Chapter 32
The guys spent the morning playing golf with the mayor. There were plenty of photographers and the guys gave them what they wanted.
When Tyler and Kevin were somewhat alone, Tyler said, "Fatima hired two more dancers."
"Really? Does that mean she doesn’t need you?"
"I don’t know. The reason I told you about the two new dancers is because
of who they are."
"Who are they?"
Tyler looked at him. "Amanda and Kristen."
Kevin almost wrecked the golf cart. "You’ve got to be kidding me?"
"Linda told me this morning and I saw them after breakfast."
Kevin grew extremely quiet and Tyler watched him. She could tell he was thinking about the day that Kristen had walked out on him and her heart was breaking for him.
At the next green, Kevin got out and stood off to the side away from everyone. AJ and Howie came over to where Tyler was sitting.
"What’s up with Kevin?" asked Howie.
"I just told him about the two new dancers."
"He looks mad as hell," said AJ. "Who are the two dancers?"
"Kristen and Amanda."
AJ dropped his club and said, "You’ve got to be shitting?"
"I wish I were Alex," said Tyler.
AJ looked at Tyler. "DON’T!"
"Don’t what?"
"Don’t go getting all sappy on me and feeling sorry for me because whenever you call me Alex, that’s exactly what you do. I LOVE Lex and Amanda can kiss my ass."
Howie looked at Tyler and knew she was a little worried about Kristen. He asked, "You know Kevin loves you."
"Yeah, I know. I just don’t like what it’s doing to Kevin."
"There’s no way he still has feelings for her," said AJ.
"Sure he does," said Tyler. "Kristen was his first love and that’s not going to change but he’s with me and that’s what counts. I know that deep down, our love is strong and it will take more than Kristen waltzing her pretty little blonde self into the group to turn Kevin’s head. I just don’t like the fact that she’s going to dredge up all those old memories and the hurt that she caused him."
AJ said, "Don’t worry. His best friend got him through it the first time and she’ll get him through it this time."
"Thanks, AJ."
AJ and Howie went to take their turns and Kevin returned to the cart. He took Tyler’s hand in his but he didn’t say a word. Tyler leaned over to kiss him. So much was said between the two without a single word being said. They truly were best friends, soul mates.
When the guys were finished, the mayor thanked them and then they headed to the arena for lunch. Everyone noticed that Kevin and Tyler were both extremely quite but they didn’t push it.
At the arena, Tyler decided to go to Kevin’s bus to be alone. She quietly slipped away while Kevin and the guys were talking and met Raymond as he was coming in the back entrance.
"Hey, Tyler."
"Raymond, can I get on Kevin’s bus?"
"Sure. Come on."
Raymond led Tyler out to the bus and let her on. Then he headed back in to get some lunch.
The first thing Tyler did was change into a pair of biker shorts, a T-shirt and Kevin’s Kentucky basketball jersey. Then she put her hair up into a pony tail and went to find some paper and pencil to write on. She had some things that she wanted to write down for the press conference.
Howie realized that Tyler wasn’t with them and he became a little concerned. "Kevin, where’s Ty?"
Kevin looked around and didn’t see her anywhere. "I don’t know. She was here a few minutes ago." Raymond came into the room and Kevin asked, "Ray, have you seen Tyler?"
"She’s out on the bus."
"Thanks," said Kevin. Then to Howie, "She probably just wanted some time to herself before the press conference. I’ll go out and get her in a few minutes after I fix her a plate."
"I’ll do it. I want to talk to her anyway. Tyler claims that she’s not worried about Kristen being here but I’m not convinced."
"Look, I’m long over Kristen."
"I know that but does Tyler?"
"Of course she does. When we were at the farm, I told her about the tattoo I got for her while I was still with Kristen."
"Just the same, if I were you, I’d do something to show her."
Kevin smiled, "I’ll order her some roses."
"And this time, sign it with your name, not just a ‘K’!"
Kevin laughed, "I’ll do better. I’ll GIVE them to her myself."
Howie went to the table and fixed Tyler a plate with all her favorites on it and then took it out to her on Kevin’s bus. He found her writing something when he got on.
"Hey, Ty! What are you doing?"
"Just writing down some notes for the press conference."
"I brought you some lunch."
"Thanks but I’ll grab something AFTER the press conference while you guys are practicing."
"You need to eat...for the baby’s sake."
Tyler looked at the plate Howie held for her. He had gotten all her favorites and it looked very appetizing. Tyler took the plate from him and set it on the table. "Thanks. Would you read something for me?"
"Sure."
Tyler handed Howie the paper. "I wrote this while Lou had me at the hotel and I thought I’d read it at the press conference."
Howie read it and then said, "It’s really good, Ty."
"Do you think Kevin will like it?"
"It’s from you, isn’t it?"
Tyler smiled knowing the answer to her own question.
"Look, I just wanted to check on you and I see you’re okay. I’ll leave you alone."
Howie gave his cousin a kiss and then headed back to get himself some lunch. When he got back, Kevin was finishing his lunch.
"Is she okay?"
"She’s fine. She’s just writing down some notes for the press conference."
"I’m going out to get her as soon as the roses are delivered."
The five guys sat together eating and talking. It was just general talk about nothing in particular. They were all pretty tired of the whole situation with Lou and Joey and were looking forward to it being over.
