Nick watched, amused, while Katelin frantically ran around their hotel room. "Where the fuck is my black skirt?" She yelled.
Nick laughed at her. "You've picked it up and thrown it back on the ground four times already." She stopped and glared at him. "You think this is funny, Carter?"
"Of course not, baby,” Nick said innocently, the smirk dropping off of his face.
Katelin picked it up again, slipped off her shorts, and pulled the skirt up over her hips. Then she started to look for her shoes under all of Nick's stuff. "Jesus Nick! How the hell do you make such a mess in only one night?!"
Nick shrugged. "I don't understand what you're flipping out for? It's just your father."
"You've obviously never met her father,” They heard Ang speak up from the doorway. Katelin shot a glare in her direction which Ang just ignored. "Anyway, Kate, he's downstairs."
Katelin quickly slipped on her shoes and grabbed Nick's hand, pulling him out of the room. "Come on! I don't want to keep him waiting!" Nick rolled his eyes in Ang's direction and followed Katelin to the elevator.
Katelin tapped her foot anxiously in the elevator. Nick grabbed her hands and made her look him straight in the eye. "Calm dow, okay? Why are you so nervous? You look beautiful."
"I'm just nervous,” she told him, honestly. “I want him to love you as much as I do."
"Well I don't know about that,” Nick snickered. “I don't think I want him to feel that way about me."
Kate playfully punched him on the arm. "Shut up, Carter." He grabbed her around the waist and pulled her close to him, kissing her gently. Just then, the 'ding' of the elevator was heard, signaling that they had arrived at the lobby. The doors opened and Katelin pulled away from Nick, reluctantly. "Well, here goes nothing." She grabbed Nick's hand and proceeded to walk out into the lobby. She looked around and spotted her father standing in a corner with some business associates. "Daddy!"
Mr. Taylor looked up and smiled warmly as his only child ran over to him with her arms outstretched. Nick watched, appreciatively, as Mr. Taylor scooped Katelin up in his arms and swung her around. He stood there, realizing how lucky he was that he had such a terrific family that would do anything for one another. He had two loving parents and a wonderful brother and sisters. They all supported each other in any way that they could. Katelin and her father only had each other. Nick realized how hard it must be for her to be so far away from him and from home. She was so much younger than everyone else on this tour and sometimes her innocence and vulnerability overshadowed all other aspects of her.
Nick was taken out of trance by Katelin calling to him. "Nick! Come meet my dad!"
Nick smiled and walked over to his girlfriend and her father.
"Nick, this is my dad, Mike Taylor,” She introduced. “And Dad, this is my Nick."
Nick stuck his hand out and Mr. Taylor shook it. "Nice to meet you."
Katelin grabbed Nick's hand and looked up at her father. "So what are we doing tonight?"
Mr. Taylor smiled at his daughter. "Why don't you two go wait for me in the bar while I finish up here and then we'll go out to eat. I know this great restaurant and, Kate, there's someone I want you to meet."
She leaned up and kissed him on the cheek. "Alright, we'll be over there."
Krista knocked on Ang and Brian's door. Ang answered it a few seconds later "Hey Kris!"
Krista smiled as she stepped in the room. "What's up? Where's Brian?"
"Went out to eat with Howie and Christine,” Brian replied, leading Krista over to the small couch. “I didn't feel like going."
"Yeah, me neither,” Krista told her. “Aj went too. What are you doing tonight?"
"I don't know," Ang answered. "Brian's going to call after dinner. I think they all want to go clubbing. Nick and Kate are out to dinner with Kate's dad and I think Brooke and Kevin had plans of their own."
Krista smiled, knowingly. "I heard Brooke say that earlier. Are you going to meet up with Brian later?"
"I'm kind of tired,” Ang frowned, slightly. She kind of wished that Brian would just come home and hang out with her. “I think I'll just hang around here tonight. What about you?"
"Nope,” Krista shook her head. “Aj wants to party and," she patted her stomach, "I can't exactly do much of that so I think I'll just hang out here with you. How about getting a movie and raiding the mini bar?"
"Sounds like a plan,” Ang grinned. “No alcohol for you, though."
Krista stood up just as the phone rang. "Alright. I'm going to change. Be ready in ten.”
She walked out the door and Ang answered the phone. "Hello?"
"Hey honey!"
"Hey Bri!” She greeted. “Where are you?"
"Getting ready to leave the restaurant,” He answered. “We're going to out and party. Want us to swing by and pick you up?"
"Nah,” she told him. “I'm kind of tired. Krista and I are going to watch a movie."
"Okay, honey,” Brian said, slightly disappointed. “I'll see you when I get back."
"Bye Bri! I love you."
"I love you too." Brian hung up his cell phone and sat in deep thought for a minute. Coming to a decision, he flipped it back open a dialed a familiar number.
***** ***** ***** ***** ***** *****
Leighanne rushed out of the bathroom of her hotel room as she heard the ringing of her cell phone. "Yeah?" she answered.
"Hey Leigh!" Her whole face lit up at the sound of his voice. "Brian! What are you doing?"
"Well, you told me you were going to be in town the same time as me so I thought maybe we could get together,” he told her, all in one breath. “What are you doing tonight?"
Leighanne sat down on the bed. "Nothing much. I was just going to hang out here. But I'd love to get together with you."
"Great!” Brian smiled. “How fast can you be ready."
"Give me about fifteen minutes." She told him.
"Great. Meet us down in the lobby." Brian had a dreamy look on his face as he hung up the phone. AJ looked at him, curiously. "What are you so smiley about?"
"I'm not ‘smiley’," Brian denied, looking at AJ as if he were crazy.
"Whatever, Rok,” AJ shook his head. “Are you ready?"
"Yeah, we've got to make a quick stop,” he said, following AJ.
"Oh, we goin' to get Ang?" AJ asked.
Brian shook his head. "No. She's hanging out with your girl tonight. We're going to get Leighanne."
Aj was confused. "Leighanne? As in Wallace? Why would we be doing that?"
"Because she's in town,” Brian retorted. “And I want to see her."
"I don't know about this, Bri,” AJ was skeptical. He didn’t want Brian to do anything that would jeopardize his relationship with Ang. “What about Ang?"
"What about her?" Brian stopped quickly, turning around to look at him.
"Don't you think she'd be a little bit upset about this?" AJ questioned, narrowing his eyes at him.
Brian patted AJ on the back. "What Ang doesn't know won't hurt her. Now let's go."
***** ***** ***** ***** ***** *****
Brooke sat patiently at the table while Kevin was in the bathroom. Suddenly, her cell phone started ringing. She flipped it open. "Hello?" There was silence on the other end. "Hel-lo?"
Finally she heard a hauntingly familiar voice. "I'm closer than you think."
"What the hell do you want…" She was cut off. 'What the hell does he want from me? Why won't he just leave me alone?'
Kevin slid back into his chair. "Who was that on the phone?"
"Oh, no one,” she covered. “Just a wrong number."
He took a sip of his water. "How about we head back? I've had enough of being in public. I just want to be alone with you."
"Sounds like a plan,” she grinned. Kevin paid the check and the couple made their way back to the hotel.