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CHAPTER 5
“No really I wasn’t asleep,” yawned Delaney into the phone as her greeting.
“You lie, but you’re awake now,” laughed Jordan.
“So what is going on in the world of Backstreet at 3:47 am my time?”
“I don’t know how to tell you.”
“What,” asked Delaney.
“Well you see…I’m a lesbian.”
“What?”
“According to AJ, I’m gay and being the sweetie he is, he attempted to fix me up.”
“Huh?”
“Your heard me.”
“Will you please explain so I’m on the clue bus?”
“Since I’ve not hit on any of the guys AJ assumed I’m gay. It just so happens one of the dancers, Trisha is Bi so he thought…”
Delaney interrupted, “he thought he would play matchmaker. How funny!”
“Yeah I’m sure he was thinking he might get to watch and maybe participate if we hit it off.”
“I take it Trisha approached you.”
“Yep. We had a good laugh. I promised to introduce her to Brenda if they’re both still unattached when we hit town.”
“Cool. So how are you going to impart the knowledge to AJ?”
“Trisha and I have a plan.”
“Do tell,” prompted Delaney.
Jordan laid the plan out for her and Delaney added some input. Delaney made her promise to video tape AJ’s response before they hung up.
*******
Jordan woke up 4 hours later and got ready for the day. She was beginning to relax into her job. They had been on the road for three weeks. As Delaney predicted, she made her big screw up and sent the wrong guest list to the box office two nights before. She had to work fast to get everything straightened out. Much to her surprise Skip had taken it in stride. All in all Skip was a pretty easygoing guy with her. She impressed with how she picked up things and the initiative she showed. He was also still impressed with her not hitting on the guys. He was amused when Jordan shared AJ’s analysis of her and quickly signed on to help with “the plan”.
The plan went into affect that evening. They were in Pittsburgh for two nights. AJ was coming out of his room with Marcus in tow. They were heading out to a bar. The elevator door opened and AJ heard giggling. He looked to see Skip, Trisha and Jordan arm in arm with Trisha in the middle. They were trying not to laugh or stagger.
“So what are you guys up to,” asked Marcus.
“Oh nothing,” replied Jordan as Trisha burst out laughing.
“You seem to be having a good time,” commented AJ.
“Oh we are,” assured Skip as they continued on down the hall to his room.
“So you’re staying in,” asked AJ.
“Yep,” replied Trisha.
Skip opened the door and all three of them walked inside. Jordan stuck her head out into the hallway and found AJ still staring.
“Night boys. Behave.”
She giggled again, allowing herself to be pulled into the room and the door shut.
“AJ you ready to go,” asked Marcus.
“Marc you don’t think?”
“Didn’t you want Trisha and Jordan to hook up?”
“Yeah, but Skip wasn’t part of the picture!”
“Who was,” teased Marcus.
“Me,” exclaimed AJ. “Damn! Damn! Damn!”
“Sorry AJ. Don’t know what to tell you man.”
“Let’s get drunk.”
*******
“Do you think he’s gone?”
“Wait let me use my x-ray vision.”
“Smart Ass!”
“My ass has to keep up with the rest of me.”
“Jordan, girl you’re silly,” laughed Trisha.
“What is she doing now,” asked Skip.
“How should I know?”
Skip and Trisha watch Jordan use the phone.
“Yes this is Jordan Buchannan. Has the car for Mr. McLean arrived? They have. Good. No that will be all. Thank you,” Jordan concluded. “Boner has left the building.”
“Did you see the look on his face,” asked Trisha.
“Yeah I hope he doesn’t blow a gasket when he finds out the truth.”
“Skip don’t worry. You can always fire me if he gets really pissed. It was all my idea anyway. You can pretend you were innocent.”
“Yeah right,” laughed Skip. “Ladies you know I love you.”
“But its time to say goodnight,” finished Trisha.
“Don’t forget breakfast in the morning,” reminded Jordan.
“Man you gotta love a well thought out plan,” mused Trisha. “Night Skip.”
“Night Ladies.”
Nick watched Trisha and Jordan leave Skips room. He had just come upstairs from making a late night dinner run with Billy.
“Hey Shorty,” greeted Jordan.
“Hey Dan,” Nick replied with a grin.
“You didn’t see us.”
"Saw what?”
“That’s my Backstreet.”
“You will tell me what’s up eventually?”
“Yep. All become clear soon.”
“Kay. Night.”
“Night all,” called Jordan as she stepped in her room and closed the door.
