Chapter 44
AJ had an early start the next morning; a whole day of interviews for radio and TV plus a flight to Dublin later for yet more promo.
“You could come with me?” he asked as he stood in the hotel bedroom, wearing just a towel as he selected a shirt to wear.
“I could…but I won’t” I replied. I would’ve loved a trip to Dublin, but if I was going to be taking a trip there with AJ, I wanted it to be for pleasure and not business. “You’ll be working; I’d only be in the way”
“You won’t be” he protested and dropped the shirt and moved towards me. He placed his hands reassuring on my arms and I looked up into his eyes “I wish I didn’t have to leave you so soon”
“Me too” I agreed and wrapped my arms around his naked body, pulling him into a hug “but one day, I would love for us to go to Ireland, just the two of us. I’ve heard it’s a beautiful place”
“Once I’ve got some time off, we can do whatever you want” he vowed “but I’m hoping sex on the beach and skinny dipping will be somewhere a little warmer than Ireland”
I playfully slapped his arm “gutter brain”
“Hey, I’m thinking of your list!” he grinned
“I bet you were” I teased
“Oh god, I wish we had time to go back to bed for a while” he murmured into my hair “but I better get my ass into gear before they have to come and drag me away”
I laughed and stepped back “well, you better hurry up and get dressed then, I wouldn’t want them to have to drag you out wearing only a towel”
“So, what’ve you got planned for today?” he asked whilst he dressed.
“Meeting the girls later, you know, it’s been ages since we were all together. I’m looking forward to it” I said as I finished getting dressed. I hadn’t really come prepared for spending the night with AJ, so was wearing some of his underwear under my jeans and one of his t-shirts. It was a good thing he didn’t travel lightly!
“Tell them ‘hi’ from me” he smiled
“Don’t worry, I will” I assured him
Before long, we were ready to go. I wouldn’t see him for a few days, but at least we’d had this time together.
“Love you” he said before we left the room.
“Love you too” I replied and we shared a lingering kiss before it was time for him to go to work.
We held hands as we travelled down in the elevator and approached the rest of the boys and their security in reception.
“Everything OK?” Nick asked a little cautiously, although if he were more observant he would’ve seen that we were holding hands and anything but not OK.
“Yeah, everything’s perfect” AJ replied
“Phew, thank fuck for that” Nick smiled “I’m sorry Steph; I just couldn’t keep my mouth shut yesterday”
“Don’t worry about it, you’re forgiven” I told him “I just wasn’t prepared for it, that’s all”
“You’ll get used to it” he advised
“So I hear” I replied and rolled my eyes
“Right then guys, time to go” Paul said and I noticed a couple of cars waiting out the front.
“I’ll see you soon” I said and kissed AJ one last time, not caring that we were on show for everyone to see. There were probably fans or paparazzi hanging about, but at that moment, I didn’t care one little bit. Let them look.
“I’ll be home before you know it” he said as he rested his head against mine, and then we were interrupted by Howie telling him to move his ass.
I walked out with them and waved him off as the car pulled away from outside the hotel. I knew I’d see him again in a few days, but it didn’t stop the feeling of loneliness that swept over me.
I pulled my phone out of my bag and sent a couple of texts to my friends, checking that it was still on for tonight, and then made my way back to my parents house in a taxi. By sheer coincidence, a Backstreet Boys song played on the radio and it put a smile on my face. I’d never really been a fan before (although I’d liked them), but being married to AJ had converted me.
~*~
Our girl’s night out started off at our favourite Indian restaurant, where we ate until we were ready to burst. The curry there was so good; it would’ve been a waste to leave any.
“If I eat another mouthful of rice, I think I’ll explode” Jess exclaimed, leaning back in her chair and placing her fork down in defeat.
“So does that mean we’re skipping the dessert menu?” I laughed, knowing full well that none of us would be able to eat another thing.
“How can you even think of dessert?” Chloe groaned
“Where to next then?” I asked “I really don’t think I can face a night of dancing”
“My place” Izzy smiled “I do believe Jonathan Ross will be on soon”
“Oh shit” I sighed and held my head in my hands “you don’t really want to watch it though…do you?”
