Affairs of the Heart

Affairs of the Heart
Chapter 15
Written by Jayson Colin Vascardi
Legal Disclaimer: This story is fictional and not meant to reflect upon or imply anything about any of the celebrities mentioned herein. If you are offended by material of a homosexual nature, or if such material is illegal to view in your area, you should be leaving now. Otherwise, please enjoy the story.
This story is copyright ©2001-2002 by Jayson Colin Vascardi. All rights reserved.
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Author's Note: Just so ya'll know, I've sped up time in this chapter. So the story has gone from being set in April 2001 to July 2001. I'll be doing my best in the next few chapters to get this story up to date so that it's set in the current time.

Ashley pays the rent for his New York City apartment, realizing that he'll only be able to stay there for another month, as he won't have enough money to pay next month's rent.

Ashley attends the baptism of Jeremy and Jordan Richardson in Lexington, Kentucky. Kevin has named Ashley and his cousin Brian as Jeremy and Jordan's godparents, something which he probably wouldn't have been able to do if any minister other then his brother Tim had officiated at the ceremony.

Seth and Bruce pay Ashley's rent for the rest of the year, despite Ashley's objections. Diana and Zachary share their suspicions that Kevin is falling for Ashley with Seth and Bruce, and Diana finalizes plans with Lance to set Justin, Seth, and Bruce up on a date with each other. Lance also confides in Diana that he's fallen out of love with Brian.

Katherine Winthrop-Smith pulls out her cell phone and dials, after a moment someone picks up the telephone.

Katherine can hear some whispering and then the phone exchanging hands, before another voice comes onto the phone and replies, "This is Trey, who is this?"

"I don't know how much more of this I can take," replies Alexandra, which is her real name, "You wouldn't believe how tempted I am to go to New York and tell them who I really am."

"Well, I'll be coming back to New York in two weeks, so if you could hold off on that until then, I'd be most grateful."

"Because I have to get back to San Cristobel," replies Alexandra, "There's a state dinner in a week and as the Queen, I'm expected, not to mention required, to be in attendance."

"Ah, ok. Well, then I suppose I will just have to speed up my return. Make sure to call Jenkins and get everything setup there. Somehow you'll also have to get Ashley, Zachary, Diana, and Kerr to the mansion."

"Well, that's going to be easier said then done," replies Alexandra, "After the way father forced me to treat them and throw them out of the house, not to mention making their lives miserable, they all hate me."

"No, Alexandra, it's not you that they hate, because they don't know you. They know you as their back from the dead mother, who is only a creation of your sick and twisted father."

"Thank you Trey, I appreciate that. Ok, I'll call Jenkins and then somehow I will get Ashley, Zachary, Diana , and Kerr to the mansion. I don't know how quite yet, but I'll come up with something."

Alexandra clicks end on her cell phone, and walks over to the desk in the mansion's study. She opens the drawer and pulls out a few sheets of stationary and a pen.

"Perhaps they'll respond to a royal command invitation," replies Alexandra, as she sits down at the desk and begins to write.

"When is mother going to come home? I mean she's been gone for like four months now."

"Well, I don't now, but I assume she'll be back in time for the state dinner next week."

"Well, Stephen, of course father would be pissed, considering that there is going to be a representative of almost every government in the world in attendance at this dinner."

"Well, what I mean is," replies Prince Stephen, "that San Cristobel is probably the last absolute power monarchy in existence. I just can't help but wonder if other countries of the international community might have a problem with the idea of a supreme ruler."

"Well, I don't think they will when they see how happy the citizens of San Cristobel are. I mean San Cristobel has a non-existent crime rate, no unemployment, good wages and good schools."

"Yeah, you're right Nikolas, I'm just being paranoid. Life on San Cristobel is very good for all citizens, despite the fact that we don't have a constitution, a bill of rights, or an elected government."

Suddenly a page enters the room and replies, "I'm sorry to interrupt you Your Highnesses, but His Imperial Majesty requests that you come see him in the throne room."

