Chapter 24
Chapter Twenty-Four
LEVI
The restaurant glows beneath the warm glow of candlelight.
Soft jazz drifts through the air, creating the perfect ambiance that even takes the edge off a double date with Arthur and Ellie Mae Lockwood.
Piper and I are seated in a private booth with them. We’re in one of Arthur’s many restaurants.
He’s just as picky about where he eats as he is with business partners, so he created his own chain.
He sits directly opposite me with a glass of red wine in his hand, talking about the vineyard like it’s one of his children.
Arthur wanted to meet with us outside of the events. If I didn’t know him as well as I do, I’d assume the request was more an Ellie Mae thing. But good old Arthur, if he likes you, he really likes you, and this is him trying to get to know us more.
It’s been a month since I embarked on this plan of mine. We’re heading to the vineyard next week for the final two weeks of the Legacy Tour.
It’s also supposed to be the last two weeks of my arrangement with Piper. But I don’t want it to be.
I’ve learned I have to be gentle with her. Take baby steps. Tread softly and give her space to breathe and feel.
And that’s why I haven’t told her about England yet.
I’ve also kept it to myself because I’m not entirely sure what I’ll say to her.
“The harvest this year exceeded every expectation,” Arthur reports proudly, puffing out his chest. “Best season we’ve had in almost a decade. We auctioned three private barrels last month alone and raised nearly two million for the foundation.”
Ellie Mae beams beside him, reaching over to pat his arm. “He’s been unbearable ever since.”
Arthur grins. “Damn right, I have.”
“That’s absolutely amazing,” Piper says with a smile.
The black silk dress clinging to every curve must have been designed specifically to torture me.
I can’t wait to take her home and get her out of it.
Candlelight dances over her skin every time she moves, and I’m jealous that it gets to touch her when I can’t.
It’s ridiculous. But it’s true. And it’s not just that. I’m obsessed with everything about her.
I’ve negotiated billion-dollar deals without blinking. But Piper taking a bite of pasta while absentmindedly tucking her hair behind her ear nearly finishes me.
Her heel brushes my ankle beneath the table. It’s accidental.
Maybe.
Regardless, I feel it everywhere.
Arthur continues speaking about expansion opportunities overseas, but his voice fades into white noise when Piper glances at me.
Her lips curve into a soft smile, and I smile back at her.
Ellie Mae notices our little exchange. I catch her watching us out the corner of my eye, but I don’t stop looking at my girl.
“Oh, I just love the way you two are,” Ellie Mae says warmly, looking between us with a big grin on her face. “Honestly, you’re my favorite couple.”
Piper lets out a surprised laugh. “Goodness, that’s a huge compliment.”
It is. So is everything that Arthur and his wife have done for us. They’re nice, but they’re not like this with everyone. You have to earn their respect.
Knowing that I have makes me feel bad for the lies I told to get us to this point.
“It’s true, sugar,” Ellie Mae insists. “You look at each other like nobody else exists in the room.”
Piper’s cheeks turn pink.
Mine probably turn the same color. Because she’s not wrong.
Arthur chuckles into his wine. “They’re still in that early phase.”
“Oh, hush now, you old puffer fish.” Ellie Mae waves him off before turning back to Piper. “When Arthur and I first met, he wouldn’t stop staring at me, either.”
Arthur leans back in his chair, brows raised. “That’s ‘cos she walked into my charity gala wearing a red sleeveless dress and nearly gave every man a heart attack.”
Ellie Mae laughs brightly. “You spilled bourbon all over yourself.”
“I did not.”
“You absolutely did.”
Piper laughs harder now, her hand brushing lightly against my arm as she turns toward Ellie Mae.
“Well, it was a small price to pay. I still got the girl.” He winks at his wife, and she smiles.
They keep talking about us, but I’ve been paying attention to them, too.
The way they are, calling each other my Arthur and my Ellie Mae. They’re like soul mates.
They make you believe you could find love like theirs and it will last.
I didn’t have examples like that growing up.
My father and Louise are a great couple who provided a good home for us. But Knox and Dorian would say that our father doesn’t love Louise the way he did our mother. They’re probably right. I’ve noticed parts of that, too, even though our mother was a psycho.
The worst part was that no matter how good Louise and Dad were, my earliest understanding of man and wife was him with my mother.
