Rupert got in early in the morning from his trip to Chicago. He went up to check on Summer in the guestroom, she wasn't there. He shakes his head and walks to the theater room. He opens the door and sees Nick and Summer sound asleep. He goes to walk out of the room but then gets a better idea. He walks over really quietly and shakes her.

Rupie - "Delilah wake up your dad's here to check on you."

Summer - "What! Oh my God! Get off me! You have to get out of here!" She pushes Nick off of her and starts to get up. Rupie is just laughing his ass off. "Here's your shoes. Quick come on."

Rupie - "Summer come down. He's not really here." Uncle Herbie comes in with a hairdryer.

Herbie - "its okay I'm here. Where is he at?" He points the hairdryer at Nick. Who for some reason raises his hands. Rupie and Summer look at each other and start dying laughing. Herbie looks around and doesn't see a whole gang of robbers. "Well what's so funny? You scared me half to death!"

Rupie - "What where you going to do with the hair dryer? Style us all to death."

Herbie - "Well I thought that in the dark it could look like a gun."

Summer - "What with a diffuser as a silencer."

Herbie - "Well I scared him didn't I."

Nick - "I didn't know what the hell you had."

Herbie - "Who are you?" He gestures towards him with the hair dryer again.

Nick - "I'm Nick."

Summer - "He's a friend of mine Uncle Herbie. We tried to get in a club last night but they wouldn't let me in so we decided to come back here and watch movies."

Herbie - "Um hum. And what did you watch?"

Summer - "My Fair Lady."

Rupie - "That's all."

Summer - "Well yeah. Look I know what you two are thinking and nothing happened. He's just a friend." Nick looks at the floor. She didn't realize that she hurt his feelings, she's kind of oblivise that way.

Rupie - "Wait you're in the band with Alex."

Nick - "Yes sir."

Rupie - "Why didn't you just tell us that Summer? I know Alex wouldn't let you around any unsavory people." He extends his hand to Nick. "Nice to meet you Nick. You can call me Rupert and this is my husband Herbert."

Nick - "Nice to meet you both. I'm sorry to run but I've got to get back to the hotel. We have to catch a plane to Mexico this morning."

Herbie - "You don't have time to stay for breakfast."

Nick - "No I'm sorry."

Summer - "Uncle Herbie can I borrow your car to take him back?"

Herbie - "Sure sweetie you know where the keys are."

Summer - "Thanks I'll be back."

Nick - "Nice meeting you both." They leave and Herbie smacks Rupie.

Rupie - "Ow! What was that for?"

Herbie - "Scaring me. You know I'm a light sleeper."

Rupie - "I couldn't help it."

Herbie - "Well next time try harder." He goes back upstairs.

Out in the car Nick is strangely quiet. "Hey what's up?"

Nick - "Nothing."

Summer - "Are you mad at me?" He doesn't say anything. "You are. You're mad at me. What did I do?"

Nick - "He's just a friend."

Summer - "Oh Nick I didn't mean anything by it. My family's kind of backwards. They don't like Brett but the thought of me hooking up with some one while I'm still with Brett would be a bad thing to them."

Nick - "So where does that leave me?"

Summer - "I'm not sure."

Nick - "You're not sure!"

Summer - "Look Nick I've been with Brett for like three years. I'm not going to just dump him and come running to you."

Nick - "Could you pull over please." She does. "Look at me. I care about you and I know you care about me. You walked into my life yesterday and I'm not ready to give you up yet. I'll be back in Orlando in a week. I'll give you that long to figure it out." He kisses her again and gets out of the car and starts walking down the street. Summer sits there stunned for a minute. Then turns the car around and heads back home.

Chapter Fourty-Six