*Trisha*

We pull into my parking space right as I see Dave driving away. I suddenly feel uneasy but don't want Paul to know. Hopefully, Dave will just .... find something better to do. He's probably pissed that I told Jennie everything, and she dumped his ass, but I wouldn't be able to live with myself knowing he's back to drinking and could hurt James's sister.

"You good?" Paul peers at me.

"Yeah. I'm just really stressed. I don't know. Nate is acting weird lately. I think he is really starting to like Mila. I don't think this PR stunt is a stunt anymore." I say while pulling out my house keys. Paul does his thing  in bodyguard mode, always making sure everything is safe before letting me in and then locking the door right behind us.

"I noticed that." He continues the conversation. "But..this IS Mila Giovanni we're talking about." Paul smirks, and I roll my eyes at him. "I think you're just jealous. You want Nate all to yourself, don't you, Banks?"

Paul holds my waist and presses his hips against mine while looking down at me. He raises a brow, waiting for my answer.

"You think I'd let you touch me if I was with Nate, Paulie? That's not how I roll."

"That's not what I asked." He says lowly in my ear before kissing down my neck. "I didn't say you were with him. I said, you want him all to yourself. There's a difference."

Paul is right. But I'll never admit it. 

I close my eyes from what he's doing and pull him in more.

"If you're so worried, why are you trying to get into my pants?"

"Because you're Trisha Banks. I'd be an idiot to give up a chance with you. I just wish you weren't thinking about him when you're with me."

"Paul..." I unbutton his jeans and slide my hand down his pants. "When I'm with you, I'm ONLY thinking about you.." I squeeze him gently, making him breathe a little heavier. He quickly lifts me up and throws me over his shoulder, making me shriek. 

"Paul! What the hell are you doing?!" I hang upside down over his shoulder.

"Having my way with you." He walks us to his bedroom and slams the door behind us.

*****

*James*

This is happening more often than not. I wake up in the middle of the night from a night terror. This one was about Joe. It was real at one point in my life. I have the scars to prove it.

I'm breathing heavy, can't think straight, and know I'm not gonna be able to fall back asleep. Julia is sleeping on the couch, trying to stay away from everyone. I lay down behind her and wrap my arm around her body. I know she's not sleeping.

"I had a bad dream." I whisper, and Julia holds on to my arm, pulling me in more.

"It's ok, James. You can sleep here tonight."

When I hear Julia's voice, I choke up a little. It's been so long since she's talked to anyone. I drop my head to her shoulder and feel tears sting my eyes.

"I miss you so much." I confess right before she falls asleep.

There's gotta be a way to get Julia back on her feet. She needs intense counseling, group therapy, maybe a change in her meds. But she's not gonna benefit from any of that if Jeremy is at the Avalon. And she's certainly not gonna get better watching Nate and Mila Giovanni together. He spends all day with Mila.  ALL day. You can't tell me he's not sleeping with her. You also can't tell me he's not getting emotionally attached to the model.

He spends more time doing fun things with Mila than he ever has with Julia.  That breaks my heart for her. Not because I want to be with her but as her friend. Seeing someone give up on you and enjoy life when you're at your worst has to be so painful. And that's exactly what Nate is doing. He's out there living life, having fun with Mila, and showing the world how happy he is while Julia remains invisible.

I know he doesn't mean to. He's forced to because of his job. But if it were me, no job would ever be worth it if I'm hurting the ones I love.

I don't care how much money you make from it. But Nate lives in a very different world than I do.

*****

*Trisha*

"You're up to no good, Hollan. I can tell." I walk into Nate's room right as he shuts his laptop. "And why aren't you dressed yet?? We have a meeting in an hour. You remember, right?"

"I'm getting dressed now. Don't you have something better to do than babysit me?" Nate undresses and heads to the shower while we are in the middle of a fucking conversation, so I follow him into the bathroom.

"Something's off with you, Nate. What's going on?"

"What's going on is I can't take a fucking shower in privacy."

"You're acting weird. I heard you were extra moody last night. Jonah told me. What happened?"

"What are you talking about? With Casey?" Nate continues to shower acting like hurting Casey's feelings was nothing.

"With Casey."

"She's dramatic. She's sensitive."

"She's a FAN, Nate."

"Was..." He gives me a rude look.

"No. She is. But you need to apologize to her. You're getting so snappy lately. What's wrong with you? This whole Mila/Richard shit?"

"YES. This whole Mila/Richard shit! Isn't that enough?!" He finished his shower and grabs a towel. "It's all too much. I never had panic attacks like these Trish."

"I know. I'm sorry, Playboy." I say with sympathy. "There's a lot going on at once. Maybe things will get easier once you're on tour. Doing what you love, you know? It'll be here before you know it."

"Yeah." He dismisses the conversation and gets dressed. Julia comes into the bedroom so I leave to go say good morning to James.

Casey is helping James with breakfast at the dining room table, so I sit next to him and rub his back.

"Hey Hotstuff, sleep ok?" I smile up at the man. He shrugs and looks away.  We can hear Nate and Julia bickering in his room. What else is new? Nate has been so on edge lately, and Julia is a mess.

"It's a lot, huh.  All of this." I pat his hand a few times.

"Yeah,  it's a lot."

"What do ya say if I pick you up and we go to the food truck district for lunch? We can hang out like old times?" I ask and James nods. He gets so sad sometimes. He could use a friend and some cheering to.

"I need to run a few errands, Trish. I'll meet you there." Nate storms out of the bedroom and grabs his keys.

