“I think I recognize you. You’re one of the reporters with Bravo magazine, aren’t you? Cheri?” JC forced himself to carry on a conversation with the blonde in the green dress, who seemed to be intent on keeping his attention. With a smile, Cheri kept talking, her voice blending with the music and he tried to nod in all the right places. He’d finally managed to shake Sara, Johnny waving her over as he arrived and pulling her toward a back hallway with Lonnie on their heels, hopefully keeping her distracted enough to miss Jen’s arrival.

He motioned to the bar tender, asking for a refill of his soda, remembering enough of his manners to ask his companion if she’d like a drink. Taking a sip as she gave her order, blue eyes darted toward the door once again as a group of people he didn’t recognize entered. With a sigh, he turned his attention down to the liquid bubbling in his glass, swirling it and giving Cheri a glance as she began talking again. He never noticed when her eyes narrowed on his distracted expression.

“I get the feeling that I’m bothering you.” She leaned against the bar. “Are you waiting on someone?”

“Sorry, but yeah.” An apologetic smile crossed his features as he looked toward the door again. “My girl got put into a different car and it doesn’t look like they’ve made it yet. I’m just a little worried that they’re late.”

“Well, they’re not late yet, but are you sure she’s not here?” Gesturing toward a corner behind him, she sipped her drink. “The rest of your group came in a few minutes ago.”

“Really?” He looked over his shoulder, finding Chris laughing with one of the hosts from their first TV appearance this morning. “Yeah, there’s Chris. She must be here somewhere.”

“What does she look like?” Climbing up on a stool, Cheri turned and sat so she could see the crowd that had started to fill the dance floor. “Maybe I can help you find her.”

“Tiny brunette, brown eyes, killer smile. Probably came in with Joey.”

“You don’t sound too happy about that.”

“I’m not.” He gave a quick laugh. “She’s taken her time to come out for a visit and even though I know she’ll be here, it’s really aggravating that I couldn’t actually bring her.”

“Why couldn’t you?”

“Staff issues.” A soft growl vibrated his throat. “Hopefully, it won’t be a problem much longer.”

“Ah, the blonde who was tailing you until your manager came in?”

“Yep.” Taking another drink, he shook his head. “She’s just on this side of crazy.”

“I hope it works out.” A smile lit her face as she nodded toward the dance floor. “And I think that might be your girl, dancing with your friend.”

He jerked his attention in the direction she was looking, catching a quick glimpse of sparkly fabric and wavy brown hair. Joey moved to the side for a moment just as one of the strobe lights flashed over them, letting JC get a better view of Jen’s smiling face and the way her outfit hugged her curves before blocking her from sight once again. He felt a kick in his gut, a squeeze in his chest and had to force himself to breathe as Joey spun her away from him, the lights setting off the sparkles in her clothing. “Yeah. That’s my Jenny.”

Suddenly, brown eyes met his around Joey’s arm, and he couldn’t keep a smile from forming. While he couldn’t really see her face, her happiness was obvious in her gaze. Their eyes locked for a moment, and his smile grew when her fingers raised in a wave, a wink coming his way before she looked back up at Joey, the music changing.

“Well, aren’t you gonna go get her?”

“In a minute. She looks like she’s having fun.” He glanced to her quickly, then focused back on Jen when he heard her laughter as she led Joey in the Roger Rabbit. “Thanks for finding her.”

“No problem. She’s a very lucky girl.” Cheri’s hand patted his shoulder before she slid off the stool, grinning at him as she reached for her drink. “That’s a great outfit she’s wearing. Maybe I can catch her for a few minutes to talk shopping.”

“I’m the lucky one. And I’m sure she’d be happy to talk with you.” He sent her a brief smile as she walked toward the side of the dance floor. “Have a great night, Cheri.” Leaning back, he propped his elbows on the bar and watched as Joey and Jen continued to dance, suddenly stopping the fun moves. It appeared that Joey hugged her tightly, then turned them around until he was facing JC.

He smiled at his friend, then focused when Joey’s brows arched, his finger pointing toward Jen’s hip. With a nod, he moved away from the bar and began making his way through the people on the dance floor. Just as he was close enough, he let his hand come to Jen’s back, smiling at her when she looked up at him. “There’s my girl. For a minute, I thought I’d lost you.”

“Nope. Not tonight.” She stepped away from Joey and against his side, her arm going around his waist. He noticed the pained expression in her eyes and leaned down to kiss the top of her head. “I think I’m ready for a little break, though.”

