Ignoring the others in his haste to find his girlfriend, he raced down the hall to her room. He knocked on the door, hoping she had not gone out. She opened it and jumped into his arms, kissing him soundly.
“Happy birthday, baby.”
Sighing, he kissed her again, taking the time to really enjoy the caress. “Now it is.”
“Get a room!” AJ yelled at the couple as he passed them by.
Nick never broke the kiss as he flipped his friend off, much to the amusement of the others. When he pulled away, he smiled at her. Pushing the door open, he walked into the room with her still in his arms.
“Did you get everything set up for tomorrow?” He carefully lowered her back to the floor.
“Yeah, I did. Are you sure you want to go through with this?” She stroked her hands down his arms.
“Yeah. Are you?” He looked into her eyes, searching for any sign of hesitation.
“Yep.”
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A knock on the door brought them out into the hallway. Brian grabbed one arm as Howie grabbed the other.
“C’mon, birthday boy. It’s time for cake and presents.”
Allyson followed behind them, having already left her gift in the main room of the suite. The group gathered together, putting Nick right in the middle of everything. He blew out the candles on his cake then cut pieces for everyone.
“We’re not eating lunch first?” Serenity looked at Brian as she accepted a piece.
“On Nick’s birthday, cake comes first. We’ll do lunch in a little while.” He kissed her nose.
“Anything I need to remember for your birthday?” She slipped a bite of cake into her mouth.
“Not really.”
They ate the cake then Brian distributed presents. Nick was excited at the video games, awed by the brush set, thankful for the clothes, and amazed at the painting Allyson had found for him. When Irene handed him a scroll, he was a little wary. She just laughed.
Opening it, his eyes grew wide and then flew up to meet hers. “You’re kidding.”
Pressing her lips together, she just shook her head. “Nope. When you’re ready, I’m ready.”
“What is it?” Brian peered over his best friend’s shoulder. “Wow!”
“C’mon, share with the group.” Kevin looked back and forth between Nick and Irene.
Clearing his throat, the young man began to read. “The Starlight Gallery is pleased to introduce the collected works of Nickolas Carter. Each work, ranging from in mediums, will capture the eye and awaken the soul. Selected pieces available for sale.”
“Thank you.” He reached out and hugged her, a little misty-eyed at the gift.
Irene hugged him back. “You’re welcome. I can’t wait to showcase your talent.”
He sat back on the sofa, and Allyson rubbed his back. Meredith looked at him.
“Ready for my gift now?”
“I dunno. You’d have to go a long way towards beating a gallery showing.”
“Close your eyes.”
He followed her direction, and Allyson held her hands over his face so he couldn’t peak.
“Okay, now you can open them.”
Allyson pulled her hands away, and BJ, Leslie, Aaron, and Angel were standing in front of him. Nick’s smile was so wide, the others were afraid his face would break. Within moments, he was covered up by his siblings, who were laughing and wishing him a happy birthday.
He looked over at Meredith, standing up to walk over and give her a hug. “How?”
“Your dad helped. They were down to see him, and he flew up with them yesterday.” She quickly wrapped her arms around his neck as he lifted her in the air.
“Where is he?”
“Next room. He didn’t want to spoil the surprise.” She shrugged at him after he set her back on the floor.
Walking to the connecting door, Nick opened it and ushered his father into the party. “Thanks, Dad.”
The two men shared a hug before Nick was pulled back into the pile of Carter kids surrounding Allyson. Howie smiled at the sight then looked over at Meredith.
“You give the best presents.”
She just smiled at him.
The rest of the day was spent hanging around the hotel and, on the part of the guys, trying not to be too nervous about singing at the game. Nick introduced his family to Allyson, and the seven of them spent a lot of time talking and getting to know each other.
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That night, in front of millions of people, they sang the national anthem. Lumien stuck close to Howie, almost tempted to haul out an airsickness bag because she thought he was going to lose it. The guys made it through the performance, relieved as they walked back to the private box they had rented. They were greeted with hugs and congratulations by everyone, breathing sighs of relief as they got comfortable to watch the game.
