Chapter Fourteen

Christy helped Chad with his backpack as they exited the plane. She wanted to kiss the floor as soon as they stepped into the lobby of the airport. She hoped Kevin would appreciate this, considering her intense fear of flying.

“Christy Nicholson?”

She whirled around to see an enormous black man standing beside her. Chad let out a small yelp and jumped behind her.

“Yes?” she asked cautiously.

“Brian sent me to take you and your son to the hotel. I’m Randy, one of the Boys’ bodyguards.”

Christy relaxed and smiled. “Oh. Okay. This is Chad.”

Randy grinned at the boy cowering behind his mother. “I won’t hurt you, I promise.”

“O-okay,” Chad stammered.

“Did you have luggage to claim?” Randy asked.

“Nope,” Christy answered, holding up her oversized backpack. “We pack light.”

Randy took her and Chad’s bag and said, “All righty then. The car is waiting. Follow me.”

Christy and Chad exchanged glances and then took off after him. They couldn’t help but feel important as Randy held doors open for them and made sure they weren’t bumped into by the crowd.

“Mom! A limo!” Chad exclaimed, pointing excitedly to the long, white limousine parked at the curb.

“Is this for us?” Christy asked in shock.

Randy nodded and opened the door. “Hop in.”

Chad shrugged his shoulders and jumped inside. Christy slowly followed. Randy closed the door and put their things in the trunk, then slid into the passenger seat. The limo began to move.

“So this is what it’s like to be rich and famous,” Chad said, examining all the buttons and switches. The windows began to move up and down, and the radio switched stations.

“Chad! Stop playing, please,” Christy scolded.

“Sorry, Mom.”

They made it to the hotel where the Boys were staying at, and once again, Christy was in shock. She’d never stayed at any place fancier than a Holiday Inn, and this was definitely no Holiday Inn.

Randy opened their door and they got out. A uniformed hotel worker brought their bags out from the trunk.

“Room 3215,” Randy said to the young man, slipping him a folded $50 bill. He then turned to Christy and Chad and ushered them inside the hotel.

They walked past an elaborate fountain in the lobby to the elevators.

“The guys are at the arena already. Opening acts hit the stage at 7:30. The Boys come on about 9:30. I’m supposed to take you over there at nine. Brian doesn’t want Kevin to spot you before the show starts, is that okay?”

“That’s perfect.”

They rode the elevator up to the 32nd floor, and Randy took them to room 3215. He swiped a card key through the lock and pushed it open when the lock beeped at him. He stepped aside to let them in and then handed the card to Christy

“This is Kevin’s room. Make yourselves at home. Have you eaten yet?”

Chad made a face. “Just the crud they served on the plane. I’m starving.”

“I’ll order room service for you. Any special requests?”

“Pepperoni pizza!” Chad yelled.

“Pizza it is. Christy?”

“Maybe some coffee? I’m too nervous to eat anything.”

“Sure thing.”

Randy left them alone and Christy collapsed down on the sofa.

“Mom? You okay?” Chad asked, sitting beside her.

She pulled him into her arms. “I’m great! I’m just nervous about Kevin’s reaction.”

“Don’t you think he’ll be glad to see us?”

“Oh, honey, he’ll be thrilled to see us! I guess I don’t have anything to worry about, huh?”

“Nope.”

A knock came at the door. Chad ran to answer it. It was their luggage being brought up. Chad thanked the man and closed the door.

“What’re you gonna wear tonight?” he asked.

“I don’t know. Is what I have on okay?”

Chad eyed her critically. She was dressed in jeans and a white tank top.

“Eh, not sexy enough,” was his conclusion.

“What?! Chad, what do you know about sexy?” she exclaimed.

“Come on, Mom, you want to knock him off his feet, right?”

“Well, I hadn’t thought about it.”

The phone by the sofa rang, startling them both. Christy didn’t know if she should answer it or not, but finally she decided to.

“Hello?”

“Oh good, you’re there,” Brian said in a hushed voice.

“Yes, thanks for sending Randy, and the limo. Brian, you didn’t have to send a limo.”

“I wanted to treat you. Do you need to go shopping or anything before the show?”

“As a matter of fact, Chad and I were just discussing that. He seems to think I need a sexy outfit.”

Brian laughed. “I say go for it. Just tell Randy you want to shop, he’ll take you.”

“I really don’t have the money to buy anything though.”

“Don’t worry about it. It’s on me.”

“Brian. . . “

“Forget it. It’s on me. Whoops! Gotta go, Kevin’s coming over here. See you later!”

Christy laughed as Brian hung up.

“Guess we’re going shopping, kid,” she said to Chad, ruffling his hair affectionately.

Room service came up a little bit later, and Chad dug into the pizza. Christy forced down a slice, along with several cups of coffee. Her stomach was doing flip-flops like mad at the thought of seeing Kevin again. He was most likely going to kill her for lying to him, but it would all be worth it, just to see the surprise on his face when he recognized her in the front row.