After about thirty minutes, Billy came in to find the guys and he was carrying the roses Kevin had ordered.
Brian said, "Oh, Billy! You really shouldn’t have! Now everyone’s going to talk about us."
Everyone laughed and Billy said, "These are for Kevin."
Brian pretended to be hurt. "Oh, Billy! And I thought you loved me."
Kevin took the roses. "Thanks, Billy."
"The press is setting up and ‘NSync is here."
"I’m going to get Tyler now."
Kevin went out to the bus where he found Tyler sitting on the couch with her knees pulled to her chest and crying. He sat down beside her and she leaned against him as he put his arm around her. He held the roses for her to see and she let go of her legs so that she could take them.
Softly, she said, "They are so beautiful, ‘Boo’."
"Just like you," said Kevin as he ran his finger along her jaw line. "It’s time to go in."
"Let me go wash my face."
Kevin waited for Tyler and when she returned, he took her in his arms. Leaning to her, Kevin’s soft lips found hers and they kissed. Tyler felt Kevin’s strength in his arms and in his kiss. She knew she’d be okay.
Pulling back from the kiss, Kevin said gently, "It’s time."
Kevin took Tyler’s hand and started to lead her out but she said, "Wait a minute. I need something."
Kevin waited at the door as he watched her go back to get the papers Howie had said she’d been working on. Then he took her hand in his and they went in together.
The guys were waiting for them before going in with the others. Each one gave her a hug and encouragement.
Howie said, "We’re going to get through this, TOGETHER, Ty."
In his best ‘Austin Powers’ voice, Nick said, "Yeah, baby!"
Tyler laughed, "Thanks guys! You don’t know how much your friendship means to me."
AJ said, "Yeah, we do. Tyler, you stayed with a man who treated you like crap just to protect us and our reputations. There’s no way we could ever repay you for that."
"Not to mention, you did introduce us to the most AMAZING girls," said Brian.
"I’d do it again, too."
The six went in and sat at a table at the front of the room. The guys from ‘NSync were on one side and the guys from Backstreet on the other with Tyler in the middle. Billy got up to get the press conference started and then Tyler stood up.
Looking down at Kevin, Tyler took a deep breath and then faced the reporters and photographers. She then proceeded to tell her story about the last five months with Joey and Lou. She never actually accused Joey of raping her but the point came across loud and clear to the reporters.
When she was done with her story, Tyler said, "A little over a week ago, Kevin proposed to me on stage in front of thousands of fans. I want to take this time to tell Kevin and the world exactly what he means to me. I wrote this for him while Lou was holding me.
"Just once in a lifetime/The right one comes along./The feeling is immortal,/To know you belong,/Just once in a lifetime/You see his honest face/you touch his loving hand/you feel his warm embrace./Just once in a lifetime/everything feels right./You see his shining face/and your darkness turns to light./Just once in a lifetime-/the feeling is so new,/to say three words and mean them,/those three words are-/I love you." *
Kevin stood up and took Tyler in his arms holding her tight. As cameras flashed all around them, Kevin whispered, "I love you!"
The couple sat down and Justin took the mic. "At this time, ‘NSync, Inc. would like to announce that all ties have been severed with Lou Pearlman. We deeply regret that Tyler had to go through this ordeal and wish her well in her marriage to Kevin and we hold NO ill feelings towards Backstreet Boys or Tyler."
Justin sat down and the questions began to fly. Tyler answered the majority of them but the guys fielded some too. The questions ranged from why Nick had punched Joey at the Grammies to why Tyler had not pressed charges against Joey for raping her. They also asked Joey how involved he would be with the baby.
The last question that the group took was, "So all this was a fight over a girl?"
Kevin said, "Sort of. It really wasn’t a fight though. It was two guys who were very much in love with the same girl only the girl didn’t love both guys. She made her decision and it hurt one of them. No one set out to hurt anyone else...it just happened. The fact that the two guys are public figures, you press guys took it to the public and made more of it than it actually was."
When the interview with Tyler was over, Billy and ‘Bull’ escorted Tyler to the green room to wait until ‘NSync could get out of the arena. When Billy got the all clear sign, he let Tyler go back and watch the rest of the interview.
When the guys finished, Tyler went to Kevin and he took her in his arms, lifting her off the ground. "It’s over, baby!"
"I feel like this HUGE weight is off my shoulders!"
Brian said, "Come on, Kevin. We’ve got to practice now."
Tyler looked at Kevin as he let her slide down his body. "I want to dance tonight!"
"Go talk to Fatima while I go change."
Tyler followed Kevin out but they separated so that Kevin could go change and she could go talk to Fatima. She found her with the other dancers getting ready to go out to the stage area.
"Hey, Ty! How’d the press conference go?"
"Fine! I’m just glad it’s over. Look, mind if I dance tonight?"
"NO! You know I want you out there. Besides, I have two new dancers that don’t know the whole routine yet."
Kristen shot Tyler a dirty look and asked, "Why does she get to go out?"
Fatima answered, "Because she knows the show cold and she’s a perfect match for Kevin."
"Four years and things haven’t changed, have they, Tyler? You’re still getting your way," said Kristen.
"Four years and you’re still the bitch you were then, aren’t you, Kristen?" said Tyler calmly.
