“No fair! You’re cheating!” “What? How do you cheat at I declare war?” “I don’t know, but there’s no way you’re winning that fast, Michael!” Denise giggled while Michael practically fell over laughing. They had been sitting on the floor of the Jackson’s family room playing games for about 3 hours. Her butt was numb and her back was starting to hurt a little. But she couldn’t make herself stop. The past few weeks had been a whirlwind. When she finally got the nerve to call Michael three days after her lunch with Elizabeth, he had been so happy to talk to her that they didn’t hang up until 2 a.m. He was one of the funniest guys she had ever met. And very respectful. She was pretty sure he had a little crush on her. But he never did anything to make her feel uncomfortable. As a matter of fact, she almost wished he WOULD make a move of some kind. Then they could get the pink elephant out of the room and move on. She had considered making a move herself, but she didn’t wan to be embarrassed if it turned out she was wrong about him. So she just enjoyed the friendship they were building. Most of their time had been spent at his place, because he didn’t think he’d be able to sneak out unnoticed to visit her. That was fine with Denise. She wasn’t sure if she wanted him to see her place anyway. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t what he was used to anyway. She snapped her attention back when she realized Michael was speaking to her. “Huh? What did you say?” He giggled. “I said, what time do you need to go home? You’ve been here a couple of hours now.”
She shrugged. “Anytime, I guess. The shop is closed on Monday’s and I don’t have anywhere to be.” Michael grinned. “Good, lets go for a walk.” Michael stood and extended a hand to her. She shyly took it and tried to ignore the shiver she felt just from touching is hand. She had to get a grip on herself. As they walked around the property, he kept his hands in his pockets and looked at the ground. She almost laughed to think about how much this was like his Thriller video. She almost expected him to turn into a werewolf. “You know what, Denise?” She looked over at him. “I really like spending time with you.” She smiled. “I like hanging out with you too. You’re a lot of fun.” Michael smiled and nodded. “Yeah, I’ve never had as fun with a girl before. You’re really different.” Denise continued to smile as her heart started to race. She wasn’t sure where he was going with this conversation, but she liked it so far. “You’re really funny and you’re smart. And you don’t act like you’re afraid of me.” She shoved his shoulder. “Now why would I be afraid of some skinny guy I could body slam?” Michael laughed heartily. “See, that’s what I mean. You’re not afraid to say stuff like that to me. I think it’s cool.”
Michael stopped and turned to her. He took her hands and looked into her eyes. By this time Denise’s heart felt like it was in her throat. “I’m really glad I took the time to get to know you. You’re the best friend I have and I hope we stay that way. Friends forever.” Denise struggled to keep the smile on her face as her heart plummeted from her throat to her stomach. Friends? That’s all he wanted? “Uh, sure Michael. I’ll always be your friend. No matter what.” Michael hugged her and continued walking. Denise’s mind raced. Maybe she had been wrong about how he felt. She was sure he liked her as more than a friend. As they continued walking, she remained silent. Michael kept prattling on about something, but she was too lost in her thoughts to really be listening. Soon, Michael noticed and nudged her shoulder. “Hey, what are you thinking about so hard over there?” Denise looked at him out of the corner of her eye. Maybe she should test the waters a little bit. “Michael, you’re a guy…” Michael laughed. “Yeah, the last time I checked.” She stuck her tongue out and laughed. “Come on, I’m trying to be serious. I want some advice.” Michael stopped and looked at her. “Ok, what about?” Denise looked up to the sky trying to figure out how to express what she was thinking. “Well, there’s this guy that I kind of like. Actually, I know I really like him. But I’m not sure if he likes me back. I know this all sounds really juvenile, but I can’t read him. And I don’t want to get my feelings hurt. I’ve been thinking about telling him, but I don’t know how he’ll react. What do you think I should do?”
Michael stared at Denise. He didn’t want to think about her with another guy. He had just told her how much he liked being with her. Didn’t she understand? “Uh, are you sure this guy likes you?” He waited while Denise thought about it. “Well, I thought he did. But now I’m not sure.” Michael shook his head. “Forget him.” Denise stared at him wide-eyed. He almost thought she was going to cry. “Seriously? Why? Shouldn’t I tell him how I feel and see what happens?” Michael shook his head. “Nope. If he liked you, he would have told you by now. You don’t want to pour your heart out to this guy just to have your feelings hurt. I say just leave him alone. You’ll find someone who is willing to tell you how much he likes you. Don’t waste your time on a guy you’re not sure about.” Denise slowly nodded and continued walking. He hated causing her feelings to get hurt like that. But if she started seeing someone else, he’d never get any closer to her. And he really wanted a chance to do that. Things were going so well, he didn’t want to lose her before they had a chance to make it official. Inside he smiled to himself. She may be hurt now, but he’d find ways to make her happy. “Hey, it’s almost lunch time. You wanna go inside and get something to eat?”
