Chapter 25 Great, Just Great!
To be honest there was nothing really exciting to report that went on in 2006 except for Nick finishing the Never Gone tour then heading back to the studio for another BSB CD. Also the beginning of 2007 wasn’t very exciting either. The year started to pick up when Unbreakable was released on October 24th.
So now we find ourselves on October 26th the day of Dan and Crystal’s wedding. Michelle and I were working our fingers off trying to lace up the bride’s dress. We were both her maids of honor.
“I still can’t believe you copied me Tally. I mean did you really have to have two maids of honor?” Michelle asked jokingly.
“Duh! I couldn’t choose between the two of you. Besides you are both my sisters. Do you know how hard it is to choose between the two of you?”
“Tally I was just kidding,” Michelle laughed. “And yes I do know how hard that choice was. Those were my exact reasons for having two maids of honor also.”
“So I guess that means I’ll have to choose between three sisters. Oh great, whose going to be my maid of honor Kim or you two?”
We all laughed and Michelle and Crystal said in unison, “You better pick us!”
The ceremony went as planned and that day was definitely one of the happiest for all who were there. Tally looked so beautiful and Dan was equally handsome. Also everyone had a blast like they did at Mich and Chris’s wedding. They used the same DJ and he kept everyone on the dance floor like he did a few years prior.
Nick was my escort and dance partner for the night. He was also Dan’s best man along with Chris. Nick looked so handsome in his black tux and blue vest which matched the color of the bride’s maids’ dresses. I couldn’t keep my eyes off of him the entire night. Even if I looked away my eyes would snap right back to him. A few times people tried to hold conversations with me but the only thing I could focus on was how hot Nick looked. He had bulked up in a good way in the last few months and I was starting to feel those butterflies in my stomach again. I wanted to know if he felt the same way about me but I couldn’t conjure the nerve to ask him. I still had that thought in the back of my mind that something bad was going to happen between us like it had with so many other relationships. I was starting to try to convince myself to just give up on my search for love when 2008 rolled in.
It was a rainy day in February when my feelings about finding someone changed. I was on my way to a dance work shop which Dia, my boss and dance coach, nominated me for. The weather was terrible and visibility wasn’t the greatest. I was going the speed limit and being as careful as possible. Then I heard a loud bang! I pulled over and inspected my car. My left front tire was ripped to shreds. I must’ve hit a jagged pot hole.
“Great!” I popped open the trunk and found my spare tire missing. “Oh shit! That’s right! The one that just popped was my spare!” Nick had changed it when the other one got deflated when I ran over a huge nail.
“This is just great! What am I going to do now?” I jumped back in my car and turned on my hazard blinkers. I searched for my cell phone but of course I left it home on the charger. “Perfect! Just perfect! What am I supposed to do now?”
I sat in my car for five minutes when a cop car pulled up behind me.
The cop tapped on my window and I rolled it down.
“Are you alright ma’m?”
“Yes officer I just blew a tire and I don’t have a replacement.”
“Did you call someone?”
“No I left my cell at home. I… don’t know what to do and… do I know you?”
“I would say you do.”
He took lifted his hat to show his eyes and I gasped, “Ryan!”
“Yup Kalie it’s me.”
“Oh my god. What are the chances of you being the cop to pull up behind me?”
“It’s crazy I know. Do you want me to drive you home?”
“Would it be ok?”
“Yeah. Come on.”
“What about my car?”
“I’ll call to have it towed.”
“Thank you Ryan.”
“You’re welcome.”
I followed him to his police cruiser and sat in the passenger seat.
After Ryan called for the tow truck we sat in silence for a good while. I was starting to become nervous so I just started talking.
“Thanks for the ride home.”
“It’s my job. I couldn’t leave you out there. It’s too dangerous with the roads like this.”
“Well still thanks.”
Silence fell again before he said, “There’s something I need to get off my chest Kalie.”
“Really? Because there’s something I need to get off my chest.”
“Alright then ladies first.”
“I just wanted to say that I’m sorry for cheating on you. I shouldn’t have done it. I was only hurt in the end. Both of us were hurt.”
