Chapter 71 Announcements and Confessions
Briar's POV
The cool evening air hit my face as I pushed through the glass doors of Vance Botanicals, my entire body sagging with exhaustion. The meetings had drained every ounce of energy I had left.
My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I pulled it out to see "L" flashing across the screen. I hesitated for a second before answering, my thumb hovering over the green button.
"Hello?"
"Why didn't you reply to my messages?" Lucian's voice was low and steady, but I could hear the faint edge of concern underneath.
I sighed and shifted my bag on my shoulder, walking toward the parking lot. "Drowning in meetings all afternoon. I barely had time to breathe, let alone check my phone."
"Are you still at the office?"
"Just leaving now," I said, stepping into the visitor parking area where the overhead lights cast long yellow shadows across the pavement. That's when I saw them. Rowan was leaning against the side of a sleek black SUV, her arms crossed and a wide grin on her face. Garrett stood beside her, hands shoved into his pockets, looking slightly uncomfortable but smiling nonetheless.
Rowan spotted me and straightened up, waving enthusiastically. "Took you long enough! Thought you'd work through dinner."
I stopped in my tracks, still holding the phone to my ear. "What's going on?" Lucian asked, his voice sharpening slightly.
"Rowan's here with Garrett," I said, unable to keep the surprise out of my voice. "Looks like everyone has announcements tonight."
There was a pause on the other end, and then Lucian said, "Sent me the adress. I'll meet you there."
I pocketed my phone just as Rowan rushed forward and threw her arms around me. She smelled like vanilla and leather, and her long black hair was pulled back into a high ponytail that swung as she moved.
"Surprise!" she said, pulling back and grinning at me. "Garrett and I are taking you out to dinner. No arguments."
I let her pull me into the backseat of the SUV, and Garrett climbed into the driver's seat while Rowan settled in beside me, already chattering away about the restaurant she'd picked.
"It's called Hemlock Hall," she said, her eyes bright with excitement. "It's this amazing place with a view of Elliott Bay, and the food is supposed to be incredible. My brother knows the owner, so I got us a private room. You're going to love it."
I leaned my head back against the seat and closed my eyes, letting her voice wash over me.
By the time we pulled up to Hemlock Hall, the sky had darkened to a deep indigo, and the city lights reflected off the water in shimmering streaks of gold and silver. The restaurant was tucked into a quiet corner of the waterfront, its exterior all dark wood and soft lighting that gave it an intimate, upscale feel.
Rowan led the way inside. We were ushered into a private dining room on the second floor. The space was stunning. Red cedar paneling lined the walls, and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked Elliott Bay, the water stretching out like a sheet of black glass under the night sky. A round table sat in the center of the room, covered with a deep green tablecloth and set with silver candlesticks and sprigs of lavender.
She said, "This room has to be booked three months in advance, but my brother pulled some strings with the owner, so we got lucky."
A voice came from the doorway behind us, smooth and warm. "Rowan, your brother did remind you to take it easy on the wine tonight."
Rowan rolled her eyes and turned to face the speaker, her hands on her hips. "I'm a grown-up, Tobias!"
I turned to see a man stepping into the room. Tall and lean with broad shoulders, he carried an easy confidence. His light brown hair had a hint of curl, and his deep gray-blue eyes seemed to see right through you. He wore a white chef's coat over dark jeans, a gray apron tied at his waist.
"You must be Briar Vance," he said, walking over and extending a hand. "I'm Tobias Castellan."
I shook his hand, his palm warm and dry against mine. "Nice to meet you. Thank you for accommodating us on such short notice."
He smiled. "It's my pleasure. Any friend of Rowan's is welcome here."
Rowan snorted. "Don't let him fool you. He's only being nice because my brother would kill him if he wasn't."
Tobias laughed and shook his head, then excused himself to check on the kitchen.
Rowan grabbed my arm and pulled me toward the table. "Come on, sit down. The food here is amazing, and I'm starving."