"Thank you," replies Prince Nikolas, as him and his brother stand up and head for the throne room to see their father, His Imperial Majesty King Christian the Tenth.

The next afternoon, Ashley answers the door of his New York apartment and a messenger hands him an envelope which was sent over night mail. Ashley signs for the letter and gives the messenger a small tip before heading into his living room and opening the letter. Ashley reads the letter, and then calls for Zachary, Diana, Kerr, and Scott to come into the living room.

By royal command, your presence is required at the Smith mansion in Middlebury, Vermont on Monday afternoon at 2pm sharp. It is in your best interests to come to the mansion, as you will be receiving some very important news which will have a dramatic, and, we hope, very good effect on all of your lives. Many secrets, long hidden, shall come to light. Including a few about ourselves.

Her Imperial Majesty Alexandra the First, by the Grace of God, of the Imperial Kingdom of San Cristobel and Her Other Realms and Territories Queen, Chatelaine of Everton, and Empress of the Orange Islands

"Have you gone off your rocker, Kerr?" asks Zachary, "After the way she treated us? Why in the hell would you want to see her?"

"Did you notice the fact that she signed that letter using what I assume is her official title as a member of San Cristobel royalty?"

"Well, Zach, don't you find it even the slightest bit odd that she would do that? Considering that she told us that she divorced the King of San Cristobel? I don't know much about royalty, but one thing I do know is that a woman who divorces the King would not remain Queen of the country."

"She's probably just trying to use the title to get us to come," replies Zachary, "She figured that there's no way we'd come, so she decided to act all big and important and royally command us to come."

Diana, who has been quiet throughout this conversation, walks over to the desk and flips open Ashley's laptop computer. She quickly goes onto the internet and heads to a search engine, where she searches for information on San Cristobel. She finds many pages, but most useful is the official website for the Imperial Kingdom of San Cristobel.

"She's still the Queen," replies Diana quite suddenly, "She never divorced the King."

"I'm looking at San Cristobel's official website right now," replies Diana, "It makes no mention of King Christian and Queen Alexandra getting a divorce. In fact, there's a notice on the site announcing an invitation only state dinner to commemorate the re-emergence of the kingdom into the international community, and also to celebrate King Christian and Queen Alexandra's fifteenth wedding anniversary."

"Well, here's some biographical information on Queen Alexandra," replies Diana, "Oh my god."

Queen Alexandra

Full name:
Alexandra Elizabeth Katherine Marie de Montferrat

Maiden name:
Winthrop

Official Title:
Her Imperial Majesty Alexandra the First, by the Grace of God, of the Imperial Kingdom of San Cristobel and Her Other Realms and Territories Queen, Chatelaine of Everton, and Empress of the Orange Islands

Born:
15/Jan/1954
New York City, New York
United States of America

Married:
18/Jul/1984
Crosslakes Cathedral
Rhodes, Duchy of Crosslakes, San Cristobel
To Christian Nikolas Phillip Alexander de Montferrat

Children:
Nikolas Phillip Christian Alexander, b. 10/Mar/1985
Stephen Alexander Zachary Colin, b. 27/Feb/1986

Parents:
Thomas Anthony Winthrop, b. 21/Aug/1920
Elizabeth Laura Alexandra Marie Larsen, b. 05/Jun /1922 - d. 09/Sep/1955

Step-parent:
Veronica Anne Wilson, b. 12/Apr/1934

Siblings:
Richard Thomas Winthrop, b. 20/May/1952

Half-Siblings:
Katherine Anne Winthrop, b. 17/Nov/1957 - d. ????
Bradley Anthony Winthrop, b. 29/Oct/1969

"If I'm reading this correctly," replies Ashley, "Queen Alexandra is not our back from the dead mother, but our aunt."

"Yeah, you're reading it right, Ash," replies Diana, "One question that comes to mind though is why mom's death date isn't listed and has four question marks listed instead."

"Yes, that is somewhat odd," replies Kerr, "But, then again, what hasn't been odd in the last few months."

"You've got a point there, cuz," replies Zachary, "I certainly never knew that mom and Uncle Brad weren't full-blooded siblings of Uncle Richard."

