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Day Two - Thursday

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Kate punched the "send" button on her cell phone. Her body was still running on Central Time, so she was up two hours earlier than the others. Already she had enjoyed her devotional and prayer time, and she had showered and dressed. Now she wanted to get in another phone call to Sarah before Clay awoke.

"Hey Katydid!" Sarah's cheery voice answered.

"Good morning to you too, sweetie!" Kate leaned back comfortably on the bed. "How are you doing this bright and sunny morning?"

"Bright and sunny?" Sarah snorted. "It's raining here."

"Really?" Kate grinned, pleased. "That'll make the farmers happy."

"True - we did need this rain." Sarah sighed. "So... how are you doing this bright and obviously sunny-to-you morning? You're going to tell me all about the wonderful evening you had, I take it."

Kate shook her head, a sheepish grin on her face. Sarah always could read her like an open book. "I didn't realize that I was wearing the shirt that made me transparent."

"Better hope Clay doesn't hear you say that."

Kate rolled her eyes. "There's a difference between a transparent shirt and a shirt that makes one transparent, dearie. You heard the way I said it."

"I know. I'm just teasing."

"Yeah yeah..."

Sarah pressed on. "So...?"

Kate could imagine Sarah sitting on the edge of her seat waiting for her to go on. It warmed her how supportive her best friend was, and she smiled. But it wouldn't be me if I didn't pull her tail a little too... "We spent part of the evening trying to touch our feet to our noses."

There was a long pause on the other end of the phone. "Please tell me you're not serious."

Immediately Kate started giggling at the memory. "Actually... I am."

Sarah gave a patient sigh as Kate continued to giggle helplessly. "Only you, sweetie. So did he?"

Meaning, did he touch his foot to his nose? "Yes."

Sarah whistled appreciatively. "Wow. A man who can do that is really limber for a guy." Another thoughtful pause, and Sarah spoke again. "You know, that'll come in handy in the bedroom."

"SARAH!!!" Kate sat bolt upright on the bed. I cannot believe she said that... She blushed fiercely and covered her face with her free hand.

"It will," Sarah responded quietly.

"The sad part," Kate squeaked, "is that I think he thought of the same thing. I said something to the effect of his limberness coming in handy, and his eyes got huge." She heaved a sigh as Sarah burst into laughter. "Another size 9 in my mouth..."

Sarah giggled. "Oh, but you're so cute when you do that."

"Sez who?"

"Somehow," Sarah continued, "I don't think that's what has you in such a good mood this morning."

Leave it to Sarah... "He invited me to be his escort at the premiere of his movie tomorrow night. I'll be wearing some fancy-schmancy dress and coming in on his arm."

"Oh my..." Sarah whistled. "I hope that I get to see video footage of the two of you."

"That would be nice." Kate rubbed her bottom lip in thoughtful speculation. "I can't wait to see how hot he looks in a tux."

Sarah laughed out loud. "Why am I not surprised to hear you say that?"

Kate heaved a guilty shrug. "Okay, so I'm incorrigible when it comes to Clay."

"You're incorrigible period." Kate scowled as Sarah went on. "I'll make sure to watch the entertainment spots to see if I recognize you," Sarah promised.

"Oh, you probably wouldn't miss me even if I tried to hide from the cameras," Kate drawled. "I'll be the dolled-up femme fatale standing next to him... at least I'll look like a femme fatale if Kim has her say." She quoted Kim's words to Sarah who laughed again.

"Good for Kim," Sarah giggled. "Make sure to give her my phone number, and I'll give her some tips. Between the two of us helping you, Clay won't know what hit him."

Kate's cheeks turned pink. "Thanks a lot, Sarah."

"Anytime." Sarah went on. "I heard you say that was tomorrow night. Is there something going on tomorrow morning?"

"Better have your VCR programmed, sweetheart," Kate warned her, "because Clay's going to be on Regis and Kelly promoting the movie. He wasn't planning on it, but he's going to do it." Kate replayed Clay's conversation with his errant public relations man.

"Mm," Sarah mumbled thoughtfully. "You'd better make sure you're dolled up for that too, Katydid. I have a sneaky suspicion that once Jeff tells the people at Regis and Kelly's about Clay's request, they'll start pumping him for information on more than just the movie... and you just might find those live cameras pointed at you."

Kate's eyes widened and she paled. "Oh gosh, I hope not. I only take good pictures when I'm behind the camera, not in front of it."

"I beg to differ." Sarah chuckled. "Sounds to me like I had better pick up a couple of new VCR tapes, if you're going to be on TV with Clay all day."

"You do that," Kate said quietly. "I want to remember for a long time what we look like together."

"Katydid, Katydid..." Sarah chided her. "Somehow I doubt he's going to let you get away from him any time soon. Call it a hunch."

A cheesy smile crossed Kate's face and she sighed dreamily. "Between you and my mom, your hunches are right on the money."

"ACK!" Sarah exclaimed. "Something else happened! Tell me, tell me, tell me!"

Kate blushed. "Yesterday I told you that I thought he'd probably trip over his tongue with a woman that interested him."

"You always were good at reading people," Sarah told her. "So...?"

"I found out just how right I was." Kate paused dramatically. "He asked me to be his girlfriend."

"ACK!" Sarah squealed on the other end of the phone. "I take it he wasn't so smooth this time?"

"No, he kinda stuttered around a bit, like I did earlier in the day. It was soooo sweet, and too cute for words." Kate put her hand over her heart. "I never thought I could do that to any man, let alone... him. Sarah, he's absolutely the most amazing, gentle Christian man I've ever known, and he wants to spend his time with me!"

Kate could almost hear Sarah's smile over the distance. "He knows someone special when he sees it."

"If our talks are any indication, he not only thinks I'm someone special, he thinks I'm his special someone." Kate swallowed a lump in her throat and told Sarah about Clay's commentary on the betting going on between the men in his hire. "He was talking about us in such a matter-of-fact manner. It was as if he believes that we're going to spend the rest of our lives together."

"Oh my gosh..." Sarah exhaled slowly. "Katydid, if you still feel this strongly about him after this week is done, I say keep him. Keep him in your life, because he's good for you."

Kate chewed on her lower lip. "But am I any good for him?"

"That's something only he can answer," Sarah told her quietly, "but if you want my opinion, I believe that you are. Otherwise you and he wouldn't be so close. Has he tried to kiss you yet?"

Kate sighed. "Not exactly. While we were standing in front of the mirror I could tell at one point that he sure wanted to, but he told me that he was going to wait a few days."

"Good for him," Sarah said. "What do you mean, in front of the mirror?"

From the start of the conversation in front of the couch to its conclusion when the doorbell rang, Kate told Sarah the tale of what happened in the bathroom. "He thinks I'm beautiful, Sarah."

"You are," her best friend informed her. "Clay just has the good sense to see it and tell you about it." Sarah made a thoughtful clicking noise. "So, it seems that he's planning to kiss you after all. What are your thoughts on that?"

Kate swallowed nervously. "Part of me really, really wants him to... but part of me is, well, scared."

"I don't blame you," Sarah said quietly. "Have you told him about Viktor?"

An involuntary shudder ran through Kate and she closed her eyes. "No."

Sarah paused in supportive sympathy. "You might have to. In fact, I'd recommend it."

Kate wiped an unwanted tear from the corner of her eye. "What if I tell him and he doesn't want to see me or talk to me any more?"

Immediately Sarah responded to her friend with firm resolve. "Then he's not a real man and you deserve better than that."

The two gals talked for a few more minutes before hanging up. Kate put her cell phone back in her purse, grabbed her portable CD case and padded out to the kitchen in sock feet. She didn't want to wake the other two just yet - she had work to do.

Once in the kitchen, Kate popped one of her CDs into the countertop stereo. She made sure that the volume wasn't too loud before she pushed play - no sense in waking them before it was time. Before long Kate whirled around the kitchen, singing and dancing to the CD she had put in the stereo. She had promised to make Clay and Kim breakfast, and she planned to have fun preparing it.

In fact, Kate was having so much fun that she didn't hear Clay when he entered the kitchen wearing his T-shirt and sleep shorts. As soon as his eyes took in Kate dancing around the room, a bright smile lit his face. He leaned on the doorframe and watched in amused silence. The song changed a moment later from something bouncy and rhythmic to something more sultry. Clay stared agape as Kate's dance moves also changed to fit the new mood. Oh my... As his heart threatened to drown out the music with its rapid beating, Clay's full attention riveted on Kate. I had no idea she was this... sexy.

