"Alright, so tip that in." I watch as Gigi helps Arlo tip sugar into their Christmas cookie mix. Her small hands grip at the bowl as she tips the ingredients creating a cloud of flour in the air. "Now we need to add these," She passes her two bottles of cinnamon and ginger powder, "Only a little-" her voice gets quieter as Arlo tips in a lot more than a little of the powders, "You know what, it doesn't even matter." Gigi grins handing her a wooden spoon instructing her to stir all the dry ingredients together.

"Colton do you want to help?" Arlo says over the counter, her little eyes trained on not spilling the mix.

"I uh-"

"Yeah come on Colt," Gigi says throwing a pinch of flour in my face. She wiggles her eyebrows in motion to the Christmas song playing in the background.

"Fine, what do you want me to do oh mighty bakers." I mock.

"You can mix the eggs and syrup!" Arlo instructs shoving me the ingredients. I look to Gigi for help, whenever I crack eggs I always get the shell in them so she's going to have to do it for me.

Shaking her head she picks up the eggs and cracks them on the side of the bowl for me to mix with the syrup.

After we've finished making the dough and rolled it out we use the cutters to make the uncooked cookies into Christmas shapes before Gi puts them in the oven.

As the spices fill the room Arlo goes back to colouring in her book whilst Gigi throws things into the dishwasher and cleans the worktops. The apron that's strapped around her waist, lightly stained with splodges of ginger and syrup makes her look so adorable,  that partnered with the Christmas inspired scrunchie sat in her hair and the dusting of flour on her cheeks makes me love this girl more than I thought possible.

"What?" She smiles returning from the dishwasher to alert me to the fact I was staring.

"Oh, I'm just admiring my gorgeous girlfriend," I smirk

"You're so cheesy, Hemmings." She walks around to perch on my lap, placing a kiss on my nose, "You don't need to be nervous." She smiles running her hand through my hair. I peer up into her big blue eyes and press my lips against hers.

"They're going to love it as much as I love it and the label loves it." She beams.

When Rio took over at Hassa, which is now De Janeiro, he wanted my album released within the first couple weeks of December... so here we are... December twentieth a few hours before my release party.

And I'm fucking petrified.

This is the music me and Gi have been making, curating and perfecting for months. It's raw and different from the usual stuff I put out. It's the kind of album that makes or breaks a career.

I tilt Gigi's head towards so until we're centimetres apart, "You're perfect, you know that." She giggles a red tinge lining her cheeks.

"Nobodys perfect and that's okay." She smiles.

"Bullshit. You're perfect for me."

"Ditto." She bites her lip, tantalisingly before getting off my lap and wandering back around to the oven where she removes several trays of spiced Christmas cookies.

"Voila." She grins watching Arlo's eyes widen at the sight of the sugary snacks.

"Can we decorate them now?" She beams, dropping her green colouring pencil with a slight thud on the table.

"When they've cooled a bit." She says touching the top of one of them with her Christmas themed acrylic nail.

Neveerless as soon as they had cooled down, with thanks to a small minor blowing her germs on them, we mixed icings and fondants together ready to decorate.

Needless to say, Gigis was by far the most experienced in this area... I didn't even know how to fix a piping bag. Arlo's looked like some kind of rainbow explosion- all Christmas themes had gone out of the window and shes pretty much given up, resorting in her munching down on the sugar-filled and topped cookie.

"Just move it slowly." Gigi chuckles trying to help me with the piping bag. Her hands wrap around mine and she tries to guide them over the cookie. In the end, she just does them for me whilst I watch... whoops.

"See perfect housewife." I joke, her face turning stormy. She throws a cookie at me and bursts into a fit of laughter when it cracks on my head.

"Well aren't these... wonderful..." Mom walks into the kitchen to assess three differently decorated areas of cookies, her face scrunches as she determines what to say, "Well these ones are wonderful." She tries to hide her laugh whilst pointing to Gigi's section.

She sticks her tongue out at me and smiles proudly at her iced creations.

"But shouldn't you guys be getting ready? It's nearly five?" She looks at her watch as Gigi rushes past me obviously to get in the shower first.

"You know, climate change is on the rise... it might be better if we shower at the same time, do our thing for the planet." I chase after her and chuck her over my shoulder with a squeal.

After a rather... time-consuming shower and many dress changes from my girl, we've finally made it to the venue- a modern night club in the centre of LA. The press are heaving outside the doors and I'm a little concerned about how Arlo's going to react but glancing over at her, she beams at Gigi with excitement, holding her hand and bouncing in her seat, I know she'll probably work them better than I do.

I step out of the car, lowering Arlo to the floor and helping Gigi out. Arlo's hand stays connected to hers and I make sure my family make it out of the car behind us without being mobbed.

The carpets bustling with interviewers who are all screaming but I take Gigi's hand and we calmly walk down past the backdrop.

"How excited are you for the album to drop?"

"Extremely but it's very nerve-racking at the same time."

"Have you actually written this album?"

