“No, love. It’s because you’reyou.”
His lips slant over mine, and the world dissolves into a blur of chartreuse, burnt sienna, and orange traffic cones.
We’re amid a throng of people, but it’s as though we’ve found our own pocket of silence. A mural within our hearts far more beautiful than any ones bordering this hall.
A wolf whistle emits over the din of traffic, and we break apart.
Blythe’s got her fingers shoved in her gap-toothed smile, arm around Robyn’s shoulders.
My eyes rove over the small audience beside them. Amantha grins,standing with her back pressed against Val’s chest. Val’s sister, Camilla, and her detective husband I’ve only heard about, Daniel, stand beside them. Susan beams with tears in her blue eyes behind her grandson, but Anthony only crosses his arms over his small suit and makes a gagging motion.
I stick my tongue out at my faux-nephew, and he laughs.
Brandon’s fingers are warm around mine as he pulls me toward my makeshift family.
Although I’m passed from embrace to embrace, his hand never leaves mine.
Adrenaline-induced exhaustion is a strange phenomenon. My limbs feel heavy and my feet kill from my stilettos, but I still am riding the high.
Brandon left to escort Stacey, the Sandersons, and Julia’s parents to the exit. Amantha roves through the crowd, reaping the benefits of her hard work.
I’d still be working the crowd alongside her if she hadn’t just banished me to take a break. And judging from Kendra’s actualsmilefrom the donation tables, the event seems to be a smashing success.
I work my way through the thinning crowd toward one of the loveseats lining the Astor wing.
A tiny moan of satisfaction slips out as my backside hits the cushions, and I have half a mind to unstrap one of these heels and go barefoot.
Before I can move, however, the cushion beside me dips as a large frame claims it.
All it takes is a glimpse of white-blonde hair and a small-toothed smile for my pulse to take up jump-roping.
“Tanner?” I sputter.
His smile turns sheepish. “Is it okay that I’m here? I’ve been following your promos on social media, and I couldn’t resist seeing the exhibition myself.”
“Um, of course.”
“Amantha sure knows how to throw a party,” he says, reclining and crossing an ankle over his navy suit pants. “This is pretty cool.”
“Thank you.”
The awkwardness is so alive, it might as well be a breathing organism.
I fiddle with the crystal line of beads on my thigh and search for something to say.
My mind unravels memories I forgot about. Our first date in the gallery. His easy laugh, his earnest attention. The hope on my doorstep when he admitted he’d fallen in love with me.
The night I ended things.
Empathy eases the tension in my stomach, and I take a deep breath.
This man has already been put through the ringer and still is acting friendly. I chastise myself for being so standoffish.
“I’m glad you’re here,” I say. “I’d like to apologize again for how I ended things with us. You deserve someone great, Tanner, and I’m happy we’re catching up as friends.”
His chin drops to his chest for a few breaths before he lifts it.
“Kate, I’d be lying if I said that’s why I came. I didn’t come to support a friend. I was hoping you had enough time to reconsider giving us a fresh start.”
