Page 187 of Trapped With You

“Close your eyes,” she said with a tinge of mischief.

We walked deeper into the room and she pressed on my shoulders, silently asking me to sit down on one of the couches.I obliged and kept my eyes closed, feeling her move around the space and set some things into place.

I heard the flick of a Zippo and the smell of fire wafted in the air.

“Open now, please.”

When I saw a cake sitting on the coffee table before me, lit with nineteen candles, I grinned wide.

Ella took a seat next to me and murmured, “Happy belated birthday, Cade.”

She missed mine and this was her way of righting some of our wrongs.

“Thank you, Ella.” I kissed her knuckles. “This is so sweet.”

“I made you your favourite yellow cake with chocolate frosting.” She laid her head on my shoulder and gazed up at me. “Make a wish,querido.”

“What should I wish for?” I cupped her face and polished my thumb over her chin. “When I already have everything I desire?”

Her expression softened and her silence spoke volumes as she caressed my wrist, over my pulse, in understanding.

Now that I had her in my life again, I didn’t need anything else.

Regardless, I still made another wish and blew out the candles.

She cut a thick slice and handed it to me on a plate. I fed her the first forkful before taking one for myself. “It’s delicious, Ella. Even better than thechampurradoandpan de muertothat Olivia stole from me.”

That made her laugh. “I caught Olivia and Emilio sneaking chocolates behind the kitchen staff’s back.”

I fed her another bite of the cake. “Those two are going to be a handful when they grow up, huh?”

“Yes, they will.” Smiling, she stood up. “Wait here. I have some more surprises for you.”

“More than one?” I arched an eyebrow. “You’re spoiling me.”

“I’ll always spoil you from here on out.”

She repeated my own words back to me three years later and I beamed.

Ella dragged out a gift-wrapped square frame from behind the couch. I didn’t like her lifting heavy things even if she could. I grabbed it from her and laid it on the coffee table. “What’s this, Ellie?”

“Open it.” She practically bounced up and down with excitement.

I cut through the tape using my knife. Wrapping removed, I glanced down at the painting in awe.

The initialsV.R.were painted in the corner.

Ella snaked her arm with mine and kissed my bicep over my suit jacket. “Your mom painted this before you were born. Your uncle helped me find it.”

Strong emotions coursed through me. I couldn’t breathe or speak. Only stare at one of the few artworks I had left of my mom.

Vera Remington had been a talented painter and renowned artist in the city. Her paintings used to be displayed in many art galleries. Most of her creations were already sold or had burned down in our last home, forever lost to me. Uncle Vance and Aunt Julia had some rare gems hanging around the Remington estate.

But this painting?

It invoked a maelstrom of feelings inside my chest, all warring between happiness and sadness.

The landscape was lush greenery with a sunset sky. A cottage style home on the left and the backs of three figures on the right, standing hand-in-hand, facing the glimmering water.