HAPPY 2014!

Want to say a big thank you to everyone that has taken the time to read this and review. I'm so glad people have enjoyed my story, I just hope you like this chapter as well.

Chapter 2: Near Miss

"So Matt how was your day?" Nick and Matt were now sat in a local café indulging on sundaes as big as their heads; these were the best in the area.

"Yeah it was good, I like my new teacher. I think I will learn a lot from her." Matt smiled taking another giant spoon full of his ice-cream.

"Well for the few seconds I met her she seemed lovely, I'm glad you enjoyed your day." Nick looked down at his melting sundae not really in the mood he still felt a pang of guilt letting Matt feel unloved. "Matt can I ask you a question?"

"Sure Nick," Matt replied feeling somewhat confused of what his uncle could want.

"I heard some of the conversation that you and Miss Day were having; do you really feel like that?"

Matt looked down and started playing with his fingers not really ready to let go of the problem so dear to his heart. But Miss Day did say to mention it and his uncle does seem interested, maybe it won't be so bad to tell him. "Umm… yes." He kept looking down not wanting the fresh tears filling in his eyes to spill down his face.

Nick could see that Matt was struggling and only wished he was nicer to him these last few months. "Matt… look at me…" Matt looked up and a single tear fell down his cheek. "Matt I'm so sorry that I have been distant with you these last few months, I can't speak for you parents but I could have been less hostile with you when I got you from school. Just with taking over the bar and other work stuff I got a bit stressed. You know I do love you."

Matt kept looking at Nick seeing how guilty he truly felt, he didn't mean for Nick to feel so bad it wasn't his job but he could have been less angry when he had to pick him up. "Thanks Nick you know you're a great uncle, I'm glad we live near you." Nick got up from his side of the booth to give Matt a hug. Matt gladly accepted and let more tears fall down his face.

Nick released Matt and looked at him "From now on if I have to pick you up again I'm gunna make an effort to do something, even if it just a chat or going to the movies. But I will try my hardest that I will not make you feel forgotten again. But I do think Miss Day is right you should talk to Jamie and Dana."

Matt nodded gave a small smile "Thanks Nick you're the best." He gave him another hug and Nick said "Well this is kinda heavy for ice-cream lets finish these off and we can go see a movie. That sound like a plan."

"That sounds great but what about your job?" Matt played with his fingers again why did he remind him of that? Now Nick was going to leave and he'd be alone at home again.

"No today is Matt and Nick's day let me just call Bob saying I won't be in till the night shift." Matt smiled a massive grin. Nick got up to call Bob and Matt was the happiest he'd been in a long time.

Jess just got out of the shower ready for a good night out, obviously she couldn't drink much because she had work in the morning. Wow that sounded great to her having to get up for work, a full time job not having the part time gig with adults.

She was just walking back to her room when CeCe walked through the door. "Hey Jess."

"Hey CeCe, I was just about to get dressed…wait what are we doing tonight so I know what to wear?"

"Umm…well there's this bar that is under new management I think it's called Clyde's."

"Sounds good to me, but we can't stay too late I have work in the morning."

"Awesome, let's get going."

Jess went and got dressed, wearing a red dress which went in at the waist and hit just above her knee. Putting a little bit more make up on than what she wore at school and her contacts in she was ready to go.

CeCe and Jess arrived at Clyde's about 6:30. CeCe went to find a booth to sit in and Jess went to the bar to order their drinks. "Evening Ma'am what can I get you?"

"Can I have a pink wine and vodka soda? Thanks."

"Sure I'll just get that for you." The bartender walked off to get their drinks while Jess looked around the bar. How has she lived in LA for 13 years and never been to this bar? It was not the most stylish of bars but it was clean, and seemed popular with the vast amounts of people here.

"Ma'am your drinks," Jess turned around to collect her drinks gave a small smile to the bartender and spotted CeCe across the bar then promptly made her way over.

Setting the drinks down on the table Jess slid into the booth giving CeCe a smile, "So why did you have such a good day?" CeCe was on a modelling job all day and normally she would come home tired and stressed not wanting to talk about it, this was a first for an all-day shoot.

"Well Jess I'm glad you asked, this shoot wasn't any regular shoot it was for Vogue, Jess this is my serious break as a known model I can't believe it." CeCe couldn't keep the smile of her face her and her best friend finally had a great career path to follow after all these years.

"I'm so proud of you this has been a great day for both of us." Jess slid round the booth and gave her best friend a massive hug in congrats. "So Jess how was your day?"

"Great, I forgot how much I loved teaching kids. They are so lively and imaginative, maybe not all kids want to be there but you can see you are making a difference in their lives."

"I'm glad you had such a successful day. But what I really want to know… did you meet any cute dads?"

Jess blushed slightly from the bluntness of the question but couldn't deny the stranger that came to her door. "I knew it there is a guy…Who is it?"

Jess looked up at CeCe, "Ok there is someone I met but he's not a dad…" before Jess could finish CeCe was interrogating her again, "oh is it a teacher, teacher romance that could be cute."

"CeCe let me finish please." CeCe nodded. "Ok I let the class go and then one of my students came back, Matt; his uncle was picking him up instead and was running late. Matt was so sweet anyway his uncle turned up and I don't know but I got to say I liked what I saw. Well I don't know if I'll see him again but you never know."

"Wow…" CeCe hadn't seen Jess interested in a guy like this forever; she doesn't think she saw her like this since Spencer . When talking about her seeing him again there was a glimmer of hope in Jess' voice, she had a sparkle in her eye only showing that something about this stranger was striking the correct chord. CeCe was only wishing that Matt's Uncle would one day show his face again.

It was 9:00pm and Jess and CeCe decided to call it a night, they had been there for 2 and a half hours and Jess was starting to feel the effects of the pink wine. Also they thought about now was the time the evening crowd would be showing their faces and the girls didn't really want to deal with that.

But what Jess didn't know as they were leaving the front door of the bar to get a cab someone else was walking in the staff entrance; someone that had a rugged look a plaid shirt and went by the name of Nick.

"Hey Bob, I'm back, sorry I stayed out so long but my Nephew really appreciated it. We got back from the movies about 7:30, but I needed to wait until his dad got home, his mum was in bed not feeling well, I didn't want to leave Matt unsupervised."

Bob gave him a reassurance tap on the shoulder, "Nick like I said on the phone I don't mind family is family it is very important anyway you're the boss why do you keep asking my approval." Nick and Bob could only laugh at this. Nick was still only just getting used to the manger title he was only promoted 3 months ago.

Nick went behind the bar to help Bob out when he noticed that the pink wine which is never sold half gone. "Bob did we get some new customers tonight our regulars never drink pink wine, I don't really know why we still stock it."

Bob looked up from what he was doing and shrugged "oh yeah some women came in and ordered it," Bob looked up to where they were sitting and noticed they had left, "You just missed them."

But what Nick didn't know was that the women he was thinking about for quite a large proportion of the day was the lady that ordered it, it truly was a near miss.

I know there was no Nick and Jess interaction in this chapter SORRY! I don't want to jump into them meeting all the time. Anyway please review and I will post the next chapter in the next week :)