"Yeah, I have, with the help of Gigi. She's the mastermind behind most of the songs." She scowls at me.

"He's lying, it's all his work." She smiles at the interviewer.

"Can you tell us anything about Hassa Record or the Ransomes?"

I look at Gigi with a concerned look, since it's an ongoing case we can't say much about it, not that I'd want to.

"I can't say much but what I will say is De Janeiro is a much better and happier place now." Hoping that will be enough to tide them over, I start to move away-

"Gigi what can you tell us about John Castro and the alleged sexual assault against him." Gigi freezes behind me and I can feel her blood draining in her body. She puts on this façade that she's fine but she wakes up screaming in the middle of the night after what happened, she won't see anyone male at the label without me and the only thing she publically said about it was the official statement she put out on her social media after she filed the case. She also can't say much since the case is ongoing and very high profile but there hasn't been much improvement since according to our solicitors there's a lack of evidence even though four other girls have come forward.

I pull her closer to me, insinuating to ignore them and just get inside but she doesn't move, her eyes just glaze over as the photographers flash.

"What I will say is we need to end the silence about sexual assault so that the next generation- your sons and daughters- don't have to deal with this bullshit. It was Lennon who actually inspired me to speak up, it's time we start becoming role models for other girls in our situation. What happened wasn't my fault. It wasn't our fault."

I look down at my girl and I'm bursting with pride, what she doesn't know is she's already a role model. I couldn't be prouder of her and what she's accomplished.

"Let's go in." She smiles at me and starts walking down the carpet. I link my arm around her waist and kiss her temple.

"I love you," I whisper as we are nodded In by the bouncers.

"I love you too." She says back, picking up Arlo and placing her on her hip so she doesn't get lost in the immense crowd of people drinking and socialising. My album cover is plastered everywhere... even on a bloody cake and for the first time I'm not repulsed by it, I'm excited by it.

"This is all, you baby." Gigi nudges me in the arm, revelling in my exasperation. I take her hand and lead her down onto the floor where people are mingling but no doubt will be kicking their shoes off and getting pissed later in the night.

Gigi lets out a loud shrill beside me and I can already tell what it's over before I turn around.

"Sofi!" She screams running into the arms of her best friend. They jump around in their heels attracting the attention of several bystanders, "When did you get here?"

"Actually I've been working on a job in LA this past week but I wanted to surprise you so I told Colt to keep it hush-hush." She wiggles her hips.

"You! You knew!" Gigi pokes her finger into my chest with a grin.

"This party is insane though, I've walked past Justin Bieber twice already." Sofia gushes which makes me laugh, Gigi gasps cupping her mouth.

"Right, I hate to break up this little love session over Justin Bieber but I'm going to steal my girl away," I say taking Gigi's hand.

"Of course, Jayds around here somewhere, I'll go find him." She searches the crowd and I can see Gigi winking at her. There's defiantly something between those two, we're both convinced.

"What's up?" Gigi asks as I take her further into the crowd.

"Nothing I just want you to do some mingling with me," I reply smugly. She just shakes her head and grins.

"Wait before we do, I just want to say- I'm really proud of you and you make me happy every day." She stops us and wraps her arms around my waist. I look down into her doe-like eyes and place a kiss on her temple with a chuckle, "Alright now we can mingle!" She jumps a little in my arms and starts looking around.

Something she would have never voluntarily done- mingle. I watch as she waves and smiles at people she would have normally just kept her head down with.

After about an hour of socialising with colleagues and friends, I start to get more nervous. So many people are expecting so much and if I don't deliver I'll end up disappointing beyond belief.

"You alright Colt?" Lucas asks as I fiddle with my shirt, Gigi peers around to look at my flustered completion.

"Yeah fine, Just a little hot in here." I flash a smile but neither of them are convinced.

"Chill. Everything's going to be fine." Lucas steps closer and sorts out my shirt for me.

"Yeah remember who you are and how fucking big that ego is. Now's the time to show it." Gigi says placing her hand on my chest, I focus on her dainty acrylic clad fingers that tap lightly on the fabric of my shirt. I chuckle a little to think a whisky-soaked shirt was the first of our many meetings.

"Hey, do you like my shirt?" I ask her. She frowns and nods, "Good... don't get whisky on it!" She gasps and pelts me in the peck with her hand. Lucas lets out a laugh.

"And he's back." He sighs sipping at his own whisky.

"You're an ass." She mumbles looking around the room, distracted, " And I'm just going to get some more drinks. Same again?" Lucas and I nod.

I admire her choice of dress as she saunters through the crowd, a lilac purple number that's practically backless minus a few spaghetti straps that run across the lower of her back. The silk material clings beautifully to her waits and the strappy heels make her legs look even more tanned and long.

"Wow, I never thought I'd ever see you this obsessed over a girl." Lucas whistles alerting me back to my company.

"Huh?"

"You look at her with such awe and admiration." He grins.

"She's not just a 'girl', she's everything" I finally loose sight of her waves honey hair in the distance and direct my full attention to Lucas.

