It's A Roller Coaster Ride We're On

“Laur, I think we should start interviewing and photographing the guys today.” I said while she was drying her hair.

“Yeah, I do too.” She said. “How about… I start interviewing with Nick and you take Joe and Kevin for pictures. Then Nick and Joe switch and then Joe and Kevin switch.”

“Okay, but how about I photograph all three together first and maybe throw in Frankie and the parents. Then you can take Nick. That way you and Kevin can do whatever after.” I said, winking at her.

“Oh, shut up!” she said, flinging a hair tie at me.

****

“Guys, good news,” Lauren said as we joined the Jonas’ for breakfast as per usual. Today, we were in Colorado.

“Uh, you and Kevin are getting married?” Joe asked.

“Joe, they just started dating.” Nick said.

“So? That doesn’t mean anything.”

“Guess again Joseph.” I said, rolling my eyes.

“You, Lyss, finally changed your mind and agreed to go on a date with me?” he asked eagerly, leaning forward. My eyes widened and I automatically looked at Nick who looked surprised.

“Uh, no,” I said quietly, looking down at my hands.” Not… um, not yet.”

“Okay…” he said, leaning back and taking a bite of his pear.

“What is it then?” Nick asked.

“We’re finally going to start interviewing and photographing you guys today.” Lauren said sitting next to Kevin, his arm wrapped around her.

“Awesome,” Nick said smiling.

“It’s about time!” Joe exclaimed. “Hey!”

The rest of us groaned as he laughed at his “joke”.

****

“Okay, Frankie, sit on the floor and Joe, Nick, and Kevin, sit behind him on the couch. Kevin Sr. and Denise stand behind the couch and smile nice.” I said, waving my hands around, leading them to their spots mentally.

“Like this?” Denise asked.

“Perfect.” I said, snapping a few photos.

“Okay, now just Denise and the three older boys.” I said. “Show Mama J some love.”

“Mommy!” Joe cried, wrapping his arms around her, causing us all to laugh.

“Okay Kevin Sr., your turn.”

“Come on Dad,” Nick said, waving his father over.

“Alright, time for some brotherly love!” Frankie came running over. Kevin, Joe, and Nick lifted him in their arms. We were trying to recreate that shot from the “Baby Bottle Pop” commercial. It was so cute.

“Nick, come with me.” Lauren said, waving him over so they could go into one of the conference rooms the hotel set aside for us. We were photographing in the ballroom.

“See you in a few Mel.” Nick said, waving as he walked out.

“Alright Lyss, what do you want us to do?” Joe asked.

“Um, I don’t know… just… act brotherly?”

“Wrestling. Got it.” Joe said jumping on Kevin’s back.

“That’s not what I meant but… hey, it works.” I said, shrugging my shoulders as I snapped a few pictures of the elder Jonas’ goofing off.

About twenty minutes later Nick returned.

“Joe, your turn,” he said, pointing over his shoulder to the open door.

“Awesome! See you in a few Lyss,” he shouted, running to the door and smiling at me. As he was running and smiling, he was looking over his shoulder at me. He wasn’t paying attention to the cords running across the floor to the lights I had set up.

“Joe… watch out for the…” I said, reaching my arm out, but to no avail. He tripped on a cord and landed face first on the floor. “Joe are you okay!” I shouted running to him. I knelt on the floor next to him as Kevin and Nick came over too.

“I’m fine,” he said, sitting up. “My head just hurts a bit.”

“Joe, your nose is bleeding,” I said. “Here,” I took off my scarf and gave it to him to stop the bleeding.

“No, I’ll ruin it.” he said, shoving my hands away. “Kev, can you…?”

“I’m on it,” Kevin said, jumping up in search of tissues.

“Nick can you go to the front desk with Rob and see if there’s like… a medic or something in the hotel who can come and check out Joe’s nose. I want to make sure it’s not broken.”

