Chapter 27
Turning her phone back on the next morning Caitlyn saw that Wyatt had texted her a few minutes prior. Putting the phone up to her ear she decided to call him instead of just texting back.
"Mom! Holy crap. You're all that everyone is talking about." Wyatt blurted out as soon as he answered the call.
"Good morning to you too." She laughed. "What do you mean?"
"The pictures of you and Nolan! C'mon Mom!" He explained, his tone clearly stating that she should have already known.
"Oh, those." Caitlyn said. She had completely forgotten about her twitter blowing up, Nolan had quite a talent for eclipsing everything else.
"Everyone at school's been texting me. They want autographs, concert tickets, and to meet him. Its way crazy." Wyatt said.
"Seriously? I'm sorry Wyatt. What are you telling them?" Caitlyn asked watching Nolan as he carried her suitcase up the stairs.
"To chill out basically." She could almost hear the shrug of his shoulders. "Mase is pretty geeked you're famous now too."
"Oh, geez. I'm not famous." Caitlyn said plopping down onto the soft gray couch.
"Do you have any idea how many followers you have now?" Wyatt asked sounding exasperated with her.
"No, I haven't looked this morning." Caitlyn said grabbing her laptop. Logging into her twitter she was shocked. "I have over a half of a million followers. OK, other than this how is everything back home?"
"Fine, like anything would be as exciting as that. Dad is taking us to a hockey game tonight though, should be pretty sick." Wyatt added.
"Have fun, bundle up, it's gonna be cold at the rink." Caitlyn reminded him.
"I know, I'm not a baby Mom." He sighed.
"You're my baby." She joked just to hear the annoyed grunt she knew he would make.
"I'm flying up to San Francisco for the day, so if I don't text immediately back don't worry." Caitlyn said tucking her legs up under her on the couch.
"I won't. Have fun, tell Nolan to kick ass tonight. Love ya."
"Wyatt, language." She heard him laughing. "Love you too. Send Mase my love too. Bye honey." She said hearing the click signaling he had hung up.
Setting her phone down she turned her computer off. She could check her out her new found social media popularity just as easily from her cell phone as she got ready for the day. Walking up the stairs she headed straight into Nolan's bathroom and into the shower. Caitlyn got lost in the simple tasks of washing her hair, shaving, and cleaning her body. Turning the water off she stepped out, she was reaching for her towel when she saw Nolan leaning against the door frame, his arms crossed.
"How's it back home?" He asked her.
"Wyatt is now even more popular than he was yesterday, which is saying something. Half his classmates end up at my house on any given weekend. Everyone is asking him for your autograph, or to get them all tickets. But my boys seem to be taking it all in stride. Mason thinks I'm famous now I guess." Caitlyn said as she toweled off her body.
"Ye are, love." Nolan said, his voice tight.
"No, you're famous. I'm just a curiosity right now. But hey, if they all want to buy some of my books I wouldn't mind that." She added wrapping the towel around her hair, and walking to him.
"Honestly, Nol, I meant what I said last night." She tipped her head up and laid a kiss on his scruffy jaw. Walking over to her suitcase she pulled out some clothes.
"San Francisco is colder than LA right?" She called over her shoulder.
"Yeah." He said, finally stepping away from the door frame into the bathroom. A moment later she heard the water start up again.
Deciding on dark skinny jeans, and a snug black three quarter sleeve top she got dressed. Her favorite cognac colored riding boots, and the olive green jacket would look good with it, and hopefully keep her warm enough. Nolan was just stepping out of the shower as she walked up to the mirror to get her hair and face all set for the day. Watching him run the towel over his skin collecting all of the drops of water had her mouth going dry. He wasn't paying any attention to her, just drying himself off, and it still made her feel weak in the knees.
"Nol?" She said.
"Mmmm?" He said rubbing the towel over his hair.
"I love you." She said turning around to face him, her voice gone soft and dreamy. The smile that spread across his face was worth more to Caitlyn than just about anything else in this world.