Aaron and Angel were on the floor in front of Nick, while BJ was sitting next to Howie and Lumien, and Leslie was sitting next to Kevin and Irene. The group interspersed eating with small talk and comments on the game.
Allyson leaped up, yelling as another foul was committed by the Giants. Nick hid his grin as she yelled at the team. The others just smiled at the couple. When the half-time show began, everyone watched as the various groups performed. Meredith sang along with Steven Tyler as she listened.
“You know, I’d pay good money to see you sing with Steven.” She looked over at AJ, who was singing along softly.
“Really?” He cocked an eyebrow at her.
“Oh, yeah.” She kissed him quickly then went back to watching the show.
“You’d never know there were problems.” AJ continued to watch ‘N Sync.
“Justin called when they arrived. Apparently, he and Lance flew in this morning and are flying back tonight. They’re keeping interaction down to a minimum. I told them they could come sit with us if they wanted.” Meredith leaned back in his embrace as the show came to an end.
Fifteen minutes later, security opened the door and allowed Lance and Justin into the room. They shook hands with everyone before wrapping Meredith in a hug.
“You looked pretty good down there.” She smiled at Justin.
“Singing with Aerosmith was very cool.” He grinned at her before dropping into a chair.
Lance settled himself on floor in front of Meredith and AJ, watching the game on the big screen television. Both men were startled when Allyson leaped up again, grabbing fistfuls of hair as the Ravens intercepted and made a touchdown.
“No! No! No!”
Nick just patted her back as she sank back down onto the sofa with her head in her hands. Lance and Justin stared at each other before looking at Allyson. Nick shrugged and shook his head as he smiled. Meredith pulled an envelope from her pocket and handed it to Justin. He stared at her for a moment then opened it to find a birthday card.
He smiled when he read the front, then his jaw dropped as he looked inside. “Holy shit!”
“What?” Lance looked up quickly, staring at his friend.
The young man pulled out two passes and stared at them, then stared at Lance, then stared at Meredith. He got up and hugged her, pulling her off the ground.
“How? What?”
She patted his cheek. “I do know a little about you, you know. Enjoy them, and I hope NC State goes to the top.”
He sat down in a daze, and Lance finally got them away from the other man to look at the NCAA tournament tickets. Nick smiled at Meredith as he watched the young man talking excitedly about basketball.
“You give the best presents.”
She smiled and shrugged.
An hour later, two security guards showed up to escort Lance and Justin to the airport. Meredith was the last to say goodbye, hugging them again. Justin gave her an extra-long hug.
“Take care of yourselves and let me know how it goes, okay?”
“We will. Thanks, Merry.” Lance smiled at her before they walked away.
As she watched them leave, she saw JC standing at the other end of the hall watching. He caught her eye, and she sighed at the look of sadness on his face. Smiling and nodding, she walked back into their room.
When they made it back to the hotel, Bob gathered the four kids together and got ready to head for the airport. The Carters hugged each other, and Nick was full of smiles as he waved goodbye before the elevator doors closed.
Turning, he headed back down the hall. Stopping at a door, he knocked and waited. Meredith opened the door, and he wrapped his arms around her in a big hug.
“Thanks, Mom.”
Hugging him just as hard, she kissed his cheek and chuckled softly. “You’re welcome, Munchkin.”
He kissed her cheek and turned away, moving towards Allyson’s room. She watched him go before closing the door to her room and heading back to stretch out on the bed.
***Backstreet Boys***Backstreet Boys***Backstreet Boys***Backstreet Boys****
The next morning, Nick and Allyson snuck out of the hotel with Leary, heading downtown. The bodyguard just looked at them as they walked into the shop.
“Hey, Moose.” Nick shook the owner’s hand. “This is my girlfriend, Allyson, and my friend, Leary.”
“Hey.” The man shook hands with the other two. “What can I do for you today, Nick?”
Allyson explained what she wanted done, and he nodded. “No problem.”
Nick explained what he wanted, and Moose just chuckled. “I can do that.”
The big man looked over at Leary, who just shook his head and held up his hands. “I’m just here as backup.”