“There’s a few couches at the far end of the bar.” He held out a fist toward Joey, grinning at the quick bump he received. “Thanks for taking care of her, Joe. I appreciate it.”

“My pleasure. Now get her out of here before somebody tries to run her over.”

“All right, let’s go.” Matching her slow stride, he led her across the floor, carefully keeping her from putting too much weight on her leg. They made it to the couches, and he pulled her close to him as they settled on the cushions. “Are you okay? Do you need your pills?”

“I’ll be fine. I just need to sit for a while.” She took a deep breath, leaning her head against his shoulder as his arm wrapped around her. “I’m not supposed to take too much of the pain reliever, and since I took some at dinner, I left it in the room.”

“Do you want me to ask if they have anything at the bar?”

“No. It’s okay.” Tilting her head back, she kissed his jaw. “Mixing stuff usually messes with me. Thank you, though.”

“Just let me know if you change your mind.” His arm gave her a squeeze. “I was a little disappointed I didn’t get to bring you with me tonight.”

“Joey said you weren’t too happy about it.” A smile lifted her features when his fingers began playing with her hair. “I’m all yours now, though. And technically, you’re the one who’ll be taking me 'home'.”

“That’s true.” He tilted his head down, inhaling deeply. “You smell awesome. New perfume?”

“Floral aromatherapy steam bath. I’m pretty sure it just soaks into the skin and forces you to relax.” She laughed when his sigh tickled her neck. “I’ll have to see if the spa has a line of soaps and stuff for sale. I’m already a fan.”

“Yeah, I wouldn’t complain about that.” Glancing up, he saw a waiter walking by with a few glasses on a tray. “Thirsty?”

“Sure.” Accepting the glass of pinkish colored liquid, she looked over to JC. “What is it?”

“Umm …” He took a quick sip to taste. “A sweet wine. Kinda fruity.” His eyes met hers. “How long has it been since you ate?”

“I think it was around four. It’s been a while.”

“You should be fine, then. With the dosage they gave you, five hours is long enough for wine to not really bother you.” Taking another drink, he set his glass on the table beside the armrest. “I’d take it easy, though. Just in case.”

“I’ve never had wine.” She sniffed the drink first, then took a cautious taste, smiling at the bubbly, fruity flavor. “Mmm. That’s good.”

“It’s totally legal over here, but don’t tell your mom that I was corrupting her little girl with alcohol. We’ll have to break her into it after August.” They both laughed, his arm tightening around her. “Let me know if you feel like dancing again. I’ve been waiting all day to see what you can do when you aren’t in a kitchen.”

“Oh, I will. I don’t think I’ll be bouncing around like I was with Joey, but I was looking forward to it, too.”

“I’ll request a few slow songs if I have to. Low impact, and nobody will notice if I have to carry you.” His gaze moved over her clothes. “You look fantastic, Boof. Did you have fun shopping?”

“We found everything we needed in stores around the hotel, which was great. I wouldn’t have been up for running all over town.” Her head leaned back against his shoulder. “I don’t think Germans are used to my style of shopping. The store clerk looked at me as if I was crazy when I wanted to buy a shirt out of their reject pile.” She looked down at herself and laughed quietly. “But by the time Lynn and Diane were done, she was totally on board with why I loved it. I thought it was perfect.”

“It is. It’s totally you.” He lifted his arm, holding the dark purple of his shirt against her blouse. “We even match.”

“Yeah, I noticed. I wondered if you’d wear one of your shirts. It looks great on you.” Glancing at her sleeve, she let her fingers rub at the fabric. “This reminded me of how yours feels. It’s soft and dark enough to cover up my bandage. I think that’s what sold it for me.”

“I know we’re having to let your hip rest, but how’s your arm?”

“It’s okay. I think I’ll be able to go without wrapping it tomorrow.” She wrinkled her nose slightly. “The bruising is going to get worse before it gets better, but it really only hurts when I bump into things, so that’s good. As long as nobody tries to grab me, I’ll be fine.”

“Guess I’ll have to be careful, then.” Looking around quickly, he leaned in and kissed her lips softly. “I missed you today.”

“Really?” Her brow furrowed. “But I wasn’t with you yesterday, either.”

