Chapter Thirteen

Kevin jumped in his chair when Brian nudged him in the side. He blinked and focused on the teenaged girl standing a few feet away by the microphone. They were at a fan conference, and he had just totally missed the question, obviously directed at him.

“I’m sorry, could you repeat that, please?” he asked, feeling incredibly stupid.

“I asked how your high school reunion went,” the girl said. “I heard it was a couple weeks ago.”

“Oh, yes, it was great. I had a lot of fun, met up with some people I hadn’t seen in a while. It was a blast.” He threw her a knee-weakening grin and she nearly melted to the floor.

Brian tsked quietly under his breath at his cousin, and Kevin sat up straighter, resting both hands on the table in front of him, determined to keep his attention on the matter at hand.

Twenty minutes later, they were being ushered from the room, amid the bright flashes of cameras and the shrill screams of the fans. Kevin immediately pulled his cell phone from his pocket and dialed the now familiar number.

“Man, you were really spacing out there,” Nick said, passing him to get to the food table. “What’s with you?”

“The country boy’s in love,” AJ teased, dancing just out of reach when Kevin tried to smack him.

Kevin went to a corner of the room, ignoring everyone as they gathered around the food and began pigging out.

“We’re sorry, we’re not here right now, but if you’ll leave your name, number, and a brief message, we’ll get back to you as soon as we can. Thanks!”

Kevin sighed as he listened to the Christy’s answering machine message. This was the third time he’d called that day, and still no one picked up. He waited for the beep and then spoke.

“Chris, it’s me. It’s about 4:30 here in LA, and we’re doing a show tonight. But if you call me after midnight I’ll be up,” he said. Then he rattled off his hotel room number, even though he’d done that twice before, and hung up.

“Not home?” Brian asked, coming over and offering a plate loaded with food.

“Nope, guess they’re out.”

“Kinda like you were during the conference.”

They sat down at a small table set up nearby and Brian watched Kevin pick at his food.

“I miss her.”

“I understand.”

“No, I mean I really miss her, and Chad. It’s like I left a part of me behind when I went back to Florida. It’s crazy, Bri!”

“No it’s not. It’s normal.”

Kevin sighed. “I’ve asked her to come out and visit me while we’re on the road. Chad’s got two weeks left before school starts. I even offered to pay for the trip and everything, but Christy keeps insisting that she just can’t do it. Is she avoiding me?”

“Gosh, you’re really hung up over this, aren’t you? Kev, I don’t think she’s avoiding you, not really. After all the stuff that happened, with that jerk Kyle, you can’t expect her to jump headfirst into new territory. She’s gotta think this through.”

“But I’m not new territory! We’ve known each other for years!”

“But,” Brian stressed, “for ten years, you were nowhere in her life. You guys are going on memories of your childhood. Back then, you weren’t a star, and she didn’t have a kid. This is all new, for both of you.”

Kevin pondered this, while pushing potato salad around his plate with a fork.

“When did you become so damn smart?” he demanded with a smile.

Brian laughed. “What? I’ve always been smart. You’ve just been too dumb to listen to me!”

He ducked away before Kevin could give him a noogie.

He was looking over some new songs written by Brian and Nick when his phone rang just after midnight. He set down the papers and reached from the bed towards the nightstand.

“Hello?”

“Hi.”

“Christy, where have you been all day?”

“With Chad. We went to the camp and spent some quality time together. We needed it.”

“Oh, okay.” He paused and scratched his chin. “I miss you.”

“I miss you too.”

“Listen, Christy, are you sure you can’t take just a couple of days off work? I can fly you guys out to a show, pay for a hotel room, and fly you home,” he said in a rush.

Christy sighed heavily. “Kevin, I just don’t think it’s a good idea.”

“Why not? You’ve never given me a reason why you can’t.”

“I guess maybe because if I do, then it’ll really sink in that you’re a world-famous celebrity with gorgeous women falling at your feet, and I’m just a nobody from Kentucky. I don’t want the reality to hit me too hard.”

“You’re a beautiful woman, and you’re a somebody from Kentucky, somebody that means a lot to me. And I want you to see what this whole fame thing is about. I want you to understand it.”

“I do. I really do, and that’s what scares me. Ann keeps telling me that I should come, but-”

"My mom’s a smart woman.”

“Yes, she is. And she’s been so great to Chad and me. But I just don’t think I can do it yet.”

“The tour’s over in November, and then I’ll have some free time. Will you visit me in Orlando? Maybe for Thanksgiving?”

“Sure, we can do that.”

“Good.”

“Kevin, I have to go, Chad’s calling me.”

“He’s still up?”

“Yes, even though he shouldn’t be.”

“Tell him I said hey.”

“Will do, Captain. Good night.”

“Good night.”

He hung up and then stared at the phone. How in the world was he going to make it until November without seeing her?

Next door, Brian answered his phone after the second ring.

“Hey, Bri, it’s me.”

“Christy, did you talk to Kevin yet?”

“Just hung up with him.”

“He doesn’t suspect a thing.”

Christy giggled. “Good, let’s keep it that way.”

“Did he ask you again?”

“Of course.”

“What did you say?”

“I gave him some bull about me not wanting to face his fame, or something like that. He seemed to buy it.”

“So when does your flight get in?” Brian asked.

"Four-fiteen in the afternoon.”

“I’ll send someone to pick you up.”

“You don’t have to do that. Chad and I can get to the hotel by ourselves.”

“I’ll send someone to pick you up,” Brian repeated. “Look for a guy named Randy.”

“Fine, you big bully. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“I just hope Kevin doesn’t kill me when he finds out I was in on this little plan.”

Christy laughed. “I’ll protect you.”

“Oh, I feel sooo much better,” Brian said sarcastically.

“Good night, Bri-bear.”