"Love ye too baby." He said walking over. He laid a kiss on her lips, still smiling, and walked out of the bathroom to get himself dressed. Smiling at herself in the mirror she shook her head and finished putting on her makeup.
They arrived at LAX right on time, as instructed, and Mags met them with security. "How many?" Nolan asked his assistant. Then nodding at the man with Mags, said for Caitlyn's benefit, "this is Rob."
"Only a few hundred thankfully. This is LA though, and they're used it it. They already have areas cordoned off, trust me man, its handled." Rob replied decisively.
"A few hundred what? People? He means people? There are a few hundred people here for you?" Caitlyn asked repeating herself, turning from person to person. Rob looked kind of familiar to her, but he also had one of those indistinct faces you really weren't meant to notice.
"For the both of you. Your romance is creating quite the buzz." Mags replied. "Alright, game faces on people." She said looking over at Rob. At his nod she turned to lead the way.
Nolan took Caitlyn's hand, walking a half step in front of her. His protective gesture was not lost on her, after all people watching was something she excelled at being a novelist. There was a sense of excitement in the air, and the crowd, although not screaming, weren't quiet either. Questions were called out, most of which asking for details about their relationship. Papers were stuck out, arms waving them around desperately. Nolan stopped randomly here and there and scrawled his name, thanking people for coming to see him off safely. Caitlyn noticed a few copies of her paperbacks sticking out, and walking along feeling shell shocked she signed them. One girl told her excitedly that her mother had read Caitlyn's work for awhile, so she didn't have to run out and buy a book this morning like everyone else. Caitlyn just nodded her head, and let Nolan tug her away.
Rob shepherded everyone past the crowd, and out to the private jet ready and waiting for them. He was somewhere between forty and fifty years old, with a short buzz cut that didn't actually disguise his growing bald spot. He wasn't bulky with bulging muscles, but he looked like he could hold his own should the need arise. He had murky hazel eyes, that were constantly moving, Caitlyn could tell he didn't miss much that went on around him. Everything about him said, don't mess with me, but once they were all seated safely on the plane his demeanor visibly relaxed.
Nolan wrapped his arm around her and murmured softly against her ear, "ye with me, love?" Gauging how she was feeling faced with the scope of his celebrity. Nodding her head she turned to him and laid her palm on his cheek.
"Always. That was pretty crazy though, if I'm being honest. How do you get used to it?" She asked him.
"I dunno, I'll let ye know when I have." He said with a shrug.
"So Rob is your personal security?" Nolan nodded his head. "How come he wasn't with you in Ireland then?" Caitlyn questioned.
"He was in Ireland, just not with us. He wasn't too happy about that truth be told. But, they tend to leave me alone there, for the most part." Nolan replied as the plane took off.
"And if something had happened? That probably wasn't very smart of you, Nol." Caitlyn chided him, the mother in her going through all of the worst case scenarios.
"That's what I told him too, but he wasn't about hearing it." Rob said from next to Mags. Caitlyn could see from the look on his face that her worry over Nolan's safety sat well with him.
"Nothin' happened. Besides how would I have explained that? No, that wouldn't do. I'da looked as mad as a box of frogs." Nolan shook his head.
Thinking about it Caitlyn realized he was probably right. If Rob had been tagging along things would have gone very differently between them. The risk still didn't sit well with her though, even if she was grateful for their time together. "Do you slip your security detail often?" She asked Nolan, then before he could answer she added, "after all, why pay them to protect you if you're not going to help them do their job."
Mags laughed outright, and Rob disguised a chuckle with a completely unbelievable cough. Nolan just stared at her. "No, I don't, that was the first time love. I'll not be doing it again, that's for damn sure. Ye'd have me ass for it, I'm thinkin'."
"I sure would. I'd like you around for awhile, not ripped apart or trampled as you get mobbed." Caitlyn kissed his cheek.
"Me Mum is gonna love ye." Nolan chucked. "She never lets me get away with anything either."
