[ - ]
Table of Contents [Report This]
Printer Chapter or Story Microsoft Word Chapter or Story
- Text Size +
Chapter Forty Eight - December 14

"Tell me again why we're going to Colorado?"

"It's a surprise."

"Nick..."

Liv and I were on a direct flight to Denver, Colorado. When we had left the house, Brooke and Noah were happily making Christmas cookies with grandma.

It was going to be two glorious days of child-free time. With a little business mixed in.

"You know there's a lot of snow in Colorado in December right?"

I grinned. "I'm aware."

I flipped open my cellphone to the World Clock. I held it up for her to see.

"See the cool thing is that this flight's only three and a half hours," I explained. "But because of the time zone change, we'll really only have lost a half hour of the day traveling. So we'll arrive at the airport around ten Colorado time even though we left at nine thirty Florida time! And even though we have a two and a half hour drive to get to our accomodations, we'll be there no later than noon thirty!"

Liv snorted. "Noon thirty?"

I leaned over, nose to nose and puckered my lips 'til they barely touched hers. "Yes, teacher. Noon thirty."

She smiled and leaned forward for a better kiss.

I could already picture her out on the slopes.

My very own ski bunny.

-----------------------------------

We arrived at Denver International Airport right on time. After Liv pulled me off the baggage carousel (I might have snuck one or two bites of cookie batter before I left...y'know for the sugar high?), I grabbed our duffel bags and we headed outside.

"Holy shit, Frosty," I gasped. The cold blast of air that hit my face felt like it gave me instant frostbite. I had on a jacket, but for all that it was worth, it could have been just a light plastic tablecloth.

Liv, on the other hand, was a Wisconsian at heart. She had on a thick padded parka and didn't seem to be all that concerned about the next Ice Age.

"Where's our car?" she asked. She held up her hands and blew into them. A big puff of steam escaped. Even though I felt like even my ankles were shaking, I smiled.

"We don't have a car," I said. I walked down the front of the airport to where a gigantic black bus was parked.

"You got a bus?" Liv asked incredulously. I hit the door with my foot and it swung open. The driver smiled down.

"You're the first ones here."

"Awesome, we get the best spot," I said. I scrambled up into the bus; Liv was right at my heels.

"Who else is coming?" Liv asked.

I stopped to put our luggage down. I knelt down and unzipped my duffel. I needed more clothes, stat.

"Well, I think--"

"This where the parties at?"

I heard a huge suitcase fall with a thud on the floor before AJ's head peeked up the steps. A second later Red appeared. Her eyes were wide.

It was the 'virgin' tour bus look.

"Well, AJ's coming," I said sweetly. Liv gave me a look.

Twenty minutes later Bri, Leighanne, Kev, Addy, Howie, and Leigh were all on board. All of the girls looked sufficiently confused.

"What's going on?" Addy asked. Kev grinned.

"Well now that all of us are here..."

"We're going on a ski weekend!" Bri announced.

"With a little business mixed in," Howie added.

Kev held up a brochure.

"We'll be staying at the lovely "Mountain Chic" villa in Aspen, Colorado where we will be enjoying cozy fires and skiing," Kev said in his best 'announcer voice.'

Howie held up a poster. I heard Liv gasp.

"And tonight, we will be the opening act and surprise guest duet at the Rascal Flatts concert sponsored by KYGO 98.5...Denver's #1, for New Country."

"Are you shitting me?" Liv squealed. She grabbed onto my arm so roughly I thought she was going to snap it off. I hadn't seen her look that excited since...since...

Well, since I proposed to her.

Liv did a wild crawl that almost sent her flying as the bus took off. She grabbed the poster from Howie's hand and sat back down. She had a big, goofy smile on her face. Addy looked over. She looked excited too.

"I think Joe Don's gorgeous," Addy said. Liv looked at her like she was crazy.

"Joe Don? No, definitely Jay. That dark hair..."

