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When You're Around

Chapter 30

The next morning was spent traveling to the next city where Raw was going to be held tomorrow. Luckily for both Adam and Rachel, who didn't want to be near the other, Adam got a ride with a couple of the other guys while Randy, Chloe and Rachel drove together. Once they reached the next city and were settled into the hotel, the girls decided it was the perfect day for laying out by the pool, so that's where they headed, along with Randy and John.

"Ah, this is the life." Rachel said from her spot laying down on her lounge chair. She adjusted her black bikini top, undoing the straps so she didn't get any tan lines.

"I concur my friend." Chloe said as she reached her drink out to clink glasses with her friend. Chloe was wearing a floral bikini that she knew Randy couldn't take his eyes off of.

Rachel clinked her glass with Chloe's before slipping on her sunglasses and closing her eyes. She could fall asleep right here. So relaxed and warm. A minute later, she felt a shadow fall over her. Alarmed that the sun had suddenly gone down, she opened her eyes and saw Adam looking down at her with a smug smile.

"Good afternoon Rach," He said.

She frowned. "It's Rachel." She said, not wanting this annoying man to use her nickname.

"Right, right." He said before walking out of her view. She let out a sigh, hoping he was gone. Though a few seconds later, she heard the awful sound of a lounge chair legs scraping across the concrete. She turned her head to see Adam dragging a chair over so it sat next to hers.

"What are you doing?" She asked, hoping he wasn't going to stay there sitting next to her.

"Sitting down." He said as he stretched his body out.

"Right here?" She asked. "Why can't you sit over there?" She pointed to the chairs that were on the other side of the pool, far away from her.

"Because my friends are over here." He said, gesturing to Randy and John who were sitting on the other side of Chloe.

Rachel shook her head, giving up. "Fine," She let her head loll back onto the chair. "Just don't bug me."

"As you wish princess." He mocked.

She glared at him through her sunglasses. "I'm not a princess." She wished he would stop saying things like that.

He grinned at her, happy he'd successfully gotten under her skin. "Could've fooled me."

She groaned and sat up as she tied her top back behind her neck. "I'm going swimming." She tossed over her shoulder to Chloe. She walked down the steps into the pool slowly, allowing her body to get used to the slightly cold temperature. She swept her feet out from under her so the water went up to her shoulders as she slowly moved her arms so she moved backwards. She looked up at where she'd just been sitting and saw that Adam was now sitting on her chair as he talked to his friends and Chloe animatedly. He seemed so nice. She didn't understand why he was so friendly to everyone else but a complete dick to her. And what was up with calling her princess? Did she come off as a spoiled brat? She didn't think she did but why else would be mock her every chance he got?

Her feet shot out to find the bottom of the pool when her back hit something. When she realized she was in the deep end now and her feet couldn't reach the floor, she slowly started to slide down into the water. Her chin almost when under when an arm wrapped firmly around her waist and pulled her up and against a very solid chest. "I'm so sorry!" She said as she turned herself around in the strangers arms. "Oh," she said with a smile when she saw it was Stephen who was holding her. "Hey,"

He grinned. "We must stop meeting like this," He said as his hand absentmindedly stroked her side.

"Sorry," She said again. "Lots of things on my mind." She couldn't help but glance over at the person who had been on her mind. She was surprised to see Adam relaxing on her chair, staring right at her. She turned back around to face Stephen. "And thanks," She said gesturing to the arm that was holding her up. "I didn't realize it was so deep."

He shrugged, his arm tightening around her instinctively. "I couldn't let a pretty little thing like you drown. And before your first day of work at that."

She smiled. "I can swim you know,"

He winked. "Where's the fun in that?" He looked over her shoulder at where she'd been sitting. "You're friends with Adam?"

She rolled her eyes. "Ha! No, definitely not. Chloe's my best friend, she interns with creative."

He nodded. "Yeah, I've seen her around. She's dating Randy right?"

Rachel nodded. "She is."

He looked down at her and fingered a piece of hair that had fallen out of her bun. "You're hair's falling out."

She reached up to touch her hair. Indeed it was but for some reason she didn't care. She looked up at him as she just noticed his accent. "You Irish?"