"Don't forget your-" I start but he's already in the elevator. "Meeting today..." I finish with a sigh and shake my head.

"What's his issue?" James asks but then a very distraught Julia comes out.

"Let's go." It's all she says to Jonah before leaving the apartment.

"There's his issue. The two of them.  Always fighting." I respond.

"It's  constant now that he's with Mila."

I study James's face before responding.

"You think it's real now, don't you? Nate and Mila...." I raise my eyebrows.

"I think.... either Nate is a really good actor or he's no longer acting at all. Looks to me like it's a real and genuine relationship. No longer a PR stunt.  You... you spend so much time with someone it's. It's  bound to happen." James stutters.

He's right.  Nate's no longer playing the game. Him and Mila? They're really together.

****

*James*

Casey helps me get ready for the day and surprisingly enough, when I come out of my room, Trisha and Paul are still here.

"Didn't you have some meeting to go to?"

"No, Nate has a meeting to go to. My job was to make sure he was on time. But you know what? He's a big boy. He can figure it out." She smirks.  "Wanna hang out today?"

I look over at Paul who is currently  Trisha's bodyguard right now, though I have a feeling he's more than that.

"You can get the day off if James is with me, right??" Trisha senses three's a crowd.

"Yeah. I trained him well." Paul nods, talking about the 4th floor.  I've been working under Paul for years. I know how to be a bodyguard just fine. Tie my shoes,  squeeze toothpaste on my toothbrush? Can't do. Punch someone? Yeah, I'm pretty sure I can do that.

"Great! Me and you, "James the Receptionist." She smiles brightly at me.

"Trisha...." Paul looks at Trisha with sympathy which is something he doesn't do often. "You're gonna drive??"

*****

*Trisha*

I frown when Paul reminds me, and James looks confused.

"Right." I say softer. "I'm still having a little bit of a hard time..."

"Still? Since the accident?" I can tell James feels responsible but none of it was his fault. "Trish...."

"I know, I know. I need to talk to someone about it."

"I'll drive you guys." Paul volunteers and I give him an 'are you sure' look but he nods. He knows James could use some cheering up and also knows from personal experience about my panic attacks while driving. So Paul offers to be our chauffeur.

First, we get smoothies, and all I have to help James with is placing his hand on the drink the right way. Once that's  done, he can do the rest. He ordered a really healthy one that literally looked like friggen grass. I ordered a sweeter berry smoothie for myself.

After that I took James shopping. He's a lot of fun to be around, and although he might have his moments when he's down and out over his current circumstances, he snaps out of his funk fairly quickly.

One thing I know about James- he's a big  sneakerhead. He loves his running shoes, so we buy a few different pairs for him and some athletic leggings for myself.  I swipe Nate's credit card, and James laughs.

"Some things never change, Trisha the Assistant."

"Hey, he's been moody lately and a pain to work with. This is payback. Not like he'd even notice or look at the statement. I pay his bills. He's set for life."

"Moody is an understatement."

"Lately, yeah. But you know Nate. He's overly stressed out right now." I try to stick up for Nate, but he makes it hard sometimes.

"Yeah, I'm sure hanging out with Mila is very stressful." James replies, and we both laugh at that.

Next, Paul takes us to the food truck district and asks if we mind if he drops us off and checks in at the Marriott for some 4th floor business since it's right around the corner. Of course, neither of us mind, so while he's gone, I help James order food. He always gravitates to the Taco truck and gets the same thing every time.

We find a picnic table and I help him with his food before opening my wrapped tacos. I know he gets embarrassed easily but I never mind helping James.

"Sorry." He said in a bashful manner.

"For what??" I give him a little wink and take a huge bite of my taco, watching it spill out onto the wrapper.

"Happens every time with you." James laughs at my sloppy eating.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." I lean into him a little. "Just eat your food, Mr. Gallo."

James looks down at me and smiles.

I feel butterflies in my stomach which is something I haven't felt in a while.

I have to admit, I haven't felt it with Paul yet. I feel bad, but I think I'm with Paul because he's just.... there. I feel bad thinking that because he really is a great guy and bends over backward to care for me. The only other person who has cared for me to this extent is Nate. And poor  Nate is a mess right now.

But James.... I mean, aside from the obvious good looks the Lord above has blessed him with and that body he works hard to maintain, he possesses this carefree attitude. This genuine sweetness. He's not cocky. He's certainly not materialistic. He holds high standards for himself. Right now, he's in a bit of a funk, can't blame him for that, yet he still beams with that smile and those eyes, even when life has him feeling down.

There's just something about James.

******

*James*

Ok, so Trish is really fun to hang out with. That much I already knew. But something about the way she just looked at me during lunch... I don't know... something felt different. In a good way.

I look down and smile at her, and for the first time in a while, I forget about all my problems. I forget I'm disabled in any way and feel normal.

But I think she may be with Paul. I'm not 100% sure, and she hasn't outwardly said it, but I have a gut feeling they are together.

"Thanks for hanging out with me today." Trisha gazes up at me while we finish eating.

"Thank YOU for breaking me outta there for a while." I reply.

Paul pulls in, and our time is up. Trisha knows I have PT this afternoon and will need to head back to Nate's, so we end our little outing and hop in Trisha's car, with Paul driving.

"I could get used to this service, Hotstuff number one and Hotstuff number two." She teases, but her smile drops instantly when she sees something ahead.

"What?" I follow her eyes to the well-known fancy hotel across the street. Then both Paul and I see what she sees.

Nate getting out of his Mercedes and going in to the side entrance of the hotel.

"That's where Mila is staying...."

*****