West’s gaze lands over my head as he walks toward me. He comes to a stop alongside me, staring at the painting of Kendall and me set in ancient times.
“That’ll be all, Mara.”
She purses her lips, and a scowl mars her forehead. Mara is very organized, and she has helped me to open three galleries in the space of three years, so she is very good at her job. But her personality leaves a lot to be desired at times. She doesn’t like to be cut out of things, and she doesn’t like to be told no. I have never given her any indication I am interested in her, yet she pursued me to the point I had to tell her to stop or I’d fire her. Tonight is the first time in six months she has broached the subject. I really hope I don’t have to terminate her employment, but I will if she gets in the way of my plans.
Her heels clack on the tile floor as she walks away.
“You fucking her?” West coolly asks while his eyes remain glued to the painting.
“No. I have never touched her. She’s my employee and nothing more.”
His eyes drill into mine as we stare at one another. He looks the same yet changed. It’s not just that his dirty-blond hair is a little darker than I remember it or he’s a bit leaner than he was back in the day. It’s the world-weary look in his eyes and the weight pressing down on his shoulders that make him seem older than his twenty-six years.
“Is my mom your muse?” he asks, breaking eye contact and returning his attention to the painting.
“Yes. She always has been.”
“Even now?” He arches a brow. “After all this time? After everything that happened?”
I have a sense Mara is eavesdropping, and I really don’t want to discuss this out in the open. I jerk my head toward the stairs off to the side. “We can talk in my office. It’s more private there.”
West follows me up the stairs to the large open-plan second floor that houses my office and my studio. Until I lay down permanent roots here, this is my only studio. I close the door behind him and flick the light on.
“It’s good,” he says as I walk toward the small seating area which separates my office from the painting side of the space.
I glance over my shoulder at him as I bend down to retrieve a couple of beers from the small drinks refrigerator I keep fully stocked.
“The painting,” he clarifies, accepting the beer I offer him. We sit down on the couch. “You’ve done well, Vander. You’re living your dream.”
I’m only living half my dream, and half a dream means nothing without the woman who inspired it—who helped to make it happen—by my side. “I’m sorry about your football career. I thought about reaching out to you at that time.” West was in a bad car accident during his junior year in college. There was talk of him going into the draft early, but the injuries he sustained in the wreck ruined any NFL career and shattered his dream. He’s a sports agent now, or so I read online.
“Why didn’t you?” He raises the bottle to his lips.
“I didn’t think you’d want to hear from me. You made your feelings crystal clear before I left.”
“I was angry and hurt. First Dad, then Mom and you.” He loosens his tie and pops the top button of his shirt. “I felt betrayed. Broken. Lost.” He shrugs, picking at the label on the bottle. “I did for a long time.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. I know what it’s like to feel those things.”
He drums his fingers on his knee, while piercing me with an earnest look. “She didn’t cheat on you, Vander.”
“I know.”
His brows climb to his hairline. “If you know, why haven’t you done anything about it?”
“I’m doing something now.” I’m not getting into anything with him until I’ve shared everything with Kendall.
He blinks repeatedly while drilling me with a look. “Are you saying you’re in Portland for Mom?”
I nod. “Not a day has gone by where I haven’t missed her. Where I haven’t woken up thinking of her. My soul aches for her, West. I know it’s been eight years, but I couldn’t come for her until that bastard was behind bars.”
He nods while sipping his beer. “She’s coming tonight.”
My eyes widen. “She knows about my showing?”
“You weren’t the only one keeping tabs or the only one pining. She has never forgotten you either, Van.”
My heart soars at that revelation. I was planning on visiting her tomorrow, but I should’ve known fate would play a part. “Why are you here?”
