*Later That Week/Day Before Party In The Park Concert*
Kevin and Shayla were at the airport waiting for Jen's plane. The other guys were at the studio working. Once they picked up Jen they were going to meet everyone where the concert was going to be for a rehearsal. They were going to have to perform without AJ now because he'd had to fly home yesterday because his grandpa had become ill, so he and Kimmy went home.
"There she is," Shayla said when she saw Jen coming off the plane. Shayla waved to her and Jen smiled as she came towards them.
"Hi baby," Kevin said embracing her. "Did you have a good flight?"
"Uh huh, it was fine," Jen said as they kissed. "Hey woman," she said releasing Kevin to hug Shayla.
"Hi, I'm so glad you're finally here. McKenzie's getting on my nerves," Shayla laughed as they hugged.
"I'm glad I'm here too. I was so bored all week with everyone gone," Jen laughed.
"Me too," Kevin said. "I mean, it's been boring here for me cuz you weren't here. I missed my baby," he said hugging her again.
"Awwww," Jen said. "I missed you too."
"Come on honey, let's go get your bags so we can get to rehearsal," Kevin said. They got Jen's bags and hopped in a car. They talked the whole way about Jen's flight and Kevin and Shayla told her everything they'd done all week.
*At Rehearsal*
"Hey look who's here," Brian said as they walked into the rehearsal.
"Hi everyone," Jen said hugging them. "Wow, look at this place. This is going to be big huh?"
"Yep, it's gonna be huge," Howie said.
"Ya know what? This will be my first time seeing you guys perform," Jen said.
"Well you're in for a treat then," Shayla said. "Although it will be fairly tame since AJ's not here." Everyone laughed and agreed.
"Hi there fellas," Elton John said in his thick accent as he walked towards them. The girls stood in awe of him. The guys had met him several times, but the girls hadn't.
"Hi Elton," the guys all said together shaking his hand.
"And who are all these lovely creatures you've got with you," Elton John asked.
"Elton John, this is my girlfriend Shayla Starks," Brian said.
"Nice to meet you love," he said kissing her hand.
"This is my girlfriend and Shayla's sister, McKenzie Starks," Nick said.
"Charmed," Elton said kissing McKenzie's hand.
"This is my girlfriend Jen Reinhart. She's Shayla and McKenzie's cousin," Kevin said laughing realizing it sounded weird that they were all family.
"I thought he was going to say you were a sister too," Elton laughed. "Pleasure to meet you dear," he said kissing her hand. "So fellas, it seems you're keeping it all in the family. Is this charming lady another sister or cousin?" he asked about Hallie.
"No, this is my girlfriend, Hallie Hamilton. No relation to the other girls," Howie said laughing.
"Lovely to meet you dear," Elton said kissing Hallie's hand. "So shall we do a little run through guys?"
"Sure, that would be great," Brian said.
"Ok let's gather round the piano and bang out some music shall we. Follow me," Elton said.
The girls went down and sat in front of the stage to watch them rehearse. "I can not believe we just met Elton John," McKenzie said. The girls were trying to contain their excitement.
"I know can you believe it? Of all the people we've met and will meet, he's the one that I think I'll remember most and is the biggest deal," Shayla said.
"Wow, this is just overwhelming," Jen said.
"It is pretty incredible isn't it," Shayla said.
"Imagine what it's going to be like tomorrow when there's thousands of people here," Hallie said.
"Oh you guys, I'm so excited to see them perform. I've never seen them live before," Jen said.
"Let's go walk around for awhile," Hallie suggested. They all agreed and got up to go check things out.
*Back At The Hotel*
"So what did you think of rehearsal today?" Kevin asked Jen.
"It was great. It's all just so overwhelming to me," Jen said.
"Yeah, I'm even a little overwhelmed. I still can't get used to it when we get to do things and meet people like Elton John and perform with him and stuff. It's still unreal to me," Kevin said.
"You guys sounded great. I can't believe the first time I'm gonna see you guys perform is gonna be with Elton John. I can remember my parents playing his records when I was little," Jen said.
"Are you having a good time?" Kevin asked.
"The best," Jen said. "Thanks for flying me over here."
"You're welcome baby," Kevin said kissing her. "I'm gonna get a shower."
"Ok, I'll get mine when you're done," said Jen.
"Do you wanna go first?" he asked.
"No, you go ahead," Jen replied.
