Isabelle watched Nick enter the club the following morning on time. She watched him avoid her gaze at first as he took off his coat, setting it on a bar stool.
Nick sighed, "I'm sorry for getting drunk last night Izzie."
She shrugged, "it's a bar. It's fine. But if you're going to fall into a drunken stupor every time you run into someone from your past then you should probably find somewhere else to work."
"No. I'm sorry. It won't happen again."
Isabelle nodded, "okay. I know that I know nothing about your past, but you don't know mine either. So let's not make any assumptions, okay?"
Nick smiled, "yeah. Of course."
"Go on then." She sat at the bar, going over some paperwork as Nick went to the stage with his trumpet, talking to the other band members.
"She always so bossy?" Nick heard one of the other band members, Charles laugh.
"Well she is the boss, so yeah. She's bossy."
"Boss of the band you mean?"
Charles chuckled, "and the club. She owns it."
Nick groaned, looking back at Isabelle, "of course she does. I'm an idiot."
"Yes, you are. So you play the trumpet?"
Nick smiled as he nodded, "yeah, that's right."
Isabelle listened to the band playing together as she went over the inventory and bills for the month. She looked up when she heard the door open to see her 8 year old nephew, Eddie run inside. She laughed, getting off the barstool in just enough time for him to leap into her arms. "Eddie! How are you my guy?"
"He's wound up and there's no school today."
She hugged her brother, Stephen as he approached her.
"Can you take him for a few hours? I'll pick him up before dinner."
"Yeah, of course Steve. Is everything okay?"
He sighed, "I just got pulled into an emergency surgery. I'll be done before dinner. Thanks."
She smiled as he kissed her cheek before she turned back to Eddie. "Hey. I have some work to finish up and then we'll go to the park. How does that sound?"
"Okay Auntie Belle!"
She laughed as he took off his coat, tossing it onto a chair before sitting to read his book he brought.
"Low maintenance kid you have there."
Isabelle smiled as Nick sat next to her, "yeah. He's my nephew. He's mostly pretty easy going."
Nick smiled, "I'm sorry, I hadn't realized you were also the owner of the club."
She laughed, "don't worry about it Nick."
"So when I paid for your drink the other night?"
She shrugged, "gave it to the bartender as a tip. I'm sorry I wasn't more forthcoming."
Nick chuckled, "don't be."
She smiled, closing the book in front of her. She grabbed a piece of paper, "here's a rehearsal schedule. And you'll be playing in the house band every night, Wednesday through Saturday and Sunday afternoons. Monday and Tuesday we are closed, but you'll still have rehearsals. I'll get back to you about potential songs to sing together?"
Nick nodded, "yeah sure. That sounds good."
"Great." She stood up from her bar stool. "You'll be paid a salary plus any tips left for the band are split evenly between you all."
"Okay. Thank you again Isabelle."
She smiled, "sure. I have to take my nephew to the park. I'll see you tomorrow for rehearsal. I'll find us a song."
"See you tomorrow then."
She nodded, walking over to Eddie, "come on bub. Wanna go ice skating before dinner?"
"Yes!"
She heard Nick laugh as Eddie leapt to his feet, following her out of the lounge.
✨
Isabelle just sat on the couch with Eddie to watch a movie when she saw her brother enter the living room of her house. "Hey. How was your day?"
He sighed, plopping on the couch next to her, "it was fine. How was Eddie."
"Perfect as always." She rested her head on his shoulder, "I took him to lunch and then we went ice skating. We just got back a bit ago. We were going to watch Captain America for the umpteenth time."
Stephen laughed, "I'd stay but we should get home. Beth hasn't had the best day today."
Isabelle sighed, "yeah, of course." She grabbed Eddie's hand, making him stand up as she hugged him, "I'll see you again soon, okay?" She watched Stephen stand up, grabbing Eddie's coat. "Do you need anything? Want me to bring you dinner or something?"
He sighed, "no it's okay. I'm going to get something on the way home. Love you." He leaned down, kissing her on the cheek, "thanks for taking Eddie."
"Always. I love you too. Send my love to Beth. I'll go see her tomorrow."
Stephen smiled, "okay. She'd like that. Maybe bring her some of those blueberry muffins she likes?"
Isabelle chuckled, "I'm on it. Be safe." She sighed, resting her head back on the couch, turning off the tv as Stephen and Eddie left.
YOU ARE READING
Letting Go 🤎
Fanfiction~~Complete~~ Nick Vaughn enters a prominent lounge in downtown Manhattan looking for a place in their house band. What he finds is more as the lead singer of the band, Isabelle Pierce convinces him to put himself out there and sing with her. Throug...