Denise nodded slightly. “Sure.” Michael frowned. “Are you still thinking about this guy?” Denise nodded again. “It’s just that I was so sure.” Michael stopped and put his hand on her shoulder. “Hey, forget him. Seriously. You’re too nice a person to keep dwelling on some guy who can’t see that.” Denise sighed, and then she nodded again. “I guess you’re right. If he liked me, he’d have let me know by now.” Michael grinned brightly and looped his arm over her shoulder. “Exactly. Now let’s go get lunch. Then I can tell you all about the tour I’m going on. It’s going to be great! My first one by myself!” Michael kept talking, even though he could tell Denise was only half listening. After a while, she would forget this guy. Then she would be all his.
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“Mama, stop worrying. I’m fine out here.” Denise listened to her mother grunt. “I’ll believe that when I see for myself. I’ll find the time to come out there someday. I have to see how you’re getting along. How is your job?” Denise curled the telephone cord around her finger. “It’s fine. I’m getting a lot more clients. I think word is getting out about me.” Denise’s mother’s smile was evident on the phone. “That’s great! I knew things would work out if you just gave it a little time. Now, who are you dating? What’s his name?” Denise blushed. “Mom, I’m not dating anyone right now. I don’t have time.” “What do you mean you don’t have time? Denise, you are a very pretty girl. I’m sure there must be SOMEONE worth carving a little time out for. You’re 25 years old. You’re not getting any younger. You need to get on the ball.” Denise thought back to her last conversation with Michael. It had a been a few weeks since she had spoken to him because of his tour preparations. But his last message was still fresh in her mind. “Well, there was this guy I was interested in, but…” “But what? Is he nice?” Denise smiled. “Very nice. Mama, you’d love him.” Denise’s mother sighed. “So, what’s the problem? Is he broke?” Denise laughed. “No mama. Far from it. I just don’t think he likes me.” “What? Who wouldn’t like my baby? What makes you think that?”
Denise sighed. “Well, he hasn’t told me that he does. And I talked to my friend Michael about him and he said to leave this guy alone and move on. If he liked me he would have told me.” “Hmmm, well, your friend has a point. I didn’t raise you to throw yourself at men. If he wants you, he’ll come after YOU.” Denise sighed again and settled deeper into her sofa. With that kind of logic, she had no chance with Michael. “Well, I guess if the two of you are saying the same thing, then it must be true.” Her mother’s voice brightened up. “Well, don’t worry about it. I’m sure that any day now, the perfect man is going to knock on your door.” Denise sat up. She knew that tone in her mother’s voice. She had been hearing it every since she turned 21. “Mama, what have you done?” Her mother was silent. “Oh no, ma, what did you do?” She sighed. “Well, he was going to come out that way anyway, so I just thought…” Denise interrupted her. “Oh no! Mom! Who are you trying to set me up with?” “Oh, stop being so dramatic. He asked about you. What was I supposed to say? That you were content to be an old maid?” Denise shielded her eyes. “Mother, who are we talking about?” Her mother cleared her throat. “Well, do you remember Jaime, that nice young man you used to date in high school?”
Denise groaned. Boy did she ever! He was her first and only boyfriend the whole four years. They met at freshman orientation. He had been charming, even then. They dated for 2 years before she realized he was sleeping with a different girl almost every week. His excuse had been that he really liked her but he was a man. If she wasn’t going to give it to him, he had to find it somewhere. She had never told her mother why they broke up and she was still convinced that he was the best thing walking on earth. “Mom, I can’t believe you did that.” She sucked her teeth. “Well, it’s done now. He’s going to be in town in a few days. I told him where you worked and I took the liberty of giving him your phone number. Don’t be surprised if he calls you. He seemed pretty eager to see you again. I think that’s a good sign.” Denise rolled her eyes. “I wish you wouldn’t keep doing this mother. I am perfectly capable of finding a man on my own.” “Oh Denise, I just want you to be happy. And if you were so good at finding a man, why are you hanging your hopes on one that doesn’t like you?” Denise sighed. “That hurt mom. But ok, maybe you have a point.” Her mother’s voice perked up. “Good. Now when Jaime calls, make sure you at least have lunch with him. He’s very handsome now. Even better than high school! And please wear something nice. I know how you are about your clothing.” Denise rolled her eyes. “Yes, mother. Look, I need to go. If I’m going to have unexpected company, I’d better make sure this place looks good. When did you say he’d be here? A couple of days?” “Actually, his plane landed yesterday. I’m pretty sure he’ll call you today.” Denise’s eyes got wide. “Today?” “Yeah, well, I have to go. I have a pie in the oven. Bye baby! I love you! And don’t forget to tell me all about your date.”
