AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Okay, Olivia. You can find it. It can't be that hard.” She strolled along another walkway, trying to remember Dane’s instructions. She had been too busy watching his sexy lips move to take note of what he was saying.
Serves you right for not paying close attention—to what you should’ve been paying attention to.
“Ah, this must be it,” she said to herself, walking up to a French door, partially opened. She pushed the door wide open and entered. The room was enormous and had floor-to-ceiling windows all around. It was classy, but it sure didn’t look like a conservatory. She walked over to the window that had a breathtaking view of Lake Belmont. “God, this is so nice,” she uttered. She could hear the waves of the water whooshing on the shores through an open window. The cool winter breeze blew inside, but she didn’t feel a chill at all.
There was an easel near the window with a cloth partially covering it. She could see the blueness of the water in the colors on the canvas.
“Oh, this is nice,” she said, glancing directly at it. She saw a table with oil paints on it next to the canvas. It was as if someone was in the middle of creating an oil painting. The sky was blue in the painting without a cloud, yet the waves appeared to move strongly in the water. It looked like a summer day, a windy summer day from what she could tell. The sand on the beach was more golden than it was now, since it was winter. She compared the unfinished portrait to the view out the window. Clearly, whoever was painting this, started in a different season. Olivia heard of artists taking months or sometimes years to finish a painting.
She reached over to lift the sheet off the canvas.
“Please don’t touch that,” a deep, silky voice caught her off guard and made her jolt. It was Dane.
“Dane. Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t….I…”
“It’s okay.”
“Is this yours?”
“Maybe.”
“Maybe?”
“What makes you think it’s mine?”
“I don’t know. Just a hunch. It’s very beautiful.”
“It’s not finished.”
“I know. But I like what I see so far. You really paint with your emotions. I had no idea you were gifted in art.”
He chuckled. “I still haven’t told you if I painted that or not.”
“I think you did.”
“Oh, really?” Mischief curled his lips. He looked adorable. Dane walked over to where Olivia was and covered the canvas fully with the sheet that had been hanging off it.
“Why did you do that?”
“I don’t want anyone to see it.”
“Well, if it’s not yours, then why do you care?” She folded her arm across her chest, raising a brow.
“Very funny.”
She waited for him to say more.
“It’s my first attempt at an oil painting. I’ve painted other stuff before. Smaller pictures. Thought I’d try something bigger.”
“Well, it’s lovely. What inspires you to paint?”
“Whatever I’m feeling at the moment. Like heartbreak.”
“Heartbreak?” Olivia didn’t expect that answer.
“Painting helps me dig deep into my emotions. Kind of like the ocean or the lake. So strong, tumultuous, powerful, yet unpredictable.”
“Wow, I never looked at it like that before.”
“I try not to capture images. I want the images to capture me.”
“Like the gorgeous view of the lake there.”
“Yeah. Exactly. Only, I don’t think I’ll ever get this done.”
“Why? Don’t stop, Dane.” She turned to face Dane and their eyes locked. Had he been steadily observing her? She thought they were both looking out at the lake.
“It’s okay,” he said. “There’s something missing from the portrait. I don’t know what it is. I just can’t connect with it the way I could when I first started it.”
“Something missing? From the portrait?”
“Yes. Maybe, like relationships, this painting is something that can never be resolved.”
“Oh, now you know that’s not true.”
“Isn’t it?”
“Well, listen to me talk. I got jilted before my wedding. And I’m still in shock. There was so much Jack hadn’t told me, yet…I still believe there’s got to be more to life than that. I refuse to let that be my final chapter.” Olivia looked out at the waterfront through the glass.
“Well, you’re a nice girl, Olivia. I know you’ll find the right guy.”
Olivia’s heart crushed in her chest. I know you’ll find the right guy? Really? Wouldn’t Dane want to be that right guy? Well, that settled it. There could be no future for Dane and Olivia. Whatever she’d felt when he passionately kissed her that night apparently meant nothing.
