Chapter 78

On the way back from the show, Brian turned to Kevin, “You shouldn’t discipline Bounce like that.  You were out of line.”

Kevin questioned himself on it all the way to the show, but he didn’t reply to Brian.  Brian took that as an invitation to continue.  “Bron didn’t like it Cuz.  You had better slow down.  You knocked Bron down in front of her own kid.”

Kevin put his head back on the seat and spoke to the ceiling, “I know.  We haven’t had five minutes alone to talk about anything.”

Brian glanced around the van to make sure no one was looking and quietly whispered, “Tomorrow.”

“Brian Hush!” came from the front seat.  Brian’s head whipped up, “Yes Aunt Anne.”

Kevin smiled at the ceiling, Oh I like that idea.  Down time, but there is something up and I can tell.  Mom would have never told Bri to shut up if there wasn’t.

The van pulled into the hotel.  Kevin got out of the van with Carlos.  They walked into the hotel and Jake was down in the lobby.  Kevin walked towards him with Carlos behind him.  Kevin grabbed each man around the shoulders.  “My wonderful security team.  You are a team now right?” he grinned.

Jake smiled, “As long as you sign my check.”  Jake knew where this sweet talk was going and so did Carlos.  But they figured they would play along.  Kevin laughed and so did Carlos.

Kevin began walking towards the bar with an arm around each man.  He was steering them gently along with a smirk on his face. 

Nick and Brian watched knowing what was going down.  Kevin would be the only one to walk out and they knew where he was going.  “Come on hurry up,” Nick turned to Brian as they jumped into the elevator.  They were going upstairs to run interference.  They both laughed at each other in the elevator knowing how pissed Kev was going to be.

“Gentlemen you look real thirsty to me and I need a favor,” Kevin chuckled as he reached for his wallet.

“We do,” Jake grinned.

“Yes you do,” Kevin grinned as he handed money to Jake.  “Sex is not a spectator sport,” Kevin lowered his voice with a hint of laughter.

“He’s so subtle,” Jake groaned as he grinned at Carlos.

“Why do you think they call him Train,” Carlos laughed and slapped Kevin on the back.

Carlos’s backed his head up, “What no audience tonight Kev?”  Carlos asked jokingly.

Kevin shook his head back and forth, “Not funny and if you ever tell anyone how I proposed to my wife, I’ll kill you.”

Carlos raised his eyebrows somewhat hurt, “Do you think I would?”

Kevin smiled, “Nah, you wouldn’t.” 

Jake interjected, “Well you didn’t propose.  You didn’t really give her a choice.”  The two men looked at each other and burst out laughing.  “Shut up,” Kevin spoke as he walked away.

Jake grabbed the key out of his pocket and started counting out loud as he held it in the air, “1, 2, 3,..”  The key was pulled from Jake’s hand as a thank you was heard.

Carlos laughed as they watched Kevin’s retreating figure, “Man he’s whipped.”

“No shit.  Wait till after the I do’s.  All hell is going to break loose,” Jake laughed.

“You think so?”  Carlos asked.

Jake just laughed even harder as he ordered their drinks.  “Oh yeah.  Bron has pretty much kept a lid on her temper with his family here.  I kinda of feel sorry for the man.”

“His temper isn’t mild either,” Carlos spoke.  They both laughed,  “Oh this is going to be good.”

Kevin got out of the elevator then glanced down the hall.  He headed for the door with a grin from ear to ear.  I need her, I need this, he chanted as he slid the card down the lock.  Kevin open door, “Hey darlin’,” and then groaned as he looked at the sofa bed.  “Shit,” he exclaimed quietly, as he saw Bounce curled up sound to sleep with her mom.  Kevin silently was kicking himself in the ass.  This is not working out right at all.  He glanced one more time at Bounce and shut the door behind him as he left.

Once in the hall he heard Nick, “Man Kev, that was a real quickie,” Nick laughed.  Kevin glared at Nick as Nick shut his door.  Peckerhead, he thought as he went down to his room.  Kevin walked into his room and saw his family and he acknowledged them with a nod.  He grabbed his sweats and headed for the shower.  Make yourselves scarce people, he muttered to himself.  I need a cold freaking shower now.

Upon hearing Kevin’s door close, Nick opened his to see a grinning Brian at the other end.  Brian gave him a thumb up and they both shut their doors laughing.

