Somewhere between Miami and Orlando

The bright afternoon sunlight filled the rental car as Austin drove along the country highway that would eventually lead him and Mimi to a more heavily used highway that would then take them to the city of Orlando. After roughly a week of overcast skies and frequent downpours, the warm March sun was a welcomed sight.

"I really do appreciate you going to all this trouble just so I can spend a few days on the beach with my friends," Mimi said with a sweet smile.

Austin kept his eyes focused on the road as he smiled and replied, "Ahh, what kind of guy would I be if I had left my baby brother's girlfriend all alone in the airport when I had an extra ticket to Florida?"

Mimi forced a frail smile upon her face, but all she really felt was a girlish disappointment. After spending a week with Austin in Miami, Mimi had truly gotten to know the older man. And, the more she had gotten to know him, the more intense her crush on him became. Now, Mimi was hit with the realization that Austin just didn't see her in the same light.

Without warning, the calm and peaceful atmosphere departed the vehicle as a thunderous boom was followed by Austin nearly losing control of the vehicle and having to carefully pull the car over to the side of the road.

Even as Austin removed the key from the ignition, Mimi continued to grip the dashboard so tightly that her knuckles were a ghostly white. Her nostrils flared as she pulled in huge breaths of air.

Leaning across the car, Austin gently rubbed Mimi's arm and said, "Mimi, it's okay. We just had a blowout. Everything's fine. We'll just be delayed, that's all."

"Just a blowout?" Mimi echoed as she loosened her grip on the dashboard and slightly slowed her rapid breaths. "But, everything's fine?"

Chuckling softly, Austin reassured his companion, "Yes, Mimi, everything's fine. Like I said, we're just going to be arriving in Orlando a little later than we had planned."

Finally letting go of the dashboard, Mimi took another deep breath. "So," she began. "What now?"

"Well, according to the sign we passed just before the blowout, the next town is only two or three miles away."

"Two or three miles?" Mimi questioned incredulously.

"Yep," answered Austin with his familiar cheerfulness. "So, I guess we'd better get started walking."

Though she released a displeased groan, Mimi threw open the passenger door and stepped out of the safety of the car. She glanced down at her stylish yet uncomfortable shoes and wondered why she couldn't have worn something sensible just once.

Meeting Austin at the front of the car, Mimi forced a tight smile onto her face and declared, "Okay, let's get started."

Alone in his family's living room, Jason attempted to read the latest issue of Car and Driver while not looking at the clock. He wasn't sure if he wanted time to slow down to a crawl or accelerate like a speeding car. Did he want more time to consider his choice before picking Chloe up at 7:00, or did he want the hours to fly by so he could see her again?

Tossing the magazine onto the coffee table, Jason grumbled incoherently to himself. He wanted to continue to play the cocky misfit that had a heart of steel, but Chloe made it so very easy to slip into a softer and more accepting role.

Jason ran a hand through his blond hair and remarked, "One thing's for sure, Chloe Lane. You've definitely turned my life upside-down without even trying."

Entering the living room in his classic egotistical manner, Devon asked, "Ah, little brother, don't tell me that you're talking to yourself."

"I'm not talking to myself, Devon," grumbled Jason. "I was just . . . thinking aloud."

Devon opened his mouth to give a taunting remark, but he was stopped by the ringing of the telephone.

A panicked expression dominated Devon's face as Jason stood and said, "I'll get it."

Quickly positioning his body in front of his brother and effectively making himself a barrier to the telephone, Devon attempted to smile casually as he said, "Nah, you just sit back down and talk to yourself some more. I'll get the phone."

Jason glared at his brother with heavy skepticism. "You know, Dev, now that I think about it, you've been answering the phone every single time it's rung for the past few days. So, unless you have something to hide, why don't you just let me get it?"

"I've got nothing to hide," lied Devon before hurriedly spinning around and grabbing the cordless phone and darting across the room with it. Bringing the device to his ear, he answered, "Hello . . . oh, sorry, wrong number."

Ending the phone call, Devon smiled once more and said, "Just a wrong number." As his younger brother approached him, Devon continued, "Honestly, Jase, it's nothing for you to worry about."

However, as the phone in Devon's hand released a shrill ring, Jason snatched it from his brother and greeted the caller rather defensively, "Who is this?"

"Jase? Oh, baby, it's Jan. It's so good to hear your voice."

Taken aback by Jan's overly nice attitude, Jason quietly asked, "Jan, why are you calling?"

"Well, actually, I've been calling ever since I arrived back in Europe. But, every time I call, that bastard you call a brother tells me that you've either left the country, have been abducted by aliens, or ran away to Las Vegas with that freak Chloe Lane."

"Once again, Jan, why the hell are you calling?"