It was decided by all that tonight Caitlyn would watch the whole show from backstage, for safety reasons since she was now probably recognizable to everyone in that crowd. Caitlyn was a little disappointed, but she also completely understood. It just made the night before even more special to her. They went straight from the plane to a waiting car bypassing any crowd waiting, and that took them straight to the venue. As expected there was a line of fans around the block waiting to get into the show. They managed to sneak in unnoticed through the back of the venue. She hung out in the dressing room with Nolan while the crew got everything set up for the afternoon sound check.
Nolan sent out the tweet, "Can't wait to see everyone tonight, let's do this Bay Area! Saw what you trended, thanks for all the love! #BestFans."
Caitlyn opened the Twitter app on her phone, and turned on notifications for Nolan's tweets. Then while she was there she retweeted what he said, figuring it couldn't hurt. They headed out to the soundcheck, which Caitlyn found so much fun. His band members were all pretty cool guys, and they joked around having a laugh, while randomly jamming out. After they got everything for the show sounding exactly right they let in a small group of fans. Mags explained they had bought special tickets, and would get to take a picture with Nolan after. Sitting off to the side Caitlyn watched as Nolan answered questions, and played one of the lesser known songs from his first album. Apparently one that didn't make it to the set list for the show this time around, but the fans loved. It took well over an hour to shuffle the fans through, but Nolan was kind to each and every one of them. His smile in the last picture was just as bright as the first shot had been. A few fans waved to her, still standing out of the way, and she smiled and waved back.
There was catering waiting for them in his dressing room when they made their way back there. Caitlyn noticed Nolan only had a bite here and there, but she figured going on stage with a full stomach wasn't ideal. His phone rang, and he spent twenty minutes on face-time with his mother, before handing the phone off to Caitlyn. She was introduced to his Mum, Cora, and they chatted for a bit getting to know each other. Cora clearly passed down her hair and eyes to Nolan. Her soft brown hair hung in a flattering bob style, with a few subtle highlights to frame her lovely face. Cora invited Caitlyn, and her sons, to come over to Ireland as soon as they could. Cora was a little disappointed that she couldn't make it for Christmas, but the kids went over to Bryan's house that night for the rest of Christmas break.
While she got to know his mother, Nolan got up and restlessly prowled the room. She could feel his energy building, when he muttered something about wardrobe. He walked out of the room, and Caitlyn sat there a little confused.
"Don't worry darling, he gets wound tight before a show. It's like he is storing everything up." Cora said noticing. Caitlyn thanked her for the advice, rattled off her phone number when Cora asked, and they ended the conversation. Caitlyn liked Cora, and was happy when she had asked it it would be alright to ring her from time to time.
She was setting Nolan's phone down next to her on the couch when he walked back in. He was now in a pair of nice jeans, that just happened showcase his ass to perfection. A short sleeved olive green button down shirt, sleeves rolled just so on his biceps, top two buttons left undone so his chest hair peeked out. The look was casual, but very masculine, and carefully put together for maximum impact on stage. His hair was messed to perfection, and Caitlyn figured if she touched it that she would feel paste, or wax keeping it together that way. His in-ear monitors hung loosely around his neck. He saw her watching him, walked over, pulled her to standing and kissed her devastatingly thoroughly. Caitlyn could taste the excitement on Nolan's tongue, and it swept her away with him. "C'mon love, its show time." He said pulling his mouth away from her finally, and led her out of the room and down the corridor to towards the stage.
Caitlyn watched the flurry of activity as people ran around every which way. There were a dozen people, at least, but everyone knew their job, and it looked like a well choreographed dance as they darted here and there. Someone strapped something around his waist, and tucked a battery pack in his back pocket. Another person handed Nolan an electric guitar, and he lifted it over his head taking a moment to adjust the strap. His band members walked out one by one, and the crowd screamed. The first drawn out notes of a song flowed through the venue, and Nolan pushed the buds into his ears. Bopping up and down on his toes he shook his body out, winked at Caitlyn and sauntered out onto the stage as the audience erupted in adulation.