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CHAPTER THREE.
Meet
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Justin bops his head to the beat of another song of his, smiling and laughing alongside his team in the studio. The sound of the music courses through his bones, his feet tapping on the ground rhythmically. His manager, Scooter, stands by the doorway, observing Justin's reaction to the song. He, too, bops his head to the beat at Justin's glee.

"Jack, man," Justin sighs, turning his back to the sound booth, grinning happily. Everyone calms down, the room going still, "This is amazing."

"Thanks, bro. Glad you like it." Jack Ü responds, bowing his head with a proud grin on his face. He turns around and looks to Diplo, who is across the room, talking to Scooter, nodding his head at him. Diplo nods back, smirking, "I can see this going big."

He reaches out for a handshake. Justin takes his hand firmly, seeing Diplo approach them from behind Jack. He shakes Diplo's hand right after, nodding swiftly. They all talk for a while more before Jack and Diplo bid goodbye to Justin's team, leaving the studio. Scooter claps Justin's shoulder, smiling profusely.

"Alright, Biebs." Scooter sighs, giving him a quick hug, "Another track. I can see this blowing up for sure. But..." He trails off, leading him into the sound booth and sighing, "You know features and singles aren't everything, Justin. You should start considering another album. It's been a while since the Purpose album dropped," He pauses, "Look, that album was great but now it's time for your next big thing. I'm talking platinum."

"Haven't found the inspiration, Scoot." Justin replies, looking to his manager and rubbing his temples, "But I'm trying." Frustration builds up inside of him as he says those three words, not having anything to go off of. Scooter nods his head in understanding, sucking in his lips. He clasps a hand over Justin's shoulder before moving away from him and leaving the studio, closing the door behind him.

Justin is left staring at the microphone, an eerie silence surrounding him as everyone leaves the studio, down the hall, and around the corner. He groans and curses under his breath, running through lyrics in his mind, lyrics he can't seem to put together in any way. They're all there, but nothing makes sense to him. He moves over to the piano and takes a seat in front of it, placing his hands over the cool, ivory keys. A tingle of nostalgia hits him, remembering how he taught himself how to play the piano, at a very young age.

He begins to play a lullaby, one that his mom sang to him since he was a baby. The vibrations of the notes course through his fingers, filling his body with small shocks of heat that go straight to his heart. He sees himself sneaking into the den of their home, late at night, not wanting to get caught. He remembers how much adrenaline coursed through his veins as he snuck around every corner, warm feet tapping on the cold, tile floor. His mother caught him, most of the time, but it was more about sneaking in to just hover over the keys, to get used to the sounds each of them made, how they felt and how they made him feel. Smiling at how the keys seem to play him, instead of him playing them, he closes his eyes as the melodic notes flow through his ears. His head lifts with every high note, going back down for every lower one, lingering his fingers on certain keys to harness its full sound. A few notes later, he's reached the end of the song, the notes pulsing through his eardrums, even after its ended, like an echo. A voice calls behind him and he turns slowly, seeing his sister.

"Juice, c'mon." Iris says, pushing herself off the doorframe, smiling at her older brother. Justin smiles back and stands up from his seat, walking over to her and slinging an arm over her shoulders. He kisses her on the top of her head, walking with her out of the studio, Justin continuing to feel the tingling sensation from the keys of the piano in the tips of his fingertips.

⤞

"Come on, Morgan. No. I said no the last time you asked me, too." Nicolette says sternly, setting Ace down in the bassinet as he groans slightly. Morgan swallows and repeats what she had said moments prior, hoping to convince Nicolette to accept the offer that stands.

"Look, Nicky, he needs a driver. Been needing one for a while now, actually. The last one couldn't travel with him from New York to Washington so—" Morgan starts, gesturing with her hands, trying to get across the gravity of the situation. Nicolette follows her hand movements with wide eyes, not believing what she's hearing. She was hoping for a more subtle job, like a coffee shop or a grocery store, but to be the driver for a pop star? It's insane.

"Well I'm not traveling with him either, I won't." Nicolette says blatantly, firmness in her tone. Instinctively, she looks down at her son, never wanting to transport him from place to place. The whole point of getting a job was to situate herself in one place, to settle down with Ace. Morgan guides her over to the couch, sitting down, motioning for her to do the same.