Within two hours, they were walking out of the shop and heading towards a small Italian restaurant that Nick liked to visit when he was in town. They found a table in the back, and Nick smiled at the waitress who appeared at their table.
“Welcome back, Nick. You guys did a great job last night.” She smiled at the group.
“Thanks, Terri. Can we get a large with everything and three cokes.”
“Sure thing. I’ll be back with your drinks in a few minutes.”
Nick pulled Allyson’s foot onto his leg and pushed her sock down. He looked at the delicate chain of daisies encircling her ankle, covered in antibiotic ointment and Saran Wrap. Gently pressing his fingers to it, he smiled at her.
“Does it hurt?”
She shook her head. “Not now. It stung while he was doing it, but it’s okay now.” Her fingers joined his before moving up to hover over his left ear.
“How about you? Is it still throbbing?”
He reached up to gently touch the small gold hoop adorning his left earlobe. “Naw. It’s okay.”
Terri returned with their drinks, and Leary took a sip of his as he watched the two people in front of him. Shaking his head yet again, he let himself be pulled into the conversation as they waited for their lunch.
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They returned to the hotel after lunch, nodding to Sully who was on guard duty at the elevator. Nick left Allyson in her room to finish packing so she could return to Orlando when they left for Philadelphia. Meeting in the living room when they finished, they talked with the others before it was time to leave the hotel.
Allyson was leaving first, and Nick escorted her to the elevator.
“Take care of your ankle and don’t scratch.” He brushed the curls out of her face.
“I will, and I won’t. Be careful with your ear. Watch combs and brushes.” She wrapped her arms around his waist, pressing close to him.
“I’ll see you in D.C. on the second.” He kissed her, holding her close in his arms.
When Leary tapped him on the shoulder, they reluctantly separated. Allyson gave him another squeeze as she smiled at him. “Be safe and have great shows.”
“Be careful going home. Call me when you get there.”
She smiled and nodded as she got onto the elevator. The doors closed, cutting her off from his sight, and he sighed before following Leary down the service entrance and out to the van that would take them to the airport.
Climbing onto the plane, Meredith took a seat next to Nick so she could distract him while they took off. He could feel her gaze on him as the plane taxied down the runway and took off, and he expected her to say something. When he opened his eyes and looked at her, she just winked at him and got up to trade seats with Leary, who had been sitting with AJ.
The stewardess brought out snacks for the first-class passengers and refilled empty glasses. Nick pulled out his Gameboy and played for a little while, trading games with Brian when the other man leaned over the aisle. He eventually got up and used the restroom, wanting to stretch his legs a bit. As he washed his hands, he tilted his head and looked at the small gold ring. Shrugging at his friends’ lack of observation, he headed back to his seat.
Stopping to talk to Meredith, he leaned against the back of Lumien’s seat. They talked for a couple of minutes about his visit with the kids when AJ turned away from his book to look at them. Pulling his glasses down, he stared at his friend.
“Hey.”
Nick and Meredith both looked at him, and Nick quirked an eyebrow. “Yeah?”
“When did you get that?”
“Get what?”
AJ rolled his eyes and stood, leaning close to study Nick’s ear. “The earring, doofus. When did you get the earring?”
“This morning after Allyson got her tattoo.”
“What’d she get?” AJ’s eyes lit up at the mention of body art.
“A small chain of daisies around her ankle.”
“Cool.”
By the time AJ finished talking, Howie, Kevin, and Brian had tuned into the conversation and joined in to inspect Nick’s ear.
“Very nice.” Howie nodded as he leaned over the back of his seat.
Lumien was nestled between Howie and Nick, and she looked up to inspect his new look. “I like it.”
Nick was getting a little tired of the scrutiny, and Meredith looked around at everyone after she caught the look on his face.
“Hey, guys, you’re starting to crowd me here.”
The group chuckled before moving back to their seats. AJ picked up Meredith’s hand, stroking her fingers with his.
“You are an incredible woman.” He lifted her hand and kissed her palm.
“Thank you.” She smiled at him before pressing a kiss to the corner of his mouth.