"Ok, well, I'd say we have no choice," replies Ashley, "We're going to the mansion tomorrow to see this Queen Alexandra. Perhaps she can shed some light on what in the hell is going on here."

The next day at the Smith Mansion, Queen Alexandra sits in a chair staring into the empty fireplace and sipping a cup of cappuccino, when Mrs. Lansbury comes in, followed by Ashley, Zachary, Diana, and Kerr Smith and Scott Foley.

"Your guests have arrived, Your Majesty," replies Mrs. Lansbury, as she curtsies.

"Thank you, Mrs. Lansbury, you're dismissed," replies Queen Alexandra from her chair, which faces away from the doors into the music room.

After Mrs. Lansbury leaves, Queen Alexandra replies, "Please have a seat. I'm sure you're all wondering why I commanded your presence, so we'll get down to business."

"After getting your letter yesterday, we visited San Cristobel's website and read your biography."

"Yes, at least that's what the website says. One question I have is why my mother's death date isn't listed. The website shows four question marks instead."

"No, actually, that's not true Zach. Your mother, my sister, Katherine is very much so alive right now. If you consider being in a persistent vegetative state for the last twenty years to be living."

"Twenty years ago your mother headed for the Smith family cabin as she usually did on weekends to be alone. On the way, she was in a car accident. She suffered mostly minor injuries, nothing lethal, but there was significant brain damage. To the point that she has yet to gain full consciousness. She responds to stimuli sometimes and will appear to start coming out of her coma, but then always falls right back into it. She now calls a long-term care facility in England home. As you may know, our father, your grandfather, never approved of Katherine's marriage to your father. He hated Donald for impregnating his daughter out of wedlock at such a young age, but his hatred for him increased a hundred times when Donald took over is company.

"So he devised a plan to get Katherine away from Donald at any cost. It was your grandfather driving the car which hit Katherine's that day twenty years ago. He had a doctor on his payroll see to it that Katherine got medical attention and that her transfer to the care facility in England proceeded as quickly as possible. But, you see now he needed a way of convincing everyone that there was nothing wrong with Katherine, but he also needed a way to control her. So he threatened to kill me if I didn't do as he asked of me. Not wanting to die, I agreed. I was to assume Katherine's identity and live as wife to Don, and mother to Ashley and Zachary."

"Yes, I did take it seriously, Ashley. If there's one thing I've learned in my life it's that Thomas Winthrop doesn't make idle threats. When he threatens to do something he always does it. He's a very ruthless man who will stop at nothing to get what he wants."

"But you said all this happened twenty years ago," replies Zachary, "That just doesn't make any sense whatsoever because Diana is only eighteen years old."

"Diana isn't Katherine's daughter," replies Alexandra, "She's my daughter. I'm Diana's mother."

"No, Diana," replies Alexandra as she stands up from her chair and turns to face Ashley, Zachary, Diana, Kerr and Scott, "I'm not lying, Diana, I am your mother."

"She's telling you the truth, Diana," replies the voice of a man whom Ashley, Zachary, Diana, and Kerr never thought they'd hear or see ever again. They all whirl around to face the door to the music room and come face to face with none other than Donald Preston Smith.

"Yes, Ashley, it's me," replies Don, "To make a long story short, I was contacted by an FBI agent a few months ago informing me of Thomas Winthrop's plans to falsify my will and have me killed. So to avoid being killed by a hit man, the FBI helped me to fake my death. You see they were contacted by your Aunt Alexandra and she provided a taped conversation between her and Thomas, in which he threatens to kill her daughter with me, that's you Diana, and her sons with King Christian, Princes Nikolas and Stephen, unless she agreed to help in his plans. Alexandra worked out a deal with the FBI to avoid prosecution if she helped them bring in Thomas."

"Yes, Zach, I'm really here and I'm really alive," replies Don, as he walks over to Ashley and Zachary and pulls them into a hug.

Ashley and Zachary gladly return the hug, and after a minute, Don turns to Diana and Kerr and hugs them.

