My son was having a blast in the bath.

I raised an arm to my face to block the water he was splashing my way, but that didn't stop it from getting on my bare torso– I took my shirt off to avoid getting it wet– and all over the floor, even if I lined it with a towel.

"Leo," I giggled, splashing the water in the tub onto his face. He screwed his eyes shut and spat out some of the water that got in his mouth. "Come on, bath time is over. C'est fini."

"Non, mama!" He whined, gathering a bunch of the rose-scented bubbles in his hands before clapping them together, sending the foam everywhere. "More!"

I shook my head, "I'm sorry, baby, but you have to go to sleep, now." I cooed, moving my hands under his armpits to stand him up. He shook his arms out of my grasp and plopped back into the bathtub, splashing water over the edge and onto my knees.

I heard the doorbell ring through the open bathroom door and huffed.

"Juste une minute!" I screamed at the top of my lungs, hoping whoever was outside the apartment could hear me. I glanced down at Leo, who was now playing with the plastic boat that floated atop the water. I leaned over and unplugged the drain. At the sound of the water rushing down the pipes, Leo let out a cry of protest.

"Leo, we have a visitor. We need to go get the door." I said, standing up to throw my worn out crop top over my bra-clad chest. I unfolded his cape de bain and gestured for him to stand up with a look reserved only for when I was really angry at him.

Although I wasn't mad, it didn't hurt that he scrambled onto his feet when he saw the stern look on my face.

The doorbell echoed around the apartment again and I released a small breath of frustration as I dried him down before wrapping it around him. I picked him up, giving him the toy boat to keep him occupied as I hurried towards the front door. I closed one eye and looked through the peephole.

"The fuck?" I muttered, putting in the security code that unlocked the door and disabled the alarm system. I hurriedly twisted the knob and threw the door open, staring down at the three children with a look of disbelief.

"Hi, tata!" Antoine chirped, his right hand wrapped tightly around his sister's wrist while his left did the same around his brother's. He let himself in, dragging his two siblings behind him, and I had to blink, then rub my eyes, to make sure that this wasn't a dream.

"What– Antoine?" I stuttered, really confused as to why and how he was here. I poked my head out the door and peered down both hallways in search of my brother or Rose. I didn't see anybody. "What are you doing here?"

"We're on vacation!" He smiled, letting go of both of his siblings to come forward and give me a hug. With Leo still on my hip, I wrapped one arm around his head and returned the hug before glancing at Céline and Cody, who were staring up at me with adorable eyes.

A vacation? Did their winter break start already? Why would they come to France during the Winter, weren't they better off somewhere warm and nice?

"Are you guys not going to give your tata a hug?" I asked, feigning hurt. At my words, they grinned and rushed towards me, each of them wrapping their tiny hands around one of my legs. Since I couldn't exactly hug them back, I ruffled their hair lovingly.

"Cece! Coco!" Leo exclaimed, clapping his hands together at the sight of his four-year-old cousins.

"Uh, Antoine, where are Dylan and Rose?" I questioned, closing the door behind me and reactivating the security system– it was a habit I've developed.

"Papa wanted to talk to someone downstairs, and mama stayed with him. She told me to bring Cece and Coco with me since I know where your apartment is," He explained, waving up at Leo who excitedly waved the hand holding the boat in return.

"Come on," I said, cocking my head towards the inside of my apartment. "I need to change Leo into a new set of clothes."

He nodded, and pushed his siblings forward, following me down the hallway and into his room. The twins scrambled away from Antoine at the sight of Leo's collection of toys, taking a seat on the carpet to play with his Lego set. I opened the closet door and pulled out a pair of cotton shorts and a t-shirt.

"When did you guys get here?" I asked, pulling a drawer open to retrieve a fresh pair of underwear. Shielding my son's body with mine, I dressed him as Antoine replied.

"This morning. Papa took us to a hotel and we fell asleep right away. Then, we took a walk around Paris since you were still at work." He recounted, standing in the middle of the room as he stared at Cody pull pieces away from Céline's reach so he could use them.

I adjusted Leo's shirt before patting him on the shoulder, indicating he could go and play with his cousins. I turned around and threw an arm over Antoine's shoulder, pulling him away from the children and into the hallway.

