Page 41

Six months later

M y heels clack against the wood floor as I walk slowly around the room, stopping every few feet to admire the paintings on display. Jax is a few steps behind me and Garrett is wandering around the other side of the room, pausing in front of the paintings one at a time. The space is exquisite with huge windows that allow the natural light to flow in, illuminating the white walls and the artwork on display. It reminds me slightly of my old apartment, if my old apartment was on the good side of the city.

I try to keep my emotions locked down as I look at one painting in particular, but I can’t; art has always had a way of bringing the emotions out of me, whether when I’m creating it and trying to make sense of what I’m feeling, or looking at it and being swept up into everything the artist managed to capture on a canvas.

“This one is my favorite,” Jax says as he steps behind me, slipping his arms around my waist and pulling me in closely.

“It’s definitely something special,” I murmur in agreement as I stare at the canvas, at how the colors seem to be battling against the darkness, how there’s a fight that’s been depicted without any solid figures being present—the thick strokes of black colliding with the starbursts of bright, shimmering pink, blue, orange, white, and even yellow.

“We should buy it,” Jax suggests, and I turn my head to look at him.

“We can’t.” I try to rationalize. “It doesn’t work that way.”

“I think we should buy them all. It’s not like we don’t have enough space in the house.”

I huff a laugh. “It’s not about the space. What would be left in this gallery if you decided to empty it today?” I challenge.

“Just this one then,” he counters, and I stare at him, absolutely in love with everything he is.

“Fine, just this one, Mr. Turner,” I say with a smile.

“Name your price, love,” he says looking at me.

I look at the tag next to the painting, and my heart swells as I read the words staring back at me.

Evangeline Rose Turner

Acrylic on canvas

$2600

“Do I get a discount since I know the artist?” His eyes are light and playful as I swat his arm.

“I can’t be giving away free art, not at my first exhibit.”

“What if I gave you something in return? I’m told I can be very convincing,” he says, trailing his tongue lightly across the side of my neck.

“Neanderthals.” Ryan’s voice comes from the other side of the room, and I jump away from Jax to see him striding in. I barely get a few words in before Sam enters the room a few moments later.

“Congrats, Evi!” she shrieks, running to me and giving me a big hug. She pulls back as she looks around, her eyes overflowing with tears and mine doing the same. For once, I’m so happy, so excited for what the future has in store.

“You made it girl,” she says quietly, beaming at me, and I’m so thankful to have her in my life still, to have gotten to a place where we’re back to normal after everything that happened with Bryce. I never expected to hear from her again after that day, but she called me once she heard about the video of me circulating around, Bryce having told her about it. After a lot of tears and a lot of talking, we’re back like we’ve always been. Here for each other no matter what.

“It feels pretty surreal still,” I confess, despite my smile.

“I am so, so proud of you.”

“We all are,” Jax says from beside Ryan. “Now, you two make yourselves scarce for a minute while I finish my private tour with my wife .”

I smile at the way he enunciates the last word as if he’ll never tire of claiming me as his own, of letting the world know that we did this. His eyes sparkle with mischief and desire as he looks me over and I stand tall under his gaze, bold in every way in front of him.

“Are they always like this?” Sam asks skeptically as she starts to wander around the room, stopping to look at the art on display.

“You get used to it eventually.” Ryan chuckles as he moves to follow her. I can’t help but notice how he stares after her and how he positions himself so he’s walking beside her, close enough that their hands could touch. I tilt my head as I take in the scene before me until Jax’s voice brings my attention back to him.

“How does it feel to have your own exhibition, love?” Jax asks quietly.

“Surreal,” I say. “It’s something I’ve always wanted, something I never thought would happen, never thought I’d be able to accomplish. And now that I have, I don’t really know what’s next for me.”

“I think I have a few ideas of what you could do to stay busy,” he says with a wink.

I scoff, playfully smacking his chest as he pulls me into him. “I’m serious,” I say with a smile.

“How about you take over running Poison Ivy?” he says. “Since you’re already helping with the money side of the business. Plus, all the girls love you there.”

I search his eyes for some sign that he’s joking, but he holds my gaze.

“I don’t know if I could,” I start, faltering as I try to find the words to express what I’m thinking. “Surely there’s someone better suited? Someone with more experience running a business?”

“You can do anything you put your mind to, remember, love?” he says, looking pointedly at my mouth, a fire burning behind his eyes.

I feel myself blush under his gaze, getting lost in the depths of his eyes.

“Take some time to mull it over, but in the meantime, focus on painting, focus on doing whatever makes you happy.”

I smile up at him as my hands caress his arms. “You make me happy, Mr. Turner,” I say as my lips brush against his.

“Well in that case I have something you can spend your time doing…” He trails off with a suggestive wink.

“Jax,” I shriek quietly.

“What? Can you blame me for trying?” He presses his lips gently to mine for a moment. “I could spend eternity getting lost in you every minute, of every day, for the rest of our lives,” he murmurs, his lips still brushing against mine gently, and I can’t help but smile at the thought.

“If this is what our life together will always be like, then I’m all in,” I whisper back.

“All in, love. Always.”