Her mother hung up before Denise had a chance to fuss. She couldn’t believe she would do something like this. She shook her head. Yes she could. Her mother was determined to get her married off and quickly. She sighed and got up. She would try to straighten up a little bit. If she knew her mother, Jaime probably had her home address too. So she could expect a knock on her door at any minute. She dutifully started cleaning. There wasn’t much to do. Just straighten the throw pillows and a quick run through with the vacuum. When she was done, she headed to her room to search her closet. She had might as well get ready now. At least she would get a decent lunch out of the deal.
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Michael wiped the sweat off his forehead with a towel. "Let's go over that one more time. I think we can do better." The dancers groaned. When they first met Michael, they were all so intimidated that they could barely say anything but yes sir and no sir. But over the weeks of rehearsal, they had all gotten much more comfortable. LaVelle looked up at him. "Michael, it's not going to get any better." Michael shook his head. "It could always be better." LaVelle nodded. "Ok, fine. But if you keep working everyone like this, they are going to be worn out before the tour starts. And we only have two weeks. Let's call it a day and let the guys rest. Then we'll come back tomorrow and give it 100%." Michael thought about it. He still had a lot of things he wanted to clean up. But LaVelle had a point. He didn't want anyone to hurt themselves before the show. He couldn't afford that. "Alright. I'll see everyone tomorrow. I guess I have a few other things I could be doing." One of the other dancers, Jaime grinned. "Where ya going Michael? You gotta hot date?" The dancers all laughed as Michael blushed. To tell the truth, he hadn't thought about that. Maybe today was the day he needed to really talk to Denise. Especially since he was going to be gone for so long. It would be a good idea to make sure they were on steady ground before he left. Michael headed across the property toward the main house. Once there, he found Janet on the phone. He tapped her shoulder. "Janet, I need to use the phone." Janet rolled her eyes at him and kept talking. Michael sighed and stood there staring at her until she finally acknowledged him.
"Paula, I'll have to call you later and talk. Yeah, Michael wants to use the phone. We'll get to get together soon and go over those steps. Bye." Michael smiled when Janet finally hung. "Thanks. I won't be but a little while, I promise." Janet grimaced. "Yeah, right. You'll be up there all night. What's so important that I had to give up the phone?" Michael blushed a little. "Well, I have someone I need to talk to about something." Janet grinned. "Oh! I get it." She started to walk away but Michael stopped her. "What does that mean?" Janet turned and her grin got wider. "You're going to call that Denise girl, aren't you?" She laughed when Michael blushed harder. "I knew it. You are so transparent. Everyone in the house knows that you're crushing on her hard. I think the only person who doesn't know is Denise." Michael had picked up the phone to dial, but now he put it down in confusion. "What are you talking about? She knows I like her." Janet crossed her arms and shook her head. "Yeah, as a friend. But I know for sure that's all she thinks. I've heard you two talk. You talk to her like she's some buddy. So why would she think you wanted anything else?" Michael thought about that. He thought he had been clear with her, but now he wasn't sure. He never was very good at this romantic stuff. He shook the thoughts from his head. "You're wrong. She understands me perfectly. She knows I like her. I'm not worried." Janet shrugged. "Ok, if you say so. But don't say I didn't try to warn you."
Michael watched Janet walk away. She didn't know what she was talking about. Michael dialed Denise's number and listened to the phone ring. After the fifth ring, he hung up. He'd try back later. Maybe she was out running errands. And if he didn't catch her then, he'd try tomorrow.