Bron woke up to the sound of cartoons playing to loud the next morning.  She grabbed the clicker and turned the television down.  “Bounce people sleep in the morning,” she said as she sat up.  “You’re the only one not up yet,” Carlos grinned.  Bron rubbed the sleep from her eyes as Carlos told her he had made coffee.  Bron smiled thank you as he handed her a cup. 

Bron got up and went to the desk; she had stopped at her duffel on the way.  She unfolded the paper that she had just removed from her duffel.  Bron studied it for five minutes.  Then she scribbled some notes then carefully placed each one in envelope and wrote a name on it.  “What are you up to Bron?”  Jake asked knowing full well that when she was that intense she was planning something.  “I can’t tell you,” she returned to him.  Bron saw the expressions of worry cross both of the men’s faces.  Too bad, she muttered to herself you people have stuck your noses in my business for the last time.  Bron folded the blueprint up and grabbed the envelopes.  Bron called to Bounce to come with her as she went to the bathroom.  On the way Bron buried the folded piece of paper in her duffel and kept the envelopes with her.

Jake debated whether or not to go look for it or not.  He knew she wouldn’t be in the bathroom long and didn’t want to be caught with it.  He decided to wait and see if she would leave it behind.

Bron took Bounce’s hand and they headed to the bathroom.  Bounce came out dressed for the day and Jake heard the shower go on.  “Hey you, let’s watch some cartoons while we wait for mom.”

Bron showered quickly knowing Kevin was most likely waiting for breakfast.  Then she realized that he had her in such a pattern it wasn’t funny.  She chuckled wait until I go back to work.  I hope you like cereal, she giggled.

Bron was fully dressed and ready to roll.  She was excited and happy.  She still had the envelopes in her hand that she had carried to the bathroom.  “Come on Bounce let’s go eat,” she walked with Bounce out the door.

Jake waited for her to leave and then went to her duffel.  Carlos frowned thinking Jake was being too nosey and Jake saw it.  “Listen Carlos when you spend as much time with Bron as I do, then you can say something.”

Jake grabbed the paper and unfolded it on the way to the desk.  “Holy shit, come look at this,” Jake called Carlos over.  “This is fantastic.  I need to call Mc.”  Jake announced.

Carlos walked over, “Man I can’t believe she did all this in one day.”  Carlos shook his head.  This woman was going to be blowing Kevin’s mind for the rest of his life he chuckled to himself.

Jake hit the phone and called Mc.  Mc knew about it, but they both agreed to keep close watch, just in case.  Yep Bron was planning something all right, a really big surprise.  Mc did inform Jake that people at home had began questioning others as to where Bron was.  It didn’t sit well with Mc or Jake and they both took it as a warning to make sure that the security would stay as is.  Mc didn’t want to tell Kevin until after the big ‘I do’, he figured why upset him.  Kevin was still being cautious and keeping a tight rein on Bron.

Jake and Carlos left for breakfast keeping their little secret to themselves.  They had actually ended up coming to the room at the same time as Bron and Bounce.  They knew she had been delivering her envelopes.

When Bron walked in Kevin was standing at the bedroom door.  He had a towel slung around his waist and his hair was damp.  “Where are my shorts?” he barked at her.

Just as he said it the laundry service stood at the door behind Carlos and Jake.  Bron motioned the kid in with the bags and laughed, as she shook her head, “Your shorts Master.”

Kevin frowned at her.  “Witch,” he muttered as he reached for the bags and went back into the bedroom. 

Jerald was grinning as he looked at Tim.  They both had heard it and were trying not to laugh.  Well Kevin is a master now and Bron’s a witch, Jerald chuckled to himself.  Neither one of them had realized what they had said.  It was second nature to both of them.  They didn’t even give it a second thought.

Bron shrugged her shoulders, “Who did his laundry before me?  Wow something smells good.”  Bron sauntered to the kitchen area to see Anne cooking.

“Here you go dear,” Anne smiled as she handed Bron a plate.  Tim motioned Bounce over to the table to her plate.

Bron giggled as she sat down at the snack bar, “I don’t have to cook.”

Bron was half finished when she saw Kevin’s hand sneak around her and head for her plate.  She slapped his hand with the fork.

“Oww, you’re always hitting me,” he bellyached, as the hand was retracted as fast as it had appeared.  “Get your own, your mom made this for me.”

Tim looked at Bron, “Are you always this grumpy in the morning?”  Kevin laughed, “Wait until she has two pots of coffee, she does better.”

