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“Come on now, stop trying to take the conversation elsewhere.” He held out his hand. “Let me see what you’ve got.”
The book came to her chest and she squeezed it tightly in a bear hug. “I don’t know if I’m ready to share this part with anyone.”
“You promised.”
“No, I said I might.”
“Yeah, if I told you about my reasons for reading fantasy. Your turn.”
Harley seemed to hold her book even tighter. “And what if you think they’re dumb. I’m not willing to be laughed at right now.”
He sighed, emphasizing his hand still being held out to her by curling his fingers inward a few times. “I’m not going to laugh at you. Whatever you have in that book has got to be better than anything I could do. And I’m a big supporter of the arts.”
The skepticism in her eyes was almost too much. He thought for sure she would jump up at any moment, taking her book with her as she made her escape.
Finally, she pulled the book far enough away to stare at it. Her voice lowered, becoming almost somber. “I’ve never shown anyone my drawings before.”
“No one?”
She shook her head. “No one.”
Mason nearly rescinded his request. What she had in her hands was likely the biggest secret she kept from everyone. No wonder she was so nervous about sharing.
Harley adjusted her grip, then slowly held it out to him. “You promised you wouldn’t laugh.”
“I won’t,” he assured her, taking the book with reverence. Mason glanced up at her, watching her closely to make sure she didn’t want to take back her offering. His calloused fingers caught the edge of the hardbound cover and pulled it open. The first page didn’t have anything on it besides the manufacturer of the sketchbook.
Mason turned the page to find a haphazard sketch of a horse’s eye. It was simple and messy at the same time. The only bit of detail was in the reflection of the pupil. There, it appeared the horse looked at someone’s hand gripping a coiled rope.
His eyes darted up to meet hers, finding Harley staring at him. She blushed, then shifted in her seat before launching to her feet and pacing the room. Still, she didn’t speak, though it was clear she had a lot to say.
Mason turned the next page to find a full image of a horse’s head. From ear to nostril, no detail was left out. Even the texture of the hair had been included. He couldn’t bring himself to look away.
Tracing his finger along the image, he breathed a sigh.
“What?” she demanded.
He glanced up at her. “This one looks just like that horse your uncle rode.”
Her eyes darted to the image. “That’s because it is. I drew her before she became a big pain in my—” She flushed again. “Before she threw Vern out of the saddle.” She moved a step closer. “Do you really think there’s a resemblance?”
“Resemblance? I could tell just by looking at her.” Mason shook his head. “It’s uncanny.”
Harley plopped down right beside him, her leg bumping into his as she took the next page and flipped it. “What about this one? Do you recognize him?”
Mason chuckled. “You realize if you were to show these to anyone off the street in the city, they’d say all horses look the same.”
“But you’re not just some guy off the street.” She poked the paper with her finger. “What do you think?” Their eyes remained locked for far too long. All he could hear was the sound of his heart beating and Harley’s mildly labored breathing. She parted her lips slightly, and he could have sworn she leaned closer, but then something broke the spell and she blinked rapidly before tapping the book again. “What do you think?” she whispered.
He returned his focus to the book and then flipped through the pages before allowing the book to fall open on his lap. It opened to an image of a cowboy with a book open in his hands. He leaned against a tree trunk, so deep in the story he hadn’t even realized she’d picked him for a drawing subject.
Harley gasped, lunging for the book. It was his turn to play keep away. He turned his back to her and stared at the picture of himself. Harley had captured every nuance, from the way his hair hung over his ears to the dimple in his cheek when his jaw was tight.
“This is amazing,” Mason said.
“It is?”
“There aren’t any words to describe it.”
