Page 60 of Dearest Protector

“She does,” I agreed. “She’s about the only one who doesn’t see how unique her talent really is.”

“Her sales should convince her,” my mother said firmly. “I wanted a few of her prints myself, but they were sold out when I went to her site.”

I smirked. “I have plenty of the originals hanging in my house. One of a kind pieces that no one else will ever own.”

“Smart boy,” she teased as she patted my shoulder affectionately. “You know a good investment when you see one.”

I knew she was teasing me, and that she understood the sentimental value of those pieces to me, but she was probably right. Considering how fast Ariel’s work was selling, those pieces she’d gifted me would be worth a substantial amount of money in the not so distant future.

I shook my head. “She just…gave them to me, Mom. Any originals I wanted, and she’ll never sell any prints of them in the future. That’s Ariel. That’s just her nature. She’ll just hand them over because I’m her friend and she cares about me.”

My mother let go of an elegant snort. “How does that feel? I doubt you’re used to anyone giving you anything for free. Especially not something that may very well be even more valuable in the future. Her work is already raising a lot of eyebrows in some serious art communities and establishments.”

Since my mother was a lover of a wide variety of art, I wasn’t surprised that she already knew how well things were going for Ariel.

I shrugged and thought about her words for a moment. “It was actually pretty humbling,” I finally answered honestly. “I’ve helped her in some small ways that she thinks are monumental, but she’s helped me, too. And having her just hand over her art like it was nothing was a little mind-blowing.”

“It sounds like you two are very much alike,” she contemplated.

“We’re not,” I insisted. “She’s willing to give a lot more than I am.”

Hell, I didn’t want my mother to think I was a saint in this situation. She’d be extremely disappointed if she found out the real truth.

She shot me a dubious look before she said, “She might be confused right now, but I think she knows a good man when she sees one.”

I wanted to tell her that if I was really a good man, I would have been as honest with Ariel as she’d always been with me, but I didn’t.

“It’s…complicated,” I stated flatly.

“Most worthwhile relationships are, Ben,” she commiserated without asking any additional questions that she probably knew I wouldn’t answer. “Don’t forget that I’m here if you want to talk, and I’d very much like to visit Ariel while she’s recovering to see if I can do anything to help.”

“I’m sure she’d like that,” I said truthfully. “Her own mother wasn’t exactly warm and fuzzy, and her childhood sucked.”

“I hate knowing that she didn’t feel loved,” Mom said with regret in her tone. “A child should always know they’re loved unconditionally.”

“Agreed,” I said as I took her hand gently in my own. “I’ve probably never thanked you enough for being a mother who loved her sons no matter what.”

It was so damn easy to take a parent who loved unconditionally for granted.

Probably because Ian and I had never known anything but loving parents who had always supported us.

Her eyes lit up as she smiled at me, and I couldn’t help but grin back at her.

My mother was a beautiful woman who had aged well and gracefully, but her true appeal was that genuine, generous smile and her emotional strength.

She’d been there for me and Ian.

Always.

Even when we’d made mistakes.

“You were always there for me, too, Ben,” she reminded me sternly. “And it’s my job to worry about my boys, even though they’re all grown up and they’re very capable of taking care of themselves. Although I do wish Ian would get on with it and ask Katie to marry him. She’s young, and I’m not asking for grandchildrenright now, but it would be nice to know that’s going to happen in the future.”

“You just want to help Katie plan her wedding,” I teased.

My mother would be ecstatic if she could help Katie seal the deal with Ian, and not just because she wanted grandkids.

She adored Katie, and I was pretty sure she just wanted to make sure that she’d never lose her.

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