“It’s one thing to know you aren’t with me because you’re recovering and need the rest. It’s another for you to not be with me when you’re feeling better.” A sheepish grin lit his features as he laughed. “You know I’m not the hovering type, but I think I’m trying to fit as much of you in as I can while you’re here. Once you’re gone, we’re back to phone calls and emails until Johnny gives us the okay for a trip back home.” His thumb brushed over her jaw. “Call me clingy, but I’m figuring out that cuddling and kisses are definitely not an opportunity to miss.” Rolling his eyes, he shook his head with a groan. “That came out sounding a lot more girly than it did in my head.”

“Maybe a little girly, but accurate.” A smile played over her lips as her eyes searched his for a moment, flashing at what she found there. “I think I probably need to get as much of you in as I can, too.” Her hand came to his face as she stretched up, a little flutter winging through her chest when she felt his smile against hers before he responded to her kiss. He’d just leaned further into her, his fingers tightening on her waist, when someone cleared their throat loudly in front of them. Startled, they broke apart, both looking up to find a snickering Justin standing beside a smiling Lance. “Uh, hey, guys.”

“Hey, Shorty. Sorry to … ah, interrupt.” Covering his laughter with a fake cough, Justin arched his brow in amusement. “It’s just that there’s photographers and reporters in here and I’m pretty sure that if you guys become hotter news than the album, Johnny and Lou might have some negative things to say.”

“That, and Lonnie’s looking for you, Jace.” Lance nudged Justin in the ribs when he started laughing again, then pointed toward the other end of the bar. “He said that he and Johnny need to talk to you before they let Sara leave.”

“Right.” JC glanced over to Jen with a smile, then leaned in to kiss her forehead before getting to his feet. “This might take a few minutes.”

“Yeah, that’s why we thought now would be a good time to hang out with Jen.” The guys dropped down on either side of her, relaxing into the cushions. “I need some quality time with my big sis on our big night.”

“Sure thing, J. Whatever you say.” With a laugh, she nudged his knee, then looked up to JC. “I’ll be right here. I promise. And when you get back, maybe we could have that dance?”

“As you wish, Boof.” JC grinned as he turned to walk away, his head bobbing to the beat of the music.

“Well, he looks much happier than he did on the ride here.” Lance crossed his ankle over his knee. “At first, we were thinking it wasn’t going to be a very good night for him.”

“It was just for a little while, but I can’t really blame him.” She took another sip from the glass in her hand. “I wasn’t exactly thrilled with the way things turned out, either.”

“Was it really that big of a deal?” Justin turned to her with a shrug. “Like you said, it was just for a little while. He got you back pretty much as soon as he found you.”

“Yeah, it’s just …” Jen bit her lip as her brow furrowed. “We’ve never actually been on a real date, you know?”

“I’d call your prom a date, Jen.” His brows arched when he saw her shaking her head. “No? Why not?”

“Mom got him to come home because I’d just gotten dumped and she couldn’t take it if I didn’t go. If my mother has to arrange my dates for me, then I’m more pathetic than I thought.” Letting out a sigh, she laughed softly. “Anyway, I was hoping this could be our first, but it didn’t work out … not that he actually asked me to come with him tonight. I’m kind of the understood extra, since I’m along for the ride. And I’m pretty sure you guys have something going on for the rest of my trip, so we’re not likely to get any of your free time to go somewhere by ourselves.” She nudged both boys with her elbows. “Not that I don’t love hanging out with all of you, but …”

“But you need a little private time with C. We get it.” Lance sighed, giving her a look of regret. “To be honest, we don’t get a lot of time to ourselves, Girlie. With us having to arrange security and everything, they really need us to do things in groups so it’s easier to coordinate. It keeps everybody safe.” His hand patted her knee. “As much as I hate to say it, you may have to try to fit it in sometime when he’s at home, where things aren’t so crazy.”

“And that’s okay. I’ve waited this long, another six months isn’t going to kill me.” Shifting slightly, she smiled when there wasn’t a catch in her hip. “Josh is going to break me in with a slow dance when he gets back, but I’d like to dance with all of you at some point tonight.”

“Sounds like a plan.” A grin brightened Justin’s face. “I saw you and Joey getting the party started earlier. Nice moves, Shorty.”

“Yeah, I’m not sure I’ll be up for all that again, but we’ll think of something.”

“How’s your hip feeling right now, Jen?” There was an alertness to Lance’s tone, bringing her attention to him. “Are you okay to move a little?”

“Yeah, I’m fine.” Her brow furrowed. “Why?”

“Because Sara’s coming, and she doesn’t look like she’s just stopping by to wish you well.”

