Chapter 49
The party lasted the rest of the night with lots of drinking, dancing, and having a good time. Kevin never left Tyler’s side and he didn’t drink either. Part of that was because of the hangover he’d had that morning but mostly because he didn’t want to miss any of the party for Tyler.
AJ came over shortly after Tyler and Kevin had arrived to give Kevin a beer that Kevin refused. AJ started picking on him over it. "You aren’t even married and she’s got you towing the line!"
"It’s not that, ‘Bone’. I want a clear head in the morning. Tyler and I have plans."
Nick had heard Kevin and he asked, "Ty, what are you doing tomorrow?"
"Kevin and I are going shopping for some maternity clothes."
"Can I ask a huge favor?"
"Sure, Nicky."
"I need you to help me pick out a ring for Fiona."
"Have you fixed things yet?"
"Not yet. I thought I’d buy her a ring and then at the show, I’m going
to go over to her while we’re doing ‘It’s True’ as a way of
apology."
"That’s sweet, Nicky. So, when are you going to give her the ring?"
"Depends on how she reacts to the song but hopefully, after the show on the way to the next town."
"She’s not going to ride with you," joked AJ.
"Then I guess I’ll have to give it to her before we leave or make sure she accepts my apology."
"Have you tried talking to her tonight?" asked Kevin.
AJ was completely bored with the whole conversation so he went back to find Lex and they went back to dancing.
Nick said, "No, she’s avoided me the whole night. Every time I get ANYWHERE near her, she makes a bee line for the other side of the room."
Tyler saw the look in Nick’s eyes as he was watching Fiona across the room. She put her hand on his and said, "Hang in there, Nicky. She does love you."
"I just hope it’s enough to take me back."
Tyler stood on her toes to give him a hug. "Don’t worry," she whispered. "Just give her the ‘Carter Charm’."
Nick laughed as he held on to Tyler. "I thought it was wearing thin?"
"It is but it still works. Some of us have just learned to resist it better than others."
Kevin said, "Hey, you’ve held my lady long enough."
Nick kissed Tyler on the cheek and said, "Thanks, Ty."
A couple hours before dawn, most of the people started clearing out and the guys decided to order breakfast. They all sat down together-Nick, AJ, Lex, Brian, Sonja, Howie, Kryss, Kevin, and Tyler-to eat and then they too split up leaving Tyler and Kevin alone.
Kevin took Tyler in his arms and kissed her deeply. Pulling back, he said, "I told you everything would be okay, baby. You need to have faith in me and LISTEN!"
"I know, you’re always right," laughed Tyler. Looking into Kevin’s eyes, she said, "You know the perfect way to end a perfect night?"
"Making love to the most beautiful woman in the world."
"Well, that too but I thought watching the sun come up would be the perfect ending to tonight."
"And then making love."
Tyler laughed, "No wonder your eyes are so green. You’re ALWAYS horny!"
"You’re the reason I’m like that. Come on, let’s go watch the sun come up, baby."
The two went out and sat on one of the lounge chairs on the balcony, Tyler in back and Kevin laying with his head on her lap. He had her hands and kissed the back of them.
They sat quietly for some time enjoying the time alone. Kevin finally broke the silence. "Have you thought about names for the baby?"
"I’ve thought of a name for a boy...Dwaine Scott, for you and Howie. You’ve both been so wonderful through all this."
"What about a girl?"
"I haven’t really thought about it."
Kevin tilted his head to look at her. "You’re really sure its a boy, aren’t you?"
"Something in me just tells me that its a boy."
The two went back to watching the sunrise but before Kevin realized, Tyler had fallen asleep. Kevin recognized her slow, easy breathing of sleep and got up carefully so as not to wake her. He gently picked her up, carried her to their room, and put her to bed. He managed to get her jeans off her before covering her with the blanket. Then he stripped down to his boxers and joined her in bed.
They slept peacefully for several hours before someone started banging on their door. Kevin woke with a start and saw that Tyler was still asleep. He scrambled out of bed trying to get to the door before whoever it was woke Tyler. In his rush, he tripped over his boots.
Kevin opened the door angrily to find Nick getting ready to bang again. "For Christ’s sake, Nick! Can’t you knock on a door like a normal person? You could wake a dead person."
"You wouldn’t hear me if I knocked gently. Why aren’t you up? I
thought you and Tyler were going shopping."
Nick came into the room and Kevin closed the door as he said, "We’re
going later, when Tyler wakes up. Have you had any sleep?"
"A little! I want to go get the ring!"
Kevin looked at Nick and shook his head. "I’m going to get a shower. Don’t wake Tyler."
Nick turned on the TV while Kevin went to get a shower. He was watching cartoons when Howie, AJ, and Brian came over to join them. With all the guys there talking and watching TV, Tyler woke up.
