Page 8 of Forgetting Rafe Thomas
“Not really, but I highly doubt it’s as exciting as putting out fires. It’s still cool though.” He chuckles when I swat his hand away from a very old, very rare, very expensive book.
“Hands back in your pockets, Thomas,” I scold. His sheepish grin means I’m going to repeat that phrase a dozen times this morning. I roll my eyes. “Firefighting is cool. And you get to work with your brother.” I shrug and push through the door into the main gallery where I spend a few minutes showing him my new exhibit before Natasha arrives.
“Morning, Luna,” she says, then her eyes land on Mav. She squints and glances at me. She’s never met Rafe in person, but she has seen pictures. They resemble, but it’s clear he’s too young to be Rafe. Enter her confusion.
“Morning, Nat. Mav, this is my dear friend and co-worker, Natasha. Natasha, Maverick Thomas, the annoying little brother I always wanted but never got…sort of.”
Mav side-eyes me and shakes Natasha’s hand. “Nice to meet you.”
“You too,” Natasha says, slowly shaking his hand while her eyes are on me.
“Uh, I need to have a quick meeting with Nat. You can wander around for a while as long as you promise not to touch anything.”
He gives me a noncommittal shrug and darts toward the art exhibit across the corridor from my pottery exhibit. The museum isn’t open yet, and since it’s a weekday, it’s not likely anyone will traipse in until closer to lunch. I’ve got some time to get a little cataloging done while he explores. It also gives me time to think, which I really need to do since there’s no doubt Mav will want to know what I plan to do before he heads out. Oh, and then there is Natasha, who is still staring at me like I’ve grown an extra limb.
“Who’s the cutie?” Natasha asks when I plop in an empty visitor bench.
“I told you. He’s Maverick Thomas, the youngest of the Thomas boys, and the guy who met me at my car this morning to petition my good heart on Rafe’s behalf.” I swipe my forehead but it’s not sweaty. I’m just lightheaded, clammy-skinned, and faint over something that hasn’t happened yet.
Natasha leans in close, eyes glued to Mav, who is enthralled with a painting.“Firstof all, you didn’t tell me the Thomas brothers werethatattractive,” she whispers. “If all ten look like that, then you have done me dirty by keeping it to yourself all this time.”
“Down girl, he’s only nineteen.” I roll my eyes. There wasn’t a day that went by in high school thatsomeonedidn’t ask me to set them up with one of the Thomas boys. For some reason, all the girls saw me as their in, their way to get to the brothers if they could only convince me to be their friend and put in a good word for them.
No thank you. I was not playing the part of the Thomas boys’ personal cupid.
“Oh, stop. I wasnotimplying that I’m interested. He’s a cutie but too young for me. But he does have older brothers…nine, I believe you said? Subtract Rafe and that leaves me eight.”
“Nope. Two are married, and two are seriously committed and on their way to marriage.”
“Drat.” Natasha snaps her fingers. “Thatdoesreduce the possibility, but that still leaves four if my math serves.”
I chuckle and realize of all the people I’ve known in my life, Natasha might be theonlyperson I’d be willing to introduce to the elder brothers. “Maybe sometime, but for now I need my best friend to help me figure out what to do. Mav said Rafe is planning something big to try to win me back, and IthinkI want him, too, but…I don’t know, what if my feelings are gone? Orwhat if they aren’t what I think they are? What if I just miss what was familiar and—”
“Girl, stop.” In a blink, Natasha is in focus and zeroed in on my problem. “Luna, if you love him, then you need to stop acting like he should read your mind. You’re either all in or all out, but you need to decide right now and be done. If he’s willing to do some grand gesture, something big enough his brother would come here to feel you out, then the man still loves you.”
“I don’t know that he ever stopped. That was never the problem.”
She sighs and pinches the bridge of her nose. “You know, some people would kill for a lasting love like that. I get it. He did annoying things, but if you think marriage will be some walk in the park if only he would learn to speak better, then you’re a fool and probably don’t deserve the happiness true love brings into your life.”
I arch my eyebrows as my eyes go wider with each word. “Wow, tell me how you really feel.”
“Look, I’m sorry, but someone has to tell you that you’re being a little selfish here. I love you, and I want you to be happy. I truly think that begins with clearing the air with your ex-boyfriend, figuring out if what you had can be saved, andthen,my sweet friend whom I dearly care for, you need to decide whether you can live with the fact that you have a man who desperately loves you but is awful at communication.”
I swallow and glance at Mav, who has moved on to another painting. “I’m in.”
Natasha tugs my chin and forces me to look at her. “If that’s true, then go over there and tell that poor guy that his brother’s heart is safe, then figure out your next step because I have a feeling you’re in for a whirlwind, my friend.”
For the first time in my life, I ignore my fear. I pray. And I try not to let anything but God’s plan for me guide my next step.Deep down, I know what it is. He has been leading me all this time, and I’ve been fighting Him every step of the way. God sent my perfect match years ago, and the truth is, Natasha is probably right. I didn’t fight for Rafe either, and in that sense, I let him down too. I should have made sure he saw me, heard me, and understood what I needed from him, then maybe asked if there was something he was lacking from me that made it so hard for him to see those things.
I nod and release a breath, working to ease my tossing stomach. “Yeah. I need to do this. I’m going to put you in charge of the exhibit while—”
“Wait, whoa. What? Luna, I’m not suggesting you go right now. You don’t even know what he’s planned and this exhibit—”
I grab her waving hands. “You can do it. It’s almost done, and I have full faith that my most trusted assistant can hold down the fort while I go back home for a couple of days.”
“We don’t even have all the pieces!”
“I sorted that all out yesterday. It’ll be in the late shipment today, and I know you will get it done in a timely manner. Hey, you are the one that said I need to take care of this.”