"Are you guys hungry?" I asked, reaching up to open the highest cabinet so I could pull a bunch of glass cups I had reserved for guests out. I set them down on the countertop and went to open the fridge, thankful that I bought a carton of orange juice when I went grocery shopping. "Do you want any snacks?"

"Yes, please!" He sang, arranging the three glass cups into a neat line before twirling to face me. "Do you have any chips?"

I snorted, shooting him a look through the corner of my eyes, "Of course I do," I said, pointing at a cabinet next to the fridge. He grinned before opening it to grab a small pack of salt and vinegar chips, "Can you also get the two bags of biscuits for your siblings?"

"None for Leo?"

"Non, he's going to sleep soon, hun. It'll just keep him awake." I poured the juice into the three cups and opened the freezer to retrieve a tray of ice cubes. I slammed it against the countertop before plopping three into each cup. I smirked, glancing at Antoine, "Will your parents let you have chips at this time?"

He bit down on the chip really loudly and shot me sheepish look, "No..."

I placed the glass cups onto a tray, "Better finish it before they get here then." I winked. He smiled before grabbing a handful and stuffing them into his face. I set the tray on the coffee table in the living room before going back into the kitchen to retrieve some juice boxes for the kids.

I heard the doorbell ring, "You better finish those chips, Antoine," I warned and he nodded, before stuffing more of the snack into his mouth. I chuckled before moving to answer the door, "Céline, Cody, Leo– I have snacks!"

I checked the peephole and smiled at the sight of Dylan and Rose. I put in the code as three pairs of footsteps ran into the living room. I opened the door and smiled. Dylan immediately stepped forward and wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me into a very tight hug. I mouthed a, "Hi!", to Rose as she watched me return the hug.

He placed two hands on my shoulder and pulled away, "How've you been, Bee?"

I gestured for Rose to come forward so I could hug her, "Great," I chirped, squeezing Rose before stepping back. "Come in."

"Where's my favorite nephew?" Rose asked loudly as she stepped into the apartment, looking directly at Leo. He ran bolted towards her, and she outstretched her arms, ready to catch him. She picked him up and placed a kiss on his cheek, "You smell good, Leo– did your mama just give you a bath?"

He nodded wildly, "With bubbles!"

"Explains why your shirt is wet," Dylan chuckled, walking into the living room to make himself at home. Rose followed suit, listening to Leo babble while Céline and Cody stared up at me expectantly.

"You have snacks?" The boy asked, a small smile on his face.

"Oh, yeah!" I nodded, grabbing both of their hands to bring them into the kitchen. Antoine was leaning against the counter, popping chips into his mouth. When he saw me enter, he scrambled to hide them but relaxed once he realized it was me and not his mom.

I grabbed the small packets of animal biscuits and opened them before handing them to either one of the children. They squealed at the sight of the snacks and thanked me before running out.

I glanced at the nine-year-old, "Put that down," I said, tilting my head in the directions they disappeared in. "Come on."

He complied, wiping his mouth with the sleeve of his sweater before walking out. I followed after him and took a seat in the living room, where Dylan had Céline on his lap as he held the cup filled with juice up to her lips. Cody was sitting by his mother, who was asking him to share his snacks with Leo, who kept reaching over to grab some but couldn't since his cousin kept pulling them away.

"Why'd you give them the biscuits, Bee?" Dylan groaned, plucking the packet out of his daughter's hands, who made a noise of protest. "You're going to spoil their dinner."

I shrugged, "Antoine said he was hungry." I lied, glancing at my oldest nephew, who was staring at me with wide eyes.

Dylan's eyes narrowed in on his son, scrutinizing him, "Did you have chips?"

"No?" He squeaked, leaning behind me to hide from his father.

I snorted, "Leave him alone, Dyl," I dismissed the matter, swiping the clearly visible crumbs off his chest. "Why are you guys here?"

"Well," Rose started, removing her gaze from Leo so she could look at me. "I've never been to Paris, and since Antoine's on winter break, we decided to drop by and visit you since you never come back home anymore."

