“Hi this is Jessica sorry I can’t get to the phone right now but if you leave a message I’ll get back to you as soon as I can thanks bye,” Nick heard over the phone as he tried to get a hold of Jessica the next morning. They were in Tampa now and had a concert later that night but had a few hours off in the morning before he had to go to sound check.

“Hey Jessica this is Nick I got your number from your sister hope that’s ok,” Nick started. “I’m in town today and got a few hours off this morning and was just wondering if I could meet up with you or your folks. I wanted to ask your dad something. Give me a call as soon as you can I gotta be here by noon for the sound check. Thanks, bye.” He hung up the phone and walked into the bathroom to take a quick shower.

******

“I’m coming,” I yelled as I heard my phone ring 30 minutes later. “Hello?”

“Hey Nick this is Jessica,” Jessica replied.

“Oh hey how are you?” he asked.

“Great,” she answered. “So I heard you wanna ask my dad something. He’s home right now if you wanna stop by his place. I could call him and tell him your on your way over if you want.”

“That would be great I’d love to see you too,” he said. “Maybe you could come by here with your fiancé today or something.”

“I’d love to stop by what time would you want me there?” she asked.

“You can come to the sound check if you want,” he told her.

“Great I’ll be there with Tommy,” she replied. “You’ll love Tommy. My parents love him and I hope Taylor does when she meets him later this year.”

“Great,” he started. “Your sound check tickets are gonna be at the box office waiting for you at the Ford Amphitheater.”

“Great I’ll see you at noon then,” she said. “I’m gonna go call my dad. You still know how to get there?”

“Yeah Central Ave.,” he answered. “See ya later.”

“I’ll see you later,” they both hung up the phone at the same time.

“Who you going to see at Central Ave.?” asked AJ as he walked onto the bus as he heard the last few seconds of Nick’s phone call.

“Oh hey,” Nick said as he turned around to face AJ. “What’d you ask?”

“Who are you going to see on Central Ave.?” AJ asked again.

“Oh Taylor’s parents live there,” he answered. “I wanted to go see them and her sister Jessica is gonna stop by later with her fiancé Tommy so I can meet him for Taylor. I promised her I’d tell her what he was like for her. She’s not able to meet him until Rascal Flatts come down here for their tour.”

“Oh cool,” AJ replied. “When are you heading for their place?”

“Just as soon as I can call a taxi and get over there,” he responded. “Jessica was calling her dad to tell him I was gonna be on my way.”

“Oh cool,” AJ started. “Want me to come with you?”

“Nah man I’m good go have fun with the guys and I’ll be back before 11 hopefully,” he answered.

“Ok I’ll see ya then,” AJ replied and walked off the bus.

******

“Thanks,” said Nick as he pulled up to Taylor’s parents house. “Can you wait right here I’ll be back shortly?”

“Sure,” answered the cab driver.

Nick got out of the car and walked up to the house and knocked on the door.

“Who is it?” he heard someone asked from the other side of the door.

“Nick,” he started. “Nick Carter.”

The door opened to reveal Taylor’s mom standing there.

“Hi Nick its so great to see you what are you doing here?” Mrs. Adams asked.

“Oh I’m in town for a concert tonight,” he answered. “I thought I’d just stop by and say hi and ask Mr. Adams something.”

“Well come on in,” she said. “Is that your cab?”

“Yeah he’s just gonna wait on me I told him I won’t be that long,” he answered.

“We can give you a ride back to the amphitheater,” she told him. “I don’t need you wasting your money on the cab when I could take you back myself free of charge and its not all the far from here anyway.”

“You sure?” he asked.

“Yes now go tell him you don’t need him anymore,” she told him as he ran over to the cab.

A few minutes later he was in the living room talking to Mrs. Adams. Mr. Adams had run to the store before Nick had gotten there and was on his way home.

“You want something to drink?” she asked.

“No thanks I’ve gotta be back by 11 so I just really stopped by to ask Mr. Adams something,” he replied.

“I hear the car now,” she said. “Here he is now. Honey Nick’s here for you.”

“Oh hi Nick great to see you,” Mr. Adams. “Let me just put these groceries in the kitchen and I’ll be right there.”

“Ok,” he replied.

“Let me go put those groceries away fro him so you can talk,” she got up and walked towards the kitchen.

Nick sat there waiting for Mr. Adams getting nervous about what he was about to ask him. He looked around the room and saw so many pictures of Jessica and Taylor growing up and family pictures all over the place.

“Hey Nick,” said Mr. Adams as he walked in the room and Nick stood up and shook his hand.

“Hi Mr. Adams its great to see you again,” he sat back down as Mr. Adams took a seat too.

“So I hear you wanted to ask me something,” Mr. Adams said.

“Yeah,” he started as he cleared his throat. “This is kinda hard for me to ask.”

“It couldn’t be that hard I mean the worst you could be telling me is that Taylor was pregnant or hurt or something like that,” Mr. Adams told Nick.

“Oh no nothing like that,” he replied. “I just want to ask your permission if I could ask Taylor to marry me.”

“Wow that’s a big step,” Mr. Adams responded. “Are you sure your ready for it?”

“More than ever,” he answered. “I love Taylor more than anything and would do anything for her.”

“Nick if you truly think this is what you want then I would love to have you as my son-in-law,” Mr. Adams said. “I think you’ll make my baby happy. Does she know?” He said pointing into the kitchen towards his wife.

