A Little Cinderella Moment

Chapter 15

I can never refuse a chocolate brownie that is my kryptonite in a dessert. "Oh, this looks amazing my compliments to the chef everything has been fantastic did I tell you that brownies are one of my favorites and Savannah's absolute favorite dessert," Dad chimes in as I have seen him talking business all night. With what happens next, I think someone has been trying to find out more about me without asking me. That's not a good look in a guy from my experience. 

"Thank you for sharing that with us Mr. Blakemore Sir may I ask would Savannah do anything if get given a chocolate brownie?" I elbow Chase in the rib with what he's just asked my father hearing "oomph" to come out of him I know I got him good. 

"Well Chase son it all depends; may I ask what for example?" 

"If I give your daughter a brownie, would I be forgiven for the mistakes I have made to her today?" 

I cover my face as I feel so embarrassed with this conversation. 

"I'm certain that if you give her brownies with a pint of mint choc chip ice cream she will," My head shoots up from my hands glaring at my dad as he winks at Chase. Right now, all I want to do is eat this remarkable dessert, play this song, and go home. 

This dessert is by far the best one I have ever had in my entire lifetime. There was nowhere back home in North Carolina that could make it this succulent it was either too dry, overdone, or under-baked. I'm tempted to ask the chef for the recipe as the white chocolate is astonishing, I have rarely seen a white chocolate brownie. Now I feel like I'm rambling to myself about a baked good. 

Once every bit of dessert was cleaned off my plate, I now feel like I cannot eat for the rest of the month. The food all night has been admirable all evening. The plates were being taken away while Dad was talking to Mr. Lockwood about business. Is there anything else my dad can talk about other than numbers? And the answer is no not really, he is one of the best financial analysts there is. Mrs. Lockwood and Jen are talking to the chef about tonight's service, and I'm sat here at the table next to Chase sitting in uncomfortable silence. It was bad enough during the dinner Chase's leg kept brushing up against mine. 

"Should we wind down tonight's festivities in the music room with some fresh drinks?" Mr. Lockwood announces to the room. 

"That sounds lovely darling" Mrs. Lockwood walks over to her husband kisses his cheek and heading in the direction of the music room. She is soon followed by Mr. Lockwood, Dad, and Jen. I stand up from the table to pursue in their direction to only turn and bump into Chase for the second time today. 

"Woah it's okay I've got you," I fall into Chase's arms holding on to his bulging biceps after losing my balance and bumping into him. I look up into his eyes as he looks deep into mine it feels like time just freezes still. 

"Thank you for saving me and I'm sorry I didn't pay attention to where I was going." 

Chase is still holding me as he says to me "No please don't apologize I'm the one who's sorry for everything." We stay stood where we are for what feels like forever until we heard someone coughing to grab our attention. 

"Now what do we have here" Jen is standing in the doorway watching our interaction. Chase lets go of me and stepping back and the feelings of being close to him are gone and I miss those unknown feelings. Feeling my face getting warm 'cause it looks like we've been caught with our hands in the cookie jar. 

"Jen, you saw nothing everything was innocent," Chase runs his fingers through his hair. 

"Didn't look that way to me but that's not why I interrupted Dad wants to talk to Sav about something quickly and Mom was intrigued on where you guys were and now, I know why." 

Jen looks at both of us biting her bottom lip and her eyebrows raised with a look on her face that she's found some juicy gossip on us. 

"Oh, right okay I'll go and find your dad this is about something we previously discussed" I start walking away when Chase speaks up. 

"Wait what do you mean by your previous discussion." I turn around in the doorway standing by Jen. 

"You'll find out sooner than you think" I wink at him and turn down the hallway where I see Mr. Lockwood standing there waiting for me. 

"Ah there you are my dear, now, about our little secret" Mr. Lockwood goes quiet as his son and daughter walk passed us and enter the music room and again Chase's eyes never leaving mine. "That was a close one so as I was saying about our little secret, I'll brush my nose and that will be your cue to do your performance." 

I nod "Yes sir no problem I'll be playing the guitar I hope that's fine with you." 

"That's perfect my old guitar is on a stand in the room it should be perfectly tuned ready for you." 

Hearing that Mr. Lockwood used to play was a huge surprise to me I can normally tell when someone is a musician. 

"I know what you're thinking I attempted to learn how to play to win my wife's heart back when we were in college, but it didn't take long to know I'm not that good, but I kept the guitar as the reminder of you can achieve anything if you work hard for it." 

"Wow, Mr. Lockwood that's beautiful something I would read in a romance novel." 

"Where do you think I got the idea from" Mr. Lockwood smiles and winks at me patting my arm as he walks into the music room, and I go in after him taking a seat on a chair next to my dad as he pats my lap as he is in on our little secret. 

Keeping an eye on Mr. Lockwood as he is talking with his wife to us all in the room about the good old days as they say, and I hear him start talking about their wedding day. I love hearing stories about other people's wedding days as every time Mom and Dad talked about theirs, I felt the love they shared on their magical day. I just hope one day when it's my wedding day I will feel the same way my parents did and how the Lockwoods did on my day. Mr. Lockwood brushes his nose and I stand up walk over to the guitar on the stand next to the piano, throw the strap over my shoulder, and start to play the intro to 'Stand by Me.'