"Well, if Devon would have given you my messages, you'd know that I miss you so much and that I really want to work things out, Jase. I don't know why I said all those horrible things to you. I'm just so sorry that things turned out like they did."

Rolling his eyes and gripping the phone more tightly, Jason growled, "Oh, I just bet you're sorry, Jan. You're sorry that I finally got away from you and found someone who likes me for who I really am - not for being a popular jock. The only reason you're calling is to try and lure me away from Chloe because you hate her. Well, it won't work, Jan. It won't work."

Jan didn't even bother to say goodbye. She merely hung up and left Jason with a line of static.

Throwing the cordless phone down on the couch, Jason turned his attention to his brother and demanded, "Why didn't you tell me that she called? Did you really think that I would just go running back to her the minute she started pouting and said she was sorry?"

"Honestly? Yeah, I did think that you'd slither back to her. Let's face it, her pouting has always worked in the past. And, I just didn't want you to screw things up with Chloe before they even really began."

The anger leaving his body, Jason said more calmly, "Well, you don't have anything to worry about. Now that I've finally decided to try a relationship with Chloe, I will make sure that it works. After all, I never lose anything I really want without a fight."

Watching Jason and his cocky smile disappear into the kitchen, Devon grumbled under his breath, "That is unless your foolish pride gets in the way."

It appeared as if Chloe's closet had exploded and left its debris all across the bedroom. Filling the floor were no less than half a dozen pairs of shoes. Strung across the bed were dresses and skirts of every color and style.

Accessories such as earrings, bracelets, and hair clips littered Chloe's vanity. In the bathroom, cosmetics covered every spare inch of counter top.

Sitting in the middle of the disaster area was Chloe. Her hair looked to be quite a mess and displeasure was clearly written on her face as she surveyed the destruction known as her bedroom.

A soft tapping on the door pulled Chloe away from her nervous thoughts of despair. Rather dully, she called out, "Come in."

"Chloe, dear, I just-"

Nancy stopped mid-sentence as she observed the clothing, jewelry, and shoes that were strewn across the usually tidy room. Clasping her hands together, Nancy questioned, "Sweetheart, is everything all right?"

"Does it look all right?" Chloe grouchily snapped. Realizing her own rudeness, she added, "I'm sorry, Nancy. I'm just a little stressed out."

Her innate curiosity taking control, Nancy asked, "Stressed, eh? Do you want to talk about whatever's going on? Maybe it would make you feel better."

"No, maybe it would be a way for you to pry into my life without having to nag," rebutted Chloe with a smirk.

Nancy gave her daughter a disapproving glare and responded, "Sweetheart, I'm sorry if you think I'm trying to be nosy. I just want to make sure you know that you can talk to me about whatever is going on in your life."

Chloe silently weighed her options. With Belle all the way in Florida, she didn't really have any other females besides Nancy to consult about fashion, guys, and life. Deciding to give in to the mysterious urge to share, Chloe said, "I'm going to the movies tonight, and I have no idea what I should wear or how I should fix my hair. I'm not even sure how to behave."

With a knowing motherly smile, Nancy remarked, "I take it you're not going to the movies by yourself."

"No," Chloe slowly responded.

"So, Jason finally asked you out on a date, huh?"

Suddenly feeling extremely nervous, Chloe answered, "It's not a date. Well, maybe it is. I don't know quite what it is. And, what do you mean by finally?"

"First of all, sweetie, you wouldn't be this anxious if it wasn't a date. Secondly, Craig and I have been watching Jason and you together for the past week or so. Whether I like it or not, the boy is obviously quite fond of you, Chloe."

"You think?"

"I know."

Smiling uncontrollably, Chloe clasped her hands together and admitted, "Well, I'm becoming really fond of him, too."

Nancy released a rather unhappy sigh before replying, "I can see that."

"Nancy, please, don't try to ruin this for me - I'm nervous enough as it is."

"Fine, I just won't say anything at all . . . but, don't you forget that I was young once and that Craig and I used to go to the movies, too - if you know what I mean."

Chloe's face became comically scrunched up as an unwanted mental image filled her mind. "Ewww, Nancy, it's not like that with me and Jason, okay?" Releasing yet another sigh of frustration, Chloe requested, "Why don't you just leave me alone for a little while. I'm sure I can figure out something to wear on my own."

"Well, if that's the way you want it . . ."

"It is."

Approaching the door, Nancy said, "I'll go downstairs, but if you need me, sweetheart, just call for me."

"Nancy, I'm not going through some traumatic experience - I'm just going to the movies."

Nancy gave her daughter a light smile before leaving the room and shutting the door behind herself. Though Jason Masters was far from being the young man she would have chosen for Chloe, Nancy had a feeling that he wouldn't be leaving the picture - or Chloe's thoughts - like Philip and Brady had.