After a small dinner, Amy confronted Nellie. Arms crossed, she faced the au pair, who still had a spinach puff in her mouth, "Nellie, why'd you send Jake and Atticus over? Knowing you, it's nothing good, is it?"

Swallowing, Nellie replied in a completely nonchalant tone, "The situation was going to be boring soon, so why not, ya know?"

Amy looked unbelievingly at her, "You drag me on a spree and spur a war and you still think it's boring?!"

Nellie shrugged. "You love it, Ames. You need this. It's like your rehabilitation."

At Amy's raised eyebrow, she amended, "Besides, if I had someone that helped me herd all these hot guys when I was your age, I'd totally worship them."

The guys (and Sinead) who were previously silent the entire time, looked up at the mention of hot guys.

While Ian, Jonah and Hamilton looked pleased with themselves, Dan and Sinead grimaced and went back to eating. Jake simply ignored it all, including Atticus' incessant nudging.

Amy seemed to be considering this information, as if all the buzz had knocked out the fact that not only were these guys brilliant, they were easy on the eyes. She glanced over to where everyone was gathered and realized, as if for the first time, that everyone was relatively good-looking.

Except Dan. That was nauseating.

The revelation seemed to flood her mind, and she wondered how she got caught up with these people. If she disconnected herself and viewed her life from the eyes of an outsider, exactly what kind of crazy life had she been living? Her brain hurt from the effort, and she quickly snapped herself out of the stupor.

Nellie was looking knowingly at her, as if she understood exactly what had run through her mind.

Amy was exasperated, completely exhausted. It was after eight, and her face was starting to feel gross with all the cosmetics plastered on her face. She wasn't used to makeup, and her eyelashes were drooping from the weight of the mascara. She needed to wash up and head to her room, the day had been too crazy.

As she turned from Nellie and began heading up the stairs, Hamilton spoke from behind her.

"Ames?"

Everyone's attention swiveled to Hamilton. Amy turned around.

"You wanna go on a date tomorrow?" Hamilton asked bluntly.

She blinked at his sudden invite. Her mind raced with reasons why he'd want to take her out. Was it because she became attractive? She looked pretty good now, so he liked her? She hoped not, she hadn't pegged Hamilton as the shallow type. Or was there an ulterior motive? She shook her head. No, Hamilton had made it clear he was not one to resort to low-handed means. So what?

"You want to...I'm confused. A date? Like, g-going out?"

Hamilton chuckled, emboldened by the daggers being shot at him by the guys around the table. "Well not yet. We've gotta see if we like each other first, right?"

At Amy's blank stare, he continued, "So, the date?"

She felt heat rise to her cheeks. She couldn't control her smile, and she nodded once before dashing up the stairs.

Hamilton grinned, and realized that he hadn't told her when they were heading out. He figured all the better for him, he'll just have to wake her up tomorrow.

When he turned back to the table, he was greeted by murderous glares and knowing smiles.

Dan looked to be very pleased with the thought of Hamilton being his brother-in-law, while Sinead was trying to hide her smirk. Nellie looked accomplished, and he briefly wondered if she really set this meeting up for the sole purpose of matchmaking. The others were not as happy with his move.

Ian, Jake and Jonah were glowering at him, angry at him for jumping the gun. It seemed Hamilton was finally being considered as a rival. Ian had that brief "romance" in Korea, Jake had an on-and-off relationship with her, and Jonah had been alone with her in an alley.

If he wasn't mistaken, any further and Hamilton would've been friend zoned. He needed to do this if he wanted Ames to take him serious. Because he was a Holt, and Holts succeed at whatever they set out to do. And he wanted Amy. Now more than ever.

Hamilton beamed at the guys, feeling like he just scored a touchdown in the biggest football game of the season.

"You snooze, you lose." He pushed himself up from the table and headed up the stairs, but not before flashing a final triumphant grin.

When he got back to the guest room that'd been assigned to him, Hamilton collapsed on his bed. He let out a shaky breath.

He'd just went for it, and he had an entire facade planned if he'd been rejected, but he hadn't counted on being taken seriously. Her blushing was really endearing though. And her flushed face just went to show that he hadn't completely drowned in the god forsaken friend-zone.

He ran his hand through his blonde hair, messing it up even more. Sure, he was damn ecstatic that she'd be going out with him, but he was equally as nervous; how did these dates work anyways? There were definitely going to be technicalities that he'd screw up.

He took a deep breath, there was no point worrying over it now. All that mattered was that they had fun tomorrow. Then he came to a screeching halt; he realized he didn't even have anything planned. No destination, no time, nothing, zilch, nada.

He sprung up from his bed, and contemplated his options. Should he ask Dan where she'd like to go? No, he'd never hear the end of that if word got out. Nellie? He quickly dismissed that notion; she could be worse than Dan.

He pondered and paced, his mind racing. His chest was gradually becoming tighter and tighter.

Then it came to him, an ingenious stroke that had him relieved and anticipating tomorrow. He was a Holt and a Tomas, and he would take her to a place where he could be there for Amy if she needed. He'd show her just how dependable he could be, and not just as a friend.

After his epiphany, he felt ready for bed. That was the most intense planning he'd done in a long while. His eyes searched for a bathroom; his stuff had been unpacked beforehand, so he just needed to brush his teeth and jump in bed.

When he came out of the bathroom, he stood at the end of the bed and pulled his shirt over his head.

The shirt was only halfway up his face before he heard the door creaking open.

Instinctively, he quickly pulled the shirt off to get a look at the intruder; it was a stunned Amy. He relaxed, and scratched the back of his head nervously, very aware of the fact that he was shirtless.

"Hey, whatchu need?"

Hamilton watched in amusement as her eyes darted down his torso and shot back up to his face, becoming very red.

"I-uh..." Amy trailed off as she glanced down to his body again. She blanked, and seemed to be trying to recall what it was that she wanted to ask.

"Uh...the date. When is it?"

He grinned, his heart dancing at how adorably flustered she was.

"Be ready by noon."

Amy nodded frantically, trying her utmost best to avoid looking in the general vicinity of Hamilton. She quickly shut the door, leaving a chuckling, shirtless boy behind.

******

As soon as she closed the door, she ran back to her room, and fell onto her bed, one hand bunching the shirt above her heart, the other arm thrown over her face. She could tell her face was burning. In fact, her entire body was on fire.

Those abs. That body. Oh my gosh, I can't live like this anymore. Is it possible for anyone to be so toned and chiseled? How did I just find out about this? I mean, it makes sense, all that sporty stuff he does.

Amy was ranting, and she couldn't, try as she might, get the image of Hamilton, with his shirt pulled up over his head, and that body just bare to the world, out of her head. It was burned into her brain, and she didn't think she could look at him the same again.

Sure, he was cute, with those bright eyes and that infectious smile, despite his towering height. But paired with that godly body? It seemed too good to be true.

But at the same time, Amy had a feeling she knew she didn't want to forget what she saw, and that embarrassed her even more. She shut her eyes, and tried to force back the onslaught of a shirtless Hamilton from conquering her.

*****

When the door shut, Hamilton could hear her pattering footsteps retreating down the hallway. He chuckled, knowing that she won't be able to look him in the eye for a while.

Ah well. Worth it.

A/N: If y'all liked it, vote? Thank you~