"Shane?" JC repeated.

"Yeah," Diane answered. "They said they were heading over to… I don't remember. Some restaurant."

"What the hell," JC said. "I don't understand."

"I didn't either, JC. To tell you the truth, I thought you two were still together," Diane told him.

"We are!" JC exclaimed.

"Oh," Diane said. "Well, sorry, I didn't mean to start anything between you guys."

"That's okay," JC said. "Don't worry about it. Thanks for your help."

"No problem," Diane replied. "Bye."

"Bye," JC replied. He walked out of the store to his car.

***About a half an hour later…***

Eryn placed the plates on the table, and lit to candles. Lance had left later than she had told him, about five minutes ago. Justin left the house about a half an hour ago. Joey and Chris were upstairs, not making a sound, and she hadn't seen JC for awhile or Sasha all day.

The doorbell rang. Butterflies flew in Eryn's stomach as she walked over to answer it.

***

Lance glanced at his watch. He had quickly walked down the street to the florist to pick up flowers for Eryn. But there was a line of about five people. Finally it was his turn.

"Hello, sir, what can I help you with?" the lady asked him, glancing at him then turning back to the bouquet she was making.

"Um," Lance hesitated. "I need some flowers."

"Well, you came to the right place," the woman laughed. She looked up. "Oh, my gosh…"

Realization hit Lance when he learned that the woman knew who he was. "Please ma'am… don't make a big deal…"

"Okay," she said. "But you're Lance from N Sync!"

"Yeah," he said. "I am."

"Who are the flowers for?" she asked.

"Please, can I just buy some? I have to be there at 7 and it's already five after," Lance pleaded.

"Sure," she said. "What would you like? But I get an autograph after."

"Okay," Lance answered her. He glanced at the bouquets behind the counter. "That one. I love it." He pointed to a white, pink and red rose mix, with white baby's breath.

"Good choice," she took it from the display and Lance handed her the money. He hastily signed her a piece of paper, so she would stop complaining.

"What colour tissue paper?" she asked. "You know, to cover them?"

"Hmmm, what do you have?" Lance asked.

"Let me check," she answered. She handed him a small card and a silver pen. "Here, write the card out."

"Okay," Lance said. He wrote.

The lady came back.

"Lance," she said. "We only have one colour left. But it will go with the flowers."

"Great," he said. "What colour?" He leaned over the counter as she wrapped the roses.

"Baby blue," she answered.

***

Eryn opened the door. Standing there was Justin.

"Justin," she whispered. "You look great." Justin was decked out in dark indigo jeans, and a white sweater.

"So do you," he said. Eryn was wearing a dark blue skirt with a white three quarter length sleeve shirt and her hair was up off of her shoulders.

"I can't believe this is happening," Eryn said.

"Neither can I," Justin said. "I have waited so long for this. Can we not bring up the past?"

"Never again," Eryn said.

***

Lance stared at her. "Are you kidding?"

"Nope," she said. She handed him his bouquet. "Thanks for coming. Bye."

"Yeah, bye," he said. Baby blue. Baby freaking blue all the time. Justin's colour. The dress. The tissue paper. This is insane. He sighed and headed back to Eryn's house.

***

JC kept driving. He had been driving without any destination for about an hour.

"Why the hell is she out with Shane?" he said to no one. "I mean, SHANE. The new guy. After we have our talk. We were going to have a romantic dinner and everything. If she doesn't have a good explanation it's over." He turned left and drove into the parking lot of a restaurant. "Maybe I'll find them." He said.

***

The doorbell rang again.

"That better not be anyone I know," Eryn said. "I told them to stay away. Joey and Chris are upstairs. JC and Sasha are out for dinner. I don't know where Lance went…"

Justin put his arm around Eryn's waist and they walked to the door.

***

The door opened and Lance held the flowers behind his back.

***

"Lance!" Eryn said, in surprise.

***

"Hey Eryn," he said, shyly. "Um, these are for…" his voice trailed off when the door opened up more. Justin was standing there with his arm around Eryn's waist.

"What are you doing here, Lansten?" Justin asked.

"Um," Lance tried to think quickly. "I came home to get my wallet and found these flowers here on the porch. There was nothing on them, but I assumed they were for Sasha or Eryn."

"They better not be from James," Eryn said.

"They're not," Lance said.

"How do you know?" Eryn asked.

Lance couldn't think of a reason without giving himself away. "They are from…"

"Me," Justin said, taking the flowers and handing them to Eryn. Lance tried unsuccessfully to take the flowers back. He couldn't let them see the card.

"Oh, thanks Justin!" Eryn exclaimed. "How did I know that they would be wrapped in baby blue?"

Because that's all they had left, Lance thought bitterly.

"My favourite colour," Justin smiled.

"Well, Lance, I guess you should leave," Eryn said. "I mean, remember, I wanted everyone out of the house."

"Yeah," Lance said. "See you."

"Bye," Justin answered and shut the door.

***

Lance walked away from the house. This is crazy, he thought. I can't believe that they are actually going to get back together. Justin is such a fake. And now my card is in the bouquet. He turned off of the driveway, and walked toward the diner at the end of the street.

***

"Okay, thanks anyway," JC told the hostess. It was the fifth restaurant and he was still unsuccessful. The only other one he knew of was across the road.

He got into the car, and drove across the street. He drove around back, looking for a parking spot and looking for Sasha and Shane.

"Shit!" he exclaimed. He saw them. They were sitting on the same side of the booth, very close, and laughing. His arm was loosely around her. "I can't believe her…" he said. He drove off.

***

"Well, Eryn," Justin said. "Do we have some time before we eat?"

She looked at her watch. "A couple minutes."

"Great," he said. He took her by the hand, and brought her over to the couch.

"Since this almost worked the last time, I am daring to try it again," Justin said. He cleared his throat.

Eryn's ears were filled with an a cappella version of Everything I Own. When the chorus came, Chris and Joey came running down the stairs to join Justin. Eryn hardly noticed them. Justin sang in front of her. Chris was wearing Tommy boxers, a wife beater and his socks were pulled up to his knees. Joey was only wearing shorts and a T-shirt. But Eryn didn't notice them. Her eyes were on Justin. On every word, movement.

When they finished, Joey and Chris bolted it back up the stairs. Justin, with tears in his eyes, sat next to Eryn.

"Eryn," Justin said. "Before, when I would sing this, I didn’t feel anything. You just gave this new meaning. I want us to be back together. I want you to be my girlfriend again. I can't live without you. Please, Eryn."

Tears spilled down her cheeks. "Of course Justin," she said, leaning in and kissing him gently. "Of course."

End of Chapter Twenty Nine