I watch her for a moment, confusion washing over her face as her eyebrows pull together and she says hello again. She pulls her phone away from her ear, looks at the screen, and repeats herself once again.
A frown tugs her lips downwards as she ends the call and stares at the device for a lingering moment. “That was strange.”
“Who was it?” I question her out of curiosity and concern.
Ella looks back to me and shrugs as she tucks her phone back into her pocket. “It must have been a wrong number.” She lets out a breath and shakes her head. “As much as I don’t want to go back inside, I’m afraid I need to get back in there.”
Disappointment weighs down my shoulders, but I brush the feeling away, giving her a smile. “I’m sure Remi is wondering if I stole you away for the night.” I let out a soft chuckle. “I should have.”
“That sounds very enticing,” she laughs as her smile reaches her eyes. I’m addicted to the sound of her laughter. It’s delicate, like the finest silk against my eardrums.
“How about a rain check?” I ask, taking a step closer to her. “Are you able to get away for an evening soon? I have somethin’ I’d like to show you.”
She tilts her head to the side, her face lighting up with curiosity. “I might be able to later this week. Can I see if Remi or Iris can watch Chloe and let you know?”
“That sounds perfect,” I murmur, bringing my face down to hers. I sweep my mouth across her soft lips, kissing her gently before I pull away. “I have no intention of pushin’ you to do somethin’ you don’t feel comfortable doin’, but I want you to know that Chloe is welcome to come along if you can’t find a sitter.”
Her throat bobs as she swallows roughly. “I appreciate that,” she says quietly with a nod. Her lips part like she’s about to say something else, but the conflict is evident in her gaze. She gives me a small smile before she continues. “I will let you know.”
“I’ll be waiting to hear from you.”
Ella’s smile grows as the blush creeps across her face. “Goodnight, cowboy.”
“Goodnight, darlin’.”
CHAPTER TWENTY
ELLA
“Come, momma, come!” Chloe calls from the front of the house as she taps on the door. With the childproof lock on the knob, she’s not able to turn it, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t try anyways.
It’s become part of our morning routine and I swear the little girl is in love with the outdoors. Most days in Silverspur Springs are flooded with sunshine and warmer temperatures this time of year. After breakfast, we go outside to look at the birds and the flowers while I finish my morning coffee. The tender moments with my daughter tug at my heartstrings.
A chuckle escapes me and I shake my head. I walk over to her, finding her trying her hardest to unlock the door. “Let me get it, Clo,” I laugh quietly and gently remove her hands from the knob. She falls back onto her flat feet and clasps her hands in front of her chest as she waits.
I unlock the door, turn the knob, and pull it open. She doesn’t hesitate to push the screen door and she takes off running across the front porch to the stairs. She takes the steps, two feet at a time, holding on tightly to the railing as she safely makes her descent. Watching her do it makes me nervous every time, but she’s been adamant on having her independence.
She wants to do everything by herself and as much as I love seeing my daughter grow, I would love for time to slow down a bit.
The wood floorboards creak beneath my feet and I let the door close behind me. I’m about to step down onto the first step when something catches my eye off to the right. On top of the small table by two wooden chairs is a brown paper bag with handles.
My eyebrows pull together and I eye it suspiciously. There’s no branding or label on the outside. My heart picks up the pace in my chest, anxiety licking my veins. I swallow hard and glance back out to Chloe. She’s crouched down in the front yard looking at a small patch of weeds that are disguised as flowers.
I look back at the bag and hesitantly walk over to investigate. I’m not sure what it could possibly be but the paranoid instincts in my brain always have a way of circling back to Jacob.
Gently grasping the sides of the bag, I pull them open, leaning over to see what’s inside. The air leaves my lungs in a rush, the same moment confusion and excitement washes over me. It’s nothing threatening, nothing that could be a danger to Chloe or I.
It’s a bag full of art supplies.
My throat constricts.Who left these here?I lift the various paints from inside, my eyes widening as I inspect the bottles. There’s at least a dozen oil paints, a new set of brushes and a sleeve of chocolates from France. Emotion washes over me, the corners of my eyes burning and I rapidly blink away the tears.
As I begin to set the items back into the bag, I notice a small envelope inside. Leaving the paints and brushes, I pull it out and read my name written across the front of the white paper. I slowly open it, my heart crawling into my throat as I find a small card inside.
On the outside, there are a few decorative swirls and inside there’s a handwritten note.
El,
The world deserves to cherish and appreciate art like yours.
