“Ouch, you’re a feisty one Emma…I’ll remember that.” Kevin was following close behind her.
Emma stopped and turned around, “Why are you following me?”
“I’m not following you, I’m hungry and wanna eat, you?”
“I was just going to make some breakfast. Pancakes and bacon sound good?”
Kevin was somewhat taken aback, he didn’t expect her to cook for him, but hey, what the hell. If she wanted to cook…who was he to stop her? “Sounds great, better make enough of them for AJ and Nick too. They’re both pretty good eaters.”
“Sure, just show me around the kitchen a little if you would before you leave.”
Kevin smiled, “I’m not going anywhere, don’t worry.”
Emma wasn’t worried. She just didn’t want him to sit in the kitchen and scrutinize her cooking. She was a pretty good cook, one of the benefits of growing up an only child.
Once Kevin pointed out just about everything in the kitchen, he took a seat on the stool next to the counter and began to watch her.
He could tell that she had no self-confidence. The way she stood even shouted that message loud and clear. She seemed nice enough though, just a little shy and scared. He smiled when he took a really good look at her…she wasn’t done up or trying to impress anyone…she was just being herself. Squinting his eyes to get a better look, Kevin had to laugh to himself. To him…it looked like she just woke up, threw on some sweatpants and made her way to the kitchen.
It’d been a long time since anyone did that around him. Even Kristin always did her makeup and hair before stepping out of the bedroom; which annoyed the hell out of him. No one ever acted like themselves around him…except for the guys and his close family members. Friends and definitely the women were always another story.
Kevin started to stare off into space…thinking about how phony people could be and how sick it made him. All he wanted was for people to be themselves…and for him to be himself. Even that wasn’t possible most of the time…always having to smile, be courteous and polite and act like he was totally interested in whatever someone was saying when in fact, most of the time, he truly wasn't. Welcome to fame…
Watching Emma maneuver about the kitchen made him feel at ease in a way he couldn’t explain. It was obvious that she didn’t care one bit about who he was and what he did for a living. Time would tell if it would last or not. He hoped that it would. It seemed weird to have someone other than Kristin in his kitchen…cooking him a meal. Someone totally opposite of Kristin…blonde versus brunette…blue eyes versus brown…straight hair versus curly hair…
He brought his attention back to her face and really studied it. She really was a very pretty girl…cute and natural looking…plain and simple. His gaze went to her hair; she was in definite need of a haircut though and some new clothes.
Why the hell is he staring at me? I can’t concentrate on cooking when he’s looking at me like that.
“Emma?”
She looked over at Kevin who had a huge-ass grin on his face, “Yeah?”
“Why are you pouring half-n-half in that mix? Doesn’t it call for milk?”
Emma practically jumped back, “Oh great…” She quickly stopped pouring; “I don’t know…you’re…you’re making me nervous.”
Kevin smiled, “Me, why?”
“I don’t know, you just are. Do you have to sit there and stare at me like that?”
“I wasn’t staring,” he stated matter-of-factly. Was he staring? Maybe he was…he didn’t remember one way or the other.
“Yes you were.”
“Okay, how about if I make the coffee then, this way I’ll be too busy to stare, deal?”
Pitching the ingredients into the sink, she let out an exasperated, “sure.”
Kevin brushed up against her and stood behind her. “Don’t move…” He leaned on her a little as he stood on his tippy toes and reached for the cupboard above the sink. Pulling the coffee maker down, he moved over and plugged it in. He swore he heard her let out a huge breath when he moved. “So, how old are you?”
Emma caught her breath, “Twenty-five and you?”
“Twenty-nine.”
She completely dropped what she was doing and turned to look at him, “What’s the story Kevin, please I need to know.”
“Boy, you don’t beat around the bush do you? We’ll talk about it soon.” He finished pouring the water into the coffee maker and walked towards her. Reaching her, he patted her on the bottom, “I should go tell the guys that breakfast’s almost ready.”
The pat caught her off guard and she let out a little “yelp.” She turned around to see Kevin leaving the kitchen with a smile on his face.
A few minutes passed before Nick finally stumbled into the kitchen. “Mornin’ Emily.”
“Emma.”
Nick scratched his head…didn’t she say Emily last night? “Oh, Emma…sorry.” He glanced over at the bacon on the stove, “Hey, why you cooking on your honeymoon?”
“Honeymoon?”
“Technically, this is your honeymoon…right?” Nick observed her carefully trying to see what kind of reaction he was going to get. When he saw that he wasn’t going to get one, he sighed and decided he was too hung over to care. “Why would you want to spend it here anyway?”
“Kevin picked it…not exactly what I would’ve picked…but I didn’t question him.”
“So, where’d you two meet?” Nick rubbed his temples and blew out a breath; “You guys got any aspirin around here?”
Emma just stood there looking at him. Where did we meet? Where did we meet? She didn’t even hear anything after his original question. “Um…we met…” She looked over at Kevin when she saw him walk into the kitchen. Breathing a quiet sigh of relief, she threw the question to him, “Kevin…where’d we meet again? It was such a long time ago, for the life of me I can’t remember.”
“Music store, we met at the music store, you don’t remember that honey? You were shopping for a piano and hogging up all the salesperson’s time.” Kevin started to laugh a little, “And I was getting hotter and hotter by the minute because I didn’t have…” He looked at both Nick and Emma…neither one was paying any attention to him. “Never mind.”
Piano? How would he know about her piano, unless… “My piano is here?”
“Of course dear. It’s in my studio.” Kevin replied while leaving the kitchen.
Emma smiled and turned to Nick who looked somewhat amused at her last comment.
“You play the piano Emma?”
“Yeah, took lessons for the past twelve years.”
“Cool, very cool. You as good as Kev?”
“Better I’m sure…” Emma didn’t even know Kevin played the piano until right then.
Kevin overheard her last statement from the living room. “Hey, you think so huh? Willing to put money on it?”
“Sure…anytime dear.” Emma smiled and continued on with her cooking.
Kevin walked up behind her and leaned over to plant a kiss on her cheek, “You’re pretty sure of yourself…aren’t you?”
Turning around, she watched him head towards the refrigerator. Placing her hand on her cheek where he’d just kissed it, she turned around and smiled. Maybe these next two years wouldn’t be so bad after all.
Kevin watched Emma run her hand over her cheek, “Emma?”
She turned around.
“How's the breakfast coming along?"
**********
AJ got up from the couch and mumbled under his breath…he took it upon himself to answer the door when Kevin didn’t respond to the doorbell.
“Hello AJ, where is my son?”
“Good morning Anne. How are you?” AJ could tell she wasn’t doing very good, obviously upset about something.
“Not good, now get my son…he has a lot of explaining to do to his mama...”
AJ just stood there staring at her, he had never seen her quite this determined. She was definitely pissed off about something. When he didn’t say anything, Anne blew him off and walked in the house…
“Kevin, I think Howie just called you.”
Nick lifted his head up from his hands and laughed, “Emma, Howie left last night. You mean AJ don’t you?”
“Oh, sorry AJ. It’s gonna take me a while to get your names straight…”
“KEVIN…KEVIN SCOTT RICHARDSON…YOU COME HERE THIS INSTANT!”
“Oh shit!” Kevin's face dropped, "Let the games begin.”
Nick covered his face with his hands.
Emma looked at both of them; “I won’t forget that name now.”
