"So… I hear you own this place? Is your name as pretty as your face?"

Katy snorted. "Terrible line. Who wants to know?"

"I'm Isaac… Sheree Truman's son."

"Katy Mitchell." He held out his hand to shake hers across the bar and Katy laughed, indulging him for a moment, before taking her hand back and placing it firmly on the closest pump. "What can I get you?"

"Just a lager… and maybe your number?"

She snorted again. "Do you know how many times a night I hear that?"

"Even in a gay bar?"

"Oh yeah, I get even more offers working here than I did in my last bar." She handed him his drink. "So, what brings you in here?"

"I heard the owner was fit."

"Really?" She grinned at him. "You're gonna keep this up for our whole conversation?"

"Definitely." Isaac smirked back. "Unless you agree to have a drink with me?"

"I don't think so."

"What? Oh… you run a gay bar, am I–?"

She laughed. "No, I'm straight. I just don't think it's a good idea. You live on the Square… that's way too complicated for me; too many strings."

"Trust me, I'm not looking for strings." He told her with a shrug. "I just think it would be a shame if you didn't give this," he motioned to himself, "a chance."

"Absolutely no strings?"

"No strings." He confirmed with a nod.

"Fine. You can buy me a drink but the second I see any hint of anything remotely resembling strings, I'm out."

Isaac beamed at her. Rolling her eyes at the self-satisfied smirk on his face, Katy shook her head and turned to face the optics as she poured herself a generous measure of vodka. Catching Tina's eyes, she let out a soft huff, before turning back to the young man lounging against the bar.

Since Tyler's announcement about wanting to get custody, Tina and Ronnie had both been keeping a very close eye on the young woman. Her ex hadn't made any more statements about his plans and, although she'd informed Ritchie of the conversation and his threats, Katy hadn't done anything either. She was starting to hope that Ronnie's assertions that he had just said whatever he thought would hurt her with no real intention of carrying it out.

"So, are you going to this boat party?"

Katy nodded, swallowing her mouthful before answering. "Yeah, I am. Are you?"

"Mum and Patrick got tickets, so I guess so." He agreed with a shrug. "I've never been to a boat party in this country."

"I've never been on a boat, full stop." She replied with a chuckle. "Not sure how I'm going to cope with it. Knowing my luck I'll get seasick."

Isaac chuckled. "I'll look after you, don't worry."

Snorting at his cockiness, she moved away for a moment to serve a couple of customers, keeping one eye on him at the same time. He had pulled out his phone and seemed to be scrolling; either through photos or messages she wasn't sure. For a moment or two her suspicious mind kicked in and she worried whether it wasn't all some trick cooked up by Tyler to give him ammunition for his custody case. Then she dismissed the thought, shaking her head and throwing herself into enjoying her shift like she normally did.

Katy glanced up as someone settled themselves in the seat opposite hers at her table in the café. She let out a quiet groan at the grin on Isaac's face, taking a long, fortifying sip of her coffee before he had the chance to make any comment on her appearance.

"How's the head this morning?"

"I swear to god if I ever hear the word Amaretto again…"

Isaac laughed. "That was definitely not my fault."

"Shouldn't you be at work or something?" Katy groused, wrapping her hands around her mug and frowning at him.

"Half term, init?" He reminded her. "Don't you have some kids getting under your feet?"

"Sleepover at my Dad's. He had them last night so that my Gran will have them for the boat party."

Isaac was clearly about to say something when there was a commotion and someone dropped heavily into the chair beside the blonde. Katy turned and fixed her aunt with a questioning look, noticing that Roxy looked incredibly flustered about something or other.

"I've been looking for you everywhere!" The older Mitchell exclaimed, looking a little put out by her niece's apparent illusiveness. "We need to hit the shops."

"Why?"

"I haven't got anything to wear tonight."

"Rox… your wardrobe is bigger than mine and the kids' put together. I'm sure you've got something you can–"

"No, no." She shook her head determinedly. "We need to go shopping anyway because you, little miss old-before-her-time, need something drop dead gorgeous to show off all your assets."