Him trying to make her happy, wanting to be a happy family, and her being two-faced. She loved him, she loved his money, but quietly destroyed his children when he wasn’t watching.
Then she got knocked up with another man’s child and left my father.
I get the feeling that if she hadn’t gotten pregnant, she would have killed one or all of us and claimed it was an accident. She tried to kill Dorian, so I know my suspicions aren’t off.
I don’t even know where she is, and I don’t care to know.
The waiter brings another bottle of wine, pulling me from my thoughts.
He pours carefully while Arthur watches with the satisfaction of a man presenting prized treasure.
“This,” he says, lifting his glass, “is the reason you’re all coming next week.”
Ellie Mae brushes against his shoulder and grins. “I’m so excited.”
“This is my special brew.” Arthur taps the glass. “No one in all the generations of Lockwoods has ever tried this. Go on, taste it.”
Piper and I exchange glances and pick up our glasses.
I take a sip.
Dark cherry, oak, and smoke hits my taste buds.
I’m a man who loves his wine and has probably tasted every blend, but I’ve never had anything quite like this before.
“Woah,” I gasp. “My God, Arthur.”
“Good, right?” Arthur nods.
“It’s magnificent.”
“It seriously is,” Piper agrees. She closes her eyes briefly, savoring the taste. “I finally understand wine people now. This is heavenly.”
Ellie Mae laughs delightedly. “That’s exactly what I said, sugar. Hea-ven-ly.”
“You certainly outdid yourself, Arthur,” I point out.
“I know I did. This is my legacy. This blend is the accomplishment that’s different from my forefathers.
Now my children can try and outdo me.” He laughs heartily, and the pride in his eyes shines brighter.
He holds up the glass. “This is why you needed to be the right guy for my business. That vineyard of mine isn’t just a piece of land. It’s another member of the family.”
As I stare at him, understanding settles over me and I get it. All those weeks—no, months—of back-and-forth bitching at me was about more than just signing with me because I’m the best. I needed to be the best for him.
Ellie Mae reaches for her clutch and smiles toward Piper. “Come on, darling. Let’s go powder our noses and leave the men to talk business.”
Piper glances at me briefly before standing.
I nod at her.
The two set off, arm in arm.
The second they disappear around the corner, Arthur leans back in his chair and studies me over the rim of his glass.
“You’ve surprised me, Levi Vale.”
I smirk faintly. “That so?”
“Yes. Wildly so. I definitely misjudged you.” He sets his glass down carefully. “Truthfully, I thought you were selling me some cock and bull story when you first told me you had a girlfriend.”
I let out a low laugh.
God, if only he knew.
Arthur folds his hands on the table. “When you refused to bring her around the press at first, I assumed you were lying.” He tilts his head. “But now I know you just wanted to protect what you have.”
“Yeah.” My voice lowers, partly out of shame, partly from truth.
“The press can be cruel. Especially to women.”
“I didn’t want her caught in that.” That’s the truth, which is why I’ve been careful lately. No more pictures of us.
If Piper and I are going somewhere and I know the press are going to be there, I take extra precautions. As much as I used the story about us living together to my advantage, it showed we needed to be careful. It’s never acceptable to have anyone lurking around my home, invading our privacy.
Arthur studies me carefully now, like he’s seeing something different than before. “I owe you an apology. I thought you made her up to secure the deal.”
I smile nervously. “You can see we’re real.”
“I can.” Arthur swirls his wine thoughtfully. “And that girl looks at you like she trusts you.”
My chest tightens unexpectedly.
“And you look at her,” he continues, “like you’d burn the world down before letting someone hurt her.”
Silence settles between us, and I think about what he’s saying.
He’s absolutely right.
“I would do exactly that.”
He leans closer. “Then make sure you marry that girl before someone else does. Women like that only come around once in an era. I got the last one.” His mouth curves slightly. “This one’s yours.”
Arthur’s words settle in my chest, sparking something I never thought possible.
Piper walked into my life and gave me a vision of a future beyond hedge funds, investments, and expansion plans.
She showed me what life could look like with her waiting for me at the end of every day.
Arthur’s right. Women like Piper only come around once in an era.
Just like the butterfly, they’re beautiful and precious. And if you’re not careful, they can disappear far too quickly.
I don’t want that to happen to me.