"You don't have to travel, Nicky. This is just for here, while he's visiting his family. He's supposed to go on tour soon, anyway...I think." Morgan drags off, looking away from her friend. She manages to bring herself back to the present, to the situation in front of her, shaking her head, "Point is, it pays well. He's very generous and you'll just drive him where he needs to go, when he needs to go there."

"I have a son, Morgan. I can't just leave him every time Mr. Pop-star needs a ride somewhere."

"His manager sets out a certain amount of hours, Nicky. You're on the clock. Sometimes, he may call you if he needs a ride somewhere when you're not working, but you would need to talk to him about whether or not it's mandatory." Morgan continues, trying very hard to get Nicolette to take this opportunity. She hates seeing someone she cares about struggle, so she wants her to accept it, take advantage of it. This may never present itself again. She remembers that Nicolette's only worry is Ace, which she makes sure to address.

"Nicky, I know you don't want to leave Ace. Trust me, I know you don't. But this would be to support the both of you. I really think you should take the job," Morgan puts forth, taking Nicolette's hand and squeezing once. They look at each other for a moment, Nicolette weighing her options, "A-And I promise you that we'll find a good babysitter, if and when it's needed."

Nicolette sighs loudly, rising from the couch and pacing the room with a hand over her mouth. She runs a hand through her hair as Morgan continues to try and convince her. Ace coughs in the background, Nicolette snapping her head over and furrowing her eyebrows in worry.

"I would take care of him if I could, Nicky, but I work long shifts, sometimes through the night." Morgan explains, though she really doesn't have to. He isn't her responsibility, and Nicolette knows she's busy with work, she's a midwife. Babies are born everyday, she has to be there for them, just like she was for her. Besides, Nicolette still doesn't have full trust in Morgan, not the kind necessary to care for Ace while she's away. She never wanted to be away from him either way.

"This is crazy, Morgan." Nicolette blurts out, shaking her head vigorously, pushing the mere thought out of her head, "It's been almost a month since he was born. One month. He still needs me. Not to mention his cough."

"Nicky, you're right, okay? But you need a job. And what better job than one that came right to your feet like this?" Morgan asks, desperation lacing her tone, "It pays really well. You won't have to worry about those bills that pile up every month."

"You weren't even supposed to see those, it isn't your business." Nicolette asserts, delving into her defensive nature to protect herself and her business. Her eyes dart from Morgan, to the bills on the island, then back to Morgan again. Ace coughs a couple of times behind her, a sharp pang striking her heart.

"They're not." Morgan admits, defeated. She sighs and bows her head, "They're not my business, Nicky. But I'm just looking out for you and him." They both look to Ace, snuggled up in his brown hoodie and matching pants, "Take this job. I have to let Dominic know before Justin finds someone else."

Nicolette raises her eyebrows skeptically, before relaxing them in defeat. She knows she needs this job, and what better than one that is guaranteed a secure pay? Leaving Ace is the only thing holding her back, but it's better to leave him for a certain amount of time per day than forever.

She won't let that happen.

"I'm gonna be late for my shift." Morgan huffs, clicking a button on her watch to turn off the alarm. She rises from the couch and gives Nicolette a small hug, turning to the doorway. Halfway there, she turns back to Nicolette, "Text me what you decide. Preferably soon. Justin's coming to the restaurant again tonight. And let me know how the appointment goes."

Nicolette nods, sighing. Morgan blows a kiss to Ace and exits the apartment, the doorway clicking behind her. The room is still, the only sound being the cars horns on the street and Ace's small coughs. Nicolette receives a ding on her phone, pulling it out of her back pocket.

Ace's doctor's appointment @ 3:30 pm.

Swiping to turn off the reminder, she puts her phone back in her pocket. She goes to the bassinet and takes Ace in her arms, placing him into the car seat and strapping him in. He smiles up at his mother and she pecks his tiny nose with her lips. She grabs her keys off the counter, Ace's diaper bag, and the manila envelope with all the necessary information the doctor will need and leaves the apartment. She puts the envelope into the side compartment of the bag and latches the keys to one of the loops of her jeans. Once she reaches the car, she clicks the button to unlock it and clicks Ace's car seat into the base.

The whole ride to the pediatrician, she can't help but think about everything Morgan said to her back at her apartment. How she should take the driver job. She knows she should, but she can't handle such a unsteady schedule. Of course, she could mention she has a son to consider but even then, he won't care. Ace comes first, no matter what.

