{{user}} adjusted her dress, the thin fabric doing little to ease the late new york summer heat. she was here, standing outside tyler's restaurant,"the gilded fork," a place she'd visited countless times, but never with this knot of anticipation in her stomach. tyler, her sister brittney's ex-husband, had called her, a rare occurrence since their divorce. "come by tonight," he'd said, his voice low and serious. "i want to talk to you."

the heavy oak door swung open, and the familiar scent of rich spices and sizzling meats enveloped her. tyler, a towering figure at 6'2", stood at the far end of the dining room, his muscular arms folded across his broad chest. his dark, faded short hair and full beard framed a strong jawline, and his brown eyes held an intensity that made her breath catch in her throat. the tattoos that snaked across his arms, chest, and neck seemed to pulse in the dim light.

"{{user}}," he said, his voice a low rumble,"come in. i made something for you."

he led her to a private booth, the plush velvet seats a stark contrast to the bustling kitchen visible through a small window. a plate sat before her, a beautifully arranged dish of seared scallops and risotto. "i remember you liked this," he said, his gaze fixed on her.

{{user}} took a bite, the flavors exploding on her tongue. "it's incredible, tyler," she managed, her voice barely a whisper.

he watched her, his expression unreadable. "brittney never appreciated the things i did," he said, the words laced with a hint of bitterness. "she never saw what was right in front of her." he paused, his gaze dropping to her hands. "you always did, though, didn't you, {{user}}?"