Chapter 4

'Oh my god,' Nicole exclaimed a look of shock on her face after Vickie finished telling her about what she knew of Lance and what he had been doing.

'How did you find out?' Nicole asked.

'Jess rang and told me when she heard Lance talking to Justin after one of his nights' out with her,' Vickie replied.

'I—I just can't believe it. Why would he go and do that when he has you, but what is even more confusing is he gets mad at you for talking to these other guys and he can do whatever he wants especially with the ex,' Nicole replied her words flying out at a rapid pace Vickie couldn't help laughing.

'Calm down Nic, you don't see me getting all up and arms about it. Well I was hurt beyond belief when Jess told me but I knew getting upset and angry wouldn't do me a lot of good. So, instead I have just kept this to myself, I know Lance doesn't know that I know and I want to keep it that way for now.' She answered.

'So what do you plan to do?' Nicole asked.

'I will just wait for the right time to confront him; though I've got this feeling it will be as soon. Hopefully not at tonight's meeting that would be the last thing I need, just as long as Mark can keep his mouth shut then I'll be fine.' Vickie answered.

'I mean about you and Mark?'

'What about him and me?'

'Well do you still feel the same way about him now as you did when you were in Ireland? From what the lads tell me his feeling hasn't changed much since then. He appears to be still bestowed with you.' Nicole said Vickie leaned forwards her elbows resting on the table and she tucked her hands under her chin she stared into the distance.

'Nic if I knew the answer to the question I can tell you I wouldn't be in this situation right now.' She said.

'It is not just a simple equation of giving up my job and moving away because of my problems with Lance despite the whole thing with Mark. I like him I do I'm not going to hide from that fact but I can't walk away from this now because of my feelings towards him,' she explained.

'Ok so let me ask you this,' Nicole said.

'If you got given the choice of coming over to Ireland with us would you do it?' she asked.

'Nic-'

'Just answer the question.'

'I don't know,' Vickie remarked.

'Well then maybe you should start thinking about it I'd hate for you to be here being un-happy but if you came back to Ireland with me and the lads then you can start things fresh again,' Nicole answered.

'Yeah—but it isn't that simple. It is not easy getting references and well I ju-just don't know,' Vickie said she still looked troubled her attention shifted to the front of the restaurant seeing the guys start to make their way towards them having finished their game.

'Ok so do you love him?' Nicole asked Vickie quickly spun around looking a bit alarmed.

'What?' she asked.

'Its just a question,'

'Yes I know but I…look I'm not going to answer that Nic,' Vickie replied.

'All right sorry I won't mention it anymore though like I said you need to think about this. If Louis and Simon let the lads get involved with this TV thing we're going to be around here a lot more and everything between you, Mark and Lance is just going to get really complicated.' Nicole said Vickie let out another tired sigh as she rubbed her face.

'Yeah don't remind me,' she replied.

'Hey so you two ready to leave yet?' Nicky asked approaching the table with the other guys behind him Nicole and Vickie had identically confused looks on their faces.

'Now? I'd think we still had a bit of time we don't have to be there so soon,' Nicole answered.

'I think it would be a good idea especially if we're going to make an impression.' Kian answered always thinking on the business side of things the others exchanged knowing looks.

'What?' he wailed annoyed at the look he was seeing from them.

'Never mind.'

'Ok so if you're all ready then lets go. I might be able to give you a little tour of Johnny's office it's pretty big and plenty of people have gotten lost,' Vickie replied she gave Nicole a meaningful look and it was one her friend immediately understood.

'Something happen?' Shane asked Nicole in a low whisper as they headed out of the restaurant and in the direction of the lift; Nicole shook her head and put her finger to her lips.

'I'll tell you later.' She said.

Vickie made sure she had her car parked at the back of the four-story glass building in the secure parking space. The last thing she would want is for any fans to show up un-expectedly even if Westlife didn't have a big fan base in the States she still wasn't going to take the risk. She was also glad there was no sign of the *NSYNC guys yet with none of their cars in the parking lot.

'Ok come on.' She said shutting the engine everyone got out and headed for the back door entrance. She opened the door going inside first the others following behind and they immediately noticed just how dark it was inside and immediately there was a loud thump.

'Ow!'

'What?'

'I hit something?'

'Hey who has got my arm?'

'Get off my foot!'

'Would you all stop it!'

'I can't see.'

'Just wait one second.'

Vickie patted the wall in the darkness as she tried to find the light.

'It has got to be here somewhere.' She muttered.

'Got it!' She quickly flicked on the light and the corridor came into sight; and when she turned around the lads and Nicole were bunched together near the door with Nicky crumpled on top of an empty box.

'What in the hell are you doing Nix?' she asked trying to suppress her laughter he just pulled a face.

'Well if the light was on I wouldn't have hit this stupid thing and fallen over.' He said.

'Yeah, well I wasn't expecting it to be so dark,' she remarked.

'Ok whatever can we just get out here now?' he asked Kian and Shane helped him to his feet.

'It's down this way.' Vickie answered they continued down the corridor and she pushed open a door and they were greeted by a large foyer with marble title floors.

'This is the main foyer and as you can see the reception is to the right.' She replied pointing and instead on the right-hand side what looked like a replica limestone wall with a flat tabletop and a few decorations across it.

'So where are all the receptionist?' Shane asked.

'When important meetings are scheduled the receptionist are give the time off, since they don't always know what goes on here, they are just employees however as good as these girls are the second they find out we got all famous people in the building they will never get work done. However if they work when our big stars come in then we just distract the girls and take the stars through the back where we were a few seconds ago,' she explained.

