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Kevin and I arrived at the bar-b-cue around 7:00pm.

"Hey Cuz" Brian and Leighanne were making their way across the backyard towards us.

"Wassup." Brian and Kev embraced.

"Hey Cass"

"Hey Leigh" I hugged her neck.

"So everybody here?" Kevin asked Brian, a small grin spreading across his face.

"Yep, so what's the big news?" Brian asked.

"In due time, cuz, in due time. Come on Cass I want you to meet my Aunt Jackie and Uncle Harold." Kevin led me out into the backyard where the rest of the family was all gathered.

"CASSSSSS". I looked up to see Nick running towards me.

"OMG, Nick, what are you doing here"
"HI Sexy" AJ came up behind me.

"Hi there" Howie came around AJ.

"OMG, what are all you guys doing here" I turned to Kevin.

"I told you I invited everyone over for the announcement."

"Kevin, I thought you meant your family?"

"Hey, these guys are my family."

"I know it's just"
"Hey pumpkin." I heard the voice, but wasn't sure I should turn around.

"Daddy?" I turned and ran into my dad's arms.

"Hey pumpkin, didn't think I would miss this for the world."
"OH Daddy, how, when?"
"Hello, Mr. Nicholson." Kevin was standing behind us and held his hand out to shake my fathers.

"Hello Kevin. Thank you for bringing me out here to celebrate with the two of you."

"I wouldn't have had it any other way."
"Kevin? Daddy?"

"Darlin, I told you I wanted to make an announcement, there's no point in leaving anyone out," he leaned in towards me.

"Ya know, not much time to waste."
We spent the next few hours moving around thru the crowds meeting everyone and introducing all of the family to each other. No one had noticed the new accessory I was sporting on my left hand. I had moved out to the back of the yard to catch my breath. I looked down and caught The reflection of the moonlight shining on my ring. I took in a breath.

"Hey darlin" Kevin came up behind me placing his hands around my waist.

"Hey boo"

"What'cha doing?"
"Just trying to figure out if I'm dreaming or not? Kevin this is more than I ever imagined, How did I get so lucky?" I turned to be in his arms.

"You loved me Cass, that's all, and If you're dreaming I don't want you to wake up. Ok." I nodded.

"Ready to go surprise everyone?"
"Kevin, who all knows,?"

"Just my mom and your dad? You ok with that?"
"Yeah, come on let's go." We headed back towards the outdoor fireplace.

"EVERYONE" Kevin pulled me to his side and began to yell.

"Can I have everyone's attention" We were standing in front of the fireplace arm in arm as everyone made a semicircle around us.

"Well, I'm glad that everyone could join us tonight." The knot in my stomach began to tighten. What was everyone going to say? Would the guys accept me, would they accept this marriage? What will his family say? I held tighter to Kevin.

"Well, I was so excited that all of you agreed to fly in today for our party. Cass and I have spent the whole day preparing for tonight and hope that you're all having a great time."

"Yeah man, why'd you drag us out her to the middle of no where?" AJ punched Nick in the shoulder and the two began to laugh.

"Can it Aje." Brian yelled. He was standing next to Leighanne.

"Well, today I took Cass out to the stream and showed her all the places I used to hang out as a kid. I took her to where the house is being built and showed her around?" He continued.

"AAAhhh Kevy, did you and Cass play hide and seek?" Tim and Jerald began to pick at Kevin as well.

"NO, the reason I wanted to bring you all here today, was," Kevin looked down at me.

"Well, I asked Cass to marry me and she said yes"

"NO WAY", "OH MAN"," Way to Go KEV" echoes of congratulations was coming from everywhere.

"OMG," Leighanne was hugging me and bouncing up and down at the same time.

"Cass, I'm so happy for you two, I knew it, I just knew it." she began to dance around like a child at Christmas.

"Let me see the ring?" I held out my hand for her to see.

"Wow, Kevin, you did good boy."

"Thanks Leigh" Kevin continued shaking hands and listening to the congratulations.

"So when's the big day." Mama Ann asked above everyone else.

"OH YEAH," Kevin began to yell again.

"Wedding, at the stream June 28th, everyone's invited."

"WOOO HOOO PAAARRRTTTYYY" AJ and Nick began to dance around.

"Son?" Mama Ann turned to look at Kevin and I.