I gave her a sheepish grin, leaning back into my couch, "Work's taken over my life," I groaned as an explanation, raking my fingers through the roots of my hair.

"Papa, please give me my snacks back." Cece pouted, widening her glimmering eyes at her father. His resolve crumbled quickly at the look, and he sighed before lowering his arm to give her the snack.

I smirked and glanced at Rose, who shook her head at the action, "She's got him wrapped around her finger."

"Does not," He grumbled, wrapping his arms around his baby before pulling her closer to him. "You'd have to be a monster to say no to a face like that."

Rose rolled her eyes before glancing at me, "How are you, hun?" She asked, opening her palm in front of Cody, who plopped an elephant-shaped biscuit onto her hand. She thanked him before tossing it into her mouth.

"Good," I replied, glancing between her and Dylan. "The response from our last magazine issue was great, which honestly feels so good since I put so much effort into it. But, the workplace itself–" I stopped talking when my ears picked up on a click from the direction of the front door. I snapped my head in its direction when I heard someone throw it open before slamming it.

"Get dressed, bitch," A familiar voice announced, walking into the living room. "We're going– oh shit, hey guys."

I released a breath, placing a hand over my racing heart to calm it down, "Isaac," I said, my voice dripping with frustration. "How many times have I told you to ring the fucking doorbell before barging in?"

"I don't know because I don't listen," He quipped before leaning down to pick Céline up from Dylan's lap. The latter scowled at the action, but he replaced it by smiling up at Isaac, giving him a fistbump to greet him. Then he moved over to Rose, ruffling Antoine's hair. He leaned down to place a kiss on her cheek.

He took a seat on the one-seater opposite Dylan's, right next to Rose. He placed Céline on his lap and glanced around the room, "What's up, you guys? I'm happy to see you guys here."

"Why?" Antoine asked, not knowing that the sentence was just a formality.

Isaac grinned at the child, "Because, my dear Tony, I wanted to take Amber out."

"Like a date?" He asked again, eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"How do you know what a date is?" Rose asked almost immediately.

I choked on the air while Isaac threw his head back to laugh obnoxiously, "Absolutely not," He said, ignoring the way Dylan was glaring at him. "Your aunt needs to relax, and she can't do that without a little help from me."

I breathed out a heavy breath, "Isaac, I already told you that I can't. Leo–"

"– has someone to look after him," He said with a knowing smirk, glancing at the two parents in the room.

"We can take Leo out with us!" Rose suggested excitedly, grinning down at Leo. "We were going to take the kids out for dinner, and we can totally bring him along. Cece and Cody would love to spend time with him, wouldn't you?"

"Yeah!" Céline said, nodding her head wildly. At the sight of his sister agreeing with what was just said, Cody started nodding as well.

I swallowed thickly and glanced at Leo, "I don't know–"

Dylan cut me off, "I can't believe I'm saying this," He said, crinkling his nose in disgust. "But Isaac is right."

"Wait," Zac said, pulling his phone out of his slacks. "Say that again, I need to record it."

My brother ignored him and glanced at me, "You're always at work, Bee. Taking a break is alright. Nothing bad will come out of it. Plus, Leo is safe with us, you know I'll make sure of it."

I looked at my son, who was playing with Cody by using the animal-shaped biscuits. Rose nodded encouragingly and I sighed, giving in.

"Fine," I breathed out. Isaac perked up at my agreement and grinned. "Where are we going?"

"Fuck yeah," He whispered, covering Céline's ears when he cursed. "A restaurant since I'm starving, then a club or something– I don't know yet."

"I got an invite to some new 'elite' night club," I told him, standing up to assess his outfit. I'd know what to wear based on what he was wearing. He had a white button-up shirt, with the top buttons left undone, tucked into some black trousers. "You wanna try it out?"

He leaned over, making sure to move around Céline, to grab a cup of juice that I definitely didn't pour for him, "I'm down."

"Okay," I said, wiping my palms on the side of my shorts. "I'll go get changed, give me a second."

"That translates to an hour," Dylan quipped, leaning back into his chair, taking a sip of the orange juice. I shot him an unamused look and scurried into my 'closet'.

