"She won't be bothering us again, Sweetness." James told Francie as they sat on the couch in their hotel suite.

Francie was sitting in between James' legs, resting her back on his chest. She laid her head upon his shoulder and asked, "How can you be so sure?"

James kissed her on her forehead, he ran his hands up and down Francie's arms. "Because we won't let her. You want to tell me what she told you at the bar. I'd like to know."

James wrapped his arms around Francie who was still fuzzy from too much alcohol, and too little food, as she recounted the conversation she had with Amber.

"Like I'd even consider going back to her. She's insane." James shook his head in disbelief and looked sincerely into Francie's eyes. He spoke with conviction heavy in his voice, "Mary Frances Mancini, listen to me and listen good." The veil suddenly lifted and James rolled his eyes, "I love bake sales, birthday parties, and church picnics."

James cracked a big, beautiful smile at Francie and she laughed in spite of herself. She brought her hand down on the top of his tight, denim-clad thigh. "I do! I really do. I also love you." The seriousness was back on his face and in his voice. "I think you're perfect for Kansas or Cali, hometown or Hollywood. And I think, no…no, I KNOW you're perfect for me."

"And you're perfect for me, Bello." Francie smiled and laced her fingers with James'.

"James, are you sure you don't feel tied down with a ready-made family?"

"Are you kidding me? I love Marley, and I love YOU. You two, beautiful, ladies are all I need." James raised an eyebrow and smirked at her. "Unless we decide to give Mama Mancini more bellissimi nipotini."

Francie blushed at the idea.

James laughed, "I love it when you blush, Sweetness."

Francie reached her hand behind James' head and lowered it, bringing his lips to hers.

"You're incorrigible, James."

"But you still love me."

"I do, Bello." Francie sighed but her brain was still turning. "What about your career? I don't want to hold you back. I didn't want to do that to Kendall, and I don't want to do that you." Francie shook her head vehemently. "I couldn't live with that, James."

"Why would you think you'd hold me back?"

"I'm in Kansas, you're life and career are in LA-"

"No. My life is where you are, Francie…wherever you are." Francie's heart was touched by the sweetness in James' voice, and his words. "We'll work it out. I promise you, when the time comes we WILL work it out." James' assurance calmed Francie's concerns and made her think that maybe they could get through this, make it work.

They sat in silence just enjoying each other's presence, then James spoke again.

"What else did she tell you?"

Francie was hesitant to touch upon the subject of Kendall's feelings for her but she knew that now was the time to get everything out in the open.

"She told me to go back to Kendall so we could be a family. She had some nutty idea that he still loves me." Francie tried to play it off as a bunch of poppycock. She felt James tense up, and worry started to fill her.

James whispered softly to her, "I think he does, too, Francie."

"He already told us that's not the case. Why would you doubt that?"

"I just have a gut feeling. Sometimes, the way he hangs on every word you say, I'd swear you two were teenagers again. I've seen his eyes linger on you and the looks he gives you, too…I know those looks…I give you THOSE looks." James grinned trying to ease the awkwardness of it all.

"James David Maslow, are you jealous?"

"Wh-what?! No! I've never-," James' protesting stopped as Francie turned to face him, straddling his lap. She squinted her eyes, pursed her lips, and crossed her arms. She wasn't buying any of it.

James threw his arms into the air, "Alright. Yes, I am. I'm jealous. There, you happy?" James rested his hands on Francie's hips.

Francie shook her head. "No, I'm not." Francie cupped his face and ran her thumb over James' stubble. "I've never given you any reason to distrust me, have I?" James shook his head. "If you trust me then you know that I wouldn't let anyone come between us. Ever." Francie wrapped herself around James. The feelings she had for this man were so overwhelming sometimes. She just wished he knew that.

"Now, my turn for a question. Are you jealous of Amber?"

"Insanely!"

"Why? You know how I feel about her. I mean, God, I can't even stand to look at her, and she never loved me. You, on the other hand, get along with Kendall, you genuinely like him. Two different situations."

