We arrived in Las Vegas at around three am, but I was too tired to get out of the bus and go into the hotel so Tony went in alone.

I hear knocking.

"God," I moan. "Who in the hell is bothering me," I mumble as I wrap my pillow around my ears and roll over.

Finally, it stops.

Only to start up again.

I sit up and rub the sleep from my eyes. As I walk to the front of the bus, I glance down at what I have on. Good, it will due…it's an extra large T-shirt and stretchy skin fitting work-out shorts. I run my hand through my hair as I open the door.

"Good morning…or should I say afternoon?"

"Marcus…uh, hi. I didn't expect anyone," I say as I start messing with my hair. Then I realize I shouldn't do that, I don't have a bra on so I fold my arms across my chest.

"I just wanted to tell you that I caught your set last night. I thought it was great. You really get the crowd into it."

"Thanks. Do, you want to come in?"

"Sure," he said as he climbed the step and squeezed passed me.

"Have a seat and I'll go get changed quickly. Help yourself to anything in the fridge or anything."

"Thanks," he said taking a seat at the table in the kitchen area.

I quickly walked back and changed my clothes. I walked over to the sink and splashed water on my face and ran a brush through my hair.  Then I brush my teeth. I looked at my teeth in the mirror, put my hair up in a ponytail and then walked back toward the front of the bus.

"Sorry," I said as I sat down across from him. "I didn't even realize how late it was."

He shrugs. "You'll get used to the weird schedule. I think I've learned to live on four to five hours of sleep a night."

"Yeah, actually being the one who has to keep up with the schedule is different for me. I grew up on the road but I could pretty much sleep whenever I wanted to."

He smiled and nodded. "Was that cool?"

"What cool?" I ask as I touch my stomach…which just growled. "Sorry, I've got to eat something," I say as I stand up and rummage through a pantry.

"Growing up on the road like that?"

I pull down a box of cereal and grab the milk out of the refrigerator.

"I guess. I didn't know anything different."

I sit down after I pour the contents into the bowl.

"You sure you don't want anything?" I ask before I take a bite.

He smiled that beautiful smile. "No, I'll just watch you eat."

"So, what did you do if both of your parents were on tour at the same time?" he asked as he folded his hands together on the table.

"It never happened. They had control of their careers by that point and it was in their contracts that they couldn't both be on tour at the same time, unless it was a tour together, of course."

"That was my first concert ever," he said.

"What? The "Together Again" tour?"

He nods. "Yep. I grew up in Ft. Worth and the show came to Dallas and I begged my older sister to take me. She acted like she didn't want to go but it didn't take much to convince her," he chuckled.

God his teeth were perfect. And that one dimple…

"Do you remember it?"

"Of course. I don't know which part of the show I enjoyed more."

"Wow, that's great."

"I found out after the show…a few days later I guess, that your mom was pregnant. I had no idea by the way she moved up there on stage that night."

"Yeah…she still did a little bit of choreography when she was pregnant. Nothing like she could do but she's amazing."

"That she is. And she has an amazing daughter."

I feel myself blush.

"Thank you."

I push the empty bowl aside.

"So, we have the whole day off today…would you like to do something?"

"With you?"

His eyes shift back and forth. "Yes, with me…I don't see anyone else here."

"Um, sure. I think I have a radio thing to do sometime today but that's it…I think."

"Well, check with your manager and let me know. I've cleared my schedule."

He stands up so I follow.

"Okay. How do I get a hold of you?"

"Oh." He reaches in his pocket and pulls out a card. "Here, I wrote my cell phone number on it."

"Cool. I should probably give you mine in case something comes up."

I look around for something to write on. When I find it I scribble down the number and hand it to him.

"Go call your manger and let me know when the best time is, okay? I'll leave you alone now."

There was that smile again. It was so contagious.

"Okay. I'll see you later."

I walk him to the door and close it behind him after he leaves.

I run over to find my cell phone and quickly dial Tony's number.

"Hello?"

"Hi…what's on the schedule today?"

"You up finally? I've called three times already."

"I'm sorry. I was tired."

"We have a radio interview in an hour and a half."

"And then what?"

"I thought we'd go out to dinner."

"You and me?"

"Yeah…what's wrong with that?"

"Well, I have plans."

"What kind of plans?" he asked in a monotone voice.

"With Marcus."

"A date?"

"It's not a date."

"Are you decent?"

"What? Yes, why?"

There was a quick knock at the door and then someone opened it.

"Because I'm coming in," Tony said as he hung up his phone. "I was on my way down when you called. I was going to wake you up."

He sat down on the couch.

"I don't know about this date business."

"It's not a date, Tony. He just asked me if I wanted to do something with him today…if I had free time."

"So what are you going to do?"

