According to Liam, Fallon’s work had been Pop Art for years but she’d recently expanded into landscapes, animals, and people.I admired her bold use of color and found myself drawn to a stunning painting of a mother and baby elephant playing in a river.
“She’s quite talented,” I said to Liam, but the person who responded was a woman to my left.
“That’s nice to hear,” she said, giving me a friendly smile.She was pretty with dark hair.“And it’s nice to meet Liam’s girlfriend.”
I held out my hand.“You must be Fallon.I’m Morgan.”
“You’re Morgan?”an older woman exclaimed, rushing up to us while Fallon shook my hand.She had brown hair streaked with gray and excitement danced in her eyes.“I’ve been dying to meet the woman who’s thawed my son’s frozen heart.”
“Oh my God, Mom.”Liam groaned, and I laughed.“Can you play it just a little cool?”
“Absolutely not,” she said cheerfully.Then she proved it by pulling me into a hug the moment Fallon released my hand.
Her embrace was warm, and she smelled like vanilla.I liked her immediately.
“Be nice to your mother,” I chided Liam when she released me.
“Oh, I like her,” his mom said, beaming.“Come along, Morgan.I’ll introduce you to the rest of the family.”
She looped her arm through mine and steered me through the crowd until we reached a small group standing near a large canvas of a laughing woman.I met Liam’s brother Noah, who’d brought his adorable twin daughters to support his wife.The girls were excited to be there, and I learned they took art classes that Fallon taught at the gallery.Simon joined our group a few minutes later with a pretty woman by his side—Liam’s younger sister, Shannon.
We all moved through the gallery together, looking at the paintings, and I hit it off with Shannon immediately.She was funny and interesting, and I told her that.
“You’re right.”She grinned.“You’ll learn just how much fun I am once we go out to a bar together.”
“Hey, don’t corrupt my woman,” Liam protested.
“I would never,” Shannon said with wide-eyed innocence I didn’t buy for a second.
“Come on.Let’s break away from the group for a while so I can have you to myself for a bit.”Liam grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the back of the gallery, where a painting of a flock of birds in flight during a sunset took up half the wall.
“This one’s my favorite,” he said as we stopped in front of it.
I leaned into him, studying the painting.I could see why he was fond of it.“It’s beautiful.The way she captured the movement, you can almost feel them flying.”
“That’s what I love about it.”His arm slipped around my waist.“It reminds me of how I felt when I finally let myself fall for you.Like I’d been caged for years and suddenly, I could breathe again.”
I turned to look up at him, warmth spreading through me.“That’s pretty poetic for an investment guy.”
“You bring it out in me.”His smile was soft and genuine.“I spent so long convinced I was better off alone.That relationships were a complication I didn’t want or need.”He brushed a strand of hair behind my ear.“Then you walked into my life and turned everything upside down.”
“I seem to remember you being pretty resistant at first,” I teased him.
“Terrified is more accurate, but look at us now,” he said, his thumb gently tracing my cheekbone.“My family already adores you, by the way.Did you see my mom’s face?I thought she was going to start planning our wedding right there in the gallery.”
I laughed.“She seems wonderful.They all do.”I grew more serious, meeting his gaze and holding it.“You know, I’m really glad you ditched your brother’s wedding reception the night we met.”
“I guess some things are meant to be.”He tilted my chin up and kissed me softly, tenderly, a promise sealed with his lips.
When we pulled apart, I smiled at him, feeling more content than I’d ever been.
I liked the sound of that.Meant to be.Because standing here with him, surrounded by art and his family and possibilities, I’d never been more certain of anything in my life.
Liam was my future, and I couldn’t wait to spend every moment of it with him.
EPILOGUE
Liam
