Everything Your Heart Desires by Cheryl ([email protected]) and Kristy ([email protected]) Chapter 59 Kristy paused at the top of the staircase leading to the Ballroom of the Grand Floridian Disney Resort and took in the sight below her. "Spectacular" was the only word that came to mind. Tables draped in dark red and green linens and topped with fine china lined the perimeter of the room. Floating candles in gold-rimmed bowls adorned the center of each table amongst arrangements of Christmas greens and holly berries. Poinsettias of deep red, white, and pink were clustered in the corners of the room, around the dancefloor, and up the staircase, their pots wrapped in white and gold like the presents of the season. Swags of greenery hung in graceful arches from the vaulted ceiling with ribbons of red and gold twisted throughout. And tiny, white twinkle lights were everywhere - interwoven in the garlands, draped from the ceiling's beams, up the railing of the grand stairway, and absolutely covering the tree. The Christmas tree. Kristy's eyes lit up as she looked at the enormous Noble fir in the corner of the room. In addition to the thousands of delicate white lights, yards of soft gold and white ribbons from silk, gossamer, and velvet were draped and spiraled amongst its branches. Ornaments made of glass, porcelain, crystal, and gold reflected the elegance of the Ballroom - and its guests. To Kristy, the lavish decorations paled in comparison to the beauty of the people in the room. Her smile brightened as her gaze drifted across the group below. A.J. and Amanda stood with Denise and other family members and friends near the dancefloor. The Carters had all gathered together and Kristy laughed as she watched Nick and Aaron's animated conversation. The Doroughs occupied several tables on the left-hand side of the room, with Cheryl, her mom, and sister Chris dispersed amongst them. Kristy's eyes met her friend's and they exchanged euphoric smiles. Never had either woman imagined that mere months after moving to Orlando they'd be guests - and special ones at that - at the Boys' annual Christmas party for their families and friends. Cheryl practically radiated happiness as she turned to Howie. Her hazel eyes sparkled, outshining the green taffeta and sequin gown that she wore. The piece of jewelry she needed to accent her dress was the alexandrite necklace - a reflection of Howie�s love. Howie wore tailored black slacks and a deep red jacket - so dark and rich that in the muted light of the ballroom it almost appeared black. As he stood and offered his hand to his girlfriend, the crimson of Howie's jacket and the green of Cheryl's dress complimented each other like the traditional red and green of the season. Howie and Cheryl had arrived together with her mother and sister that afternoon but excused themselves once the other two were settled. They wanted to take advantage of some "us time", a rarity since her family had arrived. As much as the couple tried to check their emotions, they fell victim to the days of chaste public displays of affection. Each now wore a telltale glow, the effect of their afternoon activities. Kristy's gaze moved on and she smiled at Brian and Leighanne who were with the Littrells, as well as some of the Richardson crew. Kristy turned her eyes to Kevin, who'd been watching her since she'd come to stand at the banister. He held her gaze as she began to descend the curved staircase. Even though the majority of the people at the party were from Orlando, the Boys had reserved a block of suites at the resort for themselves and their guests so that everyone could enjoy themselves to the fullest. Kevin had dressed earlier and left to play host to his family and the others while arranging for an in-room massage for Kristy. As a result, neither had seen each other prior to Kristy's arrival at the Ballroom's entrance. Kristy's eyes never left Kevin's - yet she still took in his tailored black suit, pristine white dress shirt, and deep green silk tie. As she drew closer, she noticed the flecks of gold in the tie - and the twinkle in his eyes. Kevin was certain every set of eyes in the room were on Kristy as she walked towards him. The skirt of her champagne-colored floor-length gown swished slightly as she approached him. The champagne pearls that encrusted the bodice of the strapless gown were luminescent in the soft lighting of the room - as was the skin