“No, it wasn’t, but he is the one who told us to get a room.” He leans in until our foreheads meet, and I let my eyes fall closed, drinking him in.
“Now we can.”
Without warning, he grabs me and tosses me over his shoulder, making me squeal in surprise before I start smacking his butt that now sits directly in my face.
“Let me down, you Neanderthal. I can walk.”
His hand comes down on my ass hard enough to make me yelp and stop my squirming and fussing.
Cheater.
I’ve never owned more clothes than I do now, mostly thanks to Des, Nathan, and Alex, but even still, I struggled to find a dress for tonight. Most of them are way over the top or lacking in the fabric department, if you know what I mean.
In the end, I went with a black dress, because when in doubt, a little black dress has yet to steer me wrong.
The fabric is soft and hugs my body like a second skin without feeling suffocating, and it reaches almost all the way to the floor. It’s sleeveless, with thin spaghetti straps and a straight neckline that shows off some cleavage but not enough to be gaudy in ahigh-end restaurant. The slit, on the other hand, had me second-guessing if this was the right choice, but in the end, I decided it was worth the risk.
Hopefully, they like it.
I leave my hair down, paired with simple diamond stud earrings that are fake but still pretty, and the necklace Nathan gifted me that definitely isn’t fake.
With the cold winter weather having set in, there was no avoiding a coat, not if I wanted to actually make it to the restaurant as me and not a popsicle.
Alex stands at the foot of the stairs waiting for me with my coat over his arm like the perfect gentleman, but his eyes tell another story, and I’m happy to know I made the right choice.
“Mommy looks like a princess,” Addy tries to whisper to Vince as she tugs on his pants, getting his attention. Even he’s dressed up more than usual, and when he turns to look my way, I swear I almost swallow my tongue at the sight of him in a tie.
“A queen.” Alex corrects, and she smiles and nods her agreement.
He holds out my coat, and I move to slip it on. It’s long enough that my legs won’t freeze, and despite it not being big and puffy like my old one, it’s somehow warmer. It’s soft with a fur neckline. It’s on the tip of my tongue to ask how much it cost, but I swallow it down. I’ve found it’s easier if I don’t know, at least not right now.
The ride to the restaurant is quiet as Addy watches out the window in awe of the Christmas lights, and I fight the urge to fidget, feeling out of my depth as Alex devours me with just his eyes.
It’s just starting to get dark, but as always, the city is bustling with people, maybe even more than usual, as people shop and enjoy the holiday spirit in almost every window.
“I’ll meet you in there,” Vince yells as Alex helps me from the car. Apparently,they’re allowed to open the door.
“Head inside so you don’t freeze. I’ll grab Oli and Nathan and be back before you can miss me.” He presses a kiss to my cheek and then one to Addy’s before he’s gone.
Lavo’s.
It’s been a little while since I’ve been here, almost a year, actually.
That one night changed everything, my whole life in a way I never would have thought possible.
“Mommy?” Addy pulls me from my walk down memory lane, and I remember we're standing outside in the cold.
“Sorry, honey.” I offer her a smile and head toward the door, her hand wrapped in mine as she follows after.
Alex went up to the club to grab Nathan and Oli. He called Des, and he said he’d meet us here since he’d been headed home from the office already. He’s probably already here since the office is much closer than the house; at least that’s what Vince is counting on since he had to park the car.
Even if he isn’t, this is their restaurant, so I feel safe here.
The door clicks closed behind us, and I get a chill as the heat overhead warms me. Pushing back my hood, I move to stand behind another couple who are waiting for their seats, doing a glance around to see if I can spot Desmond.
I don’t, but also I can’t see much from here, only a handful of tables, so I assume he’s probably in one in the back, which would make sense. I doubt they want to be gawked at while they eat.
The couple in front of us moves to be seated, and I’m met with a familiar face.