But this is putting him first.

She makes a swift right turn, pulling into the parking lot of the doctor's office. Finding an empty parking spot close to the entrance, she puts the stick shift in the park position and turns off the engine. Diaper bag in hand, she gets out of the car and takes the car seat into the other hand. She goes to the front entrance and takes the elevator up to the fourth level and into the doorway that has Dr. Torres inscribed on the panel beside it.

"Hi, do you have an appointment with us today?" The woman at the front desk asks, flashing a smile in their direction. Nicolette looks around the room at the many children, accompanied by their parents, who turned to look at her as soon as she entered the room. She realizes she got distracted and turns back to the receptionist.

"Yes. Ace Lombardi, for Doctor Torres."

The woman taps on the computer keys, clicking the mouse a few times, before nodding at the screen and turning to Nicolette, "Ah, yes. Right on time. You can come in to room two. A nurse will be right in."

"Thanks." Nicolette mumbles with a nod, passing all the patients that occupy the seats in the waiting room. She turns the knob and goes through the doorway, her head bowed down the entire way. Nurses smile at her a couple of times, most of them gushing at the baby in the car seat. She walks down the hallway and turns into room two, setting the car seat down on the floor in front of her before taking a seat. Ace coos in his seat, looking around at the foreign scenery with wide eyes. A nurse stops at the doorway, smiling at Nicolette and Ace.

"The doctor will be right in." She says, closing the door after putting the clipboard on the doorway. Nicolette and Ace are left in an ominous silence. She looks over at Ace and sees that he's fascinated with the animal wallpaper and bright colors. His face begins to scrunch up as he begins coughing once again. Nicolette's smile turns into a frown to see his symptoms continue. She takes him out of the car seat and places him on her chest, holding the back of his head with one hand and his bottom with the other. He babbles and coughs as Nicolette pats his back slightly. The door opens and a middle aged man walks into the room, followed by the same nurse that came in earlier.

"Hello, I'm Doctor Torres. You must be mom..." He drags off, putting his pen and electronic tablet on the counter as he smiles at Nicolette. The nurse takes a seat on the stool by the counter as the doctor walks over, his eyes fixated on Ace, "And this must be Ace."

Nicolette smiles toothlessly, worry consuming her over what could be wrong with her son. The doctor seems to understand and goes back over to the counter, tapping the screen of the tablet until he reaches his desired screen. He asks Nicolette what the problem appears to be and nods to his assistant for her to take notes on what she's about to say.

"H-He's been coughing a lot recently." Nicolette says, continuing to hold him to her chest. He coughs a few more times, Nicolette huffing and kissing his cheek lovingly.

The doctor nods in understanding, having seen it firsthand, "I see. Let's put him on his back here so I can take a look at him."

"Yeah okay." Nicolette murmurs, rising from the chair carefully. She lies Ace down on the examination table, remaining by his side. The doctor stands beside her, giving Ace a proper exam. He places two fingers on many parts of his body, seeing how it reacts when he begins to cough. He then places the stethoscope to Ace's little chest, listening intently for his heartbeat. He does the same to his stomach area, and on his backside.

"Okay, well, let me start with this." He says calmly, placing the stethoscope around his neck again, "When a baby is born, it takes some of the mothers immune health, but only some. His immune system will develop over time as he grows and becomes accustomed to his surroundings and the little bugs that go around."

Nicolette nods, understanding everything that he's saying. It makes sense that he's a little sick because his body is still developing.

"Any other symptoms?"

"He's been very fussy and has been having trouble sleeping through the night. Usually, he can." Nicolette admits, remembering the night before where she couldn't even get him to sleep for two minutes before he started coughing again.

"Sounds like the common cold. When I listened to his lungs, there was no sign of any severe damage. Could just be his body learning how to fight against a small virus it's never confronted before. The cough isn't harsh or phlegm-like. I'll send him home with some antibiotics and he should be okay from there. But, make sure to keep him hydrated, lots of liquids." Doctor Torres explains, turning to the nurse and discussing the prescription name. Nicolette nods and continues to cradle Ace, attempting to calm him down.

"It'll be down at the pharmacy when we're done here. Any questions for me?"

"No, thanks."