of the woman in the dress. Her thick blond hair was curled and left loose about her bare shoulders. Diamond drop-earrings were her only adornment, save the gold bracelet Kevin had given her in Boston. "You take my breath away." Kristy smiled as she stepped into Kevin's open arms. "And you know exactly what to say," she whispered in his ear. The couple joined the rest of his family and Kristy finished being introduced to numerous other relatives from Kentucky. Kevin watched with love and pride as Kristy managed to answer questions about her background, her job, and herself from a handful of aunts, cousins, and other female relatives, while holding his niece Madison in her lap. Although they'd only met on a couple of occasions prior to the evening, Madison had instantly felt comfortable with Kristy and the feeling was mutual. Kevin pulled up a chair next to his girlfriend, signaling for the inquisition to end. He kissed her on the cheek. "So, think we've got enough family here?" Kristy smiled as she looked around the ballroom. Between the five Boys, they had enough family and friends that there was no such thing as an "intimate gathering." Kristy turned back to Kevin and nodded. "I'm not sure I'd be able to handle any more relatives." Kevin frowned slightly. "Oh, well then you'd better not look at the top of the staircase." Kristy turned her head and Kevin smiled as her eyes widened with surprise. "Mom?! Dad?!" Kristy stood and gathered her skirts and rushed to the stairs as her parents and siblings hurried towards her. Long hugs were exchanged between daughter and parents, then with Erin, Mark, Rebecca, and Stephanie. "What...? How...?" Kristy looked between the laughing faces, still shocked by their presence. Kevin placed his arm around her waist as Kristy's father Tim answered his tongue-tied daughter. "Kevin arranged all of it." "I wanted to surprise you." Kristy turned and gave him a bright smile. "It worked." *~*~*~*~* Cheryl talked with Pollyanna and Angie sneaking glances at the center of the room where Howie and her mother were dancing to Glenn Miller. Hazel eyes met brown ones and Howie and Cheryl shared a smile across the room. "I can�t believe you two," Polly chided breaking the spell of Howie�s gaze. "Hmm?" She saw the knowing grins from two people she thought of as her own sisters. "What?" Angie added her thoughts, "You and Howie." Cheryl felt her cheeks grow warmer then composed a reasonable retort. "You have no idea how hard it is to steel yourself against that man�s charms. "Mhmm�" "Being his sisters, you have no idea what it�s like." Angie looked shocked. "You were supposed to be the innocent one." Polly laughed. "Oh, Ang is a bit na�ve. You haven�t seen those two at their BEST." "Now that�s a mental picture I don�t need. Shame, Cher, corrupting my younger brother like that." "Who�s corrupting me?" Howie asked as he eavesdropped on their conversation. "Your girlfriend," Polly answered. She sized up his outfit. "Case in point, when we were putting that ensemble together, there was no turtleneck involved." Howie blushed. "I�m cold." "Yeah," "Mhmm, right," his siblings chorused. *~*~*~*~* The evening was one of the most enjoyable anyone could remember. Surrounded by their loved ones, the Boys were happy and relaxed... well, except for one Boy. Kevin watched as Kristy, Cheryl, and their sisters and friends examined the Christmas tree in the corner of the room. He took a deep breath - and a long drink of his wine - and approached Kristy's parents. "Kevin, we want to thank you again for arranging this. What a wonderful night this has been." Kevin smiled and exhaled slowly. "You're more than welcome." He hesitated slightly as he pulled up a chair. "Actually, umm... I have to admit my reasons for bringing you out weren't entirely selfless." Joanie raised an eyebrow in a gesture Kevin recognized from Kristy while Tim scowled slightly. Kevin took yet another deep breath - realizing that was also a habit that he'd picked up from Kristy. "Your daughter is the best thing that's ever happened to me." He felt himself relax slightly as the words he'd rehearsed started to flow... and as he saw Joanie's enlightened and teary smile. "My life changed the day that we met and I realized soon after, that we were meant to be in each other's lives. I know we haven't been together for that long, but we've already been through a lot - and together we can make it through