"I don't think it's Amber necessarily, but the point she made. Maybe it's insecurity. I don't know, but I'm not made for your kind of lifestyle. I feel like there's someone out there better suited to be photographed with you or head to movie premieres, or award shows. "

James shook his head. "That's bullshit and I'll prove it."

"How?"

"You'll see." James reached up and tucked a curl behind Francie's ear.

"Don't try to outsmart me, James. You're the pretty one, I'm the smart one."

James softly smiled. "Listen, you don't have any reason to feel jealous or insecure, Sweetness. I've seriously waited all this time for you, I'm not going to blow it. I love you so much, I can't even put it into words."

Francie leaned close to James and met his eyes with hers. "Okay, here's the deal." Francie gently poked James' well defined chest. "You trust that I will not be led astray by Kendall, or anyone else, for that matter. I love you, only you, nobody else but you." Francie placed her hand on her heart. "I will try to drop my insecurity issues and believe that we can make this work because we want it to."

"Wow," James looked adoringly up at Francie. "Smart and beautiful. I'm a lucky guy."

"Damn straight you are."

"Sassy is back, I see!"

Francie nodded her head and smiled. She held out her hand to shake James' hand. "Deal?"

James took her hand in his. "Deal."

James pulled Francie toward him and into a deep kiss. The heat radiating from him was overwhelming Francie. Things were escalating pretty quickly but they were interrupted by a knock on the door.

A voice on the other side of the door spoke, "Room service."

James let out an exasperated moan as Francie slid off his lap.

He, begrudgingly, lifted himself off the couch. "Well, you do need some food in you to balance that alcohol. We'll try drunk sex another time." He wiggled his eyebrows at Francie and dodged the throw pillow aimed at his head.

The waiter entered and started to set the table. When the food was set out, he lit the candles and placed a large bouquet of red roses on the table and a giftwrapped box on one of the plates. James tipped the man and he promptly excused himself with a simple, "Enjoy."

With an exaggerated bow, James announced, "Dinner is served, my Queen."

Francie stood up, still feeling a bit woozy, and made her way to the chair that James pulled out for her.

Again with the manners. Love it!

She looked from the bow topped box, and card, to James with a questioning glance.

He kneeled next to her and placed his hand on her back. With a smile and said, "Go ahead. Read it."

Francie smiled as she opened the card and read the words written in James' handwriting.

Mia bella Francie, Tu sie il mio amore, la mia vita, il mio tutto. Ti amerò per sempre, James.

(My beautiful Francie, You are my love, my life, my everything. I'll love you forever, James.)

Francie looked at James. "James, that was beautiful. I- "

James rubbed his hand in a circle on Francie's back. "Open the box," James whispered.

Francie delicately lifted the lid and a small gasp escaped her lips. She stared down at the sparkling brilliance that lay within the small box, a pendant with the word AMORE scripted in diamonds hung from a gold chain.

Francie's head slowly turned to face James with a wide smile and excited eyes. "Oh James, it's beautiful." She reached up to caress his cheek, "It's…it's more than beautiful. You shouldn't have – I love it – but you shouldn't have."

"So you like it?"

"Oh, I do. Thank you so much, Bello. Put it on me?" She handed the box to James. He secured the dainty latch, and sealed it with a kiss on the back of Francie's neck.

"How does it look?" The excitement evident in Francie's voice.

"Amazing, but it pales in comparison to the beauty wearing it."

"You're smooth, Maslow."

James shrugged his shoulders, "I try."

While Francie and James ate their meal they continued their discussion. Francie told him about the PI Amber hired and her stalking James from show to show.

"If she keeps it up I'll get a restraining order but I think she'll back off soon enough."

"You sound pretty sure."

"I am. I have a plan."

"Oooh, tell me!"

"You'll see."

"James!"

He laughed at Francie's annoyance. "Trust me."

Francie sent Kendall a text letting him know that he could bring the girls back when he was ready. Kendall and Carlos took Marley and Piper, allowing Francie and James some time alone to talk, and Nikki and Logan a chance to do God only knows what.