Kate shuffled towards the refrigerator for more supplies, still caught up in her samba of the soul. All at once she turned and saw Clay leaning entranced in the doorway right beside her. Startled at getting caught in the act, Kate shrieked in surprise. Immediately she clamped both hands over her mouth, and Clay burst into delighted laughter. Tears streaming out of his eyes, he sank to the floor clutching his sides. Kate scowled at him. "Clay Aiken, you need to make some noise when you walk!"

He shook his head. "It was worth it just to see the look on your face..." he chortled.

"Alright mister, I'll fix you." Kate moved in for the kill. Kneeling down in front of him, she started to tickle him - on his feet, his sides, wherever she could reach.

"No-no, Kate! Don't do that!" Clay howled as he tried to fend off her twitching fingers.

"I will if I want," she growled as she continued to tickle him. "Serve you right to sneak up on a girl and laugh at her..."

After several moments of trying to catch her lightning-fast hands, he got a lucky break and snared one. Pinning it behind her back, he started to tickle her in return. She let out a yelp of surprise and tried to free her hand. However, Clay was still stronger than she was, and within minutes he had her other hand as well. With both of their hands no longer free, an all-out wrestling match began. Kate put up a valiant fight, but before long Clay had her pinned to the floor. "Now I've got you where I want you, darlin'," Clay announced with a smug look on his face. Two seconds after he saw Kate's brilliant blush, he winced. "Please tell me that didn't sound half as bad as I think it sounded."

Trembling nervously, Kate looked up into his intense green eyes. "Every bit."

Clay bit his lower lip. "I'm sorry, honey."

"It's nice to know I'm not the only one who occasionally sticks their foot in their mouth," Kate admitted with an impish smile.

"Thanks," Clay drawled.

The two of them laid there for several minutes like that staring into each other's eyes before Clay finally broke the mood. With a sharp shake of his head, he rolled off to the side. "I should probably help you up before Kim sees us like this."

"Good idea," Kate replied, taking Clay's hand as she got up. "Thank you. Your cell phone was just hitting me in the wrong spot."

Clay turned beet red but said nothing. He just didn't have the heart to tell her his cell phone was in the other room. Instead he asked, "What's for breakfast, honey?"

"You like French toast?" she asked as she returned her attention to the food she was preparing.

"Sure!" Clay answered as he wrapped his arms around her waist from behind. "I'm not allergic to it."

Kate chuckled. "Good call. How did you find out you were allergic to half those things, anyway?"

"I ate them," Clay said simply. "If you eat something and start feeling like you're going to be sick, you notice... especially if the same foods keep doing it. Eventually I had one of those tests where they stick all the pins in your back to see what you're allergic to."

"Ow..."

Clay snickered. "After you get poked enough times you get used to it."

"Well, I sure couldn't give up chocolate," Kate confessed. "I'm a chocolate addict."

"I haven't completely given it up," Clay said sheepishly. "If I get really depressed I still eat it... but I pay for it later."

Kate frowned. "Clay sweetie, that's not good for you."

He buried his face in her hair. "I know." He inhaled deeply, and heaved a contented sigh. "I love the smell of your hair, darlin'," he told her as he reached up to play with the ends. "Like a handful of freshly picked flowers on a spring day."

Kate closed her eyes, enjoying the sensation of his fingers running first over her hair and then through it. With a wistful sigh she tilted her head back, not wanting him to stop. As if in answer to an invitation, Clay's fingers slowly traced their way down her cheek and around her jaw to the other cheek. Gently he cupped her face in his hand as he lightly sprinkled it with kisses - her forehead, her brow, her nose, her eyes. A soft moan escaped Kate, and Clay's kisses grew deeper and longer as he pulled her closer.

At once he let go of Kate and turned away from her. Deliberately walking over to the kitchen table, Clay leaned on it with both hands. He inhaled and exhaled very slowly as Kate shook herself out of her euphoric stupor. "I think I should stop now," Clay whispered hoarsely, "before I do something we will both regret."

"Clay," Kate began.

"It's my fault, honey, and I'm sorry." Clay turned back to her with a weak smile. "You can't say I didn't warn you about being a normal red-blooded male."

Kate's expression turned soft with tenderness. He was trying to show her honor, just like he said. "Clay..."

"It's alright," he assured her. "I promised you I'd wait, and I'm going to keep that promise. It just means that this morning's shower is going to be a cold one..." With that he left the room.

Kate watched him go, her heart aching after him with sympathy. He's the first man I've known who's worked that hard to keep his hormones in line, she marveled. If I have ever known a man of honor, this is that man.

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Clay entered the kitchen where Kate and Kim sat at the table having a light conversation with their breakfast. He smiled at the two ladies and sat down in the chair between them. "Mornin'."

"Morning, Clay." With a wink to Kate, Kim smiled at him.

Kate sat her fork down on her plate and reached for the pitcher of juice. "How much would you like, sweetheart?"

Clay watched her as she picked up his glass. "Go ahead and fill it up. Thanks." He took a couple pieces of French toast from the plate that Kim passed him before reaching for the nearby butter and syrup. "This smells so good."

"It is good," Kim informed him. "Kate's a good cook."

Kate gave a wry smile. "I've only made one meal so far. For all you know, this might be all I know how to cook."

"Really?" Kim picked up a plate of bacon and passed that to Clay as well. "Somehow you strike me as the down-to-earth domestic goddess type."

"Mm," Kate mumbled thoughtfully. "Maybe it's because I look less like one of those fancy, frilly supermodels and more like a low-key June Cleaver."

"That doesn't bother me," Clay told her. "I prefer someone who looks more natural, like you."

Kate snorted. "Good thing. I'm past natural, I'm as low maintenance as it gets."

"Oh?" Clay inquired, curious.

"My idea of looking nice is simply to be neat and clean. I always try to dress decently, whether I'm working or not. Beyond that, it goes downhill from there." Kate started keeping track of her guilty confessions on her fingers. "Sometimes I style my hair, sometimes I don't. When I do, I work at it for no longer than five or ten minutes. If it hasn't cooperated by then, it won't, and I go on to something else. But I do always at least comb or brush it out so it's not a mess." As Kim smiled with some secret amusement, Kate continued. "Sometimes I wear makeup, sometimes I don't... and it's always the natural look."

"I don't mind if you don't put on your Tammy Faye eyes for me, darlin'," Clay drawled.

Kate laughed and fondly squeezed his arm. "My idea of a good manicure is a pair of fingernail clippers and a new emory board."

Kim jerked her thumb at Clay. "He chews his."

Kate snickered when Clay glared at Kim. "So I've heard. I can't even get my feet up that far." Kate was immediately rewarded with a laugh from Clay. "I don't do the tanning thing. Lotion only goes on my hands when they're dry. I do use perfume most of the time, but I put it on light." Kate shrugged. "Like I said... I'm a low-maintenance sort of gal."

"That's not a bad thing," Kim told her. "It means you don't spend that much time in the bathroom every morning."

Kate grinned as Clay snickered. "Thinking of your sister, hm?"

"Something like that," he said.

"So what have the two of you decided to do this morning," Kim asked, "knowing that Kate and I are going shopping this afternoon and leaving you with Ruben to do all the cooking for this evening."

Clay looked over at Kate with a smile. They hadn't discussed their plans for any day this week barring Friday's public appearances and excitement. "I got permission to show her around the studio this morning. Then we'll join you and Ruben for lunch..." he grinned, "... and while the two of you terrorize the department stores, Ruben and I will work on the fixin's for the picnic."

Kate blinked with surprise. Clay's going to cook? This ought to be interesting... "What are you two 'fixin' to make?" she asked with an impish grin.

"We're grilling out hamburgers and hot dogs," he told her. "I wanted to make barbecue, but until I get some more practice with the grill I figured I should keep it simple. Especially considering how many people we're going to have here." When Kate cocked her head to one side he explained. "Both of our families wanted to be here for the premiere to show their support."

"Wow," Kate said, "that's great."

Clay nodded. "We wanted to have some time with them without the press around, so we came up with the idea for a family picnic."

Kate's eyes widened. "H-How much of your family is coming?"

