*James*

Julia seems... Distant. It's noticed by me and for sure noticed by Nate. I know she freaked out about her weight which triggered her eating disorder to kick it up a notch, but I don't think it's that... I can't pinpoint it yet, but something has changed.

 After Nate and everyone left, Paul said he would watch over Mike for Julia so we could go to the gym. Usually, we both run on the treadmill together, and then Julia helps me with my weights. But not tonight. Because she gained a few pounds, Julia started to push herself on the treadmill. I glance over at her and could tell she was watching the monitor as she watches the calories burned numbers go up. She's trying to burn more calories than she consumes, which for someone overweight is fine, but someone underweight is very dangerous. I need to stop this before she overdoes it.

"Babe, one of us is gonna pass out if we run another mile. I think it's gonna be you." I say in a teasing tone but Julia knows me. She knows I'm not joking around.

"Fine." She huffs and shuts down both our machines after she hits the six-mile mark on her treadmill.

"Babe..."

"What??" She snarks. She knows exactly what.

"Don't do this." I wipe my forehead with my towel and Julia does the same. She's panting and very out of breath. Moreso than myself right now. She was pushing herself too hard on that machine.

"I'm not doing anything, James."

I cock my head to the side and look at her with sympathy.

"My sister would do the same thing when she saw the numbers on the scale rise."

"I'm not your sister."

"Thank God for that." I laugh, gaining a well-deserved eyeroll. I got my point across and don't need to make Julia more uncomfortable. I know when to end touchy conversations.

Once back to the apartment, like always, Julia helps me in the shower. This time, she walks in behind me wearing a tiny red bikini.

"We're wearing bathing suits now?"  I pull at the strings of her bikini top with a smirk

"While washing you men up, yes." Julia raises her brows at me and begins lathering me up with soap.

"Your boobs look good in that."  I gently caress her left breast that is practically spilling out of the bikini top. "It's a nice bathing suit."

"It's supposed to help you keep your hands off me, not the other way around." Julia gives me an evil little smile while her soapy hands take hold of my erection.

"Keep doing that, and I'm ripping that swimsuit right off you." I growl but Julia's not in the mood tonight. She quickly changes the subject and moves on to less sensitive areas of my body to clean.

"You and Trisha talked a lot out there." She begins.

"Yeah, she's easy to talk to." I admit. No, things didn't work out the way we had hoped but Trisha is a great listener, and I enjoy our conversations.

"Who broke it off with who, anyway? We never did talk about that.... bestie..." 

"Both of us, I guess." I end there. Julia knows why. I want Julia. Trisha wants Nate. It's no surprise.

"Incoming!" The male voice echos through the bathroom.

The door swings open, and Mike barrels in, getting sick in the toilet.

"Jesus Christ. There's another bathroom here." I mutter.

"Paul is taking a shower in that one. Fucker locked the door." Mike hurls into the toilet violently and then lays back on the wall. The guy is a fucking mess.

"Shit." Julia pulls the curtain a little to check on her detox patient, but I'm done with showering now. I walk out without covering up to give Mike a view of the goods. 

"Holy shit man." Mike covers his eyes with his arm. "Put that thing away before you hurt someone."

Julia wraps the towel around my waist with a smirk, making me laugh loudly. "Stop flaunting, you.."

"What? He doesn't have what I have?"

"GO. I'll meet you in there to help you get dressed, sheesh."

I walk away laughing and wait for her to come in to help me, which takes a bit of time since she now has to take care of Mike too.

Sometimes I wonder if Julia regrets all of this. She's a great caretaker but this is a lot of work. I'm a lot of work and Mike is a handful. Julia still needs someone to take care of her sometimes too and Nate really isn't around much, which only leaves Paul. I've noticed he's stepped up to the plate like a man and has been doing more to help Julia.  But because of that, he tends to put Trisha on the backburner, something Trisha confided with me on earlier.

Again, it's really hard because Nate and Trisha live a very different lifestyle. They are always on the go. ALL the time. I swear the only time Nate lays low is when he is forced to by being hospitalized.  Trisha keeps his calendar booked, but because that is her job. Julia, myself, and even Paul, yearn to live a slower life. I think that is why he offered to be Julia's full-time bodyguard. He can finally settle down a little.

It's a good thing. And I'm happy he is caring for Julia a little more than I've ever seen him do. He fills the shoes Nate can't right now.

*****

*Trisha*

"She seems to be doing well." I say as I curl up next to Nate on the couch with my cup of tea. Actually, I really didn't observe Julia much since I was talking to James for most of our visit. "Paul seemed weird, though."

Nate grabs his whiteboard with a sigh.

[ How so?]

"He seemed quieter."

[This is Paul we're talking about. The man is a mute. There were a lot of people there. You know how he gets.]

"Yeah, well." I stare at the TV. "I feel like I talked to James more than Paul today. And James WAS once mute."

[Having second thoughts about who you decided to be with, Banks?]

"No." I admit truthfully. "James loves Julia. You should just give her up and let him have her." I tease to get under Nate's skin as payback for him purposely putting on Golf on the TV when I came into the room. "And you can be with me."

Nate raises his brows.

"Relax. I'm joking." I'm not. He knows this. I've been very clear with things I want out of life. After Nate had his first heart attack, I pretty much also made it clear he was on that list. He says it wouldn't work out and he doesn't want things to end sour because we're best friends. But we crossed that line a long time ago. We've had sex more times than I can count. I've been his plus 1 to numerous public events and we live the same lifestyle. Nate thinks he's not good enough for me but I beg to differ.

That being said, I don't know where things are going with me and Paul. He's already a quiet man so it's hard to read him. And now he is so invested on caring for Julia he barely gives me the time of day.

I swear to God if that girl takes another man from me, I'm going to bury her alive.