"Uh, excuse me?" I said. I pointed at myself. "Husband? Blonde hair? Irrestible bedroom eyes?"

Liv and Addy both laughed and just shook their heads. I glanced over at Kev. I had a feeling I had a look on my face similar to his. Finally he just shrugged and turned around in his seat.

"Just remember...you're coming home with me tonight," I whispered. Liv's fingers curled around my arm.

"That's exactly how I want it to be," she whispered back.

--------------------------------------

"This place is amazing."

"Dibs on this bedroom!"

"Damnit, Howie!"

"Addy and I are taking the loft!"

"That's fine with me, Kev."

"You're such a chicken, Bri."

"I just like my feet on the ground, thank you!"

It was like we were all kids at summer camp. Not that I had ever been to summer camp, but I kind of always thought of it as a mad scramble for the best bunk.

Of course, in my mind, any room in this place was the best room. Liv and I just strolled around everyone who was quickly laying claim. Finally we came to the last bedroom. No one had come this far back into the place yet. Liv opened the door and grinned.

"Oh, this one's ours."

I think it probably had to be the master suite. There was a big bear skin rug and a personal fireplace. The whole thing was done in rich woods and creams. A huge window looked out onto the slopes.

It was absolute perfection.

"Yup, totally ours."

I quickly opened my duffel bag and hung a pair of my boxer briefs on the door. Liv laughed.

"What's that for?"

"This is how we're marking our rooms."

"And what's going to stop anyone from taking off yours and putting on a pair of theirs?"

I gave her a 'duh' look.

"No one in their right mind would touch my underwear," I said. She grinned.

"That's true. I have to put them in the wash using salad tongs."

I laughed. Just as I was about ready to make a comment about the rug, AJ poked his head in.

"Son of a bitch, I didn't even know this room was back here."

I made a small violin with my fingers.

"Tough luck."

AJ took off his sunglasses and tried to give me the puppy dog eyes.

"C'mon. This is the first time I've gotten Molly alone and..."

"Sorry, man. First come, first serve."

He gave me the finger and disappeared.

"Aw, Nick, he does have a point..." Liv said. I turned around and pointed at the rug.

"Nothing, not even J's pathetic attempt at making me switch rooms, is going to stop me and you from meeting that rug later tonight."

Liv turned about three different shades of red.

-------------------------------------

We were at the villa no more than a half hour before we had to get back on the bus to head back to Denver. Liv and Addy were playing 'Don't Forget the Lyrics' with Liv's IPod set to all Rascal Flatts, all the time. Every now and then Leighanne would jump in.

"What about you two girls?" I asked. "Aren't you in the Flatts Fan Club?"

Leigh laughed. "Not quite."

Molly shrugged. "I'm more of an Aerosmith girl."

To make a long story short, we got to the venue, unloaded our stuff in the dressing room, and then went out to meet Gary, Joe Don, and Jay. We almost had to get some stage hands out to wipe up the large puddles of drool coming from Addy and Liv.

"I met you guys twice, back in 2002 at the Wisconsin State Fair and then once when you opened for Kenny Chesney in 2004," Liv said breathlessly.

"Well, you've been a fan since the beginning then haven't you?" Jay said with a smile. Liv almost snapped her neck off her shoulders from nodding so hard.

It was pathetic...but cute. I couldn't help but wonder why she had been so cool and collective around us but was a blubbering mess around these guys. Not that it really bothered me. I mean...what did they have that I didn't have?

Hmmmm....

Even though it was a 'surprise' concert, our fan club had just 'happened' to pick some of our members to show up tonight. That meant that we still had a small meet and greet (no Q&A) before the show. Liv had managed to snap out of her stupor and was there for photographs.

"This is the best night of my life," one girl said happily. "You guys are my two favorite groups of all time."

After she skipped off, an older woman came up. I got a kick out of having some Backstreet Grannies jamming out. She smiled at us sweetly.

"I couldn't believe I got picked for meet and greet. Welcome to Denver," she said. She held out her arms. There were two trays full of brownies covered in icing. I think all five of us leaned down at the same time.

