The next morning, Nick waltzed into the kitchen to find Annie sitting at a kitchen chair sipping a cup of coffee and reading a newspaper while Drew played with a toy car on the hardwood floor. “Morning,” he said casually.
Annie glanced over the top of the newspaper. “Morning,” she answered.
“Where is everyone?”
“Baylee had a doctor’s appointment this morning,” she replied. “They just left, so it looks like it’s just us for the next couple of hours. Then, Brian and I are going to get into the studio this afternoon.” Nick nodded and headed for the coffee pot. After he’d poured a cup and started walking back towards the kitchen table, Annie set her newspaper down, and he burst out laughing. She was wearing an NKOTBSB concert tour t-shirt.
“Nice shirt.” He smirked as he sat down.
She looked down and grinned. “I packed it thinking Brian would get a kick out of it. I didn’t realize I was going to get to model it for two Backstreet Boys, though.”
“It’s nice.” He took a gulp of coffee and started studying the shirt. The group picture of all nine of them standing in a line with a rope that had been used for all the promo posters was emblazoned across her chest. He nearly spit out his coffee when he noticed himself centered on her left breast. It didn’t help that he had this cheesy grin on his face and was holding up the “rock and roll” symbol with his hand, almost as if her were saying “Score!”
“What?” Annie asked, noticing his sudden change of expression.
He coughed. “Um...nothing.”
“Oh, come on,” she prodded.
“No, seriously. You don’t wanna know.”
“Well, now you have to tell me.”
Nick sighed. “You promise you won’t get mad?”
“Well, now that depends on what it is, doesn’t it?”
“It’s stupid and immature, but I was just, uh....looking at your shirt, and I noticed myself.” He gestured to her chest.
She looked down and moved her head from right to left, then her mouth fell open in shock and she blushed. “Maybe I should go change. Do I really want you to be thinking about how you’re on my left boob all day?”
He was surprised by her bluntness. “Well, I’m sure it’s a nice place to be, but really, don’t worry about it. How old are we, twelve?” Annie blushed harder and laughed. “Seriously though, can I ask you a question?”
Annie furrowed her brows at his serious expression. “What’s that?”
“Now that Brian’s out of the house, I just need to know.....Is Howie really your favorite Backstreet Boy?”
“Yes,” she answered honestly.
“Well, drats.” He snapped his finger and swung his arm through the air dramatically as she giggled. “Well, would you consider going out with me tomorrow night, even though I’m not your favorite?”
Annie’s eyes widened in surprise, and it was her turn to nearly choke on her coffee. “What?”
“You heard me,” he said quietly, biting his lip nervously.
“Nick, I..... I’m not so sure that’s a good idea.”
Drew toddled over to her and tugged on the leg of her pants. “Mama, I poo!” he exclaimed happily.
“Did he just say...?” Nick trailed off and crinkled his nose in disgust. “Yep, that’s what he said.”
Annie looked down at Drew and sighed. “Let’s go get you changed.” She scooped him into her arms and stood up to leave.
As she passed him, Nick reached out and touched her side gently. She paused and looked down at him. “Can we finish this conversation later?” he asked.
“I um...okay. Later.” She rushed away, almost thankful for Drew’s interruption, no matter how unpleasant.
_____________________________________________________
When they got back into the studio that afternoon, Nick was all business. He fiddled with the sound board until he got the desired effects, gave constructive criticism where needed, and even took notes. When they got to working on the bridge, Brian declared that something “just didn’t sound right,” and Nick immediately stepped in. “Annie, how about you try singing a third above Brian for the first few bars, then switch to a fifth above. Then, I want you to switch to the melody for the second phrase, and Brian, mirror what Annie did previously, okay?”
“Huh.” Brian looked down at his sheet music, impressed with Nick’s interpretation. “Okay. Let’s try that.”
As Annie sang, she studied Nick’s face through the glass. First, he messed a little with the sound board, his brows furrowed in deep thought, then he looked up and watched them with this serious expression on his face. Then, the sides of his mouth started to twitch into a smile. “So, how was it?” she asked after they’d finished.
“It was perfect.”
“Told you he was a genius with a soundboard,” Brian declared with a smile. “So Nick, are you ready to be listed in the credits of a contemporary Christian album? How about being nominated for a Dove award?” Nick just gave him a little chuckle. “I think that’s a good place to stop.” Brian took off his headphones and set them down on his music stand. “I’m going to go see if Leigh needs any help with dinner.” He gave Nick a little nod and left.
“What you did with that bridge was really great, Nick. I mean, I’m totally an amateur here, but why don’t you do more producing?” Annie asked him as she sauntered into the control room where he was still sitting.
He shrugged. “Well, it’s kind of hard to get a lot of ‘street cred’ when you’re a Backstreet Boy.”
“You need ‘street cred’ to produce?”
He laughed. “In a way, yeah.” Then he looked down at the sound board and made sure all the controls were set to off, then pushed his chair backwards and looked up at her. “Is it okay if- if we finish our conversation from earlier?”
Annie groaned and crossed her arms over her chest nervously. It was a defense mechanism she’d always used when she felt like someone was getting too close, without her ever really realizing it. “I’m sorry, Nick, but I don’t think there’s really anything to finish. I told you earlier that I didn’t think it was a good idea, and I still feel that way.” She glanced down at her left hand and sighed. “I haven’t.....since Andrew...I-I haven’t...” she stammered.
Nick nodded knowingly. “I figured as much.” He stood up and took the two strides that separated the distance between them. “Listen, Annie. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t attracted to you. I am, but I also realize that neither of us is ready for a relationship right now, and that even if we were, it probably wouldn’t work out between the two of us, anyway.” She carefully uncrossed her arms and shoved her hands in her back pockets. “I just thought maybe the both of us could use a night away. That’s all.”
