Page 33 of Flames of Desire

I placed a gentle hand on his arm, sensing the turmoil roiling beneath his composed exterior. "Alex," I said softly, "maybe we should stay."

He turned to me, his eyes searching mine. "Lily, I don't know if I can handle any more of this today."

"I know," I replied, my voice steady. "But if there's even a chance of mending things with your father, this dinner could be the perfect way to start. And remember, I'm here with you. We can do this together."

He took a deep breath, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly. "Alright," he said finally, his voice resigned but grateful. "We'll stay."

James nodded, stepping aside to allow us to re-enter the house. We followed him through the grand hallway, our footsteps echoing off the polished floors. This time, we approached the dining hall, a room I hadn't seen before. The heavy wooden doors swung open, revealing a long table set for an intimate family dinner.

Two figures sat at the table. A woman with elegantly coiffed blonde hair and a little girl with big, curious eyes. The woman looked up as we entered, clearly surprised.

"Alex," she said, her voice smooth and composed. "It's been a while."

"Rebecca," Alex replied, nodding stiffly. "Lucy."

The little girl, Lucy, gave a shy wave, her eyes darting between Alex and me. "Hi, Alex," she said in a small voice.

"Hey, Lucy," Alex replied, a hint of softness in his tone. He walked to the other side of the table, but his father stopped him in his tracks.

"Alex," he said, "Even though you've forsaken the Sinclair name, you still deserve a place at my side."

The room fell silent, and without saying a word, Alex walked and took a seat beside his father. I followed, settling into the chair next to him. The table was set with gleaming silverware and crystal glasses, and the soft glow of candlelight cast a warm ambiance over the room.

Rebecca offered a polite smile. "Lily, welcome. It's nice to meet you."

"Thank you," I said, returning her smile. "It's nice to meet you too."

As we began dinner, the atmosphere was tense but manageable. The food was exquisite, each dish beautifully prepared, but it was the undercurrent of unspoken words and unresolved emotions that filled the room. Rebecca tried to keep the conversation light, asking me about my work and interests, and I answered as best as I could, grateful for her attempts to ease the tension.

"Alex," his father said suddenly, breaking the fragile peace. "There's something I need to say."

Alex's fork paused halfway to his mouth, his eyes wary. "What is it?"

"I've made many mistakes," his father admitted, his voice surprisingly soft. "I pushed you too hard. Expected too much. And in doing so, I lost you."

Alex's gaze softened, a flicker of something unreadable passing through his eyes. "Dad," he said quietly. "I left because I needed to find my own path. Not because I wanted to hurt you."

"I know," his father replied, his expression sincere. "And I regret not understanding that sooner."

Lucy, sensing the gravity of the moment, reached out and placed a small hand on Alex's arm. "I'm glad you're here," she said simply, her innocence cutting through the tension like a knife.

Alex smiled at her, the hardness in his expression melting away. "Thanks, Lucy. I'm glad to be here too."

Rebecca cleared her throat, her voice gentle. "We're all glad you're here, Alex. It's been too long."

“Indeed, it has,” Alex sighed, looking around for a brief moment.

As the evening drew to a close, Alex's father stood up, his expression thoughtful. "Alex," he said, "I'm glad we had this time together. There's a lot to work through, but tonight was a good start."

Alex nodded, his eyes meeting his father's. "I agree. Thanks for having us."

We said our goodbyes, and as we walked out to the car, the cool night air wrapped around us, a gentle reminder of the changes that had begun to take root.

The drive back to my apartment was quiet, comfortable, and peaceful. The city lights twinkled like stars around us. Alex's hand was warm in mine, and I could feel the steady thrum of his heartbeat through his palm.

When we arrived, Alex parked the car and walked me to my door. He paused on the doorstep, his eyes reflecting a depth of emotion that took my breath away.

"Lily," he said softly, "thank you for being there with me today. I don't think I could have done it without you."

---