*******
“Get much sleep last night?”
“AJ I will never tell.”
“Come on man.”
“Hello gentlemen,” greeted Jordan.
“Mornin’ Dan.”
“Mornin’.”
“Did you need anything else AJ?”
“Huh? No.”
AJ wander off and Jordan asked, “curiosity getting to him?”
“Badly.”
“Good.”
*******
They spent an extra night in Pittsburgh before heading to DC. AJ ran into Skip on his way to the bar. He asked where the girls were and found out they were in Jordan’s room.
Trisha whispered, “is it him?”
“Yeah,” whispered Jordan as she peaked through the peephole. “Ready?”
“Yeah.”
Jordan opened the door and AJ jump a bit.
“Hi AJ. What can I do you for?”
“Um. I was bored and thought I would see if you were doing anything.”
“Well Trisha and I were…um…hanging out.”
“Oh.”
“Hi AJ,” called Trisha from in the room.
AJ stuck his head inside and said, “Hey. Do y’all mind some company?”
“Well,” drawing out the word Jordan looked at Trisha. “I suppose.”
Stepping back, she allowed AJ to enter. His mind was spinning. Jordan had opened the door in a silk tank top and matching shorts. Trisha was wearing a T-shirt and panties. Jordan sat down next to Trisha on the bed. AJ looked around.
“Stretch out AJ,” ordered Jordan.
“Thanks.”
They talked for a few minutes. Trisha and Jordan started yawning. AJ finally gave up and left. The girls laughed at his timidity. He truly was at a loss of how to maneuver the situation where he wanted. They decided one way or the other they were letting him off the hook the next day.
*******
The next morning everyone gathered in a private dinning room of the hotel to eat before boarding the buses. Trisha and Jordan came into together. AJ, Skip, Marcus, Nick, and Billy were all at one table.
“Did you guys fall asleep when I left,” asked AJ when Jordan and Trisha sat down.
“Well not right after you left,” teased Trisha.
“Trisha,” scolded Jordan. She even managed to blush.
“Come on Jordan,” pleaded Trisha.
“Jordan it’s OK,” said AJ.
“What’s OK AJ?”
“That you and Trisha…”
“That me and Trisha what?”
“That you’re a couple.”
“What,” asked a confused Nick.
“Jordan’s gay so I thought she and Trisha might hit it off.”
“Me being Bi and all,” explained Trisha.
“Right. Right. And I was right. They did hit it off and I’m happy for you girls.”
“But AJ there’s one problem,” interrupted Nick.
“What’s that Nicky?”
“Don’t call me Nicky! And the problem is Jordan’s not gay,” finished Nick in an exasperated tone.
“Yes she is. Tell him Jordan.”
“Tell him what?”
“That you’re a lesbian.”
“Why would I do that,” asked Jordan.
By this time they had the attention of everyone in the room. People at the neighboring tables were leaning closer to hear better. Unbeknownst to Jordan, Kevin was sitting directly behind her with his wife sitting beside him. He had slipped into the chair not long after Jordan sat down.
“Because it’s OK. We aren’t going to judge you.”
“That’s good to know AJ.”
“So…shit! Just tell him already.”
“Who said she was gay,” asked Billy.
AJ thought for a moment then replied, “well I guess no one.”
“Then how did you figure it out,” asked Skip.
“Well I just…just did. Why are you all giving me the third degree?”
“AJ if no one told you and if I didn’t say I was a lesbian then how do you know I am?”
“I just figured it out.”
“There is just one problem though.”
“What would that be,” said an exasperated AJ.
“I’m not a lesbian,” she said in a stage whisper.
“Yes you are!”
“No I’m not,” she said, starting to chuckle.
“This for real? Your not,” he asked. She shook her head no. “Well I’ll be fucked!”
“You stand a better chance of it now,” teased Marcus.
“Fuck off,” said a confused AJ. “Hey wait! Last night you two were…”
“Were what,” asked Trisha.
“You were all ready for bed and sharing the bed.”
“Come on AJ, like we didn’t know you would show up after you talked to Skip.”
“Skip were you in on this?”
“Yeah.”
AJ paused, then his eyes got big. “That means you guys didn’t!”
“Didn’t what,” asked Howie as he stuck his head between Marcus and Skip to join the conversation from another table.
“Three…” started AJ.
“Weren’t a threesome,” finished Trisha.
“Nick why are you laughing so hard?”