“But--” Her defenses were slowly letting down. “I’ve never been away from Drew at night. I don’t want to miss his bedtime.”
“So, we’ll make it a daytime thing. We don’t have much work left to do on your song, and you still have a couple days after tomorrow before you’re supposed to go back home, so we have time, and I promise I’ll get you back before bedtime.” He gave her a little smirk.
Annie pursed her lips and nodded thoughtfully. “I’ll think about it, okay?”
Nick smiled. “I’ll take ‘I’ll think about it’.”
_________________________________________________________________________
Later that night, after she and Brian had put Baylee to bed, Leighanne found Annie sitting on the back deck by herself on a lounge chair. She was sipping a cup of something hot, with her knees curled up against her body and a cashmere throw that Leighanne didn’t recognize tucked around her shoulder. “Mind if I join you?” she asked quietly.
Annie turned to her and forced a smile. “Sure.”
“This is nice. Did you bring it from home?” Leighanne ran her fingers along the fringe of the throw Annie was clutching.
“Yeah. My mom bought it for me before Drew and I got married. After he.....” She trailed off and Leighanne looked at her expectantly. “We used to cover up with it while we watched TV at night. It still smelled like him,” she admitted. “Now, I think it’s just habit. Kind like my own version of a blankie.” She let out a little giggle.
Leighanne smiled back at her. “There’s this ratty old Tates Creek High School t-shirt of Brian’s that I sleep with when he’s away,” she told her. “I get it.” Annie looked down at her tea cup, and they fell into a comfortable silence for a while, just enjoying the night silence. “Can I ask you a question?” Leighanne finally spoke up.
“What’s that?”
“When was the last time you went on a date?”
Annie raised an eyebrow in her direction. “Did Nick send you?”
Leighanne laughed. “No, and Brian didn’t either, but Nick’s upstairs in his room moping, and I figure it’s because you turned him down. I hope you don’t mind that Brian pretty much tells me everything.”
“No, not at all. You’re his wife. I just didn’t figure Nick would tell Brian he asked me out.” She shivered in the cool autumn air and set her cup down, pulling the blanket tighter around her.
“I think he was looking for his approval.”
“And did he get it?”
“Not at first. That was until Nick assured him that he didn’t have any ulterior motives. Nick’s a great guy. He is. There was a time in his life that I didn’t think that, but he’s really changed in the past couple of years and become more like that big-hearted kid I met at the ‘As Long as You Love Me’ video shoot. More mature, of course.” She paused. “Well, sometimes.”
Annie smiled. “He’s a nice guy. Not at all like I imagined him, actually.”
“How did you imagine him?”
“Truthfully?” Annie turned and leaned towards Leighanne, like she was an old girlfriend dishing out gossip. “Cocky.”
Leighanne giggled. “Well, he still is sometimes, but in a cute, sarcastic way. Like I said, he’s changed, especially since Lauren....”
Annie cocked her head to the side and furrowed her brows. “Do you know what happened there? It seems odd that he’s hop on a plane to Atlanta and show up on your doorstep unannounced....and drunk.”
“I know,” Leighanne sighed. “He did fill us in, but....I don’t know. I think there’s something he’s not telling us. Brian thinks so, too. That’s the thing about Nick. He definitely closes up when something’s bothering him and pretends it’s not happening.” She trailed off and bit her lip. “For the record, I think you should go out with him. Both of you could use a little fun, and Drew would definitely be in good hands, if I do say so myself.”
“Leighanne, I----”
“You never answered my question earlier.”
Annie looked down and studied her lap. “Honestly? Five and a half years ago. June 2006. Our anniversary.”
“And you think it would be like betraying your husband if you went on a date, right?”
“I.....yeah,” Annie admitted, studying her wedding band as it glinted in the moonlight.
“I know I’m getting personal, but that’s the thing about both me and my husband. We’re nosy. Meddlers, if you will. I know you were very young, but did you and Andrew ever have that conversation about what you’d do if anything ever happened to one of you? I know Brian and I have.”
Annie squeezed her eyes shut in an attempt to stop the tears that pricked at her eyes threateningly. “Yes,” she whispered quietly.
“And?”
“Of course we agreed that we wanted each other to be happy, and if that meant finding someone else, then......”
“Listen, Annie. I’m not saying Nick should be that someone else, but who knows? He is a lot of fun, and you’ve got to start somewhere, right? Besides, how many women do you know who can say a Backstreet Boy took her out for her birthday?”
Annie’s mouth dropped open in surprise. “How did you know?”
“We needed it to buy your plane tickets, remember?”
“Oh yeah. Did you happen to notice which birthday it was?” she asked.
Leighanne pursed her lips and nodded. “Mmmhmm. Think about it. A date with a Backstreet Boy---what a way to turn thirty.” Annie sighed and pulled her tea cup back into her hands, took a sip of the now lukewarm tea, and stared out into the backyard. A few minutes later, she was knocking on Nick’s bedroom door.
“What the-?” Nick opened the door and looked down at her. “Oh, um...hi Annie. What’s up?”
Annie shifted her bare feet back and forth on the carpet nervously and placed a hand on the door frame. “I was just wondering what I should wear tomorrow. Should it be something casual, or a little dressy, or....?”
“Tomorrow?” Nick looked confused for a moment, then his face broke into a huge smile. “Casual would be great. I’ll pick you up at eleven?”
Annie raised her eyebrows. “You’ll pick me up?”
“Yeah. I’ll pick you up.” He gestured down the hall to her room.
She smiled. “Sounds good.”
