“Where do we go from here?” Nick asked with a smile and scratched his head. They decided to take a stroll in Hyde Park. Nick is oblivious to the attention he was getting from some women who might have wondered if he is an actor or what. No matter how much he hides it, he is an attractive man. Anyone who is a member of the female specie might probably take a second glance at him.
“I don’t want to eat. I had enough of that breakfast at the hotel.” AJ laughed.
Nick smiled. “So, how about if we go castle-hopping here. There’s so much of it here in London alone and we can mark it as an activity for day one,” He suggested as they turned to a bench and sat down. “And then we can go to the countryside to explore the local attractions and history.”
“I’ve thought of it. I love these pieces of history. I’ll take note of that.” Howie said, as he takes a look at the brochures in front of him. He sneaked a bunch of it from the hotel’s front desk earlier as they were about to walk out. The woman at the reception could only smile after Howie gave her a wink. They consulted a travel counselor back in the US but only for the plane tickets and hotel accommodations because they decided to tour on their own. And so now, they were wondering where to go. When they usually go to London or anywhere in Europe, the management company or their PR staff was usually the one who takes care of their tour itinerary. This time, they wanted to try something different.
”You know, Nick, you could very well be a travel counselor instead of a Da Vinci wannabe.” AJ remarked as he started his first smoke of the day.
Nick was about to reply when he saw the woman he bumped into at the airport yesterday. She is walking with an older woman with her. Realizing that this is his chance to get to know her, he stood up without saying a word to AJ and Howie and approached the woman. “Hi. You’re the same woman we’ve met at the airport yesterday, aren’t you?” He asked.
The two were surprised by his approach. The older woman smiled at him, while the other one just looked at him. “Yes,” she said softly, as if mesmerized. “Uh, by the way, this is my mother, Alice.” She said with a nervous smile.
Nick shook hands with the woman’s mother then turned back to her. “And may I know your name too, ma’am?”
“Her name’s Victoria,” Alice said. “You looked quite familiar. I think I saw you once in LA, or in the telly. Being a housewife, I just got nothing to do but either watch the telly or cook something in the kitchen. You used to go out with this blonde lady. What’s her name again?” She turned to her daughter. “Your face is familiar though. I think I saw you passed by me once when you visited another young man – tall, broad shoulders, huge eyebrows…”
With that, Nick grinned. “That’s Kevin, one of our friends. He lives there with his wife.” He said, ignoring her first recall. She’s talking about Paris.
“Oh, yes. Kevin Richardson, now I remember. His environment-friendly house inspired us to do the same with ours.” Alice said. “He toured me once when he and his wife had a party. You’re the Backstreet Boys?”
Nick nodded. “If I visit Kevin’s place some time, I hope I’ll be very welcome in your home as well.” He charmingly smiled then turned once again to Victoria. Just then, AJ and Howie came behind Nick. Alice is so enthusiastic to meet them too and introduced herself. Victoria wanted to laugh at her mother’s excitement and to the private life she’s truly enjoying but cannot. Nick’s presence is making her speechless and nervous. Based from her best friend’s devotion to these guys, she became aware on how much media these men can easily attract. She consciously looked around for paparazzi but there’s none. ‘Stop being paranoid, Victoria,’ she silently thought.
“May I invite both of you to a lunch later?” Nick asked the two women after the introductions with AJ and Howie have been made.
“Alright,” Alice said immediately. Victoria just smiled although she already wanted to pull her Mom from there some minutes ago.
“Thank you, Ma’am.” Nick couldn’t help himself and hugged Alice. The elder woman laughed amusingly while Victoria just smiled and shook her head in vulnerable awkwardness and somehow, embarrassment from her Mom’s over-zealous attitude. Nick began telling them about having lunch at the hotel they were staying at. The two women knew about the hotel and they agreed to meet up later. When the two left, Nick was still following Victoria with his look. AJ had to nudge his friend just to get Nick’s attention.
“Do you like her?”
“Absolutely.” Nick replied. “There’s something about her that’s different and intrigues me at the same time.”
AJ tried again. “Will you go on a fling with her?”
Nick immediately shook his head. “There are women whom you’d like to jump in to the bed with, and there are ladies whom you wanted to take home to Mom. Victoria can be the former but she is absolutely a candidate for the latter.” AJ smiled. He’s seeing now the different side of Nick. His brother is now all grown up. He only hoped that he learned a lesson from his relationships in the past, and that will be a good thing.
~~~
“I particularly liked that Nick,” Alice said as she and Victoria are on their way home. Victoria didn’t say anything as her gaze is focused on the places that the car has been passing by. They will just go home to change and will be back to have lunch with the men at the hotel. “That was such a wonderful young man to earn a living in his own way in such a young age. I wished your brothers could do that same thing like he does but they can’t.”
“They grew up spoiled by that family, and will never have to work for the rest of their lives. What a pity.” Victoria said.
“Now, Victoria. I don’t want you feeling that way towards your brothers. Circumstances led us to live like this, and I hope you could accept it as it is and love them. I truly regret to let that thing happened to you before, and I won’t let anything come between us again. As for now, we cannot do anything else. We do not want further complications anymore.” Alice said.
“And that’s why I don’t want to be acquainted with Nick, Mom. He’s a famous guy, he is one-fifth of this very famous singing group where many women loved and adored him and although I think I like him too, I’m allergic to famous people usually being followed by paparazzi.”
“I understand,” Alice replied, recalling the past in which she was also had been an object of media scrutiny as her ex-husband’s wife. But Victoria is different from her. “So, would you like to cancel the lunch with them?”
“I don’t think we don’t have any choice but to go, Mom. What do you think?”
“No.” Alice gave her daughter an assuring smile. “Follow your heart, Victoria. I know you’d like to go. Besides, he’s not even your boyfriend. Consider this as rather just a lunch with one of your college pals.”
