A/N: So I'm back with the prequel I promised! It's called My Heart Wants You, and I definitely recommend reading Playing with Fire first!
***Summary: The story is set in the middle/ toward the end of season 4. The story lines of season 4 and my story may not always match. Melissa "Missy" Hart has everything in New York- a great job, and a great place to live. But she is bored, and on a wimb she moves to Charming to be near her cousin, Juan "Juice" Ortiz. But will her past follow her? And when a certain person comes into her life, will he be her happily ever after?
Enjoy!
New York
It was a crisp, fall day in New York City and as Melissa "Missy" Hart continued hanging fall decorations, she sighed. On the outside, Missy had everything. She was the General Manager of a huge Hilton hotel- the very same hotel her mom owned. She had a high five figure income and lived in a spacious apartment near Central Park. The Queens native had short brown hair, dark brown eyes and a Puerto Rican tan any person would die for.
"Excuse me ma'am but where is the pool?"
Inside, Missy wanted to scream at her guest, "Look at the sign!" But she obviously couldn't. Instead, she smiled. "It's right here on the main floor. Take a right at the stairs, and the pool is across from our elevators."
"Thank you," the woman said before walking away.
After making sure her employee had appropriate instructions, Missy retreated back to her office and before beginning some paperwork, she decided to make a call. She only hoped he would answer and when he did, a smile grew across her face.
"Juice! It's been too long!" Missy exclaimed.
"Hey Lemonade!" the man named Juan Ortiz, or Juice as he was referred to exclaimed. The two cousins grew up together as close as a brother and sister would, and even though the man was in California they kept in touch on a regular basis.
"Oh God! You do realize you're the only one who calls me that right? I can't believe you remember my crazy nickname," Missy giggled.
Also laughing, Juice got comfortable on a nearby picnic table. "Of course I remember- we were like ten and talking about our favorite drinks when little. And I better be the only one- no one else should know!" he said, earning another laugh. "So, how is the suit life?"
Missy sighed, knowing her cousin was the best person to vent to. "I don't know what's going on with me lately…I just feel bored. And I shouldn't because I work like 50 hours a week. I have a great apartment and everything is going great…I just feel like I'm in a rut. It would help if I had someone to go home too."
Even though Missy couldn't see him, Juice frowned. "What happened to that Kurt guy? The guy I didn't like."
She smirked. "He's gone. And before you ask, I don't want to talk about it. To put it simple it was just a bad experience, and it's an experience I want to forget."
"Message received," Juice said as he noticed Clay and Jax both in the door way. "Listen, I need to get going, but I want you to know that you can come visit me anytime. And stay too."
"Watch what you say because I just might take you up on that offer," Missy replied as her mom walked into the office. "Listen I need to go as well, but we'll talk soon."
"Sounds good lemonade. Bye," Juice said before hanging up his phone.
"Was that Juan?" the elder woman, Teresa "Tess" Hart asked once her daughter also hung up a phone. "Is he staying out of jail?"
Missy rolled her eyes when her mom mentioned Juice's recent release from a fourteen month jail stay. "If you must know, yes he's been staying out of jail and frankly mom, I don't want to fight right now. What's new?"
Tess shook her head. "Nothing, I wanted to check on the numbers for the month. And…I wanted to know how Kurt was," she smiled. The smile was almost a fake smile.
Instantly giving her mom attention, Missy glared toward her. "Mom, I want to make one thing quite clear. I will tell you all about the hotel's numbers for the month- hell, I will even tell you what I had for breakfast this morning. But, Kurt and I are done and there is no reason why you need to bring him up over and over and over. That situation…was something I don't want to go through EVER again. And you saw what happened!"
"Well-"
"Stop!" Missy demanded. "I don't know why you're so fascinated with Kurt, but he is gone and I am not getting back with him. He is in my past and I am looking toward the future. If you want to know how he is, then give him a call. Otherwise, quit asking me," she stated, walking out of the office.
"Where are you going?" Tess questioned.
"I am going home for the day. There has just been so much going through my mind…I need some time to think."
"Think? Think about what?"
"About a vacation!" she called over her shoulder.
The drive to her apartment was fairly quick, and as Missy stepped inside she sadly sighed. Her mom might have been in a nasty relationship years ago, but that didn't mean she had to sustain one.
Tess Hart had always wanted the best for her daughter and of course her cousin when he was in her custody. That meant private schools, designer clothes and when Juice began getting in trouble, which literally destroyed Tess's illusion of a perfect world. She was in jails and court houses more than what she ever wanted and when Juice left town- Tess became more judgmental of her daughter.
Missy looked around-from spacious living room to her left, the doorway to the kitchen right behind the living space and the small dining room area to the right of the hallway. For reasons she couldn't explain, the more she looked around the apartment Missy grew more upset and angry.
When Missy's mind was made up, she first grabbed her cell phone. Not wanting to speak to her mom at the moment, she sent a simple text.
Don't expect me at work tomorrow. I'm leaving on a LONG, overdue vacation. I'll call soon.
Once that was sent, Missy retreated to her bedroom and grabbed a couple of suitcases. She then grabbed her phone again and called one of the most important people in her life at the moment.
"Hey Juice," Missy smiled when he answered. "Does that offer to come out and visit still stand?"