We'd barely settled into our seats when the door opened again, and Lucian walked in. He was wearing a black turtleneck and dark gray slacks, and he carried a small insulated bag in his left hand. His gray-green eyes swept the room, taking in Rowan, Garrett, and me before landing on me with a softness that made my chest tighten.
"Hope I'm not late," he said, setting the bag down on an empty chair and pulling out the seat beside me.
"Right on time," Rowan said, her eyes narrowing slightly as she studied him. "So you're the mysterious boyfriend Briar's been hiding."
Lucian didn't miss a beat. "And you're the friend who dragged her out when she clearly needed rest."
Rowan grinned. "Guilty as charged."
The food started arriving shortly after, and it was every bit as good as Rowan had promised. Herb-crusted salmon with lemon butter sauce, truffle wild mushroom pasta, red wine braised beef cheeks, roasted beet salad, and honey-glazed carrots. There was also a specialty cocktail called the Moon Blossom that glowed faintly blue under the candlelight.
Lucian reached into the insulated bag and pulled out a small container, setting it in front of me. "Thought you might need something sweet," he said, his voice low enough that only I could hear.
I opened the container to find vanilla ice cream, still cold and perfectly creamy. My heart did a stupid little flip, and I looked up at him, my throat tight. "I remembered you liked vanilla," he said.
"Thank you," I whispered, my fingers brushing against his as I took the container.
Rowan's eyes were darting between us, her grin widening. "Okay, you two are adorable. I'm calling it now."
I shot her a warning look, but she just laughed and turned her attention to Lucian. "So what do you do, mysterious boyfriend?"
"I own a bar," Lucian said simply, reaching over to put a honey-glazed carrot on my plate. "You need to eat more vegetables."
I glared at him, but I ate the carrot anyway, and the warmth in my chest spread a little further.
The conversation flowed easily after that. Rowan was in her element, charming and loud and completely unapologetic, and Garrett was the perfect balance to her energy, calm and steady and clearly head over heels for her.
At some point, Rowan stood up, pulling Garrett to his feet with her. She raised her glass, her cheeks flushed with wine and happiness. "Time for the big announcement," she said, looping her arm around Garrett's shoulders and planting a loud kiss on his cheek. "This is my boyfriend, Garrett Hayes."
Garrett's ears turned red, and he cleared his throat awkwardly, but he was smiling. I raised my glass, genuinely happy for them. "Congratulations. You two are perfect together."
Lucian nodded politely, and Rowan beamed at us. Then her eyes locked on me, sharp and knowing. "Don't think I didn't notice. You two have been throwing glances all night."
I opened my mouth to deny it, but she cut me off. "Don't sleep with him and then ghost him, Briar."
The words flew out of my mouth before I could stop them. "I haven't even gotten him into bed yet!"
The room went silent. Garrett choked on his drink, and Rowan's eyes went wide before she burst out laughing. I felt my face burn, and I refused to look at Lucian, who was shaking with silent laughter beside me.
"Fine," I said, throwing my hands up in defeat. "We're together. But keeping it low-key."
Rowan grinned triumphantly. "I knew it!"
Lucian reached over and took my hand, lacing his fingers through mine. "She's mine," he said quietly, his voice steady and sure. "And I'm hers."
My heart slammed against my ribs, and I squeezed his hand back, unable to stop the smile that spread across my face.
The rest of the night blurred into laughter and wine and stories I'd forgotten. Rowan drank five glasses of wine and started pulling up embarrassing childhood photos of me on her phone, much to Lucian's delight.
Lucian's hand stayed in mine the entire time, his thumb tracing slow circles over my knuckles.
By the time Rowan stumbled to her feet, her face flushed and her eyes glassy, I knew she'd had too much. "Let me help you to the restroom," I said, standing and looping my arm around her waist.
She leaned heavily against me as we made our way down the hall, and when we reached the restroom, she splashed cold water on her face and braced herself against the sink.
"Seeing you like this," she said, her voice slurred but sincere. "With him. It's good. Really good."