“Really?” She tried to follow his line of sight but couldn’t see anything until she stood up. “Well, I guess she really doesn’t listen.” Glancing to either side as they got to their feet beside her, she took a deep breath. “One of you needs to go find Tiny or Kenny or somebody. And hurry. The other needs to stay with me.”

“Be right back.” Lance took off, making quick work of the path around the dance floor, heading directly for a large figure leaning against the wall.

“What do you want me to do?” Justin’s brows rose as they watched Sara shove through a group of people in front of the bar. “She’s out for blood.”

“Well, I can draw a little myself, if I have to.” Jen looked up at him with a small smile, sipping her drink again. “Stay close, but don’t jump in, okay? You don’t need to be involved as anything other than a witness.”

“Are you sure?” His eyes were wide as he continued to watch the blonde approach. “I don’t think …”

“You bitch!” Sara’s voice carried loudly over the music, causing groups of people to turn and stare at them. “You got me fired!”

“How would I do that?” Jen spoke calmly as Sara came to a halt in front of her, breathing heavily. “I’m just a guest here, remember? I have absolutely no say in who stays and who goes.”

“Johnny just sent me packing for poor job performance.” Blue eyes flashed in hatred. “Who else would’ve bad-mouthed me?”

“I haven’t even seen Johnny, so I definitely haven’t spoken to him. Even if I had, why would my opinion matter?” Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Lance and Tiny approaching quickly. “Although, it seems to me that you didn’t need my help to lose your job. All things considered, you were kind of crappy at it.”

“B-but … you …” Sara sputtered for a moment, her face turning red, until Justin cleared his throat and her attention jumped to him. “What? Do you expect the kid to jump in for you? Fat chance of that.”

“Nope. I don’t need his help.” Jen took another drink of her wine. “He’s just a witness, like all these other people who are staring at us.” Over Sara’s shoulder, she noticed Chris and Joey coming through the crowd, Kenny right behind them. “I’ve already warned you to stay away from me. Come at me and you’ll only embarrass yourself.”

“Not likely, you little …”

“Jen!” JC’s panicked voice carried to them, coming from somewhere further down the bar. “Jenny!”

“It’s nice how he says my name, isn’t it?” Jen spoke quietly, shifting subtly into a fighting stance as Sara’s eyes widened, her fists clenching. “And you just hate it that he’s mine, don’t you?”

Sara seethed for just a second, steel in her eyes, before she let out a strangled shriek and came forward quickly, slapping Jen across her scraped cheek. Without missing a beat, she gripped Jen around both arms, fingers tightening mercilessly over her bruised flesh. “He’s supposed to be with me!” With another scream, she began shaking her victim violently.

Jen cried out as lightning streaked between her shoulder and wrist, instinctively tossing what was left of her drink in Sara’s face and dropping the glass before lifting her arms in a powerful outward movement, breaking the painful hold. Once free, she immediately squared up and began landing a series of fisted jabs to the torso, driving the blonde back and away. Stepping between Sara’s flailing arms, Jen socked her in the mouth hard enough to split her lip, then lifted her left hand in a soft claw-like grip to the neck and swept one foot around to catch behind the leg closest to her, knocking her opponent off balance. Bringing her arm back, she landed a solid, hard jab to Sara’s face before letting her drop to the floor, out cold.

For a moment, the crowd was dead silent, the crunching of the broken glass under Jen’s shoes blending into the music that was still bouncing off the walls. A burning fire was traveling over her left arm, and she cradled it to her chest, glancing down quickly to make sure there weren’t any rips in her clothes before turning angry eyes toward the lifeless form at her feet. “I’ll do you a favor, you crazy bitch. You can keep your hair.” Giving Sara’s foot a soft kick, she moved closer to Justin as the club staff broke through the crowd.

“Damn, Jen.” Justin gave her a wide-eyed look, draping his arm over her shoulders. “She didn’t stand a chance. Can you teach me how to do that?”

“Stupid harpy wouldn’t back off.” Taking deep breaths, she tried to force a smile. “I’m only a blue belt, so I can’t teach you, but I can recommend a great dojang.”

“A do-what?”

“Dojang. Taekwondo. They’ll get you started with some of it. The rest was just plain street fighting. Shan hung a bag in the basement and taught me a few moves. I can put a bug in his ear, if you want.” She looked over as Tiny came up beside her, dark eyes studying her carefully. “Sorry, big guy. I put her off as long as I could.”