anything. I want to share Kristy's life, and I want her to share mine." He paused as he looked at the warm, loving faces before him. "I'd like your blessing to ask Kristy to marry me." *~*~*~*~* "Excuse me," Howie interrupted the disc jockey, who was pouring over his collection trying to decide what to play next. "Could I make a request?" The young man nodded. "Certainly. You�re welcome to look through what I have. What would you like to hear?" "Actually," Howie withdrew a CD from the pocket of sport jacket, "I was hoping you could play track three on this." The DJ took the jewel case and stared at it for a moment. "Sure, not a problem." "Thanks." As promised, his request followed closely � and appropriately � after Marc Anthony�s "I Need to Know." Howie watched Cheryl thank A.J. for the dance by kissing his cheek as the gentle sound of a piano filled the ballroom. Almost immediately, Cheryl�s eyes found Howie and she felt herself drawn to him by some unexplainable force � much like a tractor beam from some space movie like Star Wars. He took her in his arms and they began to sway to the rhythm of the delicate melody. Girl, tell me only this That you have my heart For always� "This isn�t Lionel Richie," she whispered, the emotion evident in her voice. "This is you." Howie silently nodded before pulling away and reaching into his pocket. He handed her a compact disc with a green velvet ribbon tied around it. "For you, B." Cheryl slowly pulled the bow loose so she could read the track listing on the back of the jewel case. I Need to Know. The One. Truly. Ready or Not. Bella. "It�s our soundtrack." He pointed to one of the song titles. "See I even included that strange acappella version of �I Got You Babe� that you and I recorded at Gram�s." Cheryl smiled at that memory. She hadn�t realized he�d kept the recording. "What is this one?" "That is the demo I recorded for a song I co-wrote called �I Like It�. Mandy Moore is releasing it on her album," he said proudly. She hugged him. "Congratulations!" "Thanks. Just disregard the mentions of �all the thing you do, boy�." "Oh-kay. Are you sure there isn�t anything you want to tell me instead?" "Hey now, I don�t like what you are implying." "Trust me, after what happened earlier, I am not someone who can question your sexuality." Cheryl teased before her face grew serious. "Really, Sweetie, I�m so proud of you." Howie couldn�t help but give her a slow kiss to show his thanks for her faith in him. "You�re the best, B." "Only because you love me." *~*~* It was approaching midnight and Kristy was in Kevin's arms on the dancefloor. She glanced over his shoulder and smiled at Howie and Cheryl dancing nearby. She turned her head slightly to see Mark and Rebecca also slowly dancing in each other's arms a few feet away. The sight of Erin and Nick dancing made her giggle slightly. Kristy leaned back a little and looked up into Kevin's face. "I still can't believe you brought my family out here!" Kevin kissed her softly and caressed the side of her face. "I'd do anything for you." "I thought it was 'I'd GO ANYWHERE for you'," she said with a twinkle in her eye. Kevin groaned as he hugged her close and kissed her temple. "That too." They stayed like that, wrapped tightly in each other's arms. Kevin whispered "I love you" in her ear, his voice deep and filled with emotion. Kristy sighed and snuggled even closer to him. "I love hearing you say that." Kevin leaned back and looked into her eyes. "I... love... you." He lowered his head and captured her lips in a breathtaking kiss. *~*~* "Are they always like that?" Erin asked, nodding her head in the direction of her sister and Kevin. "Actually, no," Nick said as he glanced in their direction. "They're usually worse." "You've GOT to be kidding! This is what they were like when they were in Oregon." Nick chuckled, "Yeah, but they both admitted they were on their best behavior then. You don't think we call them Horny and Horny Too for nothing, do you?" Erin's eyes widened. "I didn't hear about those nicknames. Though I heard enough 'Sexies', 'Spunkies', 'Angels', and 'Princesses' to make me nauseous." "Aww, they're perfect together and you know it." Erin nodded her agreement. "But I do know what you mean about the nicknames." "I'm sure you do... D.A." *~*~*~*~* Five minutes before midnight Kevin signaled to the DJ to stop the music and he grabbed the microphone. "I�d like to take this opportunity