Page 62 of Forever Never
She gave another little jolt, jerking her broken arm. Her fingers found his hand on her leg and squeezed.
The intimacy of the moment, of watching her be completely vulnerable and still gravitate toward him, took his breath away.
At least until his brother’s snore startled him out of his reverie. Spencer was sprawled in the recliner, sleeping soundly. Brick wondered if his brother had ever met anyone in his life who’d caused insomnia. They were close, but they tended not to talk about serious things.
Sports? Yes. Hot wings? Absolutely. Relationships? That was a hard no.
His brother had seemed almost stunned when Brick told him he was engaged to Audrey.
“I didn’t even know you two were dating,” he’d said.
Granted, it had been a fast courtship. But still, what did it say about him as a brother that he hadn’t even told Spencer he was dating his old high school friend? He needed to be a better brother. Needed to make more of an effort with Spence the man. Just because he was an adult now didn’t mean Brick should allow their relationship to just fizzle. They were all they had in terms of family. That alone was worth preserving.
Something stirred at the opposite end of the couch. Magnus uncurled from a cocoon of quilt at Remi’s feet and yawned mightily before stalking down the cushions to stab Brick in the arm.
It was time for the furry hellion’s breakfast apparently.
Carefully and with an uncomfortable amount of regret, Brick removed his hand from Remi’s leg. He dragged himself to standing, wincing at the twinges from his back and hips. Thirty-eight was too fucking old to spend a night on the floor.
He adjusted the blanket over Remi, tucking it in around her. Then, because he was half-asleep, let his knuckles graze her cheek.
The cat clawed his leg through his pants and gave a plaintive meow.
“Don’t be an asshole. It’ll just make me feed you slower.”
* * *
The Tiki Tavernwas enjoying a bustling lunch hour thanks to sunny skies and temperatures that crept up to flirt with the low thirties.
Dressed and ready for his shift as part of Mackinac’s finest, Brick had stopped in to confirm the bar’s supply order and grab a sandwich. He’d left Remi and Spencer still sleeping in the living room.
He took a bite of smoky pulled pork and hit submit on the order. Considering his exercise in self-control complete, he called up a search engine and glanced around to make sure no one had a straight line of sight on his laptop screen before typing “Alessandra Ballard” into the online search.
The kaiser roll lodged uncomfortably in his throat when the first picture came up.
Remi—or rather Alessandra—stared back at him from eyes that looked bigger, more dangerous. She was wearing a low-cut evening gown the exact color of those eyes. Her hair was left long in loose russet curls and swept away from her face. As if the cut of the dress wasn’t arresting enough, she wore a chunky pendant that dangled in her cleavage. She looked like she’d just stepped off the page of some fairy tale, a knowing kind of smile tugging at red, red lips.
Synesthetic artist Alessandra Ballard poses in front of her untitled piece inspired by Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata.”
It was stunning.Shewas stunning.
Ignoring the recent headlines predicting rehab and jail time for the “fallen art star,” he clicked through more pictures and watched Remi’s secret life unfold before him. Cocktail parties. Magazine interviews. Gallery openings. Secret smiles and smoky eyes. She was a beautiful person surrounded by other beautiful people.
He felt like he was staring at a stranger. The Remi he knew burst into a room with her hair a mess and a hundred words on the tip of her tongue. The woman before him was something…someone else.
He kept scrolling, headlines and pictures competing for attention.
Winthrope Gallery owner sings Ballard’s praises
Impressive debut by synesthetic painter
Is Alessandra Ballard in rehab?
Alessandra Ballard sells out first show
Ballard’s post-accident disappearance screams guilty
There she was on the arm of a dignified blonde woman, looking like she was on the prowl for trouble.
