Happy Birthday Troubadour!

[Prettymaid]

Lou, I know this is a big one for you - coming to the states for the first time, seeing Don live. I hope your birthday and your trip is everything you want it to be and more!

Oh and BTW, Don has been made aware of your birthday and that you will be seeing him, and he's got something to say to you...

Happy birthday Lou.
I'm looking so forward to meeting you!

[EagleLady]

Happy Birthday Lou!

[luvthelighthouse]

Happy Birthday... enjoy your day!

[EagleLady]

[Stars]

Happy Birthday, Lou!
Hope you have a wonderful celebration, and a fantastic "extended" birthday, with seeing Don twice!
Enjoy your day, your visit to the States,and seeing your Don!!
Celebrate!

[sodascouts]

Happy Birthday! Sometime tells me this year will be a memorable one.


Don's practicing the drums...



And his cool guitar moves....


So he can give all he's got to Lou for her birthday!

"I'm gonna love Lou... like nobody's loved Lou... come rain or come shine..."

[Koala]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Troub!

Best wishes for a happy birthday and wonderful day of joy and surprises.

[Ive always been a dreamer]

Happy Birthday, Lou!

This is bound to be one of your best birthdays ever, and I hope you have nothing but fond memories of your time with Don to carry with you forever!

[TimothyBFan]

And Don says.....

[ticky]

Happy Birthday, Lou!!!
Here's a little something just for fun in anticipation of your upcoming trip! *G* Hope you like him.. uhh it *G*


Lou sat in the front seat of the old car on the side of some highway in Oklahoma in the mid day heat roasting like a chicken on a spit. Once more she pulled her hair back off her neck and held it on top of her head hoping for a little air to cool her off. Jess would be back in a couple of hours she was sure. It wasn’t her fault the tire had blown and she’d had no idea the spare was flat. They’d been lucky that nice older man with the truck had come by and offered them a ride into town for a new tire. Lou had opted to stay behind with the car, now she thought that was a mistake. She was sure Jess would be all right, she could take care of herself, but Lou was sure she’d be baked in this heat. She opened the car door and stepped out. The heat radiating off the black tar pavement was stifling and hit her like a boxing glove. She stepped to the back door and opened it, popped the top off the cooler and pulled out an ice cold Coke. She twisted off the top and took a long slow pull on it. Now that she was out side the car, a slight breeze, albeit a hot one, was blowing and just the air movement felt wonderful. She leaned on the trunk of the car and pulled her hair up again. The cars going by caused a breeze that cooled her neck and she sighed and closed her eyes, concentrating on the breeze flowing by. She heard tires on gravel. It was too soon for Jess to be back. Lou’s head popped up. A shiny black sports car pulled to a stop a few feet from Lou. Suddenly she was scared. She thought about all those movies and stories she’d heard or seen about stranded women and strangers. She swallowed hard the lump in her throat and grasped the neck of the coke bottle tightly. The black sports car’s door opened and a pair of work boots followed by a pair of long denim clad legs stepped out. A blue plaid shirt hung open exposing a white t-shirt that clung tightly to his abdomen due to the heat coming off the street. The mirrored sunglasses and light colored cowboy hat did little to disguise his identity, at least to Lou. She’d know that square jaw and dimpled chin anywhere. He was the whole reason she’d flown nearly 4600 miles. Her jaw dropped. He walked towards her and she closed her mouth quickly as the flies were starting to gather. His easy smile and soothing voice made her skin tingle.
“Hey there, you having some car problems?”
Lou smiled. She wasn’t sure her voice would make any noise when she tried to speak, but she’d give it a try.
“Uh, yes. We seem to have had some tire issues.”
He grinned at her. “Got a spare?”
Lou shrugged. “It’s gone flat.”
He laughed. “Of course it has. Do you need a ride?”
Lou smiled. He was so kind. “No thank you. I’m waiting for my friend. She got a ride into town to get a new tire.”
“And she left you here alone?”
Lou blushed. “I chose to stay behind. She’ll only be gone a few hours.”
He looked around. “Well, I don’t feel right about leaving you out here alone. Do you mind if I keep you company?”
Lou laughed to herself. And thought “Do I mind?” she said “No, not at all.” Out loud.
He leaned against the car next to Lou.
“It’s a real scorcher out here today.”
Lou looked at him and realized she had forgotten to offer him a cold drink.
“We have some cold sodas in the back. Would you like one?” She held up her coke.
He smiled. “Yeah, that’d be great.”
Lou went to the back seat and pulled the lid off the cooler once more pulling out another ice cold coke and popping the lid off before handing it to him. He smiled and nodded his head.
“Thanks!” He took a long swig and wiped his mouth on the back of his hand. “I'm Don by the way.” He held his hand out for her.
She smiled. “Of course you are. You are the reason I’m here.” She took Don’s hand. He’d paused at her words then laughed.
“I guess my poor attempt at a disguise was worthless.”
Lou leaned back against the car and grinned. She was surprised at how relaxed she was with him. She was in full flirting mode.
“Well perhaps for someone who wasn’t as big of a fan as I am, but I would know you no matter what you wore.” She took another long pull off her bottle.
Don smiled at her and cocked his head.
“You have such a beautiful accent. What part of Brittan are you from?”
“I’m just outside of London. I have tickets to see you and the boys in Manchester in July.”
Don laughed. He held the neck of the bottle between his index and middle finger and swirled it slightly. “Yeah, I'm looking forward to that trip. It’s been a long time since I’ve been to Europe.” He looked at her. She wished he’d remove those glasses. She’d have given anything to see those blue eyes sparkle.
“I doubt you were even around the last time I was touring Europe.”
She wrinkled her brow. “When was that?”
Don laughed. “About the time you were born, I suspect. Twenty years ago.”
“HA! See? I was two! I'm not quite as young as you think!”
Don laughed out loud, throwing his head back. “No, not quite.”
They managed to find some relief from the heat in Don’s car. He turned on the air conditioning and they talked for a long time. He was just as good at flirting as she was and they had a good time bantering back and forth. About an hour went by when the tow truck pulled up and Jess hopped out trotting quickly back to the little black car.
Lou stepped out followed by Don. Jess’s jaw dropped open and her eyes went wide.
Don smiled and shook her hand.
“Jess, it’s a pleasure to see you again.” Don took her hand in both his.
“YOU remember me?” Jess looked as if she might pass out.
Don laughed. “I’d love to say I do. You’re a beautiful young lady, but alas, Louise told me you and I had met before.”
Jess breathed a deep sigh and nodded her head.
Don looked at both the young women standing in the late afternoon heat. “I’m afraid I must be going.” He smiled at them both. “I have a show to get to!”
They all laughed.
Don put his hat back on and replaced his sun glasses. “I WILL see you two there, wont I?”
Jess nodded. “Oh yes! We won’t miss it. We may be a little late.” She glanced back at the elderly man attempting to jack her car up to change the tire.
Don smiled. “Well, the show may be detained a few minutes as well.” He lowered his glasses and winked. “They can’t start without me.”
He lifted Jess’s hand and kissed the back of it. “It really was a pleasure seeing you again.” He smiled.
He took Lou’s hand and his lips grazed her knuckles softly, lingering for just a few seconds longer. “And you. It was a great pleasure meeting you. I’ll do my best to make this show worthy of your trip.” His sideways smile made her knees a little weak.
The girls watched him walk back to the shiny black sports car, admiring the view as he went.
The car pulled away with a quick honk and was down the freeway in moments.
Jess turned to Lou.
“TELL ME EVERYTHING!!!!” she grabbed her by the shoulders. Lou giggled.

