Mrs Romano didn't lie when she said that she would show off my mother. I had barely seen her all night, when I occasionally spotted her she was always talking to another of Mrs Romanos well established friends.

I wanted to go home, hours into the party and I wanted to go home, despite the rumours of the after party I wanted to go home. I was gonna let my mother have it for a couple of more minutes, I could tell that she was enjoying herself, she deserved too, after putting up with Etienne and I, and still being able to manage her own business, she deserved all the amount of attention that she was getting.

"Have you seen Gaia?"

I was making myself a plate of cheese from this huge table consisting of all this traditional greek food, when Dario suddenly showed up, he looked to be in distress.

"No not for a while, why?"

Dario sighs, "She's been acting weird all night, one minute she's all over me, kissing me and then..." He snaps his finger, "...she's gone"

"Well she has a lot of guests to entertain, doesn't she?"

"I guess you're right." He mumbles.

I offer him some cheese from my plate, an attempt to cheer him up.

Like a mouse he nibbles on the brie, "Do you wanna go out to the garden, maybe get some air?" He asks.

"I would, but I'm waiting for my mother" I point to where I'd last seen her, she was talking to Alicia's father. "We're getting ready to go home." and besides, I am not here for his entertainment now that his girlfriend was on the run.

"Home, already? What about the after party?"

"I dunno..." I groan, "Maybe some other time."

Dario chuckles and shakes his head.

"What?"

He sighs, "Nothin, I better go look for Gaia, maybe she's out in the garden." He leaves me to my cheese.

Not long after....

"Alessia?"

automatically I turn to see who called out my name. Approaching the table, is Valentino. His suit does looks brand new, my eyes immediately falls on his naked scalp and to the shimmering earing on his left side. It will take some getting used to, I thought to myself.

"Hey." I mumble.

Valentino grabs a plate and tops it up with purple grapes.

"Having fun?"

I nod rapidly "Mhm, and you?"

His mouth is full of grapes "Ish...cool parr...ry" grape juice runs down the corner of his mouth.

"Vale!" I chuckle.

"What?" he says, but he knows what he's doing.

I try smothering the rest of my dying laughter. I collect myself and relax my face not to give in to his clownery.

"You look good." I say, my eyes falls on the suit. "Is it new?"

He looks to be flustered as he correct his sleeves. "Yeah, I got it last minute."

"Hilda-Maria must really like you then" I quickly counter.

It caught him of guard as he just stares at me. He looks to the floor, "I couldn't afford to buy anything, that day at the mall, still can't." He mumbles, "...and I wouldn't be able to take you out or anything like that either."

My heart skips a beat, he wanted to take me out?

"That day, when you called to say that you didn't deserve me..." I lower my head, blocking his view of the floor. "...Is that what you meant, because you won't be able to take me places?"

Our eyes meet, every sense in my body is instantly turned on, like giant magnets I can feel

our souls pulling towards each other. He doesn't make it clear but he slightly nudge his head.

"Are you here with someone?" He timidly ask.

I shake my head like seven times over.

"I'm here with Hilda-Maria." He continues.

With every word our souls pulls closer together, we're standing inches away from each other.

"I promised her and I don't want to leave her, but...?"

"But?" I repeat, I can't wait the last few inches, slowly I dare to reach out to touch his hand.

"...But there is this after party."

Our fingertips barley grasp before...

"Alessia!" My mother calls, walking towards us, with a glass of swinging red wine.

Simultaneously our hands disappear behind our backs.

"W...what?" I stutter, did she notice us? I don't want her knowing that I like Valentino, she'll instantly connect him with me riding again, It would be catastrophic.

"Could you maybe grab one of those gift bags for Etienne and top it up with some sweets from The Candyland, I don't want him to feel like we forgot about him, if we were to come home empty handed."

"Sure." I sigh in relief. "Will you be waiting in the car?"

"About that..." she says squinting her eyes. "Just talked to Alicia's father, her mother has rented the top floor suite for a little after party for the adults." She winks.

My mouth falls open, "Mama!" I gasp, "Are you leaving me for another party, what has gotten into you lately" I joke. Valentino stood smirking in the back.

"Baby, business is going good, I have at least fifty new bookings and I will celebrate that on the rooftop of The Palace Hotel!" She chants.

"Fine." I laugh, seeing her this happy, although I could tell it's mostly the wine speaking, makes me happy.

"Can any of your friends take you home."

"I could!" Valentino raises his hand.

There was no way I could hide the smile on my face right now.

My mother turns to him and smiles, "Ain't he a cutie."

"Mama" I moan embarrassed, the wine has taken over.

She starts to fiddle with his jacket, flapping it open, I feel like dying of embarrassment.

I pull her away, "Stop it." I hiss between my teeth.

She frowns, "What, Mama can't touch her own designs now?"

I roll my eyes at her drunken words, "you didn't design that, come you need some water." I excuse us as I attempt to escort her to the bar, but she dribbles away and returns to Valentino's side, he looked to be very entertained.

"Don't no other designer in this town make the seam on the collars this perfect, nobody but me"

I sigh as I return for her. "Mama come on." This time she cooperates.

"She's not lying though." Valentino interrupts. "She made it for me just hours before the party."
"Mama is this true?"

"Every damn word" She mumbles. "I keep telling you, I am the baddest bitch out there."

Valentino laughs at her drunken words, still I am putting together the pieces.

"So, Hilda-Maria didn't get you that suit?"

Valentino shook his head.

I turn to my mother, "When you said you had a last minute customer, that was Valentino?"

She nods.

I'm smiling now.

"Great!", all was well.

"Valentino do you have your driver's license?" Mama asks.

He nods.

"Have you been drinking tonight?"

He shakes his head in denial.

"Are you planning on drinking tonight?"

He shakes his head again.

"Good because I am gonna be too drunk to drive."

"Mama!" I sigh once more, never ever am I gonna get over her being drunk in front of Valentino.

"Take my car keys, drive safe and don't forget to take home that gift basket." She kisses me on the cheek, leaving a red mark from her lipstick.

"What about Etienne!" I shout after her.

"I called the neighbours, apparently he's already sleeping like a baby, said I could pick him up tomorrow morning."

I looked to Valentino with excitement, tonight was going to be fun after all.