CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT #2
I’ll never forget when Dad bought her a car for Mother’s Day one year. It was a light pink Porsche 718 Boxster. She was pissed when she walked out of the front door and saw it in the driveway, a giant bow on the hood.
After a bit of teasing from my dad, though, she got excited like we all knew she would. But it was always hard for her to accept that Dad just had that kind of money when she grew up with barely any at all.
Braxton looks down at his phone. “The girls should be walking in right now,” he says.
“Hi guys.” Eden smiles, approaching the table. Her hot pink dress catches the light, making it impossible not to notice when coupled with her bright red hair.
Lina and Meredith are following close behind, both wearing just as fancy outfits, given the caliber of the restaurant.
“Hey!” Savannah smiles happily. “How are you guys?”
“Starving.” Lina groans, and I watch as Savannah grabs her wrist, pulling her to sit between us.
I hone in on the way her expression changes and the way she pulls down her leather skirt as she takes a seat. She almost looks unsure if she should be the one to sit between us, but it’s not like her to think twice about anything, so she does it anyway.
At the same time, a waiter approaches, setting waters in front of everyone before taking additional drink orders.
“Kara is the primary cook of our household, but she’s in the city for an overnight photo shoot,” Meredith explains, taking a seat next to Braxton.
“Oh, really?” Savannah looks intrigued. “For who?”
Eden and Meredith both look toward Lina, knowing she’ll remember. Because she remembers everything.
“Prada.”
I swear, Savannah practically swoons. “ Oh my goodness. She’s always been the coolest person I know.”
“You’ve known Kara?” Meredith asks. “For how long?”
“As long as I can remember, really,” she says, taking a sip of her water. “Both of our families grew up in the city, and our mothers knew each other from their time modeling. It wasn’t uncommon for our paths to cross.”
When everyone’s drinks are passed around the table, we all begin looking through the menus. I notice the way Braxton holds his out in front of Meredith, pointing out different options to her. Considering how small Meredith is, I’m assuming he’s suggesting they split something.
“Hey,” I say, leaning in closer to Lina.
“Hi.” She gives a small smile, looking up at me.
This restaurant isn’t the most well lit, but I can still make out her hazel eyes and the way her eyelashes flutter when she blinks.
She is easily one of the most beautiful girls I’ve ever seen, and I can’t stop myself from resting my hand on the small of her back, right where her sweater meets the leather of her skirt.
Conversation flows around us, everyone chatting casually. Savannah doesn’t know Eden or Meredith the best, but she’s a people person through and through, so it’s easy for her to find things to talk about.
Right now, I’m only focused on Lina.
“What are you thinking of getting?” I ask, trying to catch a glimpse of where she’s at on the menu.
Really, I’m using it as an excuse to get even the slightest bit closer to her.
My chin brushes her shoulder, and I feel a chill run up her spine in response. Like Meredith and Braxton, we’re now looking at the same menu while the familiar eucalyptus scent of her hair infiltrates my system, and the close-up view of her fogs my concentration.
She turns her head slightly, her voice barely above a whisper. “I’m not sure yet. Everything looks good.”
I hum in agreement, but I have no idea what’s actually on the page. My eyes flick over the menu, but all I can register is the warmth of her next to me, the soft edge of her laugh as she points something out, and the way her knee barely brushes mine under the table.
It’s dangerous how easily I get lost in her.
Then, she decides, “I’m going to get pasta.”
“Strong start,” I say, fighting a smile just from looking at her. “Sounds like your priorities are in order.”
“They always are.” She finally glances up at me, a playful look in her eye. “What about you? Let me guess, steak? Something manly , boring, and safe,” she jokes.
“Wow. Do I give off boring and safe?” I ask, mock offense dripping from my voice.
“You’re wearing a polo , Grant.”
I glance down at my shirt, then back at her. “This is upscale. I’m dressed appropriately for the occasion.”
“It says you asked your sister what to wear, and she laid it out for you,” she teases, fixing the collar.
She’s not wrong, but I lean in, lowering my voice just enough. “Okay, but if I did, that’s further proof that I take advice from smart women. Which bodes well for this dinner.”
Laughing, she nudges my leg under the table. “Fine. You win that one.”
“I always do.” I smirk. “And yes, I am getting a steak. Thank you for proving how predictable I am.”
Her laugh floats through the air, almost like she’s forgotten to keep me at arm’s length. But knowing how Lina is incapable of forgetting anything, I know it’s a conscious decision she’s made.