"Mom and Brett are flying in today," Clay answered thoughtfully. "Jeff and Amy are already in Los Angeles with their families. They decided to make short vacations out of the weekend."

"Oh," Kate gulped quietly and stifled a nervous sigh. She hoped that Clay wouldn't figure out that she was intimidated by the idea of meeting his family.

Kim, however, noticed that Kate had grown quiet. Waiting until she had caught Kate's eye, she mouthed the word, "Later." Aloud she said, "That should give us plenty of time to find the perfect dress for her. I just hope we don't have to have it altered."

"You'll be fine," Clay assured them. With a glance at Kate he went on. "And make sure this beautiful woman knows that it won't take a major miracle to make her look amazing for tomorrow."

"Easy for you to say, Mister 'I am not a sex symbol'," Kate murmured. Clay's jaw dropped, and Kim laughed with delight. Kate raised her eyebrow and gave Clay an impish look. "So what do you do with all the... delicates you collect up on stage?"

"Hold a bonfire," Clay muttered, "complete with marshmallow roasting and campfire songs." When Kate added her own laughter to Kim's, Clay grinned slightly and continued to spin his impromptu story. "Ruben and I made a pile at the end of the tour. We held out the infamous red thong, set it on fire first, threw it on the pile, and watched them burn."

Kate giggled. "Are you serious?"

"No... but I've sure fantasized about it."

As Kate continued to laugh, Kim turned to her. "Were you at any of the concerts?"

"No, no..." Kate sighed, "Nebraska is in the boondocks as far as most entertainers are concerned... not worth playing there at all, and I couldn't justify the expense to go all the way to Oklahoma City or Saint Louis to see one."

Kim gave her a mischievous look. "Would you have thrown yours at him, if you could have been there?"

Kate glared at Kim while Clay turned a deeply embarrassed shade of red. "I wouldn't, even if I had been there! I don't care who he thinks he is, no man's gettin' his hands on my skivvies unless he's A, doing my laundry, or B, my husband!"

I'm glad to hear she has plenty of sense about that, Clay thought to himself. Thank goodness for small favors. Somehow it didn't surprise him that she had such a strong opinion on the subject, and he was quite relieved to hear it.

"Too bad," Kim tsked. "I would have loved to have been there when you threw up a black lace one."

Clay covered his face with his hands. This conversation isn't happening... make it go away...

"I don't own any lace ones," Kate told her simply. "They make me itch." She turned to Clay. "You said we were going to the studio... do you mean the recording studio, where you record all your music?"

Clay breathed an audible sigh of relief at the change of subject. "Yes. I have permission to show you around RCA Records, including the recording studio."

"Cool!" Kate exclaimed. "I've never seen one of those in real life. This will be fascinating."

Clay nodded with a smile. "I hope so."

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Clay waved to the security guard at the front door. "Good morning, Hank!"

The brawny man returned a friendly greeting in kind. "Is this the special lady you told me you'd be bringing by?"

Clay nodded. "Sure is. Hank, this is Kate. Kate, this is Hank. I keep thinking one of these days he's going to toss me out on my oversized ears, but so far I'm safe."

"Still on the couch," Kate told him with a wink.

Hank chuckled. "Well, I think I'll let you through today just for the sake of the lady."

Clay bit his lip. "Thanks, Hank. That's um, generous of you." Hank clapped Clay on the shoulder and let them pass. Clay snorted when they were out of earshot. "Only Hank..."

Kate giggled. "He seems nice."

"He is. There are a handful of really nice people here. Of course there are those who are a regular pain in the shorts..."

"And I would bet," Kate whispered, "that most of those are in management."

Clay nodded and put his fingertip to his lips. Then he led her down one of the halls to the elevator. "I'm going to take you by some of the offices first."

"Offices?" Kate blinked.

Clay tapped the elevator "up" button and the doors opened. "Mm-hm, the offices of all the executives. Granted, we won't get to talk to anyone, but I'll show you around." Kate mouthed the word Wow as the doors closed. "I know, honey. Some days I still wonder if I'm dreaming and any second now I'm going to wake up." He sighed. "Something always happens to show me just how real it all is."

Kate cocked her head. "Such as?"

"For one, I've narrowly escaped getting mobbed several times." Clay gave an involuntary shudder. "There's the endless hours of rehearsal and recording. There's the photo shoots, the interviews... and all the preparation for that which really isn't so glamorous. There's all the traveling involved... to those interviews, on tours, and all that." He sighed deeply. "Although it's been worth it for all the good things I've been able to do, like the Bubel-Aiken Foundation, or like telling interviewers what I really believe on an issue... there are times I'd give it all up in a heartbeat if it meant I could get my life back as it was before. It was simpler. I didn't have to worry about my image or my privacy... or my safety." Clay's expression turned sad and pensive, and Kate took his hand. He turned back to her with a smile. "Of course if I had to give all that up, I wouldn't be here with you."

Kate nodded slowly. "You'd be teaching somewhere in North Carolina... and I'd be teaching somewhere in Nebraska..."

"Never to meet..." Clay said, his eyes firmly locked onto hers.

"Never to meet..." Kate returned his gaze.

For several minutes they stared deeply into each other's eyes. Finally Clay turned away. "Day two, Clayton," he muttered to himself under his breath, "it's only day two." Kate blushed but squeezed his hand. Clay went on as the elevator doors opened. "My Aunt Dizzy - she's not actually my aunt, I just call her that - once told me in a letter that if you tried to give up all the bad things that happened because of an experience, you would have to give up all the good things that happened because of that same experience. You couldn't keep one and not the other."

Kate nodded. "She's wise." A curious smile crossed her face. "Aunt Dizzy?"

Clay chuckled as he led Kate out of the elevator. "She keeps calling herself a 'dizzy old woman' when she writes me. So I started calling her Aunt Dizzy, and she liked it. She's another one of my fans... only she's old enough to be my mother. Maybe that's what makes her so wise." He smiled. "Like you, she sends me a lot of uplifting cards and letters. Sometimes she sends me music she has written."

"Music?" Kate whistled. "That's cool."

Clay nodded. "The producers are letting me put some of her songs on my next album. I had to beg and plead a lot for them to look at her music, but it paid off. She writes some really amazing music." He waved to the secretary, giving her a friendly greeting before leading Kate by the hand down the hall. Indicating each door in turn, Clay told her who was who at RCA Records.

"Mr. Aiken!" A middle-aged man in a smart suit extended his hand to Clay, who shook it. "Didn't expect to see you here today."

"I told you that I had a friend I wanted to show around the studio," Clay offered, and immediately the gentleman nodded in remembrance. "I wanted to show her where I work." Clay bit his lip and went on. "Plus my public relations man pulled another trick on me... scheduled me for an interview with Regis and Kelly tomorrow when he knew I had company. I should probably figure out what I'm going to sing while I'm running around."

"Trying to figure out whether to sing music from the movie or the album, hm?" The gentleman nodded abstractedly. "Since the film premieres tomorrow night, I'd recommend something from that. How about that one song..." and he went on to describe the song Clay sang during a particular point in the movie, giving too much detail about the movie for Clay's taste.

"That was what I thought you would pick," Clay nodded guardedly. He glanced at Kate and smiled. "You didn't hear that little spoiler there, darlin'."

Kate gave him an impish grin. "What, Clay honey? You say something?"

The gentleman laughed. "She's got the right idea. Deny everything." He pointed at Clay. "Good luck. We'll talk later."

Clay nodded. "I'll be here." He waited until the other man had walked way out of earshot before he rolled his eyes and snorted. "I am not singing that song tomorrow..." he muttered under his breath.

Kate raised her eyebrow. "I gather from your... um, choice of words that you are neither fond of the song, or of him."

"That's putting it mildly," Clay whispered. He indicated after the man with a nod of his head. "Our resident bean counter. He has no sense for music at all and is annoying beyond belief... but he's a good accountant, which is why he's still here."

Kate snickered. "In other words, he's one of those you just tolerate..."

"Yes." Clay continued to lead her down the hall showing her offices before taking her back to the elevator to go down to the recording studio. "Now we get to see where I actually work." Inside the elevator Clay pulled her into his arms and smiled when Kate laid her head on his shoulder. Heaving a deeply contented sigh, he absentmindedly hummed a tune.

"What song is that?" Kate asked. "I don't recognize it."

