"Come on, Alexis! You have to keep your heart rate up!" Chloe said cheerfully while Alexis struggled behind during their power walk.

"You go on ahead." Alexis said, out of breath and grabbing hold of a bench for support. "I'll just wait here by this bench."

Chloe just laughed. "Well I guess I could use a break too." Chloe then sat down beside Alexis, who was finally starting to catch her breath. "So hey, how did your evening with Ned go? Did the dress work out?"

"Oh, it was good. The dress was great."

"So Ned liked it?"

"Oh yeah. He took one good look at it and tore it off two seconds later." Chloe started laughing. "No, I was just kidding! I was just kidding! That actually happened much later in the evening!"

Chloe laughed some more. "Well I'm glad things went well."

"Yeah, things were, yeah, things went well." Alexis hesitated.

"Alexis, is something wrong?"

"Well, no, nothing is really wrong, it's just that, well, lately, Ned has been acting strange."

"Strange how?"

Alexis leaned forward as if she were telling her best friend a big secret. "I think Ned is thinking about the, the M word."

"Alexis!"

"Shh!" Alexis cautioned.

"Alexis, that is wonderful news. What's wrong?"

"I'm not ready for marriage! I'm not even close to being ready for marriage!"

"But Alexis, haven't you two been dating for two years now?"

"Yes, two years, and two years can't possibly be enough time to decide if you want to spend the rest of your life with someone! I mean, you need more like, five years."

"Alexis, are you telling me that you are not sure if you want to spend the rest of your life with Ned?"

"No, no, of course not! I *do* want to spend the rest of my life with him, that's not what I meant. It's just that-"

"Just what?"

"It's just, well, I don't know about marriage. I don't want to get married just yet. I like the way things are now."

"Well don't worry, Alexis, you and Ned are together now and that is what matters. You don't have to decide to get married just this instant. You have the rest of your lives together to do that."

"This really took me by surprise, you know? I mean, Ned hasn't actually proposed or anything yet but I just feel that marriage was on his mind last night. And I've never been married before, and Ned well, he has. And all of those marriages ended in divorce. What if we get married and for some reason, we end up separating as well?"

"Now, Alexis, I don't think that would happen. Look, his relationship with Dawn fell through. They were just too young. And with Jenny, Ned obviously loved her more than she loved him. She was really in love with Paul, and that is what ended their marriage. And with Lois, well she was in love with Eddie Maine, not Ned Ashton. But you, Alexis, you are different. You love *him*."

"You're right. You know me, I just tend to freak over things like that. I just never intended to get married. I never wanted to. But of course, I had never planned on falling in love either."

"Oh, Alexis, you are so lucky. Do you know how much I envy you?"

"You? Envy me?"

"Yes you! To be able to spend your life and share your love with someone, that is such a precious gift. When I was in college, I had always figured that once I had got my company up and running, I would meet some amazing man in Europe and we would fall in love and get married and have the 2.3 children and the white picket fence and live happily ever after. But instead, all I met were players in Europe, I've had Chloe Morgan Designs for 6 years now, I'm almost 30 years old and I am still single."

"Aww, Chloe." Alexis gently patted her on the knee. "You'll find someone. You need to go somewhere, meet new people. You need to go out on some dates…"

"Oh no no no no! I am *not* doing that again!" Chloe gave Alexis a stern look.

"Oh no, not this again. You're never going to let me live that down, are you?"

"Alexis, he was 32 years old and still living with his *mother*!"

"I honestly didn't know he was living with his mother…"

"And he wouldn't shut up about that damn Pomeranian of his!"

"He really seemed like a nice guy…"

"Nice guy? Alexis, he wanted to have sex with me on the first date!"

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry I even brought it up! I suck at setting up blind dates! I will never set you up with anyone ever again! You do forgive me for that right? You aren't still mad are you?"

Chloe glanced at Alexis and slowly smiled. "Of course I forgive you. Alexis, I'm just teasing you. But really, I am through with dating. No more dating for this girl."

"No more dating *at all*? Are you sure about that?"

"Yes. And besides, it doesn't matter how many dates I go on, Alexis. I'm not going to find what I'm looking for."

"Well what are you looking for, Chloe?"

"It doesn't matter. I'm never going to get it anyway. Can we not talk about dating right now?"

"Yeah, sure, I'm sorry. It's just that, well, you just seemed so down when Jax proposed to Brenda. I thought maybe you were upset that all of your friends were getting married…no, not married, no, not Ned and I, just, you were upset because all of your friends were together with someone and you weren't. I just wanted you to find someone to be happy with too, that's all."

"Thank you, Alexis. That is sweet of you. But you know, like I said, I am through with trying to find Mr. Right. I think now, I'm just going to let him find me." If he ever finds me. Chloe said silently.

"YES! I WIN!" Jax laughed as he shouted in his victory against Ned in a game of racquetball.

"Well don't get all cocky now, the next game is mine."

"What are you talking about, Ashton? You know I always win in racquetball with you!" Jax laughed again and patted Ned on the back.

The two men sat down for a breather.

"Well I've got a lot of my mind." Ned said. "I did something rather stupid the other day."

"Well what else is new?" Jax mocked and laughed again. When Ned looked at him seriously, Jax knew it was not a time for jokes. "I'm sorry, Ned. What did you do?"

"I sort of bought Alexis an engagement ring."

"You 'sort of' bought an engagement ring?"

"Okay, I bought it, I have it, it's in my possession!"

