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Chapter 22

Chapter 22

“What took you guys so long?” Brian asked as the three women walked into the dressing room smiling and laughing. “We were ready to send out a search party.”

“What? We weren’t gone that long,” Annie said laughing as she noticed the annoyed look on all the guys’ faces. “Don’t worry, we are fine, the longest part was finding where Andrea had run off to. Once we found her, it didn’t take that long to work things out.” Annie walked over to the table of food and grabbed a plate, followed by the other two women.

The guys stood there with shocked looks on their faces, wondering what happened and how they worked things out so fast. All three women were acting as if nothing had happened. When the girls noticed the guys just staring at them, they busted out laughing.

“Don’t you guys have a sound check to do or something?” Andrea asked with a smirk. “Why are you staring at us like that?”

The guys just shook their heads and walked out of the room and towards the stage for sound check. The girls once again busted out laughing as soon as the guys were out of the room.

“It’s like they’ve never seen girls make up after a fight,” Leighanne said looking at Andrea. “I really am sorry though. If I had known what you went through, things would have made a bit more sense, and I wouldn’t have said those horrible things.”

“It’s okay, you didn’t know,” Andrea responded in an understanding tone.

Leighanne held out her arms toward Andrea. “Friends?” she asked.

“Friends,” Andrea said as she walked into Leighanne’s open arms and hugged her.

Leighanne wrapped her arms around Andrea’s petite frame tightly. She was so relieved that Andrea had forgiven her for the awful things she said and was not holding a grudge. Must be a Midwest thing, she thought to herself as she hugged Andrea. Or a southern thing, because I would be the same way, but the women I meet in LA who call themselves my friends would not be so nice or forgiving. They remember everything you say, or don’t say and use it against you when it suits them.

The two women released each other and joined Annie at the table where she had already begun to eat. Andrea and Annie told Leighanne about their lives, about the company, where they live, what Wisconsin is like, their plans for the next three weeks and so on. Leighanne in turn told them about how she met Brian, what she does when she is not on the road with the guys, and what it is like being married to a Backstreet Boy. By the time they had finished eating and they had learned quite a bit about each other, sound check was over and the guys came bounding back into the dressing room.

“Man, those girls are crazy!” AJ exclaimed as he walked into the room. “I thought that one girl was never going to let go of me.”

“What’s this I hear?” Annie asked casually, trying to not let the jealousy that was building inside her show. “You had girls hanging on you? Does that happen often?” She already knew the answer to that question.

“I think someone’s getting a little green,” Howie said with a laugh. “Honestly Annie, don’t worry. It’s not a big deal.”

“I’ve been dealing with it since Brian and I started dating,” Leighanne offered, hoping to be helpful to the situation. “Girls still hug him and hang on him and tell him they love him, but it’s really nothing to worry about. At the end of the day, it’s me he climbs into bed with, and that’s all that matters. They all love the fans, but not the way they love the girls they are involved with. You have nothing to worry about.”

AJ looked at Leighanne, but this time he was smiling at her. “She’s right Annie,” he said as he mouthed the words “thank you” to Leighanne. “You remember when you were younger; wouldn’t you have hung onto me until you were pulled off?”

“Well, I would have defiantly done something to get your attention, but I don’t know if it would have been something embarrassing like hanging on you until security pried me off,” Annie said with a sexy smile on her face. “Of course, nothing could be as embarrassing as the way Andrea got Nick’s attention yesterday at sound check!” She added quickly, shooting Andrea a funny look.

“Oh, I can think of plenty things that would be way more embarrassing,” Andrea said, trying to defend herself. “And besides, I didn’t do that on purpose….I didn’t even know they were right behind me! And why do you always have to bring up something I do so that the focus is taken off you? I don’t like being the lackey!” Andrea stopped when she noticed that everyone was staring at her with amused looks on their faces. “What? What is so darn funny?” Andrea asked, trying to sound annoyed.

“You,” Nick said as he brushed away the curl that had fallen into her eyes while she was ranting. “You’re too cute for words,” he said sweetly.

