Chapter twenty

LAINEY sipped her tea. She has spent the last few minutes trying to work up her nerve to ask Ned to dinner tonight. She didn't want to ask him over the phone because when she was alone it was easy to put off making a choice, to wait five more minutes and then five more and never call.

Now his break was about over and she knew she had to speak up or forget about it.

"I was hoping..." she started "you might like to join me for dinner?"

"Tonight?"

"Yes, if your not otherwise engaged."

"Actually, I am. I promised Brooklyn I would go into the city and see her play. She's working on some new material and she wants my opinion on it."

Lainey tried not to let her disappointment show. It had taken all her courage to get this far. "Of course, I understand. Maybe some other time then."

"Or you could join me?" Ned asked "I was planning to leave around 5 pm and be back about 3 am."

Softly, she said, "I wouldn't want to impose..."

His eyes held hers, and in that low tantalizing sexy tone of his he assured, "Lainey, it would make the trip a thousand times better to have you by my side."

She felt her heart clutch, her face warm. "How can I say no to that?"

Ned smiled. "I hope you can't..."

EMILY walked over to the nurses station and spotted Milo sitting on the couch in the waiting area.

He stood up when he saw her, "I was hoping I might catch you." he said "Epiphany said you were working but the look she gave me when I asked her to page you said that she wouldn't be using the intercom for any personal matters."

Emily smiled.

"She calls this place Broken Hearted Hospital because of all the whining we do about our love lives." Emily said "So how did I get lucky enough to merit a visit at work?"

"Sit down, okay?"

When they were seated next to each other Milo said, "I'm not mad. But can you explain to me exactly who The Five are?"

"The Jackson Five?" she asked

"No, The Five. The Hottie Hot Man prize or whatever it is called. That five."

Emily's eyes widened. "Um...how did you hear about that?"

Milo reached in his pocket and pulled out the note that came with the flowers and then explained the story to her.

"Did anyone tell Sonny they weren't for him?" Emily asked

"I didn't! I have no idea what Jason told him. He honestly thought the five families voted him cutest mob boss." Milo said

She tried to hold back her laughter but couldn't. "I'm sorry. I don't know who sent those flowers. But I guess it is my fault because my friends and I kinda had a bet about who could bring the hottest guy to the Charity Ball."

"So that's all I was then? A bet?"

"No, Milo, of course not. There wasn't anyone else in town I would rather have gone with. No one makes me feel as ... comfortable... as you do."

Milo studied her for a moment.

She touched his arm. "Thank you for the song. I fall asleep listening to it every night."

Softly he said, "I'm glad you liked it."

"So... are we.. okay? Still going to go fishing at four am?"

"What are you doing tonight?"

"At four am? Sleeping." Emily said

"Want to skip some sleep?"

"For you, anytime."

He smiled at her, "Warn Edward I'll be ringing the bell about 3:45 then."

"He should love that."

LATER IN THE LOCKER ROOM, Emily walked in and saw Kelly and Robin.

"Who did it?" she asked

They both looked at her, with blank stares.

She said, "I asked Liz already, and I doubt Lainey would, so it had to be one of you that sent flowers to Milo."

Robin laughed, "Yeah, I have enough problems with guys already. I don't need to be hitting on Milo, too. Though I wonder if that would make Patrick jealous? No, probably not. I should try Jason if I want to do that."

"Kelly," Emily said in a caught you tone.

"What?" Kelly said, laughing "I thought he should know he was the big winner! I only wish I could have seen his face."

Emily giggled, "It was Sonny's face that was the most shocked. He figured since the flowers came to his house they were for him and that he won The Hottest Hottie Award."

Robin started laughing, "Poor Sonny. He must have been disappointed to lose his Hottie Title five seconds after he got it. Maybe we should send him flowers that say, You're hot, too. Love the drooling women of Port Charles."

Patrick walked in. He stood on the other side of the locker, and started to change his clothes.

"Now you are telling me Sonny is hotter than Nik?" Kelly asked "Get your eyes checked, Robin. Emily, you've seen them both

naked, who has the better body?"

Emily choked on her laughter, "Oh hell no. I am not answering that."

Robin said, "Patrick has them both beat- clothes on or off."

"Why thank you, Dr. Scorpio." he said loudly

The girls froze, their eyes wide. Kelly and Emily tried to stifle their giggles and mouthed "Bye" to Robin. They left the locker room.

Robin sat on the bench and said, with Patrick still on the other side of the lockers, "This is only going to make your ego twice as big, isn't it?"

"Yep," Patrick said, then his voice got more serious. "Besides it's nice to know you still see something good in me."

Robin ached at the sadness she heard in his voice. She said, " I still see a lot of good in you."

He didn't answer.

"Patrick?"

She walked around the locker but he was gone.

NOTE-Okay, I know I haven't showcased Cruz a lot lately. But he is in the next chapter. I am still torn as to how Robin and Cruz will work out, whether they will be friends or more. Let me know what you think about that issue.