Page 66 of Auction Time
But no redder and brighter than mine.
She backed away but first glanced at me, and there was a sparkle in her eyes.
Cole turned to me when she closed the door. “I’m so sorry, Vanessa. I wasn’t expecting her.”
“No, it’s me. I should have left earlier.” Because I had work.
I should have left at least an hour ago, so this was totally my bad.
“No, don’t be ridiculous. It’s not likeyoukept you here.”
“I’ll just go.” I gathered the blanket around me and moved over to the sofa to get his shirt I’d worn down here last night, but he stopped me. He tugged on my arm and pulled me back to him.
“No… I know this is weird, but stay. You could meet her, properly.” There was a flame of admiration in his eyes that reached out to me. All this time, and he’d met my family many times, but mainly because he kind of already knew them.
It was a bigger deal for me to meet his mother.
“Are you sure? I feel so bad. God, what must she think of me?” I brought my hands up to my cheeks and winced again.
He chuckled. “It doesn’t matter. I want you to meet her.” He nodded.
“Okay. I’ll go grab my actual clothes and come back down.”
His face brightened, and hope sparked within me. This was a big deal, and I hoped it meant something. He wanted his mother to know me, so that had to mean something, right?
* * *
I got dressed, albeit in last night’s clothes minus my accessories.
It was a little skater style dress that could pass for casual, but a closer look at the silk fabric definitely gave it away as something more suited to an evening dinner or celebration like my sister’s engagement party, which I’d escaped from with the man of my dreams.
When I got downstairs, Cole was already in the kitchen with his mother.
She was holding a mug of coffee and laughing at something he’d said. He was dressed too, in a long-sleeved T-shirt and Levi’s. He had that messy bedhead look I loved.
They looked at me, and Patricia’s cheeks tickled pink. He looked like her. They had the same face, warm brown eyes, and sandy blond hair color.
“Hi,” I said super nervously.
She set her mug down and walked over to me, hand outstretched to shake mine.
“Hi.” She smiled.
I shook her hand. “Sorry about earlier.” I was going to elaborate but thought I’d leave it at that.
“It’s fine. I was young once too.” She nodded. “It’s good to meet you in real life after a forever of seeing your paintings and drawings.”
My eyes snapped open with sheer surprise. Cole had said painting was something he shared with his mother, but I hadn’t realized that he’d shown her the paintings and drawings of me. It was silly to assume that since it wasn’t like they were hidden away in his gallery. He’d had them on display.
“Oh, you saw those.” I glanced at Cole.
“Right from the first one. It’s a battle and a half to get your fourteen-year-old son to tell you the name of his mystery fairy girl,” she bubbled.
Fourteen.
I looked to Cole again, who’d rolled his eyes at her. “Mom, please, no embarrassing stories.”
“Are you kidding? I’m supposed to do this, and she’s here, so I am,” Patricia snapped back with a melodious laugh. She returned her gaze to me, and her eyes lit up with mischief, reminding me a lot of Cole. “I hope you’re here for a while. I have a lot of stories.”
