A/N: Ya'll I so, so sorry for the late ass update! Life got hectic and then I just wasn't inspired to write for a minute, and then I found myself staring at a bunch of rough drafts and realized that I'd written myself into a corner and decided to start all over.

If you're also reading THK, DID, and RR - please know that I am proofreading them this week and will have them up asap. Also, I am looking for a beta/would like to be a beta, so if anyone is interested - hit me up! On with the story :)

Disclaimer: See first chapter

The last day of shooting was 24 hours away and Chord had yet to tell Amber.

In his head he must have told her at least once a day, but every time he got the nerve to tell her something would get in the way. The first day everyone was getting settled back in and they didn't even see each other.

On their second day back to work Chord was finally ready to 'Woo Ms. Riley' as Nash put it. He started slowly by offering to help her with running her lines before going on set. They would meet at her trailer and he always made sure to bring with him her caffeine of choice before starting.

The guys were constantly watching him, but otherwise remained silent. Until yesterday. That's when the McHale storm hit.

"You know Chord, the studio has security. I don't need you to see me to my car every day." Amber said.

"Yeah, I know that." He said sheepishly "It's just now that 'Sam and Mercedes' aren't a couple anymore – I feel like I hardly get to see ya."

Today she had changed after being on set into an old Ramones t-shirt, denim jeans, and converses. Her hair was piled high in a messy bun and she had on no makeup.

He found himself wondering, "How does she still managed to be so damn beautiful?"

"Chordy? Chord? You okay?"

He blinked a few times before he realized that he had missed whatever it was that she had said.

"I'm sorry. Whew - these 15 hour days are catching up to me! Did I miss something?"

"I wanted to know if you were okay with running lines with me over lunch instead of in my trailer tomorrow?"

"Sure, that's cool. I'll see ya then mama."

Her eyes seem to light up a little when he called her that. "Boy…you better not let Kevin hear you say that!"

"Speaking of Kevin, don't you usually have lunch with him?"

"Yeah, but we really need to rehearse. It's one of the few scenes that we have together, and I want to get it right."

"Well alright then! Let's get to rehearsing - I can go all night if need be."

He didn't realized how that last sentence sounded out loud and was about to apologize for it until she stopped him by placing a hand on his chest and then slowing looking up to met his eyes.

"Most guys say that and can't, but I have a feeling that you could."

Lord help him - he wasn't gonna make it another day without asking her to have his children if she kept that kind of talk up!

Shaking his head and fighting the blush that was quickly reaching his ears, Chord said, "Umm.. I-I didn't mean it that way. It just came out - I mean, I could - oh crap! I'm sorry."

At this point the blush had made it to his ears and gave his cheeks a nice sun kissed glow.

Amber finally stopped giggling at him to say, "It's okay. I know that you were only joking Chordy. I'll see ya tomorrow!"

He watched as she turned to get into her car and sighed after waving goodbye.

So caught up with his thoughts about tomorrow that he didn't noticed Kevin as he made his way up to him.

"So..you just gonna take my lunch time with my wifey like that? Ain't you monopolizing enough of her time?" Kevin spat out.

"She offered and I accepted man - what did you want me to say? Nah Ambs - I wouldn't feel right about taking Kevin's lunch date away?"

"Hell yeah! That's what you should've said - all that mess and then some."

"See here's the thing - I don't feel bad about it."

Kevin gasped and then threw Chord a mean 'judging you' face.

"The hell you mean you don't feel bad?! I thought we were boys! How you seriously gonna go after my wifey like this? Just Joe Biden all over the place and shit!"

Chord was done with ignoring Kevin's cray cray and decided now was a good of time as any to let him know it.

"Kevin - you've known Amber for how long?" When Kevin just looked at him he answered for him.

"Years. Years! And have you ever seriously told her how you felt? Asked her out? Anything?"

Kevin looked at Chord, opened his mouth to speak, closed it, and then crossed his arms defensively.

"Okay Chordy." he said mockingly "What point are you trying to make?"

"Only that you've had years to see if Amber could really be interested in being more than just friends with you and you never took a chance! I can't do that man - I won't wait around wondering what could've been to see her find someone else. So be mad or whatever you want, but I am going to see if I have a shot at being with her."

"Damn. I really mess up and missed my chance, uh?"

"Yeah. You did. Why did you?" Chord asked

Kevin looked down at his feet and then around the parking lot before looking back at Chord.

"Fear. I would say that I would tell her how I felt, but then right before I did I would choke up. Starting thinking of how it could mess up our friendship and shit.. So I kept my feelings to myself.."

Chord understood all too well the fear that went with acknowledging his feelings for Amber. He could relate, but he still wanted Kevin to know that he wasn't going to back down.

"Listen, I get it. I do. But I gotta tell you - I meant what I said man. I am going to tell Amber how I feel. I don't want to be in your place - no offensive."

"None taken. I just.. I didn't want to admit to myself that you where serious about Amber and that I had maybe missed my chance."

Chord nodded. Then he asked Kevin, "Wait - what do you mean 'maybe'?"

Kevin laughed. "Just that playa - maybe. You ain't tell her yet, and you still don't know if she sees you as a potential boyfriend or not."

Shit.

For once Kevin was right.

While watching him walk away, Chord decided that tomorrow was the day. He was going to tell Amber how he felt and let the chips fall where they may.