Once Don's hug with Diana and Kerr, he turns to Scott and replies, "You must be Kerr's boyfriend Scott," as he pulls Scott into a hug as well.

"Well, actually, I've been touring with a boy band as their new manager, Trey Williams."

Ashley, Zachary, Diana, Kerr, and Scott's jaws drop when Nick, Drew, Jeff, and Justin of 98 Degrees walk into the room.

"Ok, well, as much as I'd love to stay here and spend time with you all," replies Don, "After my absence, I have a lot of work to do at the office. First off, Ashley, if you want your job as a model back, you've got it. And Zachary what is this I hear about you giving up teaching?"

"I've been considering it for awhile," replies Zachary, "I'd like to try modeling. If it doesn't work out, I have teaching to fall back on."

"Ok, Zach, I'll have the executives at Five Star draw up a contract for you," replies Don, as he looks at his watch, "Ok, I really need to get over to Smith Industries. Oh, just so you know, Nick, Jeff, Drew, and Justin will be staying with us while they're here in Middlebury. They all got some time off from their tour, so they'll be here with us for a month or two."

Three hours later, Don sits behind his desk in his penthouse office on the one-hundredth floor of the Smith Tower in Middlebury. Don has always liked Middlebury, and long ago decided to put his corporate headquarters here in Middlebury, rather than in New York City, which may have been a more logical choice. Don was right when he said he'd have a lot of work to do upon getting back. While it's true that Alexandra was Chairman in Don's absence, she doesn't know much about running an international conglomerate.

Just as Don finally finishes all of the paperwork that he needed to get done right away, there's a knock on his office door.

"Come," replies Don, as the door opens and in walks Nick Lachey, closing the door behind him.

"No, Nick, it's not," replies Don, as he stands up from his back, "I always have time for you."

"Really?" asks Nick in a seductive voice, as he reaches behind him and turns the locks on the office doors.

"Yes, really," replies Don, as he moves closer to Nick, wraps his arms around him, and kisses him gently on the lips.

"Soon, Nicky, soon," replies Don, "I know we have to tell them. I don't expect that Diana will be a problem. It's Ashley and Zachary that I'm worried about. They did after all just find out that their mother is alive. I don't know how they'll react if they find out that I've known about it for a little over a year now. Long enough to get a divorce from Katherine. And then there's our age difference."

"I know that, and you know that," replies Don, "But Ashley and Zachary may see it differently. I mean their father is dating a man whose young enough to be their brother. You're only a year older than them after all."

"Yeah, I know," replies Nick, "And I suppose I can understand why it might be hard for them to deal with, but let's not talk about them right now, huh Donny?"

"I can think of a few things," replies Nick, with a sly grin on his face which tells Don exactly what Nick is thinking, "Is this office safe?"

"It's soundproof with the doors closed," replies Don, "As long as you locked the door, it's safe."

"I locked it," replies Nick, as he starts kissing Don passionately on the lips as he starts to pull Don's white shirt out of his suit pants. As they kiss, Nick and Don dance around the large office a bit, before ending up on the other side of the office with Don pinned between Nick and a large oak conference table. Nick unbuckles Don's belt, unzips his suit pants, and then pulls them down along with Don's ash gray boxer-briefs. Nick breaks off his kiss with Don and backs up a little, motioning for Don to turn around. Don just smiles at Nick, and turns around, placing the palms of his hands flat on the tabletop, knowing full well what Nick intends to do.

Nick unbuckles his belt, unzips his jeans, and pulls down his jeans and boxers, letting them fall down to his feet. Nick pulls a small silver packet out of his shirt pocket, tears it open, and places the lubricated condom onto his rock hard cock. Nick then places the head of his penis at Don's entrance and pushes forward ever so gently. Don winces slightly, as he adjusts to Nick being inside of him, before nodding his head to let Nick know that it's ok to continue. Nick continues to push forward ever so carefully and gently, as both Nick and Don moan in pleasure.