Clay blinked with surprise when he realized which song he had been humming. That's one of Aunt Dizzy's songs, he thought as he winced - he was planning to sing that one tomorrow. "It's from the new album we're still working on."

"Oh." She grinned up at him. "Would you sing it for me?"

"I uh..." Clay stammered, biting his lip.

Kate raised one mischievous eyebrow. "Whatsa matter? Forget the words?"

"Um..."

Kate's expression turned unreadable. "Clay...?" When he gave a sheepish chuckle and shook his head she raised her eyebrow higher. "Okay. I'll let it go this time."

Whew, Clay thought to himself. That was too close... "I think we're here," he offered lamely as the elevator doors opened. Letting go of her to take her hand once more, Clay stepped off the elevator with Kate close behind him. Waved on by another secretary, the two of them walked down the hall to the studio. "Here it is, honey - where the magic happens."

Kate looked around her, meticulously taking in the detail with her eyes. "Wow. This is amazing."

Clay grinned at her. "As they say, you ain't seen nothin' yet." When Kate gave him a hesitant glance he pulled her towards a set of doors towards the back. Clay rapped soundly on the doors and waited patiently for a response.

One of the double doors opened to a balding forty-something man with full mustache and beard. "Hey, Clay man!" He offered his hand to Clay for a high-five.

"How are you this morning, Bruce?"

"Good, good, can't complain." Bruce took in Kate with a glance. "This the lady friend?"

Clay nodded. "This is Kate." He turned to Kate. "Kate, this Bruce, the senior mixer here. Bruce, this is my girlfriend Kate."

Bruce grinned. "Girlfriend, hunh? When did that happen?"

"Yesterday," Clay admitted as he scratched his head bashfully.

"Good for you." Bruce nodded thoughtfully. "I suppose that you want to see us at work."

Kate's eyes lit up. "Could I? If it's not too much trouble..."

"Not for Clay's lady, it isn't."

"Thanks, Bruce, I appreciate that." Clay clapped Bruce's shoulder.

Bruce led them into where he was working on another project, walking them through the art of mixing vocals and instruments into various tracks.

"Say, Bruce, I was wondering if you could do me a favor," Clay began. As Bruce glanced up he told him about the mess Jeff had gotten him into. "I was hoping you would have a performance version of one or two of my songs ready for me to practice this afternoon and take to New York tomorrow."

Bruce nodded. "I have all of the movie songs ready. I even have that one of Superfan's ready for you as we talked about."

"That's great," Clay beamed. "You've saved my life." He turned to Kate. "Will you pardon us a second if we talk business?"

Kate nodded. "Go ahead, Clay. Do what you need to do." She grinned. "I understand that you're trying to protect me from any more random spoilers."

Clay snorted and told Bruce about their meeting with the accountant as the two gentlemen rifled through a small stack of CDs in a bin. Bruce rolled his eyes and guffawed. "Leave it to Ol' CR."

"I know," Clay mumbled. When Bruce handed him a CD and gave him a thumbs-up sign, he indicated the CD and glanced backwards at Kate. Bruce nodded, and Clay exhaled slowly. He raised his eyebrows once, and Bruce mouthed the words "Good luck" before the two men returned to Kate and the mixing board.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Clay and Kate walked into the restaurant hand in hand, followed closely by Jerome. "Do you see them, sweetheart?" Kate asked him.

"Not yet," Clay mumbled as he scanned the crowd. At once he saw a hand waving from one of the corners of the room. "There they are. Let's go." He led the trio over to join Ruben, Kim, and Ruben's bodyguard. "Hey, Ruben."

"What's up, dawg?" Ruben clasped his hand as he stood.

Oh my... Kate thought as all six feet four inches of him towered over them all. He's massive. She had known Ruben was big, but reality still came as a shock.

"This your woman?"

Clay grinned. "This is my Kate. Kate, this is Ruben."

"How do you do?" Ruben extended his hand to her.

Kate smiled. "Good, thank you. It's nice to meet you," she told him as she shook his hand. His grip was firm but gentle, and Kate added that to her running list of surprises from this trip.

Clay pulled out Kate's chair and saw her seated before he sat down beside her. The group immediately combed through their menus before the server came to collect the order.

"So," Kim smiled at Clay, "did you get your tracks from the studio?"

"I did," Clay acknowledged. "I haven't listened to them yet, but they were the ones I wanted."

"I wish I could be around this afternoon," Kate sighed, "to hear you practice. One of these days I want to hear you sing."

Clay giggled. "I got to hear you sing this morning..." He was rewarded with a sour-faced groan from Kate as she leaned on her hand.

"I can tell by the look on your face," Kim pointed at her, "that there's a story. Tell."

"When I was making breakfast I had a CD in," Kate told her. "I was singing and dancing along to it, and Clay walked up on me unawares. For a guy, he makes very little noise when he walks."

Clay grinned. "That's the advantage of bare feet. You can sneak up on people that way." He glanced at her. "She's a good dancer."

Kate wrinkled her nose. "I don't think so. You definitely dance better than me."

"You've gotta be kidding..." Clay frowned.

"No."

"Fine," Clay crossed his arms. "Some night later this week you and I will have to find time to go dancing together. Then we'll see who has all the moves and who has two left feet."

"Let's see..." Kate rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "Who tripped over the running board of the car?" When Clay grimaced sheepishly she nodded. "I think we know which one of us is more graceful."

"I've tripped going up stairs before," Clay offered.

"That's easy enough, I can trip over my own feet on level ground." Kate heaved a sigh, debating how badly she wanted to regale the group with tales of her best and worst klutz-out moments. Suddenly remembering the bodyguards' reactions to the one graceful moment they witnessed, she decided to pass on storytelling for now. "I guess if we go dancing, we'll just have to take turns stepping on each other's feet."

Kim shook her head. "You two are pathetic..."

Kate gave her a cheesy grin. "Gotta love it..."

Lunch progressed with more light chat and an argument between Ruben and Clay as to which one of them was picking up the tab. Just when it seemed that it was going to come down to an arm-wrestling contest, Kate turned to Kim. "I will never understand men," she confessed.

Kim nodded and laughed. "Join the club."

Very carefully Kate reached over and attempted to grab for the bill. Clay saw her out of the corner of his eye. "Don't even think about it, darlin'. You're living on a teacher's salary."

"Now wait a minute..." Kate protested. "This is my big summer trip we're talking about, I saved up money and vacation time for this!"

"And you keep that money," Ruben told her. "We'll settle this like men."

"You mean, like you're doing now?" Kate raised an eyebrow at the two. "I thought I smelled extra testosterone..."

Clay cocked his head at her. "I thought that was my after-shave." Kim bit her finger to keep from laughing aloud and Kate rolled her eyes.

Jerome shook his head with amusement. "Maybe I should take it and get it over with."

"You do," Clay threatened, "and I'll beat you up." This response elicited a snort from Jerome.

"Tell you what," Kate sighed as she opened her purse. "I have just the solution here, before either of you boys pull a muscle or something." She pulled a deck of cards from the purse. "What's your game?"

Clay gawked and blinked at the cards. "Are you kidding? Who carries a deck of cards on them?"

Kate glared at him. "I do. I don't watch TV."

"Then how..." Kim indicated Clay with her eyes.

Kate sighed deeply. "The one show I do watch. My best friend, bless her pointed head, got me hooked on it that year." She made a face. "I haven't watched it since that final results episode."

Clay looked amazed. "Seriously... you don't watch TV?" She nodded, and Clay gave her an incredulous stare. "Everybody watches at least a little TV."

"I don't." She shrugged. "I grew up with a whole two channels for most of my life. It was years before we got cable at home, and by that time I was used to thinking for myself and using that amazing thing called an imagination..." Kate grinned. "I find I don't miss the TV."

Ruben shook his head. "You don't get bored?"

"I never said that," Kate admitted. "There are just other things that occupy my free time." She carefully searched the deck of cards for the jokers. "What's the game, so I know whether to leave the jokers in or not?"

Clay and Ruben exchanged a surprised look as Jerome broke into delighted guffaws of laughter. "I believe she's serious."

"No kidding, man."

"If she's serious," Kim grinned, "then she can deal me in."

Kate snickered as Clay's jaw dropped. "I gotta know the game before I know what to deal." She glanced quickly around the circle. "Blackjack? First person with three wins gets the check."

"You're on," Ruben nodded.

