Nick wants out!

Despite their cozy but phony display of love at her 25th birthday party last week, things are getting increasingly tense chez Lachey as the Dukes premiere approaches and as rumours of Jessie's bad behaviour continues to swirl. It appears that Nick, like any macho man, is sick and tired of looking like a chump. And who could blame him? Although the agreement was to stay together at least until their next ABC special (they've already pocketed a significant percentage), living the lie is becoming much more of a challenge. I'm hearing there was a huge blowout this weekend, not with Jessica but with Joe - her father - the Simpson mastermind and architect of the plastic 'all tits and nothin' else' caricature his daughter has become. Needless to say, it ended badly as Joe reminded Nick of his non-existent career and the fact that he needs the money and exposure more than anyone else in this sordid arrangement. Bottom line, he's stuck there until further notice and obviously he's not happy about it. And while a 2nd insider I contacted denied such a thing took place, Jessie didn't exactly look like a happy and fulfilled wifey the other day as she shopped with the omnipresent Cacee. See attached.