The next couple of weeks were pretty tough without Nick. He had returned home from Europe and was relaxing in Florida for a few weeks before their US tour started. One day, in the middle of August, I received a very interesting phone call from Denise McLean:
“Katelin?” She asked as I answered the phone:
“This is Kate. Whose calling?”
“This is Denise McLean.” I had met her because she was with the boys in Europe but I was confused as to why she was calling me:
“Hi. Is something wrong? Is it AJ or Nick?” She laughed lightly:
“Oh no. Nothing like that. I actually have a proposition for you.” I was slow to reply:
“Oh. Okay. What is it?”
“Well, my assistant for the Boys tour just quit and I’m in desperate need of some help. I absolutely cannot do all of the work on the tour by myself and I was wondering, maybe, if you would want to join us and be my assistant.” I was stunned. Not in a million years would I have expected to go on tour with Nick and the guys. I was so shocked that I didn’t hear Denise trying to get my attention:
“Katelin? Are you there?” I was quickly brought back to reality:
“Yeah, I’m here. Oh my god, Denise, I would absolutely love to but I don’t think my parents are going to go for it.” She laughed:
“I figured as much. Well, Nick is really persistent about this, so I will do anything I can to help convince your parents. But you have to promise me one thing.”
“Okay. What’s that?”
“If your parents agree and you come on this tour, you will not let your relationship with Nick interfere with what you are there to do.”
“I promise you. Work will be my number one priority. Nick will have to come second.” She giggled:
“I don’t know how he will take that, but I’m holding you to it. Now, is there a parent around that I could speak to?” I told her to hold on and went and got my parents. I patiently waited while my parents talked to Denise for, what seemed like, hours. A million thoughts were running through my head. This would be such a great opportunity. Not just because Nick would be on the tour, but just the fact that I would be going cross-country, on a million dollar tour, working as an assistant to their publicist. How awesome was that? But it would also require me to miss a semester of school and I would have to take summer classes in order to graduate on time. I didn’t really worry about that because I wouldn’t mind doing that at all if it meant I could go on tour with the guys. I wasn’t that optimistic though because I thought for sure that my parents would not agree. Finally, they hung up the phone and my dad walked over to me:
“Well, Kate. It’s your decision. Your mother and I agreed that we would let you go since this is a great opportunity, and, not to mention, a very good paying one.” I smiled. My dad continued:
“I just want you to consider the fact that you’re going to miss a semester at school and that you’re going to have to take summer classes.” I nodded. I had already thought about that:
“Dad, I know. I thought about all of that while you were talking to Denise. I really want to do this. School will still be there next semester.” My mother finally spoke up:
“Just remember, Kate. You’re there to work with Denise, not to be Nick’s girlfriend. This is something that she is worried about and I don’t want you to disappoint her.”
“I know, mom. I already promised her that this job would be my first priority.” My parents and I talked about it a little while longer and it was finally decided that I would be joining the guys on the US leg of their ‘Into the Millenium’ tour. I couldn’t wait.
We spoke to Denise again that night and worked out all of the details. I would fly up to New York City on September 7th, two days before the Mtv Video Music Awards, which Nick had already invited me to, since they were nominated for like 5 awards. Then, after the VMA’s, I would fly with them back to Orlando to polish up the tour and then it would get underway a few days later in Ft. Lauderdale. We would be on the road until December and would finish up in Orlando again.
I went to bed that night, so excited that I couldn’t fall asleep. I looked at my clock: 2:25am. I had been in bed for two hours already and sleep was not coming anytime soon. I picked up my phone and dialed Nick’s number, realizing that I hadn’t talked to him since I had spoken to Denise.
I let it ring and just before I was about to hang up, a groggy voice answered:
“Whoever this is better have a damn good reason for waking me up.” I laughed:
“I love you too, Nicky.” He perked up:
“Kate? Why are you calling me so late?”
“Cause I can’t fall asleep. Anyway, I talked to Denise earlier.”
“Oh really? Are you coming?” I sighed:
“I don’t think so, Nick. I would have to miss a semester of school and all and I don’t want to be away from all of my friends that long.” Nick seemed reallly disappointed as I tried to control my laughter:
“Oh.” Was all he could say. I couldn’t take it anymore an busted out laughing:
“Gotcha!”
“What?!” I was laughing so hard by now:
“I’m coming with you, silly. I just wanted to hear your reaction when I told you that I would rather go to school then run around the country with my boyfriend.”
“You are so mean.” We talked for a little while longer and then I was finally getting really tired. We both said ‘I love you’ and then hung up.