Author's Note: 3 chapters in 1 day...Don't count on it happening again, I was just super bored today lol!

Disclaimer: I own nothing

Chapter 3: Emotional Tells

Julie sat in the bar looking around. She felt weird, Scooter had called out of the blue. She missed him and part of the reason she'd come home was to see the people she loved, but this was a little too much. Plus she felt like everyone could tell she'd just had sex with a man she wasn't in love with.

"Guess who?" Her eyes were covered.

"Scooter!" She laughed and turned around and hugged him. "Oh it's so good to see you."

"It's good to see you too kid," He smiled.

"So, as grateful as I was for the phone call," She said as he sat down, "what's happening? Are you getting cold feet and need to talk about the benefits of joining the Riley family while you have the chance?"

"No," He said, "The feet are toasty warm," She nodded. "Um, this about your offer."

"God, finally!" She groaned, the bartender came, "Johnny Walker Blue for my friend," He reached for his wallet, "On me. My new money is just as good as your old here." He laughed. "Anyway, you artists are so careful with your work."

"Yeah," He said with a laugh, "We are. Um, just you're the right person to do this. You were there, you know the people the characters are based on. The school, the area, you wouldn't murder it."

"Never," She bounced, "Oh Scooter! You won't be sorry, the movie of Tell Me About The Girl is going to be amazing, I promise. I want you to get started on the screen play immediately."

"Me?" He said. "I've never written a screen play."

"No," She shook her head, "But you've written six best selling novels and this is your story. I should call Casey, he can start looking for directors.

"OK, now we talk about you," she groaned. "What's going on? You're home, for good?"

"Probably," She nodded, "I mean, now, the Japan thing is over and I intend to produce your movie." He smiled. "Don't you dare say it!" He shrugged. "It's not that I don't want to be with Jimmy," she sighed, "I do, I always have, but from everything Tammy's said, he's happy now."

"With Bonnie?" Scooter said. "He's not happy with her honey. She's awful. She's a know it all, and she's judgmental."

"As opposed to me?" She asked.

"You're just a know it all," He shrugged, "No judgment." She laughed. "She actually came out and said to Cassie that she thinks young motherhood is a waste."

"The last thing that Cassie and her children are is a waste!" Julie sighed. "Those kids are beautiful, and she's so good to them!" Scooter nodded. "I hate this girl."

"Called Ellie a whore," Scooter said, "You've done that though."

"Yes but only because it's true," She sighed, "I took no pleasure in it."

"She's going to be my sister in law," Scooter said.

"Brad can do so much better," She rolled her eyes. He looked at her. "He can. I don't care how much you all love her, she still stole my boyfriend in high school and I get to be pissed about that." He laughed and kissed her on the cheek.

"I have to get to dinner with my fiancée, my brother and my cousin, you are welcome to join us," He stood up.

"I have work to do," She shrugged, "But tell Kelly I said hello, and I love her and I can't wait to see her."

"You got it," He nodded. "I'll be in touch."

"Bye," She hugged him again. She squeaked and pulled out her cell phone and searched her contacts.

"Hello?" Casey said picking up.

"Stop sucking whatever guy's dick you've got in your mouth and start finding me directors for Tell Me About The Girl," She said.

"Mom?" Casey laughed. She giggled. "Are you stateside Gaffney?"

"I am," She smiled, "And I got Scooter Vanderbilt's OK on the movie and a verbal agreement that he's going to do the screen play."

"I beg of you when we talk to people about this can you please call him 'Scott,'" Casey groaned. "It's extremely gay when you call him 'Scooter' and not in the way that I like."

"Fine," She sighed, "Scott Vanderbilt is giving us the rights to his first novel."

"Thank you," He said, "So you're sticking around?"

"Looks like it," she smiled. "I'll head out there after Steph's birthday OK? Talk to Josh about casting."

"Call your mom," he said. "She'll want to know if you're going to see him."