"Or, we could save time and take one together," Kevin suggested wrapping his arms around her and giving her a sly sexy grin.
"Well I don't know how much time it would end up saving. Remember what happened last time we took a shower together? We were late for meeting everyone to go out," Jen laughed.
"I know, that's why I suggested it," Kevin chuckled kissing her again.
"Ok you're on," Jen said pulling him to the bathroom.
"Yeah, they weren't home and he didn't answer his cell phone, so I left a message," Brian said. He was laying on the bed watching tv.
"I hope everyting is ok with his grandpa. We haven't heard form him at all. That's not like AJ," Shayla said standing by the bed next to Brian.
"Yeah I know. His grandpa was basically his dad to him since his dad was never around," Brian said. He looked at Shayla and smiled.
"What? What are you smiling about?" Shayla asked.
"Did anyone ever tell you, how absolutely beautiful you are when your hair is all wet?" he asked raising up.
Shayla smiled as he pulled her by the belt of her robe onto his lap as he sat on the edge of the bed. She straddled over him and looked into his amazing blue eyes.
"Actually, there was this one guy who told me that," Shayla said as he kissed her neck and shoulders.
"Oh yeah?" Brian said moving his kisses back to her lips. "Tell me about it."
"Yeah, he said that right after he threw me into the ocean," Shayla said as she kissed his neck.
"Really? He threw you in the ocean?" Brian said teasing her, knowing she was talking about him the night at the beach when they first kissed. He untied her robe and slid his hands inside and around her.
"Mmmmmm," Shayla moaned as he kissed and caressed her. "Yes he did. He threw me right into the ocean."
"Nice guy," Brian joked laughing a little as Shayla pushed him away but he just laughed and pulled her to him again. "Then what did he do after he threw you in the ocean?"
"After he threw me in the ocean?" Shayla asked.
"Yeah, what did he do next?"
"Then," she paused taking in the feel of his kisses on her neck as his fingers wrapped themselves in her hair to pull it off her neck. "Then, he kissed me for the first time," she said. "Well, second time if ya wanna get technical about it," Shayla said making them both laugh. Brian started kissing her neck and working his way down to her chest, moving his hands around her sides. "The first kiss was an accident," she said softly as they both recalled when he kissed her by mistake.
Brian raised his eyes to meet hers. He took her face in his hands, smiling one of his smiles that made millions of girls faint on the spot. "I wouldn't be so sure it was an accident," he said as he searched her eyes.
"I love you," Shayla said passionately.
"And I love you," he said kissing her and slipping her robe off her shoulders and pulling her down on the bed on top of him.
*The Next Day*
"Wow, you guys were terrific," Jen said as the girls met the guys backstage after the concert.
They were bursting with excitement having watched their men in action and the guys were still hyped up from performing with Elton John. They had mile wide smiles plastered across their faces. It was a prime photo opportunity and Shayla took advantage of capturing it. She had taken 3 rolls of film during the concert.
"Absolutely amazing," Shayla said. "Everytime I see you guys perform I get more impressed everytime," she said giving Brian a big hug and kiss.
"You looked like you were having the time of your lives up there. I got it all on video for ya," McKenzie said hugging Nick.
"Thanks, glad you all enjoyed it so much. We were having a lot of fun," Kevin said.
"Hey we've all been invited to this party that Elton is having. Ya'll feel like going?" Brian asked.
"Yeah!" They all answered very excitedly together.
After talking for a while and mingling with some of the others backstage and Shayla taking more photos of them with everyone and some pictures of everyone with Elton John, they hopped in their limo and took off for the party.
By the time they got to the hotel where the party was the place was jumping. The music could be heard blaring as they pulled up. They made their way to the ballroom where the guys were greeted with a round of applause for their performance and immediately coaxed up on stage for another performance. They got up and did a couple songs and everyone went crazy. The girls got on the dance floor and danced having a blast. It was strange not having AJ there though.
"Ok, I say we get our host up here to play us some serious music," Kevin said into the microphone after they'd finished like four songs. The room started cheering and whistling for Elton John.
Elton came up to the stage and sat at the piano and shook the guys hands as they walked off stage. "Thanks fellas. Let's hear it for the Backstreet Boys," he shouted into the mic. The crowd applauded and everyone gathered on the dance floor to watch Elton John sing. He played a couple slow songs and everyone coupled up and danced, enjoying some time together, then they all went back to their table to have some drinks.