After they finished eating, Randy took them back downstairs to the limo and they drove to a mall. He escorted them throughout the building, carrying their bags and attracting several curious stares from other shoppers. They wanted to know if Christy was a celebrity, but were too afraid to ask the huge man.

With the help of a friendly saleslady, Christy was able to find what Chad considered a “sexy outfit.” As she stood in front of the dressing room mirror, she suddenly felt sixteen again.

“This look is you!” the saleslady said, nodding her head. “You have a great figure. I tell you, the guy won’t know what hit him!”

Christy smiled at her reflection, admiring the way the shiny black pants with flared legs hugged her hips and in front to reveal her tummy. The pale purple halter top showed off her curves, and the two inch chunky silver heels completed the look.

She hoped Kevin would be impressed. She also hoped she wouldn’t trip and kill herself walking in those shoes.

Chad found a new pair of khaki pants and a Tommy Hilfiger shirt to wear, along with new sneakers. Satisified with their purchases, they went back to the hotel to get ready.

Christy curled her hair and carefully applied her makeup. When she stepped out from the bathroom, Chad and Randy looked up from where they’d been sitting on the coutch and whistled appreciatively.

“You look hot, Mom!”

“Very nice, Miss Nicholson,” Randy complimented.

“Please, call me Christy. Miss Nicholson sounds too impersonal.”

“All right. Well, it’s about time to go,” Randy said.

Christy grabbed her purse, tossed in the room key, a lipstick and her wallet inside, and was ready to leave. The ride to the arena was short, and they were dropped off in the back.

Randy took them in, weaving his way through the throng of people there for the show. The opening acts had just finished, and there would be a 20 minute break before the Boys came onstage.

“Here we go,” Randy said, indicating their seats. “Now see that black box over there? The guys will be flying out of there and then land onstage. Enjoy the show.”

“Wait, where are you going?” Christy asked, suddenly frantic at the thought of being left alone.

“I’m gonna head backstage and check on things. Don’t worry, I’ll be back.”

Chad stared, openmouthed at the stage. “Wow.”

“Wow is right,” Christy echoed.

They sat down and prepared to wait for the show to start when Christy felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned around to see four teenaged girls standing behind her.

“Yes?”

“How do you know Randy?” a pretty redhead asked point-blank.

Oh shit, Christy thought, spotting the name “Kevin” scrawled across the redhead’s cheek in bright pink lipstick. What do I say?

“Are you with one of the Boys?” a blond wanted to know.

“Well, I’m friends with a couple of them, yes,” Christy answered slowly, silently willing Chad not to say anything.

“Really? Which ones?”

“She grew up with Kevin,” Chad blurted proudly. “They’re best friends!”

The girls exchanged looks and raised eyebrows.

“So you’re like, dating him?” the blond demanded rather rudely.

“Well. . . not exactly.”

“What then exactly?” the blond pressed, leaning forward, along with her friends. “Are you his girlfriend or just his groupie for the night?”

Christy’s mouth dropped and she was suddenly angered. Was this what being part of Kevin’s world was like? If so, she didn’t like it. She stood up and faced the girls, pleased to see that with the added height of her shoes, she towered over them.

“Who or what I am is absolutely none of your business,” she said firmly.

“It is if you’re a slut who’s just gonna try to screw him over,” another girl said. “Like Leighanne does with Brian, or Amanda with AJ, or Willa with Nick.”

Christy was speechless. She had never met these mentioned women, she had only heard of Leighanne being Brian’s girlfriend, but she knew they didn’t deserve to be called sluts just because they were dating a Backstreet Boy.

She had no idea how to respond to these girls, and with Chad sitting right there, frowning and staring up at her with a confused expression, she felt helpless.

But then a deep voice boomed behind her, rescuing her.

“Is there a problem here?” Randy demanded in a harsh but still polite tone.

Christy watched in amazement as the girl’s attitudes changed before her very eyes. Now they were all giggly and flirty, batting their eyelashes at Randy and trying to coax him into letting them backstage to meet their idols. But he had obviously heard it all before. He just crossed his arms and raised a brow, standing there silently until their sucking up had died down.

“I can’t get any of you backstage,” he informed them, “except for this lady and her son. Special orders. Now, if you’ve got nothing better to do than harass them, I’ll have to see you escorted from the arena.”

Frightened glances were exchanged and then they were hurrying away, throwing deathly evil glances back at Christy as they went. When they were out of sight, Christy dropped down into her chair.

“Are you all right?” Randy asked quietly.

“I’m fine. It’s just, wow.”

“Some people can be pretty harsh.”

“I guess so!”

“I’m sorry it happened. But you’re not the only one it happens to. Just talk to any of the guys’ girlfriends. They get it too.”

Christy wanted to tell Randy that she wasn’t really Kevin’s girlfriend, at least not officially, but didn’t.

Chad tugged on his mother’s arm.

“Mom? What’s a . . . groupie?” he asked, stumbling over the word.

Christy looked at him, then up to Randy, and burst into giggles.