Chapter 34
THIRTY-FOUR
Sadie
Me
You’re at the office, right?
Lockhart
Yeah. Why?
Me
I’m going to stop by super quick. Are all your siblings there too?
Lockhart
Everyone but Beck.
I know this will be the first time you’re meeting Eden—don’t worry, my sister is a vault. She won’t say anything about DF to anyone. You’re safe, I promise.
Me
I’ve been worried.
Lockhart
You have no reason to be.
Me
OK, good. See you in 20-ish.
Lockhart
What are you wearing?
Me
Right now?
Lockhart
Yes.
Me
Jeans. T-shirt thingy. Blazer. High heels.
Lockhart
Put on the jacket. You know which one I’m talking about.
Me
You want me to wear THAT to your office?
Lockhart
And you know what color panties and bra I want you to wear underneath.
Me
Lockhart … it’s your office.
Lockhart
And?
Me
I’m not exactly good at being quiet.
Lockhart
I’m not telling you that you have to be.
When I reached the top floor of Lockhart’s building, I carried the large container of cupcakes out of the elevator and approached the receptionist. I gave her my name—the same process I’d done downstairs when I first walked into the building—and while she typed something into her computer, I took a look around the space.
Visiting The Weston Group’s corporate headquarters hadn’t been on my bingo card prior to dating Lockhart. But I was fascinated with the inner workings of a group as massive as theirs—how they operated, how they chose locations, and how they balanced so many different cuisines under the same umbrella. Lockhart had slowly been letting me into his professional world, and I was honored that he asked for my opinion on things.
The receptionist politely asked me to follow her down a long hallway of what appeared to be private offices. I hadn’t envisioned what this space would look like. If it would be blank walls and bland carpet, the smell of wood cleaner in the air.
This was nothing like that.
The entire floor, from what I’d seen so far, had a design similar to Charred, with rich, bold colors and warm wallpapered walls and a wood floor that gave this long and endless hallway a cozy feel. It was masculine without being overwhelming and powerful, like there was a red carpet beneath your feet.
The receptionist stopped outside a closed door and knocked twice, and when called upon, she opened it just slightly and said, “Go ahead in, Ms. Spencer.”
I thanked her, and as the door widened enough to let me in, I was surprised to find Lockhart wasn’t alone.
“Hi, baby,” he said from behind his desk. “Welcome.”
“Hi!” I stepped inside .
“You already know everyone, except for Eden,” Lockhart said.
Two other faces were staring back at me. Walker, who I’d originally met at Charred, and Colson, who I’d met at Musik.
“Nice to see you guys.” I gave them a smile and a wave, and I approached Lockhart’s sister, extending my hand. “It’s so wonderful to meet you, Eden.”
“And you.” She offered a smile, but it wasn’t nearly as large as mine, like she was holding part of it back.
I hadn’t been surprised when Lockhart told me he’d gone to her for help, figuring out if I was Dear Foodie or not. But I had been surprised to hear she was a vault. Every woman had a weakness. Mine was Bryn. She knew everything. Maybe Eden’s weakness was Lockhart. Or maybe she was a unicorn, and she truly didn’t have one.
If that was the case, I was even more intrigued by her.
“I’ve heard endless things about you,” I said. “I’m really looking forward to getting to know you.” I winked at Lockhart. “Considering you are his favorite.”
Her blue eyes shifted to Lockhart, a color so vibrant that it was unique and striking. “Your favorite? Now, I would have thought Beck held that title.”
A quick glance told me Lockhart was putting his hands in the air, holding them by his face, but I was more focused on Eden. She was stunning, from her dark hair—a vast contrast to the blonde I had found on Instagram who I thought was her—to her sensual lips to her petiteness. Women would strive to look as beautiful as her.
But what was drawing me in was her demeanor. She had this magnetism about her that you almost couldn’t look away from. And if you did, you were afraid you’d miss something. Something that would hint at what was going on inside her. Lockhart had told me she was closed off, and I could feel that. Nothing seemed random about Eden—what came out of her mouth, how her body moved, the deepness of her stare. Everything was for a reason, and everything was calculated.
While she laughed at Colson, who was now teasing Lockhart, I moved around to the back side of his desk and set the Tupperware on top.
“What do you have there?” Lockhart asked after I gave him a peck.
“Tonight is a huge night for you guys, and even though I know the opening of Toro is going to be perfect and seamless and everything you want it to be, I wanted to bring you something to celebrate since I won’t be there.”
“You’re not coming?” Colson asked.
I shook my head, feeling Eden’s eyes on me. “But I’ll be there in a few nights.”
“If you’re worried about getting a table, please don’t,” Walker said. “We’ve got you covered.”
“Hart mentioned it has something to do with your bestie, right?” Eden announced. “She’s your date, and she has to work tonight, which is why you can’t make it?”
I quickly glanced at her, a smile gradually lifting on my face. “Yes. You’re right. She has a work thing, and since Lockhart will be slammed, I have this weird thing about eating alone. Please don’t hate me, you guys.”
Dear Foodie didn’t go to restaurants on opening nights because nothing ever went right for the restaurant or the staff. They needed a second to work things out, and even though two days wasn’t enough time either, it was all Seen was willing to give me.
Lockhart and I hadn’t discussed what I would say to his family or what excuse I would use if any of them asked why I wouldn’t be there.
Eden had done this all on her own .
She had my back—something I’d never anticipated.
“Hate you? Hardly,” Eden replied. “I think Lockhart would prefer you be there when it’s less chaotic and things have cooled down a little. This way, he’ll actually have time to spend with you. We all will.”
Lockhart’s arm went around my waist. “She’s right.”
As I looked at Eden again, she gave me a slight nod, and I gave her one back and said, “Anyway, I’m not Walker Weston in the kitchen, but I thought these would be fun.”
I took off the lid. “They’re champagne-flavored cupcakes.” I handed one to each of them. The base was a light pink that was infused with champagne with a whipped buttercream frosting on top that I’d decorated with edible confetti, and stuck into the side of the icing was a plastic dropper. “The dropper has actual champagne in it.”
“I’ll take any and all alcohol at the moment,” Colson said, pulling out the plastic and squirting the liquid into his mouth. “Oh, that’s good.”
Walker laughed at him and then connected eyes with me. “Cooking is my specialty. Baking is a beast I’ve battled my whole career. I bet these are better than I could make.” He paused to take a bite and moaned. “What in the hell are these?” He stared at each side of the dessert. “Sadie, they’re exceptional.”
Walker, a wildly popular and highly respected chef, was complimenting my baking. I couldn’t help but feel flattered, especially given that I’d thrown out the first batch, unsatisfied with how they had turned out.
“Thank you,” I said, trying to hold back my excitement.
“He’s right, they are,” Colson groaned and reached inside the Tupperware. “I’m going to take another one of these.”
I laughed. “Help yourself. I’m leaving the rest here, so take as many as you want. ”
Lockhart placed his on his desk. “I’m saving mine.” He eyed me up and down.
As Eden stood from her chair, she wiggled down her black skirt before swiping her finger across the rim of the frosting and sucking it off. “I’m going to need this recipe.”
“I’ve got you, girl,” I said.
“Come on, guys. Let’s leave them and get back to work,” Eden voiced, giving me a wave prior to heading out into the hallway.
Colson and Walker said goodbye, and the door shut, leaving Lockhart and me alone.
With his arm still around me, I turned and faced him. “Just so you know, Eden and I are going to be besties?—”
“Go lock that door,” he growled, his eyes slowly dipping down my body. “Right now.”