Page 65 of Dare to Fall

It looked so delicious, but I frowned as I realized my normal appetite still hadn’t resurfaced. I picked up the fork and let it hover above the macaroni, unsure if my stomach would betray me if I took a bite.

“Just try it. I promise you’ll like it,” Garth said.

I sighed. “I’m sure it tastes amazing. I’ve just lost my appetite the past few days, and I’ve been feeling really nauseated.”

“It’s probably hunger nausea from eating so little. Once you get past the first few bites, the nausea will decrease. Please just try…for me.”

Worry shadowed his handsome face, so I forked a mouthful of the macaroni and took a bite. The melded flavors of the cheeses and smokey bits of bacon lit up my tastebuds. My stomach started to protest as it groaned, but I took a deep breath and tried to calm the nausea.

After a few more bites, I felt everything settle. The mashed potatoes were incredibly smooth and seasoned with the perfect amount of butter, salt, and garlic. And the chicken was cooked to perfection, tender and paired perfectly with the marsala sauce.

I could feel my stomach expanding as I made my way through the dish, and it felt so good to enjoy food again.

“What do you think?” Garth asked after I nearly cleared my plate.

“Mmm,” I groaned between bites. “It’s really delicious.”

Garth smiled as he said, “Good. I’m glad you’re enjoying it.”

Just as I was about to ask Garth how his meal was, my heart dropped when I saw a familiar face walking toward our table. Like a hellhound set on a blazing trail, Connor’s mother beelined straight for us. With each click of her black Louboutin pumps on the tiled floor, my heart lurched further into my throat. I glanced at Garth as she stopped in front of our table. His jaw was set firmly, and a small muscle ticked along the side of it. The green in his hazel eyes cooled to a threatening gray as he looked up at Mrs. O’Brien.

“After everything my husband and I have done for you, you decide to treat our son with such disrespect by smearing his name in the press. For what? Because he had a minor indiscretion, you choose to ruin his entire future? I should have listened to my husband when he told me you weren’t capable of doing what is necessary to be with someone like my son.”

“That’s enough,” Garth said in a dangerous tone just as my body began to shake uncontrollably.

“Excuse me? I’m not talking toyou.” Voice dripping with venom, Mrs. O’Brien put her hand up in Garth’s face and turned her attention back to me. “It’s becoming incredibly clear to me that you are nothing more than a low-class slut who sleeps around with whatever guy will get her ahead in life, but I will not let your selfishness ruin my son’s future. You will contact the news outlets and make a public apology stating the truth. That you are nothing but a vengeful girlfriend who was trying to make her boyfriend look bad and that you are deeply,deeplysorry for spreading lies about him.”

A screeching noise broke through the room as Garth abruptly stood from his chair. My body shook harder as I watched him place himself between Mrs. O’Brien and me.

“Ugh! What do you think you’re doing?” she seethed as she toppled backward on her heels.

“I’m stopping you from making a further fool of yourself inmyrestaurant. Seeing as how you insist on berating Eva for something she had no part in and speaking so loudly you’re disrupting my other guests, I will say this one time. You will leave now without saying another word, or I will have you escorted out by security. It’s your choice.”

Garth’s body was blocking most of my view, but I could see the left edge of her face that was twisted up in fury. Her eyes narrowed as if she were measuring Garth’s sincerity in his last statement. I let out a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding as her lip curled up in a snarl, and she turned to walk away, giving me a disgruntled glare over her shoulder. Her heels clacked on the floor all the way to the front entrance and out the door. Garth watched her intently as she took one final look in our direction through the window before turning around the corner.

The shaking in my body eased as Garth turned toward me. He knelt down in front of me, stroking his fingers down the side of my face. As he cupped my cheek, I leaned into his touch, letting the warmth of his hand seep into my skin. Sighing, he leaned toward me and placed a kiss to my forehead.

“I’m so sorry you had to experience that, Eva,” he said as he pulled away to look at me.

“Thank you for protecting me,” I whispered.

“I would do it again in a heartbeat if it meant you didn’t have to endure any more of this bullshit. You don’t deserve any of this, and I won’t stand for it,” he said with such great conviction it sent a flood of warmth through my heart.

For the first time in a really long time, I felt like I didn’t have to worry. I was no longer all alone. There was someone in my corner who was willing to fight for me, to protect me. All I wanted was to be wrapped in his arms, secured behind the shield he crafted for me. Even though there was still so much I didn’t know about him, so much I wanted to learn.

When he took his seat again, I asked, “So you own this restaurant?”

He nodded slightly. “My father insisted that everyone in the family possess some sort of long-term investment. So, when I turned eighteen, he asked me what I wanted to invest in. I knew he would never agree to investing money into an art gallery, so I went with my second love of food and opened this restaurant—on one condition.”

“What was the condition?”

“Every member of the team receive what they are rightfully owed in wages. I don’t want a single member of my staff to wonder if they will be paid enough to make their rent on time. So the wait staff is offered above minimum wage, and everyone who works the line is compensated well. The employees are happy, which makes their performance better.”

“That’s very generous of you.”

“I’d hardly say it’s generous to pay someone what they are owed for a hard day of work. It’s just the right thing to do.” His tone was serious yet gentle.

As I looked into his eyes, the dangerous gray had slowly faded, transforming to the shade of green I had come to love. It reminded me of the color a leaf turned just before it reached the peak of its strength while fully formed.

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