“And I’m sorry I ever cheated on you. You are very special Kalie and I didn’t realize it until I lost you. I still love you babe. I am truly, deeply sorry for everything I’ve done and I would like to know if you are willing to take me back? Will you give me another chance?”
I looked at him in disbelieve and I didn’t know what to say. So I said the first words that came to my mind, “Of course I’ll give you another chance! I love you too Ryan!”
From that point on Ryan and I acted like nothing had ever happened between the two of us. And I truly did fall back in love with him. The connection we were starting to regain was amazing! I couldn’t believe it was happening and I was becoming so happy again! I was amazed at how an accident brought us together again. I didn’t know what the future held for Ryan and I but from what I was seeing, the future was looking as bright as Ryan’s smile.
***Nick’s Point Of View***
As you can imagine I was less than happy about Ryan and Kalie getting back together. Every one of her best friends and siblings hated the news.
I remember we all had a “conference” at Michelle’s house after she had called each of us to tell us the story.
“Grandma and Grandpa would be rolling in their graves if they found out about this!” Kasey announced.
“They probably already know and are rolling around as we speak,” Kim commented.
“What are we going to do about this?” Michelle asked.
“We’re going to watch her back very, very carefully,” Kyle answered.
“Do you think maybe he really did change this time?” Crystal asked. “Maybe he is really sorry for cheating on her and won’t do it again.” That’s Crystal for you. She always thought on the positive side. But there were some things that really couldn’t be positive.
“I highly doubt it,” Michelle said. “Once a cowardly cheater always a cowardly cheater. You can’t change that Tally.”
“What if something awful happens to her again? I don’t think Kalie is going to be able to get through another disaster,” I commented.
“We’ll all be there for her and get her through it like we have all the other times before,” Mark answered calmly. “That’s what her best friends and family are for. Besides you’ve said it yourself, Kalie’s one of the strongest girls we all know.”
“You’re right,” I answered aloud while I was saying in my head, “I just hope she’s strong enough to get over whatever he’s going to do to her this time.”
As the weeks passed into months, time flew by and it became time for me to head back on tour with the Boys again. Kalie had invited me over to stay for a few weeks before I went away so I took her up on the offer.
Ryan was actually acting like a normal person while I stayed with them. He was also acting like a good boyfriend to Kalie. I’m not sure if that was just a front he was putting on or he did actually change but all I know is that my guard was constantly up around him.
But Kalie seemed happy… with the jerk. And I have to admit it was starting to look like he was changing but some little voice in my head told me to watch him closely.
One night Ryan was on some operation so it was just me and Kalie. We decided to watch a movie and make some popcorn. I don’t know if it was my mind playing tricks on me or what but it seemed that Kalie was being very flirty with me.
It all started when Kalie commented on the black shirt I was wearing, “Ya know Carter; you look pretty hot in black.”
She caught me off guard and I shook my head then looked at her, “What’d you just say?”
“I said you look hot in black.”
“Um thanks?”
She laughed at me, “What Carter? You can’t take a complement from your best friend?”
“You’ve never said anything like that to me before.”
“Well… it’s true.”
She flashed this flirty, little smile at me then grabbed the popcorn from the microwave.
“So what are we watching?”
She started the VCR and said, “Guess.”
“I don’t want to guess. Tell me.”
“No guess.”
“Can I have clues?”
She grabbed a book and walked toward me and said, “It’s set in a small French village that’s home to a girl who always has her face buried in a book. She has a strong, manly man chasing after her,” she dropped the book and imitated a body builder which made me laugh, “And then a freak accident leads her to a mysterious castle where a monster lives. In the end she falls for the monster and he is turned into a handsome, blonde haired, blue eyed prince.”
She ruffled my hair and I chuckled.
“Beauty and the Beast?”
“You got it right Carter.”
“Remember when we did our own version of Beauty and the Best for our play in senior year of high school?”
“Oh yes do I remember! That was the best play ever! And it was so much fun. Michelle and I were the twin Beauties, Kasey played our father, you and Chris were the beasts, Crystal was “Mrs. Potts”, and Dan was the tough guy Gaston.”
