Secrets of the Past

Chapter 48

Since his birthday, Brian and the guys had headed back over to England to film a special episode of the TV show and done a short bus tour down the east coast.

A week before the guys were headed overseas Giovanna thought of a way to occupy some of her time while Brian was gone.

"Hello?" Chloe answered her phone.

"Hey how are you?"

"I'm good. You?"

"Great. So I have a question for you. How would you feel about taking a weekend trip to Atlantic City?"

"Sure! When were you thinking of going?"

"Next weekend, when Brian and the guys are out of town," Giovanna said.

"Ok, yeah, count me in! I've never been so this is exciting!"

"You will love it! I'll get with you in a few days to iron out the details."

"Sounds good. Talk to you soon."

Giovanna picked up Chloe the following Friday evening and they headed down. It was just over a two hour drive. At Brian's recommendation they stayed at the Borgata. Having filmed some of the TV show there and performing live there, Brian was able to get them a discounted rate in a suite.

As soon as they got to their room they plopped down on the bed and giggled like school girls.

"Oh my God I can't believe this!" Chloe said. "I have never been in a hotel that was even remotely this nice."

"I've been here a couple of times with Brian. He says this is the only place to stay in Atlantic City. Ok, let's change and head downstairs."

Once they got downstairs they eat got a drink then headed off to play some slots. They bounced around to the blackjack and craps tables as well throughout the evening. They drank until they were drunk and headed back up to the room around 2:00.

The next day they had appointments for Swedish massages and mani/pedis. By late afternoon when they returned to their room they were feeling completely relaxed.

They'd made a dinner reservation at the Old Homestead Steak House for 6:30. After dinner they headed back into the casino. They sat at a blackjack table that had just been vacated by an older looking couple. They were quickly joined by a couple of guys.

They flirted with Giovanna and Chloe, offering to buy them drinks and making small talk. They were attractive but Giovanna wasn't interested. Chloe flirted back with them although she had no intention of letting anything happen.

When they finally realized they weren't going to get anywhere they left the table. Giovanna and Chloe laughed before getting up themselves and heading to the slot machines. They once again stayed out late, checking out some of the bars once they'd tired of gambling.

Sunday they both woke up with hangovers and neither looked forward to the drive home. It seemed to take forever but once Giovanna had dropped Chloe off she went home and went to bed.

They had had a great time and it seemed to bring them even closer. The incident that had happened at Halloween had now been forgotten. When they were together there was no longer any tension in the air when they were together.

The same was true with Brian and Chloe. It had been awkward the first time they worked together after the kiss. Sal was the only other person in the office who knew what had happened and tried his best to draw everyone else's attention away from the obvious tension.

Brian had kept his word to Giovanna back in November and spent less time with Chloe. But as time went on and the memory of what had happened faded, he had started doting on her a little more. This didn't go unnoticed by Sal, and he cautioned his friend.

"It's a dangerous game you're playing," Sal said to him as they drove home from set one night in late March.

"What game? What are you talking about?"

"With Chloe."

"What about Chloe?" Brian asked, still confused.

"Look, I know a lot of it is just your personality. You're naturally flirty. But you need to reign that in when you're around that girl. You remember what happened at Halloween?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about. What happened at Halloween was a drunken mistake."

"Was it? You had been spending an awful lot of time with her before that happened. You don't think she got the wrong idea?" Sal asked.

"No, I don't. We're just friends. She's my girlfriend's sister, so of course I'm gonna be extra nice to her. And I don't flirt with her."

"I believe that's what you think, but it comes off that way sometimes. Ask Murr and Joe if you don't believe me. They've noticed, too."

"Oh so you guys just sit around and talk about me when I'm not there?"

"Not at all," Sal said. "It just came up last week when you took Chloe to lunch. The way you asked her and then throwing your arm around her. It just looks like you're sending her mixed signals."

"For fucks sake, she's like a sister to me. You make it sound like she's got the hots for me or some shit."

Sal shrugged.

"What does that mean?" Brian asked, a hint of anger in his voice.

"I've seen the way she looks at you sometimes."

"You're insane. She knows I'm with Giovanna. And she knows that what happened at Halloween is never gonna happen again."

"Look, I'm just telling you, as your friend, how it looks. And I'm not the only one who's noticed, so just be careful."

"I'll keep it in mind," Brian said huffily.