"Good bye, Casey," she said and hung up before he could say more.

"That's two babies," Rick said, walking into his and Cassie's room and seeing her with Annabelle and Eddie on the bed. "Did Bella experience mitosis while I was at the office?"

"It's Eddie," she said, not catching the joke.

"I know it's Eddie," Rick laughed. "I recognize my own godson. Why is Eddie here?"

"Allie's having some trouble," she said, "so I said we'd take him for a few days."

"Allie has a nanny and a housekeeper and like four maids," he sat down, "why on earth do we need to take care of her baby?"

"Because she's having trouble Rick," Cassie said. Annabelle started fussing. "Rick can you give Bella her bottle, please."

"Sure," he said picking her up. "What kind of trouble?" Cassie looked at him.

"Remember after TJ was born?" She said.

"I was at Yale," Rick shook his head. She sighed. "Oh, you mean," she nodded. "Wow, does Cole know?" Cassie shook her head and cradled Eddie against her shoulder.

"Anyway, I just said that we'd watch Eddie this weekend while she talked to him and saw a doctor." Cassie said. Rick nodded. Eddie started crying. "Oh shh," she said softly. "Eddie, sweetheart, don't cry. Shh, Aunt Cassie's here."

"Mommy," Eva wandered in rubbing her eyes. "Mommy, it's late, why's Bella crying?"

"It's not Bella honey," Cassie said, "it's Eddie."

"Daddy!" Eva ran over and hugged Rick around the legs. "Oh Daddy, I missed you so much."

"Eva, sweetheart," Cassie sighed, "please go back to bed." Eva pouted. "Now, please!" She frowned and marched back into the hallway.

"Cass," Rick said. Cassie looked at him. "She could have stayed."

"No she could not," Cassie said. He frowned. "Maybe if you got home before ten some nights she wouldn't have been so excited to see you." He stared at her.

"Cassie, not to be insensitive," he sighed, "but you were the one who wanted to have another baby and I told you I was going to be busy." She looked at him her eyes starting to tear up. "Cassie," he whispered, laying a now sleeping Annabelle down in her bassinette and then took Eddie and put him in the playpen, "I'm sorry, honey, I'm sorry." He held her.

"I-I-I just," she stammered crying into his chest, "I'm so tired all the time Rick, and, and Eva and TJ miss you and I miss you." He kissed her. "Rick," she whispered.

"I love you so much," he said, "so much." They kissed. "I'm sorry I haven't been around, in a few weeks it'll be better, I promise."

"OK," she whispered. "I'm sorry, about Eddie."

"No, don't be sorry," he said. "Allie's your best friend, you should help her anyway you can." Cassie nodded. "Why don't you go to sleep? I'll take care of the babies."

"OK," she said and got into bed. He kissed her on the cheek and snuggled with her for a minute as she fell asleep.

Steve walked into the kitchen and saw Julie stirring a pot. He also noticed large amounts of shredded cheese on the counter.

"When'd you see Jimmy?" He asked.

"Hi Steve, my trip was great," Julie said with a fake smile on her face. "How have you been for the past two months?"

"Hello," he kissed her on the cheek. "I missed you, I'm glad you're home. When did you see Jimmy?"

"What makes you so sure I saw Jimmy?" She said.

"You're making mac and cheese," he shrugged. "It's your emotional tell, you know like in poker? You make certain foods when you're thinking about certain people."

"I so love hearing your theories," she rolled her eyes. He laughed. "And what pray tell do I make when I'm thinking about you?"

"Chili," he said. "Enchiladas for Tammy, gnocchi for Paulo, clam chowder for Cal, fried chicken for Jaime," he counted off. "Mac and Cheese for Jimmy." She sighed and looked at him. "So when'd you see him?"

"This afternoon," she said, "in the park, he was with her."

"Bonnie?" He said. She nodded. "She's hot man." She looked at him. "I'm just saying. Not that she's hotter than you. You know how I feel about brunettes, the one time I dated one it was a complete disaster."