'Johnny's office is on the fourth floor. He is the main boss so it is not a surprise. He does like to live it up.' Vickie added.

'So it is all just office stuff here,' Kian remarked she grinned.

'I will give you a tour and you will be quite surprised,' she said the group walked to the lifts waiting for it and Vickie decided to just take a look out the front of the building she only caught a very quick glimpse of some cars drive past but she didn't need to take a second guess she knew the boys had arrived.

'Looks like we will have some company.' She answered turning away the lads didn't know what she meant by this but Nicole understood her friend.

'Do not let him dictate anything Vick, you can be friends with anybody you like and he doesn't get a say in it,' she replied.

'Yeah I know I'll try my best.' Vickie answered the lift arrived seconds later and they piled in she took them to the second floor, where a lot of the behind-the scenes promotional work happened.

'The thing is Johnny is quite heavily involved in everything with his artists so he wanted to make sure nothing went past without his approval first. Publications for the albums, singles you know just stuff like that he gets a big say in it.' She said she paused for a second feeling her phone vibrate.

'Excuse me a second guys,' Vickie stepped out into the hallway she looked at her phone the message was from Melanie just letting her know they were here and they were going up to Johnny's office straight away and chill out there.

'It helps.' She mumbled although she would have preferred if they hadn't turned up so soon.

'Ok guys further down this corridor come on. I have a feeling you may like this.' She said leading the way. She opened the door to a much larger room and when the others walked inside the shocked look on their faces said it all she had to refrain from bursting out laughing.

'What in the heck is this?' Nicole asked she was the first to speak.

'Johnny likes to think of it as a small home away from home or rather a small party area. Every now and again he throws a small get together for the staff but mostly it gets used for album launches.' Vickie explained. The room had polished wooden floor boards on the right-hand side at the far end a make-shift stage complete with a microphone stand along the wall folded tables were neatly staked up against each other as well as plastic chairs then to the left side the bar area fully kitted out with all the necessary items needed.

'Damn even Louis doesn't have anything like this in his office it is amazing.' Shane answered.

'Yeah I think we are going to have to talk to him about it,' Kian replied half jokingly.

'If you want you can go ahead and help yourself to anything,' she said the all looked at her wide-eyed.

'You're being serious,' Nicky said Vickie nodded her head.

'Yeah go ahead really, everyone here sometimes comes in and takes the drinks and food Johnny doesn't mind.' She added, and just like that the lads took off for the bar and she couldn't help but laugh glancing at Nicole she saw the familiar look on her friend's face.

'So this is where all the noise is coming from.'

Vickie quickly turned around startled by the sudden intrusion she turned around slowly facing JC and the others and the girls, and for a few seconds she could only stare at them.

'What's a matter Vick getting a little tongue-tied?' he remarked she could tell he was only joking she shrugged her shoulders.

Well I wasn't expecting you all to come in here, Mel said you were going straight to Johnny's office.' She answered.

'Change of plans when we heard the noise,' Lance said he gave her a smirk she scowled.

'Oh so Vick you so have to introduce us to your friends,' Jessica replied.

'No need we can do that I'm Shane and we have Kian, Mark and Nicky and my lovely girlfriend Nicole.' Shane remarked he walked from the bar up next to Vickie and held out his hand.

'Ah so its Westlife.' Justin answered.

'Yup.' Shane said he glanced back over his shoulder at the others.

'Well I'm JC and we have Justin, Chris, Joey and Lance.' JC explained Shane nodded his head.

'Good to meet you.'

'Come and join us then,' Kian said waving them over from the bar area.

'Ah yeah sure why not.' Joey said he nudged his friends giving them the indication to join in the fun and he walked to the bar opening the fridge to grab a drink. As Lance was about to walk past Vickie grabbed hold of him and pointed back out the door.

'Outside. Now.' She said.

'Whatever for?' he said attempting to play innocent she scowled.

'Now.' She repeated and shoved him towards the door he didn't have a choice and let her push him outside into the corridor the door slammed shut.

'Ok.' Kian said he looked around firstly at the girls and guys catching sight of Mark's glance in the same motion he raised his eyebrows though Mark quickly shook his head. This didn't go un-noticed by Jessica she frowned slightly she knew something had been going on she only wished she knew as she was worried as to why her friend was being so distant from everyone of late.

'So what is this all about then?' Lance asked he folded his arms and stared at her an annoyed look on his face.

'You tell me.' She answered she too just as annoyed with him.

'Well I don't know what you're talking about,' he remarked.

'Oh, please don't just stand there and act all dumb. You were out somewhere last night and it certainly didn't involve getting wasted or anything of the sort. I know it was something different,' she said. He hesitated for a few minutes his mind whirling back to the previous night and his visit and Vickie was quick to pick on his behavior.

'So you did,' she answered.

'Hey don't go jumping to conclusions when you don't know the facts.' He snapped.

'Then go ahead and tell me the facts, as for jumping to conclusions perhaps it would the best idea for you look at yourself before saying it to others.' She replied.

'It doesn't matter.' He answered.

'Well it matters to me'

'Why should it? It isn't as though you care going on what's been happening of late.'

'Don't try and turn this all around against me.'

'Well I wasn't the one to go disappearing off to another part of the world under the pretence of work,' he said.

'How dare you!' she exclaimed.

'Truth hurts.' He answered she put her hand up.

'Don't talk to me.'

She shot him a glare turned around and stormed off down the corridor and around the corner.