Isla inhaled sharply "Seriously, that literally just happened, we were talking!" she shook her head
Pierre raised an eyebrow and looked at her. "You move quick" he said with a scoff.
"Don't even start" She said sharply back "Nothing happened, we were talking about the press conference, can people just give me a break?" She said exasperated.
Sarah cleared her throat "I'm sorry to say Isla, but as a female, the media will always think your motive is love or heartbreak, I wish that wasn't the case, but it is the reality" she said.
Isla sank in her chair and threw her hands up and crossed them over her chest. "So what do I need to do?" She asked
"Let your driving do the talking, stay out of the media for a couple days till this all blows over" Sarah instructed Isla as she looked at Heather, who took the cue to make sure she was paying attention to Isla's plans this weekend. Isla noticed the look Sarah gave Heather. "I don't need a babysitter," She said indignantly.
"Not babysat, you just need to be careful with who you are seen with this weekend" She said and it sounded a bit like a warning to Isla.
Isla just nodded.
The meeting quickly wrapped up and Heather and Pierre's Manager Ivan went to talk to Sarah. Pierre and Isla were left sitting at the table. "Are you sure you still want to come out tonight?" Asked Pierre
"Ya, I still want to, just need to avoid any 'drama'" she said with sarcastic air quotes around the word drama.
Pierre laughed "Sounds good, How about we all walk together to the restaurant, I can meet you in the lobby of the hotel in 2 hours?" He asked
"Sounds good" She smiled, ''We all? I guess a group outing won't be any drama if photos are taken she thought to herself
Isla and Heather walked back to the hotel. Isla said her goodbyes and went to her room to get ready. She threw on some jeans, a black off the shoulder top and some heels. She threw her hair up into a ponytail.
She looked in the mirror one last time before heading down to meet Pierre. She stepped out of the elevator. There he was waiting... With the blonde from Milan. Isla smiled at them in greeting, and realized this is what Pierre meant by "all walking together".
"Hi I'm Isla" She said extending her hand to the blonde.
The blonde just looked at her and half smiled then looked away. Isla turned to Pierre "Should we get going?" Isla asked
Pierre nodded and they set off through the door, the group was chatting about the weather. Katerina started taking selfies. Pierre fell back to talk with Isla, leaving Katerina ahead of them with her camera out.
"Glad to see you guys have now officially met," Pierre said. "Katerina is my girlfriend." He said quickly and a little unconvincingly, gesturing towards the blonde.
"Is everything okay between you two?" Isla asked, as she saw Pierre look a little exhausted and she witnessed an argument between them in Milan.
"It has been better, but she wants to work through it" he said
"Do you want to work through it?" Isla pressed
Pierre looked away, not answering. "Oh look, we are here" he said and opened the door to the restaurant.
Isla walked into the restaurant behind Pierre and Katerina. She followed them and then saw the table, Charles and George were sitting there waiting for them. Katerina sat across from Charles, Pierre sat in front of George, leaving two chairs free, one at the short end of the table next to Charles or on the opposite side next to George.
Isla sat down and smiled at George "Hey"
"Hey, looking good Rowley" George smiled
She looked in Charles direction but he was looking down at his phone. Isla was really missing him. Her phone buzzed, she quickly took it out and looked at it under the table.
Charles - You look amazing ; )
Isla smiled and quickly locked her phone and looked at Charles who was smirking and looking in the opposite direction. Isla needed some time with him, she desperately wanted to just be alone with him.
"Excuse me" Isla said quickly and stood up and walked to the bathroom. Once clear from the table, she pulled out her phone
Make an excuse, meet me in the bathroom - Isla
Isla couldn't believe she just did that. She stood in the hallway that held all of the unisex bathroom stalls, each were an individual room. She saw Charles walk by the hallway on his phone, He passed one more time then came into see Isla
He hung up his phone, "Just had a call I had to take away from the table" he winked at Isla.
"Great," She said as she pulled him into a bathroom stall and closed the door.
Once the door was closed she pressed Charles into the door and kissed him hard. She couldn't stop herself, she needed to taste his lips again.
When Isla pulled away, Charles was just standing against the door grinning from ear to ear. "Wow" He said "You really must hate me" He said winking again.
"Gosh, stop it with the winks. They absolutely kill me, ''she said laughing.
Charles took a couple steps forward leading Isla backwards to the wall behind her, He proceeded to kiss her like she just kissed him. Her hands rode up his back and one hand landed in his hair. She played with the slight curls at the nape of his neck.
They pulled away, "I needed that" Smiled Isla
"I did too, It's a nice change from pretending to hate you" he smiled
"Indeed, a very nice change" She agreed "Just wanted to make sure we were okay after all the social media stuff after the press conference" She added
"I'm fine, we are fine" He reassured her "No one is the wiser"
They had been gone for long enough that they needed to head back to the table. "I'll go first," Isla said as checked her hair in the mirror and then slipped out the door.
She walked back to the table and grabbed her seat. A glass of red wine had been delivered to her seat. She looked at it confused.
"Cabernet Sauvignon still your favorite I assume?" George half whispered as he leaned over to Isla.
Isla smiled, "That would be correct, Thanks!"
Just then Charles came back from the front of the restaurant "My apologies that call went longer than expected" and he sat back in his chair.
Pierre's phone went off, he answered it "Awesome, we are sitting at the back, come join us" He hung up his phone and looked at Charles. "I have a surprise for you man, I think it could cheer you up after losing that girl in Monaco" He said
Charles just looked at his friend puzzled. "What?"
Just then a brunette walked into the restaurant and smiled at Pierre and gave him a hug "Thanks for flying me out" she said then made her way to Charles and gave him a hug.
He seemed tense, and didn't hug her back. "Hi Charlotte" He said plainly
"Oh Chars, don't be like that, I know you miss me" She said in his ear.
Islas head was spinning, it was like a car crash, she couldn't look away at what was happening in front of her. She just stared with raised eyebrows, she didn't move a muscle.
Charlotte sat down in the chair next to him and she smiled at Isla, "Hi, I don't think I know you" she said
Isla turned to face her "Isla, nice to meet you" She proceeded to pick up her wine glass to cheers Charlotte and then she drank the entirety of the wine. A waiter passed by, "Can I have another glass please?" she said. The waiter nodded and then she returned her attention to the table.
Isla was so mad she leaned her elbows on the table and her chin in her palms "So, How do you know Charles?" she asked Charlotte.
"He's my boyfriend obviously" She said quickly
"Oh, wow. That's great, I'm sure you two are happy together." Isla said over enthusiastically and sat back in her chair