"As opposed to the blondes," Julie said. "We've all worked out swimmingly for you."

"Well one of them has," he shrugged and propped himself up on the counter. "And you weren't a complete disaster." She laughed. "Speaking of blondes that I've dated," he mumbled.

"I haven't called her yet," Julie said. "I just got home. I will." He nodded. "Maybe you should call her, or him."

"Yeah," he mumbled. "Maybe." Julie looked at him and sighed. She knew Steve felt the loss of Taylor and Brett's friendship much more acutely than she did. She was always so busy, and hadn't been particularly close to Taylor except for the few months that she lived with her parents, but they'd been Steve's best friends in high school. "I guess they'll be at the party this weekend huh?"

"Probably," Julie nodded. "Elyse said and Aaron and Steph are practically inseparable." He nodded. "Here," she held a spoon with the food on it.

"Chili powder," he said handing it to her. She nodded. Paulo walked in. "Oh good, Paulo's here."

"Hello Steve," Paulo walked over and wrapped his arms around Julie's waist. "How have you been?"

"Super," Steve said. Paulo nodded and started kissing Julie's neck. Julie giggled and turned around and kissed him. "Whoa, you two are just going for it huh?" They didn't hear him, "Cat, I'm gonna um, you now who you should call, your dad. Yeah, Cal would be really glad to hear what you're up to." Julie pulled away and glared at Steve.

"I'll wait in the bedroom," Paulo said and walked away. Julie folded her arms and scowled at Steve.

"He's bad for you," Steve said. "Like heroin or refined sugars." She rolled her eyes. "Why else haven't you told Cal about him?"

"Because my father really needs to know that I'm having casual sex," Julie said. "He'd react so well to that. He didn't even like when I lived with Jimmy and we'd been together for eight years."

"You shouldn't be having casual sex," Steve said. "We're too old for it."

"You're just jealous because I only did it with you twice," she stuck her tongue out and walked back into the bedroom.

"Six times!" Steve mumbled, "Two nights!" Tammy walked in.

"What's up?" She said. "Oh, mac and cheese! When did Julie see Jimmy? What six times two nights?" He raised his eyebrows. "Oh right, your great affair with Julie. We have to get rid of Paulo. This is out of control."

"I love being with you." He laughed. "And yeah, he has to go."

"James," Bonnie whimpered laying on her bed as Jimmy kissed her neck and pulled her shirt off. Jimmy kissed her softly. They did have a spectacular sex life. Actually, it was what got them together at first. Claire Vanderbilt had set them up, a few months after he broke up with Julie, she was a junior editor under her. They had a few lackluster dates, and then on the third an amazing night of sex. So they didn't break up. He liked her, she was intelligent and interesting. Plus she was there. "James, wait, I've been thinking."

"About?" He said and kissed across her chest.

"What if you get your internship someplace else?" She said. He stopped and looked at her. "I mean, you're interviewing at Columbia Presbyterian, I know, but also Johns Hopkins, and Mass Gen right?"

"You want to talk about this now?" He sighed pulling back.

"I mean," she said. "If you got a hospital in the New York area you'd pick that right? So that we could be together?"

"We don't have to worry about that for a year, Bonnie," he sighed and stood up. "I still have to you know, graduate from med school." She nodded. "And who's to say we couldn't be together if I was in Boston, or Baltimore?"

"Long distance relationships don't work," she said. "You've always said that. I mean you and Julie,"

"Julie moved to Japan for a year," he reminded her, "it's a little different." She crossed her arms. "I told you, I'm with you," he kissed her. "I love you, can we drop this?" She sighed. "And of course if I have the choice I'll stay with you here in New York. But like I said, we don't have to deal with it for a year." He kissed her neck.

"Not now," she pulled away. "I'm not in the mood." He sighed as she got under the covers.

Review Please! You guys have been awesome today!