Lockhart
Hey, beautiful. How was dinner?
Me
I was going to text you once I got into bed. I’ve been soaking in the tub since I got back from your restaurant. It was absolutely delicious. I could brag about every mouthful.
Lockhart
In the tub? I like that vision.
Me
LOL. You would.
Lockhart
I want to talk about this tomorrow, but I should have told you I was one of the owners of Charred. I didn’t want you to find out that way. It’s a conversation that didn’t really come up, and at the same time, I’ve avoided it. I’ll explain things when I see you.
I tried to compartmentalize my feelings as I stared at his last message. I couldn’t be upset with him that I’d misunderstood the entire Wright conversation and assumed a last name that he didn’t have. I also couldn’t be upset that he’d never brought up that he was a Weston when I was doing the exact same thing to him. I was more shocked that the topic of his job hadn’t come up between us.
Although … maybe it had?
During one of the occasions I’d been at his house, I vaguely remembered asking what his family did, given that they worked together, and he hadn’t answered.
But with my knowledge of food and restaurants and owners in the LA space, I was surprised I hadn’t figured it out. I was just so positive Wright was his last name.
The truth was, what he did for a living didn’t matter to me.
I was falling for the man. For the way he treated me. For the way he looked at me. For the chemistry I’d never felt with anyone else before. For the way he made my body feel every time he touched it.
I didn’t care how he made his money.
But now, it mattered.
Now, it affected everything.
Now, it was all different.
Me
Tomorrow night? Your house?
Lockhart
I would like that very much.
I let out a long breath, my eyes closing, my chest pounding as I thought about how to reply.
Me
Me too.
I dropped my phone on the mat next to the bath, and I dunked myself under the water.
NINETEEN
Hart