Chapter 16: Skylar Little Steps
1498 Words
If someone had told Skylar six months ago that one day he would willingly spend his evenings sitting beside Damien, he would have laughed.
Or panicked.
Probably both.
Yet here he was.
Life had quietly settled into something… peaceful.
Not perfect.
Not without awkward moments.
Not without the lingering fear that still occasionally wrapped itself around his heart whenever Damien looked at him with those piercing grey eyes.
But peaceful.
And somehow…
Peace suited him.
As he locked the doors of the café that evening, he found himself smiling for no particular reason.
Business had been wonderful.
The café had become everything he had dreamed of and more.
The smell of warm bread still lingered in the air.
His employees laughed as they cleaned the display cases.
Customers waved goodbye through the glass windows.
For the first time in years…
He truly felt like he belonged somewhere.
He climbed into the car Andy was waiting beside.
“Busy day?”
Andy asked.
Skylar nodded happily.
“We sold out before four.”
“Again?”
“Again.”
Andy chuckled.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone this excited over croissants.”
“They’re important.”
“I’m beginning to believe that.”
Skylar laughed.
A genuine laugh.
One that came naturally.
It surprised him how easy laughter had become lately.
⸻
The drive home gave him time to think.
A month.
It had been exactly one month since that shopping trip with Damien.
One month since he had finally sat beside him at breakfast.
One month since he had bought him that charcoal cashmere sweater.
Looking back…
So much had changed.
Breakfast was no longer awkward.
Every morning they sat together.
Sometimes shoulder to shoulder.
Sometimes speaking.
Sometimes simply enjoying the quiet.
He still prepared Damien’s coffee.
Still insisted on serving his breakfast.
Only now…
He no longer felt the urge to sit at the opposite end of the dining table.
During the day, Damien always called.
Sometimes once.
Usually twice.
Occasionally three or four times.
“Have you eaten?”
“How’s the café?”
“Are you resting?”
“Don’t work too hard.”
The conversations never lasted particularly long.
But Skylar found himself waiting for them.
If Damien hadn’t called by lunchtime…
He would check his phone.
If Damien became busy…
He would send him lunch.
Fresh pastries.
Sandwiches.
Sometimes desserts that weren’t even on the café menu.
A small handwritten note was always tucked inside.
Don’t skip lunch.
Or…
This one is fresh from the oven.
Or simply…
Enjoy.
Damien always thanked him.
Always.
Even if it was only through a short message.
It had become part of their routine.
A routine Skylar had somehow begun looking forward to.
⸻
Evenings had become his favourite part of the day.
Dinner together.
Conversations about work.
About books.
About films.
About recipes.
About almost everything except the one subject both of them quietly avoided.
The mafia.
Neither of them forced it.
Neither of them expected it.
And somehow…
That made everything easier.
After dinner, Damien usually disappeared into his office.
For the first few months of their marriage, Skylar would retreat to his own room.
Now…
It was different.
Almost every evening…
Damien would look at him before walking upstairs.
“I’m going to the office.”
A small pause.
“Would you like to keep me company?”
And almost every evening…
Skylar found himself answering…
“…Okay.”
The office had become strangely comforting.
Damien worked.
Reviewed contracts.
Signed documents.
Made phone calls.
Skylar curled up on the sofa with recipe books, notebooks and sketches for new pastries.
Sometimes they barely exchanged ten words.
Sometimes they talked for hours.
There was something comforting about simply existing in the same room.
Neither demanding conversation.
Neither expecting anything.
Just…
Being together.
⸻
He realised something else recently.
The fear hadn’t disappeared.
It was still there.
It probably always would be, at least a little.
Damien still carried an intimidating presence.
Those sharp grey eyes could still make Skylar’s heart skip.
His calm voice still commanded attention the instant he spoke.
He was still one of the most feared men in the country.
But…
Skylar had also discovered another side.
The man who reminded him to wear a coat when it was cold.
The man who always remembered his favourite desserts.
The man who patiently listened while Skylar excitedly described a new bread recipe.
The man who secretly bought every new pastry the café introduced because he wanted to support him.