He’d just closed the door on that idea. He’d covered that painting with a sheet of finality.
What was she hoping for? Some interest from Dane? But what about their shared kiss? Didn’t that mean anything to him? Or maybe it meant as much to him as it did for her but he didn’t want to admit it. She closed her eyes briefly then opened them again.
Focus, Olivia. You don’t need a new relationship now anyway. You’ve got too much on your plate. Dealing with Jack’s death. Finding a new apartment. Getting back to work and on your feet.
“Do you have any hobbies?” Dane’s silky voice interrupted her thoughts.
“I do.”
“Well, let’s go into the conservatory next door and talk about them over breakfast. I’d love to hear about them.”
“You would?”
“Of course. Why does that surprise you?”
Because you’re clearly not as interested in me as I am in you. “Oh, nothing. It’s just that…well, you know Jack never once asked me about my hobbies.”
“He didn’t?”
“No,” she said, walking next door to an equally elegant room with wall-to-wall windows exposing a view of the lake.
* * *
Olivia enjoyed a hearty breakfast with Dane in the glass conservatory filled with pretty flowers. He noticed her gazing at the flowers with interest.
“What brings you joy?” he’d asked her, leaning back in his chair opposite her around the table.
“Joy?”
“Yes. Hobbies, things you find enjoyable,” he murmured.
“Well, I like to listen to classical music, oh, and watch reruns of Seinfeld and Dancing with the Stars.”
“Really?”
“Yes, really.”
“Cool, so do I,” he said.
“You do?”
“Yes, of course. I need to make time to laugh,” he said. “We all do, or we’ll get wrinkles early.”
“Ha. And don’t tell anyone this but, but I love yellow daisies, like the ones you have here.”
“That’s beautiful. Some say they offer beauty and magnify positive energy,” he said.
“Speaking of magnifying positive energy. I’ve heard some people say they offer health, beauty and mood protection. It’s almost as if they protect your mood from sorrow by offering hope and beauty. I know it sounds silly, but…”
“What’s wrong with that?”
“Nothing. Simple things bring me joy. Mom used to plant them and a lot of other flowers. Those were happier days.” Olivia ran her finger around the rim of her glass of freshly squeezed orange juice. “I used to love smelling them. They just brightened my day. I named my first cat, Daisy, after my favorite flower.”
Dane smiled. She felt the sincerity of his interest in things she cared about.
After a filling breakfast served in the conservatory decorated with fresh flowers, Olivia took Dane’s offer of walking along the lakefront on the sandy shores.
“I enjoy the water, being close to nature,” he’d told her when she’d asked about his other interests. Even in winter, when some folks only see dreariness, the scenery was breathtaking. They were able to walk on the hard sand, clad only in their jackets. The air was crisp and cool yet Olivia felt hot inside. Too hot, for her liking. So many thoughts raced through her head.
“So, JoJo is looking into the source of those text messages. It shouldn’t take too long,” Dane said, rubbing his hands together as they made their way along the shoreline.
“Good. Thank you, Dane. You know I wouldn’t even know where to begin looking for a detective on my own. I’m glad you were able to help me out there.”
“Nothing to it.”
“Oh, trust me. It’s a lot,” she said, the wind blowing her dark tresses in her face. She looked over at Dane, his dark mousy hair rustled in the wind, making him look super dreamy. Like a movie star or male model. His high cheekbones were accentuated beautifully. She could never get tired of looking at his handsomeness.
“Do you think it could be just a prank? Idle threats? I mean, nothing’s happened in the last two days. I feel terrible for all the trouble you’re putting yourself to.” Not to mention the cost of hiring a detective for her case.
“I don’t think so. And I’m not taking any chances with your well-being. It’s obviously a crazy person who needs to be locked up.”
“But there are no laws against texting.”
“But there are laws against harassment and making threats,” he said, pointedly.