“It all will be made clear,” he replied pointing at Jordan.
“Stop talking in damn code!”
“AJ I hate to tell you this. Well I don’t, but you know. I, with the help have been yanking your chain. Now it was sweet of you to try and set me up with Trisha, but next time I suggest you make sure you are matching correctly.”
“So Nick was in on it too.”
“Naw man. I just saw them leaving Skip’s room the other night and Jordan promised all would be made clear.”
“So who else know of this plan?”
“Hey Mikey! You get all of this?”
The guy hired to videotape all Backstreet happenings to go on the official website stood up from his corner.
“Got it all. Good audio too. There is a microphone in the flowers.”
“What the hell are you going to do with that tape?”
“We’re dubbing it, one copy for me and one for you. Delaney wanted to see your reaction when you finally figured it out.”
“Well…Hell!”
“AJ are you mad,” asked Trisha.
“Yeah! I’m pissed at myself for not catching on. Jordan Buchanan I’ll get you back.”
“Bring it on.”
“So you’re really not gay?”
“Bone I could have told you that,” exclaimed Nick.
“Damn!”
“Disappointed,” asked Jordan.
“Naw, but man.”
“AJ you can ponder it on the way to DC. Let’s head out folks,” ordered Skip.
******
As everyone loaded up, Jordan helped Skip get them all checked out. As she was watching the bellhops carry out the Boys luggage she felt a presence behind her.
“You got him good.”
“Yeah,” she replied without moving.
The voice was closer, right next to her ear. “Jordan Buchanan you are full of surprises.”
Then he was gone. Moving through the door. His wife was already on their bus. He had made an excuse to go back up and check the room a last time. He saw Jordan the second he stepped off the elevator. He looked around and the lobby was surprisingly empty. The fans had all moved out to the buses with the other Boys. He couldn’t decide if it bothered him when she didn’t react to him standing behind her. He had purposely moved closer. As he boarded the bus, he could not resist looking at her. His eyes immediately locked with hers. Green fire met green fire, then he moved into the bus.
Blue eyes watched from a bus about to pull out. Yeah he saw things others didn’t. Paid attention when know one else did. He just didn’t know where to put this observation, but he would keep watching.
Chapter 6
“Have you seen this?”
“No,” replied Jordan as she looked at the tabloid Skip put in front of her.
“Read it, then we'll talk.”
“OK.”
As Skip walked away she looked at the cover. It was a picture of Kevin and Kristen in what appeared to be an argument. The headline read, “Is the Backstreet Honeymoon over?” She quickly turned to the story and read. The story quoted inside sources close to the couple as saying the Richardson’s had been having problems from sometime. There was speculation about possible affairs and more. Jordan finished the story and looked at the accompanying pictures. Something caught her eye in one of the pictures. Looking closely she realized it was her passing by. Suddenly she remembered the day the picture was taken.
The week before the Boys had just finished their sound check. Jordan was coming back from dropping things off at the box office. She rounded a corner and pulled up short for a second when she saw Kevin and Kristen. Their faces were mere inches apart. They were talking in quiet tones but there was no mistaking the anger behind the words. Jordan quickly recovered and moved on giving the couple their privacy.
Now she let the scene play out in her mind. She was trying to remember if anyone else was around. As she sat with her eyes closed and visualized, Nick walked into the room. He quietly stepped up behind her in attempt to scare her. He glanced down at the paper lying on the table.
“Oh shit!”
“Shit,” exclaimed Jordan as whirled around. “Nick! What are you trying to do?”
“Scare ya.”
“Well you can mark that off your to do list for today.”
“Yeah. What is this,” he asked picking up the paper as he dropped into the chair next to her.
“Tabloid fun.”
“Kevin seen this yet?”
“Don’t know. Skip just brought it to me.”
“I bet Kevin don’t know. Man is he going to be pissed. Good picture of you.”
“Are you insane? It is not a good picture of me.”
“I know. I was just commenting on you being in it. Did you see who took the picture?”
“That’s what I was trying to remember when you scared me. I don’t remember seeing anyone.”
“What are you reading,” asked Kevin as he peered in the doorway.
Nick had started thumbing threw the paper while he talked to Jordan. He held it up and said, “Who was best and worst dressed of the week.”
“Did we make neither list?”
“Not this week.”
“If you gentlemen will excuse me, I need to find Skip,” stated Jordan as she collected the paper from Nick.
Kevin made an attempt to grab it from her as she walked past him. Jordan pulled it away and put some distance between them.
