He got out of his rental car, slipping his sunglasses on top of his head, and walked to the front door of the modest two-story home that laid in front of him. He rang the doorbell and set his bag down beside him, waiting for the occupant(s) to open the door.
The door swung open and Kevin grinned at his long-time friend Scott Landon. "Hey man!"
"Hey yourself! Nice hair cut Scotty!"
The two men embraced one another and Kevin jokingly rubbed his hand across Scott's shaven head. "I know, I know, it looks awful right now, I just did it last night! Lila thinks I have a weird shaped head.," Scott said with a grin.
"Yeah, well, I'm sure she'll forgive ya."
"She will, come on in, I'm glad you could come! It's been forever!"
"It has been."
"How's the guys doin'?"
Kevin nodded, "Pretty good, we're all happy to be away from each other for a week.."
"I bet...seen your mom and brothers?"
Kevin shook his head, "Nope, not yet. Mom's coming at the end of the week, pretty much right after I get home. I brother won't see Tim or Jerald till we get up to Kentucky on this next leg of the tour."
Scott nodded, "That's good though, I love your momma, she cooks awesome."
Kevin laughed, "I know! She'll fatten me up before we have to be in LA next week."
"She will!"
"I'll be sure to tell her you said hi."
"Cool...come on, I'll show ya around the place."
"Where's the infamous Lila?"
Scott grinned at her name, "She's out, went to the grocery or something...I think she went with one of the neighbor's wife's...I can't wait for you to meet her man, she's amazing.."
Kevin smiled and patted Scott on the back, "It's about damn time you met a woman and settled down."
"I know..Lila definitely is the woman I can see myself settling down with.."
"You two set a date yet?"
"Nope..we're waiting...plus, I may get shipped out next month, we don't want to plan anything for sure until we know when I'm leaving."
"You might get shipped out? You just got here."
Scott nodded as he showed Kevin to his room, "Yeah, I know. I've been in El Paso for four months now...but there's a chance my squadron may get shipped out to somewhere in the Pacific..I don't even know for sure yet."
"That sucks.."
He nodded, "Yeah..but there's a chance I won't have to go, I'm hoping I won't...I'd rather stay here and train."
Kevin smiled and began unpacking, "And be near to your woman."
"True."
Both men's heads as the front door opened then slammed closed, "Scott!"
Scott grinned at Kevin, "That's her man, come on."
Kevin got up off the bed and followed his friend down the narrow hallway. "Hey baby, Kev's here, where you at?"
"Kitchen! You wouldn't believe the lines at the store, me and Linda had a hell of a time getting out of there, it was awful!"
Scott grinned, "She has a very eloquent vocabulary."
Kevin laughed, "I've heard worse."
"She's worse than a damn sailor."
Kevin laughed again and the woman in the kitchen turned and immediately blushed, "You coulda yelled a little louder that he was HERE Scott."
Both men laughed and Scott stepped forward to wrap his arms around her waist, "Baby, I did...you were just too busy or too pissed off to hear me...Anyways, this is my best friend from home, Kevin. Kev, this is my wonderful, beautiful, awesome, amazing, gorgeous fiance Lila."
Lila pushed Scott away playfully, "Good boy, you've learned well. It's very nice to meet you Kevin, I've heard nothing but good things about you. I was beginning to think you were a figment of Scott's brain there for awhile."
Kevin shook her hand, "I know, I know. I've been meaning to get up here for awhile but my job keeps me pretty busy, this is my first week off in a long time so I thought I'd better get here before we were both old and gray and in retirement homes. But the past phone conversations have been filled of him telling me ALL about you, I feel like I know you."
Lila laughed, "I know! Me too!"
Scott leaned against the counter, "Okay, okay, quit talkin' about me like I'm not here. What'd ya get?"
Lila turned from Kevin and absently pulled her long dark hair into a ponytail, "I got hamburgers and steaks and a bunch of other stuff...sound good to you all?"
They both nodded and she smiled, "You too are so much alike..ok, now get out so I can get to work!"
Kevin laughed, "I'm gonna go unpack anyways and call Brian, mind if I tie up the phone lines for a few?"
Scott shook his head, "Nope, tell him I said hi."
"I will.."
Kevin left the room and Scott turned to Lila, "Well?"
"He seems nice Scotty."
"Really?"
Lila smiled, "Yes, really."
"Good..I was afraid you two would hate one another.."
She reached out and grabbed his hands and pulled him closer to her, "Honey, I already told you, a friend of yours is a friend of mine. And really, you've talked about him SOOO much I do feel like I know him!"
Scott laughed, "I know, I can't help it though..."
"I know..."
He leaned down and kissed her gently, "I love you Lila."
"Love you too..plus, how can anyone NOT love me?"
He laughed pressing his forehead to hers, "It's awfully hard Mrs. Landon.."
"Ha! Not yet Mr. Landon."
"But soon, right?"
"You know it..now, for real, get out and let me get to work cooking you two dinner."
"Ok, ok."
The week passed quickly for Kevin and soon it was Friday, time for him to head home. Scott had training that morning so it was just him and Lila.
It was amazing how quickly Kevin and Lila formed a friendship, any doubts in Scott's mind disapated within the first day. Kevin and Lila were soon joking and picking on one another like old friends.
"Lila? You seen the keys to the car??"
"Kitchen counter!"
Kevin laughed, finding them where she said, "Thanks!"
She appeared from the master bedroom, "Not a problem..you ready?"
"Yep..tell Scott I'll call him tonight?"
She nodded, "I will...this has been fun Kevin, it was very nice to meet you."
Kevin grinned, "It was nice to FINALLY meet you..I told Scott it was about time he settled down.."
Lila looked puzzled for a second, "Why is it that everyone says that??? That was the first thing his mom said to me!"
"I wouldn't doubt it...she's very..blunt."
"I know...but that's pretty much like me...I was so nervous she was gonna hate me...I also met your brother when I went home with Scott once.."
"Which one?"
"Jerald, I think..can't really remember, it's been awhile."
"I bet.."
"So..I guess you better get goin'..."
He smiled again, "Yeah...come here."
She laughed and stepped into his arms and hugged him. She was laughing when she pulled back and he looked at her, "What's so funny?"
"Wait till I tell the other base wives how I had a bonified pop star staying under my roof!"
Kevin laughed, "They all know??"
"Oh yeah!"
She walked with him out the front door and to his rental car. "Well..tell them I said hello."
"I will...I know as soon as you leave the phone'll start ringing!"
Kevin put his things into the car, "You or Scott need anything, don't hesitate to call, ok?"
"Ok.."
"Keep in touch Lila."
She smiled, "I will Kevin..have a safe trip home and try to not to hurt your bandmates!"
"I'll try! Bye!"
"Bye Kevin!"
Lila watched until Kevin was out of the driveway and down the street before she went inside the house, locking up as she did so. Sure enough, the phone began to ring. She rolled her blue eyes towards the ceiling and prepared herself for the onslaught of phone calls she knew were to come.
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