I haven't dressed up for an event that had nothing to do with work since Leo was born. I just didn't have the time to hang out with friends and not bring him along. He was my top priority, and after everything that happened with Adam, I'd developed some trust issues when it came to friends. I didn't necessarily trust them alone with Leo, but I trusted Dylan and Rose.

Feeling excitement bubble through me at the idea of going out, I put together an outfit in my mind and picked out the articles of clothing. It was an all-white outfit that consisted of a lace-bodysuit that cinched in my waist and showed a lot of skin and a pair of high-waisted white pants. Since I already took a shower yesterday, my hair was fairly curly, which meant I didn't have to do much to it. I sat down in front of my vanity and put on a minimal amount of makeup– mascara, blush, highlighter, and red lipstick.

Thirty minutes later, after assessing my outfit in the body-length mirror, I smiled at the sight of the outfit and threw on a pair of glittery heels. I hooked two diamonds earrings onto my ears and draped the matching necklace over my neck. I grabbed a clutch from the shelf and placed the lipstick into it. I walked out of the closet and into Leo's to grab him a pair of shoes.

The heels clacked against the hardwood floors. I walked into the kitchen to grab my phone, and I heard Isaac groan, "You take so long!" He shouted so I could hear him. I rolled my eyes and grabbed my wallet from my tote, taking out my ID and credit card. I left the kitchen and entered the living room, "How hard is it to–" He choked on his spit, sending him into a coughing fit.

I raised an eyebrow, confused to his change in behavior, but once I caught his eyes raking over my body, his jaw hung open in awe, I rolled my eyes and kneeled down in front of Leo, who took my spot on the couch. Strapping on his shoes, I glanced at Dylan, "Do you know what restaurant you're going to?"

He shrugged, "Probably the one back in the hotel," He replied before kissing his teeth. "Are you forgetting something?"

I paused and peered into my clutch to find everything I need already in there, "I don't think so."

"A shirt," He deadpanned, eyes widening.

"This is a bodysuit," I defended.

"More like lingerie," Isaac commented, making me snap my head in his direction. He lifted two arms up in a surrendering motion, "Not complaining, though. You look hot as shit."

"You have such a way with words," I said, my expression one of disgruntlement.

"I know," He winked before standing up, dusting the crumbs of the biscuits Céline was eating off his pants. "Come on, my car's parked outside."

"One second," I held up a finger, giving him the clutch which he wordlessly took. I looked at Leo and smoothed down his hair before cupping his jaw, "You going to be okay with tonton Dylan and auntie Rose?"

He nodded and I smiled as I stood up. I glanced at my older brother, ignoring how Isaac's arm was now draped over my shoulder, "He has a weird thing with mashed potatoes, so don't give him any unless you're in the mood to deal with his temper tantrums. If you're going to get dessert, nothing with chocolate since that keeps him up at night for some reason–"

"I'm sure Dylan knows how to take care of a kid, Amber," Isaac spoke, trying to ease me towards the front door. "He has three if you forgot."

"He already had dinner, though, so don't get him something heavy," I continued, alternating my gaze from Dylan to Rose, who was staring at me with amusement as Isaac pulled me back. "When you put his hoodie on, make sure the hood is up, even if he says he's not cold–"

"Amber, sweetheart, just go out and enjoy yourself. Have fun," Rose said softly.

"Not too much fun, though," Dylan piped up, narrowing his eyes at Isaac, who waved him off with a flap of the hand.

"Okay, okay," I sighed, shooting Leo a final glance. "You know the security system's code. Don't forget to activate it after you leave."

"Speaking of leaving," Isaac chipped in, pressing in the same code I was just talking about. "We're supposed to be doing that now."

I jabbed my elbow into his ribs when he tried to pull me out, smiling in satisfaction when I heard him hiss, "Bye Leo. Have fun with your cousins."

My son's head whipped in my direction and he waved goodbye, "Bye, mama!"

"Let's go," Isaac said, wrapping two arms around my waist to pull me out of the doorway. Rose laughed at the action, and that's the last thing I heard before he closed the door. He scowled at me, "You're a real piece of work."

