All five Boys decided that they wanted to experience the Crescent City on Halloween Night. Kris had told them to go to the House of Blues to meet her & Morgan at 7:30 p.m. She promised that if it got boring, they would decide on somewhere else to go.
As they made their way to the bar, Howie saw Kris and walked up to her, Kevin following close behind, looking around for Morgan. Howie wrapped his arms around Kris, asking, “Can I buy you a drink, Baby?”
“Buy me a Sprite & I won’t argue,” she said, turning & putting her arms around him. She saw Kevin looking around the bar and answered his unspoken question, “Kev, she’s at that table over there, by the railing,” she pointed in the direction of their table.
“Thanks, Kris,” Kevin said, then was stopped when she grabbed his arm. “What?”
“Here, Romeo; I don’t want you crashing & burning before you even get a chance to sit down. Take her wine to her & try to explain that we’ll be there shortly.”
“Ok, thanks,” he said, taking the glass of wine & walked off.
Kris had gone to the bar to order their drinks & food a few minutes earlier. It was only 7:30, but there was already a small, but outrageously costumed, crowd downstairs.
“I believe Kris said you would want your wine now?” Kevin asked as he set the glass of wine on the table.
Hearing a familiar, rich Kentucky accent behind her, she smiled and looked over her shoulder. “Yes, thank you very much, Kevin.”
“May I join you?” he asked.
“Please, I’d like that,” she said, sitting back down in her chair. As Kevin sat in the chair next to her, she asked, “I guess Kris is still at the bar waiting on our order, then?”
Kevin turned and looked towards the bar, smiling as he saw Howie & Kris still wrapped in each other’s arms. “Yeah, you could say that,” he chuckled.
Morgan stood up slightly & looked over his shoulder, smiling as she saw her friend wrapped in Howie’s arms.
Kevin & Morgan were leaning close to each other, talking, and were startled when the rest of their friends came to the table. As AJ dramatically set a large platter of cheese fries in the center of the table, Kris said, “We FINALLY got the first part of our damn order! The cheeseburger should be coming out soon. It’s taking forever; the kitchen is a few hands short tonight because three guys quit this afternoon,” she explained as they all sat down at the table.
“That’s ok. As long as it’s not cold when it gets here, Morgan will be a happy girl!” Morgan said, laughing.
Five minutes later, as they were all talking, a big man walked over to the table and set a plate down in front of Morgan. “Cheeseburger, no onions, no tomatoes?”
“Yeah, Max, that’s me,” she smiled up at him. “I can’t believe they have you running food orders!” she said.
“Only YOUR order, Darlin’! I run the bar,” he winked at her, walking back in that direction.
“DAMN! That is one hell of a burger!” Nick said, wide-eyed.
“You want some of it? I can never finish it all,” she asked, cutting the burger into quarters. “I love the burgers, but it usually takes me & Kris two days to finish it,” she laughed.
“Sure thing. Thanks,” Nick said as he took the one-quarter that she handed him.
She turned & asked, “I got two more quarters here; anyone care for some of this monster burger?”
AJ reached across the table. “I’ll take one, Morgan. Thanks,” he said, taking a bite.
“Brian? Kevin? Either of you hungry?” Morgan asked, turning her smile on Kevin.
“No, thanks, that’s alright,” Brian said.
“Sure, why not? No need to waste the food,” Kevin smiled, taking the proffered food.
Twenty minutes later, the burger & cheese fries gone, Morgan was surprised when a pair of hands covered her eyes. She spun in her chair, looking up into intense dark blue eyes. “Sully!” she exclaimed, reaching up from her chair to hug him tightly around his neck. “You didn’t tell me you were coming into town.”
“It was a last minute thing, Little Girl,” he explained in his heavy Boston accent and kissed her cheek. “Where’s Tessa?”
“She’s been sick with a cold; she should be fine by tomorrow. Oh, Sully, you know Kris, Howie & AJ; I want you to meet Brian, Nick & Kevin – the rest of BSB!”
Kevin could see that Sully was just a friend to Morgan, but he couldn’t understand where the deep feeling of jealousy was coming from. For some reason, he was almost angry that Sully had his arms around Morgan’s shoulders. ‘I should be the one holding her,’ he thought to himself.
“Nice to finally meet you guys,” Sully said, shaking their hands.
“Can you join us, Sully?” AJ asked.
“No, man, I can’t tonight. I know you guys are performing at the Superdome tomorrow night, but if you can or want, come back on the 2nd. GodSmack is playing here under the name StripMind. We don’t want a huge crowd here; less chance of problems arising. Besides, if you come see us, you’ll finally meet Alexis,” he told Morgan. He looked at the others, “It was good to meet you guys and hope to see you all in a couple of days.” To Kevin he added, “It was good meeting you, Kevin; you take good care of this girl, ya hear?” he said with a smile in his eyes as he shook Kevin’s hand.
“I will, Sully. I won’t let anything happen to her,” Kevin said, returning the smile, then turned his smiling green eyes on Morgan.