“Yeah, you really are,” Annie mocked and she stuck her finger in her mouth and pretended to gag. “The cutest even.”

“Shut up,” Andrea joked to Annie, never breaking the intense stare her and Nick were partaking in together.

“Okay,” Annie responded turning away from Nick and Andrea. “What do you guys want to do while we wait for those two to come out of the ‘love trance’ they are in?” she asked everyone else, rolling her eyes.

“I heard that,” Nick said laughing.

“Me too,” said Andrea. “It’s not my fault that his eyes are so captivating and induce such reverie,” she innocently admitted, as she smiled up at Nick, her green eyes gleaming.

“Oh, I know it. They really do,” AJ said huskily, his voice full of sarcasm and mockery. “I know when I look into them, I react the same way. You can’t fight it,” he laughed as he started to sing “Can’t Fight the Moonlight” by Leann Rimes. “You can try to resist, try to hide from my kiss, but you know don’t you know that you, can’t fight the blue eyes,” he sang, changing the last two words. The entire room erupted in laughter, including Andrea and Nick.

“You are such a dumbass,” laughed Nick as he punched AJ in the shoulder.

“Ow, you big A-hole,” said AJ rubbing his shoulder. “You punch hard, for a girl!”

“You really want to wake up one morning and find all your clothes gone or your entire body covered tape or something, don’t you?” Nick asked trying to sound threatening.

“You can’t do anything to me, Annie will be there to protect me,” AJ chided. He smiled at Annie, but she looked at him with a questioning expression on her face. “Right? You are going to be with me, aren’t you?” he asked, the laughter and joking gone from his voice.

Annie looked around, not sure what to say. What am I supposed to say? I have no idea what’s going to happen or where I am going to be. This trip was supposed to be just me and Andrea, and is all of that going to change now? She had so many questions running through her head at the same time she felt dizzy. I am not a “commitment” type of girl! I don’t commit to anything that involves men, what the h*ll am I supposed to say?

“Annie?” AJ asked, waiting for her answer. I guess I shouldn’t have put her on the spot like this, but I didn’t think it would take her this long to answer. I can’t take it back now. Why won’t she answer? He was beginning to doubt her feelings for him. She had made him feel so hopeful in the restaurant earlier. Was it all a lie? Was she just trying to pacify me until she got back to Cincinnati and away from me?

“I guess you’ll have to wait and see,” she said seductively, hoping to distract him and the thoughts he had and the answers he wanted. She walked up and kissed him slowly and deeply. If I know anything about Alex McLean, it’s that this will shut him up for a little while at least, she thought to herself. I just don’t want to get into this in front of everybody.

“That’s a good answer,” he said, licking his lips after they finished kissing. “I can’t wait to get you in bed again,” he snarled into her ear.

“I can’t wait either,” she breathed into his ear. She looked at her watch, it was almost six. “Don’t we have time for a little action now?” she asked him, biting her lower lip.

“We’ll be right back,” AJ said as he grabbed Annie around the waist and pulled her out of the room.

“Just make sure you’re done by the time we go onstage!” Kevin yelled after them. They all snickered for a minute or so, then went back to their conversations until it was time to get ready for the concert.

 

 


“Wow. That’s all I can say. That was amazing,” Annie said as she slipped her shirt over head and pulled her pants back on.

“Sex in a bathroom stall always is.” AJ smiled at her as he buckled his belt.

“You are so naughty,” she said in a sexy tone. “I guess we better get back though,” she said, unlocking the door.

“In a minute.” He put his hand on the door so she couldn’t open it. “I know you were trying to get me sidetracked,” he said with a serious look on his face. “I just had a really great time getting sidetracked, don’t get me wrong, but why you are trying is what I want to know.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said defensively.

“Yes, you do, but I’m not going to press you about it right now. I have to get changed and warmed up so you’re off the hook for the time being. But just know this isn’t the end of this conversation.” He allowed her to open the door and exit the bathroom. “Women,” he sighed under his breath as he followed her out.

