He snorted as he followed me to the canvas. “I can’t paint to save my life, Blue . . .”
Mateo trailed off as he stood behind me. My muscles tensed as I realized I was letting him see something unfinished. Not only unfinished, but a painting with him in it. What if he hated it? What if he thought it was bad?
“This is amazing,” he whispered. “Baby, you’re so talented. I don’t say it enough. I could stare at your art all day and night and never grow tired of it. I want to always be surrounded by it.”
I breathed out and smiled as his arms slid around me. I leaned back against him, aware that the door was open. Knowing that it wasn’t some odd hour of the night where we could openly love each other.
A little weight lifted off my shoulders as we continued to study the painting.
“Something is missing from it,” I sighed. “I’m not sure what.”
“Would you like my thoughts?”
I considered it for a moment, then nodded. “Gently.”
He pressed another kiss to the top of my head. “It’s missing you, Blue. The three of us are supposed to be together.”
My chest squeezed.
He was right.
“I want him to stay,” I whispered.
“I do too.”
“I don’t know what we’ll do without him.”
“I don’t either.”
“I’m not going anywhere, though.”
“I’m not either. I know we’re in this together, Avery. I just . . .”
Want him too.We both wanted him. Without him, I wasn’t sure what life would look like. The ache in my chest was the same sort of pain I’d feel if Mateo left. Equally sharp and, if anything,worsebecause I wasn’t sure I’d ever see Levi again once he flew back to Minnesota.
Mateo pressed his face against the top of my head, his arms tightening around me. I dropped my palette and paintbrush on the stool and turned around to face him, pressing my face against his chest and breathing him in. Soaking up his comfort.
“It’s going to be okay,” he whispered.
“Will it be?”
“I hope so.”
He tipped my chin up and cupped my face. He leaned in, his lips brushing mine. I melted into him, fighting the tears. Fighting the little monster in my head that screamed it wasn’t enough. Whatever I was, I wasn’t enough to keep Levi here.
“What in the hell is going on?”
My heart dropped. Mateo immediately whipped back, the two of us spinning.
Austin.
In my studio.
Not just at the doorway, butin my fucking studio.
“What are you doing?” I asked quickly. “Get out of my studio! You know you’re not allowed in here.”
I watched my brother’s expression roll through a few different emotions. Shock, like he was looking at two ghosts. Betrayal, because we’d lied to his face. I’d lied to his face. Shock again as his eyes wandered around the room and then to the floor, where there were countless sketches of Levi and Mateo.