"And that is stupid why?"

"I came this close (Ned made a gesture with his fingers) to proposing to her last night, and at the last moment, I just couldn't!"

"Were you too nervous?"

"No."

"Well then why couldn't you?"

"I don't know. I guess I just hesitated. I'm really not sure how Alexis would feel about it. I don't know if she is ready for marriage. Heck, I don't even know if we are ready for marriage! She has never been married before, but I have, and I hope that this will be the one that will keep, you know? But I'm not about to ruin that by popping the question to her now if she doesn't want to get married."

"You know, Ned, if you are having any doubt whatsoever that it is too early to think about marriage, than follow that instinct. You'll know when it is the right time to propose."

"You think so?"

"Yeah."

Ned then suddenly realized that this might be a hard subject for Jax to discuss, considering that he had proposed to Brenda not so long ago. "Oh, Jax, I'm sorry, I didn't even think that this may be hard for you to talk about…"

"Ned, no, it's okay. I don't want to you feel like you have to walk on eggshells every time you're around me. It really doesn't bother me anymore, and I don't want you to get in the middle. I know that Brenda is your friend."

"Yes, she is my friend, but, Jax, I don't think for a moment what she did was right. I'm sorry she hurt you."

"You know, I don't even think about it anymore. I've always wanted Brenda to be happy, and if being with Sonny makes her happy, than I am certainly not going to stand in her way. And who knows, maybe this all happened for a reason. Maybe Brenda is not the one who I am meant to be with."

"It's really funny the way things like that work out. I thought for sure that Lois and I would be together, and after she left me, I thought things would never be the same for me, and in walked Alexis."

"Well, like I said, Ned, you'll know when it is the right time."

"I sure hope so, because otherwise, I am going to be holding onto this ring for a long time."

Jax laughed. "Ready to get your butt whooped again in another game?"

"No, my friend, you are mistaken."

"Yeah whatever…" Jax said.

"Hey, Elizabeth." Chloe said, standing at the counter at Kelly's.

"Oh hey, Chloe. Did you get my message earlier?"

"No, I was out all day."

"Well it wasn't too important. Therese just wanted you to know that those fabric samples should be arriving any day now."

"Thank you, Elizabeth. You know, I just don't know what I would do without the two of you! Without you and Therese, CMD would completely fall apart!"

"Well thank you, but I think that you are the most important part of the company. All I do is take messages."

"Now don't be modest! You help me out in more ways than I can imagine."

"Well thanks. Can I get you anything?"

"Hmm, I forgot what I was here for." Elizabeth laughed. "Oh yeah, I remember, I wanted to pick up some hot chocolate to go."

"Coming right up." Elizabeth said with a smile.

Just then, Jax walked in, and seeing Chloe at the counter, he snuck up on her and covered her eyes.

"Guess who." Jax said, trying to disguise his voice.

"Hmm, Uncle Herbert?"

"Haha, very funny."

Chloe turned around and laughed. "Hey."

"Hey. What are you doing here?"

"Just getting some hot chocolate. You?"

"I was thinking about getting some of Ruby's chili."

"Mmm, yummy."

"Here's your hot chocolate, Chloe."

"Thanks, Elizabeth."

"So, what are your plans for tonight?" Jax asked.

"Well, nothing at the moment."

"Me neither, and I'm incredibly bored. Do you want to do something?"

"Sure. How about a movie?"

"Yeah, that sounds great."

"Anything you want to see in particular?"

"No, anything you pick is fine."

"Jasper Jacks is going to let me choose a movie?"

"Pick something good, alright!"

"Alright. Well I'll tell you what, you order your chili and I will run to Blockbuster. Meet you back at your place?"

"Sounds good."

"Great. I'll see you tomorrow, Elizabeth."

"Bye, Chloe."

"And see you in a bit." Chloe said to Jax as she walked out of the diner.

"Hope Floats? You brought back Hope Floats? Chloe, I said get something *good*!"

"Yeah, it looks good to me!" Chloe laughed as she took the tape from Jax.

"Didn't you get *anything* else??"

"Nope!"

"Well isn't this more of a movie that you would watch with Alexis?"

"Oh come on, Jax! You *know* how much I love Sandra Bullock! I've been dying to see this movie for months! Please!" Chloe begged.

"Well, Speed was a good movie." Jax admitted.

"So we can watch it?" Chloe asked, hopefully.

Jax sighed. "Oh, alright."

"YES!" Chloe grinned widely as she put the tape into the VCR. "This movie's going rock, I just know it! Okay, while the previews play, I am going to go make some popcorn. I hope you are not too full from that chili!"

"Oh, that was such a good movie!" Chloe said as the credits rolled past the screen. She then glanced over at Jax, and even in the dark, she could tell. "Jasper Jacks, you're crying!"

"No I'm not!" Jax quickly said. "Just had an eyelash in my eye."

"Sure." Chloe grinned. "Admit it, you *loved* that movie!"

"Alright, for a chick flick, it was pretty good."

"Chick flick? *Chick flick*??" With that, Chloe grabbed a handful of popcorn and tossed it at Jax.

"HEY!"

"That's what you get for calling my movie a 'chick flick'!"

"This is war, Chloe!" Jax grabbed a handful of popcorn from his bowl and hurled it towards Chloe, hitting her right in the face. Within moments, popcorn was flying all over the room. Jax and Chloe didn't even care how much of a mess they were making.

To be continued...