Denise hadn't laughed this hard in a while. When Jaime had first shown up, she wasn't sure what to think. Sure he was handsome. Back in high school, he was cute. But he had grown up. An after graduation growth spurt had shot him up to six feet and his deep chocolate complexion had smoothed out. With a close cut fade and an obvious gym obsession, he was bonafide fine now. But she had still been wary around him. Accepting his offer of lunch had taken some real decision making, but she came to the conclusion that both of them had grown a lot since high school so the least she could do was let him spend some money on her. What she hadn't expected was for him to be so mature, and comical. After the obligatory catching up on what the other had been doing, they had relaxed into an easy flow of conversation. He told her all about his growing Real Estate practice and she talked about how well her career was going. He hadn't married, although he had been engaged once. He wouldn't talk about why that ended, but it didn't matter to Denise. Right now, she was having a really good time. "You know Denise, I can't get over how much you've changed. You've always been pretty. I tried to tell you that back in the day, but you wouldn't believe. Now, you've blossomed into a beautiful woman. I can't believe someone hasn't snapped you up by now."
Denise blushed. She thought fleetingly about Michael, then pushed him from his mind. Michael was right. If a guy didn't like her romantically, it was best for her to move on. "Thanks. You know, you didn't turn out so badly yourself, Mr. Porter." Jaime looked at his watch. "I hate to say it, but I really need to go. I have a business meeting in about an hour. That gives me just enough time to drop you off and get across town." Denise looked at her watch also. "I guess you're right. Besides, if we don't give up this table, one of those waiting couples is going to jump us." Jamie looked over at the front of the deli. "Yeah, that big one over there looks hungry enough to eat us both. I swear he's been pouring ketchup on me in his mind since he walked in." Denise covered her mouth and giggled. He was so silly! They gathered their things and left. Within 15 minutes, they were standing sitting in the parking lot of her apartment complex. She grabbed her purse. "Well, Jaime, I had a really good time. It was good seeing you." Jaime reached out and took her hand. "You too. Look, I'll be in town for a few days, why don't we go get some dinner later tonight? We can finish catching up." Denise smiled. "You know what? I'd like that. How about 7 o'clock?" Jaime grinned and brought her hands to his lips. "Count on it. I'll see you then." Denise took her hand back and exited the car. She tried vainly to act normal, but she couldn't help putting a little extra swivel in her hips as she walked away. When she reached the stairwell, she turned and wiggled her fingers in his direction. He waved and drove away. Denise grinned as she climbed the stairs to her second floor apartment. She might have to actually thank her mother later on. For once, she may have gotten it right.
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Denise practically floated into work the next morning. Her date with Jamie had been a blast. After dinner they had gone dancing. It had been so long since she had that much fun that she almost didn't want the night to end. And Jaime had been a perfect gentleman. He hadn't tried anything the whole night. A part of her wished he hadn't been so nice. She had really wanted him to kiss her goodnight, but instead he just gave her a hug at her doorway and left. All in all, she couldn't have asked for a better date. The whole day at work, she found herself humming little tunes as she worked. The other girls caught onto her good mood and sometimes joined in. All except Nadine. She was still holding a grudge. "I wish you guys would keep it down in here. You're going to give me a headache!" Denise rolled her eyes. "Stop being such a killjoy, Nadine. Maybe if you had a little more fun, you'd enjoy life more." Nadine grunted and primped in the mirror. "I enjoy life plenty. You see this necklace? Sean bought it for me yesterday. It's beautiful, isn’t it? If this isn't enjoyment, I don't know what is!" Denise shook her head and went back to counting her tips. Just a few more customers, and she would have made more in a day than she did the whole of last week. Who said a smile was worth nothing?
When the chimes rang, she looked up ready to meet the next customer. Instead, in walked Jaime. He struck quite a figure in his charcoal gray suit and purple silk tie. He carried a bunch of roses in his hands. Denise felt her smile widen. "Jaime, what are you doing here?" He spotted her and smiled. "I just wanted to stop in and speak to you before I left." Denise's looked at him, confused. "Left? I thought you were in town for a few days." He shrugged. "So did I, but my meeting went smoother than I thought yesterday. I got a call today that told me that we had wrapped everything up. So I'll be leaving in a few hours. But I couldn't leave without telling you how good a time I had last night." Denise smiled shyly. "I had a really good time too." She looked at the roses. "Are those for me?" Jamie looked down at the flowers he was holding. "Oh, I almost forgot about those. Yes, they are. I was hoping you would be willing to go out again sometime." Denise took the flowers he handed to her and smelled them. "I would love to. But I'm no good at the long distance thing." Jamie grinned. "That's no problem. The whole reason I'm here in L.A. is because I've been considering expanding my business. The meeting yesterday was to talk to a Real Estate office that we were considering buying out. They accepted our offer! So I'll be back in about two weeks to get the office set up. And if I like things here, I may be relocating for good."