I suppose that some people might find it wrong for Nick and Don to be a couple, seeing as how Nick will be 28 on his next birthday, and Don will be 41. Add to that equation the fact that Don has two 26 year old sons and an 18 year old daughter, and some people would really frown on the relationship. But, Nick and Don don't care what other people think. While it's true that they haven't known each other very long, only for the last four months ever since Don collaborated with the FBI to fake his death and assumed the identity of Trey Williams. But, in that time, Nick and Don have talked quite a bit and found that they really do have a lot in common.

When Don started managing 98 Degrees, him and Nick became very fast friends. That's not to say that the other members of 98 Degrees don't consider Don a friend, because they do, but Nick and Don were friends almost immediately, whereas it took Jeff, Drew, and Justin a little more time to get to know and in turn like Don. For Nick and Don however, friendship soon turned into something more. Nick had always known that he was gay and that he had a bit of a thing for older and more distinguished men, and Nick is the one who first told Don about his feelings towards him and in turn asked him out on a date. Don had never been out on a date with a man before, and he had to admit that he was intrigued by the idea. He also knew that he missed having someone special in his life.

He of course knew that Katherine was alive, but after seventeen years of mourning and thinking that she was dead, Don simply didn't love Katherine enough to swear off any future romantic relationships and stay faithful to a woman who may never fully regain consciousness again. Even if she does, after eighteen years of being in a coma, she'll likely be a vegetable who will need to re-learn how to walk, talk, and everything else, and probably won't have that many memories left anymore. That's why upon finding out that Katherine was still alive, he filed for divorce. Upon learning of the situation, the judge overseeing the case in turn dissolved the marriage, despite the fact that Katherine never signed the divorce papers. Of course it's pretty hard to sign divorce papers when you're unconscious.

Nick and Don went on their first date, and many more dates followed it. Don just could not deny that he thoroughly enjoyed spending time with Nick and he quickly found himself falling in love with him. So after about two months of dating, Nick and Don talked about it and decided that regardless of what other people thought, they were going to give being an official couple a shot, and it's now been two months since that decision, and neither of them have ever regretted it for so much as a millisecond.

Nick continues to push forward ever so slowly and gently as inch by inch his tool is buried deep within Don's muscular ass. When he's in all the way, Nick starts to pull back out until just the head of his cock remains inside and then thrusts forward. As he continues his thrusts, Nick reaches up and starts to untie Don's tie and unbuttoning the first few buttons on Don's shirt and then starts to kiss Don's neck and shoulders, as Don reaches up with one hand and runs his hand gently through Nick's hair.

"Oh Nick," moans Don, as Nick speeds up his thrusting a bit, "That feels so good."

"Well, I'm glad you're enjoying it as much as I am," moans Nick, "After this perhaps you can return the favor?"

"It would be my pleasure, Nicky," replies Don, as he can't help but smile because being with Nick makes him happier then he's been in many years.

Nick continues to speed up his thrusts for awhile, before he feels himself starting to get close and slows down a little, because he desperately wants this moment to last as long as possible. Nick has simply never met anyone like Don before. Nick has of course dated other people, but he's never felt for any of them what he feels for Don. Nick honestly believes that he's found the man that he wants to spend the rest of his life with, and in talking with Don, knows that Don feels the same way. Nick has also had his fair share of sex with past boyfriends, but there was always something missing on a deep emotional level. When he's making love to Don, Nick feels so connected to him that it's as if they're one person, something which Nick has never felt with anyone else.

"Oh, Nicky," moans Don, as Nick once again starts to speed up his thrusts a bit.

"Donny, I'm gonna... I'm gonna..." moans Nick, as he feels himself crossing the point of no return, and then shouts out, "Oh yes, Donny, I love you!" as Nick lets go his load into the condom.

Nick leans against Don's back as he struggles to catch his breath for a moment, before he pulls himself out of Don. Nick removes the condom from his now softening tool, being careful not to spill any of it on the rug of Don's office, and ties a knot in it.

"Right through there," replies Don, as he points towards a door to the right of the fireplace, "My private bathroom."

Nick heads into the bathroom to dispose of the used condom, while Don pulls up his pants and starts getting dressed.

