Chapter 8: A Kiss

"Hey Haley, Nathan... over here," Tanzy waived towards the table she and her husband, Micah were sitting at. Haley smiled as she and Nathan walked over holding hands. Lucas was already sitting with Micah talking about basketball.

"Hey Tanz, I don't think we're going to be staying too long," Nathan spoke as he sat down.

"Where are the rest of your friends?" Tanzy asked.

"Probably at the bar," Haley added.

"Nathan, your brother was telling me he used to be pretty good," Micah grinned at Nathan.

"Yeah, he was really good... He'd be playing pro if it weren't for his heart condition," Nathan added. Lucas smiled at his brother.

"Have you heard from Mac yet?" Haley asked Lucas, as she sipped her water. He just shook his head as Peyton and Brooke made their way to the table.

"Those bartenders are ridiculous," Brooke spat angrily.

"What'd they do?" Lucas asked curiously.

"They made her wait in line," Peyton laughed.

"Not just any line... A line of at least 100 people. I couldn't even bribe them," Brooke shook her head.

"Welcome to L.A." Tanzy laughed.

"Peyton, where's Aubrey?" Haley asked.

"She met some guy in line at the bar and I think they went to dance," Peyton spoke as she sipped her beer.

"So you guys really thought Aubrey was Nathan's lover?" Micah asked, laughing.

"Yeah, can we not talk about it," Brooke tried to change the subject.

"I love you guys for caring about me so much," Haley grinned at her friends. They just nodded.

"And having so much faith in me," Nathan added sarcastically.

"We're really sorry, Nathan," Peyton whispered.

"Where did Mouth and Rachel run off?" Lucas asked.

"Their hotel room, as usual," Brooke laughed.

"Well, I think me and Hales are gonna be going too..." Nathan spoke as he stood up.

"So soon?" Peyton asked.

"Yeah, I really want to go for a walk," Haley smiled.

"But I barely feel like we've gotten to hang out since I've gotten here," Peyton complained.

"Tomorrow, you have me all day," Haley grinned as she hugged her friends.

"You guys don't mind us crashing back at your place tonight, do you?" Lucas asked.

"Nah, come on over," Nathan answered. With that he and Haley walked out of the club hand in hand.

"They're so cute," Tanzy smiled, "I've never seen a couple more in love than they are."

"Yeah," Peyton, Brooke and Lucas agreed.

"Well, Tanz, our babysitter is going to have to leave soon, we should probably be getting home too... Hey Lucas, you and Nathan should stop by the house tomorrow and shoot some hoops with me," Micah stood up.

"Yeah, that'd be great. I'll talk to Nate when we get home," Lucas nodded as he shook Micah's hand. Tanzy and Micah left.

"And then there were three," Peyton piped uncomfortably.

"Wasn't there always," Brooke sighed.

"You guys, all that stuff was a long time ago. We've all moved on, right?" Lucas asked.

"Right," Brooke replied.

"So, I didn't get to meet your fiance, Mac..." Peyton spoke.

"Yeah, she had to get back home," Lucas replied.

"Is she pretty?" Peyton asked.

"Yeah, definitely..." Lucas smiled.

"Except that she's a liar," Brooke said under her breath.

"What did you just say?" Lucas asked.

"Nothing... it was nothing," Brooke lied.

"No, you said she was a liar... What am I missing here?" Lucas asked.

"Oh nothing. Just that Mac doesn't think you're her babies father," Brooke covered her mouth with her hand as soon as the words were out. Peyton's eyes got really big.

"Who told you that?" Lucas asked, visibly upset.

"I overheard her..." Brooke answered, "I'm really sorry Lucas."

"No, it's okay... I really need some air," Lucas stood and ran out the door.

"Brooke!" Peyton yelled.

"It slipped... Haley is going to kill me," Brooke hung her head.

"Wait, Haley knew?" Peyton asked.

"Yeah, Mac told her... But Lucas and Haley had decided that everyone just needed to mind their own business, so she didn't tell him. She said Mac would tell him..."

"Oh no. This isn't good. Come on, we need to get back to the house," Peyton grabbed Brooke's arm and pulled her out of the club.

"Aubrey," Haley laughed, "your cousin, Aubrey... our friends are nuts."

"Yeah, I mean, even if you and I had never met and Aubrey wasn't my cousin, she would be the last person I would go for," Nathan laughed as he squeezed his wives hand as they walked along the sidewalk.