"That sentence is exactly what I mean, you were never like this with Hailey. You're so happy and rejuvenated." He sighs with content.

" I am, happy. I'm more than happy. She's flipped my world upside down and completely taken it over. She's my everything and she's my one."

"The one?" He raises his brows in anticipation.

"The one," I confirm with a solid nod.

"Hey." I address the bartender as I lean upon the bar. She'd been on my mind for the past ten minutes- not in a romantic way but in the way she looked so flustered and rushed off her feet. The queue had been piling up and some people had been a jackasses.

"I'm so sorry can you give me a moment I- oh my god your her- shit. What can I get you." Her eyes widen and she tries to dust off the liquid stain on her shirt. Poor thing, she looks exhausted.

"Actually I was coming to see if you needed some help...?" I peer over the bar to see if anyone is hiding there but she looks alone.

"Sorry...?" She asks confused, wiping a line of sweat on her forehead with the back of her hand.

" You look a bit busy and flustered that's all."

"Nope I've uh got everything under control, don't worry!" She quickly starts sorting some glasses, in a panic, she drops one that smashes.

"Look-" I look for a name badge.

"Lorrell" she replies dusting her bangs out of her hazel eyes.

"Lorrell, calm down. Take a breath." She leans back against the bar and ignores the shouting from the other end. I round the edge of the bar looking for the folding door. She looks confused and alarmed as I let myself behind the bar, "You take that end and I'll take this one okay. Don't stress and don't panic." I smile warmly grabbing a few glasses.

" I can't ask you to do that!" She shouts.

"You're not. I'm offering." I smile, "We've all been here before."

"Well, it's my uh second day." She sulks walking away, "Thank you, Gigi." She turns before getting engrossed with rowdy customers.

"What can I get you?" I walk over to a couple of men in suits who place their order.

As I pour whisky into glasses, I can't help but chuckle. This used to be my full-time job. I kind of miss it.

Kind of.

After I finish a few orders I turn back to the queue to gather some more, "What can I-"

Armaury, Elijah, Lucas, Jayden and Sofia stare at me bewildered.

"Why are you serving drinks?" Elijah asks.

"Uh, old habits die hard I guess...?" I can see Sofia trying not to laugh,      " The barmaid, Lorrell, looked like she needed some help." I reply leaning on the bar.

"Only you would do something like this. You earn fucking millions and you still find a way to make cocktails." Sofia chuckles.

"You really are one of a kind babe." Jayden laughs.

"Well, what can I get you?" I reply keeping up the façade.

"Well, I'll have a Long Island if you're making. Lord knows no one can do them like you do." Sofia huffs making me laugh, Niki always had me make them back in London since mine were pretty good.

"And you guys?"

"Why are you behind the bar?" Colton approaches before they can reply.

"I'm just lending a hand." I chuckle as Lorrell walks up to us, flunking down on the bar, her area seems to have cleared up a bit.

"You okay?" I rub her back encouragingly, " A little tip- take multiple orders and do them quickly. It works better when it's busy. Oh and clean up when it gets quieter, there's no point cleaning when it's packed."

She sits up and stares at me,

"How do you do it? How do you know all this." She cries.

"I worked at a bar for five years... it gets easier I swear." I chuckle starting to make the drinks, the boys had asked for a concoction of shots and as I set the tops on fire I get a rather impressed crowd gather.

"Teach me your ways!" Lorrell jokes.

"How do you do that?" Elijah asks.

"Secrets of the trade," I say smugly tapping my nose.

"Well can I steal you back now, we've only got ten minutes," Colton says bouncing on his toes.

I nod and exit the bar waving farewell to Lorrell, I slip my hand into Coltons as we weave our way through people until we find Will.

"You ready?" He asks slapping Him on the back. Colton nods nervously and takes the mic from his hands.

As I step onto the small stage I cast my eyes at the room, full of businessmen and women, musicians, actors, artists, crew, friends and family and I savour every face that's taken the time to come out and see me tonight.

The music level lowers and people turn to look at me.

"From me and everyone on my team at the label we'd like to thank you all for coming out to celebrate tonight. This album is my favourite by far of everything I've done, purely because I've been given the chance to write it and tell my story. It's raw and truthful about me and my life and it had to be perfect since it took a lot of soul searching to complete. Firstly I couldn't have done it without my writing partner, best friend and insanely talented girlfriend who made me realise I could write my own album and I had the talent to do so. I love you so much, I couldn't have done this without you. This album is as much yours as it is mine." I look down at Gigi and I can see the tears forming in her eyes, " I'd like to thank all my producers and tech guys and my incredible manager Will who goes above and beyond for me. I never tell you how thankful I am of you but I'm unbelievably grateful for you and your work. I want to thank everyone at De Janerio and my friends and family who have made me the person I am today. My parents who guided me and my friends who picked me up and supported me in the darkest times. I hope you all enjoy the album as much as I do. Thank you."

The cheers and hollers echo around the room but I'm only focused on one girl, her tiny hands wiping the tears from her red cheeks.

My future is not defined by the past and this album proves it.