When Nick comes back out to see Don looking in a mirror straightening his tie, he comes over to him with a bit of a sad look on his face.

Knowing what the cause of that look is, Don replies, "Later Nick. As much as I loved having you make love to me here in my office, it's not the most romantic place in the world. So, how about we late until later when we're back at my house to do this?"

"Ok," replies Nick, a bit sad at first, but a smile quickly appears on his face.

"Well, we're already sweaty, so why don't we head downstairs to the gym and work out a little?"

"How'd you know about the company gym? And what makes you think you're allowed to use it?"

"It's a long ride up to the hundredth floor," replies Nick with a grin, "I read the floor directory on my way up. As for what makes me think I'm allowed to use it, well, I know I'm not an employee, but I am dating the Founder and Chairman of the Board, so I figured maybe an exception could be made."

Don laughs and pulls Nick into a hug before replying, "Well, I guess I can make an exception for you Nick. So head on downstairs and work out as much as you like."

"Unfortunately, I can't," replies Don, looking at his watch, "I have a board meeting in ten minutes, otherwise I'd join you in a flash. Just don't tire yourself out too much, Nick. Wouldn't want you to be too tired for tonight."

Nick just grins, as Don pulls him into a passionate kiss, as Nick and Don's tongues wrestle around in each other's mouths, working on perfecting an erotic dance.

When the kiss ends, Don grabs a pen and paper, and quickly writes a note to security for Nick, granting him full use of the company gym. Nick heads downstairs to the gym, and Don grabs a few file folders from his desk and heads down the hall to the board room.

Later that night at the Smith Mansion, the Smith family, along with Alexandra de'Montferrat and the members of 98 Degrees, sit in the dining room eating dinner. Mrs. Lansbury cooked up a storm tonight and made all of Don's favorites, to welcome him home. Tonight is very much so a celebration for the Smith family. Ashley has his modeling job back, Zachary has signed a contract to start modeling, Diana is no longer in debt because Don has re-instated the payments going to Harvard, and of course, the best news, Don Smith is alive and well.

"So, dad, how is everything going in getting your estate back in order?" asks Diana, "I'm sure the probate courts don't often start processing a person's Last Will, only to have them come back from the dead."

"Well, everything is going fine," replies Don, "A stop payment was ordered on the checks going to Katherine, Thomas, Richard, and Quentin. Thomas Winthrop & Son Investment Services is back under the control of Smith Industries, I am once again majority stock-holder of Smith Industries, and the deed to this house is back in my name.

"Although, I decided to make good on the donations to Middlebury College, St. Jude's, and ACES. After all, it's certainly not everyday that I get a fifteen million dollar tax write off."

"Dad," replies Zachary, "You know full well that the tax write off wasn't the reason you made good on those donations that the falsified will left them."

"Yes, you do," replies Ashley, "You're just a very generous man. I mean how many millionaires in the world consistently dress up as Santa Claus every Christmas and deliver presents to the children at the local children's hospital?"

"That's a very nice thing to do," replies Drew, "It seems like a very nice Christmas tradition."

"Yeah, the whole family gets into it," replies Diana, "Dad is Santa, Mrs. Lansbury is Mrs. Claus, and Ashley, Zachary, and I are elves. It brings smiles to all the children's faces, so it's worth it."

"I think it's marvelous that you help those less fortunate than you, Diana," replies Alexandra, "It's a good trait that you inherited from both your father and me."

"It's gonna take some getting used to thinking of you as my mother," replies Diana, "Please forgive me if I call you Aunt Alexandra, but even though I never knew her, I still consider Katherine to be my mother."

"It's ok, Diana," replies Alexandra, "I understand. I just hope you won't be terribly upset that I have to leave tomorrow. Now that you know I'm your mother, I'd really like to stay, but I can't. Duty calls and I must get back to San Cristobel."

"Why?" asks Jeff, who along with the other members of 98 Degrees, don't know that Alexandra is royalty.