“No I haven’t told anyone yet,” he replied. “Not even my band mates know. One of them knows where I am that all but nothing else.”

“Well I think you should tell her,” Mr. Adams said. “Baby can you come here?”

“Sure,” she yelled from the kitchen as she walked into the room. “What’s up?”

“Nick wants to marry Taylor,” Mr. Adams smiled.

“Oh my gosh that so amazing,” she replied as she hugged Nick. “Both my babies are getting married now.”

Nick looked down at his cell phone, “Sorry to leave so sudden but I’ve gotta be back in a few minutes for sound check. You both wanna come to the sound check Jessica and Tommy are coming. I talked to her this morning.”

“Sure we’d love to,” said Mr. Adams.

“Great I’ll just take you with me so you don’t need to worry about anything,” he told them.

******

“You can sit with Jessica and Tommy if you want out in the audience if you want or you can stay on the side of the stage with Brian’s wife and son and Kevin’s wife its all up to you,” said Nick as they got to the venue.

“We’ll just sit with Jessica and Tommy if that’s ok,” said Mrs. Adams.

“Yeah that’s fine,” he replied. “I’m just gonna go to my bus real quick and get something and I’ll be right back you can wait here if you want.”

“Sure,” replied Mr. Adams.

“Ok,” he responded. “If anyone asks who you are or who your with just send them to me.”

“Ok,” they both replied as Nick ran off to his tour bus.

******

“Hi I’m here to pick up 2 passes for Jessica and Tommy,” said Jessica as she was at the box office.

“Yes I’ve got two sound check passes,” the lady behind the window said. “Enjoy the sound check.”

“Thanks,” Jessica replied as she took the passes and put hers on and handed Tommy his. “Lets go find a place to sit.”

“Passes,” said the guard at the entrance door. They showed him their passes and walked on in as the guard nodded his head. “Enjoy the sound check.”

“Thanks,” said Jessica as they walked in.

“How’d you get these passes you never told me and why the Backstreet Boys?” Tommy asked.

“Oh Nick gave me the passes,” she answered.

“Nick?” he asked. “Nick who?”

“Carter,” she replied. “I lived next door to his family up until like I was in 6th grade I think. My sister was best friends with Nick and it’s a while long story I don’t wanna get into right now. I’ll tell you afterwards more about their crazy relationship and how we got these passes.”

“Ok,” he responded as they made their way towards the front of the amphitheater. “Why are you parents here?”

“I don’t know my mom didn’t say anything about coming here,” she answered. “But Nick did stop by their place to ask my dad something earlier maybe that’s why there here.”

“Maybe,” he replied as they got closer to her parents.

“Mom,” she started. “Dad what are you doing here?”

“Oh hey baby,” Mrs. Adams said. “Nick invited us after he talked to your father.”

“What’d he want dad?” she asked.

“I don’t know if he wants me to be telling you or not,” Mr. Adams replied.

“Dad come on I won’t say anything I promise,” she said. “Its not like she’s pregnant or anything now come one.”

“Hey that’s what I said earlier before he told me what he did,” Mr. Adams laughed.

“Dad,” she sighed.

“Ok promise your not gonna tell anyone,” Mr. Adams looked around and then leaned forward.

“I promise,” she said as she leaned in towards her dad who was sitting on the other side of her mom.

“He asked me if he could marry Taylor,” Mr. Adams told her quietly.

“Oh my gosh,” she smiled. “That’s great. Their gonna be so cute together.”

“No don’t say anything to anyone especially your sister,” Mr. Adams told her. “Nick doesn’t need anyone ruining it for him. He was nervous enough asking me think about when he asks her.”

“She better say yes,” she laughed. “She’s crazy not to.”

“So have you set a date yet?” asked my mom changing the subject seeing more fans arrive in hearing range of their conversation.

******

After the sound check Nick invited Jessica, Tommy, Mrs. Adams and Mr. Adams all back stage for a few before they each had to leave for the night.

“It was great seeing your boys again I can’t wait to be able to say I’ll see you hopefully later this year,” said Mrs. Adams as they were getting ready to leave. “Call me after you talk to Taylor about what we talked about earlier ok.”

“I will,” he game her a hug. “As soon as she gives me an answer I’ll call you.”

“I can’t wait,” she replied. “Have a great tour. I’ll see you for Thanksgiving right?”

“Defiantly,” he smiled.

“See ya later Nick,” said Mr. Adams as he shook his hand. “Bye guys great talking to you tonight.”

“Bye,” they all said.

“Well me and Tommy are gonna go too,” Jessica said as they stood up.

“Congratulations once again on the engagement,” he gave her a hug. “I’ll see you at the wedding probably next. It was great meeting you Tommy.”

“Yeah it was great meeting you too Nick,” Tommy said as he shook Nick’s hand.

They all said their goodbyes and before they knew it all that was left in the room was the guys and Leighanne, Baylee, and Kristin.

“So I couldn’t help but hear about a question your waiting for an answer from,” started Brian as the other guys looked at Nick. “What’s this question?”

“You guys can’t say anything to anyone,” he sighed. “I’m gonna ask Taylor to marry me.”

“Wow man are you ready for this?” asked Kevin.

“Yeah I mean she’s everything to me,” he answered. “I don’t want anyone else. I love her more than anything.”