I shrug. "I don't know. I wasn't sure what time I'd be available."

"Available, huh?" he asked as he crossed his arms and propped his feet up on the couch across from him.

"Would you stop. I'll call him right now and tell him I have the evening free and find out for you, if you'd like," I say leaning down toward him, waving my phone.

"Okay."

My mouth dropped open slightly.

"What, didn't expect me to take you up on that?" he asked raising an eyebrow.

"I feel like my father's here," I say folding my arms.

"Good. Since neither of your parents are here, someone has to be a parental figure so it's going to have to be me."

"Mama would let me go," I say, sticking my lower lip out.

He shakes his head. "I don't know about that."

"What if I call them and tell them? Mama likes Marcus, she'd think it was nice that he and I are hanging out."

"Go ahead," he said nodding at my phone.

"Well, let me find out what we're doing first," I say as I turn my back to him and walk back into my bedroom. I look at the card Marcus gave me and dial his cell phone number.

"Marcus here," he answered.

"Hi Marcus, it's Ana."

"Hi…what did you find out?" he asked.

"I have a radio thing in an hour and a half and that's it."

"Okay so you should be free by seven for sure. What room number are you?"

"Oh, I don't know, hold on."

I poke my head into the hallway and yell, "What is my room number?"

"Five-eleven."

"Thanks. Five-eleven," I tell him.

"Okay, I'll pick you up from there at seven."

"Um, what are we going to be doing? I mean so I know what to wear."

"Well, it's going to sound cheesy but I thought we'd go to one of those miniature golf places. Vegas has a ton of them and I've got the itch to play."

"But won't you be recognized?"

"That's why I have bodyguards," he laughed.

"Okay. That sounds like fun. I look forward to it."

"Me too. Ciao," he said.

"Bye."

I hang up the phone and walk back into the front room.

"We're going to be miniature-golfing," I tell Tony.

"In Vegas? Oh wait, it's Marcus Tyler, I forgot…he'll probably be able to shut a place down just so the two of you can play," he said rolling his eyes.

"Do you really think he'd do that?" I ask sitting down next to him.

"His bodyguards might make him…get that dreamy look off of your face and call your parents."

I stick my tongue out at him and dial my home phone number.

"Please let Justin answer," Tony kept repeating to himself quietly.

I punch his arm just as mama answered.

"Hi mama," I say, smiling at Tony. He rolls his eyes again.

"Hi honey."

"Mama, you sound out of breath. Did I interrupt something?" I ask, covering my mouth so I don't laugh.

Tony glares at me.

"Ha ha…I was packing Ashleigh's stuff."

"Oh okay. Don't forget my shoes please."

"Honey I thought you weren't going to worry about shoes because the stylist was going to pick out a different pair."

"No, I need those to dance in…it will go with the costume."

"Oh okay. Let me write that down."

"So guess what?"

"What?"

"I have a radio interview today and then I'm going to play miniature golf with Marcus."

It took her a second to respond.

"A date?"

"It's not a date mama."

Tony covered his smile with his hand.

"Sounds like one to me. Is he picking you up at your room?"

"Yes."

"Then it's a date. And you realize that people will see you. It will be in the tabloids and on the internet tomorrow that the two of you were on a date."

"It's not a date, mama and so what if people talk about us."

She sighs.

"Make sure he has two bodyguards with him. When is Tony arranging for security for you?"

"I don't need it yet. No one is recognizing me."

"Ask him, please."

I sigh. "Mama wants to know when you're arranging for security for me."

"Tell her we'll have a bodyguard by LA."

"That's in a few days," I tell him.

He nods.

"He said by LA."

"Good."

"Well, I have to get ready for this radio interview," I say, sounding disappointed. I thought for sure my mama would be happy for me.

"Okay. Honey, I'm not going to stop you from going out with Marcus, but I want you to be careful. It's not like hanging out with your friends from home. He's very high profile and people will be watching him."

"Okay, mama. I'll be aware. You gonna tell daddy?"

"Of course I am. Shoot, I wish I had some peach cobbler to make him happy before I tell him."

"Mama, it's not that big of a deal."

"To you it might not be but it is to us. I love you."

"I love you too."

I hang up the phone and keep my head down. Tony touches my leg.

"She told me to be careful."

He nods. "Exactly. Let's go up to your room so you can get ready to leave."

Seven o'clock there's a knock on my door.

"Hi," I say as I open it.

"Hello, beautiful," he says handing me a bouquet of assorted flowers.

"Oh, they're beautiful," I say taking them from him. "Come on in. I'll just grab my bag."

I put the flowers in the bathroom sink and fill it with a little bit of water.

"I have a vase on the bus, I'll put them there tomorrow."

"Ready?"

"Yep," I say as I wrap my arm through his.