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FEBRUARY
The older couple looked around the hallway for someone who might be able to help. They had been escorted into the backstage area, but an emergency call had taken away their guide. Standing there, looking lost, they stood out from the younger people scurrying around.
“Can I help you?”
She looked around into smiling blue eyes. “Hello. I’m Cecilia Winters, this is my husband Michael. I’m looking for Meredith Davenport.”
As he stared at the older woman, he could suddenly see the family resemblance. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, ma’am. I’m Brian Littrell. Please call me Brian.”
Holding out his hand, he greeted the older couple. Cecilia smiled. “Both my daughters have spoken very highly of you, Brian. Have you seen Meredith?”
He motioned for them to follow him. “The last time I saw Merry, she was talking to some of the security team. I’ll take you to our lounge and go find her, if that’s okay with you.”
“Thank you.” Michael smiled at the young man and followed him down several corridors.
Brian opened the door to the lounge and motioned for the Winters to go inside.
“Oh, my.”
At the exclamation, Brian peered around the couple to find Kevin and Irene entangled on the couch, their clothes in disarray. Irene looked up and grinned.
“Hi, Mom. Hi, Dad.”
Kevin closed his eyes and groaned, wishing the floor would swallow him. Irene got off him and went over to her parents to hug them. Brian bit his lip so hard he was afraid he would break the skin. Coughing, he caught Kevin’s attention.
“I’m going to find Merry.”
“Bri…”
The young man escaped before his cousin could stop him. Sighing, Kevin stood up and took a deep breath. Turning, he looked at the three people standing in front of him, two with curious expressions and one with a wicked grin.
“Mom, Dad, this is Kevin Richardson.” Irene pulled him forward.
Smiling, he held out his hand and shook the hands of her parents. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. Irene has told me a lot about the two of you.”
“The same, Kevin.” Cecilia grinned and winked at him, and he had an inkling of where Irene got her sense of humor.
“Nice to meet you, Kevin.” Michael looked at the young man standing nervously in front of him, arching an eyebrow.
Brian walked down the hall, laughing so hard he could barely stand up. AJ stepped out of the office and looked at his friend.
“Rok, you okay?”
Brian waved his hand, still unable to speak. After a few more moments, he looked up at his friend. “Have you seen Merry?”
“She’s in the office. Why?” He pulled his shades down to look at the man still wiping his eyes.
“Her parents are here. They’re in the lounge with Kev and Irene.”
“Oh, man.” AJ wiped his palms on his jeans, suddenly nervous.
Meredith walked out of the office, talking on a two-way radio to one of the security guards already in the arena. “Okay, make sure they’ve got their assignments.”
She looked at two men, wondering why Brian looked so amused and AJ so nervous. “What’s up, guys?”
“Your parents are here, Merry. I left them in the lounge with Kevin and Irene.” Brian began to laugh again, leaning against the wall.
“What’s so funny?” She looked at her friend, suspicion crossing her face.
“When I took them in there, your sister was all over my cousin. It was hilarious. I thought Kevin was gonna bust a blood vessel when he heard Irene say hello to you parents.”
The three of them headed back for the lounge, Meredith joining in on the laughter. Looking over at AJ, she noticed the tense smile. Stopping before they actually got to the room, she pulled him close and wrapped her arms around him.
“Remember what you told me when I met Denise?”
He nodded. She kissed him gently, running her hands up and down his arms. “The same goes for me. They’re gonna see how happy you make me, and that will be that. I’m not giving you up, mine.”
His smile lost some of its tenseness as he sighed in her arms.
“Besides, you’re going to have a much better introduction than Kevin.”
They both chuckled at the thought, and Meredith pulled him into the room. “Mom, Dad.”
She hugged her parents then stepped back to look at them. “You guys look great. Spend a lot of time on the Riviera?”
“Of course.” Cecilia smiled and looked past her oldest daughter.
Turning, Meredith smiled and winked at AJ before ushering him forward. “Mom, Dad, this is AJ McLean. AJ, my parents Michael and Cecilia Winters.”
“How do you do?” He held out his hand, shaking Cecilia’s first, then Michael’s.
