Page 70 of The Sting of Love
“Me?” I say pointing to myself. I have no idea what it could be.
“Yeah. When Donny first asked me to look after you I didn’t know what to do. I got this as an ice breaker. It seems like the right time to give it to you.”
I take it and I find myself grinning ear to ear when I see what’s inside. It’s a canvas and an oil paint set with some of the brushes I love using. Those brushes alone cost a pretty penny.
“Oh my gosh,” I gasp and hug him to his surprise. “Thank you so much.”
I’m surprised too because I didn’t realize how much I missed being able to paint. I’ve had so much on my mind that I’d pushed it to the back.
He laughs when I release him and taps my cheek. “Bella, if I had known I could have calmed you like this I would have brought this out a long time ago.”
I smile at him. “This is perfect. It’s the right time. I’m happy to get it now.”
“Good, that makes me happy.” He looks back to the pictures on the wall and smiles. “I took those pictures.”
“They’re beautiful.”
“Thank you. I’m no photographer but Evelyn had this way about her when she was here that just made me want to capture it.”
I love listening to him talk about his wife. Again I wonder how she died. “I see what you mean. I like that one.” I point to the picture I was admiring earlier.
He grins and nods. “That is my favorite too. I took that on our eighteenth wedding anniversary.”
“Wow.”
“We used to come here every summer with our kids. It was a house we stayed in when I had business in these parts. Then it became our holiday home. Donny loved it as much as his mother did. So I gave it to him and I gave him those pictures too. I had enough of them to spare. They seemed to suit the place.”
“I love it.”
“Good, well I’m pretty certain there’s something we can use for an easel of sorts so maybe you can paint on the beach if you’d like. You can see the better parts of the beach.” He quirks a brow. “The parts that you’re meant to enjoy.”
I bite the inside of my lip. “I’d love that.”
“Head out and I’ll make us some lemonade. We’ll have a nice big lunch today I think.”
“That sounds great. I’d like to help.”
“We can cook together then. It’ll be beef lasagna.”
“Thanks. That sounds delicious.”
“Go on now, let’s enjoy the weather while it’s like this.” He points outside and gives me a smile.
“Okay.”
He gives me a reassuring smile as I go.
I can see he’s trying to distract me and calm me down all at the same time. I’m also sure too that he must know the situation between me and Donny. It hasn’t escaped me that Donny seems to really trust his father. Since we’ve been here it’s just been us. I’m almost certain he would have spoken to his father about us. So maybe Armand’s trying to make me feel better about that too.
Whatever it is, it’s a distraction for me. I wish that I could just think about getting back to my life, but I can’t do that so easily.
I thought I was in love when I was with William. Having met Donny in this short space of time I know now that whatever I felt for William was nothing.
Chapter Twenty-One
Donny
Alex looks me over with concern as I park up by the side of the cave. I got my bike today. It’s faster and will get me out of trouble much quicker than my car.
