Blaze (Heat #3)(23)

That's what we're doing right now. I'm going to catch a ride with him to Nova. I'll kiss you later. Er…see you later, Chef.

I smile at the sweet sentiment.

"You're in love, Den." She taps her finger on the edge of my phone. "I see it in your face."

"I feel it in here." I rest my hand over my chest. "I've never felt it before. I never want it to go away."

***

Nova is buzzing when we arrive thirty minutes later. The dining room has been transformed, the lights subtle but warm. The tables that Tyler was fretting over the other day have been pushed aside to allow space for the crowd to gather. Servers are expertly weaving their way through the mass of people, offering small plates of food along with glasses of champagne and sparkling water.

I recognize several food critics and a few celebrities. I scan the room for Tyler but I don't see him. My gaze stalls on Maribel.

"I'm going to go say hi to Maribel." I lean close to Sophia so she can hear me above the noise. "Do you want to come with me?"

"There's a reporter from a fashion magazine over there." She tilts her chin slightly to the right. "She's been to the office to see Mr. Foster. I'm going to go chat her up. Hopefully she'll notice my dress."

It would be impossible for anyone not to notice it.

"I'll meet you back here in fifteen." I point at floor beneath my feet. "If you need me, call, okay?"

She gives me a wave as she takes off into the crowd.

I turn back but Maribel is gone. I walk around several people, looking over their heads. I'm wearing my highest heels tonight. I still can't see Maribel's long black hair. I move past a gathered group of women before I finally reach the back of the room.

Brendon's gaze catches mine as soon as I look to the right. I curse inwardly knowing that he's going to come over and talk to me.

"Brendon," I whisper as soon as he's close. "Don't cause a scene. Please don't."

"Your dad is in New York." His voice is cold. "Your precious secret is going to come out, Den. Monroe's going to find out what you did to Sergio's wife."

When I told Brendon about the incident with Asta, his first question was whether I pushed her or not. I brushed it off as his insensitivity showing. That's not what it was. It was doubt. He doubted me when I followed it up by telling him that I hadn't meant to hurt her.

Instead of comforting me, he used my pain as currency to control me.

"Tyler knows that Asta was hurt." I face him directly. "He understands that it was an accident."

"You told him?" Skepticism laces his tone. "Why would you tell him?"

"Tyler and I don't have secrets." I look to where Maribel is standing in quiet conversation with another black haired woman. "I have someone I need to talk to, Brendon. Enjoy your night."

He doesn't respond. What could he possibly say? It's over and now he knows it.





CHAPTER 26


I reach in my purse for my phone. I scan the screen hoping to see a text message from Tyler. He needs to be here. The restaurant is reaching capacity and I can hear the whispered questions about whether he's going to show up or not.

I decide that sending a text won't hurt.

You're missing out on the party of the year, Chef. You need to be here and when the night is over I have a surprise for you.

He responds almost immediately.

Traffic is slow as f*ck. We're eight blocks away. I'll be there soon and what's the surprise?

I survey the room before I text him back.

You'll have to be patient, Chef. I promise it'll be worth it.

I giggle as I wait for his reply.

You're always worth it. You're worth everything.

As I slide my phone back into my purse, my fingers catch on the box I tucked in there before I left my apartment. I pull it out.

I don’t need to open it to know what's inside. It's a gold watch, an exact replica of the one that I gave Sergio when I was fourteen-years-old.

After having lunch with him I went to Times Square to the same jeweler that was there when I went in to buy the watch for the first time. It's not expensive. There isn't a designer name attached to it. It's a gold plated watch that will mean more to Sergio than anything else I could give him. It's a Father's Day gift, for each and every year, we spent apart.

Someone clears their throat next to me. I drop the box with the watch back into my bag as I turn toward the sound.

Maribel is next to me, her face flush from the glass of wine in her hand. She had the same look in her eyes the night that Sophia and I met her at the club.

"Are you having fun?" I ask. "It's a good turn-out, isn't it?"

"I think Tyler is going to flip when he walks in." She exhales in a rush. "His family is on their way. It's going to be a night to remember."

I look over at the woman she was talking to when Sophia and I arrived. I can only see her profile but it's marginally familiar. I bring my attention back to Maribel. "Tyler deserves it all. You all do. You've worked so hard to get Nova back up and running."

"We've been putting in insane hours." She glances around the room with a slight smile. "Chef brought on some new staff to help. Have you met any of them yet?"