Page 42 of Eye of the Hurricane (Weathering Doves Harbor #2)
Ares
Today is the first day of being on campus that Katherine won’t be here. She finished her last course and is now full time with The Sea Dragons. While I miss the anticipation of hoping I’ll run into her, the knowledge that she’s living out her dream definitely tops that.
It doesn’t hurt knowing I’ll see her tonight. I thought maybe seeing her almost every day would make the excitement of seeing her taper off. It doesn’t though. I still feel like a giddy little kid getting to meet their celebrity crush.
Except now I get to kiss mine. And take mine to bed. And fall asleep with mine every night.
I’m taken out of my own head when someone who I assume is a freshman bumps into me. No apology, no excuse me, just a dirty look before going back to his day. Dick.
It’s cool outside, not enough for a coat but definitely enough for the hoodies everyone has on. It’s 65 degrees and sunny in November.
When I walk into Vines’ office she’s all smiles. The yellow and orange covering her office is a comfort, it feels like being in Katherine’s light.
“Thank you for meeting with me on such short notice.” she extends an arm, gesturing to the seat across from her.
I take the seat across from her desk and she folds her hands in front of her.
“Of course, is everything okay?” I ask.
“Yes, everything is just fine. There’s a big art show happening downtown Charleston next week and I was hoping you’d participate in it.”
“Oh I knew about that. It’s one of the biggest in the U.S. I can’t imagine they’re letting college students in to such a big event,” I tell her.
“Well, you’re not entirely wrong. It’s invite only.”
“And there’s no way I get an invite. Especially on this short of notice.”
“You have one. An old colleague of mine is one of the organizers for it. There’s a spot for you, if you want it.” My heart is racing and what was once steady hands, are now trembling. This is life changing.
“Are you sure my work is up for it?” I ask. She smiles softly.
“If you asked me over the summer, I would have told you no. Your work was beautiful and you were filled to the brim with talent, but something was missing. I don’t know what changed between then and now but you’ve filled in the missing pieces, your art makes the viewer feel something.
You’re ready,” she assures me. She’s unsure of what changed but I’m not.
I know that the thing tying my work together with a bow, is Katherine.
She’s all things bright and warm and loving.
For some reason every time I touch a paintbrush with her on my mind, magic happens. It doesn’t even have to be her. One of my best pieces to date is just an oil painting of the candles we had in her house for the hurricane.
“It’s the woman in the paintings. She’s what changed,” I admit. She chuckles slightly to herself.
“I figured as much. Love is one of the strongest emotions we can feel as humans. It doesn’t surprise me that it’s the one driving your work.”
Her mention of love is a flashing light reminding me that I told Katherine I love her last night. More so it’s a reminder that she didn’t say it back.
“Thank you so much for getting me a spot in the art show. I’ll make it worth it.”
“I know you will.”
I knock on the door of Ravyn’s apartment and wait for her to answer the door. When she finally does, she stands with her hands on her hips and a stern look on her face.
“Any particular reason we’re meeting in my tiny little apartment and not our best friend’s beach house?” she asks.
“I just didn’t want this to be a whole thing.”
“Yeah it does seem like there’s always a bunch of us these days.
Come in,” she says, stepping to the side.
I walk in and she follows close behind. I pass the kitchen and head straight for the white chair in the living room.
She sits directly across from me on the green couch that’s more of a statement piece than furniture .
“Okay, lay it on me. What’s up?” she asks, pulling her legs up to sit criss-cross.
“I’m in love with Katherine.” She squints her eyes at me like she’s expecting more.
“Yeah. Obviously.”
“I told her.” Her brows raise slightly.
“How did that go?” Her tone tells me she knows how it went.
“Okay, so Audra caught you up on everything that happened over the weekend, right?”
“Yes.”
“Well after she helped Audi… it just kinda came out. By the time I realized I was going to say it, I already did. And she thanked me.”
“Well… she took it better than I expected her to,” she says with a shrug of her shoulder.
“That’s what I said!” I agree.
“Well, how do you feel about her not saying it back?”
“I feel okay about it. All of this is a lot newer to her than it is to me. I didn’t plan on telling her yet for that reason. I’d be lying though if I said there wasn’t a fear in the back of my head that she won’t.”
“You don’t really think that, do you?”
“I don’t know.”
“I think she’s already there. I don’t want to put words in her mouth, especially these ones. But based on every conversation I’ve had with her that regarded you… I think she feels the same way but might be less familiar with that feeling.”
“What does she say about me?” I ask, wiggling my eyebrows at her. She rolls her eyes with a dramatic groan.
“Absolutely not. Girl code.”
“What? I was your best friend first! ”
“Have we not educated you on the sacredness of girlhood?”
“You have,” I sigh.
“I got invited to participate in the Charleston Southern Art Show,” I tell her. Her eyes go wide and she jumps to her feet.
“What?” she yells at me.
“That’s where I was before I came here.”
“I know you’re in love with her because you brought that up before this. This is huge, Ares! I’m so proud of you.” She looks at me expectantly.
“What are you doing? Get up and hug me,” she demands. I do exactly that, rising to my feet. She wraps her arms around me and her tight coiled hair tickles my nose.
She knows how badly I’ve wanted something like this. I’ve done tons of art shows and different means of selling my art. It’s how I make my money when I’m not in school. This is different though, this is a big deal. This could be life-changing for my career.
“Thank you.”