Denise's heart began to pound as she considered that. It wouldn't be half bad for Jaime to move closer. "That sounds great!" Jaime nodded. "So, about that next date. Will you be up to it when I come back?" Denise blushed and nodded, which made Jaime grin wider. "Good. I'll be sure to call you before flying back out. Maybe you could meet me at the airport and we can get a head start." Denise blushed again as Jaime leaned in a placed a small kiss on her lips. It wasn't much, but it was enough to let her know that his lips were soft and moist and she wanted more. "Sure, uh, just call me." Jamie nodded and waved to her as he began to leave. "Absolutely. I look forward to learning more about this new you." As he left the room, Denise thought about what had just happened. She wanted to squeal, but she tried to play it cool. Nadine's icy voice cut through her excitement. "I give it a month." Denise turned and placed the flowers on her station. "What are you talking about?" Nadine looked at her through lowered lids. "A man like that with a plain Jane like you? He'll be bored within a month. You can dress it up all you like, but you're still just boring and tomboyish. You'll never be able to keep him." Denise pressed her lips together and decided not to respond. She'd show her. Not only would she keep Jaime, but she was pretty sure that he would decide to stay. Nadine didn't know what she was talking about.
Elizabeth sighed as she listened to Michael ramble on. "And it's been two days. She's never home when I call her anymore. What do you think?" Elizabeth looked at him. The childlike thing was wonderful most of the time. But sometimes she wished he would just grow up. "Michael, you know where she works. Why don't you just visit her?" Michael shook his head. "No. I'd love to, but I was lucky last time. No one was there. If I go back, I'm sure to get recognized by someone." Elizabeth was quiet. He had a point. "Well, I say to keep trying. If you really like her, then don't give up so easily." Michael nodded, then he looked up at her with the little boy expression that had stolen her heart the first time they met. "Elizabeth, can I ask you a question?" Elizabeth sat up. "Sure." Michael sat back and rubbed his bottom lip. "If a guy told you he really liked spending time with you and you were different from any other girl he had met, would you think he liked you?" Elizabeth smiled. "Absolutely! As a matter of fact, I'd be sure of it!" Michael smiled. "That's what I thought. I knew Janet didn't know what she was talking about." Elizabeth stopped short. "Now, Michael. Your sister is pretty smart. What else did you say?" Michael shrugged. "Well, I told Denise that I had a lot of fun with her and that I liked her. I told her I hoped we would be friends forever." Elizabeth covered her eyes and groaned. "Friends? Did you use those words?" By the bewildered look he gave her, she knew he had. "Michael. You may have told her you like her, but you told her you were just friends. Why didn't you just say what you were feeling?" Michael shrugged. "I did. I really like her and I want us to remain friends. But I also want a little more."
Elizabeth shook her head and leaned forward. "Well, why didn’t you say that? I know she likes you. I could tell by the way she looked at you the last time you were here. But you just told her you wanted to be friends. I wouldn't be surprised if she has moved on." Michael shook his head vehemently. "No, I took care of that." Now it was Elizabeth's turn to be confused. "What do you mean?" Michael smiled. "She told me there was a guys he liked but she wasn't sure if he liked her. She asked me for advice. I told her to leave him alone because if he liked her, he would have said so." Elizabeth groaned inwardly. He looked so proud of himself for being clever. Michael was very intelligent. Even brilliant sometimes. But when it came to women, he was clueless. A part of her wanted to scream at him that Denise had been talking about him. But she decided it was time for Michael to grow up. And if that meant he lost Denise, then so be it. At least next time he would be a little more aware of what he was saying to a woman. "Ok, dear. If you think you've taken care of it I won't say another thing. Just remember Michael, women are literal creatures. She is going to take what you say at face value. So choose your words carefully." Michael nodded and gazed out of the window. Elizabeth hoped he caught her meaning. Because if he didn't Michael was in for a long lonely road.