Doctor Torres nods and shakes her hand before leaving the room, the nurse following right after him. Nicolette sighs and puts Ace back into the car seat, leaving the doctor's office and going into the pharmacy. The cashier asks for the name for the order and disappears behind the shelves. She comes back moments later, holding a yellow container in her hand.

"Okay, for..." She trails off, reading the name on the bottle and slipping it into the bag, "Ace. The prescription is on the bottle and directions are in the bag as well. It'll be ten fifty."

Nicolette looks from the woman, to the paper bag, and back down to Ace. He coughs a couple of times before she reaches into the diaper bag to grab her wallet. She looks into the pocket of it and sees that she doesn't have any money on her. She gulps once, her hands beginning to shake from the anxiety that's building up within her.

"Actually, I-I don't have the money on me right now. Can I come back tomorrow?" Nicolette asks nervously, closing the wallet and slipping it back into the bag.

The cashier nods, storing the paper bag behind her on the shelf. Nicolette thanks her and leaves the pharmacy with the car seat in one hand and the diaper bag in the other. She puts Ace into the car, placing the car seat on the floor. Unclipping the keys from the loop of her jeans, she gets in the car and starts the engine, driving out of the parking lot and back home. She blinks back some tears, her vision beginning to blur. Ace starts to cough again, causing Nicolette to snap back into reality, wiping the tears away.

I couldn't pay for his medicine.

Something he needs.

That's my responsibility.

Deciding she needed a breather, she signals to the right, pulling over on the side of the road. She grips the steering wheel tightly, her hands turning white from the force. She sobs, hitting the wheel with her fist forcefully. Ace begins to fuss, causing Nicolette to pull herself together and breathe deeply.

"I'm sorry, baby." Nicolette whispers, more to herself than to her son. The warm tears fall down her face as her eyes sting with frustration. She puts the stick shift into park and grabs her phone from the diaper bag, unlocking it and going into Morgan's messages.

To: Morgan 4:05 pm
I've decided. I'll take the job.

⤞

Nicolette lifts her head up slowly to look into the vanity mirror in front of her. She fingers the Windsor knot she had done moments prior on the tie around her neck, smoothing out the polyester material of her tuxedo uniform. Ace babbles from behind her, the symptoms he'd had a week prior now nonexistent. After she told Morgan what happened with the medicine, she volunteered to pitch in and help, completely rejecting Nicolette's promise to pay her back. She turns around to see Morgan holding Ace in her lap, his back against her chest as she flaps his little arms in his mother's direction.

"You look very fancy, Nicky." Morgan says with a grin, "Are you nervous?"

"Just hope I do well and get to keep the job." Nicolette admits, pulling her hair back into a slick ponytail, brushing the stray hairs down and applying hair gel so they will stay that way. She splits her hair in two, pulling in opposite directions to tighten the ponytail on her head.

"As long as you have a drivers license, I don't think you have anything to worry about. Aw, yes baby boy." Morgan coos from behind her, bouncing her legs to entertain the baby in her lap just as he begins to fuss.

"Yeah, let's hope." Nicolette responds, deciding to stop talking about it so the nervousness she's lacking doesn't suddenly build up inside of her. She looks to Ace and squats down, taking his little hand in hers, kissing it softly. A look of longing is projected upon him, causing Morgan to speak up.

"Nicky," Morgan whispers, looking down at her friend with her lips quirked up into a reassuring smile, "I got him, okay? You have nothing to worry about. I made sure to have someone cover my shift so I could be here."

Nicolette nods, knowing this despite the fact that Morgan had already said those same words several times before. She still was on defense about leaving her with her son, but she had to compromise. Ace reaches out and brushes his hand across his moms face, causing her to smile. She leans forward and kisses him on his cheek, holding it there for a few seconds. He squeals and begins babbling again. Nicolette gives Morgan a tight hug goodbye, kissing Ace's head lovingly, before leaving the apartment. She goes to her car and gets inside, starting the engine. It roars to life as she pulls out of the driveway, looking back at her apartment one last time, already missing her son.

Nicolette drives to the address that was given to her by Dominic, pulling into the driveway of the huge building. There's no sign of anything that could tell her what the place is and that causes her stomach to twist anxiously. She turns off the engine and gets out of the car, sticking her phone in her slack pocket and her keys in the other. As she approaches the door, it bursts open, taking her by immediate surprise. She stumbles back, tripping on her high heels, before she manages to catch herself as a blonde woman storms out of the building. A young man follows after her, looking stressed.