“I saw. And you shouldn’t be apologizing to anyone. You have every right to defend yourself.” He glanced up, fighting back a laugh at the bouncer staring down at Sara, mumbling under his breath about the hot midget trying to take his job. “Feel better?”

“My arm hurts like hell, but … yeah, I do.” There was a commotion as JC finally pushed through the people surrounding them, Johnny and Lonnie on his heels. The older men came to a halt, admiring her handiwork with wide eyes as he moved directly to her, ignoring the large man picking Sara up off the floor. His hands came to her face, and she fought back a wince of pain as she gave him a shaky smile, seeing the fear in his eyes. “I’m okay, Josh. I’m fine.”

“We lost her and then I heard screaming. I swear, I nearly had a heart attack, Boof.” Pulling her away from Justin, he wrapped his arms around her, tucking her against his chest and tilting his chin down until he could kiss the top of her head. “You’re sure you’re all right?”

“Well, she was a little faster than I figured. She landed a good one to my face and grabbed me before I could react.”

“Dude, you should’ve seen her.” Justin laughed as the bouncer carried Sara away. “Your girl went all Chuck Norris and knocked her flat out. It was epic.”

“Hell, Gracie.” Chris came up next to them as the crowd went back to the party, shaking his head. “You took her down too fast. We didn’t even get to place our bets. I’d have made a killing.”

“Sorry, Spazz.” Taking a deep breath, she carefully moved her jaw, trying to assess the damage before leaning back to look up at JC. “I’m still a little tingly. She didn’t reopen that scrape, did she?”

“No, there’s no blood. You’re gonna have a mean bruise, though.” His fingers moved gently over her reddened face, and she could immediately tell the difference between his cool fingertips and her heated cheek. “How’s your arm?”

“I’m afraid to look. She had a wicked grip.” Stepping away from him, she pushed up her right sleeve, revealing where the skin was already showing red welts in the shape of Sara’s hand. “God, if that’s the good arm, it’s no wonder my left is on fire right now.”

“Hey, Johnny?” JC’s tone was surprisingly sharp as he worked at lifting her other sleeve to see how the dark purple bruising was now streaked with nearly black, finger-shaped welts. “If they ask, press charges.”

“Josh, no.” She pulled her arm from him, pushing her sleeve down before raising her hands to his face. “I really don’t care what happens to her, as long as she’s away from us. Just let it be done.” Her eyes met his, pleading for him to understand. “Please?”

“Jen …” He let out an exasperated sigh and hugged her to him, sending a glance toward Johnny. “Okay, fine. Let her go.” Bringing his mouth close to her ear, he lowered his voice. “Whoever taught you to make that face needs to be shot. Just saying.”

“But it’s so handy when I want something.” Laughing quietly, she went on her toes and kissed him quickly. “And right now, I want you to calm down.” A grin lit her features when it became obvious that he was fighting back a smile. “How about that dance you promised me? A slow one?”

“Sure.” Pulling her to his side, he led her toward the DJ’s booth. “One slow dance, coming right up.”

*********************

It was nearing two when they finally made it back to the hotel, all the guys silently cursing the long day they’d had and dreading the early morning to come. JC and Jen were both fighting back yawns as they rode up in the quiet elevator, leaning against each other until they heard the chime before the doors slid open on their floor. They moved slowly down the hall toward their room, not even noticing Lonnie trailing behind them until he walked past and slid his keycard to open his own door. “’Night, guys. Get some rest.”

“’Night, Lon. See you in a few hours.” JC pushed their door open and held it for Jen to pass through behind him. He grinned as she shuffled toward what had become their bed, about to drop onto the mattress. “Hold on, Boof. Can you give me a few more minutes?”

“Sure.” She blinked at him, her brow furrowing in confusion. “What’s up?”

“Close your eyes.” He stepped close to her, smiling as he reached down for her hands. She gave him a questioning look, and he laughed softly. “Just trust me. Please?”

“Okay.” At his request, she nodded, immediately letting her eyelids drop closed. He began pulling her around the foot of the bed and across the room, keeping their pace slow. “Where are we going?”

“Not far. Stop right here for a second.” His hands released hers, and she heard a rustling of fabric, then metal sliding against metal. “A little further. Watch your step.” Another two steps, and she felt cement beneath her feet, a fresh breeze blowing against her face. “I think this is good.”

“Good for what?” She fought a smile when he stepped away, only to move around behind her and pull her back against him, one of his hands pressing against her stomach. “The breeze is nice.”