Denise practically floated into her apartment. She couldn’t believe her day! Her clients had been steady and generous with their tips, Nadine had stayed out of her way, and Jamie had charmed her off her feet before leaving to go back home. She couldn’t stop the grin from spreading across her face as she kicked off her shoes. Things were looking up for her in all areas. She grabbed a carton of ice cream from the freezer and turned on the tv before flopping down on the couch. Her favorite show, Solid Gold, was coming on soon and she loved seeing those people flailing around like disjointed chickens. Just as she had really begun to laugh at the choreography, her phone rang. She jumped up and grabbed it before it could ring again. “Hello, happy Hillary’s house of harmony. How can I help you?” She heard the giggle on the phone. “Uh, I don’t know how to answer that.” Denise rolled her eyes. “Michael, you’re no fun. What’s up?” “Well, you sound really good. What’s going on?” Denise felt the girlish giggle escape before she knew it. “Oh Michael, I’ve had such a good day. The word is getting out about me as a makeup artist and my clients are really generous. If I keep having days like this, I may be able to move out of this dump and into a better apartment.” She could hear the smile on Michael’s face. “Your place can’t be that bad. I lived in a room and shared beds with 5 brothers. And someone always had smelly feet. I’m sure your place is way better than that.”
Denise laughed. “Ok, you have a point. My place isn’t that bad. I just want something a little better.” “Ok, that’s reasonable. You should always strive for the best, even if it’s the best apartment, I guess. I’m glad your business is getting better. That really is something else to be happy about.” Denise nodded. “Yeah, but that’s not it. You know, I really have to thank you for your advice. It really helped.” “Really? What advice?” “You know, when you told me to move on from that guy. I did just that. And you were right, I was wasting my time. It’s better if we’re just friends.” She could hear Michael smiling again and it warmed her through. She was sure she would never tell him that he was the object of her affection. His friendship meant too much. “That’s great, Denise! So, what are you going to do now.” Denise giggled. “Well, the moment I decided to take your advice, I met a really nice guy!” She could hear Michael’s soft gasp. “You…you met a guy? That quickly?” “Yeah! Well, not exactly met. I know him from a long time ago. His name is Jaime. He flew into town for business and we spent a lot of time together yesterday. Oh, Michael, he’s so nice. He’s thinking of relocating here. He’ll know in a few weeks. And if he does….Michael, I’m so excited! Isn’t this great?”
Michael couldn’t believe what he was hearing. How many guys were waiting around for her? “But, you said you know this guy from a long time ago. You’ve only spent one day with him. How can you be sure he’s as nice as you think?” The girly giggle that floated over the phone lines pierced his heart. “Oh Michael, stop being big brother. I’m not saying I’m going to marry him. But I like him and I think he likes me. And he’s so tall and handsome. I can’t believe he’d actually be interested, but he acts like he is. He brought me flowers and everything. He even gave me a little kiss before he left.” Michael’s voice squeaked like a pubescent boy. “He kissed you? Already?” Denise giggled again and the sound was starting to annoy him. “Yes. But I probably shouldn’t have told you that. We’re really good friends, but you’re still a guy and you probably don’t want to hear about my love life.” Michael’s mind raced with everything Denise had said. He didn’t understand. He thought he had made himself clear. He thought she knew he liked her. Janet’s words played back in his head also. He ran his fingers through his hair and sighed. She was right. He should have just said it outright. “Michael? Are you still there?” Michael sighed again. “Yeah, I’m here. So, do you really like this guy? I mean, really?” He waited while Denise thought. “Well, we are still getting to know each other. But yeah, I think I do.”
Michael sank down to the floor and folded his legs. Leaning his head in his hands, he tried to sound supportive. “Well then, I’m happy for you. I hope things work out for you guys.” The happiness in Denise’s voice weighed heavily on him. “Thanks Michael, that’s sweet. Well, I need to go. I just got home and I’m still relaxing. Call me later, ok? Hey, maybe when Jaime comes back to town, you can meet him. I think you guys would like each other.” Michael grimaced. “Uh, I don’t know. I’d really like to, but you know I’m going on tour in a little over a week. I’ll be gone for a while. Maybe when I get back.” “Aw, I almost forgot you were going to be touring. Well, if I don’t get a chance to speak to you again before you leave, be safe. And go easy on the girls!” Michael giggled half-heartedly and said goodbye. He sat on the floor thinking for a while. He really didn’t like the idea of Jaime. But Denise sounded so happy, how could he stand in the way? Michael stood and walked over to the window in the family room. “That’s it, I guess. You really messed this one up.” Michael shook his head and headed upstairs to his room. He needed to take his mind off Denise. With only a little over a week before he had to leave for Japan, he needed rehearsal time.
Author's Chapter Notes:
I know, I know. I'm posting fast and furious. But, when I pulled the story up on my zip drive, I realized that it was so short there was no reason I couldn't proofread and put everything I had up today. When I get to my last update, I'll let you know. Remember, anyone who wants to take it over, let me know and I'll let you.