They sat around talking and laughing as they had a few drinks then Elton began picking up the pace with some faster upbeat songs. Nick and McKenzie took off for the dance floor. Howie and Hallie were playing kissy face and too wrapped in each other to wanna dance yet.
"You will dance with me tonight," Shayla told Brian. "You didn't have to dance during your performance tonight. You guys just kinda ran around. So no excuses."
"I think I can probably manage a couple dances tonight," Brian said rubbing her shoulder that his arm was around. "I know how much you like to dance and this is a special occasion," he said being sarcastic like it was a chore.
"You are so rotten," Shayla said pinching his leg as he laughed at her. "I'll just have to dance with Kevin again then," she said being a smart aleck and hanging on Kevin as Kevin smiled smugly at Brian.
"Don't you like dancing Brian? I thought because you dance all the time when you perform you would love to dance," Jen said.
"It's ok, I just don't like it all the time and we do so much of it in our shows that I don't wanna do it any other time," Brian said.
"I'm not much of a dancer either," Jen said. "I mean, I like to dance a couple songs here and there and I have fun. I just don't go and go all night."
"It wouldn't be so bad if she weren't showing me up all the time," Brian teased Shayla pretending to pout. "She's better than me, so I can't dance with her that much."
"Oh, ha, ha you are so full of it. You're just trying to weasel out on me," Shayla said pushing him playfully. "You're a great dancer and you know it. You're so cute when you dance," she said kissing him lightly and smiling coyly.
Kevin was looking at Jen and she nodded for him to take Shayla and dance. "I wanna see what all the fuss over you two dancing the other night was about that everyone was talking about last night at dinner," Jen said.
"Come on Shayla, let's show them how it's done. I'll spin ya around for a while," Kevin said standing up and holding out his hand for her. "I'll be back in a minute baby," he said giving Jen a kiss.
"Ok have fun," Jen said.
"Be careful you almost spun her right into the ground last time," Brian chirped laughing and making a fast spinning motion with his finger like something being drilled through the floor. Jen giggled at him.
"Ha, ha, ha," Shayla said kissing him and taking Kevin's hand. They walked off to the dance floor.
"Uh oh, look out, it's Fred and Ginger," McKenzie laughed when Shayla and Kevin met them on the dance floor.
"Ok kiddo, let's show these people how to really dance," Kevin said smiling. He took Shayla's hand in one hand and put his other hand on her waist. They started to dance close and slow then Kevin pushed her out and started spinning her around as they danced all around the floor. Elton was playing 'Crocodile Rock' and watched them go the whole time smiling at them.
"Wow," said Jen as she, Brian, Howie and Hallie watched Kevin and Shayla go. Nick and McKenzie were dancing too.
"Look at them go," Howie said. "They did this the other night," he told Hallie.
"I know. Shayla's really good at dancing. Especially like that and Kevin eats it up being a ballroom dancer," Brian said as he smiled as he watched her. Shayla's smile and personality lit up the room and Kevin was beaming as he danced with her.
"She's so little next to Kevin though," laughed Hallie.
"That's what makes it so easy," Howie said.
"You should see her an AJ go at it. McKenzie's good too. Nick's trying, he's just not as good as Kevin," Brian said. They all laughed watching Nick try to keep up without looking clutzy.
"Where'd they learn to dance like that?" Hallie asked.
"Shayla and McKenzie's dad used to dance with them like that all the time," Jen said. "Plus they always took dance classes."
"We should've hired Shayla as a dancer instead of photographer," Howie said seriously.
"I already mentioned it. She said no. She'd rather do the photography. She doesn't wanna be in front of thousands of people and photography is her life. She said she'd have more fun doing that. Plus she wants to be able to watch me perform," Brian said smugly proud of himself.
"Ok come on, let's go out there before they make the rest of us look bad," Howie said.
"I think they've already done that. I don't think we can compete with that," Brian said when the song ended and they were done dancing and everyone had applauded them led by Elton John who stood to applaud them.
Kevin hugged Shayla and they thanked each other for the dance then Kevin started dancing with Jen and Shayla danced with Brian. They partied until 4:30 in the morning. The guys performed another song to close the party out.
They had a great time. They were all tired and had a lot to drink by the time they finally made it out of there. They said their goodbyes to Elton John and thanked him for everything and headed back to the hotel.