"Ok, Jeff, there's a state dinner at the Imperial Palace in San Cristobel in a week to celebrate the re-emergence of the Imperial Kingdom of San Cristobel into the international community, and to celebrate my fifteenth wedding anniversary to Christian de'Montferrat, the King of San Cristobel."

"Yes, my official title is Her Imperial Majesty Alexandra the First by the Grace of God of the Imperial Kingdom of San Cristobel and Her Other Realms and Territories Queen Chatelaine of Everton and Empress of the Orange Islands. Long winded isn't it?"

After dinner, everyone heads upstairs to their bedrooms, as it has been a long day, and everyone is a bit tired. Especially after eating the big meal that Mrs. Lansbury prepared. There's just something about eating a big meal that makes a person very sleepy afterwards. Seeing as how nobody else in the house knows yet about Don and Nick, Nick obviously couldn't go into the master bedroom with Don, and instead headed upstairs to the guest room that was prepared for him on the third floor. But, that doesn't mean that Nick and Don will be apart tonight, just because they went into separate rooms on different floors of the house.

Don takes off his business suit and pulls on a pair of silk lounge pants and a silk robe, before locking the double doors to his bedroom so that nobody can get in that way, and then walks over to the fireplace. Don reaches his hand under the fireplace mantle and presses a small button concealed underneath it, which causes the fireplace to swing open, revealing the secret passage behind it. Don grabs a flashlight, turns it on, and walks down to the end of the passageway, where a metal spiral staircase goes up to the third floor. Don climbs it and soon finds himself in the third floor passageway.

Don made sure that Mrs. Lansbury gave Nick a room that was connected to the secret passages so that he could go upstairs, get Nick, and bring him back downstairs to sleep with him in the master bedroom, without everyone else knowing about it. Don walks down the passageway a few feet and then slides open a small door in the wall and looks into Nick's room, just to make sure that he's alone. When he sees that Nick is alone, Don slides the small door shut, and presses a button on the wall near it, causing the wardrobe in Nick's room to swing open.

"Donny?!" asks Nick, who not knowing about the secret passageways is at a loss as to how Don got into the room, considering that they bedroom door is still closed, not to mention locked.

"Many of the rooms in this house are connected to each other via secret passage," replies Don, as Nick in turn nods in understanding, before Don adds, "I just thought I'd come up here and invite my incredibly handsome boyfriend to join me downstairs in the master suite. I don't suppose you've seen him by any chance have you?"

"Well, I don't know, what does he look like?" asks Nick, deciding to play along.

"Well, he's about five feet eleven inches tall. He has brown hair with blond streaks, and eyes so blue that they sparkle brighter than a sapphire in the sun."

"You know, I think I have seen him," replies Nick with a grin as he wraps his arms around Don.

"Really, well could you tell him that his boyfriend doesn't want to sleep all alone in that big empty bed downstairs and would like some company?"

Don smiles at Nick, as he turns the flashlight back on, and leads Nick into the secret passage and back downstairs to the master suite. Within a few minutes, the fireplace is locked so that nobody can get into the master suite through the secret passages, and Don is spooning Nick, as the two of them lay under the covers of the bed. Nick and Don are both pretty tired after the big meal that Mrs. Lansbury prepared, and decide to just fall asleep in each other's arms.

Well, I hope that ya'll enjoyed Chapter 15 of Affairs of the Heart. It answered many questions and the whole Katherine/Alexandra storyline is finally resolved. As for the relationship between Don Smith and Nick Lachey, well, I wanted to pair Don with someone, and then a friend of mine suggested Nick Lachey. At first I wasn't really sure if it would work, but after thinking about it, I realized that it has serious potential to add some drama to the story. Especially considering that Nick is only 27 (in July 2001) years old and is dating Don, who was two sons who are 26 years old. Now for those of you who have a problem with the idea of Nick and Don dating, just remember that while it's true Don has twin twenty-six year old sons, that they were born when he was only fourteen and that while he is now forty years old, he looks and acts like he's thirty. Anyway, let me know what ya'll think.

This story is copyright ©2001-2002 by Jayson Colin Vascardi. All rights reserved.
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