"Yes, mama, it's only a month away, but Cass and I both decided that we didn't want a big wedding, just a private ceremony with us and the immediate family. Everyone that's here tonight and of course Cass's best friend Lisa, Mom I have to go back on tour soon and I want Cass with me. I know that can't happen unless we're married and besides she wants this to." She looked at me.

"Mama Ann, really, this is what we want. I just want to be married to Kevin." I leaned into her shoulder.

"I love him." I whispered to her. She just shook her head.

"As long as this is what the two of you want then I'm behind you 100%. What can I do to help?" She embraced both of us.

The next few weeks went by in a whirlwind. So many plans to make, Kevin and I flew to Orlando the week before the wedding and began to move my stuff into his house. Mama Ann was taking care of all the arrangements in Kentucky. We had given her the details of what we wanted and she had promised us that her and Aunt Jackie would take care of it all. The house was to be done by the 27th and we were going to spend our first night in the house together. Kevin had taken me shopping before we left Kentucky and we picked out the furniture for every room. It was so perfect. Our house, I couldn't believe all this was happening to me. We picked out a King Size bed with a canopy for our room. It had white sheer curtains falling all around it. The wood was a beautiful white oak with an etched headboard with matching chest, dresser and armoire that would hold the TV we bought. We also picked out a large chaise lounge to sit by the fireplace in our room. I had told Kevin that I could just see us curled up there on the chaise in front of the fireplace reading or talking about what the days event had brought.

June 25th, we flew back to Kentucky. Lisa was flying in later that night along with Nick and AJ. They had all hung out together a few times so Lisa was comfortable with riding with them from the airport to the farm.

"Hey Cass" Kevin called up the stairs.

"Yeah Boo"

"Hey, the foreman's here, can you come down a minute?"

"Sure" I headed down to the kitchen.

"Hey Mike, what's up?" I asked heading to the fridge for a drink.

"Well, I just wanted to stop by and give you and Kevin these." I turned around in time to see two sets of keys.

"The house is all yours. The guys wanted to make sure it was done in plenty of time, and well. Here ya go. Good luck with your marriage and if you need us for anything else please feel free to call on us." He handed the keys to Kevin.

"Wow, our house is done." I began to bounce up and down beside Kevin.

"Here ya go Darlin. Your keys to your palace." He gave me the keys.

"Thanks so much Mike for everything, you guys did an awesome job. Cass and I can't begin to thank you for all the hard work you've put into the house."
"Our pleasure Mr. Richardson." With that Mike turned and left.

"Kevin, can we go see it?" I asked.

"Anything you want darlin" We put on our shoes and headed towards the house.

It was perfect everything we had wanted and more. This was it, this was where I would begin my life with Kevin, where we would raise our family and spend our days and nights together. We looked at every room and all the furniture was in place.

"It's perfect." I said standing in the middle of the living room tears glistening in my eyes.

"Yep, and I can't wait till tomorrow." Kevin said taking me in his arms for a kiss.

Later that night back at Mama Annes.

"Anybody here" I heard AJ yelling from the kitchen.

"LISA" I began yelling and running down the stairs.

"Whoaaa" Nick jumped out the way as I bolted past him out the back door.

"LISA"

"CASS" we embraced and spun around in a circle.

Lisa had been my best friend for years she was the one I confided everything in. She had been there for me when my mom died and she was the first person I told that I loved Kevin. Even before I told Kevin. She's blonde and about 5'3. She's petit with an athletic body. She can always make me laugh and knows just when I need a hug. I knew that there was no way I would get married if she wasn't there to stand beside me.

"OMG girl, I'm so glad to see you" we picked up her bags and headed inside.

"Me too. I didn't think that flight would ever end."
"Bad flight huh?"

"No, great flight. I just had to listen to twheedle Dee and twheedle dumb over there for the past two hours. Are they always that obnoxious towards each other." She looked at AJ and Nick.

"Yep, but I love'em."

"AAAHHH We love you too Cass" they said in harmony.

"Hey Lis" Kevin came into the Kitchen.

"Hey guys, glad you could make it." He shook hands with the boys and gave Lisa a hug.

"Wouldn't have missed it for the world" they all three replied.

"Come on Lisa let's take your stuff upstairs. We got a lot to talk about. See ya Boo" I gave Kev a quick kiss and headed up the stairs.

"Hey, Cass?"

"Yeah, Lisa" we closed the door to the room and sat down on the bed.

"You ready?"
"God yes, I've been ready since the first night I met him. Lisa he's so wonderful, he's everything I could have ever wanted and more." I fell back on the bed pulling the pillow to my chest.

