Page 29 of Two Is Better Than One

"That's because we've been working over there," Casey said. "And today, we've been with them all day. We went to a brunch, and then the pool, and then Vincent's house. That was the craziest part."

"You've averted the question," Caleb said.

"About Summer and her sister?" Casey asked. "Wondering if either of us had feelings for them? I don't. I don't know about AJ, but no, not for me. I'm only doing this job for a few more days. I'll be going to England."

"What about you, AJ? Do you have feelings for Summer Stockton?"

"No," Casey said.

"No," AJ agreed, looking contemplative.

"They'll be here for a few more weeks, but I have to go to England next week, so some other company is taking over."

AJ shrugged. "I might still help them out while you're away… I'm sure I will. Brooks, mentioned asking me to fill in like I'm doing now."

"Are you still going to have time to work with Michael?" Max asked.

"Yes, sir," AJ said. "They won't need me all the time, and the whole thing is just for another two or three weeks."

"What's after that?" Hope asked. "For them, I mean. Where do they live? Do they travel together all the time?"

"They do," Casey said. "They live together in Charleston, normally. That's where they are when Summer's not touring, or something else. Like right now, she's here for a movie."

"I think singers are horrible at acting," Max said. He had long hair, like Casey, and he ran his hand through it and smiled. He was baiting his son. "You better cross your fingers she'll do better than most singers. Some of them bomb at the box office."

"Cher acts. Bette Midler acts," AJ said, taking up for Summer.

"Look at you, mister musical theater," Charlie said, teasing his cousin.

AJ had an artsy family. His father was a television producer and his mom famous ballerina. AJ had been raised around the arts. He could probably name ten successful singers turned actresses. Casey glanced at AJ to see how he'd react to Charlie.

"AJ looks a little pale," Casey said.

"I feel a little pale," AJ said.

"Whoa, you do look bad," Max said, standing up suddenly.

"Thanks," AJ said smiling sickly. "My stomach started to feel a little funny at the…" He paused, blinking and wiping away the sweat from his forehead. "…hotel, and now I'm not feeling so good at all." He stood up with a worried expression.

"Are you going to puke?" Max asked.

AJ nodded reluctantly as he headed into the bathroom.

He ended up staying at Max's house that night.

Casey went back to his own apartment without AJ who was sick again and again that evening.

Casey wondered if it was some kind of virus, but thankfully, he didn't come down with it. He felt fine, other than the fact that he no longer wanted to go to England or move on with his life as planned. And that had nothing to do with AJ and his stomach.

Casey was distracted.

Summer was distracted, too.

She had written a whole song about some guy she really liked and couldn't have, and Casey knew it was about him. He felt like Summer needed him to be her bodyguard indefinitely, and there was no good reason why he wasn't doing it. He didn't need the money from his other job, so he had no idea why he felt the need to stay with it now that he found something he wanted to do more. A bodyguard? Was he really thinking about quitting his job with the FBI and becoming a personal bodyguard?

He would have to move to be with her constantly. Miami had always been his home, and there he was, contemplating moving. It was only because he had but a few days left with her. He was having these thoughts out of desperation. Casey knew he would go back to his job and his life, but knowing Summer and worrying about her gave him all sorts of crazy thoughts—he felt willing to say that he would leave everything.

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