“I only wanted to see the outfits.”
“Well get it from Skip later. He told me to bring it with me or he would never get it back.”
She didn’t give him a chance to do or say anything else. She moved down the hallway leaving him puzzled. He looked at Nick who only shrugged.
“I take it Kevin doesn’t know,” she said walking up to Skip.
“No. None of them do.”
“Nick does now. He snuck up on me when I was reading.”
“He knows it will piss Kevin off so he won’t be the one to enlighten him. Did you know you’re in the background of one of the pictures?”
“Yeah. I rounded a corner and there they were.”
“Did they know you were there?”
“I don’t think so. I moved off as quickly and quietly as possible.”
“Did you see who took the picture?”
“No. I’ve been trying to think of anything. When are you going to show him.”
“We are going to show him now. I don’t want someone else getting to him first. You’re coming because you are in the background of the picture and he’ll want to talk to you.”
Jordan didn’t reply, just followed Skip. They pulled Kevin into the production office. Nick was right, Kevin was pissed. He told them to be quiet while he read the article. As he looked at the pictures he fist came down on the table.
“Are you the source?”
Jordan blinked and stared at him.
“Answer me!”
“No!”
“Why are you in this picture then? Were you spying on us?”
“Kevin,” started Skip.
“Shut Skip. I want her to answer me. Why were you spying on us? How much did you get paid?”
They watched as Jordan stood up and walked to the door. She opened it before turning back to the two men.
“Skip will you leave Kevin and I for a moment.”
“Why?”
“Do you think I did this?”
“No,” he replied honestly.
“Then you don’t need to hear this. Please, for me, go outside and wait.”
Kevin gave his consent and Skip left. Jordan locked the door. Kevin sat back in his chair and folded his arms. She walked over to stand in front of him, but he wouldn't scoot his chair back. She sighed and sat straddle of him. He was startled, but quickly recovered.
“What the hell are you doing?”
“I’m making sure I have your undivided attention. Now shut up.”
“I will not…”
She cut him off, “You will shut up. I did not talk to anyone. I wouldn’t. Do you really think I could do this?”
He studied her for a minute before replying, “No, but why were you there?”
“I rounded the wrong corner at the wrong time. I really didn’t mean to intrude. I left as fast as I could.”
“Why didn’t you say something?”
“Say what? Hey Kevin I saw you and the wife going at it. Did you win? It served no purpose to say anything. I wasn’t about to get into your personal life.”
“Oh really, then why are you on my lap?”
“Because you were doing your damnedest to intimidate me. I was evening up the playing field. You never thought I would sit in your lap.”
“Nope. Don’t guess you remember seeing anyone when you walked up on us?”
“Sorry, I really don’t. I’ve been trying to remember something, anything, but nada.”
“It’s OK. We shouldn’t have been arguing out in the open like that.”
“I’m sorry it happened,” said Jordan, as she shifted in his lap.
As his anger dissipated, Kevin had relaxed his arms. His hands now rested on Jordan’s thighs. He was acutely aware of the warmth of her bottom in his lap. He looked into her eyes and saw sincerity. He wasn’t expecting it.
“I better find Kristen and tell her what’s going on.”
“Sounds like a good idea,” replied Jordan as she stood.
Kevin’s hands slid down her thighs. She stepped away and he stood. Neither spoke as she unlocked and opened the door. They were greeted with a group of curious faces.
“Well they’re both still alive. That’s something,” joked AJ.
“Are we OK,” asked Skip.
“Yeah,” replied Jordan and Kevin.
“Great! Now Kevin we need to figure out what we are going to do.”
“I’m going to tell my wife.”
“Alright. We can talk about this later.”
Kevin walked down the hallway. Skip looked at Jordan.
“How did you manage that?”
“Manage what?”
“Managed to calm him down,” asked Nick.
“I reasoned with him. Don’t you guys have something to do?”
“Yeah come on Nicky,” teased AJ.
Nick followed behind him whining, “don’t call me Nicky!”
“Whatever you did, thanks.”
“Really we just talked. Do you think this is a one time thing?”
Skip said, "Have to wait and see what else hits the tabloids. If nothing, then we know it was just someone local and they can’t get anymore stuff.”
“If more shows up?”
“Then we have a problem. It means we have someone working for us who can’t be trusted.”
“I was afraid you would say that,” sighed Jordan.
“Keep an eye out for anything suspicious.”
“Believe me I will.”
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