"Whatever, Juice. You said your piece." The woman says, waving him off. The man groans collectively, rolling his eyes at her backside. She whips around slowly, raising an eyebrow with her arms crossed over her chest, "We've been avoiding this conversation for too long. All I said was that I think you should at least try. Go see him."

"Why would I do that?" He asks, instantly shifting from annoyed to furious. His eyebrows push together as his lips go still, nostrils flaring, "He belongs where he is, Iris. You and I both know that. So stop pretending like it's anything different."

"He's our brother, Justin. You don't just turn your back on family." She explains, waving her hands in the air dramatically to emphasize her point. He rubs the back of his neck as he bows his head down, only to look up at her again.

"Blood doesn't make us family, it just makes us related." He replies, his jaw clenching when he finishes speaking. The woman's eyes go wide, her mouth dropping slightly as she thinks of something to retaliate with. She seems to not be able to muster anything to say, turning her back on him and leaving suddenly. He says nothing as she walks away, but instead rubs his temples, taking a deep breath. Nicolette does not know whether to speak up, seeing as something clearly significant went down between him and the woman. Justin looks around the lot, doing a double take as he realizes someone was there.

"Can I help you?" He questions, removing his hand from his face and turning towards Nicolette. She clears her throat, looking up at him for the first time.

"Hi. I'm Nicolette Lombardi," She begins, sticking out a hand for him to shake. He takes a few steps toward her, eyeing her curiously. Upon hearing her accented voice, his ears perk up at the way she pronounces her words, with a distinct pleasantry lacing her tone. Nicolette sees that he appears to still be confused, speaking up again, "Your new driver."

"Pretty name." He comments, the words rolling off his tongue like dripping honey as he steps closer to her, "Justin Bieber." He says smoothly, taking her hand in his. A shock of warmth courses through her arm, her eyes meeting his warm, hazel ones. His chestnut brown hair is styled in a quiff, a pair of plump, pink lips curved into a smile. He eyes her appreciatively, not accustomed to seeing a woman in a suit. On her, however, it worked very well. The slacks hug her curves well, her breasts pronounced nicely by the tight blazer jacket. She appears to be skeptical about this exchange, diverting her gaze. Upon noticing, he looks back into her eyes again.

The last time a man looked at her like that...the last time many men looked at her like that...

"I'm sorry you had to hear that." He addresses, partially to change the subject but also because he knew she heard it all, referring to the situation that occurred minutes prior with the blonde woman. He can't seem to focus on what it is he's saying, captivated by her beauty. His lips are parted, scanning over her facial features as he still holds her small hand in his much larger one.

Nicolette shakes her head, sucking in her lips in embarrassment at his enchanted gaze, "That's okay, no need to apologize."

He nods slowly, looking down at her with soft eyes. She notices how he follows the words coming out of her mouth by reading her lips, admiring how full and lush they are. Her face begins to flush, a prominent heat rising in them as she looks away from him again. It was purely because he was staring at her in silence, admiring her mindlessly. She isn't accustomed to this attention and feels herself shift to a more guarded demeanor. In that moment, a man exits the building, seeming to have found who he was looking for. Justin's eyes tear away from her, looking to the man.

"Justin! There you are. I've been look—" He starts, before seeing Nicolette standing there and stopping mid-sentence, speaking again, "Oh, who is this?"

"This is Nicolette." Justin says, gesturing towards her with one hand, his eyes fixated on her. She tucks a piece of hair behind her ear as the discomfort rises within her, "My new driver. Nicolette, this is Scooter, my manager."

Scooter smiles at her toothlessly, "Hello, Nicolette. Thank you for taking the job. I'm glad Justin was able to get it together and find you."

"Yeah, so am I." Justin adds, looking from Scooter to Nicolette, that sly grin appearing on his face as he quirks an eyebrow up at her. Nicolette isn't sure how to reply to this and just looks away, bowing her head before looking up at Scooter. Sure, he's a famous pop-star, but she will be professional where Ace's well being is concerned, which is what she's determined to be.

Nicolette comes to the conclusion that he's just being nice. After all, she's the one doing him a service, one that he really needed, apparently.