I took my clutch from his hands, "A real hot piece of work," I chirped, walking towards the elevator, repeating his 'compliment'.

"You're not wrong," He retorted, shrugging a shoulder and following me down the corridor.

•••

"Isaac, est-elle ta copine?" [Is this your girlfriend?]

Somewhere in all his excitement to take me out to get work off my mind, Isaac forgot about the fact that he was a very well-known Parisian celebrity. That meant that somebody tipped off the paparazzi that he was in a very fancy Teppanyaki restaurant with me, and the photographers went mad.

"Isaac, is Amber Amity your girlfriend?"

As soon as we stepped out of the restaurant, flashing lights attacked us. Given I wasn't used to this many people taking pictures of me at nine o'clock, I was blinded by the lights. They were also closing in on us, not letting us move unless I physically pushed them out of the way.

"Est-ce que c'est un rendez-vous?" [Is this a date?]

I placed a hand up to the lights to shield my eyes and looked down as we pushed through the crowd. Somebody tried to slap my hand away, but Isaac quickly shoved him, "Fuck off."

He wrapped a protective arm around my shoulder and pulled me close to him. He then outstretched the other arm to push everybody away. Fucking hell, I thought, wondering why the fuck people wanted to be famous when this was how the media reacted to your mere presence. Isaac forcefully elbowed a photographer who was too personal with his camera and sent him toppling onto two others.

I kept my gaze down, the side of my face pressed into Isaac's chest as he pushed through the crowd. When we finally made it to the car, he opened the passenger door for me and let me in before pushing the paparazzi away to close it. He rounded the front of the car, ignoring the cameras pressed into his face before stepping into the driver's seat. He pressed the start button, narrowed his eyes at the men who stood in front of the hood of his car, before pressing down on the accelerator.

With wide eyes, the photographers jumped out of the way, and I flipped them off before buckling in the seatbelt. Isaac released a frustrated breath and ran his hands through his hair before dragging it down his face. He scratched his stubble as he stared at the busy road ahead.

"Huh," He hummed, sounding stumped.

"Huh?" I repeated in a questioning manner.

His eyes narrowed thoughtfully, "Yeah, I just never thought I'd have to hire bodyguards for the night."

I blinked, exasperation coursing through my veins, "You realize that you're very famous here, do you not?"

He rubbed the back of his nape as he took a turn to the right, "I might've, kind of, forgotten? I haven't hired bodyguards in a while now."

"You're incorrigible," I said with a shake of my head, the corner of my lip tugging into a smile. "The restaurant was sick, though, thanks for taking me there."

He smirked, shooting me a look through the corner of his eyes before quickly flickering back to the road, "Glad you liked it. Now, onto our next adventure."

"Right," I said, opening my clutch to pull my phone out. I scrolled through my emails before finding the e-vite. "The club is called 'Étoile'."

Isaac snorted at the name, "Of course it is." He typed in the name of the club onto the screen in his car and Google Maps instantly highlighted the route to the location.

I leaned back into my seat and stared at my phone, "Do you think that Rose or Dylan would call me if something happened to Leo?"

He drummed his fingers against the steering wheel and took another turn, "Obviously," He said in a 'duh' tone. He reached a hand over the console and gripped my phone before yanking it out of my hands. "He's in safe hands. You're out to let loose. Leo is probably asleep by now."

I sighed and glanced out the window, my face propped up with my hand,

"You're probably right."

"Your destination is three minutes away."

"Of course I am," He scoffed looking at me again. Once he saw my worried expression, his features softened and he took my hand in his, squeezing it tightly. "Do you want to call them?"

I shrugged, "I've just never been away from Leo for this long."

"Amber, trust me," He said, his tone soft. "He's fine."

"Okay," I breathed out, deciding to let the conversation drop. I gazed at the infotainment screen that ready that the club was two minutes away now. "You think the paparazzi is gonna be there?"

"I don't doubt it," He replied, withdrawing his hand from mine to grasp the steering wheel. "They're probably going to be under control, though, since there's going to be security there."

My question was answered when we arrived at the club. There was a queue of people lined up along the side of the building, waiting for the bouncer to let them in, while a gaggle of photographers grouped up on the other side, waiting for somebody famous to enter.

