At three a.m. sharp, Lance's alarm echoed through the house. His eyes opened slowly and his arms tightened around his pillo... 'That ain't no pillow...' he thought looking at the sleeping figure laying next to him. "Tami..." he whispered kissing her bare shoulder before rising to get dressed, barely noticing the cold breeze as it passed against his bare flesh. He padded slowly into his bathroom, his socked feet making no noise as he turned on the water to wet his toothbrush. He walked back into his room when he was done, and woke her gently. She pulled her hair up, and had him go get the extra clothes she kept in her truck. The plan was to drive Lance to the bus waiting on them at the studio. She hated this, and truth be told...she didn't want to go through it again. Between 3:30 and 3:45, they arrived at the studio and began loading the buses in the dark. Tami stood alongside Lynn and Kelly quietly watching as the guys and road crew loaded the buses. When everything was taken care of, the guys approached everyone, saying their goodbyes. Lance stepped in front of Tami knowing tat what they were both feeling was not normal...not after all that happened last night. There was something there that had never been there before... He finally couldn't resist anymore, and, in front of everyone, kissed her. Tami's head was spinning, and suddenly, she wasn't on the ground anymore...She knew that last night was amazing...but they were in public now...and it wasn't their "little secret". When the kiss slowed after an eternity, the shock registered on everyone's face except theirs. Justin stared at the two and looked at Britney as a look of hurt spread across his features. "When's the last time we kissed like that?" he whispered to her before stepping away to avoid the smack that he was fixing to receive. "I'm too old for this shit..." Chris said shaking his head s he hugged Danielle goodbye. They were speaking again... Thank God... Tami closed her eyes before sighing and resting her forehead on his. This isn't the way she wanted to feel for four empty months...It wasn't fair. "Goodbye..." she whispered pulling her keys out of her pocket and getting back in her truck. Lance closed his eyes. 'It wasn't supposed to happen like this...' he thought as he turned away and boarded the bus as she pulled out of the parking lot and sped past their still parked buses. -- Tami smiled getting out of the tub she'd soaked in for over an hour now. She got dressed and walked into the kitchen grabbing an apple out of her refridgerator. She took a bite out of it, her eyes falling on the still blinking white box by the phone. She closed her yes and pushed the play button, dreading his voice. Her machine beeped and his confused sigh rang out through the speaker. "You're still at work, I suppose..." he whispered softly. "Look, I now you're confused, and I am too...but I haven't felt this way, Tami...about anyone..." he sighed again and let out a low breath. "Call me, sweetie..." he said sadly before her machine beeped sounding the end of the message. Tami's apple met with her cold tile floor. Her eyes quickly darted to his schedule...The next show was tomorrow in Memphis. It was the fourth... MAY 4TH?! His birthday was already here! How could she have been so shallow as to look past that. She flew into her room, packing enough clothes to last her a week, while getting Lynn on the phone. She sighed when Lynn answered the phone, "Missing him?" "More than you know..." Tami said quietly. "I need a red-eye to Memphis.." she said not really feeling like answering questions. Lynn held the phone in shock. She really did miss him. "Consider it done...I'll call for arrangements. I'll tell Justin to have either Dre or Lonnie pick you up," she said flipping on her cell to call Justin. "Thank you..." Tami said hanging up her phone and grabbing her keys and bags, and heading out the door, locking it on her way. -- Tami groaned feeling someone wake her slightly. "Ma'am? We've touched down..." the stewardess said politely. Tami rubbed her eyes tiredly. "Thank you," she said grabbing her purse and carry-on, heading out of the plane and then up the long corridor. She looked around the almost empty airport and saw Justin standing there wth Lonnie. She smiled slightly and went to hug the both of them. "Let's go get your bag..." Justin said smiling. -- Tami waved at Justin as she snuck into Lance's room quietly. The only light came from Lance's alarm sitting on the table near the bed. Tami sat her stuff in a chair and undressed quickly climbing into the empty bed next to him. Around 7:15 in the morning, his alarm went off. Luckily, Tami had awoken twenty minutes earlier and grabbed her stuff, knocking next door at Joey's room, asking to use his shower. After the inital shock of her being there wore off, and being sworn to secrecy, he agreed. Lance turned to see his phone reading, no new voice mail. Why did that not surprise him? He quickly threw on clothes and a baseball cap, walking out of his room to meet with the other guys heading towards the venue. Tami smiled at Dre slightly as they took the stairs to a get-away car in the back parking lot. -- As the lights wen down, the screams came up...just like clockwork. Song after song went by, as Tami's favorite off the new album approached. She'd already thrown out the plan to Justin and Johnny...It was a go from there. Not to mention, the deal on her contract...the ink wasn't even dry yet... The screams of 'Happy 22nd Lance!' were overwhelming. Tami was getting nervous...but that was when JC began his part. |
| Part 2 |