"They're called Denver Nugget Brownies," the lady explained. "I thought you might need some after the show."

Howie took the trays. It was a good thing; I was tempted to peel back the plastic and just dig my hands in. He set them aside, but not out of sight. Bri and I both kept looking back.

Our sweet tooth was calling.

Unfortunately, there was no time for sweet tooths. There was just enough time to run through a quick soundcheck before the doors opened. Liv had her camera in hand. She danced from foot to foot.

"I think I've already tweeted fifty times," she said. "This is awesome!"

She gave a tug to my new white denim jacket. Her hands drifted underneat to my t-shirt.

"This is a good look," she said approvingly.

"Would you like it better if I add a cowboy hat?"

She crossed her eyes. "Very funny."

It had been eight months since we had last done a concert, but as we ran onto the stage to a chorus of surprised cheers (and alright, a few boos), it didn't take us any time to get back into the swing of things. If anything, the time off had been beneficial. We had a whole album of songs we really loved and all of us, even Howie, had the choreography down.

By the time our set was over, we had the whole place cheering for us. We quickly changed and hovered in the wings to watch Rascal Flatts perform.

I've got to admit that I'm not a huge country fan, but I've had Rascal Flatts on my IPod for years. I even follow them on Twitter.

And they put on a hell of a show.

About mid-way through, we headed back onstage to perform our collaborative song. We both loved it so much that it had ended up on both our new album and the Flatts' new album.

"A little birdie told us," Gary said as the audience cheered. "That this is going to be our next new single. Something tells me five friends of ours are going to see their names soaring up the country charts real soon."

That was our cue. We headed up on stage and it was a total love fest. The lighters and glowsticks were going and by the end even I felt the urge to let out a 'yee-haw.'

By the end of the concert, I think Liv had given herself laringytis. Gary, Joe Don, and Jay doddged backstage and slapped us into some hugs.

"Thank you guys for coming out," Gary said.

"No, thank you," I said.

"Hey, we're playing a day after you guys in Nashville in June," Joe Don said. "Want to do this again?"

"That sounds like a plan," Howie said. Leave it to How to jump on a deal.

We spent another hour shooting the shit and then it was time to leave. Bri and I both grabbed a tray of brownies and headed back on the bus.

"Tomorrow afternoon we're hitting the slopes," Kev announced.

"What about tonight?" AJ asked.

"We're not skiing in the dark. Are you on a suicide mission?"

"I wasn't thinking about skiing," AJ said. He smirked. "Maybe more like naked snow angels."

I unwrapped the plastic from the brownie tray.

"I think I'll take a brownie instead."

Everyone else seemed to be in agreement. We passed around the first tray. I took a bite and about died. The chocolate frosting has some marshmallow whipped in and the actual brownie itself had the most unusual flavor.

"Oh my god, can we hire that woman to be our tour chef?" Brian moaned.

We had just gotten into a discussion about the upcoming tour and were starting to pass around the second tray of brownies when I felt the bus slow.

"Oh shit."

I looked up front. We had the low cabin lights on overhead but the driver wasmasked in shadow.

"What's up?" Kev called out.

I felt the tug of the bus as it was pulled over. A second later it completely topped.

"Well, I hate to say this," the driver said nervously. "But I ran out of gas."

"What?"

The driver stood up. The light overhead shone directly on his face and I could see the look of embarassment.

"There was a gas station about a mile back. I'm going to go get some fuel."

"You're going to walk in this weather?" I asked. The driver smiled. He reached down and pulled out a humongous coat.

"I always come prepared."

We all watched in dumbfounded silence as he opened the doors and hopped outside.

"I can't believe this," Howie said. "What crappy luck is that?"

"I can top that," AJ said. "Guys, we can't eat any more of these brownies."

I looked down. There was only a half of pan left.

"Why?"

AJ had one small bite left. He brought it up to his nose and sniffed it.

"These are filled with pot."