"All right." Kate looked around the table. "Who's in?" All five of the others acknowledged Kate's invitation and she started the deal.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Finally!" Kim crowed with delight, and both Clay and Ruben groaned. "I've got you guys this time - it's my treat today, boys. And don't even think about arguing with me, I beat you fair and square."

"Are you sure she's not stacking the deck?" Clay complained. Kate glared at him and he raised his hands defensively. "Just checking..."

"You boys better get going if you're going to pick up Mom and Jeff," Kim told Clay and Ruben. "I don't want you to be late." Clay gave her a crisp salute, and the two men left the restaurant with their bodyguards in tow. Kim and Kate giggled for several moments after they left.

"Those two are too funny together..." Kate shook her head.

"Wait 'til you see them tonight at the picnic," Kim nodded. "It'll get even better."

"Oh geez..." Kate covered her mouth to keep in another giggle.

"So... let's hit the stores."

Kate nodded and handed her a piece of paper. "I am under orders to give you my best friend's phone number in case you want a second opinion on things."

Kim grinned wickedly as she accepted the scrap. "I like that. What's her name?"

"Sarah. She's full of wisdom and advice, but some days she's also full of mischief." Kate rolled her eyes. "Some days she's just full of it."

Kim nodded with an impish smile. "Well, we'll have to see what advice Sarah has to offer today." With the bill dutifully paid by Kim, the two women walked out of the restaurant.

Once in a cab, Kim immediately placed a call on her cell phone. "Hello?" Sarah's voice answered.

"Hello, Sarah!" Kim responded. "This is Kim Locke, Clay's friend. I'm told that you're Kate's best friend and chief confidant."

"Hi! So what trouble are we causing poor Kate today?"

Kim snickered and whispered to Kate, "I like her already."

Kate raised an eyebrow. "Hunh?"

Kim returned her attention to her phone and Sarah. "We are going shopping for a dress that will knock Clay's socks off."

Kate made a face. "Oh please. I don't think there's a sexy bone in my body."

Kim raised her eyebrow. "Somehow I doubt that."

Soon the two women arrived at one of the city's upscale department stores. Kate looked up at the marquee and whistled. "I don't think they'll let me in..." she muttered as she glanced down at her casual blouse and plain jeans.

"Just leave it to me."

The two women walked into the store and over to the formalwear. As they thumbed through the racks, Kim pumped Sarah for suggestions on appropriate colors and styles for Kate. Kate held up a nice but conservative formal, and Kim immediately shook her head. With a frown, Kate returned it to the rack.

"Are you sure black's not her color? You can't go wrong with basic black," Kim told Sarah.

"Black washes me out," Kate responded.

Kim glanced at Kate and nodded. "All right, no black."

Kate held up another dress, a red strapless one. "How about this one?" she said jokingly.

Kim nodded. "That one's got promise."

Kate rolled her eyes and snorted. "I don't think so. Red's not my color either."

"Fine," Kim grumbled. "No reds."

"It washes me out! Find me something in a pastel and we'll talk."

"See if you can find her something form-fitting," Sarah suggested. "Kate wouldn't agree with you, but she's got a figure that would stop a clock... and most men's hearts."

Kim snickered and glanced at Kate. "I'll keep that suggestion in mind." Her eye caught a glimpse of a glittering lavender, and she dug deeper into the rack.

Once Kim had pulled it out for further inspection, Kate pointed at it. "I like that."

"We found one in her favorite color," Kim told Sarah as she inspected the style. "Good style... Form fitting... We might have to try this one on."

The two women checked the size. It was a match. Kate immediately took it to the dressing room, and Kim described it to Sarah. Within moments Kate emerged, and Kim gave her a victorious thumbs up. "I think we got the dress. Sweep her hair into a sexy updo, give her some gorgeous makeup, and we've got ourselves one sexy mama."

Kate made a face. "I told you, I don't do sexy." She sighed. "I don't think I could if I tried."

Kim glanced over at Kate. "That's not what I heard Clay say this morning." Kate turned bright pink and covered her face with her hands.

Sarah laughed wickedly. "She does too. She just needs the right motivation to find it. Like... wanting to knock Clay's socks off."

"Great minds think alike, sweetheart." Kim winked at Kate. "Trust me, Kate, that's a sexy dress, and you make it look good."

"You mean it makes me look good," Kate replied.

"No," Kim grinned, "it makes you look sexay." Kate threw up her hands in defeat and returned to the dressing room. "I don't think she buys that..." Kim told Sarah.

Sarah pondered. "It will be a whole different story when she sees Clay's face tomorrow night. I wish I could see Clay's face when he gets his first look at Kate in that dress."

Kim nodded thoughtfully. "A photograph or a videocamera might be in order..."

"You're on."

"Aaaugh!" Kate emerged from the dressing room, dress in hand. "I didn't even look at the price tag. There's no way I can - "

Kim cut her off with a motion of her hand. "Forget that, honey. I won a bet with Clay, so I'm paying for the dress. I'm paying for your entire look tomorrow night."

Kate gave her a puzzled look. "Hunh, what?"

"I said, I'm paying for your entire look. Dress, shoes... everything." Kim pointed at her. "No arguments now."

"You also paid for lunch, lady," Kate told her sternly. "If you're gonna shell out this kind of cash for me to look good for one night, then I'm reimbursing you for lunch. Deal?"

Kim sighed, and Sarah echoed her with a sigh of her own. "Is she always this stubborn?" Kim asked.

"Oh yeah," Sarah replied.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"What do you think of Kate?" Clay asked Ruben.

Ruben gave a single nod and a smile. "She's a nice girl. And she's pretty."

"She's beautiful," Clay agreed, "both inside and out. I've never met a woman as amazing as Kate, never met a woman that Aunt Dizzy's song fits more than Kate!" He heaved a deep sigh of contentment. "And she's interested in me! Can you believe it? Me!"

Ruben nodded, a sly grin on his face. "So you lost the bet with Kim."

Clay chuckled at the thought. When he had first thought of inviting Kate to Los Angeles and the premiere, he and Kim had gotten into a debate over the nature of his and Kate's relationship. Clay insisted that Kate didn't see him in a romantic light, Kim insisted that she did... and the wager was over the premiere, if Kate chose to accept the invitation. If Clay won the bet, he would pay for Kim's outfit as Ruben's escort. If Kim won the bet, she would pay for Kate's as his escort. Of course Clay knew that the outcome of the bet was sealed the moment they laid eyes on each other at the airport. "I lost the bet with Kim... and the two of them are out shopping because of it."

Ruben laughed. He had never seen his buddy this head-over-heels for a woman. "Which one you singing tomorrow?" Ruben asked Clay as he popped the CD into the player.

"Both," Clay admitted. "I called Jeff back later and told him that I had two songs I wanted to sing, one from the movie and one from the upcoming album. I don't think I could have made him a happier man with anything else I said."

Ruben chuckled. "Wait 'til the folks at RCA see the show."

"Yeah, I'm gonna hear about this." Clay grimaced. "What I care about is what Kate's going to think."

"Dawg, one of two things are gonna happen." Ruben grinned mischievously. "She's gonna cry, or she's gonna kiss you."

A cheesy grin covered Clay's face at the idea, but he shook his head. "No, she won't kiss me. She takes the whole kissing thing pretty seriously." Clay gave it a moment's thought. "If I didn't know better, I'd say it bothered her... or scared her."

Ruben raised both eyebrows. "She had boyfriends before?" When Clay nodded, Ruben also nodded. "Might be man trouble. You might talk to her about it."

Clay sighed. "I meant to talk with her about it last night, but we got to talking about other things. I guess I'm going to have to try again..." He chewed on his lip. "But not tonight."

Ruben nodded again - they would be far too busy tonight for Clay to get a decent conversation with his girl. "Which song you doin' first?"

"Aunt Dizzy's song," Clay told him.

"Kate's gonna like this one." Ruben grinned. "You go, Clay dawg."

Clay pushed the button on the CD player and listened to the intro before starting to rehearse his song.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Kim stood back and gave Kate careful, thoughtful consideration before giving her the second thumbs-up of the day. "And that would be the outfit."

"As long as I don't trip and kill myself and Clay in these heels," Kate agreed as she appraised herself in the full-length mirror, "this would be the outfit."

"Make sure to take pictures," Sarah told Kim over her cell.

