„Is there a chance to continue our conversation at a more quiet place?“ one of the guys whispered in Eve’s ear.

„Um, we just arrived here,“ Eve replied. 

„I’m pretty sure my friend and your friend don’t need our company,“ the guy said next. 

„Still, I prefer just having another drink and enjoying the music.“ 

In the next moment a bouncer stopped standing next to them. 

„Gentlemen, I kindly ask you to follow me to the exit,“ he said to both men.

„Is there a problem?“ the guy, who was hitting on Eve, asked.

„Not yet,“ the bouncer answered. 

„We did nothing wrong,“ the other guy complained. 

The bouncer bent down to his ear. 

„I must inform you, that unfortunately you’re hitting on the wrong ladies.“ 

„What that supposed to mean?“ 

„If you don’t follow my orders, things will turn unpleasant.“

JC and Eric watched the bouncer escorting both guys to the exit. 

„What the hell, Ricky?!“ JC asked in disbelief. 

„You’re welcome,“ Eric said self satisfied. 

„What did you tell the bouncer?“ 

„You mean, how much did I pay the bouncer.“ 

JC should have been used to those situations. Eric solved all problems with money. But it felt completely wrong interfering in Eve’s private life like that. 

„I don’t want you doing this ever again,“ he said to his friend. 

„Why are you such an ungrateful asshole?“ Eric complained.

„This was senseless! I guarantee you someone else will be hitting on her in less than five minutes.“ 

„Do you think I’m an idiot? I paid the bouncer for the whole night.“ Eric said, with a smugly look in his face. 

„This was a weird night,“ Sandra slurred, sitting at the backseat of a taxi next to Eve.

„Yap,“ Eve slurred back.

„And I’m broke. Honestly, I didn’t know drinks were so expensive.“

„Yap.“

„This was it… no one wants us anymore…“ 

Eve rolled her eyes. 

„No, no, no… I’m sure there must be an explanation.“

„The explanation is, we’re getting old.“

„That’s nonsense. The bouncer let us skip the line, then the two guys appeared… everything worked as always to this point…“ 

„Why do you think the guys needed to leave the club?“ 

„I have no idea. But I’m sure this was the reason, why no one else dared talking to us for the rest of the night.“ 

After the usual team meeting on Monday morning, Eve saw Eric leaving the office. Last week he was barely around. She wondered what he was doing all day, instead of doing his job on the spot. 

„Eve?“ JC shouted to get her attention.

She stood up from her desk and went into his office.

„Yes, JC?“ 

„Please close the door and sit with me for a moment.“ 

She did what he asked for and sat down opposite of him. He pierced her with his deep blue eyes. Every time he did that, it gave her a deep shiver. She was sure he had the most beautiful eyes she’d ever seen.

„What can I do for you?“ she asked, as he didn’t stop staring. 

JC cleared his throat. 

„How do you feel, Eve?“ 

She raised her eyebrows.

„Really? You wanna know how I feel?“ 

„I meant, how you feel about working here. Is everything good?“

„What is happening? Why he suddenly cares about those things?“ she was thinking. 

„I’m fine. The executive staff gave me a good overview in the meanwhile. It’s a complete new world for me, but it's very interesting to learn how this business works. I wished I also had the chance talking to Eric to learn more about the commercial part. But unfortunately he seems to be busy with other stuff at the moment.“ 

JC nodded.

„Eric runs an own business, as well. He manages celebrities. And he’s busy organizing our work  party next month,“ he explained. 

„Oh, I didn’t know there will be a party.“ 

„Ya, it’s our second anniversary and Christmas is coming, so… it makes sense.“ 

Eve smirked. 

„Does he need any help? I’m good in event planning.“

„No, don’t worry about Eric and his first world problems. You work for me, not for him.“ 

„Okay.“ 

„So…?“ Nicole asked eagerly, sitting with Eve in the canteen during their lunch break.

„So what?“ 

„You survived one week as JC Chasez’ assistant.“ 

„And?“ 

„How are things? I mean, at the beginning I had the feeling you might kill him at some point, but the bad vibes seem to be gone.“ 

„You noticed, hm?“

„Yap, I noticed. Now spill.“

Eve looked at Nicole for a moment, thinking about how to answer.

„I almost quitted. But then out of the blue he suggested to start all over. Since then both of us try hard not upsetting the other one. And it works but…“

„But what?“

„He’s still very distant and so, so serious. I wonder what must happened to him to be like this.“ 

Nicole answered with quiet voice. 

„There are rumors he turned this way after his own music career started falling apart.“ 

Eve frowned. 

„You mean, when his boyband split up?“

„No, I mean his solo career after the split up. He released an own album, but it didn’t run well. And then some deep shit happened to his second album. No one knows what exactly was going on, but the label he was working with must played him pretty dirty.“ 

„And what happened then?“ 

„He disappeared from the public world for a while. Then he became a judge on America’s best dance crew on MTV. After that he decided founding his own independent music label. And here we are now.“

When the girls returned to the fiftieth floor, they saw Justin waiting at the front desk. He noticed them leaving the elevator and smiled all over his face, as they came closer. 

„Here you are, ladies,“ he said, glancing at Nicole first, before giving his attention to Eve.

„You should know, that no one is at the front desk during lunch,“ Nicole said.

„My apologies. But I was in the neighborhood and decided to say hi.“

„I’m sorry, but JC has a meeting with a potential new producer. He’s not here at the moment,“ Eve informed him.

„Who says I’m here for C?“ Justin replied and gave her a sexy smile.

Eve raised her eyebrows, while Nicole was curiously watching the scene. 

„You still owe me a coffee,“ he added. 

Eve bit her lower lip.

„Oh fuck… don’t do that, girl…“ Justin thought. 

„That’s a fact I can’t deny. But I just finished my lunch break,“ she answered. 

„But your boss isn’t here.“

„That’s true.“

„So? Can we go now?“ 

„Is he hitting on you?“ Eve talked to herself in her mind. 

„Fine. Let’s have coffee.“

After buying two caramel macchiatos at Starbucks, Eve joined Justin at a quiet table. He was wearing a baseball cap and sun glasses. 

„Thank you,“ he said and took a big sip. 

Eve did the same and smiled cheeky. 

„What is it?“ he wanted to know. 

„In my opinion, it’s more suspicious wearing sunglasses inside a coffee shop than just being without them.“

„You think so?“ 

„Is this really surprising you?“ she teased. 

Justin put his glasses off and smiled back at her. 

„Better?“ 

She nodded, still smiling. 

„So, how’s work?“ he wanted to know. 

„You’re the third person asking me that today,“ Eve answered. 

„Who asked before?“ 

„First JC and then Nicole.“ 

Justin raised his eyebrows.

„C asked you?“ 

„Yes, I was surprised myself, to be honest.“

„Why?“ 

„He didn’t make the impression being interested in my well being to this point.“ 

Justin scoffed.

„You must know, it’s not a lack of interest. He simply doesn’t talk much,“ Justin explained. 

Eve bit her lower lip again, before she continued talking. 

„Can I ask you something?“ 

Justin took another sip.

„Uh… those questions are dangerous.“ 

„Can I?“ she repeated. 

He nodded. 

„What happened to JC’s second solo album?“ 

Justin didn’t expect that and swallowed up his coffee.

„You hit the right spot,“ Eve was thinking.