The fact that I had been the one inviting Sébasiten out on a date meant nothing when he decided to be in charge of our night out. He insisted on planning our evening, from where we'd eat dinner to where we'd go afterwards, and, since I had no actual plan in mind, I didn't put up a fight.

The only thing I would be responsible for tonight was having fun.

And opening the door when the bell rang. Which was what I was doing now, revealing Sébastien standing outside in a pair of grey pants, a white sweater, and a long, navy blue coat to top it all off. He didn't look too formal nor too informal... he looked just right.

It's been a very long time since I've done the dating thing, and I had no idea what was the best way to greet your date when you see him. But, I figured a simple "Good evening" would be harmless.

"Good evening." He echoed my words. "You look spectacular."

I wasn't sure spectacular was the right word to describe how I looked, considering I was wearing a light grey, mid thigh sweater dress, with a loose turtleneck. To me, this was just a very basic, comfortable look, but I did feel spectacular. Maybe it was the kneehigh black boots that I bought specifically for this occasion, or maybe it was how Seb said those words, his eyes shining with lust.

"Thank you." I replied with a shy smile. "You don't look too bad yourself."

"Merci." He pulled his lips up into a smile. "Where's the little one?"

Olivia had very kindly offered to watch Lexi while I was out for the night, but I didn't want to put that weight on her shoulders after a long day of work. And since Lexi loved my brother and his wife, Nicole, and her cousins, they were more than happy to have her for a sleepover.

"Lexi's not here. She's at my brother's for the night." I explained.

The implications of that information were obvious, but neither of us touched on the subject. I was too eager to start tonight and to commence our date, and I figured he was too. We were just going to see where the night was going to take us and that was enough.

"Shall we get going?"

I hooked my arm into his, and we stepped out of the house and into the chilly street, where the cold air of December wasn't giving up on turning our cheeks scarlet colored.

"So, where are we going?"

"That's a surprise."

"Oh, so you know how to walk around in London's public transportation now?"

"No need." Sébastien shot me a smile. "We're taking a cab."

Cab rides in London are expensive. Very expensive. But I was well aware that Seb could afford it, I just didn't want to feel that burden. But, I put that instinctive feeling aside, and let him lead tonight. It's time I understood that just because he's leading, it doesn't mean I'm not the main character of my story.

The cab ride wasn't too long. Living on the fringes of London as opposed to the centre had its ups and downs, and one of the downs was that it always took too long to get to the heart of the city. But it's London, so it is always worth it.

And tonight it was no different.

When the cab pulled up near the Tower of London, I was slightly confused because it was closed for visitors, so there was no way one of his plans for tonight was to visit the Tower. But then again, Seb is financially comfortable, so, I wouldn't' exactly be surprised if he'd paid for a private, afterhours tour. However, I didn't think that would be the theme for tonight.

Sébastien led me down the cobble street, until we came to a stop near the river, with a direct and fantastical view over the other side of the city. With winter approaching, by six o'clock you could see the twinkling lights of the tall skyscrapers and buildings that were famous on the Southbank's skyline.

We took in the view for a while, before I followed Sébastien as he led us to the restaurant. I couldn't believe it when I started to recognize where he was taking us.

The Coppa Club is famous just for the name itself, but its reputation in London goes beyond its name alone. The establishment has individual glass, see through pods - igloos, as they call it - outside of the main building, near the river, where you can eat with a dazzling view of the city, and of course, the Tower Bridge, one of the biggest landmarks of the city. The pods are carefully decorated with flower arrangements, candles, and they're heated too, which is just the cherry on top.

"Wow." Was all I managed to say when I sat down across from Sébastien, and looked around, and took it all in.

"Do you like it?"

"I love it." I replied, my voice soft as the words flew out of my mouth.

"Had you come here before?"

I find it funny that Sébastien would think that someone like me would have the means to actually have a meal at this restaurant, where a main course starts at twenty pounds. He sure knows Melanie, he knows the person sitting across from him, but he doesn't know her past. Not in great detail, at least.

The waiter came inside the igloo to serve us our waters, while he suggested some of their client-favourite wines. Sébastien asked him to bring the best they had.

"Not really." I said after the man, who couldn't be more than thirty, left us to be in our little bubble again. Literally.

"I must admit I was a little surprised when you suggested the date." Seb's shy smirk wasn't unnoticed. "But I was very glad nonetheless that you'd given me the honour to take you out for dinner and have the chance to talk."

I took another look around after taking a sip of the water that was probably just tap water, but they would eventually charge us for a Pellegrino bottle.

"I figured it was about time." I shrugged. "If you were going to make declarations of love, you might as well get to know me. It's only fair."

"I couldn't agree more." The shy smirk got exchanged for a cocky one. And I didn't hate it.