Those little moments…
Were slowly replacing old fears.
One memory at a time.
⸻
When he reached home, dinner was already waiting.
Damien arrived only a few minutes later.
“You look happy.”
Skylar smiled.
“We sold out again.”
“I expected nothing less.”
Dinner passed easily.
Comfortably.
Afterwards, Damien stood.
“I’m heading to my office.”
He looked towards Skylar.
“Would you like to keep me company?”
Skylar smiled.
“Yes.”
⸻
The office was quiet except for the ticking of an antique clock.
Damien settled behind his desk.
Skylar curled into the familiar armchair with a notebook balanced on his knees.
He had barely written down a new cinnamon roll recipe when Damien unexpectedly spoke.
“Skylar.”
“Hm?”
“I need your advice.”
Skylar immediately looked up.
“My… advice?”
Damien nodded.
“For something important.”
Skylar blinked.
Damien had never asked for his opinion on something serious before.
He closed his notebook.
“What is it?”
Damien leaned back in his chair.
“I have investors visiting next week.”
Skylar frowned slightly.
“I don’t really know much about…”
He hesitated.
“You know…”
“Our family’s business.”
His voice softened.
“I’d rather not get involved in…”
He searched carefully for the right words.
“I don’t really want anything connected to that life.”
He looked almost apologetic.
“I hope you understand.”
Damien smiled gently.
“I do.”
“It’s not about that.”
Skylar looked confused.
“It’s one of my legitimate companies.”
“We’re expanding overseas.”
“They’re family-oriented investors.”
He folded his hands together.
“I know numbers.”
“I know negotiations.”
“I know contracts.”
“But…”
He smiled almost sheepishly.
“I don’t know how to make people feel welcome.”
Skylar stared.
For several seconds.
Damien…
Didn’t know something?
Damien…
Was asking him for help?
His chest warmed unexpectedly.
“You really want my opinion?”
“I do.”
Skylar couldn’t stop smiling.
“That’s easy.”
Damien raised an eyebrow.
“It is?”
“Invite them here.”
“To the estate.”
Damien listened carefully.
Skylar became animated without even realising it.
“If they’re family people…”
“They’ll appreciate feeling like guests instead of clients.”
“Invite them and their wives.”
“Or husbands.”
“Or children.”
“We’ll make dinner.”
“I’ll bake dessert.”
“The atmosphere will be relaxed.”
“They’ll see who you are outside the boardroom.”
He leaned forward excitedly.
“Business is important.”
“But people trust people they feel comfortable around.”
Damien remained silent.
Watching him.
Skylar slowly stopped talking.
“…Was that silly?”
Damien shook his head.
“No.”
“It was brilliant.”
Skylar blinked.
“It was?”
“You’ve just solved a problem I’ve been thinking about for weeks.”
A shy smile spread across Skylar’s face.
“I can handle dinner.”
“I’ll make the menu.”
“You don’t have to worry.”
Damien couldn’t hide the admiration in his eyes.
“I never doubted you.”
⸻
Much later that night, Skylar lay beneath his blankets staring at the ceiling.
Sleep refused to come.
Instead…
He replayed the conversation again and again.
Damien had asked him.
Not because he had to.
Not because he was being polite.
Because he genuinely wanted Skylar’s opinion.
His advice.
His perspective.
It was such a small thing.
Yet somehow…
It felt enormous.
Skylar had believed he was simply someone Damien had married out of obligation.
Someone he needed to protect.
Nothing more.
But tonight…
For the first time…
He had felt like a partner.
An equal voice.
Someone whose thoughts actually mattered.
A smile slowly spread across his face.
Maybe healing wasn’t one grand moment.
Maybe it wasn’t waking up one morning without fear.
Maybe…
It was this.
Sharing breakfast.
Answering phone calls.
Laughing over dinner.
Working quietly in the same office.
Being asked for advice.
Trusting someone enough to give it.
Little steps.
Tiny, almost invisible changes.
Until one day…
You looked back and realised how far your heart had travelled.
Skylar closed his eyes.
For the first time in a very long time…
The future no longer frightened him quite as much.
- Writer