Isaac groaned, "It's at times like these I fucking wish I had a driver or something."

I chuckled, patting his chest with my palm, "It's fine, there's a parking spot right opposite the entrance." I said, pointing at the empty space. He pulled into the space and turned off the ignition. He glanced at me and then the paparazzi, who were squinting at the car to try and see through the tinted windows. "You should've really hired bodyguards."

He threw open the door to his car with a huff, "Just get the fuck out." He ordered, handing me my phone. I took it and opened the door on my side to step out. As soon as Isaac's figure emerged, the paparazzi ran towards us, cameras clicking and lights flashing. He came up to me and did the same thing he did at the restaurant– wrapped an arm around my shoulder to protect me and keep me by his side as he pushed through the crowd.

The security guards came up to us not a second later and forced them to give us space as we walked up to the entrance. Everybody's eyes followed us as I flashed the bouncer the invite. He nodded and opened the door for us. Isaac gently pushed me forward before following after me. We walked down a hallway before entering through the sliding glass doors that automatically slid open for us.

Immediately, we were greeted by a bass-heavy song. I could feel the vibrations in my heart as my eyes swept the place. It was relatively big and dark, only illuminated by alternating blue, pink, and purple lights. The place had a dance floor to the side, a bunch of circular booths surrounding it. Women and men in uniforms walked around, a tray in their hands as they handed the guests whatever drinks they ordered. On the other side of the club was a bar that spanned the width of the wall. Three or four bartenders attended to the people who sat on the stools in front of the bar.

"Well, shit," Isaac commented, running his hand through his hair as he took the place in. "You've been hiding this place from me, haven't you?"

"Shut up," I snapped, walking towards an empty booth that faced the dance floor. I threw my clutch on the table and sat on the plush, white, chair.

Isaac followed me, staring at me through narrowed eyes, "You came to a club to sit down?"

I looked around, looking for somebody in a uniform, before my gaze fell on someone who was undressing Isaac with her eyes. With her gaze on Isaac's profile, I smirked and glanced at the footballeur in front of me. His fists were on his hips as he stared at me with a look of disbelief.

I crossed my leg right leg over the other and leaned into the seat, waving a man carrying a tray over, "Actually, you're the one who wanted to go clubbing," I said, tilting my head to the left where the girl was still staring at him. "That girl has been staring at you since we got here."

He furrowed his eyebrows before snapping his head to the left. His eyes swept that side of the club before they fell on the woman, whose gaze never wavered. He grinned and winked at her, making me fake gag.

"A non-alcoholic margarita, please," I told the waiter who nodded before disappearing to the bar. I wasn't going to get drunk when I had a son I had to go home to later. I also wanted to be sober to watch the woman's libido disappear as soon as Isaac opened his mouth. "Go dance with her, you idiot."

Isaac pursed his lip, "You'll be fine on your own?" He asked hesitantly, rubbing the back of his neck.

I nodded and waved my hand dismissively, "Have fun, Zachy," I said, wiggling my eyebrows. He scowled at the nickname but nodded nonetheless.

"Anyone gives you trouble, you call me, got it?" He said, his voice serious.

I pushed him away with the bottom of my heel, "Go!" I laughed and he smiled before running a hand through his hair to style it while he walked in her direction. The waiter came back with my margarita and I thanked him, taking the receipt that it came with. I brought the glass up to my lips and looked around the lively club.

Friends were dancing with each other on the dance floor, some of them celebrities or business moguls I recognized and others were pure strangers. I gazed to the right of the dance floor, where a slab of marble was attached to the wall. People rested their drinks on it as they conversed with each other. My eyes fell on a familiar brunette, and I rolled my eyes when I realized who it was.

Maybe he was stalking me.

As if he could sense my gaze, he looked around the room until his eyes fell on me. I took another sip of the margarita as he squinted, trying to figure out who I was. His eyes then widened, and he excused himself before making his way towards me. He adjusted his shirt and smoothed out his pants before stopping in front of me.

His eyes raked over my figure, his adam's apple bobbing and cheeks flushing pink before, "Hey. I didn't know you were coming here today."

