Butcher & Blackbird (The Ruinous Love Trilogy, #1)

Eight months later, Sloane video chats with Lark while in Boston, preparing to attend a gala with Rowan, who will be receiving an award for his restaurant. This counts as the favor that Sloane owes Rowan for giving David a job. Lark advises Sloane on which dress to wear and how to fix her hair. In addition to being a musician, Lark is a music therapist for kids and gives them gold star stickers when they do a good job. She jokingly gives one to Sloane for her outfit.

For the first six months after their last competition, Rowan and Sloane talked nearly every day. Lately, they have been talking less because Rowan is busy preparing to open another restaurant. Sloane is scared to enter a relationship with Rowan because she does not want to discover that she is unlovable. She is not used to intimacy or emotional closeness because the only person who has stuck by her is Lark; not even her parents are around anymore. Lark gives Sloane a pep talk about how great she is and how she deserves happiness, even if there is risk involved. Plus, the fact that Rowan invited her to the gala, and not somebody else, suggests he is interested too.