"Well, who would you go for?" Haley asked curiously.

"Hmm... Maybe someone like Brittany Snow," Nathan joked.

"Hey! I know you always had a crush on her, but did you really have to answer that question..."

"Well, I mean I could have said Brooke," Nathan laughed. Haley punched him in the arm.

"Okay, okay... At least I know you would never have a chance with Brittany Snow," Haley smiled.

"Who says?" Nathan joked.

"Yeah right, Nathan... She's a movie star."

"But I'm so sexy," Nathan grinned, "You know how sexy I am."

"Yes," Haley smiled, "Everyone knows how sexy you are."

"And I did marry a rock star," Nathan winked.

"I'm not a rock star anymore, babe. Just your wife..."

"My incredibly sexy wife," he leaned down to kiss her.

"You bring up my singing a lot... You really want me to tour, don't you?" Haley asked.

"I want what you want... Singing is a huge part of who you are..."

"Yeah, but being your wife is the biggest part and after everything that happened last time..."

"Haley, things are different this time. I support you 100."

"I'll think about it. After the baby, okay?" Haley smiled.

"Okay," Nathan agreed with a smile on his face.

"Okay, so no one is here yet," Brooke sighed after she and Peyton knocked on Nathan and Haley's front door.

"See at least in North Carolina, no one locked their doors," Peyton laughed.

"Where is Lucas? I'm such an idiot!" Brooke screamed.

"No you're not. It was an accident," Peyton tried to cheer her former best friend up.

"Can I ask you a question?" Brooke asked.

"Yeah."

"You loved Lucas, right?"

"Yeah, of course I did."

"What made you leave him for Jake?"

"What Jake and I have had is so different from everything Luke and I had."

"But what do you mean?" Brooke begged for more.

"I don't know. Lucas was always saving me. I loved him for that. He was my best friend. I loved him... It just took Jake coming back to realize that I wasn't in love with him... What's going on with you?"

"I've just really missed Lucas... more than I thought I did."

"Tell him how you feel. Stop being afraid and just talk to him," Peyton urged her friend.

"Like I can really do that after telling him about Mac."

"What about Mac?" Haley asked as she and Nathan walked up the stairs to the front door.

"Lucas hasn't heard from her," Peyton answered for her friend. Nathan shot Haley a look.

"Where is Luke?" Nathan asked.

"Don't know. Said he needed air," Brooke answered as Nathan unlocked the door and opened it for everyone.

"Hey Peyton, I'm about to go lay down... Wanna come catch up with me for a little bit?" Haley encouraged.

"What about Nate? It's pretty late." Peyton replied.

"It's cool. I usually play video games to relax after a game," Nathan smiled.

"Alright, come on Brooke," Peyton encouraged.

"No, that's okay, I'm pretty tired," Brooke replied as she walked down the hall to her room. Nathan plooped down on the couch and began playing some video game so Peyton followed Haley into her bedroom. Nathan's phone rang.

"Hello?" he asked without looking at the caller i.d. "Hey... You have to stop calling... You know I appreciate everything you've done for Haley's music... Yeah, and I'm sorry about that... Fine, tomorrow, meet me at Mike's pizza at noon. See ya."

Peyton walked into the living room and noticed something was bothering Nathan.

"What's up, Nathan?" Peyton asked as she sat down next to him.

"Oh, nothing... back so soon?" Nathan laughed.

"Yeah, as soon as Haley's head hit the pillow she was out," Peyton laughed.

"The pregnancy is wearing her out, I guess."

"Yeah, I was the same way," Peyton laughed as she pulled a picture of her son out from her wallet.

"He's cute," Nathan smiled.

"Yeah, he looks more like his daddy," Peyton smiled.

"You're happy, right?"

"Yeah, the happiest I've ever been."

"That's great. I'm happy for you."

"What about you and Hales?" Peyton asked.

"We're really good,' Nathan smiled.

"So then what's up with the mysterious phone calls?" Peyton asked.

"If I tell you, promise not to tell anyone, and promise not to think any less of me..."

"I promise... Just tell me you didn't cheat on Haley," Peyton looked serious.

"I haven't... Not technically... I mean this girl kissed me once, but it was nothing and I even pulled away from it... I just never told Hales and now this woman won't stop calling me."

"Just a kiss, huh?" Peyton asked.

"Just a kiss." Nathan replied.

"