Sleepily, Tyler made her way to where the guys were and sat down with them. She leaned against Howie and he put his arm around her. He spoke to her in Spanish asking her how she was and telling her that he was homesick. She answered him and then lay down putting her head in his lap. Howie played with her hair as they all watched TV.
The others knew that when Howie and Tyler talked in Spanish that Howie was homesick. They were too and it wasn’t unusual for them to gather like this when they were feeling like that. It helped them all that Tyler was with them and now the girls.
Kevin joined them and saw Tyler curled up next to Howie. "Baby, are you going to get a shower?"
"Yeah. ‘D’, are you going to be okay?"
"I’m fine. Go on."
Tyler left and Kevin sat down with the guys. "What’s up with you four?"
Howie said, "Just a little homesick."
"Where are the girls?"
"Sonja had to go with Linda to work out some of our appearances while we’re
on our break. You know, you, and Howie and AJ are doing the Diva’s show and
there’s the Kid’s Choice Awards," said Brian.
"Yeah, I know. Tyler and I are going shopping today to get her some clothes for those two and whatever else we have coming up."
"Kryss went to work on costumes, making repairs and so forth," said Howie.
AJ said angrily, "Fiona came to our room about twenty minutes after we got back in tears so Lex went to console her. I haven’t seen her since breakfast."
Nick asked, "Is she okay?"
"How the hell would I know? If you’d stop thinking..."
Kevin cut AJ off and said in Nick’s defense, "’Bone’, Nick knows
he was wrong and he’s going to fix it."
Nick said quietly, "Thanks, Kev."
AJ said, "Tyler’s rubbing off on you! Any other time, you would have jumped all over Nick for this stunt."
When Tyler was finished getting ready, she left with Nick and Kevin. The other three decided to find something to do in the hotel while they waited for everyone to return.
The threesome decided to get Nick’s business taken care of first so they found a jewelry store close by. Kevin decided this would be a good time to get their wedding bands too so while Nick and Tyler looked for engagement rings, he looked at wedding bands.
The sales lady greeted Nick and Tyler warmly and asked, "How can I help you two today?"
Nick said, "I want to buy a ring for my girlfriend."
The lady looked at Tyler, "What would you like?"
Realizing that the lady thought she was Nick’s girlfriend, Tyler said quickly, "It’s not for me. I’m just helping him out."
Apologetically, the lady said, "I’m sorry."
"That’s okay," said Tyler. "Easy mistake."
Nick and Tyler started looking at the rings but it didn’t take long before one caught Tyler’s eye. It was a marquise cut stone about five eighths of a carat. She pointed to it and Nick looked at it closer.
"Do you think she’ll like it?"
"I’m sure she will...as long as a sincere apology goes with it."
"What size?" asked the sales lady.
Tyler said, "A six."
Kevin looked over at Nick. "Are you sure this is what you want, Nick?"
Nick looked at his friends, "Yeah! I’m positive."
The lady got the ring and a box for it while Kevin said, "Baby, look at
this pair of bands."
Tyler looked at what Kevin picked out. It was a pair of bands with diamond chips in the middle of them. "Kevin, they’re beautiful."
"Are you sure you like them? I mean, you didn’t get to pick out your engagement ring so I want you to be sure of the bands."
Tyler put her arms around Kevin’s waist, "Baby, you know me. I don’t care if we even get rings, as long as we’re together. In my heart, we’re already married."
Kevin hugged her close. "You’re amazing!"
Kevin had the sales lady size his finger when she was done with Nick and then they told her what needed to be engraved inside them.
"They’ll be ready in a couple days," said the sale lady.
Kevin shook his head, "Is there any way you can get them ready in a couple hours. We’re leaving town tonight."
"I’ll see but it’s going to be extra."
"I don’t mind. I really want these rings," said Kevin.
The lady went to talk to her manager and when the manager realized who Kevin and Nick were, she promised Kevin that the rings would be ready at no extra charge.
The two men finished their business and then the three left the store. Not wanting to go back to the hotel where he knew AJ would give him a hard time, Nick decided to stick with Tyler and Kevin so they spent the rest of them morning shopping.
Tyler found several dresses that could be adjusted and a couple other more casual outfits for when they were going places that didn’t require them to dress up. Nick and Kevin sat back and watched as she tried on everything and she let them have the final say on what she got. When they were done, they headed back to the jewelry store to get the wedding bands and then back to the hotel.
When they got off the elevator on their floor, Nick almost ran over Fiona not paying attention to what he was doing. It was extremely awkward but Tyler tried to help.
"Nick, why don’t you and Fiona go talk?"
Nick looked at Fiona. "Can we...please?"
Fiona hesitated a minute but then said, "Okay."