“Hello, AJ. Both Meredith and Irene have told me a lot about you. It’s nice to finally meet the man who captured one of my daughter’s hearts.”
AJ blushed slightly, and Cecilia grinned. Michael grabbed his attention, and AJ spoke with the older man for a few moments.
“J'ai pensé qu'il était sauvage l'un {I thought he was the wild one.}” She murmured under her breath to Irene, who just shook her head.
“Ne croyez pas que tout que vous lisez, Mama {Don’t believe everything you read, Mom.}” Irene turned back to the group.
Howie, Brian, and Nick walked into the lounge, with the two younger men talking excitedly. Meredith turned around at the excited chatter and smiled.
“Mom, Dad, this is Howie Dorough.”
Howie shook hanks with Michael then held Cecilia’s hand to his lips as he bowed.
“suckup.” Kevin grumbled the word under his breath, and Irene elbowed him as she held in her laughter.
“Brian Littrell.”
“We’ve met Brian already. He very kindly escorted us to the lounge where we met Kevin.”
Kevin blushed again at the mention of his first glimpse at Irene’s parents. Meredith smiled but didn’t say a word.
“And this is Nick Carter.” Meredith gave him an affectionate glance as she introduced him.
The young man stepped forward and shook Michael’s hand then turned to Cecilia. The older woman smiled at him before she hugged him. Surprised by the embrace, he hesitated for a moment before returning it.
“It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Winters.”
“Cecilia, please. After all, aren’t you my grandson?” She chuckled softly at the blush that rose on his cheeks.
Patting his cheek gently, she smiled at the young man towering over her. “Meredith has told me a lot about you, and I can see why she cares so much for you.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
No one else heard their conversation and could only wonder what the older woman said to make their friend so shy.
Cecilia suddenly turned around. “So, what time does this concert get underway?”
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Despite his less than illustrious introduction to her parents, Kevin had a great time talking with Cecelia and Michael after the concert. Once he loosened up a bit, AJ did, too, listening with interest to stories of Meredith and Irene as children and teenagers.
The group ended up at a restaurant that catered to late-night meetings of important people. Allyson had made it up for the concert, and she was introduced to the Winters, chatting briefly in French when she heard they were assigned to the embassy in Paris. A happy, slightly punch-drunk group made its way back to the hotel for a few hours of rest.
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The next morning, the Winters met their daughters—and their daughters’ significant others—for an early breakfast before the group had to leave for New Jersey and their concert that night.
Sitting down at the table, AJ and Kevin felt a little more in control of themselves away from the organized chaos that was the tour. They enjoyed spending the quiet time with loved ones. As they made their goodbyes, Michael shook hands with both men, wishing them continued success. His comment about seeing them soon gave each man a sense of relief. Cecilia hugged them both, kissing each cheek as she told them how much she enjoyed meeting them and that she certainly understood why her daughters were taken with them.
Both men blushed faintly at the praise before stepping away to allow Meredith and Irene a chance to say goodbye.
“Take care, Irene. I expect more phone calls.” Cecelia stared at her youngest child, who just rolled her eyes.
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Enjoy yourself, Merry. I think you’ve got a good one there.” Michael hugged his oldest child, suddenly nostalgic for the days when she used to sit on his knee as they looked at the newspaper.
“Me, too, Dad. You and Mom be safe going home. Call when you get there.” She kissed him on the cheek as he laughed.
He pulled Irene into a hug, while Cecelia hugged Meredith.
“Be good, Irene.” He shook his finger at his daughter.
“Why do you always say that to me? Why don’t you ever tell Meredith that?” Irene sighed in exasperation.
“Because I never worried about her.”
“Where do you think I learned all those things?” She chuckled as she hugged her father.
Meredith wrapped her arms around her mother, holding her close.
Cecilia whispered into her daughter’s ear. “Soyez bien, mon chéri. Et heureux {Be well, my darling. And happy.}”
“Je suis, Mama. Je suis. {I am, Mom. I am.}”
After another round of hugs, the Winters left for the airport to catch their flight back to Paris while the group headed north for the 4-hour drive to East Rutherford.
Table of Contents
Chapter Thirty-Five