"Yeah, he's great. I'm so happy for you. Thanks for letting me take part in all of this."

"Girl, I couldn't have done this without you."
"So, can I ask you another question?"
"Yeah, what's up?" I stood up and walked over to the stereo to put on some music.

"What's Nicks story?" I quickly tuned around and caught the grin on her face.

"What do you mean Nick's story?" I played along.

"Well, I mean does he have a girlfriend?"

"Nope"

"Does he want one?"
'Yep"

"Really?"
"You volunteering? I thought you two couldn't stand each other?" I went and sat back down on the bed.

"Well, I kinda saw a different side of him tonight. I mean, he's so excited about the wedding and I heard him talking about how much you and Kev love each other and how you two are meant to be together. He was saying how much he wanted a relationship like that too. He's so cute and you know I've always loved his voice. I guess it's just with all this love stuff floating thru the air I was just wandering if you thought there could be a chance of me and him getting to know each other better."

"Yeah, I know what you mean. Once you've hung around Nicky awhile you began to see him in a different light. He puts on such an act of being Mr. Independent, but I think he does need someone to share his life with. Someone that's not just after him as a star, and, there's no time like the present I mean I could drop a hint or two if ya want me to?"
"You'd do that; I mean this is your weekend. I can wait?"

"Why, I want everyone I know and love to feel the same way I do? God I love that man downstairs and I can't wait till tomorrow when I get to become his wife. You wanna hear a secret Lisa?"
"Do tell?"
"Well, you know that Kevin and I haven't been together yet right?"

"Are you serious, I thought you would have let that go along time ago? What in the world? A man with a body like that and you haven't taken advantage of it? Girl are you ill?" She laughed

"Well Kevin told me he didn't mind waiting on me and I want our first time to be special. Well, now it will be. I mean we get to spend our first night together in our new house, a house that no one has ever been in before except us, in our new bed. God Lisa, I'm so nervous. What if I disappoint him?"

"You won't Cass, just love him that's all he'll need?" We hugged.

"Cass, Can I see your dress?"

"Sure" I got up to get the dress from the closet.

"So Kev, you ready for the big day?" AJ, Nick and Kevin were sitting in the living room.

"Yeah, I'm so excited, I mean, I can't wait for Cass to be my wife."

"You're a lucky man." Nick spoke up.

"You think so Nicky?" Kevin looked at him.

"Yeah, Cass is great. I mean you can just look at her and see how much she loves you. I wish I could find someone that would look at me like that?"

"You will man, you will, just give it time" He took a swig of his tea and sat the glass back on the side table.

"Yeah Nicky, your still young give it time?" AJ chimed in.

"Hey Kev?"

"Yeah Nick?"
"How much do you know about Lisa?"

"Why Nicky, she caught your eye?" AJ and Kevin exchanged glances.

"Well, she's just nice, and she very pretty. I was just thinking that maybe I could get to know her better? Ya Know?"

"Well, I haven't heard Cass mention that she has a boyfriend or anything like that. If that's what you're asking?"
"Well, yeah, that's good?" Nick began to fumble with words.

"Hey Nicky, I'll put a bug in Cass's ear if ya want me to?" Kevin asked.

"That would be cool man, thanks" the conversation was interrupted when Brian and Leighanne and Howie came thru the door.

"Hey cuz."

"Hey Bri, Leigh, Howie" Kevin stood up and gave them all a hug.

"So where's the Bride to Be?" Leigh asked.

"Her and Lisa are upstairs, head on up if ya wanna, I'm sure they won't mind" with that she gave Brian a kiss and headed up the stairs.

"So Bri, how's it going at your mom's" Kevin asked.

"Man, It's crazy! Right Howie." "Oh yeah, women everywhere, flowers, food, lights, music. We should hire these ladies to run the tour, I bet everything would be perfect." They all laughed.

"Your mom is like a drill instructor, everything has to be perfect for her baby...." Brian did an impression of Mama Ann and everyone started laughing.

"Well, sometimes it pays to be the baby." Kevin laughed.

"Man, it's gonna be nice. They really have gone all out."

"Yeah, mama says that Cass and I can't see it till tomorrow when we get there for the wedding"

"Cass" Leighanne tapped on the door to the bedroom. "Can I come in?"

"LEIGH" Cass squealed and jumped up to hug her as she came thru the door.

"Now everything is perfect. I have both of you here with me and I'm marrying Kevin in less than 24 hrs!"

