Chapter 44

Samantha had decided to start her life over, without Jake and with Nick’s help. She knew that it was going to be tough but she knew she could do it if she just put her mind to it and be strong. She knew that Nick would be there in everything she did and stand beside her, supporting her, as long as it didn’t involve Jake.

Almost two weeks had passed since Samantha decided that she would leave Jake for good. After going to Orlando that night and staying at Howie’s, Samantha and Nick decided what they would do. Nick had decided to put his house in Tampa up for sale the next day while him and Samantha decided where they wanted to get a place together so that Samantha could start her own life over and Nick hoped that he would play a big part in it.

Word had gotten back to Nick that Jake had been hanging around his house, thinking Samantha was there until finally someone told him that Nick was on tour in Europe and wasn’t home. After that, Jake hadn’t been back and Samantha hadn’t even tried to get in touch with him.

Two days later, after Nick put his house in Tampa up for sale, him and Samantha found a nice beach house in a secluded part of Daytona Beach. It had two big bedrooms and two smaller bedrooms, 3 baths, a huge living room and kitchen with a pool in the back and a great view of the Atlantic Ocean. It wasn’t far from Orlando so it was covenant for Nick since he was traveling back and forth so much. The sale went pretty quickly and shortly after moving trucks packed up his things in Tampa and brought them over to the new house and they started to move in.

It took a few days to get everything settled in, but finally, they had almost gotten everything settled. They didn’t have long to enjoy the house because Nick and the guys had to start the US leg of the Millennium tour, and Samantha was going to go out with them on the road with Megan for a little while until she felt strong enough to make it on her own without really depending on anybody.

“Well..” said Nick as he walked downstairs into the spacious living room that was decorated in white and looked around, “Sam.. where you at?” as he looked out the front window to see her car outside. He looked back over and walked through the kitchen, looking around, seeing everything in place and looked out the back door to see Samantha sitting there on the steps coming off of the back porch, holding Megan. He just stood there watching them when Samantha looked back to see him.

“Hey, how long you been there?” asked Samantha.

“Just a minute or so… I finished unpacking my stuff upstairs to only pack again in a few minutes.” Said Nick as Samantha started to laugh.

“I know.” Said Samantha as Nick walked out and sat down beside her on the steps, “But I think this is gonna be really good though…”

“Yeah we can get to hang out some more.” Said Nick as he smiled.

“Yeah maybe me and Howie can hook up or something..” said Samantha as Nick laughed.

“You and D? Umm I think he’s a little too old..” said Nick.

“A few years, I mean that’s what I need is a older man, I need a real man, I’m tired of all these boys my age… I need a man… no offense to you.” Said Samantha, “You’re one of the few good ones.”

“None taken….Thank you I guess.. I’ll take that as a compliment.” Said Nick as he stopped laughing and looked over at her, “But.. for real, I think this whole thing is going to be good. You seriously need to get out and see places. I know you always wanted to travel. I remember your senior year, we’d be talking on the phone and you’d ask about all of these places… so this is what you’re going to do.”

“I liked my job at the station…” said Samantha as she realized Megan was asleep.

“Maybe you can get one around here or something, but for right now… just concentrate on getting Jake out of your mind and open your eyes to some new things.” Said Nick as Samantha looked over at him.

“New things?” asked Samantha looking at him.

“You don’t know what could happen out on the road. You might find a town that you want to spend the rest of your life in, or you might meet somebody you like and want to get to know better…” said Nick as he was about to say something else when Samantha interrupted him.

“You’re right… new things, this could be good… let me go in and get her to sleep… remember we have separate rooms now.” Said Samantha as she got up, patted Nick on the head and walked into the room as Nick sat there and looked around.

“Or you might find what you’ve been wanting is right up under your nose.. but oh no don’t let me finish the sentence dammit..” Nick said softly, “Separate rooms.. shit.” As he got up and walked into the house, through the kitchen and into the living room when the phone rung, “Now who the hell is that?” he asked as he picked up the phone, “Hello?”

“Hey Nick, damn finally got the right number.. D gave me the number ass backwards.” Said Kevin.

“Oh hey man, don’t worry, we’re gonna be there at 9 sharp in the morning.” Said Nick.

“Yeah I know.. we’re?” asked Kevin.

“Yeah Sam and Megan are coming with me, and don’t say nothing because they’re gonna be on the bus with me and Howie.” Said Nick.