“It is, isn’t it?” Leaning down, he let his chin rest on the side of her head. “Okay, Jenny … take a look.”

She obeyed, the breath catching in her chest at the view of the city skyline in lights from their balcony. “Oh, wow.”

“I know you haven’t really gotten to see much of it yet, but this is Berlin.” He turned his head, his lips moving against her hair. “This has to be one of my favorite cities.”

“It’s beautiful, Josh.”

“Your bridge is back the other direction, but just over there is your cathedral.” His hand pointed across the river, indicating a domed building lit up in blue. “After the photo shoots are done, we’ll pick you up for dinner and then we’ve got reservations for an evening tour.”

“Really?” Her smile was wide as she tilted her head back to look at him. “Can we go to the roof and everything?”

“As you wish.” Laughter shook his chest. “After that, you’re going to try some gelato.”

“Gelato?” One brow arched. “Isn’t that ice cream?”

“Something like it, yeah. It’s more like a creamy Italian Ice.”

“Sounds delicious.” She hummed, leaning into him as she took in the shimmering water of the river. “The river’s gorgeous at night. I’ll have to pay closer attention in the daylight. I’ll bet it sparkles.”

“Uh huh.” His arms tightened on her, wrapping around her midsection. “This is how I was hoping your entire trip would be. We got off to a good start, but it kind of derailed for a few days, huh?”

“Yeah.” Turning around, she hugged his waist, resting her cheek against his chest. “You’re doing a great job of catching up, though.” A sigh lifted her shoulders. “Lonnie said things would be insane getting you guys where you’re supposed to be in the morning, but he’d send Kenny back to get me around ten if I wanted to hang out with you for the day.” Her eyes came up to meet his. “Is that okay?”

“It’s more than okay. I’d love that.” He kissed her forehead, smiling against her skin. “That should give you enough time for a good breakfast, so your pills can kick in. You’re gonna be really feeling it tomorrow, Boof, so bring them with you. We’ll have to make sure there’s somewhere comfortable for you to watch the show. Photo shoots can be fun, depending on what they have us do.”

“It’ll be a good day.” Going up on her toes, she wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing her lips to his briefly. “Let’s come back out here every night until we leave.” Her gaze went back to the skyline. “I never want to forget this view.”

“We will.” His eyes never left her face, memorizing every detail as she admired the city. “I never want to forget it, either.”

*********************

Jen glanced up from where her journal was laying open on the arm of the couch, pausing in her writing to grin as the guys goofed off for the photographer, who apparently didn’t care what poses they were in. A good thing, because it was nearing lunch time, and they were about ready for a break. Her stomach rumbled in a growl and she let out a sigh, wondering briefly how much longer it would be before her appetite caught up to itself. She stretched, then groaned at the ache that went through her arms and shoulders, relaxing back into the corner of the cushions.

“You okay, Tink?” Kenny leaned over her, crossing his arms on the back of the couch. “You’ve been awfully quiet this morning.”

“I’m fine.” She sent him a smile, letting her pen tap on the pages of her journal. “Even when I’m on vacation, there’s work to do, so I’m just jotting down a few things. Believe it or not, this is how the songwriting process goes. For me, anyway.”

“Yeah, Jace had to let us in on a few things when you first got here. It’s one thing for us to arrange a pattern around the guys and their friends, but when the guest turns out to be a Grammy winner, it kind of adds a new element. Lonnie was surprised you didn’t have your own guard with you.”

“A bodyguard? Me?” Jen let out a laugh, shaking her head. “Why? I’ve limited my appearances to awards stuff while I’m in school, so most people don’t even look twice at me.”

“That won’t last long, though. You’re not exactly small peanuts, kid.” The guard moved closer, lowering his voice. “Between you and me, Unbreak My Heart was my jam when it came out. Great stuff there.”

“Thanks, big guy.” Her hand patted the cushions, and he came around to sit next to her. “You want to know a secret?”

“Sure.”

“That song got written because of a drunk girl sobbing into a pay phone outside of a bar.”

“You’re kidding.” His eyes widened and he began to laugh. “How?”

“Maggie – my housemate – and I had just finished dinner with a few friends and were heading back to the car. We had to pass this girl, clinging to the pay phone stand, crying for everything she was worth.” Jen felt a grin forming at the memory. “I was just about to ask if she needed help when she stood up straight and screamed "Just unbreak my heart, you ass", then slammed the phone into the cradle and went back inside.” She laughed, letting her journal flip closed. “And a song was born.”