He grinned. "What gave it away? The accent or the ridiculously pale skin and orange hair?" He said as he reached up to finger his spikes.

She smirked back. "All of the above." The stood there for a couple minutes- well he stood, she just bobbed in his arms- just looking at each other in silence. She felt herself blush at his intense stare. She reached up to touch her cheek. "I think I better go put some more sunscreen on," She tried to cover for her suddenly red face.

He nodded, though he didn't let go of her. "Am I going to run into you again Rachel Macguire?"

She loved how he said her full name. She grinned coyly. "Considering our history, it will probably be the other way around."

He chuckled. "Probably." He said before finally letting her go, making her use her arms and legs to stay afloat. "Well if I don't see you soon, good luck on your first day."

"Thanks," She said before turning around and swimming to the other side in the pool until her feet reached the pool floor and she could walk.


Randy knew what Chloe was thinking when she turned to him with question in her eyes, turning away from the scene between Rachel and Stephen. "Relax," He said, putting his hand on hers. "Stephen's a good guy."

She pursed her lips but didn't say anything more as her friend walked up. "You two looked friendly." She said to Rachel, who blushed. Chloe raised a brow in surprise, Rach was not the blushing kind.

"Who Stephen?" Rach as nonchalantly as she laid down on her chair. "He's nice. I ran into him last night at the arena."

Chloe nodded. "You like him?"

"Chlo!" Rachel said with a laugh. "I just met the guy! I don't know anything about him."

"So," She said with a shrug. "Haven't you ever heard of love at first sight?"

"Whoa, now you're talking about love? I'm sorry do you know who I am?" Rachel asked, causing Chloe's shoulders to slump. She definitely knew Rachel. She was not the relationship kind. Though she had never vocalized it, Chloe suspected it was due to fear. A fear of love? A fear of commitment? She didn't know. All she knew was that whenever her friend got close to a guy that she really liked, she would suddenly lose interest and move on. She knew Rachel wanted to be in a relationship with a man that loved her but she just always backed out before anything serious could develop. "Randy, control your woman," Rachel joked.

Randy smiled and leaned over, pressing a kiss to his girlfriends lips. Chloe accepted it but rolled her eyes at her friend. "Fine, fine, I'll leave you alone. I was just curious."

"Chlo, you know me. If there's ever anything to tell, I'll tell you."

"You're right," Chloe said confidently as she closed her eyes to relax. "You're absolutely right."

"Drinks," John announced as he brought over four cups of beer for the group. Randy, Chloe and Rachel all accepted their drinks with a thanks.

Rach looked around after taking a swig of the beer. "Hey, where's Adam?" She asked, just noticing he was gone.

"Oh, he left when you were over there with Stephen," Chloe said. Rach didn't know why, but a little bit of disappointment spread through her.

"So uh," John said, taking a seat at the end of Rachel's chair. "Have you guys talked to Jessica recently?"

Rach looked over at Chloe with a grin. Seemed Jess may not be the only one with a crush. "Yeah, we talked to her on the drive over here."

He looked up. "How's she doing?" He played it off like it was a casual question though he was very curious. He had been thinking about her a lot.

"She's good considering what's she's gone through." Rach said.

"Yeah, she's just been going to work and watching movies at home this week." Chloe added.

"She misses us," Rach said with a smile, looking over at Chloe.

"Yeah, I wish there was some way we could get her to come out here."

"Have her take some time off work," Randy suggested as he comfortably ran his hand over Chloe's inner thigh.

"Ha!" Chloe snorted.

"That girl does not do days off." Rachel explained. "She has so many sick days she has not used. Not to mention vacation time. She's convinced if she misses one day she'll be fired."

"We'll just have to find some way to convince her otherwise." Chloe said with a light in her eyes. She got Rachel's attention and gestured to John.

"Yeah," Rachel said, catching on. "We'll need to make it worth her while."

Randy looked between the two, confused. "What are you two planning?"

Chloe smiled up at him. "Nothing you need to worry about." She said, leaning forward to press a kiss to his lips to get his mind off of their little plan.

A/N: I'm so glad you guys like the last chapter! Hope you enjoy this one just as much.