Taking a break from their packing since Griffin had purchased them plane tickets for the end of the week, the boys ended up relaxing in their favorite spot by the pool.
"Are you really moving out of the Palm Woods?" Camille asked.
"No, no, this is just temporary," Logan assured her. With his right arm wrapped around her, he squeezed her shoulder.
"Mom and Katie are staying here," Kendall said. "She still has school."
"We'll be back in 2J before we know it," Carlos added.
The boys stopped talking when a female figure walked over to them and handed James a bottle of sunblock. He patted the spot in front of him where she sat down and he squirted lotion in his hand. Kendall made a face because the girl was Sunblock Girl and not Jo.
"Ahem," Logan cleared his throat loudly. When James did not respond Logan cleared his throat louder.
"What?!"
"Lucy," was all Logan had to say.
"Lucy? Oh, right, Lucy!" James quickly wiped his hands on his shorts. "Sorry."
Sunblock Girl gave him a wistful smile, grabbed her bottle, and walked away.
"Does this mean I can't flirt with other girls?"
"Not if you want to keep dating Lucy," Kendall answered.
"Darn it!" It was a known fact that James Diamond loved flirting with girls but being that he was in like with Lucy Stone and she was in like with him he was not going to do anything to ruin that relationship.
"Kendall Knight, is that you?"
Kendall jerked his head to the right.
"I'd almost forgotten what you looked like!" She winked running to him.
"Hey, wonderin' where you were." Kendall quickly kissed Jo on the lips as she scooted next to him in the lounge chair.
"I know, I know you were coming home yesterday but I got caught up with filming and interviews and it was just too late when I returned. I really really wanted to see you. I missed you so much. But, it was too late and…"
"It's okay," Kendall cut her off. "We're together now."
"Not for long," Camille muttered.
"What?" Jo asked sending confused looks between Kendall and Camille. "Did something happen on the tour? D-did you meet another girl? Not Lu—"
"Lucy's mine!" James interrupted quickly.
"It's nothing like that. Um, Griffin wants us to go on a break. He's sending us to Colorado."
Jo smiled. "What's wrong with that? Sounds like fun."
"Yeah," Kendall rubbed the back of his neck. "He's sending us there for almost five months."
"Oh."
Kendall squeezed Jo close to him.
"You can visit whenever you want."
She smiled half-heartedly.
"That's great, but I'm pretty busy here."
"I can visit whenever I want."
"Why don't you just stay here? You don't have to go, do you? You just got home!"
Kendall looked at the ground. Technically, he guessed he didn't have to go. It wasn't like a concert tour or interviews or something. But, it was Griffin. He was basically in charge of this group's future. It wasn't the same as defying Gustavo. Kendall knew Gustavo and knew what buttons to push. Was he afraid of Griffin? Kendall Knight afraid of Arthur Griffin? Ha! He'd laugh in the face of anyone who suggested it.
Besides, he was looking forward to Colorado. It wasn't Minnesota, but it was close. Getting away from the plasticness of Hollywood would be a good thing, time to relax and be himself with his three best buds by his side, time off to not have to get up before the crack of dawn, practice harmonies, record, dance, and just generally be on the clock.
"You want to go?!" Jo jumped up.
"I don't want to leave you."
"Yeah, well, maybe I want you to go." And with that Jo stormed off back into the Palm Woods.
"This will be good for you," Camille said to Logan on Friday morning. She sat with him on the orange couch in 2J holding his hand. "I'll miss you, like I always do, but you guys need the break. You've been working non-stop for four years." She ran a hand through Logan's hair.
"Thanks, Camille. I'll miss you, too."
"I'll come down and visit when I have time off. You know I will."
Logan was about to respond when Carlos blubbered, "Swirly!" He patted the yellow slide. "I wish we could take you with us."
"I'll keep him company, Carlos," Katie said sliding down to the first level. For the first time since the boys returned home she was not busy texting on her cell.
"Her," Carlos corrected.
Katie rolled her eyes.
"All your bags packed?" Mrs. Knight asked appearing in the kitchen.
"Yes," Carlos and Logan replied.
"Almost," Kendall called from his bedroom.
"No," James cried from the bathroom.
"Honey, if you forget anything we can send it to you," Mrs. Knight reassured.
"James, they have stores in Colorado," Logan added.
"I just need to find a bag for these." James walked out with an armful of Cuda products.
"Use the bag you used for the tour," Logan said.
"Carlos took it!" James whined.
"Carlos!" Logan scolded.
"I needed it!"
"We'll find you a new bag." Mrs. Knight ushered James to his bedroom. "Kendall, we need to leave in fifteen!"
"Coming!" He walked out of his room with a duffel bag on one shoulder, his guitar on another, pulling a rolling suitcase behind him.
He dropped them in with the three duffel bags, laptop case, and two rolling suitcases. The only things missing from the pile was James's stuff.
"Who's got the extra duffel bag?" Kendall eyed Carlos.
"We can afford it," he mumbled.
Roughly ten minutes later Mrs. Knight and James hurried out of his bedroom with his duffel bag, a very feminine plaid rather large makeup bag, and his rolling suitcase which was much larger than the others.
"Ready?" Mrs. Knight asked.
Katie, who had been strong this entire time while taking turns sliding down Swirly with Carlos, ran over and wrapped her arms around Kendall.
"I'm going to miss you, Big Brother!"
"I'll miss you, too, Baby Sis, but you'll come visit. I think Mom's already got something planned for the end of the month." He patted her back.
Mrs. Knight opened the door to a Jo poised to knock.
"Kendall."
"Jo."
Neither had spoken since their fight earlier in the week. It was easy to avoid each other with Jo being busy with filming for a new made-for-TV movie and Kendall having to pack for a five month trip.
"We'll just go take this stuff down to the car," Mrs. Knight said motioning for the other boys to follow her.
"I must be going, too," Camille said. She followed Logan to the door and then slapped him hard across the face. "That's for leaving me for five months." She then just as passionately kissed him on the lips. "And that's because I love you."
Logan gave Kendall a drunken look before being dragged out the door and having a bag shoved into his hands.
"I'm sorry," Jo said as soon as the group disappeared down the hall. "I don't want you to go, but," she paused. "I talked to Camille and she, um, made sense. You guys do need the break. I'll have my time off and can come visit you. It's not like you're going to the end of the world."
"Jo, I love you. I don't want to hurt you."
Jo shook her head.
"I don't want to hurt you and I don't want you to leave mad at me. I was being selfish. What can I expect? I did this you, once."
Kendall nodded his head slowly remembering the time Jo left for an acting job in New Zealand that was supposed to be for three years but lasted not even half that long.
"We're not breaking up this time. You're not going to be replaced by any girl."
"And you're not going to be replaced by any guy."
"Good." Kendall smiled. He tipped up Jo's chin with his right index finger and laid his lips softly on hers. He didn't want this moment to end, but there was a part of him that couldn't wait to get to Colorado.
Switched Australia to New Zealand as it should be.