“Enjoy the display,” Eden told them. As Chloe and Oscar maneuvered through the crowd, Eden turned to Steve. “I’m so proud of you,” she said softly. “Your sculptures look amazing.”
“Thank you, Miss Taylor.”
The warmth in Steve’s gaze made her blush. “You’d better talk to your fans before we get into trouble. I’ll see you later, handsome.”
Ignoring Steve’s soft laughter, she headed across the room. While she was admiring another artist’s work, she overheard a conversation between two people standing nearby.
“Can you believe it?” one women said, her voice tinged with awe. “Steve Thompson is actually Steven Gromwell, the guy who won a prestigious sculpting award the other day.”
Eden’s heart skipped a beat. She knew Steve was talented, but she had no idea he had two names or that he’d won an important award.
The women continued to rave about Steve and the sculpture he’d made.
Eden found a quiet area of the studio and pulled out her phone, searching for any information about the award. When Steve first told her about his sculptures and how popular they were, she’d searched his name online, but came up with nothing.
This time, her screen was filled with articles and news about the award and Steve’s career. The winning sculpture,Wrought Harmony, was featured in some high-profile newspapers and magazines, accompanied by praise and accolades from art critics around the world.
If that wasn’t bad enough, he’d made the Forbes list of up-and-coming artists. When she saw how much money he’d earned over the past year, her eyes boggled. Steve had told her he made a good living from selling his sculptures. Two million dollars wasn’t what most people called a comfortable income.
Feeling a whirlwind of emotions—pride, confusion, and a bit of hurt that Steve hadn’t shared this with her—she decided to step outside for some fresh air.
As she stood under the veranda of another store, Eden took a deep, cleansing breath. She’d come to Sapphire Bay to find peace and perhaps a new beginning. She never expected to meet someone like Steve—a man who was not only incredibly talented but also kind, genuine, and supportive.
As she thought about the time they’d spent together, she realized just how deeply she’d fallen for him. His quiet strength, his gentle smile, and the way he cared for Rex all added up to someone she’d grown to love more than she thought possible. But now, finding out he led a completely different life as Steven Gromwell, she felt uncertain and a little lost.
Eden looked back at the gallery, where Steve was probably mingling with the guests. She knew she had to talk to him, to understand why he hadn’t told her about his career and the award. And to tell him how she felt about him.
Falling in love with Steve had been unexpected and wonderful, but it also brought a vulnerability she hadn’t felt in a long time. The fear of being hurt or rejected loomed large in her mind.
Her mom had always told her she leaped through life from one moment to the next, hoping she was heading in the right direction. This time, she wanted to make sure she’d thought about what would happen next.
Being hurt wasn’t a good enough reason to walk away from a future with the man she loved. But if Steve couldn’t be honest about his life, he wasn’t the man for her.
Steve knocked lightlyon Eden’s door at The Welcome Center, his heart pounding in his chest. She’d asked him to come by after the exhibition, and he couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling that something was wrong. He thought they were happy, but the tone of her voice when she asked to see him had filled him with dread.
Eden opened the door with a small, tight smile. “Hey, Steve. Thanks for coming. Do you want to go for a walk? There’s something I need to talk to you about.”
His heart sank even further. “Sure, let’s go,” he said, trying to keep his voice steady.
They walked in silence toward the lake, the tension between them making Steve’s stomach churn. Had he done something wrong? Was Eden unhappy with him? Or had something happened at the exhibition?
By the time they reached the water, he couldn’t take the silence any longer.
“What’s going on, Eden?” he asked, stopping to face her. “You’re scaring me.”
Eden took a deep breath, her eyes searching his face. “Who are you, Steve? Really?”
He blinked, confused. “What do you mean?”
“At the exhibition, I overheard some women talking about you. They mentioned an award, the Forbes list, and referred to you as Steven Gromwell. Who are you?”
The color drained from Steve’s face. He hadn’t expected this. “I… I’m sorry, Eden. I should have told you everything when we last talked about my career.”
“Why didn’t you?” she asked, her voice trembling. “I feel like a fool for comparing your salary to an accountant or a lawyer. You must have laughed at how naïve I am.”
Steve swallowed the knot in his throat. “I’d never do that. What I earn doesn’t matter.”
“If it didn’t matter, you would’ve told me you earned two million dollars last year. I thought we were being honest with each other.”