“This isn’t so that you two can be together is it?” asked Kevin.

“Yeah be together but not like that man, damn she just left Jake and she left him for good, she wants to come so that she can keep her mind off of it all Kev, that’s all.” Said Nick.

“Now what are you going to say when people ask who she is?” asked Kevin.

“We can say she’s like one of our cousins or something. I mean I’ve talked about my best friend Sam in a few interviews before, just say that… I don’t have anything to hide.” Said Nick as Kevin was about to say something, “And I know, first thing that’s gonna be rumored is that I’ve got a girlfriend out on tour with me and we have a kid… Megan don’t look a thing like me, she looks like Sam, I’ll make it clear fast, don’t worry about it Kev, I can handle it.”

“Well it’ll be good to have her on the tour, at least you won’t be worrying us, just be careful, so how is the house?” asked Kevin.

“The house is cool, it’s great, you’ve gotta come over and see it when we’re on break again.” Said Nick.

“Separate bedrooms?” asked Kevin.

“Yes separate bedrooms.” Said Nick laughing, “Very much so.”

“Good, well you get a good nights sleep and we’ll see ya in the morning and don’t do nothin’ stupid.” Said Kevin.

“Alright man, bye.” Said Nick as he hung up and looked around, “Damn why does he think I’ll go and do something like that.” As he walked upstairs to hear Samantha singing to Megan up in her room as he peeked into the door that was cracked.

“Sometimes I run… sometimes I hide.. sometimes I’m scared of you.. but all I really wanna do is hold you tight, treat you right, be with you day and night…”

She stopped and put Megan in her crib when she realized Nick was standing there.

“Britney?” asked Nick laughing as Samantha rolled her eyes.

“Whatever..” said Samantha as Nick continued to laugh, “Shh.. she woke up before I got her in here so I had to get her back to sleep… come on.” As she walked by Nick, grabbing his arm and pulling him out of the room, shutting the door.

“Where are we going?” asked Nick smiling as Samantha continued to hold his hand, pulling him down the stairway, “Sam, what’s up?”

“Wanna go swimming?” asked Samantha.

“Umm it’s like 7 and it’s getting dark and all…” said Nick.

“So.. we haven’t went swimming in the pool yet and after tomorrow it’s gonna start getting cool and we won’t be able to when we come back.” Said Samantha as smiled and walked out the back door as Nick stood there looking confused.

“But you didn’t get your swimsuit…” said Nick slowly as he looked around, his eyes getting a mile-wide, “Sam!!” as he walked out the door to see Samantha in the pool, “Put some clothes on!”

“I do, I have my bra and panties on.” Said Samantha, “Same as a swimsuit. The water’s warm.”

“Um but Megan’s upstairs.” Said Nick pointing back at the house.

“I just got her to sleep….” Said Samantha, “Fine… go on back in, I’ll be in there in a little bit, I haven’t went swimming all summer and I’m going to enjoy it.”

“Uhh…” said Nick as he started to laugh, “Do you have this weird fascination with water.. I mean first you like to play in the rain and all and then the waterhose and now swimming?”

“I’m a water baby, shoot me.” Said Samantha, “Are you getting in or not?” as she started to splash water up at him.

“Damn it..” said Nick laughing as he took his shirt off, and jumped into the pool.

“There, finally.” Said Samantha, “You’ve got your shorts on though.”

“Yeah and I ain’t takin’ them off neither.” Said Nick as Samantha rolled her eyes, “The water is warm…”

“Yep..” said Samantha as she watcher her hands move in the water, “I haven’t been swimming since back when I was staying with you before like in May.”

“Yeah…” said Nick as he smiled and looked over at her as she looked at her hands in the water and looked over at him.

“Why are you staring at me?” asked Samantha.

“Oh nothing….” Said Nick as he looked away and sighed, “I’m going back in.” said Nick as he climbed his way out of the pool, grabbing his towel and wrapped it around him.

“Yeah .. we do have to pack and stuff…” said Samantha as she climbed out of the pool with Nick watching every move she mad, “Shit I didn’t bring me a towel.”

“Here…” said Nick as he handed her his towel and picked up her little t-shirt and shorts, handing them to her, “Come on let’s go back in.”

“Okay..” said Samantha as she started walk back into the house as Nick shook his head and followed her back in.