Page 66 of If You Never Come Back
I lean back to look up at him. “This space is just as much yours as it is mine, Wes. I don’t want it unless you’re a part of it too.”
He beams down at me. “I’d love that.”
Tightening my arms around him, I cuddle my face to his chest. He rests his head on top of mine.
I glance at the empty space in front of me. “We’re moving pretty fast, don’t you think? Boyfriend and girlfriend as of last night, and then business partners as of two minutes ago?”
Above me, there’s a low chuckle. “We move fast for sure. But we’ve got months to make up for and a gallery to get showroom-ready. Tell me how I can make this the space of your dreams.”
“It already is.” I lean back and gaze up at him. “Because you’re here.”
He beams down at me before leading me in another kiss that leaves me panting. I pull away from him to stroll around the space and walk around, taking it all in.
I stop in the center of the room, turn back to him, and promptly fail to reign in the wicked grin on my face. “I have a lot of ideas for this building, actually.”
I shrug off my jacket and unbutton my blouse. Wes’s eyes bulge, then the naughtiest smirk spreads across his face.
“But we should christen the space as ours first. Don’t you think?”
Epilogue
4 Months Later
“You did it, cuz!” Remy pulls me into a hug, then holds me by the shoulders while beaming at me. “I’m so, so proud of you!”
He squeezes me tighter and I can’t help but smile, even though I can barely breathe.
“Thank you,” I say before scanning the room, which is bustling with friends, relatives, and prospective buyers.
It’s my first art show in the gallery, and I couldn’t be happier. After Wes and I christened the space, we must have been on some new-found post-orgasm high and because we set the opening date for just four months later. That gave us barely enough time to tackle everything: finishing the floors, adding track lighting to the ceiling, and painting the walls the perfect neutral shade.
Every time I gaze around the room, I lose my breath. Twenty-five framed paintings and sketches adorn this space. And every time I blink, I can barely believe it. We actually pulled it off.
Thanks to a killer social media campaign, it’s not just family and friends at my opening. There are dozens of strange faces making the rounds in the room, staring at my artwork. It’s only been an hour into the showing and already I’ve sold a dozen pieces. I check my watch. Just over two hours left. I smile to myself. I think I have a damn good chance of selling out.
Colin strolls over clad in a suit. “Good news, Shay. That guy with the gray beard just bought your last watercolor cityscape.”
I high-five him. “Would you mind putting one of those red dot stickers over the price tag to show that it’s sold?”
He flashes a thumbs-up before walking to the painting. Not only has Colin been chatting up my artwork to anyone within earshot this evening, but he also saved us by doing all of the track light installations for free.
He makes his way back over before checking the time on his phone for the millionth time this evening.
“She’s running late?” I ask.
Colin frowns. “As usual.”
I pat his shoulder. “Her schedule is nuts. She’ll be here though, I promise.”
Colin nods.
It’s been a handful of months since Colin and Mari started dating, and I couldn’t be happier for them. One issue they’ve been struggling with, though, is making time to see each other. Mari’s schedule is impossibly busy as she’s constantly traveling and performing. But the fact that she bought a house on the outskirts of Bend is a sign that she’s taking her relationship with Colin seriously.
Remy points his drink at Colin. “You’re dating a jet-setting celeb, man. You knew the drill when you signed up for it.”
I frown at Remy, hoping he heeds my silent warning to shut it.
“I’m well aware, Remy,” Colin says.