to thank all of you for coming tonight to celebrate the holidays with us. It means a lot to each of us Boys to have our families," Kevin smiled as his eyes met his mom�s and his brothers�, "And our extended families with us." Kristy felt a warmth seep through her as Kevin directed his look to her and her family. Kevin motioned for his bandmates to join him. "I�ve had a request from my mom, Kristy, and HER mom for us to sing �Silent Night�." Kristy smiled affectionately at her boyfriend for mentioning her favorite Christmas song. "And we all know how important it is to stay in our women�s good graces, so�" Five voices blended in perfect harmony as the rest of the room silenced. "Silent night. Holy night. All is calm. All is bright." Kristy felt her mom squeeze her hand and she turned to meet tear-filled eyes. It had been Kristy�s grandmother�s favorite song as it was Joanie�s, and all the Butler children knew their mom couldn�t make it through a live performance of it without crying. The beauty of the voices singing it this time made it all that more poignant. Kristy remembered Kevin telling her it had been his father�s favorite carol too, and Kristy turned and extended her other hand to Ann. Ann had been struggling to hold back the tears that were welling up in her eyes, but let them fall freely as Kristy squeezed her hand. Kevin felt his throat tighten slightly at the sight before him. His girlfriend sat, holding his mother�s hand with one hand and her own mother�s with the other. The three women stood as the Boys finished the song and all hugged, touching the hearts of everyone in the room. Kevin hated to break up the scene before him, but it was nearly midnight. "Again, I�d like to thank all of you for sharing tonight with us� but, I�m afraid our Christmas party ends at midnight." Kristy paused and turned back to her boyfriend. Since when did the Boys put time limits on their parties? Kevin continued. "And it�s midnight in�" he glanced at his watch, "Ten, nine, eight�" The entire room joined in the countdown and Kristy exchanged an amused look with Cheryl. "De ja vu," Kristy mouthed, thinking back to the very first night they�d met Kevin and Howie. "Three, two, one� HAPPY BIRTHDAY, KRISTY!" Kristy�s eyes widened as she spun around to face Kevin standing in the middle of the dancefloor as the partygoers clapped and shouted in her direction. "C�meer, birthday girl!" Kristy approached Kevin and took his outstretched hand. "You are just full of surprises tonight, aren�t you?" He smiled smugly and gave her a lingering kiss, causing their families and friends to applaud louder. Kristy sat on Kevin�s lap as people brought forward their presents for her. She unwrapped, held up, and � as necessary � explained her gifts. "A year-long unlimited pass to Disney World," she giggled. "From Crazy, Jokey, and Smarty!" "We know you�ll get some use out of it!" Brian said with a grin, then the three guys exchanged a look. "See the goat. Feel the goat. Be the goat!" Erin, Stephanie, and Mark � the original Disney crew - all turned surprised faces to Kristy�s new friends. "So he can be taught!" Erin quipped, shooting Nick a mischievous smile. "Only with time and patience� but you can credit your sister with that one!" Kevin chuckled. Kristy held up a pair of sapphire earrings with diamond accents. "From Mom and Dad," she announced, then went to hug them before returning to Kevin�s lap. "There are chairs, Kris," Mark suggested. "But this is just so much more comfortable," she answered as she snuggled closer to Kevin. Howie and Cheryl gave her a "special" dessert cookbook full of romantic � and erotic � recipes, and some useful ingredients and kitchen gadgets. Kristy blushed slightly as she read the card softly to Kevin. "Since you seem to like spending time in the kitchen, we thought you might at least try being productive while you�re there." "I think we�re very productive," Kevin murmured in her ear, causing her blush to deepen. "So, what�d ya get?" Nick asked loudly. "Cher and D are trying to help my domestic skills," Kristy said as she lifted a couple of the more innocent items for everyone to see. "I don�t think you need any help with your �skills�," Kevin said in a suggestive tone. Kristy felt her cheeks warm and reached for the next present, fidgeting slightly on Kevin�s lap. She bit back a triumphant smile as he groaned quietly� if she was going to be uncomfortable, so was