Silence spreads over the room. Everyone just stares. They study it, wonder in their eyes, taking in every miniscule detail and inch of the canvas. I risk a glance at Boston, who is staring at me with as much bewilderment as the room stares at the painting.
“Oh my god,” Declan says quietly.
Penny presses her hands to her chest, emotion flooding her face.
“It’s beautiful,” Tiff whispers.
“That’s us,” Avery says with a little nod, wiping a tear with the pads of her fingers. “That’s the crew.”
The silence stretches on and their eyes stay glued to the frame. I focus on them as they focus it, relief sprouting the longer they remain entrapped by it. That’s a good sign, right?They’re drinking it in. They’re falling in love with it the same way I had when I first saw the finished product.
“Thank you,” Penny says, her voice barely a whisper. Her eyes lift to mine—glazed with tears. “This is priceless, Ari.Thank you.”
Carter looks from the painting to me, a proud smile on his face. He offers a little wink. When I’d asked for his opinion, he assured me they would love it.
“You’re welcome,” I say, trying to keep my own composure. “I hope it’s something that brings you joy for a very long time.”
“It will be,” Wyatt says with a nod. “It’s incredible.”
I smile a bit more assuredly, feeling Boston’s supportive hand on my back.
“I vote it goes in the main bathroom so all our guests have to stare at us when they take a shit,” EJ says, raising his hand in the air.
Lau snorts, rolling her eyes as she wipes them free of tears with her sleeve.
Declan glances at Penny, a soft smile on his mouth. She looks his way, her hand reaching for his. She sweeps her thumb over the tattoo on his wrist.
“I say in the hallway upstairs,” Tiff suggests. “It would look nice between the light fixtures.”
“I agree with that,” Lau says.
“I vote for right there,” Wyatt interjects, pointing to the spot behind my head. The big, stone fireplace mantel, with a space I designed specifically to hold this very frame. I wasn’t going to force them to put it there, but in my professional opinion, that’s where it should go. “Right in the heart of the house.”
The crew stares at the spot, and Boston and I slide out of the way. Without hesitation, Boston takes the frame from me and walks to the mantel, reaching up to place it on the ledge. He steps back, wrapping his arms around me from behind.
We all gaze up at it.
The quiet spreads again. Tiff and Lau melt into each other. Avery smiles through so many tears that it makes my heart ache, though it’s probably a side effect of her pregnancy more than anything.
Wyatt nods adamantly, like that’s theonlyplace the picture would make sense.
He’s right. Good eye.
“Knocked it out of the park,” Boston whispers quietly in my ear. I slide my hands along his, glancing up at him. “I’m proud of you.”
I lean against him. “I love you.”
He kisses me as softly as a whisper. “I love you more.”
“Oh my god!” Penny screams. I jump in Boston’s arms, and everyone in the room freezes. She rushes from the couch, standing on her tiptoes to see the painting.
I grin, realizing what she’s just noticed.
She whirls around, eyes round as she looks at her husband. She points to the corner of the porch, where three dogs sit behind the railings, a little something special that I had added to the original photo for the two people who hired me. “Our kids!”
Declan smiles wide, eyes flickering to me. “What’s the warranty like on that thing?”
“You want to return it?”