“That’s insane.”

“You want insane? Check this out.” Reaching down into her bag, she pulled out another journal and began flipping through it. Finally, she retrieved a photo from between the pages and passed it to him. “I’ve got a larger framed version of this hanging at home, just to prove to myself that it wasn’t a dream.” She smiled as his brows rose in surprise. “That was taken at the Grammys. One of the reporters figured out the connection between me and all these artists and insisted on getting a shot of us all together. She said it was the only time Eric Clapton, Celine Dion, Jewel, Gloria Estefan, Babyface and Toni Braxton had ever been in the same photo.”

“My God.” He stared at the print, then glanced back up at her. “You’ve worked with all these people?”

“Well, not really. I’ve arranged a few things for the guys and worked out pieces for the ensembles on campus, but I’m not to the point of actually working with artists yet. These are all the folks who were nominated for awards who’ve recorded my stuff.” Turning on the cushions to face him, she picked up a pillow from the floor and hugged it to her chest. “And then there’s little me, just hanging out in the middle of all that greatness, holding a trophy and trying to fit in by wearing a sparkly dress. It blows my mind.”

“Well, it looks like you’re doing a little better than just fitting in.” His thumb ran over the print before he handed it back to her. “My sister is a huge Celine fan. Which song is yours?”

“Call the Man was on the last American release.” She slid the photo back in the journal and dropped the book into her bag. “There was another song she recorded for Japan in ’95 that she’s reworking for release this year. To Love You More.”

“I’ve heard Call the Man. I thought it was too good to be that deep into the track listing.” He tilted his head as he looked at her. “When Jace told us you’d written One Sweet Day, I couldn’t believe it. I remember hearing that song for the first time and thinking that whoever was the mind behind the lyrics had been touched by God.” With a smile, he chucked her chin with his knuckles. “And I was right. You’re blessed with a gift, kid. You’ve got a way with words that makes people feel things.” They both looked up when there was a commotion from in front of the camera as the group broke apart, JC heading their direction. “Looks like they’re finished with this shoot. If the next session has a big set up, we’ll be breaking for lunch. If they’re just a quick in-and-out, we’ll wait until it’s done, okay?”

“Okay.” Pushing the pillow aside, she rolled onto her knees to give him a hug. “Thanks for picking me up, Kenny. I know it wasn’t exactly convenient.”

“Anything for you, Tink.” Returning her embrace with a gentle squeeze, he patted her back. “I made sure to add some extra strength Tylenol to the kit in the van this morning. Let me know if you’d rather have it than your prescription stuff. I know those things can leave you a little loopy.”

“Awesome. I might just do that.”

“Hey, now. What’s up with this?” JC laughed as he approached, giving Kenny a playful glare. “You stealing my hugs, K-dog?”

“Seems to me there’s plenty to go around.” The big man snorted as he released Jen and stood up. “Is the next team here, or are we waiting?”

“I’m not sure. The old crew is still packing up, but we got finished a little early with this one.” Glancing down at his watch, he yawned. “The next shoot isn’t scheduled for another twenty minutes, and you know those guys are hardly ever early. That’s not enough time for lunch, so I’m gonna kick back while we wait.”

“Sure thing.” Winking at Jen, Kenny bit back a smile before heading over to the rest of the security team to talk shop.

“How’re you holding up, Boof?” Leaning down, JC brushed a kiss over her forehead. “Feeling stiff yet?”

“Always. I might have to check ahead to see if any of our other hotels have a spa like this one. There was a line of products for sale, by the way. I stocked up.” She laughed quietly, sitting back on the cushions and laying the pillow on her lap. Looking up at him with a smile, she patted her hand on the soft fabric. “Stretch out and relax. We’ve got some stuff to talk about.”

“You don’t have to tell me twice.” He obeyed, laying his head on her pillow with a sigh. A smile lifted his lips, his eyes dropping closed as her fingers began scratching through his hair. “Hmm. That’s nice. You said we needed to talk?”

“Yeah. Johnny had breakfast with me this morning and filled me in on a few things.”

“Is that good or bad?”

“I’m thinking good.” Excitement lifted her tone. “A film studio over here has approached him with an offer for you guys to record Here and Now for a movie releasing sometime in the next year.”

“Well, that’s cool.”

“Uh-huh. Thing is, they want my original orchestration for the backing track, and Johnny wants me to lay down the piano part and help out with the arrangement of the other musicians. When we get back to Stockholm, we’re all going into the studio to get it done.”