"Come in, Nicolette. We'll discuss everything you need to know about the job. I put everything together ahead of time." Scooter says, turning his back to them and walking back into the building. Justin goes over to the door and holds it open, turning back to her and gesturing for her to enter.

"Ladies first."

Nicolette nods at him, not expecting this kind of acknowledgement from someone like him. He's an international pop-star taking the time to be chivalrous with his driver, a person working for him. It's unsettling, not to mention weird. She passes through the doorway, Justin following behind her. The light rays that passed into the room disappear as soon as he closes the door, an office before them. Nicolette's mouth drops ever so slightly, scanning the room. It's a music studio, couches and a pool table on the left side of the room. There's an open bar on the wall opposite her, a young man taking a swig of his drink. On her right is the audio mixing console, colorful lights coming off of the many buttons, knobs, and turntables. There are several microphone stands in the sound booth with a grand piano standing in the corner of it, gleaming brilliantly. She feels her fingertips tingle as she reminisces the feel of the keys on her skin.

The drinks...the lights...the music...

Nicolette feels her eyes begin to prickle, her breathing becoming heavier, chest caving in. Memories flash before her eyes before she shakes her head swiftly, blowing them away just as fast as they came. Justin clears his throat from behind her before appearing at her side, chuckling. This alarms her, shifting her form from vulnerable and exposed to a stiffer one.

She looks to him, noticing how he smiles with pure enjoyment and throws his head back to face the ceiling, poking his tongue to the inside of his cheek. Nicolette furrows her eyebrows, her lip curling slightly in annoyance, "Something funny?"

"The way you looked at this place," He admits with no hesitation, looking around the room, nodding at a few people before he turns his attention back on her, "Like it's Wonderland."

Wonderland.

Not exactly.

Nicolette bites the inside of her cheek, deciding not to reply. She never thought she would be in a professional recording studio, much less as Justin Bieber's driver. Justin looks to her and looks away again, the smug grin never leaving his face. She stands dumbfounded, not understanding his thorough amusement with how she reacted.

Deciding it would be best to ignore it, she follows Justin from the entrance of the studio to the doorway on the left side of them, to a small, empty office.

"JB!" The young man from the bar calls out, approaching them. Justin and the man clap hands, smiling at each other. They spark up a conversation, Scooter disappearing into the small office. Nicolette starts following after him before she turns her neck, looking at Justin to see if she was supposed to go in there or if he was going to come back out to go somewhere else.

Justin sees her standing there out of the corner of his eye and turns to her with a slick smirk plastered on his face, "Don't worry, you'll be fine. I'll be there in a second."

That smirk.

"Don't worry."

"You'll be fine."

The words ring in her head, piercing through her ears as a high pitched ring causes her temples to sear in pain.

Nicolette freezes in place, not expecting that at all. Her face depicts her emotions. Images course through her mind, the sounds of the place growing louder and more unbearable. She rolls her eyes and turns around without giving it a second thought, going through the doorway and closing it behind her. The door serves as a slap back into reality as she inhales a deep breath. She felt his gaze upon her as she walked to the office door, her stomach churning as she pulls her jacket over her chest, shielding herself from any wandering eyes. The discomfort continues to build up inside of her as Scooter sets some papers down on the table before going over to the coffee machine.

"Coffee?"

"N-No, thank you." Nicolette replies politely, pulling the chair from underneath the table and sitting down. Coffee isn't good for the baby while she's breastfeeding and she figures she can manage without it. Scooter nods his head, taking a cup for himself. He sits down in front of her, sliding some papers in her direction.

"So, it says here you live in the Seattle area," He states, taking a sip of his coffee without looking away from the paperwork, "Which is great because Justin is going to be here for a while to visit his family that lives in Seattle as well. The drives will be around this area, unless otherwise specified. There will be times where he will need to make an appearance somewhere farther away, but you will be notified."

Nicolette nods, following so far.

"Okay, good. This is what I need you to understand. For this job, Justin's team and I are big on confidentiality, which is specified in the contract. Any information you have on Justin's whereabouts or personal business cannot be discussed to others. His safety and privacy is of utmost importance. You are trusted to withhold that information from anyone else." Scooter stresses, looking up at her with his glasses on the bridge of his nose, taking another sip of coffee.

"Of course, I understand." She addresses, fiddling with her fingers in her lap. This is all very serious. Then again, he's a celebrity and has to remain protected. Scooter nods and proceeds with what he has to say.

