“But that’s not what drives her.”
“Obviously. She gets a lot of satisfaction from her work,” Jason said. “And so do I.”
“Listen, you have to do this the right way. Get her a ring. Buy a house here. Whatever it takes. Prove to her that taking a risk on you will not end with a broken heart. Promise her you’ll spend the majority of your time here.”
“But can I really do that? Because I don’t know if I can spend a majority of my time here. The show shoots four months of next year. And then, hopefully, I’ll have another movie.”
“There are weeks between shoots. Movies wrap in six weeks for the most part. You can be here when you’re not working.”
“And she’s just here without me during those times?”
“Unless she wants to go with you,” Roan said. “All you can do is try.”
“Buy a house, huh? And a ring? Then it’s all miraculously solved?”
“Yep.”
“You know it’s not that simple,” Jason said.
“You know what isn’t simple? Finding the person you feel like you can’t live without. Don’t waste this. Give it everything you have and, if she still says no, then you’ll have to accept it. But you’ll know you tried as hard as you could.”
“Yeah, okay. So how do I find a house in the next two weeks?”
“Actually, I have an idea about that. What if you build one on our family property? Not far from Reese and me. That way, Mauve has us for when you’re away. She won’t be alone because she’ll have her family here. I have a friend who’s an architect. He could put something together for you to wrap in a box for a Christmas gift.”
“A house plan for Christmas?” Jason asked. Had his brother lost his mind?
“And a ring. Maybe a ring and the plan in the same box?”
Jason didn’t say anything, taking in his brother’s idea, weighing options and the likelihood that Mauve would agree to it. Was Roan right? Should he try?
Then, suddenly, he knew. He must try. He must convince her that they could build a life together without having to give up too much for the other. The question was—would she agree?
12
MAUVE
Mauve was at her kitchen table wrapping the book she bought for Ollie’s Christmas gift when she heard a car pull into her driveway. She glanced at the clock on her microwave. It was only a little after six. Jason had texted to say he’d be closer to seven. Was he early or was it a package arriving? The doorbell rang as she headed out of the kitchen and across the living room. She smiled as she opened it, fully expecting Jason.
It was not Jason. It was her mother.
She blinked to make sure she was seeing correctly. “Mom?”
“I’m sorry. I should’ve called. But I was working up the courage until the very last minute.”
Cynthia Callahan wore an expensive looking cream wool coat, with a soft cashmere scarf tied around her throat. She looked like she’d just stepped out of a salon. Her light hair was highlighted with bright lemony tones and cut in a stylish bob. And she had on flattering makeup. She looked twenty years younger than the last time Mauve had seen her.
Mauve stepped back, gesturing for her to come inside. “It’s cold. Come in. And it’s fine. I’m just shocked.”
Cynthia shrugged out of that gorgeous coat to reveal a pair of perfectly draped black slacks and a pink sweater. As Mauvetook the coat from her to hang in the closet, she noticed her mother’s hands. Manicured. Tips perhaps, with pink polish that matched her sweater. But that wasn’t the most remarkable thing, although her mother getting a professional manicure was definitely “remarkable.” It was her left hand. Bare. No wedding ring.
What was going on?
“Mom, where’s dad?”
“As far as I know, he’s sitting in his stupid chair watching football.”
Stupid? Mauve had never heard her mother say anything of the sort. She never criticized anyone, especially not her husband.
