Sal’s heart pounded.Their faces were so close that just a few inches closer, and their lips would meet.Memories of when their lips first touched flooded her mind.The electricity, the longing, and the hunger rose again.She had to stop herself.“Harmon,” she whispered.“That kiss was an…accident.”
“No, it wasn’t, Sal.Not to me,” he said, never breaking eye contact.
“We were in the heat of the moment…” she said, almost sounding like she was also convincing herself that it didn’t matter.“You were vulnerable, and I was so moved by it…but it was a mistake.”It sounded like she was reciting something rehearsed and unnatural.
Harmon clasped her hand.“Then you’re the kind of mistake I’d do over again, and again, and again.I can’t stop thinking about that night.”
She held her breath as her heart caught in her throat.
“Whether or not you realize it, you pull at me with no restraint,” Harmon said quietly.“Don’t tell me you don’t feel it too?”
It was true.They were undeniably drawn to each other.It was unlike what she had with Rafa.Her love for Rafa blossomed from slow and steady moments of companionship and shared attraction, while their love was immediate and impulsive but all-encompassing.But Rafa, her Rafa—she wouldn’t do this to him.
“Harmon—”
“I know that you’ve seen your share of hardship, and that you saw all of it in me too that night, but you didn’t look away.And when I kissed you, I felt the storm inside me finally quell.”
“Harmon, I’m sorry,” she said, her body betraying her, tears forming in her eyes.“But I can’t.”
“You can’t or you won’t?”
Silence stood between them, like a barrier that would come down if Sal allowed it.So she took a deep breath, thought about Rafa, and replied, “I love him too much.”
Harmon closed his eyes, faced front, and said, “But I love you too.”
“You can’t love me,” Sal responded.“We can’t.”For the rest of the flight, Sal just looked out her window and tried to hold back her tears.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
The Storm I Love
SAL
TheysetoffforTaal Heritage Town again on a rainy Monday.There wasn’t much time to delay after their Cebu trip.The release of their art show would be on November 22, which was merely four weeks away.Fortunately, Theola had built momentum for the art show on social media ever since she was hired two months ago.She had already sent out emails to PR companies and scheduled posts leading up to the opening.
As soon as she arrived, Sal was in her element.Shehad done her work prepping for the art show by sequestering artwork from families with private collections and sculptures of notable and emerging artists and writers from the Philippines.She had also had shipped some of her and Claire’s work all the way from St.Stephenshire.
They trekked through Agoncillo Street and stayed at Tampuhan BnB Café.It was the same bed-and-breakfast they had visited the first time they went there.Willow probably knew they’d frequent this place often, so they booked their rooms there to prepare for the art show.“Are we putting the grimoire up for auction?”Willow asked as she unloaded things from her bag.
The idea of auctioning off the grimoire came to mind; but where would they exhibit the grimoire if they would auction it?For now, she felt safe knowing Rafa had it kept in a vault at a bank nearby.
“We could auction it, but we don’t have any provenance documents.Just the appraised value of two million,” Sal stated.“Legally, this could be the place for its debut.”
“Oh my God, that book is worth two million dollars?”Willow said, mouth agape.She turned to Theola.“Did we create an announcement for this, Theola?”
“Already got that covered!I made a fun post and offered the scoop to a couple of media outlets about the grimoire being exhibited.”Theola winked.“I should hear from them within the day.”
“Sorry, Sal, but tell me again why we can’t sell it?”Willow asked as she finished unpacking and started changing her clothes.
Sal also started unpacking her books and notebooks.“Technically speaking, we can, but we can’t promise any provenance papers yet—which are documents that act like the grimoire’s birth certificate and basically prove its authenticity.The buyer will have to take our word for it.”
“Does that mean we can’t have it insured without the provenance documents?”Willow asked.
“Spot on, Will.”
Then a knock came at the door.“Excuse me, po?”said a voice from behind the closed door.It must’ve been one of the café’s staff.
“Yes?”Willow called back.
