Page 138 of Beautiful Exile

“No need to,” the man said. “Just like there’s no need for you to shove it down our throats.”

Quentin huffed out a haughty breath and turned to Arden. “I’ll speak to you when you’re not among such unsavory company.”

He turned and stalked away before Arden could answer, but Benny yelled after him. “She likes her unsavory company. Savory sucks.”

Arden covered her mouth to stifle her giggle.

Benny turned back to us. “What’s unsavory anyway?”

She crouched down to give him a quick hug. “My favorite thing.”

He grinned up at her as he rose. “Iknewit.”

A man who was the spitting image of Benny, just a few decades older, approached. “Benny, we talked about some thoughts staying inside.” He glanced at all of us. “I’m so sorry.”

I grinned. “Your kid is awesome.”

The man chuckled. “Thank you. I think so most of the time, too. But right now, he’s going to come get a snack with me.”

Benny looked up at me, his eyes narrowing. “Just because you think I’m awesome doesn’t mean you get a pass.” He made a motion of pointing two fingers to his eyes and then at me. “I’m watching you.”

“Benny,” his father hissed, pulling him away.

We all burst out laughing as Arden melted further into me. “Benny, my hero.”

“Hey,” I whispered. “What about me?”

“You’re always my hero,” she said, brushing her lips across mine.

“Five thousand dollars.Do I hear six?” the auctioneer called from the small makeshift stage as he gestured to the large watercolor Hannah had done. “Going once, going twice, sold to the gentleman in the back with the admirable cowboy hat.”

I glanced over to see my new friend, Howard, dipping his head in acceptance of his win. As I turned back toward the stage, it was to find Arden glaring at me. I couldn’t help it, I smiled.

“She is going to kill you in your sleep,” Kye muttered next to me.

I only grinned wider. “It’ll be worth it.”

“You’re not wrong,” Cope said, amusement lacing his words. “I really want to see that Quentin dude’s head explode.”

I’d purchased every single piece of Arden’s artwork that had come up for sale. Quentin had run up the bids, but I didn’t care. Itwas for a good cause. But the truth was, I couldn’t stand the idea of him having any piece of Arden.

“Our final piece of the night.Bleed to Bloomby Arden Waverly,” the auctioneer called as the crowd quieted. He pointed at the large canvas Arden had been working on the first time I’d walked into her studio. The one that had spoken to me from the moment I set eyes on it.

“He’s glaring murdery daggers at you,” Rhodes singsonged.

“Want me to use that new jujitsu move Kye taught me on him?” Lolli asked, her hands raising in some sort of made-up martial arts move.

“Oh, Jesus,” Kye said under his breath. “You promised you’d never do that in public.”

Lolli squeezed one of her biceps. “I know these guns are lethal, but that douche canoe deserves it.”

“Mom,” Nora whisper-hissed, pulling out the moniker she seemed to only use when she was really trying to rein Lolli in.

“Oh, all right, but you lot are always ruining my fun.”

“Or trying to keep her from a permanent record,” Trace muttered, squeezing the bridge of his nose.

“Let’s begin the bidding at one thousand dollars,” the auctioneer cut in. “Do I hear one thousand?”

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