“Do you have that play on video?”
“Hell yeah I do! Wanna watch that instead?”
“Sure!”
“All right I’ll go get that then.”
We watched the play and made our own commentary about things that went on backstage during the play. But also she would look at me at certain points and just smile. I would look into her eyes and I could’ve sworn there was a little twinkle in hers and she blushed a few times.
“You know Kalie; you looked really hot in that yellow dress with your hair curled up like that.”
She turned her head from me and mumbled, “Thanks.”
“Why are you turning away from me?” I inched closer to her on the couch and tried to turn her face toward me. I saw that her cheeks were a slight tint of red, “Are you blushing Kalie Marie!?”
“No,” she tried to hide her face but it was useless.
“Oh yes you are!”
“No I’m not.”
“Admit it! I made you blush.”
“No you didn’t.”
“Oh yeah what if I do this,” my fingers flew to her sides and tickled her ribs. She laughed to the point of tears.
“OK! OK! OK! I’ll admit it. You made me blush! Just please stop tickling me!” she pleaded.
I laughed and stopped tickling her, I hugged her instead.
“What was that for?” she asked when the embrace ended.
I shrugged, “I don’t know. I just wanted to hug ya.”
She smiled at me and I stared into her eyes for a few seconds that didn’t want to end.
I felt myself subconsciously leaning closer to her when the front door opened.
“Kalie babe I’m home!”
“Ryan!” She jumped from the couch and ran into his arms. She gave him a deep kiss and hugged him tightly.
That sight made me very confused. Kalie was just flirting with me and maybe I was mistaken but I thought I saw the hint of love in her eyes. Then she acts like a love sick puppy when Ryan walked in the door. I guess Kalie was harder to figure out than I thought.
That wasn’t the only time that happened. Oh it happened about five more times. I just kept getting mixed signals and signs from her. One night before I fell asleep I sang an oldie from BSB’s first album.
My only wish was that Kalie heard me.
“I know he’s driving a fancy car
When you’re with him you’re feeling like a star
But when I’m home alone
I think only of you
So what you do know?
How does it grow?
So how can he buy a love that’s not for sale?
If you two were so in love I couldn’t tell baby
Cuz when I’m at home alone
I hear your heart it swells
You gotta know
How does it grow?
Who do you love?
Who do you love?
Girl I know that you are torn between
What was and what could be
I wanna know gotta know wanna know gotta know
Who do you love?
Do you love?
So let’s take some time out to find a way
Cuz there’s just so many things I need to say
Cuz when the lights are down and love is in the air
And I need to know do you really care
Who do you love?
Who do you love?
Girl I know that you are torn between
What was and what could be
I wanna know gotta know wanna know gotta know
Who do you love?
Girl I find I just can’t leave you alone
Nobody’s gunna tell me I’m wrong
And I promise I will make love our own
And if you’re ever in need
Put your full trust in me
And I would never leave you at home
Who do you love?
Tell me who yeah
Who do you love?
I need to know baby
I know that you are torn between
What was and what could be
I wanna know gotta know wanna know gotta know
Who do you love?
Who do you love?”
***Kalie’s Point of View***
Yes I heard him singing. I remember that night clearly. It was the night before Nick left for the Unbreakable tour. I was just about to head up the stairs when I heard him singing. His powerful voice could be heard through the closed door of his guest room. My muscles froze when I heard the lyrics. Leaning against the banister I waited until he finished the song.
Then Ryan called out, “Kalie honey, you coming to bed?”
“Yeah I’ll be right there babe.”
I slowly walked up the stairs and into the master bedroom.
Ryan and I cuddled close that night.
“Guess what,” he whispered in my ear.
“What?” I whispered back.
“I love you.”
“I love you too.” We kissed good night then he drifted off to sleep.
That night as I was falling asleep, my thoughts were flip flopping between Nick and Ryan. I didn’t know which one I loved more. “Kalie what’s going on with your emotions girl?” I thought to myself, “You don’t even know who you want anymore. Great, just great.”