I swallowed the drink, "You seem to appear everywhere I go," I said, quirking an eyebrow.

He released an awkward chuckle and raised his hands in mock surrender,

"Pure coincidence, I promise. We're not filming tomorrow, so some of the members of the crew and I decided to come here. An actress got an invite and she pulled some strings and managed to get us all in too."

I nodded in understanding, "Hope you're having fun, then."

He smiled, his eyes gleaming beneath the pink lights, "I am, the atmosphere is pretty nice," He replied before clearing his throat. "You look really good, by the way."

For the first time after we met, I gave him a genuine smile, "Thank you."

He nodded once, "Of course," He said, glancing at the empty booth. "Are you here by yourself?"

I shook my head and scanned the dance floor, finding Isaac in the middle, his hands on the girls swaying hips. I pointed towards him, "I'm here with Isaac," I explained, gagging when the girl leaned up to kiss him.

Dean's nose crinkled, "I guess that answers my question on whether you guys are dating or not."

I shook my head, a laugh escaping my lips, "Nope," I popped the p. "Isaac is just a really good friend. He helps me with Leo and takes me out to get my mind off work."

"That's really nice of him," He chose to say, glancing back at Isaac who was now flat-out making out with the girl in the middle of the dance floor.

Others were looking at them in disgust, and all I could do was laugh because I had a feeling this would end terribly. "Do you want to join my friends and me?"

I blinked, "No, thanks," I responded, bringing the glass up so it was near my lips. "I don't have it in me to socialize right now. Sorry."

He shook his head, "It's all good," He said, swallowing thickly. "I also wanted to ask whether you were free for coffee anytime soon. I wanted to come clean and explain everything that happened when I moved away."

I took a sip of the margarita and stared at him, contemplating whether or not I should agree to it or not. Although it was irritating that he always brought this up, I knew that listening to him would be good for me. Maybe I'd get the closure I've refused to admit I needed.

"Sure," I chirped, and he physically did a doubletake at my answer, obviously not expecting me to agree to speak to him. "You can just come up to my office whenever and I'll probably be able to make the time."

A familiar ringtone sounded from the table.

Dean grinned, "Thank you, Amber," He said, pushing the clutch towards me. "I'll see you later, yeah?"

"Yeah," I nodded, opening the clutch to retrieve my phone. I saw a picture of Dylan light up my screen and I shook the phone, "I need to take this."

"Of course," He said, taking a step back. "I'll head on back to my friends."

I waved my hand goodbye and swiped to answer the call, "Dylan?" I raised a hand up to my other ear to block off the music blasting through the speakers.

"Hey," He replied. "How's the night out?"

"Great, actually," I replied looking around the club. "Is Leo okay?"

"Yeah. He actually wanted to call you to say goodnight." He said. "I'm gonna put him on the phone now, okay?"

"Mama?" An adorable voice sounded through the phone, making my smile widen until my cheeks hurt.

"Hi, baby," I raised my voice so he could hear me over the music. "Did you have fun today?"

"Oui," He spoke excitedly, but even I could hear how tired he was. "Auntie Rose taught me how to eat crab. Then, tonton put The Incredibles on the TV in the hotel."

"Sounds like you had a blast, then," I said glancing at the dancefloor in search of Isaac. His lips weren't locked on the girl anymore, instead, they were just swaying to the rhythm of the song. "You going to sleep now, mon cher?"

"Yeah, mama. I'm going to share a bed with Coco," He whispered, and I could imagine him rubbing his eyes tiredly. "I just wanted to say goodnight."

My heart swelled, "Bonne nuit, mon cher," I said through the phone. "I love you."

"I love you too, Mama. Bye-bye."

"Bye, baby," I replied.

I heard some rustling in the background before Dylan's voice sounded again, "He's going to bed now. You don't have to worry about picking him up– he can stay the night."

I hesitated, "Are you sure?" I asked, just to be certain. "Isaac can drive to the hotel–"

"There's no need for him to do that," He cut me off. "Where are you anyway?"

Movement in my peripheral vision caught my attention and I looked there to find a guy making his way towards me, "Some club." I said quirking an eyebrow when he smiled at me.

