Chapter 16
The Caviar Crown was one of Portmare's top spots—a restaurant that wasn't just about fine dining, but also possessed a cool, laid-back atmosphere. Inside, the lighting was perfect—bright enough to appreciate your meal, yet soft enough to feel cozy. Walking in gave you an instant boost; it felt as if both your mood and your stomach were ready for a treat.
Brynn tagged along behind Dominic and the handful of waitstaff leading them in. She sidled up to him, keeping her voice low and curious. “Okay, what’s the deal? How do you just stroll into a place like this with no reservation?”
The Caviar Crown wasn't some hole-in-the-wall joint. The manager didn't just pop out to greet random people, no matter how smoothly they talked. Brynn peeked around. The dining room was dead quiet—nobody else was around except their small group.
Then it clicked: the whole place had been emptied out.
“I know the owner,” Dominic said with a grin that didn't even try to be coy.
Brynn’s eyes widened, a mix of “Whoa” and “Wait, what?” The owner was Declan Harper—son of the Harper family. They weren’t just wealthy; they made other rich people look like they were pinching pennies. And Dominic was close friends with a guy like that.
Her brain started racing. Maybe Dominic wasn't the chill, regular guy she thought he was. ‘Could he be some rich kid keeping it low-key?’ she thought to herself. He never acted broke, sure, but his car and clothes were perfectly normal—nothing screamed “moneybags.”
Brynn scrunched her face, thinking it over. ‘Is Dominic less “discount husband I married” and more “secret jackpot husband?”’
“Declan and I go back to college,” Dominic said, catching her wheels spinning. “Met him there, and we’ve been buddies ever since.”
College pals. That made sense, Brynn thought, things starting to line up.
“Oh, cool,” she said with a little nod, then realized she barely knew the guy. She couldn’t help herself. “So, where’d you go to school?”
“Aurelius University,” Dominic tossed out, like it was no big deal.
“Aurelius University?” Brynn’s face lit up, a big grin taking over. “No kidding! That’s awesome—I applied there out of high school. Total dream spot.”
Her smile faded a little, her voice dropping. “But, uh, life happened, and I didn’t go.”
Dominic caught that flicker of “what could’ve been” in her eyes. Something shifted—his own expression softened, a quiet vibe emanating from him.
“What kept you from going?” he asked, keeping his tone soft, like he actually cared.
Brynn sighed, tilting her head just enough to avoid his gaze. Her face grew momentarily somber. “Family stuff popped up back then. Totally derailed me,” she said.
She didn’t dig deeper, and Dominic didn’t pry. He switched gears instead. “The food here’s great. Get whatever you want.”
By then, they’d reached a private room. Dominic plopped into a chair and gave the manager a nod. The menu was handed to Brynn. She’d heard the buzz about this place but had never checked it out. Now, flipping through, her jaw almost hit the floor. The prices were—well, “pawn your car” nuts. One dish was over a thousand dollars.
Sure, she had some cash saved up, but with everything on her plate lately, dropping that kind of money wasn’t happening. Brynn thought it over for a second before picking two of the most expensive dishes. “These’ll work. I’m not super hungry—been trying to drop a few pounds.”
But Dominic wasn’t buying it. He smirked, seeing right through her, and waved it off. “Relax, no need to sweat the cash. Declan’s got this one.”
“Wait, what?” Brynn blinked, thrown off. “Why’s he paying?”
“He owes me one,” Dominic said with a quick wink. “This is his way of settling up. So, go nuts—let’s make it worthwhile.”
Brynn busted out laughing and grabbed the menu back. “You know what? Fair point—got to eat big to slim down, right? Let’s pile it on.”
She went to town, circling every dish that sounded good. These prices were wild—like, once-in-a-blue-moon wild—and she wasn’t about to let it slip by. Deep down, she was pumped to see if the food lived up to its reputation.
When she was done, she looked up at Dominic. “What about you? Anything you want?”
She slid the menu over, but he just shook his head with a little shrug. Brynn gave him a confused look until he leaned in, his voice dropping low and warm right by her ear. “If my wife’s into it, I’m into it.”
The husky tone and his breath on her skin hit her like a jolt—her face went red, and she shoved him away with a laugh. Still flustered, she handed her order to the manager.
The manager gave a tight smile, acting like he didn’t see the flirty vibes bouncing around. “Got it. Hang tight, folks.” Then he ducked out.
Over at his villa, Declan was relaxing in the tub when his phone buzzed. The manager filled him in quickly. “Yeah, whatever, toss it on my tab,” Declan said, brushing it off like it was nothing. But the second the call dropped, his cool-guy act faded. He groaned, splashing the water. “Seriously, Dominic? You mooch off me enough already—now you’re flaunting your mushy…