he! Kristy carefully unwrapped a large object to reveal a detailed lithographic of Sleeping Beauty from Kevin�s family. She rose again to hug Kevin�s mother, brothers, sister-in-law, and niece. "Ann, thank you." "Your welcome, dear. Madison helped pick it out." "Thank you, Madison," Kristy said as she knelt to talk to the young girl. "I suggested a framed picture of Kevin in Wranglers, but no one else would go for it," Tim teased. Kristy grinned at her friend and turned to Ann once again. "Thank you again!" Kristy stood talking with Kevin�s family and her own when Kevin called her back. "You�re still not done, Princess." She walked back to the table where he sat. "More surprises?" He didn�t answer her, but simply sat her in a chair. He rose and retrieved a huge box and placed it in her lap, then sat next to her. Kristy lifted the lid and smiled as she removed the white and red tulips that rested on top of the other items. She kissed Kevin softly, then began to withdraw the individually wrapped items. She removed the tissue paper from a bottle of her favorite wine and a pair of crystal wineglasses and lifted them slightly for everyone to see. Next came several vanilla-scented tapers in various heights. Then bubble bath. Kristy announced each part of the gift as she made her way through the box. Custom-made CD�s. Chocolate covered strawberries. A porcelain angel ornament. An "IOU" for a massage � by Kevin. Kristy reached the bottom of the box and withdrew the final item. A thick envelope. She slid the tip of her nail under the edge, breaking the wax seal. She slowly unfolded the contents and raised smiling eyes to Kevin. "A gift certificate for two nights on the island." "Where?" Kristy and Kevin saw the blank looks around the room. "It�s where Howie and I took the girls when we kidnapped them," Kevin explained. "It�s where�" Kristy paused as her eyes met Kevin�s. "It�s a very, VERY special place." Kevin smiled and caressed the side of her face, then kissed her with all the passion and love he felt for her. "I love you so much," she whispered as they ended their kiss. Kevin made his decision. "Thank you� for everything," Kristy said, gesturing to his presents and the room and people around her. "I still have one more surprise." Kristy smiled as Kevin took her hands in his. "Tonight has made me realize several things. We are so blessed to be surrounded by such wonderful people � loving families and great friends that enrich our lives every day. We both grew up in warm, supportive homes and had parents who loved us and each other. I want to have that kind of home." Kristy�s eyes widened slightly as Kevin squeezed her hands. Her heart pounded at the look of love and sincerity in his eyes. "When you first walked down those stairs tonight, I almost couldn�t breathe, you�re so beautiful. And it isn�t just the dress � although you look amazing in it. You�re beautiful when you�re in jeans and a sweatshirt curled up with me in either of our �snuggle chairs� watching movies. You�re beautiful when you�re asleep next to me early in the morning. You�re beautiful when you�re holding Madison on your lap and quietly reading her a story. You�re even beautiful when you�re fighting with me." Kristy giggled slightly. "You�re the most beautiful woman I�ve ever met and you always will be. "You�re my best friend � the person I share all my thoughts, feeling, and dreams with. I want to always share those things with you� My life. My love. My future. YOU are my future, Angel." Kevin rose slightly from his chair and knelt before Kristy. While the whole room had been quietly listening to Kevin�s declaration of love up until then, with his movement, everyone froze. He reached into his pocket and withdrew a small blue velvet box, opening it before her. "Kristy, will you marry me?" Kristy�s eyes held Kevin�s. Nothing else in the room existed� not the decorations, their friends, or their family� it was only them. "Yes!" she whispered, though it felt like she was screaming. "Oh Kevin, yes!" Kevin slipped the three-carat, princess-cut diamond flanked by two deep-blue sapphires on her left ring finger. As soon as her hand was free, she reached for him, pulling him towards her for a long, sensual kiss. The cheers of the people in the Ballroom could be heard by resort guests passing by, but for Kristy and Kevin, the only sounds they heard were the beating of their own hearts. Next: Epilogue -FanFics -Home