"And Isaac is behaving?"

I snorted, "The guy is living it up on the dancefloor." I replied, watching as the stranger stood in front of the booth, waiting for me to end my call.

"Of course he is," He muttered. "I'm gonna go now. I'm still jet-lagged."

"Alright, I'll see you tomorrow, then. Goodnight, love you."

"Love you too, Bee." He replied before hanging up.

I glanced at the guy, who was now sitting in the booth just opposite to me, "Can I help you?" I asked bluntly before taking another sip of my margarita.

"I just saw you sitting on your own and thought you might like some company," He said, his voice oozing charisma and confidence with a hint of a French accent. "I'm Mike."

"Do you use that pick-up line on everybody, Mike?" I asked, my voice sickly sweet.

His lips tugged up into a smile, "Just the attractive ones, and you," He paused for dramatic effect, taking in my figure with a quick sweep of his eyes. "Are really attractive."

"I'm also uninterested," I replied, making sure to let him how unimpressed I was by his overall demeanor by thinning my lips.

"Maybe you'll change your mind after a dance," He offered, leaning his body closer to the table.

"Doubt it," I bit back, taking another sip from my margarita that was three sips away from ending.

"What's happening here?" Somebody mused from behind me. The guy's eyes widened when they took in the man looming over me. How famous was this idiot of a man?

"You're– you–" He stuttered, his jaw falling open. "I'm a big fan, man!"

Isaac chuckled, thanking him, and pushed me into the booth by my shoulders. He threw an arm over my shoulder and took my drink from me, finishing it all in one big gulp. I elbowed him in the ribs, and he choked on the drink, which made me snort. Mike was staring at both of us with a calculating expression before he leaned away from the table.

"You didn't tell me you had a boyfriend," He said, slightly panicking. "If I knew you did, I wouldn't have asked for a dance."

Isaac and I simultaneously burst into laughter. I carefully swiped under my eyes and glanced at the football player, who was staring at me with amusement, "Why does everyone think we're dating?" He asked.

I flipped my hair over my shoulder, "It makes no sense. I'm obviously way out of your league," I sassed, a smile on my lips.

"You guys... aren't?" Mike asked and I shook my head 'no'. "Does that mean you'd like to dance?"

"No can do," Isaac intervened, giving him a fake apologetic look. "Amber's dancing with me now."

"She is?"

"I am?" I asked, and just like that, Isaac took my phone from the table and pocketed it. Then, he wrapped his fingers around my wrist and pulled me out of the booth. I glanced at my clutch nervously but my view of it disappeared as Isaac dragged me into the middle of the dance floor.

I crossed my arms under my chest and glared up at him, "I don't want to dance," I whined.

He rolled his eyes and placed his hands on my waist, "Let loose, you idiot." He snapped, a playful glint in his eyes. I huffed but started moving along to the beat of whatever Latin song was playing over the speakers.

He smiled, "There you go."

"How'd it go with the blonde?" I chirped, looking around the club in search of her. "That looked like a very steamy kiss."

He scowled, "She was great up until she brought up how much money I make playing matches."

I frowned, jutting my bottom lip out as I tilted my head, "You poor thing," I cooed, reaching up to ruffle his hair. He slapped it away, his scowl deepening. "Leo called!"

"Yeah?" He asked, his face lighting up at the mention of my son. "Is he having fun?"

"Yup!" I said, smiling widely. "He called me to wish me goodnight. Isn't he the cutest?"

He chuckled, "Absolutely." He agreed with a nod. His hands moved away from my waist and he took my hand in his, lifted it up, and twirled me. I threw my head back and laughed at the sensation before going back to moving my hips to the rhythm of the song.

I glanced up at Isaac, my grin wide and my eyes gleaming with happiness, "Thank you for taking me out, Zachy."

He smiled down at me, "Don't fucking call me that." He returned, making me roll my eyes. His expression softened considerably, though, as he said, "I'm glad you're having fun, Amber. You seemed like you really needed this."

I nodded enthusiastically before losing myself in the music.

I really did.

•••

– 16/07/20

Did you enjoY¿

I have big plans, my dudeS.

Big plans