Cass began to dance around the room.

"Is this the dress?" Leigh was looking at the garment bag hanging on the closet door.

"The one and only." Cass smiled. "I was just getting ready to show it to Lisa, wanna see?"
"OH yes" Lisa and Leigh climbed up on the bed while I went to the bathroom to put on my dress.

"READY OR NOT" I yelled and threw open the bathroom door. I walked out to the middle of the bedroom. SILENCE.

"What's the matter you two, oh god, you don't like it. Kevin's going to hate it" I stood there on the brink of tears.

"OMG" they both yelled at the same time and stood up to come over by me.

"Cass, this is gorgeous" Lisa said.

"Kevin's going to die" Leigh chimed in.

My dress was a white satin strapless a-line dress. It was fitted at the top with little rhinestones covering all around the top trim. The tight bodice accentuated my hips where the white skirt flowed out wards towards my feet. There was a small train off the back and the bottom of the train was also covered in little rhinestones. My veil was held in place by a tiara and the train was my mothers that she wore when she married my father. It had a hand sewn lace design cupping around my face and flowed all the way down trailing slightly behind the hem of my dress.

"WOW, foxy mama!" I turned to see AJ standing in the doorway to the bathroom.

"ALEX!! Where's Kevin" I screamed.

"He's downstairs, he sent me up to see if you girls wanted to come down and have some pizza with us?" it's all cool. He knows better than to come up here and spy on his pretty lady." AJ winked.

"God you scared me." I sat on the edge of the bed holding my hands to my chest.

"Hey Cass, I'm sorry, I just saw you standing there and, well, man Kev's one lucky man. I hope he knows what he's got." AJ kneeled in front of me taking my hands in his.

"You think so Aje?"
"Yeah, I do, Cass your beautiful. I bet you $10 bucks Kev cries the moment he lays eyes on you in this dress."
"Well, I don't know about that."

"I do" Leighanne chimed in. "Girl you look amazing and Kevin is going to be so proud tomorrow. We all will be crying."

"Yep, hey and can I tell you how lucky I am cause it's my best friend he's getting to marry. He should feel honored." Lisa chimed in.

"YOU GUYS" tears threatened to spill down my cheeks.

"AJ don't you breath a word" I looked at him.

"Wouldn't dream of it, Kev needs the whole effect tomorrow, I couldn't take that from him. Besides, I love ya Cass I wouldn't do anything to spoil your day."
"Thanks AJ, I love you too." I gave him a hug.

"Ok, tell the others we'll be down in a few. I need to get out of this dress before I have anymore surprise visitors." I stood to go change. AJ sat down on the bed next to Lisa and Leigh.

"AJ?"
"What I got to see you in your dress first, only fair I get to see you out of it first?"
The pillows began to fly.

"ALEXANDER MCLEAN" I yelled.

"I'm going, I'm going." I could hear him laughing all the way down the stairs.

"Man oh Man" AJ entered the living room rubbing the back of his neck with his hand.

"What's up bone?" Kevin asked.

"Man, that is one HOT woman up there" AJ smirked at Brian and Nick.

"Hey, that's my woman" Kevin shot a look at AJ.

"Yeah, she's in that dress and " before AJ could finish Kevin had jumped up and was running up the stairs. When he reached the top the door to the bedroom flew open.

"Hey boo"

"UH, Hey babe"
"What'cha doing up here, I told AJ we'd be right down"
"Well, I. I uh. I was going to get something out of my bedroom." The sweat started to pour.

"UH HUH...I think that AJ told you he saw me in my dress and you thought you would sneak a peek?" I began to tap my foot as I crossed my arms over my chest and tried to give an angry look.

"Oh darlin, I would never..."

"KEVIN SCOTT! Are you going to stand there and tell me that you didn't just run up these stairs and try to ruin your surprise for tomorrow?"
"Well" He looked shyly at the floor.

"Well that does it. There will be no wedding tomorrow." I turned to go back in the room. I was trying to not let Kevin see me smile.

"OH Darlin. Now don't say that. I just can't wait till tomorrow, and it's not fair that bone got to see you already and I haven't" OH I had him now.

"Well then I guess then if you want to see me in my dress then you want to see me out of it too, I mean, if your jealous of AJ..."

"WHAT!!!!.......AJ SAW YOU OUT OF YOUR DRESS.." I burst out laughing as Kevin spun and headed back down the stairs yelling the whole time. Lisa, Leigh and I took off after him laughing.

