“Thank you,” I said.

“What happened to the video,” I asked letting him into the room.

“Done,” he smiled as he placed his bags down and came up to me, pulling me up into his arms and placing as kiss on my nose.

“Already,” I asked.

“I left Sunday remember,” he smiled finally pulling me up and kissing me fully on the mouth.

“Silly me,” I said in between kisses, “Yes silly you,” he said pulling me towards the room.

Picking up the laptop he read it as he went to place it on the nightstand.

“You called me Josh,” he said with a grin looking up at me as he sat on the bed.

“You don’t know that, I could have another friend name Josh,” I smiled.

“Well as long as his just a friend,” he smiled and pulled me towards him when I sat down on the other side of the bed.

“He’s more than that he,” I said then stopped, thinking for moment I reached over JC and grabbed my laptop, typing the last part of my dedication, I saved it and shut down the computer.

“Hey I want to read that,” he said going for my laptop that I sat on the other night stand, till I blocked him as I straddled his waist and looked at him.

“You will,” I smiled at him as I kissed his neck.

“When,” he said than let out a moan.

“When my book comes out,” I laughed

“Evil, pure evil,” he grinned as he pulled me down under him and kissed me bringing his hand under my shirt and pulling it off.

Soon all our clothes were gone and we made sweet love till the sun went down.

--

About ten that night we were lying together watching a movie when my stomach grumbled in hungry and loudly, “You hungry,” JC asked with a grin as he looked down at me lying against him.

“I could eat,” I said with a shrug making him laugh.

Picking up the phone he called down the room service and ordered us a sandwich to share and two drinks.

After another round and a shower our food showed up and when JC went to answer the door an idea popped into my head.

“JC, when are you leaving,” I asked as he soon as he stepped into the room.

“What should I have called first,” he questioned placing our food on the bed.

“No honey,” I smiled at him and came and hugged him,” it’s just my mom is heading up to Oregon for the weekend and I won’t have time to pick up Mouse and I don’t want him to stay in the pet hotel, and I was wondering if he could, “I started to say till JC stopped me.

“If I could pick him up and he could stay with me,” JC questioned with a finger through my hair.

“Yea if you could do it Thursday night,” I said trying to beat Jessica to the punch.

“That would mean I would have to leave tomorrow,” he frowned.

“And I’d be back, late Saturday afternoon,” I smiled.

With a giant sigh he shrugged his shoulder but then smiled at me.

“Sure, I’ll get Mouse,” he said as he pulled me towards the bed and pulled the sandwich in half and gave me one and handed me a can of soda.

“Bon Appetite,” he laughed making me giggle.

--

That next morning JC called his manager and had him schedule a flight around two that afternoon, “Yea I know I just got here, but she wants me to go pick up her dog from her mom’s,” JC laughed and I just pushed him.

“Will do man thanks,” JC laughed again and hung up his phone.

It was then that I got a phone call from the suite, “Hello,” I answered.

“You know, I know he’s there and what’s with the new cell phone, trust me Deary that won’t stop me,” Jessica’s voice came over the line.

“I dropped it,” I lied.

“Will see about that,” Jessica sighed than spoke up again, “Remember our deal Deary one false move and Mouse will say good bye to this world,” she stated.

“And you’ll go to hell as a dog killer,” I mumbled in my head.

“You have till Saturday,” She said and hung up the phone.

As soon as I hung up with her my cell phone rang, “Hello,” I asked and smiled when my publisher and editor came on the phone. Going a mile a minute I got big eyed and said a quiet yes at the end.

“JC, I got to go they want me to do some meetings and take some pictures for my book to put in the back of the cover, and to put up in bookstores for when my book comes out,” I said.

“Ok, I’m actually gonna go stop by TRL and then head back,” he said looking up at me sheepishly.

“You had reason for being out here,” I said with my mouth open.

“Well no, Eric told me there was an opening and that I could play snippets of my songs on the show too,” he smiled.

“Awe that’s great, I wish I could go,” I said.

It was then that my phone went off again and I got another jet load of things to do that would extend into till the week was over.

“JC, I can I go with you,” I asked sitting down on the bed.

“What honey, what’s wrong,” He asked me.

“I don’t think I can handle this,” I said looking up to him with wide eyes, and even though he didn’t know it I didn’t just mean my book.

“Yes, you can your strong, your independent and a capable women, you can do and survive anything,” he said and kissed my forehead.

I smiled at him,” thank you,” I told him and kissed his jaw line.

He kissed my cheek than my lips and it was then that there was a knock at the door.

I went and opened it and their stood my book people.

JC came up behind me and placed his hands on my hips.

“I don’t think we’ve met,” my editor came up to JC as I let them in.

“JC, I’m Hollie’s boyfriend,” he smiled at me when I looked up at him like what.

“Suzanna and this is Barbara she is handling the promotion of the book,” She told JC as they both shook hands.

“Not to leave you all alone but we have to get her moving if we want the book out there in time,” Barbara said a few minutes later.

“Right, Right,” He smiled and came over to me kissing my cheek.

“I’ll see you when I get home, don’t forget Mouse ok,” I told him squeezing him.

“I’ll call you tonight and have him bark into the phone for you ok,” he smiled.

“Thank you,” I laughed as I was pulled out by the two people I had gotten to know over the past three or so days.

--

Later that night as I finally made it to my hotel room again I stopped inside the door and looked around the place, it felt so empty since JC had left and the maid had come and cleaned up.

My cell phone rang breaking my thoughts.

“Hello,” I asked.

“Hey babe,” I heard JC smile.

“Hey, how was your flight,” I asked and laughed as I heard Mouse bark happily in the background.

“I guess that’s what happens when he hears you on the speaker phone, and it was good,” he laughed.

“I want to thank you again for getting him,” I smiled by the time Jessica got there tomorrow it would be too late, she couldn’t touch him when he was at JC’s.

“It was cool, I forgot how much I liked the little bugger, how bout we just let him stay at my house from now on,” he said laughing as I heard Mouse lick and pant into the phone near Jc’s face.

“I guess that’s a yes from him, and I agree,” I laughed and I guess JC didn’t mind as he laughed harder as Mouse tried to sit on his lap, or that’s what he said, in the middle of his laugh.

“How was today for you,” he questioned once his laughter died down.

“It was ok, I’m tired but I guess if I take it one day at time it will be ok,” I said with a smile.

“I told you, “I heard the smile in his voice and I thought about, he was right, I was strong, I was independent and I could survive anything- even little old Jessica.

“Any ways, I’m gonna go I have to do some latest minute details on the cover tomorrow and I’m sure your tired,” I yawned.

“Me you the one who’s yawing,” he laughed than started to yawn.

“Really now,” I questioned.

“Oh just go to bed,” he told me than started to laugh.

“I miss you Jace,” I said.

“Ditto,” he said taking my line.

“Night,” we both said and hung up.

Walking into the bathroom I sat on the lid to the toilet and looked at my reflection in the mirror.

I looked at my medium length dirty blonde hair and thought for a second, than took the phone that happened to be in the bathroom also, go figure. Dialing the front desk I waited.

“Yes how late is, your salon open,” I questioned and smiled when they said for another two hours.