If I can show her this place has open arms for her, maybe that will convince her to stay. Maybe she’ll finally see that this place could be home.
I can only hope she’ll choose me—or rather, all three of us—when the time comes.
Lia
Being with Walker feels… easy.
The landscape of the vineyard is beautiful at night. Even from the front as we walk through the main doors of the building, I can see the rows of vines in the distance, basking in the moonlight. Walker’s hand on the small of my back sends a shockwave of heat down my spine.
But it has nothing on the way I stare when we get to the restaurant.
“Oh. My. Goodness.”
The low lighting greets us first as Walker opens the door for me. There are candles flickering in random places, highlighting the fairy lights strung throughout the ivy crawling on the white lattices. The bright restaurant where I sat with them before has been transformed into a peaceful, quiet space.
“It smells amazing in here,” I say as Walker ushers me over to a booth.
“Here, allow me,” he says as he holds out his hand.
I smile at him as I take it, letting him to help me slide into the booth. A pinch of guilt bites at my gut, though.
“Don’t tell me your staff is serving us after hours,” I say as I look up at him. “I don’t want to impose.”
He chuckles. “No. Tonight is private. I dismissed them earlier this evening so I could get into the kitchen and start preparations.”
The guilt quickly dissipates. “Oh, good.” But then what he said sinks in. “Wait, you’ve cooked again?”
“Of course,” he says as he turns away from me. “I enjoy spoiling you. Just give me fifteen more minutes. I need to sear the salmon off.”
I lean to the side a bit, watching him disappear through a swinging metal door.
My instincts preen at the idea of being his Omega.
Walker comes back a couple minutes later with two glasses of wine. He sits one down in front of me, the long stem glowing in the warm candlelight. He sets one down for himself across the booth table from me, and the wink he tosses me before he disappears again makes my stomach flip.
I’m beginning to like being spoiled.
I pick up the glass of wine and take a sip. It’s a light red, not too sour like some red wines are. Though I’m not well-versed on wines. And it’s not overly sweet, either.
It isn’t long after that the smell of lemon and salmon drifts beneath my nose.
“It smells good out here!” I call out.
“Plating now!” Walker calls back.
Within mere minutes, a massive plate of food sits in front of me. Walker slides into the booth, his warmth dominating the space as I watch him unfold his silverware. He takes the cloth napkin and settles it into his lap, preparing his space as if it were a precious ritual.
“Like what you see?” he asks with a grin as his gaze lifts to mine.
I clear my throat and quickly unravel my own silverware. “Sorry. Just…”
“You don’t have to be sorry, Lia. I was just teasing.”
I give him soft smile as I tuck my napkin away to the side. “This all looks amazing, Walker. What’s the violet stuff?”
“Amaranth. It goes well with the kale, I’ve found. It wasn’t something I used to eat as a kid. Mom always made it, though.”
I take my fork and put a bit on the tip. I bring it to my nose and sniff, which earns me a chuckle from Walker. The sound is rich, like the color of the dish, but when I finally take a bite, I realize it’s been marinated in this garlicky soy sauce sort of mixture. It’s got a tang to it that makes my mouth water, and soon I’m taking a second bite.