“You get to record with us?” His eyes popped open, brightened by his grin. “Really?”

“Looks like it.”

“Sweet. Normally, they do the tracking before we go in, but this time, we’ll get to see you doing your thing.” He brought her free hand to his lips, pressing a kiss across her knuckles. “That’s gonna be fun.” Blinking up at her, he yawned. “What else is up?”

“Well, it turns out that the issues we were having with Sara weren’t her only problems.”

“No?”

“Nope. One of the reasons Johnny had to let her go was because he was contacted by the NYPD, following up on the alias she was using to apply for the job. I think he said the age on her application had been off by about six years, or something, because she’d been on parole for her involvement in some gang-related activity and leaving New York to work with you guys put her in violation.” Clearing her throat, she continued making circles with her fingertips over his scalp. “They’d been trying to track her down since last August. Once she lands back in the U.S., she’ll be going to prison for a long time.”

“That’s … well, I’d say that’s cool, but it kinda sucks for her.” His brow furrowed as he thought about it. “How did they know to look here for her?”

“Johnny wasn’t sure, but the officer he spoke to said he was calling from Brooklyn.”

They looked at each other, then spoke in unison. “Joey.”

“Yeah, I’d say a Fatone was involved with that.” She glanced across the room, smiling when she saw Chris and Joey arm-wrestling, Justin and Lance cheering them on. “We’ll have to thank him later.”

“Big Joe still has friends back in his old neighborhood. He probably didn’t take too kindly to someone messing with one of his girls.” JC laughed quietly, letting his eyes drop closed again. “You might want to fix him a nice meal when you get home as a thank you.”

“I’m already planning it. He loves my fettuccini alfredo, so I’ll make a big pot and invite them over soon.” Biting her lip, she let her gaze travel over his face. “About me going home … I was thinking about calling my travel agent to see about changing my flight from the 9th to the 13th. Would there be any issues with that?”

“You want to stay longer?” Blue eyes flashed open, zeroing in on hers. “Can you stay longer? What about your summer class?”

“It’s a self-study course. I’d already turned in a third of the work before I came over, and I had all that time waiting on planes and trains to finish it out.” Her fingers paused in their scratching. “All I have to do is turn it in and schedule my exam before the end of July and I’m good. I talked to Mac yesterday when I called Mom – they were having brunch – and he said as long as I’m keeping up with my journals, there’s nothing pressing that I need to be there for right now.”

“Your mom and Mac, huh?” A dark brow arched at her. “How do you feel about that?”

“I’m thrilled about it. It’s been such a long time since Dad, and I really want her to be happy. Mac’s wife died of cancer when they were in their early forties, so he knows what it’s like to lose someone.” A small smile lifted her features. “He’s a wonderful man, and he’ll be good to her. I could tell they were getting close once she took over some of the business stuff for me, so when he asked me about it, I just hugged him and said I couldn’t think of anyone better for her.”

“Good. I can tell he cares about you, too, so he’ll treat you both well.” His hand squeezed hers. “You might not be a kid anymore, but don’t forget that you’re a part of that package, Jen.” Releasing her fingers, he smiled. “I’m looking forward to meeting him.”

“He was fishing for information about you before I left. I get the feeling he’s trying to test the waters. And Tessa and Shan are curious about you, too.” She licked her lips nervously. “Anyway, I know I’m still here for a few weeks, but do you think you could put up with me even longer? I’ll leave it the same if you’d rather I …”

“Change your flight. Please.” Raising up, he pulled her down to him, kissing her softly. “It’s selfish, but I’ll take as many days as you can give me, Boof.”

“Okay. It’s still early, so I’ll call Sue this afternoon and see if she can work her magic.” Her fingertips began scratching again, and he sighed, closing his eyes and relaxing back onto the pillow, his breathing growing deep. She tilted her head, studying the short hairs passing over her fingers. “Josh? Are you letting your hair grow out?”

“Mmhmm.”

“I thought you liked it shorter.”

“But you like it better longer.” He turned onto his side, his hand sliding under the pillow to rest on her thigh. “I could tell you were a little upset when they cut it, so I’m gonna let it grow as much as they’ll let me.”

“Oh.” She felt a catch in her chest at his words, then smiled as she studied his sleeping form. Flipping her journal back open on the armrest, she found a clean page and began to scribble away.

When I look into your eyes, I know that it’s true
God must have spent a little more time on you