His eyes soften. "Your opinion matters to me, Sophia. If you're proud of me, I'm capable of doing anything."
"Next week we'll go to that school and I already know I'll walk out at the end of the night in awe of you."
"I feel the same way whenever I talk to Gabriel about you."
"I'll go with you and I'll read to the kids if you want me to, but when we're done, you have to promise me one thing." I lean up to brush my lips over his.
"I'll do anything for you. You know that."
"Promise me that you'll let me teach you how to play that beautiful instrument behind us."
His fingers trace a path along my collarbone before dipping down to the buttons on the front of my dress. "I'll try and learn to play the piano if you'll promise me that you'll let me feast on you tonight."
"I promise," I say as I watch his hands open my dress and reach for the clasp at the front of my black bra.
"I'm goingto be on Rise and Shine." I smile broadly. "Do you remember the first time you were on that show, Cadence? Now, I'm going on too."
"You're a star," Cadence singsongs with a huge grin on her face. "You know that old saying, Soph. If you can make it on Rise and Shine, you can make it anywhere."
"It's a song." I toss her a mock scowl. "If you can make it in this city, you can make it anywhere."
"That's exactly what you're doing." Her hand rubs her chin. "I'd say you officially made it already."
"That's why I made this lunch reservation,” I say as we near the entrance to Hibiscus. "I want to celebrate my upcoming appearance on the show that's already launched your career and will soon launch mine."
"You don't need a short appearance on a morning television show to launch your career." She scans the exterior of the building. "I keep telling you that as soon as Ella Kara launches, you'll be a household name."
"Most clothing designers aren't household names,” I point out as I reach for the handle of the door.
She steps in before I do. "You're launching a collection that is affordable, Soph. That means that you'll have millions of eyes on it. You're going to blow up the fashion world. Mark my words."
"Sophia Reese," I say to the woman at the hostess desk before I turn back to Cadence. "I hope you don't mind that we came here. I didn't eat much when we were here for the party. I want to try the smoked trout."
"I'm having one of everything." She looks over my shoulder into the busy dining room. "This place is hopping."
It is. Dining out with Cadence is an experience onto itself. Her eye is critical of everything and her palate professionally trained. She knows what works and doesn't work and it's not uncommon for her to ask to speak to the chef after we've been served our entrees. The majority of the time she does that to commend them on a job well done. If she does have critical feedback, she always presents it in a kind and respectful manner.
I follow her as the hostess takes us to our table. Cadence observes everything, soaking in the subtle details of the design and the table layout.
"Whoever is behind this restaurant is a genius," she says to the hostess once we're seated. "Is the manager available? My name is Chef Sutton."
It's rare for her to pull out the chef card. I like when she does. I want her to be proud of what she's accomplished in her short career.
The hostess beams as Cadence speaks to her. "I know exactly who you are. You're marrying Tyler Monroe."
"I am," Cadence grouses. She's proud of Tyler, but her accomplishments are often overshadowed by his.
"Are you thinking of shooting your segment here, Den?" I interject myself into the conversation. "I thought you were set on showcasing that new restaurant on the Upper East Side and not this one."
The hostess straightens, her hand reaching out to tentatively touch Den's shoulder. "You're here on official business, Chef? I had no idea. Your meal is on the house and I'll get the manager out as soon as possible."
With that, she takes off toward the kitchen.
"I'm not thinking of showcasing this place on my show." Cadence narrows her gaze at me. "I can deal with people thinking Tyler is a better chef than I am."
"I can't." I meet her gaze and hold it. "I want the entire world to know that my best friend is an incredible chef. If I have to tell every person I meet, I will."
"You're the best, Soph." She nibbles on one of the pieces of bread that were already on the table when we sat down. "I only wanted to talk to the manager so I could tell them I admire their style."