"BONE!!!! WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU" Kevin stormed into the living room. AJ turned unsure of why Kevin seemed so angry.

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOUR DOING TRYING TO SEE MY FIANCE' WITHOUT HER DRESS ON" by this time Kevin was towering over AJ who was seated on the couch next to Brian.

"Oh crap" She told you. AJ tried to pull Brian in front of him.

"NOWAY man you did this to yourself, I'm outta here." Brian jumped up and joined the girls and me at the doorway to the room. Nick and Howie were laughing over in the corner at the site of AJ trying to hide from Kevin.

"No man, it's not like that at all"

"THEN TELL ME WHAT"S IT"S LIKE BONE" Kevin was getting angrier by the second.

"Come on Cass help me out" them brown eyes pleading with me.

"Well Kevin, he did say that it was only fair that if he was the first to see me in my dress then he should be the first to see me out" I tried to hold back the laughter.

"OH Shit" with that AJ was running towards the back door yelling. "That's not funny Cass you tell him that I didn't see you without your dress on, he's going to kill me" AJ was running across the back yard with Kevin hot on his trail.

"But AJ?" I laughed. Brian, Nick, Howie, Leigh, Lisa and I were enjoying watching this show.

"OK, Hey Kev?"

"Yes babe" Kevin grabbed hold of AJ's shirt and had him by the collar.

"AJ didn't see a thing" I turned to go back into the house. Satisfied that I had gotten the both of them. Before I knew what had happened, Kevin had picked me up in his arms and was toting me to the pool.

"PUT ME DOWN" I began to squirm and yell at Kevin.

"NOPE" He said. I could see the mischief in his eyes and knew I was in for it.

"KEVIN please put me down boo" I began to talk in a soft voice.

"NOPE" he continued to make his way to the pool.

"KEVIN SCOTT RICHARDSON, you put me down this instant" I began to yell.

"You think that you can get away with getting me all hot and bothered and there be no consequences for you to pay. Well, sorry darlin that's not the way this works." He was standing next to the pool. "I think someone needs to cool off." About that time he decided to drop me. I grabbed for his neck and held on for dear life. Kevin didn't realize that I was going to grab hold and he lost his balance. We both wound up in the deep end. I came up and swam over to him and dunked him before swimming over to the side of the pool. He joined me

"I think the two of you need to cool off" we both looked up to find Mama Ann standing there. Everyone burst out laughing. I slid over and put my arms around Kevin's neck whispering.

"If you think your hot and bothered now, wait till tomorrow night Mr. Richardson." I kissed him on the cheek.

"Is that a promise?" he whispered back.

"Yep, and don't worry, you will be the only one to see me out of that dress" he turned and captured my lips with his. We got lost in the kiss and were suddenly bombarded by everyone jumping in the pool around us.

"Well, guess we'll just make it a pool party then huh?" we all laughed and splashed around talking about the plans for tomorrow.

"Hey Leigh?"

"Yeah, Cass." We were sitting on the steps to the pools watching the boy's chicken fight.

"Lisa and I would love it if you would crash here tonight with us? What do you say? One last girls night?"

"Oh that would be great. I think that Kevin's going to crash over at Jackie and Harold's with Brian and the other boys. Cass?"

"Yeah"

"Congratulations and thanks for letting me be part of it"

"Oh Leigh, you know your next right and I want to be right there for you when it does"

"I hope so Cass and I wouldn't want it any other way"

At 11:30pm the boys all piled up in the Expedition to head to the Littrell's for the evening.

"Night darlin" Kevin pulled me into his arms.

"Night boo. I can't wait till tomorrow."

"Really"

"Yep, I get to become Mrs. Kevin Scott Richardson"
"I like the sound of that"

"I do too."

"Well, you better go, the others are waiting." We wrapped our arms around each other pulling each other closer, our foreheads pressed against each other.

"Well, I'll see ya tomorrow."

"Yep, I'll be the one wearing the white dress"
"I love you Cass"

"I love you too Kevin. Thank you"

"For what"

"For everything. I'll see ya tomorrow"

"OH yeah boo"

"Yeah darling"

"Lisa kinda has a crush on Nick, think you can drop a hint?"

"Yep, guess what?"
"What?"

"Nick kinda has a crush on Lisa, you wanna do your thing?"

"Will do."

We kissed goodnight and I headed back into the house. God I would never go to sleep. I was marrying my dream tomorrow.