"Now that we've got that out of the way, let's talk schedule. Justin mostly needs transportation throughout the day, preferring to stay home most of his nights. So, those would be for you and your own time. However, if you wanted to get payed extra, you can work extra hours. He would let you know if he needed such service." Scooter explains, pointing at the part of the contract that says that, Nicolette reading along. She nods once she's finished, Scooter nodding as well. She initials next to each line Scooter tells her to, flipping to the next page.

"Great. The rest is printed on the paper for you to review and sign at the bottom line. The basic stuff." Scooter says, flipping to the last page where her signature goes to finalize the paperwork. Nicolette nods as he speaks up once more, "And here's your copy to keep. Are there any questions for me? Concerns I should be aware of?"

"A-Actually," She mumbles before he has the chance to move on and end their meeting. Scooter raises an eyebrow and waits for Nicolette to speak. Then, "I figured I should mention that I have a son."

"A child? Okay..." He trails off, playing with the pen in his hand. Nicolette bites her lip, hoping that her being a mother won't interfere with her getting this job. Scooter starts up again, "Will that get in the way of the schedule at all?"

She pauses, shaking her head, "No, it shouldn't. I just figured I should mention it in case it changes anything."

"It doesn't, not if you don't want it to." He says blatantly. Nicolette isn't sure what to say to that but he continues before she has a chance to respond, figuring he might've been too blunt, "Look, you're qualified and want this job. It only changes something if you want it to change something. You'll have your vacations and days off but I'll warn you, they aren't often. But you'll be compensated."

I really hope this is worth it, she thinks to herself.

"Okay." Nicolette replies, nodding her head at him. He smiles, satisfied. They go into a couple more things before he tells her to, when she's ready, sign on the line for her signature, accepting the terms of the contract. Justin comes in the room at that moment, just as her pen presses against the paper. She looks up at him, which she realizes is the biggest mistake she could've made when she meets his curious eyes. He crosses his arms over his chest and leans against the wall, raising an eyebrow at her with a smug grin. He doesn't say anything. Instead, he just waits there, staring at Nicolette.

She presses the pen down on the paper, gripping the writing utensil in her hand tightly until her knuckles turn white. Looking down and away from Justin, she scribbles her signature, writing down the date on its designated line. Scooter smiles at her once she's finished and gathers all the papers, slipping them into a manila envelope. They shake hands and Scooter walks past her to the door. As he leaves, he claps Justin on the back, holding all the paperwork to his chest. He then leaves, the room going silent. Justin looks up at her, holding out his right hand. She slips her hand in his, expecting him to just shake it when he brings her hand up instead, moving his head down at the same time, his soft lips pressing against the back of her hand.

"Welcome to the team." He says as he lifts his head up again, looking down at her when he stands at his normal height. His voice is husky, yet inviting, sending an unwanted chill down her spine. Her eyes fix themselves on his soft ones, moving down to the scar beneath his eye and then to the tattoo peaking out of his shirt. She seems to realize that she's staring at him and shakes her head, bringing herself back to reality.

She was always taught to appreciate a man.

She shakes her head, ridding herself of the thought. Everything she was taught, at such a young age, runs through her mind as she looks down at her feet.

No.

She doesn't need to do that anymore.

It's over now.

"Everything okay?" Justin asks, turning his head sideways to catch her gaze that diverted away from him and his many distracting features. She struggles to find words and instead just nods, smiling awkwardly. Justin chuckles and nods his head too.

"Here, let me give you a tour of the studio. You'll probably be around a lot. I'm almost always here. Consider it a safe place." Justin explains, gesturing around the room. Nicolette eyes him skeptically, closing the jacket tighter over her chest instinctively.

A safe place.

There's no such thing.

After a few moments, she nods her head hesitantly, not wanting to make a bad impression on her boss by denying the tour. Justin nods his head with a small smile, waving for her to follow him as he walks around the couches.

"This is just a chill area for the team, to run through ideas together or just talk," Justin begins, waving at some of the people sitting on the couch that had waved at him before he moves along. He brings Nicolette to the audio mixing console with all the bright knobs and buttons, "Audio mixing console. Play back songs, edit them, the works."

"JB! We out, man. See you tomorrow." A young man says from the couch, causing Justin to turn around and face them. The man stands up as the others in the room follow suit. They all continue laughing and talking as Justin turns to them.