The waiter came back with the wine and the menu so we could choose what to order for dinner. We went with an antipasti board to share to start with and, not wanting to keep tonight's dinner too Italian, we avoided the pastas and the pizzas, and we both had the trout, one of the restaurant's specials.

By the time we were wrapping up on our bread by spreading some buffalo bocconcini on it, I was just starting to tell him my story, beginning with my complicated relationship with my parents.

"So, that's why you and your brother are so close?"

I nodded. "Very close."

The hardest chapter of my story was just coming, and I did feel shaky just thinking about talking to someone else about it, but I felt safe around him, and I felt like I could trust him with this piece of myself.

"When I was a teenager..." I looked at the twinkling city lights outside as I tried to recall my exact age when my life took a turn and my fate was altered forever. "I was probably around seventeen, I met Lexi's father, David."

God, saying his name instantly left a bad taste in my mouth.

In front of me, Sébastien stopped going on about the food's nuances of flavours and succumbed to silence, giving me all the time and space that I needed to touch on this subject, which he knew was particularly hard for me to talk about. And that gave me the courage I needed to keep on.

"At the time, I loved him. Or... I thought I did. But I was young, you know how it is."

He nodded, but remained silent.

"Anyway... we went out for a while. My parents never approved, of course, and Lucas wasn't his biggest fan either. But I kept seeing him, even when things between us went downhill. He started to spend more time with some of his friends who were... bad influences on him. They would skip school, spend the evening drinking, doing drugs, and God knows what else. I would never join them, and so I ended up becoming his second choice. That was when we started to drift apart."

"Did you break up?"

"No. I mean-" I stopped myself and pursed my lips into a tight line. "I told him a number of times that it was best that we end things between us but that always led to a fight."

The next words that came out of Seb's mouth, came out sounding almost like a growl.

"Was he violent with you? Did he hurt you?"

"Physically? No." Easy question, easy answer. But human relations are far from being easy. "What happened was, when I'd eventually have him, his time, he'd always be... a little too happy." I let out a dry chuckle. "Words can hurt just as much and he made me feel miserable about myself. It was self-deprecating for me to be around him."

"Why didn't you break up with him then?"

"I tried." I looked down at my plate, while I had flashbacks of that time. Of the numerous attempts I had of trying to get out of that relationship. "It was too hard. He was... manipulative, emotionally abusive, dominant. I felt imprisoned by him, and I had no way out."

I chose to spare Sébastien from hearing the details of that time, because, in fairness, he didn't need to hear them. And telling them wouldn't change the past.

"One day, I noticed my period was late. I bought a pregnancy test, took it upstairs and locked myself in the bathroom while I waited for the results. I had the water running, so my parents wouldn't bother me. And five minutes later, there it was. I was pregnant."

Feeling lighter just by sharing this darker side of my life, I went back to eating my dinner with a new, refreshing soul.

"What about David?"

If I told him what I did at the time, he would freak out so bad he'd run so far, jump into the river Thames not caring how freezing it was. Just to get away from me.

"He told me to take care of it. Told me he didn't want anything to do with the baby." Seb looked appalled. "Then, he got caught with drugs. Got arrested and I've never seen him since."

The last part was true.

"Thank you for telling me that." Sébastien's hand slid across the table and wrapped his fingers around my wrist, rubbing small circles. "I am so very sorry that you had to go through it."

"Thanks." I smiled and turned my hand around, so that my fingers were touching the inside of his wrist.

"If you don't mind me asking, did you always know you wanted to keep it? The pregnancy?"

"Oh, no." I took a long sip of wine before explaining that part. "I didn't want it, I wasn't ready! But I wasn't aware how far along I was when I'd found out, and I took a while to tell the dad and then... It was sort of too late."

"I think I know the answer to this, but... Any regrets?"

"No!" I shook my head. "I have zero regrets. Would I have wanted to have my first child with my partner, who would raise them with me? Sure. Do I wish Lexi could have a good father? Of course. But I don't regret having her, she is the best thing that's ever happened to me."

"Of course." Sébastien nodded, with a smile on his face before he took the napkin to his mouth to wipe his lips. "She's very special. And she's very lucky to have you as her mother."

"Thanks." I couldn't hide the grin on my lips. "And thank you so much for dinner. It's perfect."

"I'm glad you're enjoying our date." He thought about his next words before speaking. "I hope you'll enjoy the next part. If we're on the same page about us, I think you will."

For the first time since I'd met Sébastien, it was easy to say the next words.

"We're on the same page."

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

I am so happy about the development in their relationship!!!! ❤

Don't forget to vote if you liked this chapter and leave a comment with your opinion :)

I've said it before but I'll say it, I am so sorry that it's been taking me more than a week to update but life got in the way and it's been a rough couple of months and I just wanted to post the chapter when I was totally happy about it. Thanks for understanding! 

Xoxo, Mars