Kim nodded. "I will. Talk to you more tomorrow."

"I'll be here."

Kim hung up after their good-byes and turned her attention back to Kate. "You nervous about meeting Clay's family tonight?"

Kate made a noise of agreement. "You might say that." She blew a stream of air up at her bangs. "I'm still trying to figure out what Clay sees in me. Trying to figure out what his family will think of me gives me butterflies in the stomach."

"I think they'll like you just fine, because Clay likes you just fine." Kim leaned forward in the chair. "Clay sees a woman after God's own heart, a strong woman who knows exactly what and who she believes in. And she believes in him, and he knows it." She smiled at the other woman. "Face it girl, you're the best thing that's happened to him in a while."

"I think I know what you mean." Kate turned to face Kim. "While there's been a lot of positives from the whole music career thing, it's a difficult and lonely life. Unfortunately it's taken its toll on him." Kate frowned, strongly feeling the sympathy for Clay in her heart "If his family, and his friends from North Carolina, and you guys from Idol weren't there for him..." She shrugged, at a loss to complete the thought.

"If you weren't there for him..." Kim agreed.

"I haven't done that much," Kate shook her head.

"More than you know." Kim gave her a thoughtful gaze before going on. "You have any serious thoughts about him?"

Kate knew from the tone of Kim's voice that she was referring to a long-term relationship, namely marriage. More than you know. Kate chewed on her lip and debated how to voice that thought. "I'd be lying if I told you I didn't think about that sort of thing from time to time," she finally offered. When Kim said nothing in reply, Kate continued hoarsely. "I've dreamed about a man like him all my life. An amazing, loving, compassionate, tender, gentle man of God. He is... my dream come true." At this admission the tears started to flow down Kate's cheeks. A dream I don't deserve to have.

Kim stood up and crossed the gap between them in a few steps. She hugged Kate. "Oh honey, I didn't mean to make you cry."

"You didn't, Kim, you didn't." Kate returned the hug but said nothing more.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Clay watched as his mother placed the fresh vegetables on the counter. "I'm sorry that we had to put you guys up in a hotel," he apologized to her.

Faye Parker shook her head. "We agreed that it was important that Kate stay with you this week. Brett and I can always stay with you another time. This way we get to spend more time with Jeff and Amy and their families."

Clay smiled. "I'm glad you see it that way."

Brett put the paper plates and cups on the kitchen table. "This girl better be worth it," he teased, "or next time I'm sleeping in your bedroom and you get the couch."

With a laugh Clay nodded. "She is. You guys are going to love her."

"You've sure had nothing but good to say about her." Brett elbowed his brother. "Sure she's not too good to be true?" Immediately Clay's face sobered.

"Brett, honey," Faye broke in, "she might be everything Clayton says she is. Just because he hasn't had much luck with women before this doesn't mean he won't find anyone." Faye gave Clay a tender smile as she continued to work. "He just hadn't found the right one yet." Clay's expression warmed as she touched her hand to his cheek. "We need to have faith in Clay's judgment and trust that he will know her when the time comes."

"Mom," Clay said quietly, "I think Kate just might be the one. I mean, look at everything that's happened in our family. And she accepts that, accepts it as it is. She told me, 'Clay, it would be totally wrong of me to pass judgment on you based on something that happened in your past, especially something that wasn't your fault.' And she's stayed true to her word. The way she treats me hasn't changed because of anything I've told her about Vernon, or you, or Deb, or whatever." He chewed his lip. "It hasn't changed because of anything I've told her about myself, either. She accepts me as I am."

Faye nodded, pleased. "That's a good sign, Clayton honey."

Brett grabbed the sack of baby carrots and opened it up to take one to munch on. "I know it would be a good sign for me if a woman was a Star Wars fan or a Star Trek fan. You gotta have the important things in common with your woman."

Clay briefly debated his reply before he decided it wasn't worth it. He was saved from making any response to his brother at all by the door buzzer. He went over to the intercom. "Yeah?"

"Hey there, dawg," Ruben said through the speaker. "We're all here. Wanted to warn you before we came on in."

"Thanks Ruben. You remember the code." The two hung up and Clay returned to the kitchen. "The Studdards are on their way."

The sound of a key in the latch caught Clay's ear and he turned around to see Kim and Kate enter with their arms full. "We're back," Kim announced and closed the door behind them.

"Wow," Clay said as he walked over. "I hope you left the place standing."

"We didn't have that much time," Kate told him, "to destroy the place. Give us the whole day, and you'll discover who has a black belt in bargain shopping."

Clay chuckled and took a few of Kate's packages. "Let me help you, honey." He gave her a sly look as he held up the bagged dress. "Do I get a peek?"

"Forget it, Aiken," Kim told him flatly before Kate could respond. "You're not seeing any of it until tomorrow night."

When Clay's mouth turned down in a mock pout, Kate shrugged. "Sorry, sweetheart. You heard what she said." He turned his best wounded puppy dog look on her next, and Kate shook her head. "Don't even try that. It's not just me you're contending with - you're also dealing with her and Sarah."

"Sarah?" Clay asked as the three carried the packages to the rooms. "How did your friend Sarah get involved in this?"

Kim piped up. "She's our fashion consultant."

"Color commentator," Kate added, and Kim laughed.

Clay hung the dress in the closet. "I'm going to have to get the story later."
"Believe me," Kim chuckled, "you will."

"Hey Ruben," Brett's voice sounded from the living room, and the rest of it was drowned out by a cacophony of other voices from Ruben and Clay's families.

Clay nodded towards the living room. "Sounds like they're here. You ready?"

Kate took a deep but shaky breath. "Y-Yeah."

She's nervous, Clay realized. Quickly he moved to embrace her. "You'll be fine, honey. They will fall in love with you," he kissed her on the forehead, "the moment they meet you." A hopeful look filled Kate's eyes, and she laid her head on Clay's shoulder. Clay smiled, held her closer, and buried his face in her hair before speaking to her again. "If it's any consolation, darlin', I'm nervous too. I want so very much for them to like you."

The two of them stood for several moments there like that before Kim returned to lean in the doorway. "Clay, everyone's here. You'd better come out and join your guests."

Clay groaned and glanced up at Kim. "Once we leave this room, I'm not getting any more time alone with Kate this evening."

"I know," Kim murmured sympathetically. She beckoned to them. "We'll take care of her. You and Ruben need to start working on the grill."

"In a minute," Clay said firmly. "I want to introduce her to my family myself." He released Kate and took her hand to lead her out of the room, choosing to ignore the look of amusement on Kim's face.

Once back into the living room, Clay led Kate through the Studdard family into the kitchen where his mom had gathered with his siblings. "Everyone, this is my girlfriend Kate. Kate, this is my mom Faye Parker, my brother Brett, my brother Jeff, and my sister Amy." He continued with introductions until Kate had met everyone in Clay's family.

"It's nice to meet you, Kate," Faye told her, wordlessly inviting her into a warm hug.

Kate returned the embrace with Clay's mother as warmly as she received it from her. "The pleasure is mine, Mrs. Parker."

"Dawg," Ruben said as he clapped a large hand on Clay's shoulder, "we gotta get firing."

Clay sighed and nodded. He turned back to Kate. "I'll just be outside, darlin'." Meeting her eye he mouthed the words, "You'll be fine" to her before following Ruben outside to the grill.

Kate watched the two go out of sight before turning back to Faye Parker, who had also been watching Clay. His mom shook her head. "Every time I come out here to see him," she mused, "it amazes me how much my boy has grown and matured. He's changed so much... yet he's stayed exactly the same."

Kate smiled, trying in vain to sort out what she had meant by that before finally giving up. "He's a very special man," she told her quietly. "You did an amazing job of raising him."

Faye returned the smile. "I always appreciate hearing that, especially from a young woman like yourself." She gave a brief nod. "Which reminds me... I heard you call me Mrs. Parker. Why don't you call me Faye, Kate honey?"

What? "Er, uh..." Kate stammered, at a loss for words. I can't call her that, Kate protested in her mind. "I... uh... don't know if I can do that, Mrs. Parker..." she began.

"Why not?" Faye asked simply.

"It wouldn't be right," Kate replied, "for me to call you by your first name. You're Clay's mom, and since he and I are dating, it wouldn't be proper. It wouldn't show you respect... and my parents taught me to show respect to the people around me."

