She didn’t mean her nose, her hair, or her pointed chin. And if he’d made her beautiful, that was understandable, because he was trying to make beautiful art. But it was more than that. The woman in the painting was everything he’d said she was: kind, confident,compelling. If she’d worried that she was incomplete and boring, this painting was the most articulate counterargument she could imagine.
“That’s what I see, at least.” He turned his head to brush his lips against the side of her neck.
“It’s the nicest thing anyone’s ever said about me,” she told him. “I’m glad you, at least—”
She bit her lip. Being rejected by the theater group and doubted by her family still stung. She wanted to believe that Adrian was right about her. But strategically, even if he was the only market for whatever her personal product was, that was still a viable launch.
“It’s not just me,” he insisted. “I can’t tell you that everyone is going to like you. Because I know plenty of people I’d never want to spend another minute with. Not everyone is worth your time. But the people you care about, the peopleyouwant to know... they’re going to love you. How could they not?”
Caroline didn’t reply, but she cuddled back against his chest, hoping what he said was true.
“You know, I’m pretty sure Tom likes you more than me now,” he said. “He threw fruit at me until I promised to fix things.”
“You’re saying Tom thinks I’m a catch?” she teased him.
“Not just him. Tamsyn’s been blowing up my phone, trying to arrange what shesaysis a trip out to the Capethis spring but what I’mafraidis a request to have a foursome in a very small beach cabin.”
Caroline made a strangled giggle. “A foursome? So she got back together with her girlfriend? The short one?”
“That has to be the case. I’m a little alarmed that the constituent members of that foursome were your major concern though....”
“I bet it’s a joke. We have an inside joke about it. I don’t think she likes men.”
“I’m fairly certain my role would be limited to providing towels and snacks in this scenario that you still have not conclusively ruled out,” Adrian said, voice beginning to contain a note of alarm.
Caroline dropped her head back and laughed. “RSVP no with regrets. Can you suggest we all get dinner instead of beachside group sex? As a counteroffer?”
“Yes. I don’t want to wait until the next time I have an art opening to see them. I let”—he took a deep breath—“I let a lot of good things in my life go. Because I was afraid they weren’t as real as my problems. I’m not going to do that again.”
“This looks pretty real,” she said, nodding at the painting.
“It is. I’m glad you got a chance to see it. I’m going to hang it tomorrow.”
“Good,” Caroline said firmly. “Remember to leave some business cards.”
Adrian’s exhale ruffled her hair. “I’m sorry I had to sell it. When I started, I thought I’d give it to you.”
Caroline opened her mouth to argue, but Adrian cut her off by squeezing her waist.
“I know,” he said. “Besides, I’m going to paint more.”
“More like this?”
“That’s the idea. I realized I have a choice about whatkind of art I make. Like I have a choice about what my life is about. And I want them both to be about the things I love. The things that bring me joy.” He turned his head and kissed her cheek. “Like you.”
“That sounds like a good plan,” Caroline said softly.
“This is what I want,” he said. “This kind of life. This kind of joy. With you, Caroline. I didn’t even know what I wanted until I met you.”
She couldn’t wait to see it. All of it. The next paintings, the next things he did with his life. Withtheirlives.
His chest expanded against her back as he took a deep breath. “You always want to know what the plan is. Well, I have one now. On your final exams, you are going to make the best spreadsheets Boston College has ever seen. And I am going to buy some very expensive greenhouse peonies and begin working on my next series.”
“I like this plan,” Caroline said. “It seems very aligned with our strategic objectives.”
“There’s more. In two weeks, when you are done with exams, we are going to fly to Europe. You are going to drink coffee made by people who are to coffee as Michelangelo was to ceilings. We are going to look at paintings that have never left the countries where they were painted. We are going to”—he kissed the side of her neck again—“sleep in actual beds.”
“It’s getting better and better.”
