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Everything Your Heart Desires Chapter 16 After spending nearly every waking moment of the past week together, neither couple were ready to return to “real life.” Kristy and Cheryl started their new jobs that coming Monday and the Boys would be back in rehearsals for their upcoming U.S. tour soon. The girls wanted to do something with their guys to make their last couple of days of “freedom” as special as the rest of their week had been. Kristy stood by the stove, stirring the tomato sauce she would later use for the entrée she was making from her mom’s recipe. Cheryl reached around Kristy and grabbed a handful of grated mozzarella from the plate next to Kristy. “Hey!” Kristy scolded, slapping Cheryl’s hand. “If you keep that up, I won’t have any for the beef parmesan... Oh my God, I’m channeling my mother.” Cheryl laughed. “Does that explain this sudden burst of domesticity?” Kristy grinned at the other woman in the kitchen, who was making a cheesecake from scratch. “Oh, and this is so normal for you?” Both girls giggled as they continued preparations for that night’s dinner. With everything refrigerating, baking, or generally on track, the women headed upstairs to get themselves ready for their special evening. Cheryl and Kristy each arranged the place setting in their rooms for intimate dinners for two, then showered and dressed before returning back downstairs for the final touches. Cheryl drizzled raspberry puree on four plates, then centered a slice of cheesecake on each. She topped each dessert with white chocolate shavings and a sprig of mint. “Wow Cheryl! Those look incredible,” Kristy commented as she entered the kitchen. Cheryl looked up and smiled at her friend. “Thanks. I think Kevin’s going to say the same thing about you.” Kristy smiled and ran her hand over her long, straight, black skirt, smoothing away an invisible wrinkle. She was wearing a sapphire blue short-sleeved, scooped-neck sweater that hugged her silhouette and accented her eyes. “I’m pretty sure Howie’s going to be too focussed on you to even notice the food!” Cheryl wore a dark green tank dress with a square neckline, revealing a hint of cleavage and complementing her coloring. The timer went off on the stove and Kristy grabbed some oven mitts to remove the beef parmesan. She grabbed two forks from the drawer and handed one to Cheryl. She took a forkful of melted cheese and tomato sauce, and smiled contentedly as she tasted it. Cheryl followed, but was much more vocal about her opinion. “Oh my God, Kris! This is fantastic! Mama Dorough would approve.” Kristy turned to the sink, but not before Cheryl saw Kristy’s face fall slightly. “Kristy? What’s wrong?” Kristy turned back to Cheryl and bit her lip. “I guess I’m wondering if Kevin’s mom would approve. I mean, you’ve gotten to meet almost all of Howie’s family and they all love you... Don’t shake your head at me, Polly told me so.” Kristy smiled at her friend. “But I don’t know if Kevin’s mom even knows about me... about us.” Cheryl could hear the uncertainty in her roommate’s voice. “Kris, I can’t see how she couldn’t. Not only does Kev talk about you all the time – as evidenced by the fact that the rest of the Boys knew almost as much about us as we did about them – but Tim, and now Brian have met you too. I have a feeling Mrs. Richardson knows all about her son’s new friend!”Kevin glanced in the mirror and smiled at his reflection, hoping Kristy would like what she saw. He had on a white, short-sleeved cashmere sweater he’d just gotten that day, specifically because Kristy had commented on how good she thought he looked in them. With it, he wore a pair of charcoal tailored slacks and his black leather jacket. He grabbed his car keys and the bouquet of flowers he’d chosen and chuckled to himself as he recalled Brian’s reaction to their shopping trip earlier that day. “Just pick ANY flowers! She’ll like whatever you bring her.” Brian had rolled his eyes as they’d entered their fourth flower shop of the day. “Nope, I’m looking for her favorites and that’s what I’m going to give her.” Kevin had stubbornly insisted. “So what exactly are we looking for here?” Brian had asked as he trailed behind Kevin while he scanned the displays. “Tulips.” “TULIPS?! Kevin it’s the end of summer. Even if you do find them, they’re going to cost you a fortune.” Kevin had simply smiled