I’d told them all about it, so of course naturally they wanted to see the show for themselves. Plus with Jake Gyllenhaal being on the show too, it was an added bonus We’d all seen Brokeback Mountain a few years previously, and fallen for the gay cowboy from Wyoming!
“Too fucking right we wanna watch it” Izzy grinned
“Yeah, we’ll see your camera debut and get a bit of eye candy when Jake Gyllenhaal is on…oh, and of course see AJ and the rest of the Backstreet Boys” Jess said.
“I think you just want to see me suffer” I added
“Well yeah, that as well” Chloe said and we all laughed.
We left the restaurant and grabbed a taxi back to Izzy’s place, stopping on the way to purchase a few bottles of wine and a few snacks (I know we’d just eaten, but you never knew!).
“Get the TV on while I pour the wine” Izzy commanded from the kitchen as she reached into the cupboard for four wine glasses. I uncorked the bottle and handed it to her.
Ten minutes later, we were all sitting comfortably in Izzy’s living room waiting for the show to start. We didn’t have long to wait.
“Woohoo, there’s your man!” Izzy called out when the camera panned around the green room, showing the guests. I couldn’t help smiling when I saw him; I wondered where he was right now.
“Phwoar, check out Jake Gyllenhaal!” Jess’s eyes widened at the sight of him “did you see him there Steph?”
“No, unfortunately not” I replied.
“Gutting” Chloe said
“Shhh” Izzy said when the first guest, Jeremy Clarkson, walked on to the set “I think he’s so great”
“Urgh” Chloe groaned “I can’t stand him”
“Top Gear is amazing, how can you not like it?” Izzy asked
“Because it’s shit” Chloe laughed
“Well, I like it” Izzy exclaimed
The second bottle of wine was soon gone and we were all feeling pretty merry.
“Please welcome my next guest, it’s Jake Gyllenhaal” Jonathan’s voice on the TV called out.
“Fuck me, I so would!” Jess declared when Jake appeared on the screen, looking fit as fuck.
“God yeah” we all agreed. Two of us may have been married women, but looking didn’t cost a thing!
There were a few ‘mmm’s’ when it showed the clip of Jake’s new movie and he was shirtless in it.
Then it was time for my man to make his appearance.
“Aw, there he is Steph, your lovely hubby” Izzy said. She was right, he was lovely.
It wasn’t long before we got to the part where the camera spun to me. I noticed the looks on some of the faces in the crowd when AJ had waved to me. It made me want to sink further into my seat.
“Jealous bitches” Izzy muttered
“It was awful” I admitted “but I suppose it could’ve been a lot worse. From what I’ve heard, the guys had it really bad in the early days, and of course so did the girls they were with”
“Why though? It’s just crazy!” Chloe said
“I know” I agreed
“I mean, we all used to like sitting around talking about our favourite pop stars and actors, imagining what it would be like to be with them. But we all lived in the real world and knew it was just talk” Izzy said
“And then Steph went and married a Backstreet Boy!” Chloe giggled
“But at the time, I didn’t even like him” I laughed “I fancied that creep Jason Orange”
“It just shocks me that so called fans act that way” Izzy shrugged
“Well, I’ll just ignore them” I decided.
We watched the rest of the show, and then put a music channel on quietly for a bit of background music whilst we talked and drank large quantities of wine into the early hours.
~*~
As much as I’d loved being back home visiting my family and friends, I couldn’t wait to get back to Los Angeles. Not because I missed the place, but because I couldn’t wait until I saw Alex again. He would be arriving home the day after me and it couldn’t come quick enough. I’d had such a good time being back in England, but staying at my parent’s house wasn’t the same as being in a place of my own and being able to do as I pleased. I was looking forward to lazing about on the settee in my PJ’s if I wanted to; my Mum would never allow that in her house.
The flight was long and boring, and for all my talk of wanting to get back to LA, when I stepped off the plane into the mid afternoon heat, I missed the cool tranquillity of my little part of England. But in just a few hours, I’d see Alex again and it would all be worth it.
Author's Chapter Notes:
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