“Sure, I’ll be right back.” He said, slowly standing up. It sounded like he said something like “always has to ruin things” under his breath but I shook it off. Kevin came back with a box of tissues and Denise. I grabbed the box and pulled tissues out and started wiping the blood off of Joe’s face.

“Ow,” he said, wincing as I wiped the area closer to his nose. He placed his hand on my knee and squeezed it every time I just barely touched his nose.

The blood was still coming but not as profusely so I gave him a wad of tissues to hold there. Denise was frantic, trying to determine for herself whether or not it was broken. Soon, Nick came back with the hotel’s medic.

“This young man tells me that you may have broken your nose son,” the medic said, crouching down next to Joe, Denise and I. “What happened?”

“Well, I was running out of the room to get to our friend Lauren so she could interview me when I tripped on a cord. I wasn’t really paying attention to the ground,” he said, glancing at me and smiling. I blushed and looked at the medic.

“There was a lot of blood and he’s still bleeding. Though not very profusely.”

“Typical Joe,” Kevin said, chuckling and shaking his head.

“What’s going on? Joe should have been in the conference room like, five minutes ago.” Lauren said, standing in the doorway with her hands on her hips.

“Joe had an accident.” I said, pointing at the bloody mess of tissues on the ground next to me.

“Oh, are you okay Joe?” she asked, walking closer.

“I’m fine. Really,” he said as the medic continued to check.

“He’s right. The bleeding seems to have stopped now. His nose isn’t broken, but it may stay swollen for at least 24 hours.” The medic said standing up. Denise stood up to shake his hand and thanked him.

“Good thing we don’t have a show until tomorrow night,” Joe said, standing up. He almost lost his balance. “Okay, a little dizzy.”

“Joe we can do your interview later.” Lauren said as Kevin helped Joe stand straight.

“No, no. I can do it. I just need to sit… soon.” He said. Rob came over and helped him walk out of the room with Lauren next to them. “Thanks Lyss!” he called.

“Anytime,” I said, shaking my head as I picked up the mess of tissues. I disposed of them and washed my hands and walked back to the ballroom to photograph Nick and Kevin. “Okay… for you two I want something more… practical than what I photographed of Kevin and Joe.”

“Guitars?” Kevin asked, looking at Nick.

“Of course,” Nick said. I laughed and he looked at me. “What? Would you really expect anything different?”

“No,” I said, lifting my camera and taking more pictures. Joe returned within half an hour.

“I’m back!” he sang, throwing his arms out.

“Don’t trip this time.” Nick said.

“Yeah, yeah, I won’t.” he said, walking over to me. “Kevin, Lauren’s waiting.”

“Oooooooo.” Nick and I said, teasing Kevin. He rolled his eyes as he walked out.

“Well, what should we do now?” Nick asked.

“Yeah, there’s no way I’m letting you take pictures of me with my nose swollen like this.” Joe said, pointing at his still red nose.

“But the book is supposed to be about your life on tour. This,” I said, pointing at his nose, “is what happened with your life on tour. I think it should be in the book.”

“Good point,” Joe said thinking it over. “But come on, for me? Please?” he was practically begging. I looked at Nick who just rolled his eyes and walked back over to the couch. He picked up his guitar and started playing.

“Fine Joe, I’ll photograph you and Nick later.”

“Thanks. You’re the best!” he said, leaning over and kissing my cheek. He placed his hand on my back and led me to the couch. My skin burned where he touched me. But… not in a bad way…

“Nick, what are you playing? It doesn’t sound like any of your songs.” I asked.

“Oh, um…”

“Oh! Is it that new song you were telling me about?”

“New song?” Joe asked, leaning across me to look at Nick. “You’re working on something new? You didn’t tell me or Kevin.”

“Yeah, I’m working on something new.” He said, glancing at me. I smiled at him.

“Do you have lyrics?” Joe asked.

“A bit but I’m still working on them.” He said.

“Cool. Let us know when it’s done.”

“I always do Joe.”