The sun was setting as Francie and James sat, snuggled in the loveseat, on the balcony, enjoying the breathtaking view of the darkening ocean. James pulled out his phone and took a close up of the necklace resting above Francie's cleavage.

"What are you doing?"

"Part of my plan, Sweetness."

Francie squinted at him. "I wish you'd share this 'plan' with me."

"Didn't we have this long conversation about trust earlier? That was you, right?"

Francie elbowed James in the ribs.

"Are you following me on Twitter or Instagram?"

"Why?"

"Are you?"

"No, I figured I already knew what you were up to. I thought I was privy to that kind of info."

"Easy, Sassy." James kissed her cheek. Francie giggled, and returned her sights to the view as James' fingers worked furiously on his phone.

Soon afterward, Francie received a text from Kendall. We're baaaack…

Francie and James walked to the door allowing the four to enter. The girls hugged Francie while she struggled to hear both girls tell her about their evening with Kendall and Carlos. Francie finally managed a 'thank you' to the guys before she was pulled into Marley's room to be shown the souvenirs the girls had gotten.

Carlos wandered to the fridge to get a bottle of water, then to the balcony, purposely leaving Kendall and James a moment to talk. Kendall had told Carlos about his conversation with Amber, and what happened on the beach with Francie and James. Of course, Kendall left out anything to do with his feelings for Francie. He wasn't stupid.

"Hey Kendall," James nervously ran his hand through his hair. "Look, man, I'm really sorry about what I said earlier. I didn't mean to sound accusatory or suggest anything. I was scared, wound up. I'm sorry."

"Do you love her, James? I mean really love her?" Kendall studied James' face.

James nodded slowly with his answer, "I do. She makes me feel, I don't know, complete. Like all this time I've just been wandering around aimlessly, kind of hollow inside. But not anymore, I feel things for her I've, honestly, never felt before. I've found my purpose and it's to love her, forever."

"I'm glad, because she feels the same about you. There's no one else in the world she'd rather be with." Kendall smiled and pat his friend on the back.

"How do you feel about her? I need to know, Kendall. No judging, no anger…just honesty." James stared at Kendall trying to read his green eyes.

Honesty? Ok, here we go.

"I'm trying, the best I know how. I would never, ever, do anything to come between you two. You've got to believe me. I would never hurt either one of you-"

"I'm sensing a but…"

Kendall nodded, "But yeah, I've still got feelings for her."

"Love?"

"Yeah. Love." Kendall looked at James trying to figure out if he should dodge a punch or not.

"More than 'she's Marley's mom' kind of love?" James asked.

Kendall exhaled slowly. "Yeah."

"Okay." James nodded.

"Okay?"

"Man I hate feeling jealous every time you two share an inside joke or a hug that lasts – what I think is – a bit too long. It's exhausting. Francie and I had good, long talk this afternoon. I'm putting my trust in her, and in you. I know that getting over someone, especially someone like Francie, is hard, hell it's a struggle, but know that I understand. I also want to make clear that I love her, too, and I will fight to keep her if I have to."

"I know," Kendall nodded, "I'd expect nothing less from you, James."

"Whew, I feel better." Kendall chuckled at his friend. James held his hand to Kendall. "We good? Do I have my brother back?"

Kendall grabbed James' hand. "Yeah, we're good." Kendall pulled James into a hug.

"So, I can still hug her, right?"

"Yes."

"Joke with her?"

"Yes!"

"Look at her in that hot bikini?"

"Sure." James hugged Kendall tighter.

"James, you're hurting me."

"I know." They were hugging and laughing when Francie and the girls came out of the room.

"Okay, girls out to the balcony, it's apparently 'bonding time'. Don't let us interrupt." Francie smiled sweetly and steered the girls out to Carlos.

"Listen, Ken, I don't want you to act any different around her because of me. I'll deal with what I have to deal with."

"So will I, Jay." James and Kendall walked out to the balcony both feeling a little more at ease with the unconventional situation they were in.