While Nick had been tempted to go to one of the clubs he had been familiar with during his days of partying in the Big Apple he was also worried about what the paparazzi would be like outside the club. There was always celebrities lingering around NYC and just as many photographers anxious to snap pictures of them.

Nick didn’t mind having his picture taken and he knew that with all the buzz surrounding the Backstreet Boys teaming up with New Kids on the Block and the joint tour they’d just finished, his publicist would welcome any opportunity for him to get his face on Page Six.

He didn’t feel comfortable subjecting Peggy to that though, especially if she planned on inviting her friends out with them. The last thing he wanted was to have to usher a large group of newbies away from a TMZ cameraman while worrying that someone would say or do something stupid. It was easier when he was out with people who had known him for a long time or with other celebrities who knew how things worked.

He just wanted a chill night of hanging out, doing a little dancing, a little drinking with his girlfriend and her friends. Peggy had ended up being the one to suggest a place to go, choosing a club that she and her friends often frequented because it was close to their neighbourhood but still hip enough to draw a crowd.

They called ahead and got the VIP section to themselves which was much of the second floor of the club and Nick took the initiative to order bottle service for the group. People always said you couldn’t buy love but over the years he had learned that it could certainly buy some people’s happiness even if only for a night. If buying Peggy’s friends a bunch of alcohol meant they might like him better than her family did then he was willing to shell out a few dollars for the cause.

He wasn’t certain at first how many people they would be able to wrangle up in just a few hours but he had underestimated Peggy’s connections and her ability to work the phone. Soon, thanks to a party-time phone tree like he had never witnessed before, Peggy had been in touch with 25 of her closest friends who were all planning on coming out to the club with a plus one each. Nick could only sit back in awe as Peggy quickly compiled a list and emailed it over to the club so they would know who should be let into the VIP section.

“You should be a personal assistant,” Nick joked after she had finally set the phone down on the kitchen island.

“Really?” Peggy asked, not entirely sure if he meant it or not. “I was thinking that might be kinda fun, actually!”

“Oh,” Nick stated, his eyebrows rising in surprise. “I didn’t realize that was something you’d be into. I think you’d be great!”

“Thanks babe,” Peggy grinned and leaned across the kitchen island to exchange a quick kiss.

“Are you excited to see your friends?” he asked as they both made their way upstairs to get ready for the all the fun. Nick didn’t have very many close friends outside of his Backstreet brothers, especially since he had reformed his life and stepped away from drugs, alcohol, and the hard-partying Los Angeles club scene. He had a tendency to find a few people that he was very close with and keep them around him as much as he possibly could.

It made it challenging for those people to have other friends because there was always an expectation that they would be available when Nick came calling but it was just what worked for him. Since he’d moved to New York though he hadn’t called up any of his friends in the area and had made Peggy that go-to person he spent every moment of his free time with. As much as he’d love to just keep it that way he was a realist and knew that she needed to see her other friends, too.

“I am!” she called out from inside their large walk-in closet.

Nick followed her inside the expansive space and chuckled at the differences between their two sides. He had never lived with someone who was so much more messy than himself. He thought his friends might be proud of the way he had kept all of his things organized on his side of the closet while hers had exploded everywhere. She had so many shoes they didn’t all fit on the shelves that were built into the wall so a display of pumps was stretched out along the floor beneath her clothes.

She also had seemingly no method of organization for the clothing that was haphazardly draped on hangers. Nick was always sure to hang his pants, dress shirts and t-shirts in groupings but Peggy just put hangers wherever they would fit which usually lead to her trashing the place trying to find something. Having always been the unorganized one in the past he didn’t dare try to give her advice though because he knew how annoying it could be.

“I was thinking I might get another dresser, put it in here,” he said casually, hoping she wouldn’t ask why. It was another situation where he didn’t want to draw attention to the issue but he was getting tired of sharing what little dresser space he had with the woman who didn’t even fold her underwear.

Peggy simply acknowledged his statement but didn’t stop madly looking through her clothes for something to wear to their impromptu party. Nick picked out a pair of dark wash jeans and a white dress shirt and chuckled as she filled her arms full of potential outfits.

“Do you need help?” he asked, holding back laughter.

“Why didn’t you invite anyone?” she asked, ignoring his question as she tossed down a pile of clothes onto their bed.

Nick shrugged and followed her out of the closet after throwing on his clothes. He leaned up against the wall and just watched her from behind as she stood in only a pair of pink lacy underwear, sorting through dresses on the bed.

“I had no one to invite.”

“You don’t know a single person who lives in New York? I find that hard to believe,” Peggy commented. She held a dress up to her chest and turned to Nick as if requesting his approval.

“Too cocktail party,” he shook his head and she threw the selection back on the bed. “There are people I know but not people I know well enough that I want to hang out with them. I want to meet your friends. Maybe I’ll hit it off with someone and then I’ll have a friend!”

“Tons of celebrities live here,” she pointed out. “You must know some of them.”

Nick rolled his eyes. “Have you ever known me to hang out with other celebrities? That hasn’t been my scene in forever. I don’t want that kind of attention.”

“But it would have been so cool!” she joked but he didn’t crack a smile.

With a huff, Nick walked to the bed and sorted through her clothes until he got to the last dress. “Wear this one,” he instructed. As she obligingly pulled the dress on he crossed his arms across his chest, “and for future reference, I’m not going to invite people I know to things just so you can name drop.”

“I was kidding,” she said softly, turning to get him to zip up the back of the dress.

“I’m not,” he replied, brushing her hair away so he could lead the zipper up her back. “I just want to be treated like a normal person that happens to have a very public job. If you’re looking to brag that you’re fucking a famous person, find another one.”

“Nick...” Peggy quickly turned, looking at him in surprise. “I was only joking. I’m sorry. I rarely ever think of you that way, you know that. I love you.”

Annoyance still apparent on his face, he was about to reply when Insane Clown Posse suddenly started blasting out of Peggy’s phone. She requested that he hold his thoughts while she answer the phone and the conversation was brief. After just a few words she hung up and looked at him expectantly, waiting for him to finish what he was going to say.

“Sorry,” he shook his head. “That was shitty of me. I love you too.”

Although seemingly insincere she smiled and reached up to kiss his bearded chin. “You’re going to get to meet a couple of my friends early,” she told him, pointing to the phone. “That was Becca. She and her boyfriend Tommy are going to take a cab over here then drive with us. Is that okay?”

He nodded then left her to finish getting ready while he waited for her friends to arrive. He wasn’t sure what had come over him when she mentioned inviting other famous people to the party. He knew that Peggy wasn’t the type of person to just be in love with his celebrity status but he had been burned enough times to be overly cautious as a result. He knew eventually he was going to end up introducing her to actors and singers that she might admire but for now he liked being the only famous person in her world.

It made him feel normal to be doing things like going to a club with a bunch of 20-somethings who likely wouldn't give a crap who he was. At the same time he wanted Peggy to be able to name drop, but only his name. He wasn’t ready to share the limelight quite yet.