She didn’t complain about sitting next to me, didn’t flinch back when I leaned in close, and now she’s not even mad at me for shamelessly flirting with her.
It’s territory I shouldn’t be stepping into, not when there’s so much risk, but it feels like I’m being pulled here.
As if the gravity of her is greater than my better judgment. It’s what makes me realize I never truly stood a chance.
Savannah leans back in her chair, her gaze meeting mine behind Lina, and I can tell by the look on her face that she knows exactly what I’m thinking.
“Are you coming over after dinner?” I whisper in Lina’s ear.
She sucks in a harsh breath, startled by my closeness. “Yeah. Is that okay?”
“Of course.”
I’ve gotten used to her being there, to the point where it feels weirder for her not to be.
“Hey, Savannah, how is your fashion column going?” Eden asks from across the table after everyone orders.
“Good, good.” She nods enthusiastically. “I’ve been working with a bunch of different brands, which has been really fun! I’m even doing a collection with Ralph Lauren at the beginning of the year.”
“ Ralph Lauren ?” Lina asks, her mouth wide.
Savvy by Savannah has become one of the most well-known fashion publications in the world. She started it as part of Yale Press as a small fashion column, but now it’s a global style authority with its own digital platform, exclusive brand partnerships, and a loyal international readership.
I only know all of this because she’s spouted it out to me at least a hundred times.
She’s proud, and it’s exactly what she has worked so hard for. While it may be shocking to hear about a twenty-one-year-old girl working with top names, like Ralph Lauren, it’s not surprising when you know Savannah.
“Yeah. I’m super excited about it! I was even thinking about asking Kara to model for the shoot with me, and maybe Bennett Hemingway.”
“She would love that!” Eden exclaims, clapping her hands together. “Bennett Hemingway is like the hottest man on the planet.”
Lina nods along while Meredith hums in agreement.
It might be nothing, but a flicker of slight jealousy still zips through me.
I lean toward Lina again, close enough so only she can hear me when I whisper, “Rumor has it his abs are painted on.”
She barely looks fazed. In fact, I think a small smile begins to play at her lips. “Even if that were true, his face makes up for it.” I can tell she’s picking up on my tinge of envy, embellishing her words just to tease me.
I’m not sure what comes over me when I subtly nip her earlobe, murmuring right against her ear, “Don’t forget whose bed you sleep in every night, pretty girl.”
Lina doesn’t say a word, but I can tell by the way her lashes flutter ever-so-slightly while her fingers curl tightly around my thigh in warning that I had the exact effect I was aiming for.
“Sav, when’s your fashion show?” Braxton asks, changing the subject while playfully pinching Meredith in the ribs.
“In a few months, at the end of February.”
“That’s amazing,” Lina tells her, sounding awestruck. “Seriously.”
Her head of platinum blonde hair bobs with excitement, and everyone can see the way Savannah gleams at the mention of her greatest accomplishment.
“We’ll all be there,” Eden adds.
“Thank you, guys.” She smiles. “That means so much. The column becoming a full-blown publication has been crazy, and seeing everything I’ve been able to do with it is just… insane.”
My head bobs. “Damn right.”
The table hums with excitement, everyone smiling, sipping, and paying attention like we’re all witnessing something rare, which couldn’t be more accurate.
Within seconds, the conversation breaks apart the way it always does when a group this big settles into comfort.
Eden leans in closer to Savannah, asking about the Ralph Lauren shoot, and across from them, Meredith and Braxton have shifted toward each other, heads close as they scroll through something on his phone.
Then Lina turns slightly toward me again, her fingers absentmindedly tracing the edge of her water glass. “Do you think I could pull off a red carpet look?” she asks, teasing.
“Easily. All other models might hate you for showing them up, though.” I grin.
She laughs, soft and real. “Well, if Savannah ever needs someone to trip and fall at her show, I’m available.”
“I think I’d like that.” I throw her a sly smile, my hand traveling further up her back until it’s over her shoulder, caressing her collarbone.
“You really need to stop flirting with me, Vandenberg,” she says, but there’s no real intention behind it.
Instead, it’s something that feels more like a challenge—almost like she’s daring me to continue—because we both know exactly how it could end, but we’re too afraid to act on it yet.
We’re suspended on a dangerous ledge, teetering between the friendship we’ve built and whatever the fuck we’re doing now.
And while I might not be able to see the end to all this, I know how tonight will close. With Lina in my bed, and both of us in way deeper than we ever anticipated.