"Oh my god, Rox…" Katy put her head in her hands, totally mortified as Isaac snorted into his coffee. "Really?"

"Yes, really, now come on. You can catch up with your little friend later." Turning, as though only just noticing his presence, Roxy did a double take. "Oh, hello! Roxy Mitchell, I don't think we've met."

"Isaac Baptiste." He smiled toothily at her, shaking her outstretched hand. "Sheree Truman's son."

"Are you to blame for the state my niece is in this morning, then?" She asked with mock disapproval.

"Guilty." He held up his hands. "She's wild when she's had a few drinks."

"She takes after me." Roxy informed him, conspiratorially. Then she nudged Katy with her elbow. "Come on, up you get."

With a loud groan, sending Isaac an almost pleading look over her shoulder as Roxy pushed her out of the café, Katy gave in to the inevitable. Her aunt chattered non-stop as she almost dragged the younger blonde towards the tube station, barely pausing to draw breath and clearly not at all bothered that Katy wasn't actually listening to her. Before she knew it, let alone was able to do anything about it, they were settled in a train carriage heading for the High Street.

"I think you should get a dress."

Katy turned incredulous eyes on her aunt at the statement. "You what?"

"You never wear dresses, so I think you should wear one to the boat party."

"You want me to get hypothermia?"

"Planning on jumping in the river, are you?"

"Course not. Don't be an idiot; it's still way too soon for drowning jokes, especially from you, Aunty Rox." Katy groused. "But surely its gonna be even colder on a boat than it is here. I'm still in recovery, if you remember?"

Roxy rolled her eyes. "Come off it, Katy. When it suits you there's absolutely nothing wrong with you."

"Yeah, well, still got cancer, ain't I?"

"Technically, no."

"Technically, yes. I ain't had the all clear just yet."

Letting out a long, drawn-out, over-dramatic sigh, the older blonde pouted at her niece. "Please, Katy. Wear a dress? Let your boring old aunty live vicariously through you?"

Katy snorted. "Old?"

"OK… older."

"Also, I didn't realise you knew words like vicariously." She teased, already having given up on the idea of convincing Roxy against buying a dress. "I'm sort of impressed."

"Shut up, you."

"Well, are you paying, then, considering it's all your idea?"

Letting out a squeal of delight, realising that she'd won the battle with vary little resistance, Roxy dragged Katy into the nearest shop and set about finding the perfect outfit for the boat party.

Several hours later, they were back on the Square and getting ready for the boat party. Ronnie and Roxy were thoroughly immersing themselves in the party atmosphere, playing music and dancing around the flat with drinks, as they got ready. Grudgingly, Katy allowed herself to be dragged to her feet and twirled around by her aunt, laughing as Roxy pouted at the screen of her phone as she took a selfie of them.

"You look beautiful." Ronnie assured her daughter, swatting Katy's hands away as she tugged on the hem of her dress self-consciously. "Which jacket are you taking? You need to make sure you're warm enough."

"Eurgh, you two are so alike." Roxy muttered, rolling her eyes and throwing Katy's coat towards them. "Are you ready, 'cos we're gonna miss the bus."

"God forbid we'd miss the chance of a drink." Her sister replied sarcastically.

Exchanging a look with her daughter, Ronnie followed Roxy as she crashed her way through the door and down the stairs. They met the others on the corner outside the Vic, laughing as Tina took the can of lager out of Mo's hand before practically pushing her up the steps onto the bus. Grinning excitedly, the brunette squeezed her friend's arm as the three Mitchell women headed for their seats.

"'Ere, want one?" Mo leant over the back of the seat, offering a couple of cans to the three blondes sitting in the back row. "Just don't mention it to Tina… she keeps trying to get 'em off me."

"Cheers!" Roxy accepted the lagers on all their behalves, cracking hers open and taking a long gulp.