Faye somehow looked pleased by Kate's response. "All right then, Kate. If you wouldn't feel comfortable calling me Faye, how about calling me 'Mom'?"

Shock filled Kate's eyes and for a brief moment she thought she might need to find a chair. "M-Maybe in God's good time I'll have reason to do that..." Kate managed at last, "but that's up to Clay."

Faye nodded thoughtfully. "I guess until that day I'm all right with you calling me Mrs. Parker." She continued to study Kate, who swallowed nervously under the scrutiny of Clay's mom. Giving her another warm smile, Faye attempted to draw Kate into a conversation. "Clay tells me that you're a teacher. What is it that you teach?" Before long Kate was talking comfortably with Clay's mom and sister, and Clay's brothers wandered away for a conversation of their own.

"I've heard Clay's version of how you met," Faye said at last, "but I would like to hear it from you. How did the two of you meet?"

Kate gave a sheepish grin and chuckle. "I... was just another one of his fans who decided to write him," she acknowledged. "I mean, there was nothing unique or special about it, really. I sent him cards - lots of cards, because I figured with his new circumstances he needed all the encouragement he could get." As Faye smiled gently, Kate continued. "I sent him letters too - tried not to talk too much, but I didn't figure he would ever write back, so they felt awfully one-sided to me. Talked about school and my classes in them, talked about my family... talked about life in Nebraska, and offered to be a tour guide if he ever came to visit."

Amy giggled. "Don't be surprised if he takes you up on that!"

"I won't now," Kate nodded, "but at first you couldn't have convinced me of it." She chewed on her lip in thought. "I talked about this and that... Tried to express interest in his own life, but again I didn't figure I'd hear from him." Kate shrugged. "I talked about my faith and my beliefs, and the mission trip I took back in 2002 with one of my cousins from Lincoln."

Immediately Faye's attention focused all the more sharply. "Mission trip?"

Kate blushed and nodded. "We went together one week in June, during my summer vacation. It was great bonding time, both with my cousin and the other members of her church." She heaved a deep sigh. "I want so much to go on another mission trip with her and her church friends..."

Faye sighed and nodded. "So you're the one who put that idea in Clayton's head..."

"Hunh?" Kate looked up at Faye, baffled.

"Since last fall Clayton has been talking about going on a mission trip." Faye raised one delicate eyebrow. "He said he knew someone who had been on one, and was thinking of going with them the next time they went. He said it sounded like the experience of a lifetime."

Kate stared and blinked, agape. I didn't think he was serious when he said he wanted to go with me.

Faye smiled gently at Kate's shocked expression. "How long have you been writing him?"

"Since shortly after American Idol, about two years ago. I wasn't expecting to hear from him at all - when one day I received a really nice, chatty letter from him." Kate shook her head, still amazed. "That was about three, three and a half months after I had written the first one. Of course I kept on writing him... and shortly afterwards we started emailing each other, and then he started calling." She smiled a bit dreamily. "It's still so hard to believe that he wanted to get to know me better... like I said, there's nothing remarkable about me, nothing at all."

Amy shook her head. "Clay disagrees."

"Obviously," Kate drawled with another shake of her head, "because I'm here."

Faye studied Kate thoughtfully. "I want to hear more about your mission trip."

Kate nodded with pleasure. She was always happy to talk about what she considered to be the most meaningful event of her life. "Sure."

All at once Clay burst into the kitchen. Leaning around Kate's back, he pulled a meat fork from one of the drawers. "Sorry to bother you," he told her and his mother. "Don't let me disturb you." With that he was gone again on his way back out to the grill.

Both Kate and Faye watched him go again. Kate raised her eyebrow and tapped her lip mischievously. "Was that an apron I saw him wearing?"

"Looks like it," Faye nodded.

"My brother's gone domestic," Amy shook her head in amazement.

Kate snickered. "I gotta get a picture of this. Do you ladies mind if I slip out for a moment and grab my camera from the other room?"

Faye put a hand on her shoulder. "Go right on ahead, Kate honey," she invited her. "I want to get mine out of my purse."

Great minds think alike, Kate giggled to herself as she ran into the bedroom to fetch her camera. She grabbed it, and like a shot she returned to meet up with Faye and Amy in the living room... both with their own cameras in hand. "He's gonna kill us..." Kate giggled again as Faye led the troops outside to the grill.

Once outside on the patio, Kate immediately heard Clay and Ruben involved in some deep discussion... or was it a debate? They turned the corner and saw both men in sizable cooking aprons in front of the grill... Clay with the grill tools and Ruben with a spray water bottle. Quietly the three women lined up for their pictures and started snapping. At the first flash, Clay and Ruben looked up. "H-Hold it, wait just a second here," Clay protested.

"It was just the perfect Kodak moment," Kate told him. An evil look crossed her eyes. "The only thing that is missing are a couple of those chef hats from that one commercial you did - you know, the fifties diner where you guys were all decked out... the T-bird commercial? You know!" As Clay gave Kate a dirty look, she shrugged. "I tell ya, you guys need the chef hats." Faye and Amy broke up in delighted laughter as Clay shook the grill spatula at her. "I'm getting in trouble here, aren't I?" Kate drawled with a grin and a giggle at the other ladies. Ruben aimed the spray bottle at Kate and fired. Kate shrieked and held her camera out of the way as the water nailed her.

Clay glanced at Ruben. "Good shot."

"Thanks dawg."

"Hey!" Kate squawked. "You're supposed to be on my side!" she told him with a pout. "What kinda boyfriend are you?"

Clay turned back to Ruben. "Give me that." Ruben complied, taking the grill tools from Clay. Clay advanced and took aim at Kate with the bottle. "I've got you in my sights now, my dear."

"Oh, shoot..." Kate grunted as she shoved her camera into Faye's hands and took off on a run, with Clay close on her heels. She narrowly dodged his first shot, but his second hit her squarely in the back. Suddenly a nearby garden hose caught her eye and she sprinted for it.

"Oh no, you don't," Clay said as she grabbed it and turned on the water. Immediately the hose sprang to life, and Kate put her thumb over part of the mouth of the hose to turn the gently running water into a faster, more powerful stream. Cold water drenched the apron, his shirt and his jeans, and Clay yelled out. Carefully he put one hand in front of his face while he grabbed for the hose with the other. After a few moments of water spraying them both, he wrestled it from her and shoved the end of the hose down the back of her shirt.

Kate shrieked, her jaw hanging slack. "That... is... cold!" She tried to reach behind her to pull it out, but Clay was holding it out of reach down the back of her shirt. "Augh! Clay Aiken! You are so going to get it for this..." Still unable to get a hold of the hose, she grabbed his arm and tried to pull it out that way. Another tickling match began, and before long they were wrestling in the grass with the garden hose laying forgotten to the side. "Clay," Kate panted at last, "I don't think we should have a repeat of this morning in front of your mother and the rest of your guests..."

Clay quit wrestling her with a sigh and helped her back to her feet. "You only say that because you were losing," he told her as he hugged her and kissed her on the nose.

"Only in your dreams, mister." Kate gave his stomach a mild play slap, which made a loud smacking noise with his clothes soaking wet. "I can lick ya if I want."

Clay raised his eyebrow and gave her a sly half grin. "Sounds like we need a rematch later when everyone's gone."

Kate blushed fiercely but said nothing. It would be a dangerous thing indeed if she had to make good on that bluff.

At once Clay turned at a clicking noise. "Oh no!" he exclaimed as he caught a glimpse of Kim, his mother, and his sister all nearby with cameras in their hands. "H-How much of that did you get?"

Kim laughed deeply. "Oh, all of it, Clay honey." She held up the camera in her hands. "Kate, for your scrapbook..."

"My own camera!" Kate squeaked weakly and buried her face into Clay's shoulder.

Clay sighed with resignation. "Honey, at the rate we're going, we're gonna have to have an album just for pictures of our embarrassing moments together..." She whimpered, and Clay held her closer.

"Clay dawg," Ruben called out, "I enjoyed the show, but you better come over and help."

"Enjoyed the show, indeed." Clay glared at Ruben before giving Kate a gentle peck on the cheek. "You might take a moment to change out of those wet clothes, before the meat's done cooking." With that he ran back over to Ruben and gave the larger man a playful smack on the back of the head before resuming his post at the grill.

