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I’d do anything to get her back. I just hoped she didn’t throw up roadblocks.
She smiled tremulously. “I’m working my brain around the possibilities.”
“Marley Matthews is a force of nature. If she’s set her sights on you and your business, you’re going to have to hold on tight.”
Holly laughed, her shoulders lowering and her expression softening. “She is a force.”
“If she’s putting time into promoting your business, that means she believes in you. You need to start believing in yourself.”
Holly sobered. “I’m trying.”
“I’ll be right next to you to remind you.” I was pleased she didn’t say she didn’t need me doing it for her. It was a step in the right direction. I wanted to be her friend, her biggest supporter, and maybe she’d see me as something more. Only time would tell.
Our food arrived, and we ate. Holly raved about the food and her morning out. I’d do it a million times over if it made her this happy. When we were kids, I couldn’t afford to take her out to dinner. We’d get ice cream, watch a movie, and ice skate, but that was the extent of our dating.
I’d love to make that up to her now. I could afford to take her out and have fun. There were so many things I wanted to share with her.
We talked more about her designs, and when the check came, I insisted on paying. “It was my idea. And I couldn’t take you when we were kids. Let me make it up to you now.”
She smiled. “I’m not going to argue with you.”
I chuckled, realizing that everything with her felt like a hard-fought battle, but she was worth every bit of the work. I signed the receipt when it came and stood. “You ready to buy a kiln?”
Her nose scrunched. “We don’t know if I’ll be able to afford it.”
I held a finger over her lips to silence her. “None of that. Remember, keep your mind open to the possibilities.”
I meant that in every sense of the word, both professionally and personally. I wanted to open Holly’s mind to everything: our relationship and maybe even a future together.
Chapter 11
Holly
This morning was surreal. I couldn’t remember the last time I was in a relationship where a man showed up in the morning to take me to breakfast. I enjoyed sharing my ideas with Talon. My mom listened to me, but she didn’t get it. Not the way Talon did. He understood how important it was to make our creations real.
Now he was going one step further to help me track down a used kiln. No one else would have done that for me. When we talked about our work, I couldn’t help but think we were made for each other. And it was crazy to think we’d met in high school.
If only I hadn’t screwed everything up. Would we still be together? I tried not to let myself go down that track because it was filled with regret.
We walked down a side street, one I’d never explored before. Owen’s shop was in the basement of a historic building. We took the steps down, and Talon opened the heavy wooden door for me to precede him inside.
A man came around the counter. “Talon. Good to see you.”
They clasped hands, and Talon introduced me. “Owen, this is the woman I was telling you about, Holly Wallace. She’s looking for that kiln.”
“I have the one we talked about in the back.”
Owen led us through the maze of heavy-looking equipment covering the floor with smaller machinery on wood tables to a back room.
The kiln rested on a table. My heart picked up the pace as I moved closer.
“This one came in a few months ago. It belonged an elderly woman. When she died, her son brought it in because none of her children were artists.”
“I bet that broke her heart.”
“She’ll be happy to see it put to good use,” Talon said.
“Her son provided the tools you’ll need to get started, and everything is in great shape,” Owen said.
