Then, there was the classroom space: a large room with countless shelves of art supplies, huge windows letting in loads of natural light, and tables and stools for anyone coming in.
The last space was mine and mine alone. I’d painted the door bright blue and it remained locked. Everyone in my life knew that space was completely off-limits and to even think about stepping foot inside was against the rules.
Behind that blue door was a place that was full of magic. Skylights filled it with natural light. Stacks of canvases leaned against the walls. Half of them were landscapes or still-life studies, and the other half?
All my kinky paintings I needed to keep hidden from prying eyes. The last thing I needed was for Whynot to discover their small town darling was a thirsty, depraved harlot.
My studio wasmysafe-haven. Hopefully, I’d get to lock myself in there later tonight.
A knock echoed through the studio.
“Fuck. Of course they’re here already.” I plastered on a smile as I rushed to the front door.
Ugh. Myfavoritestudent.
Ms. Carlson’s wrinkly face glowered on the other side of the glass. She radiated that scary math teacher energy like it was nuclear waste. “Oh there she is. She made it, everyone,” she announced.
Great.I unlocked the door and smiled bigger. “Good morning. Ready for class?”
The little old bat pinched her lips. “You’re late, little lady.”
I glanced at my phone. “Only by two minutes, Ms. Carlson.”
“And you’re blue.”
“I am, thank you. How about you go inside and grab your favorite seat before anyone else? Would hate for you to end up at a different table this week.”
I held the door open for her as she grumbled past me, beelining for the classroom. A few other familiar faces followed. Chuck and Grace, an older couple who argued like it was their love language. Whynot’s version of the Golden Girls—Caroline, Betty, Lola, and Esmeralda. Tex, an eighty-four-year-old retired cowboy who liked to paint bluebonnets, even if that wasn’t the subject we were working on.
One more figure loomed at the back of the little crowd that was unlike the others.
Holy shit.
“Well, I’ll be damned.” I planted my hands on my hips. “If it isn’t Levi Rayburn.”
It’d been at least a decade since I’d seen him, but I’d know that handsome face anywhere. Levi stood on the sidewalk looking completely out of place in my world. He was a solid foot taller than me with shoulders wider than a linebacker, biceps for days, and a slightly softer belly. His flaxen hair was pushed back, his beard glinting in the sunlight against his sharp jaw. He wore dark jeans, sunglasses, cowboy boots, and a shirt that was doing the lord’s work.
Levi was my first crush. It was embarrassing, especially now. But, living between here and Minnesota worked in his favor in more ways than one. He’d gone off to be a big shot in the hockey world, and had come back looking like a rugged sports model.
Levi raised a thick brow and regarded me with a coolness that made my heart skip a beat.
I had the right guy, right? I knew that face anywhere.Hell, I’d dreamed about kissing that face.
“Do I know you?”
Jesus, there went every shred of my ego. Someone needed to run me over.
“Oh. Uh . . . I’m Avery. Avery Whynot.”
“Oh.” His posture relaxed slightly, but his muscles were still rigid. “Right. Austin’s little sister.”
Of course. That’s the only thing anyone ever knew me by. Every guy in this damn town treated me like a rattlesnake out of fear of looking atAustin’s little sisterthe wrong way.
“I’m more than that,” I said tightly.
“Right. You’re . . . blue.”
I crossed my arms. My temper flared. “And you look like you got your tan from a salon. Did running off to the big league knock your fucking manners from you?”
