HOW NICK TRIED TO STOP THE DIVORCE

EXCLUSIVE: HOW NICK TRIED TO STOP THE DIVORCE

On Dec. 15 last year, Nick Lachey and Jessica Simpson were on their much vaunted "second honeymoon" on the Hawaiian island of Maui. They went sailing and lounged by the pool at their $3,300-a-night villa at The Fairmont Kea Lani Maui resort. After some turbulent marital times, it looked like the Newlyweds were mending. But what a difference a year makes! Jessica is embarking on another vacation to Hawaii, but this time it's without Nick. Instead, the blonde beauty will celebrate the season with sister Ashlee Simpson, 21, and parents Joe, 47, and Tina, 45.

Did it have to end up this way? Nick certainly didn't want it to. While there have been reports that the couple had an important meeting on Dec. 16 just before Jessica, 25, filed her divorce papers, Star has learned that a crucial meeting between the couple took place the day before, on Dec. 15. A source close to the couple tells Star exclusively, "Nick made his last attempt to get his wife back."

THEIR LAST MEETING
Things didn't start well. After arriving at the Encino, Calif., home of his in-laws, where Jessica had been staying, Nick, 32, came face to face with his father- in-law. "There's been bad blood between those two," reports a source. Nick "took the high road. However, he brought beautiful flowers for the family, a get-well card for Ashlee" — who had collapsed from flu in Japan that same day while touring — "and he greeted Joe with a big hug." After a few pleasantries, the source notes, "Joe left Nick and Jess alone."

Right there and then, the couple had a pivotal discussion. "Nick suggested that instead of breaking up," reports the insider, "they start over from scratch, live apart but start dating each other again. Nick said that they might even fall in love all over again if they went back to square one."

       poor nick

                               pink