They walked back into the dressing room to find everyone talking and laughing. They hoped to slip back in without being too obvious, but that didn’t happen.

“Maybe next time you two could come back without the ‘just did it’ glow about you?” Kevin suggested.

Annie and AJ looked at each other and realized Kevin was right. Both of their faces were flushed and they each had that twinkle in their eye. “Yeah, we’ll have to work on that next time,” Annie said.

“Yeah, but being ‘low-key’ was never really my thing,” AJ said laughing. “As you all know.”

“No doubt,” said Howie. “Mr. Discreet you are not!”

The tour manager walked into the dressing room and pointed to his watch, then turned around and walked back out without uttering one single word.

“Duty calls,” said Kevin as he stood up. All five guys walked over to the portable closet that followed them from venue to venue and grabbed their outfits for the opening sequence. The dressing room had four separate rooms connected to it; a full bathroom with a shower, two private rooms with more sitting areas, and a smaller bathroom with just a sink and toilet in it, and each one slipped into a room to change. Howie, the odd man out, had to wait until one of other guys was done to change.

Once all the guys had changed into their “stage” clothes, they began warming up their voices.

“I don’t know why they do that. I think they would be able to sing like angels even after waking up from a dead sleep,” Andrea said to Annie and Leighanne, as she stared longingly at Nick. Annie rolled her eyes and Leighanne just laughed, remembering back to when she and Brian started dating and she felt that same way.

“Come on girls, we better go grab our seats,” said Leighanne. She ushered the girls and Baylee out the door so the guys could finish getting ready. “We have amazing seats, you’ll really enjoy them.” Once they were inside the arena they quickly located their seats.

“Mommy, I want to sit by Nick’s friend,” Baylee said with a smile, remembering what “Uncle Nick” had told him. Leighanne smiled at her son, and lifted him over her lap and set him on the chair between her and Andrea. “Hi,” Baylee said to Andrea.

“Hi,” Andrea said back. She smiled at him, and he slid his hand into hers, forcing her to hold it. This kid must have learned his moves from “Uncle Nick” she laughed to herself as she held his hand.

“You have curly hair,” he said to her, causing her to laugh.

“Yes I do,” she concurred with him. “And is that okay?”

“Yes, it means you’re nice. I told that to Uncle Nick and he said I was right.”

Andrea just laughed. For being two, this kid sure knew how to charm the ladies. Before the two of them had a chance to continue their conversation, the lights dimmed and familiar music began to play throughout the arena. Girls started screaming at the top of their lungs and videos of the guys started playing on the enormous screens on the stage. With a few flashes of the lights the show started.

Andrea and Annie screamed and jumped up and down along with everyone else, enjoying every minute of it. The boys looked so hot and they sounded absolutely amazing. It still astounded them how talented the Backstreet Boys truly were. There they were, singing live, and sounding just as good as they do in the studio.

“Oh my God, this is so great!” Andrea screamed. “I cannot believe we are this close to the stage!”

“Dude, I know! I am so glad that we came on this trip!” Annie screamed back.

Before the concert was over, Leighanne leaned over towards Andrea. “We have to go backstage now,” she screamed over the music. “The guys are going to stop singing, and leave the stage, but then they will come back for the encore. We have to be backstage and ready to get on the buses by then, because right after the encore we are gone.” Andrea nodded, indicating she understand what Leighanne had said and then turned to relay the message to Annie. When the song ended, they shuffled out of the row and walked out of the arena.

“Oh my God, I think I’m deaf!” yelled Annie as they left the loud arena and out into the quiet hallway.

“Yeah, me too!” Andrea yelled back. They went into the dressing room and grabbed their purses and then made their way to the buses to wait for the guys. Ten minutes later, Nick and AJ jumped on Nick’s bus, covered in sweat.

“Back to the hotel for a shower,” Nick said as he grabbed the towel that was around his shoulders and wiped his face with it. The bus lurched forward, speeding away from the venue and the hoards of girls that were trying their best to climb onto the back of the bus.