The elderly tow truck man had only taken a few minutes to change the tire and the girls paid him and they were on their way. They were, indeed, a few minutes late getting to concert and the ticket taker looked up at them. “You’re lucky! The show’s starting a little late tonight.”
Their seats were 3rd row, center. The ticket taker led them there personally with a smirk on his face. Jess looked at Lou, she shrugged.
“Here ya go.” He smiled. The girls looked down and saw a red rose on each seat. A tag attached said “with love, D~”
Tears sprang to Lou’s eyes and she could tell how touched Jess was as well. They cradled their roses like babies and Lou touched hers to her nose, inhaled deeply. That scent would forever be associated with him from this moment on.
Don came on the stage and sat on a stool placed down front. The Audience erupted in applause and he waved them down with a smile. His eyes were immediately drawn to the girls and he smiled and winked.
“Today, on my way here, I had the opportunity to try and play hero to two beautiful damsels in distress. It turns out, they had thing well in hand. It was the least I could do to keep one company till the other arrived with help, and in that time I discovered she’d actually rescued me. I was having, what you might call, a crisis of faith, not sure my music was reaching the people I wanted to reach. If these two beautiful young women are examples of my fans, then I am a very lucky man indeed.” He looked down into the audience right at Lou and Jess and smiled. “Ladies, this song is for you.”
A haunting melody filled the auditorium and Don’s smoky sultry voice wafted over their heads as he sang “Talking to the Moon”.
Lou closed her eyes and swayed to the music and when she opened them again, Don was watching her as he sang, as if they were the only two people who existed. The images he painted with his song came to life and she and he were alone on a warm Texas night gazing at the full moon. That image and feeling lasted well past the end of the concert and when he blew them each a kiss, it was almost as if he’d actually kissed her beneath that full yellow moon.
The idea of returning home after her visit to the States and her encounter with Don was twice as difficult till she remembered she’d be seeing him again in a few months, and who knows what can happen in a few months. She smiled.