and shrugged. Brian had shaken his head and grinned at his cousin. “And the smile on Kristy’s face is going to make it worth every cent to you, isn’t it?” Kevin’s smile broadened and he continued to look around the shop. In the last cooler, they’d come across the desired flowers and Kevin had purchased the entire three dozen red, yellow and white blooms. Now, back at home, he smiled again in anticipation of Kristy’s reaction. He started out the door as he heard the phone ring back inside. He returned to the kitchen to answer it, thinking it could possibly be Kristy. “Hello?” “Hi honey!” “Mom! How are you?” Kevin hadn’t spoken with her much over the last week because he’d been spending so much time with Kristy, but he had told his mom about her soon after they’d met. “I’m fine, although I must admit I’m a little surprised I caught you at home. I was expecting to have a nice chat with your machine again,” Ann Richardson teased. “Actually... I was just heading over to Kristy’s.” “She really makes you happy, doesn’t she?” “Yes, she does. But how...?” “I’m your mother, Kevin. I can hear the smile in your voice.” Kevin chuckled. He never could fool his mom. “Mom, she’s so amazing. She’s sweet... and spunky.” He smiled again as he thought about their nicknames. “She’s mature, yet has this innocence too. She’s a truly wonderful person.” Ann recognized the weight Kevin’s words carried. “So when do I get to meet this ‘truly wonderful’ girl?” “Soon, I hope. I know you’ll adore her.” Ann wondered just how strong her son’s feelings were for this woman she’d heard such good things about. According to Tim and Brian, the two had been practically inseparable since they’d met at Pleasure Island. “As much as you do?” “Mom, no one could adore her as much as I do.”The doorbell rang and both girls smiled expectantly. Cheryl raised her eyebrow at her roommate and went for the door, figuring she had a 50/50 chance. Kristy hung back, ready to come into the entryway if it was Kevin. Cheryl opened the door to see a dozen white roses, which when lowered revealed a smiling Howie. Cheryl still couldn't quite get used to what seeing those warm, deep brown eyes did to her. Like Kevin, Howie had taken Cheryl's comments on his appearance to heart, and was wearing his hair down. He wore a chocolate brown linen shirt with a wide collar, open at his throat, and lighter brown slacks. His eyes widened slightly as he took in Cheryl’s appearance; his eyes lingering over every detail. “Wow!” He raised his hand and caressed the side of her face; his smiling eyes holding hers as he drew her face towards his for a leisurely kiss. Kristy peeked her head around the corner of the kitchen and drew back as she saw the couple embraced in the doorway. She fiddled with her wineglass and straightened the already immaculate kitchen while she waited. Cheryl entered the kitchen to look for a large vase for her incredible bouquet, while Howie lingered in the hall. Kristy smiled and winked as Cheryl arranged the flowers, then smiled brighter as the doorbell rang again. Kristy forced herself to walk past Howie to the door, rather than run to let Kevin in. She opened the door, and felt her breath catch in her chest at the stunning man standing before her. Kevin’s mouth literally fell open as Kristy opened the door. Although her sweater and long skirt would seem fairly conservative to most, Kevin’s pulse quickened at the way the Kristy looked in it. Without a word, Kevin pulled Kristy to him and claimed her lips in a sensuous kiss, his free hand stroking the soft material of her velour sweater. When the kiss ended, Kristy leaned her head on his shoulder and sighed, once again savoring the feeling of being in Kevin’s arms. Kevin pulled back and brought his other hand around from behind his back and presented Kristy with the special flowers, knowing that all the effort was worth it as he saw her face light up. “Kevin Richardson,” Kristy started, her voice soft but her eyes twinkling, “I don’t even want to know what you had to do to get these.” She took the huge bouquet and smiled up at the wonderful man in front of her. “Thank you.” Kristy joined Cheryl in the kitchen, finding another vase for her flowers and grinning as Cheryl raised an eyebrow over the unseasonal arrangement. They each poured two glasses of wine and then led their men upstairs for the beginning of their romantic evening.Next: Chapter 17 |