Anne handed Kevin a plate and he sat next to Bron to eat.  “Stay out of Bron’s food, she barely eats.”  Anne admonished him. 

“Yeah right have you seen the size of my…”  Bron closed her mouth and Kevin leaned over.  Anne had a mischievous grin on her face.  “I like your butt, it’s my butt,” he whispered in her ear.  Bron rolled her eyes knowing that his mom had heard it.  “Really Kevin,” came out of Anne. 

“Sorry,” he grinned at his mom with an impish face. 

Nick burst into the room, “Everybody ready.”

Jerald started laughing, “They haven’t even finished eating.”

“Ok, I’ll wait.”  Shrugging his shoulders, he shuffled over to Bron and Kevin.  A grin tugged at Bron’s face and she looked at Anne.  Anne grabbed a plate, filled it, and handed it to Nick. 

Nick gave her his patented Carter smile, “Thank you Mame.”

Bron looked at Anne, “I’m keeping you around.  They behave so much better.”

Anne frowned and looked at Kevin, “Some do.”  “What!” came out of Kevin with his mouth full of food.

Nick danced over to the table in a very happy mood.  He started humming a little Salt and Peppa tune to see if Bron was actually paying attention.  Bron turned and glanced at him sideways with those flashing eyes Kevin always talks about and he grinned at her.  “Nice CD collection.”

Kevin started snickering and Bron heard him whisper, “Whatta ya wanna know?”  Bron ignored it as best she could but her face felt slightly warm.  “Stay out of my downloaded stuff Little Man,” she managed to speak without choking.

“Okay, you’ve got mail baby,” Nick spoke and then he laughed.

Bron got up from the snack bar and walked out the door.  Kevin chased after her and grabbed her by the shoulders.  “Bron, come on darlin’,” as he made her stop. 

Bron face was red and her eyes were full of anger, “Why does he do that?”

“Because he likes you and that’s just his way.  He’s the kid that would hit you with spit balls in school,” he sighed and led her to her room.  He grabbed her coat and led her back down to his room. 

“Hey Bron, I’m sorry,” Nick said.

Bron sighed, “Can you try not to like me so much.”

“I’ll try Momma Backstreet,” and he smiled.

“What?”  Bron shook her head.

“Hey you’re marrying dad that makes you mom,” he chuckled.

“Bounce go get your coat,” Kevin told her.

Bounce ran out and across the hall and was back before Kevin had finished putting on his leather jacket.  “Where are we going?” she asked him.

“Out,” Kevin answered her with no more information.

“Aw Kev, not today.  I have so much work to do,” Bron voiced.

“Not today,” as he bent down to Bounce’s level.

Bron stood back and she watched Kevin lecture Bounce on what she could and couldn’t do as he zipped the little one’s coat.  She didn’t fuss about it knowing it was a safety issue because of the fans outside.  He had made himself very clear that she was to listen to what she was told.  Jake smirked slightly listening to the little speech.  Sounds like her dad.

The next thing Bron knew she was standing in the lobby of the hotel.  She was scared to death.  This was Pittsburgh all over again.  She backed up so fast in the elevator that she almost knocked Howie down.  Kevin grabbed her hand and squeezed it as he stared at her saying nothing.  The silent communication meant that is was okay.

The call went out and shouts of go were heard.  Next she was being dragged by Kevin, who had held his coat up in the air, out the door and into a waiting van.  Bron realized that the coat was just so that no one could see her.  He had shielded her face from everyone’s view.

Bron’s nails were digging into Kevin’s palm to the point that he thought she might draw blood.  “You can let go now,” Kevin said as he tried to shake her loose. 

Bron blinked and dropped her hand, “Sorry.”  She then saw that all the other guys were in the other van and it was just Kevin, Bounce, Jake, Carlos, and she in this one.  Bron noticed Keith was driving.  “Hey bud, here,” Keith said as he tossed Kevin’s UK hat back to him.  “Thanks,” as he caught it and snugged it down on his head.

Bron watched the van in front of them turn off the highway.  “Keith, you missed the turn,” Bron yelled. 

“No, he knows where he is going,” Kevin informed her.

“But the guys…”  Bron exclaimed.

“Are decoys.  I said we are going out and we are.  Just us.”  Kevin grinned mischievously at her.

“Where are we going?”  Bounce asked again but pouting this time.

“To the mall shopping,” Kevin smiled.  He turned his head slightly towards Bron. 

Her eyes took on a glint and she grinned.  “Oh!!!” Bron exclaimed.

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