A/N: Okay, I got two reviews for the last two chapters from one reader (Special agent Ali)! I appreciate those reviews so much. They're the only ones I've gotten in four chapters! I really do want to hear from you guys about what you think of the story! Please tell me! It would help me out so much!

Go Figure

By angellwings

Chapter Thirteen

Ella sighed and kicked off her shoes once she reached her hotel room. She fell back on the bed and pulled out her phone. Nate had tried to call her several times, and she had just ignored him. She felt bad, but at the same time she was still sort of angry with him. He had tried to call her the night before as well but she had been on the phone with Colby. Colby totally understood why she wanted to hire Tyler. Colby never pressed her to talk about things she didn't want to talk about either. Every conversation was peaceful and normal.

Her phone alerted her to her 8 new voice mails and she sighed. She should probably give them a listen. Even if she didn't want to. She called her voicemail and held the phone to her ear.

"Ella, it's Nate. I just wanted to talk about what happened in LA. I-look, just call me okay?"

"Ella? C'mon, I know you didn't go out after the show with everyone else, and I know you can't be in bed already. Look, I just want to talk. Please?"

"Seriously, why aren't you answering your phone? Are you ignoring me? You are, aren't you? Real mature Ella. I'm trying to fix things, but I can't do that if you don't answer your phone."

There were four more just like that from Nate. The last one was from Lola who was just checking in to see how things were going. Ella didn't feel like hashing her and Nate's issues out over the phone. That just didn't seem right. But she thought he deserved to know that she did want to talk. Just face to face. So, she called him. He was either ignoring her, writing music, asleep, or had his phone on silent because he didn't answer and she got his voicemail.

"This is Nate, leave a message."

"Hey, Nate, it's Ella. Look, I just wanted to say that you're right I shouldn't have ignored you. But I don't think we should talk about this over the phone. I think we should wait until Chevy and I meet back up with the tour and talk about this face to face. Okay? And I'm sorry for not answering your calls the other day. Talk to you later, Nate. Bye."

That would have to do for now. She wanted to take a nap before she, Chevy, and Jamie headed over to Andy's to rehearse and finally decide on a name for the band. Ella was able to take a twenty minute nap before Jamie knocked on her door and told her that a car was waiting on her and Chevy. She blinked sleepily and slipped on her satin flats that matched her sequin covered tank dress. She grabbed her black leather motorcycle jacket before heading out the door. She didn't remember Chevy saying he hired a car, but maybe he just hadn't told her. She met Chevy in the elevator and smiled sleepily at him.

"Good nap?" He asked with an amused grin.

She nodded, "A wonderful nap. You didn't tell me you hired a car."

"I didn't. I thought you did?" He said in confusion.

She shook her head, "You honestly think that I would ever have the foresight to hire a car?"

He chuckled, "I guess not. But if you didn't and I didn't then who did?"

Ella turned to Jamie, "Did you?"

He chuckled, "I'm not your personal assistant, I'm your bodyguard."

Ella shrugged, "Maybe Dale hired it."

The elevator doors opened and they walked through the lobby and out the revolving door. Jamie approached the car first and opened the door and peeked inside. Jamie let out a deep chuckle.

"Oh, this is just classic."

"What?" Ella asked curiously. A curly brunette head leaned out the door and smirked at the Pador siblings.

"Surprise."

Ella's eyes widened, "Nate?"

"You wouldn't answer my calls," He said plainly as if that would explain his presence.

"So naturally you followed me out here?" She asked in disbelief.

"Naturally," He responded with a grin as he stepped out onto the sidewalk. He motioned for Ella to step into the black town car. She glared suspiciously at him.

Chevy cleared his throat and waved, "You know I think I'll just take a cab and let you two crazy kids work out your issues."

Jamie grinned at him, "Smart man. Wish I could do the same."

"You could sit in front of the partition with the driver," Chevy suggested. "That might help."

Jamie nodded appreciatively, "Good idea, kid."

Jamie quickly loaded into the front seat next to the driver. Chevy walked over to the hotel doorman and had him call him a cab. Ella sighed and reluctantly got in the car.

Nate grinned and got back in the car with her. Once he closed the door he turned to face her, "So I got your voicemail as I was getting off the plane, and it looks like we're face to face. Just like you said you wanted."

"You think you're so clever, don't you?" Ella asked him in a flat tone.

"I don't think, I know," He smirked.

She shook her head, "You're so smug."

"Some people think my smugness is cute," He commented with a grin.

She couldn't help but grin in return, "You're in a good mood for some one who's spent the last couple of days leaving me angry voice mails."

"Seeing your face as I stepped out of the car suddenly made my day so much brighter," Nate chuckled. The car stopped and Jamie rolled down the partition.

"Traffic's at a stand still. It's gonna be a while before we reach Andy's," Jamie told them. "And Nate, you do have security here with you don't you?"

He nodded, "Of course, they're following in another car at a reasonable distance."

Jamie gave him a grim look, "Good, I was afraid I was gonna have to lecture you boy."

The partition went back up and Nate turned to Ella, "It looks like we have plenty of time to discuss this Tyler thing."

She crossed her arms over her chest, "I'm not changing my mind."

He sighed, "And I won't ask you to. I shouldn't have ambushed you the way I did."

Ella nodded, "It wasn't very fair of you. It's not like I was thinking about running away with him or anything."

"I see that now, but at the time…all I could see was you giving a second chance to a guy who caused you a lot of pain," Nate told her honestly.

She sighed, "I know, and maybe I overreacted a little as well. I just don't like it when people treat me like this naïve little girl. I'm not that little girl anymore, Nate."

He nodded, "Sometimes, Ella, I just can't help it. You…you make me want to protect you, and I'm not quite sure why. You just get under my skin and stay there and I can't think clearly most of the time. You fog things up."

Ella felt herself blush and looked away from him. She didn't quite know what to say, "Nate…"

"You don't have to say anything," Nate told her bashfully. "I just thought you should know."

She gave him a small smile, "The feelings mutual, Nate. You're not the only one who occasionally feels like they're living in a fog."

Their eyes connected and they shared soft smiles for several minutes.

"If you had my love and I gave you all my trust would you comfort me?"

The moment was broken and Ella scrambled to answer her phone.

"Hello?"

Nate gave her an understanding look as she answered her phone.

"Oh, hey, Colby," Ella said brightly. Nate's face fell and he turned away from her to face the window. Traffic had started moving very slowly. He hoped Ella and Colby didn't talk for too long. He didn't know how long he could control his gag reflex.

"You're just being nice, C," Ella blushed. Nate rolled his eyes. "C"? Really? "Sure, I think I can maybe meet you for coffee tonight after rehearsal or you could come to rehearsal if you want."

Nate's eyes widened. Colby was coming? Great, just great.

"Oh, well that's too bad, but I'm definitely up for coffee after rehearsal. Do you want to just meet me at the Starbucks down the block from Andy's? Great! I'll see you there," Ella smiled as she hung up.

"Hot date?" Nate asked flatly.

"No, just friends getting together for coffee," Ella told him. He grinned slowly.

"Then you won't mind if I tag along."

"What?"

"I haven't actually talked to Colby in a while. It might be fun to catch up," Nate grinned.

"Oh, I-um-you…yeah, sure," Ella said as she held back a sigh. "Fun."

Nate turned back to the window with a grin. He was very pleased with himself at the moment. If he could keep Ella and Colby from being alone then maybe he could stop this relationship before it started.