Page 384 of The Sinner: James

A man greets us in the lobby, gesturing widely while pointing to the restaurant.

People walk past us, glancing in our direction.

“Oh, my... These people,” she says under her breath as men wearing suits and women sporting designer dresses parade in front of us.

We walk into the restaurant, where the hostess greets us with softly spoken words and a smile.

“James Sexton and Edward Preston are waiting for you. Follow me, please.”

Eve’s cheeks are flushed.

“Stop being so nervous,” I say, yet I feel the same way for some reason.

We strut across the restaurant behind the hostess when she turns right, and we all enter the men’s line of sight.

Grinning, they shift their eyes to us and rise out of their seats as we approach the table.

“Hey, Eve,” Ed says, grinning softly.

He pulls her closer and kisses her cheeks while she melts in his arms.

James flashes a secret smile.

He dips his gaze briefly and takes me in before bringing his hand to my neck, wrapping his fingers around it, pulling me into him, and kissing my lips.

Smoothly, he slides his lips to my ear, his breath tickling me as he quietly says, “You won’t believe the news.”

With that, he breaks away from me, his grin expressing a myriad of emotions.

Bewildered, I stare at him as he pulls the chair out for me.

He winks at me as I lower myself in my seat––our code for keeping it confidential––and then motions to me, reinforcing the very same idea.

“Not so fast, baby,” Ed says, who’s already helped Eve get seated and now pivots to me.

He pulls me from my chair straight into his embrace, kisses my cheek, and gently squeezes my hand before smiling at me.

“Thank you for coming,” he says, sounding so formal.

What is it with these men and their secrets?

We all sit around the table, perusing the menus and ordering food before James asks for a couple of bottles ofLe Musigny Vintage.

“It’s a special occasion,” he says, arguing with Ed over who picks up the tab.

My gaze moves between the two men before settling on Ed.

There is something different about him.

He is calm and seems content, pacing himself, and there is something in his eyes I haven’t seen before.

Unbridled happiness.

Eve studies him as well, regret glinting in her eyes.

It would’ve been nice if things had worked between Ed and her, but she was right.

Ed hasn’t always been the soft, tender man he is right now, and she’s not the woman to sway him one way or another.

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