“So you’re Kevin? I’ve heard a lot about you,” I said, walking toward Nick’s friend and bandmate.
“Wish I could say the same. And you are?” Kevin asked, flashing a very attractive smile.
“Kevin Richardson, this is Riley O’Brien. Riley, this is Kevin, the proverbial big brother of Backstreet,” Nick introduced.
“Kevin, it’s a pleasure to meet you and I would hug you but I don’t want to turn your nice clothes into what should have been dinner. Besides, you’re early. Give me fifteen minutes,” I said, grinning as I slipped from room. “Love you, sunshine,” I called out.
“Love you more,” Nick answered.
Fifteen minutes later, I reappeared in the dress I had chosen for the evening and my hair still damp.
“Much better,” I said, walking into the living room. I looked at Nick and Kevin who seemed deep in conversation. “Something wrong?” I asked, walking to Nick and kissing him quickly.
“Kevin’s a little worried about me falling for you so quickly,” Nick answered, putting his arm around me.
“You don’t believe in love at first sight?” I asked the man before me.
“Not when it has you moving in within a matter of weeks,” Kevin answered.
“Well you don’t have to worry. I won’t be here too long and when I go, trust me I won’t be taking any of Nick’s money with me,” I assured him.
“Riley, don’t talk like that,” Nick begged.
“She’s already planning on leaving you?” Kevin asked a little taken off guard by my choice of words.
“I am planning to leave but not by choice,” I answered Kevin as I squeezed Nick’s hand.
“You two have some kind of agreement?” the older man asked, still confused.
“Riley, you don’t need to do this,” Nick pleaded.
“You want me to hide it? I can’t, sunshine. IF they are part of your life they need to know,” I told Nick.
“What are you two talking about?” Kevin demanded.
“I am planning to leave, but not by choice,” I answered Kevin as I squeezed Nick’s hand.
“You two have some kind of agreement?” the older man asked still confused.
“Riley, you don’t need to do this. Not now anyway,” Nick pleaded.
“You want me to hide it? I can’t, sunshine. If they are part of your life they need to know what’s going to happen,” I told Nick.
“What are you two talking about?” Kevin yelled.
“We are talking about my death,” I answered.
“Start the party, A.J. is here,” someone announced from the front door.
I turned and smiled at the tattooed man who stood grinning behind red sunglasses. He looked like my kind of guy.
“Hello beautiful,” he said, walking toward me and kissing my hand. “If there is a God you don’t belong to either one of these guys.”
“I hate to shake your faith, Bone, but Riley’s with me,” Nick said, smiling as he put his arm around me.
“Well I’ll be damned. You got yourself a real beauty this time, Kaos. A.J. McLean at your service,” he said with an exaggerated bow.
“Riley O’Brien and I’m going to remember you said that,” I said, laughing.
“Where’s Brian and Howie?” Nick asked.
“I think I see them pulling in now,” Kevin said, looking out the window. He turned and looked straight at me. I could read the unspoken question in his eyes. He still didn’t understand what Nick and I had been talking about. How disturbing that must be.
A few minutes later the missing BSB had stumbled in and all the introductions were made. Brian was a real cutup as he teased Nick about falling for a blonde and Howie was a gentleman and sweetheart as he complimented me.
“I don’t know if I can handle all this attention,” I teased as we all sat down in the living room.
“You mean because Nick ignores you,” Brian teased.
“No, because it’s equal to the attention he gives me. A girl could drown in all this. I’m not complaining though,” I answered, smiling.
“Hey, Nick. What smells so good?” A.J. asked.
Nick and I looked at each other and then at Kevin before bursting into laughter.
“What?” A.J. asked looking at the other guys confused.
“That smell would be what was dinner but Nick decided it looked better on me then in you,” I answered, calming down.
“Excuse me?” Howie asked.
“Food fight,” Kevin explained, smiling.
“No way. Not our Nick, he doesn’t do stuff like that anymore,” Brian argued.
“I have a feeling there are a lot of things Nick is doing now that he hasn’t done in a long time,” I said, turning and kissing Nick.
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