Kim chuckled and handed the camera back to Kate, who accepted with a shake of her head. "Go ahead and change. We'll wait out here for you."

"That's okay," Kate responded. "Clay's obviously going to tough it out in his wet clothes." She chewed her lip. "He shouldn't be the only one - I can too."

Faye blinked in mild surprise. "You don't have to."

"I know," Kate smiled gently. "But that's my choice."

Clay glanced over at the group of women who had started walking back over to them. "The meat's almost done. Are we ready to set out the rest of the food?"

"We can," Faye said. "Amy, if you'll give me a hand in the kitchen..."

"I'll help too, Mrs. Parker," Kate offered.

Faye turned to the other woman. "You're Clay's guest. I wouldn't dream of it."

"I'm used to helping in the kitchen," Kate told her. "It makes me feel more at home, to be honest."

"Take her word for it," Clay informed his mother. "This morning she cooked us breakfast."

Faye nodded. "Then come on."

In short order the four women had set the rest of the food onto the table where they were serving from, and the two men had pulled the hamburgers and hot dogs off the grill. "We're ready to call everyone," Clay said. He looked around at the group - apparently the rest of the families had seen the food headed outside and had followed it. "Okay, everyone's here. Why don't we have a prayer and then start?"

Clay led the assembled group in prayer, and invited the two families to go through the line with the parents leading first. He watched, pleased, as they all piled their plates with food. This is a nice little gathering, he thought. I'm glad I suggested this. Clay felt a soft, gentle hand take his, interlacing their fingers with his own. He turned to Kate with a warm smile. "You should get in line, honey."

Kate returned the smile. "I'll go through with you and Kim."

Clay switched the hand that held hers with the other one so that he could wrap his arms around her waist from behind. To his delight Kate put her arms on the top of his and held them tightly to herself. "Well," he told her, "I guess then the two of us should get in line." Not letting go of her, Clay started to walk, and the two of them walked over to the end of the line just like that.

Once in line behind his brother Brett, Kate giggled up at Clay. "You're silly, sweetheart."

"Yep," Clay admitted. "And you love it," he said as he kissed her temple.

"Yep."

Ruben's brother Kevin got into line behind the two of them. "Yo Kate," Kevin nodded, "Ruben tells me you're from Nebraska."

Kate leaned back in Clay's arms, and Clay could swear that he felt her sigh. "Sure am."

"I got a question for you," Kevin said.

Clay waited for Kevin's question. This should be interesting. Kate squeezed Clay's hand. "What's on your mind, Kevin?"

"Do you have email there in Nebraska?"

Even Clay could answer that question - one of the ways he and Kate had communicated was over email. You have to be kidding me. He opened his mouth to respond when Kate gave him an answer of her own. "Email? We still have Pony Express in Nebraska."

Clay blinked in surprise and glanced at his brother Brett, who was now also listening attentively. Clay turned back to Kevin, who looked equally surprised. "Seriously?" Kevin asked.

"Yeah," Kate told him with a completely sincere expression on her face. "There's a Pony Express station just down the road from me, in Gothenburg."

"You don't have one in your town?" Kevin shook his head.

"They spaced them out a bit so that the horses could get a good run going," Kate told him.

Kevin studied her for a moment to see if she was pulling his leg. "Pony Express?"

Kate met Kevin's eye straight on. "There's an honest-to-goodness Pony Express station in Gothenburg at this very moment."

Finally Kevin nodded. "Cool."

Clay chewed his lip in confusion. He was almost positive that the two of them had used the regular mail system. He was going to have to look through her letters again and double-check the postmarks.

At last it was their turn at the food table, and the two of them filled their plates as well and sat down with his mother, his brother Brett and the rest of his family. Clay turned to Kate, still puzzled. "All this time I thought that you had regular mail like everyone else. I didn't realize that Nebraska still had Pony Express. You really have a station down the road from you in Gothenburg?"

The corner of Kate's mouth twitched. "It's a museum." When Clay's jaw dropped, Brett broke up into laughter. Kate gave the two men a sheepish grin.

Remembering how the Jaded Journalist kept teasing him about his home in North Carolina, Clay started chuckling at Kate's impish practical joke. "That was a good one, honey. I think Kevin honestly believes now that you guys use Pony Express to deliver your mail."

"Don't tell Ruben I did that to his brother... in spite of the fact that it was just too funny." Kate snickered quietly. "People ask me the dumbest questions about Nebraska like they think we're straight out of Little House on the Prairie or something." She blushed. "I decided a long time ago that getting mad at their ignorance didn't do me any good - it's much more fun to play with their minds instead."

Brett leaned to whisper to Kate. "You shouldn't play with such little things."

As Clay laughed aloud, Kate bit her lip to keep from doing the same and swatted Brett on the arm. "Shame on you, Brett. Here I'm trying to be nice to the man and not say things like that..."

Clay blinked at her. "I'm surprised at you. You don't have a bad word to say about anyone."

"Oh, I do," Kate admitted, "I just choose to keep it to myself most of the time and try to find kinder, nicer things to say instead." She glanced over at Kevin. "But I definitely think that someone hit the dimmer switch on his light bulb."

Clay and Brett laughed all the harder until tears streamed down their faces. Kate shook her head at them and stole a glance at Clay's mom to see if she had heard their conversation. Faye had her hand in front of her mouth, and it was obvious that she was trying not to laugh. Clay grinned at Kate, who indicated his mother with a look and gave a sheepish grimace. He glanced over to see his mom's amused eyes and started laughing again.

"Clay," Brett sputtered, "I like her."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Later that evening

Clay hugged his mother. "Have a good night, Mom."

"You too, sweetheart." Faye immediately turned to give Kate a hug as well. "It is nice to meet you, Kate, and we'll see you tomorrow."

"All right, Mrs. Parker." Kate grinned as she returned it. "I'm looking forward to it."

Once the rest of Clay's family had left, it was just Kim, Clay, and Kate in the house. Clay heaved a deep sigh and grinned at Kate. "What did you think?"

Kate nodded at him. "That was a very nice evening... and your family made me feel very welcome." A slight smile crept onto her face. "That means a lot to me."

"It means a lot to me too." Clay took her into his arms. "I still want to take them all aside tomorrow and get what they think of you, but if what I saw is any indication... they like you."

That's a relief, Kate thought to herself as she snuggled deeper into Clay's embrace.

Clay sighed again. "As much as I would like to repeat last night's talk and cuddle, darlin', we had better get a decent night's sleep if we're going to wake up in time tomorrow morning." He kissed her on the top of her head. "That alarm is going to go off way too early for me."

"What time are we leaving?"

Clay started the mental math. "The show starts at ten New York time... which is seven our time. They want me there an hour and a half ahead of time, which puts us at the studio at eight-thirty their time, five-thirty our time."

"Ouch..." Kate muttered. "And considering how long a flight from Omaha to L.A. is, I can only imagine when we're going to have to leave here." She glanced up at him. "So why didn't we head out there tonight and stay there so we..." Kate trailed off as Clay's eyes indicated the door his family had just exited through. "The picnic."

"It was already planned way in advance." He grimaced. "Couldn't leave tonight because it would be too late, but I arranged a red-eye charter to get us there on time."

Kate winced. "In other words, we crash now."

Clay nodded. "We crash now." He stroked her face gently with his hand. "I wanted to talk with you about a few things, but I guess they'll have to wait until the flight tomorrow morning. How long do you need to get ready in the morning?"

Kate sighed. "I can take only a half-hour if you don't care what I look like... but since this is your day, I should probably have an hour prep time to look decent."

"I'll wake you," he offered, "since I will have troubles sleeping tonight anyway."

A concerned look crossed Kate's face. "You will? Are you alright? Is it anything I can help - "

Clay kissed her on the forehead. "You are, just by being here. It's just pre-show jitters. I always get them, believe it or not."

Kate shook her head in disbelief. "You seem like such a natural."

He chuckled. "Surprise."

She sighed as she looked him in the eye. "Let me guess - the show must go on, right?" He shrugged, and she sighed again as she hugged him tightly. "Oh, sweetheart..."

Clay happily held her as close as she did him. This helps a lot - I feel better already. Aloud he told her, "We should probably call it a night." She nodded. "I'll wake you, all right?"

"Goodnight, Clay," Kate said quietly as she squeezed him one more time.

"Goodnight, Kate."

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