Page 41 of My Ex-Best Men (Ex Marks the Spot #4)
***Claire***
“ I t looks…” Martha, the seventy-year-old paint instructor I’d hired to lead the wedding party in a paint and sip afternoon, stared down at Will’s painting and tilted her head to the side. “Honey, it looks like a big cock. Is that what you were going for?”
Will’s cheeks turned red as our table burst out laughing. He launched into a defense of his painting. “No! See, this is the lighthouse and this, that round part there, is the rock it’s built out of. It’s a lighthouse! Just like the one everyone else painted.”
The old woman tapped her finger to the tip of her nose. “Dear, it’s a cock.”
I was crying from laughing so hard. It was rare to see Will be bad at anything and we were all eating it up. I grasped my sides and ended up snorting. That just made me laugh harder.
“Let’s see what you painted then, you brat.” Will grabbed my canvas and spun it around to see what was a decent lighthouse and coastal horizon. He scowled at it and then at me. “That’s not fair. You planned this. You’ve probably been practicing. Let me see yours, Anthony.”
Anthony turned his around and it was a perfect replica of what Martha had shown us. He grinned at Will and shrugged. “I just have talented hands, man.”
Zane proudly showed us that he’d skipped the assignment completely and had instead painted a silhouette of-
“Zane!” I shouted his name as I realized he’d painted my body. I wouldn’t have known if not for the exact placement of my birthmark. “You idiot!”
Martha hummed. “I do love a rebel. Good work.”
I scoffed. “Don’t encourage him!”
Will tossed his painting down on the table. “No one told me I could’ve painted you, Claire. I would’ve blown your mind.”
“No one was supposed to paint me!” I slapped my palm to my forehead and sighed. “Hide that.”
Zane just smirked back at me. “This is going to hang in our bedroom.”
My breath caught. Our bedroom. It was one more sign that they were serious.
“Oh, god, Will! Why’d you paint a dick?” Sophia had come up behind us and she leaned against my chair while judging her brother. “I’m starting to worry about you.”
Will shook his head. “No.”
She laughed. “No, what?”
“No, I’m not dealing with the two of you teaming up against me.” He got up and pressed a kiss to both of our heads before backing away. “I’m going to sit with Jake. I bet his painting looks like shit, too.”
“Hey!”
We ignored Jake’s outburst and Sophia took Will’s seat so she could lean in and whisper to me. “I might’ve let it slip to our parents that you and Will are a thing… I think my mom is still crying.”
“Sophia!”
“What? It’s a good thing. Her and Dad are already planning the wedding.” She looked across the room at Will and grinned. “Did you hear that, Will? Mom and Dad are planning your wedding. Since I refused Great Aunt Maggie’s ring, Mom’s going to want you to take it.”
My stomach dropped. “Sophia!”
“We’re not going to use that ring. It’s cursed.” Will winked at me. “Just tell them I’ll buy my own.”
The entire room erupted in whistles and cheers while I buried my face in my hands and groaned. It was way too early for Sophia to be bringing up rings and marriage. She was going to make me look like a lunatic.
Warm hands pulled my hands away and Zane was there, kneeling beside me with a sweet smile on his face. “How about I steal you away for a while before dinner tonight?”
I nodded. “Yes, please. I would like that very much.”
Sophia patted my hand. “Go on. Get out of here. If you think I was bad, you need to prepare for Mom.”
Will and Anthony caught us before we slipped away. Anthony pulled me into a hug and kissed me while letting his hands wander and causing an uproar of hoots amongst our friends. Will was next and he bent me backwards and kissed the living daylights out of me.
When he put me back upright, his smile was so wide that it gave me butterflies. He was happy. Because of me. “For the record, I love my Mom and where her head is. I’m going to be the favorite child when I officially bring you into the family.”
Zane pushed him away. “My turn, fools. Goodbye and good riddance.”
I paused for a moment as I looked around and saw that everyone, including Martha, had watched me kiss two men before leaving with a third and no one seemed plussed. No one but Madeline but I wasn’t going to give her any value. I bit my lip and tried to contain my smile as I let Zane pull me away.
“You’re happy.” Zane led me back to the hotel with my hand held tight in his. “I like it.”
I rested my head on his shoulder. “I didn’t realize I wasn’t before. But I am now, I think.”
“Good. Let’s keep you that way.” He stopped outside of one of the hotel rooms and used a keycard to open it. “I have some ideas about that. Why don’t you get comfortable? Take that dress off and stay awhile.”
I raised my eyebrow at him. “Zane. I thought you didn’t have a room.”
He started pulling small bottles of paint from his pockets. He grinned when I laughed and shrugged. “I lied a little and I stole a little. It’s all in the name of keeping you happy. And close.”
“What are you planning on doing with that paint, Zane Wilson?”
He reached over his shoulder, grabbed his shirt, and pulled it over his head. “We’re going to make some art of our own.”