Chapter 11

Walking into the bright lights of the hotel was like being rudely awakened from a good dream. You know it's inevitable that you're going to wake up, you just want that extra five minutes anyway. That was how Lydia had felt. John and herself had had quite a good chat walking along the street, there'd been a connection between them, and only them. Now she had to share him again with all the other wrestlers, and a few fans. Suddenly out of nowhere a pair of hands covered her eyes. She growled slightly as she swung round, about ready to pounce on whoever it was that was being a jackass. And there with his bright red hair and lazy grin was Connor, Amanda standing right beside him.

"How did you guys get here?" Lydia asked, hugging them both in turn.

"We figured you would be here, or if not here, somewhere close by" Amanda beamed at Lydia, before turning her attentions to John. "I hope you're looking after my friend" she said, in mock seriousness.

"Yes ma'am" John held up his hands in mock defeat, laughing as he did so. He knew Amanda was no threat to him, not while he was looking after her friend anyway...what she would do if he wasn't...he didn't want to think about that. She looked pretty feisty though.

Connor stepped up and extended his hand " Nice to meet you John. I'm the jackass that makes Lydia's life hell, and she loves me for it" he grinned, winking at Lydia

"Oh you're the guy who sets her up with these terrifying stalkers?" He shook Connors hand " Yeah I heard about you. Guess you better join the back of the unemployment queue now" John laughed. Connor joined in the laughter, while Amanda and Lydia looked at each other and rolled their eyes. Secretly, Lydia was happier than she'd ever been. The guy that she was pretty sure she loved bonding with her friends, and not just to be polite. He really liked them. It didn't get any better.

She jumped suddenly, going over what she'd just been thinking in her mind...yep, she definitely said loved. She told herself to stop being so stupid. They'd only been out for dinner once. She didn't know everything about him. She couldn't love him that quick. She shook her head, not realising that she was being watched.

"You OK honey?" Amanda asked, genuine concern on her face. "You looked lost there for a minute"

Lydia turned to look at her best friend, hell she was more like a sister. Lydia could tell her anything. "Yeah I'm fine. Wanna come with me to the bathroom?" she pulled on her friends wrist

"John, we'll be right back OK?" she looked at him, smiling. He smiled that easy, heartbreaking smile at her.

"Sure babe. You want a drink"?

She looked at him, blinked. He just called her babe, she felt the quiver in her tummy. She liked the sound of that."Sure. Rum and Coke please" she winked at him, before pulling Amanda towards the Ladies

"OH MY GOD!" Lydia shrieked once safely behind the door.

Amanda just stood looking at her friend, grinning. "He called you babe!" If there was one thing Amanda was good at, it was stating the blindingly obvious. "He definitely digs you, lucky bitch!"

"Don't you think I deserve a little luck?" Lydia concentrated on putting her lipstick on. Her hands were shaking, making it almost impossible to keep a straight line. She stopped, took a couple of breaths and looked at her friend in the mirror. "Yes he's gorgeous, and 'manda he's so..so NORMAL. We were walking up here laughing about the time his sisters made him into a human Girls World. Pinch me"

Amanda, not being one to be told twice, duly did as she was told.

"Ow!..Nope definitely not dreaming. That hurt" She looked at her friend again. Suddenly a thought popped into her head. "Where's Peter?"

"He left as far as I know. I think you burst his bubble when you went backstage. He really liked you Lyds" Amanda gently scolded her

The smile that had been plastered on Lydia's face disappeared and her face clouded slightly. "I never promised him anything 'manda. Hell I told him to his face often enough I wasn't interested. It's not like I led him on" She went back to applying her lipstick.

"True, but you could have been a little more tactful in your approach today...He came here, not even liking wrestling to be with you" Amanda reminded her

Lydia spun round to face Amanda. "Who invited him 'manda? I sure as shit didn't. I told Connor that I wasn't interested. I told him to keep Peter away from me, yet as usual he apparently knows best and brought him along anyway! It's not like I planned for any of this to happen, but believe me. I'm not going to stop this train and get off just because I hurt Peters feelings!" She sighed angrily, running her fingers through her hair. "Look I don't want to fight with you, but if anyone is to blame, you need to look at your husband. He went against my wishes, and for what?" Lydia threw a questioning look at her friend in the mirror

Amanda could understand her friends frustration. Connor and herself had gotten into a huge fight not 24 hours before about the exact same thing. Amanda knew Lydia wasn't interested in Peter. She'd known her long enough to know the signs. Still Connor had been insistent that Peter came along too, and now he'd gone off, hurt and upset. She hoped he would be OK, but she had to agree. Lydia had been pretty blunt in telling him numerous times that she wasn't interested. How many times did the guy need a telling? She answered Lydia's question with a hug. She could never stay mad at her best friend. They'd been through far too much to let something as trivial as Peter split them up. She spun Lydia round, fixed her hair slightly and smiled at her.

"You look beautiful, and you're right. You more than anyone deserves this. Do you love him yet?" she asked jokingly

Lydia blushed slightly. "Well... I think I might...You think it's too soon?" she looked to her friend for reassurance

"Too soon? Hell no. I knew on my first date with Connor I was going to marry him. You just know when something is right. Now make yourself smell pretty for the man"

Lydia did as she was told and fished her perfume out of her bag, spraying her neck, then spraying in the air and walking into the mist. It was a trick she'd learnt years ago. Made her smell nice all over, without being too overpowering. She took one last look at herself in the mirror, before turning to her friend. They both started laughing hysterically, before walking out to meet their men.