"For sure, bro. Night guys." Justin replies, waving back at them as they leave the studio, silence consuming the room.

Justin continues on with the tour, opening the door to the sound booth, waiting for Nicolette to pass through before entering himself and closing it behind him. She takes a moment to scan the room, her eyes darting to the piano that she had seen earlier from behind the glass. The tingle in her fingertips appears again, music notes and lyrics ringing in her ears. It gleams brilliantly, matching the twinkle that has been in Nicolette's eyes since she saw it. Justin notices this and looks from Nicolette to the piano, then back to her again.

"Do you play?" Justin asks, his thumb pointed behind him and at the piano, searching Nicolette's eyes for an answer. Nicolette almost forgot that he was there, shifting her gaze over to him. His eyes are full of curiosity as his lips curve into a small smile.

"No...not for a long time." Nicolette replies, tearing her eyes away from the precious instrument and up at Justin. The memories she has of a piano were much too painful to even begin to relive, "Haven't seen one in years."

"Well, there's one right here." Justin says simply, shrugging his shoulders as he nods his head at the instrument.

Nicolette freezes, catching on to what he's throwing out and immediately regretting she ever mentioned anything about how she used to play. She had already said too much in one reply. To shut the conversation down, she goes with, "Oh, no. I'd rather not."

"It could—"

"I really have to get home." Nicolette says curtly, cutting him off so he doesn't try to convince her to play. She would like to, especially if it could connect her to her father in the slightest. Yet, the memories of him and the lessons he gave her continue to sear themselves in her heart, the stinging sensations still present. Sharing her emotions has never been her thing, with anyone. Vulnerability will never be something she allows to show, not anymore.

Justin's expression goes from delighted to potentially hear her play to shocked and embarrassed that she had shut the entire conversation — and offer — down. Yet, he doesn't allow it to show much longer when he nods his head and puts his hands in his pockets.

"Yeah, no, I get it. It's late. I'll walk you out." He offers, walking over and opening the door to the studio, gesturing for her to go first. She does and he follows her. Justin guides her to the front door, swinging it open. He leaves first to look out to the parking lot and his security detail appears at the doorway, ready to escort him. Suddenly, screams pierce her ears as camera's flash. Nicolette visibly flinches, the flashes shocking her as she covers her face with one hand, concealing herself.

"Oh my God, Justin! Can I get a picture?" A young girl calls out from the crowd, pushing her way through the other girls until she's standing before Justin. He looks around at all the people crowding around the entrance of the studio, looking surprisingly calm as bodies close in around him. Nicolette keeps her hand over her face, squeezing through a pair of girls who pay her no mind as they push closer to Justin. Nicolette speed walks to her car, opening the door before looking up at the crowd one more time. She sees Justin mindlessly hugging young girls and posing for pictures, looking for her amid the chaos. He scans the lot before he catches Nicolette's gaze for a split second, before another flash of a camera blinds him momentarily.

She pulls open the door of the car and slumps into the seat, closing the door beside her. The screams of fans is distant outside of the car as she grips the steering wheel tightly. Nicolette takes the keys out of her blazer pocket and sticks it into the keyhole, turning it until the engine roars to life. She makes sure that no one is around, putting the stick shift into drive and leaving the studio parking lot, the screams fading away as Justin watches the car disappear around the corner.

⤞

Author's Note

So, there's Nicolette and Justin meeting, lol. I hope you guys liked it! I know you're probably wondering about why Nicolette's anxiety peaks at certain times and why she mentioned subtle things about her past, which you guys don't know about yet.

You will though :)

I'm so excited for this story, guys! I have so many ideas running through my head it's crazy. My notepad for this story is sooooo long it looks like one of Justin's receipts after a trip to the damn grocery store.

I literally had to pull over while I was driving because I had an idea that I reaaaaaaally didn't wanna lose so I wrote it down before I forgot. I'm glad I did because my mind be giving up on me at the worst times.

Anyway!

Here's chapter three! Once again, I hope you guys enjoyed it.

Don't forget to vote on the chapter and leave your inline comments! I love reading your opinions, thoughts, and reactions. They make me wanna continue writing!

Just please do not comment anything harsh and/or disrespectful. If there's anything that bothers you throughout the story, my message inbox is open.

Thank you!

Love you guys, xoxo.