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Marc’s smile disappeared as he took in the fiery redhead next to her. “Meg, I promise you I’m not going to break her heart.” His eyes showed an intensity that she had never seen in any man before. She didn’t know about her friend, but Sadie believed every word he said to be true. Nothing prepared her for the emotions that rose up and claimed her heart. She hadn’t believed in love at first sight, but she began to think she had been wrong.
“I’m Sadie Michaels.” She reached her hand out to the man. “I’m a starving artist and full-time secretary at Radington Steel. I’m also single and never married. Lasagna is okay but I prefer pizza and beer. And you don’t look like a scientist. Not with gorgeous hair like that.” He smiled as he took her hand. She felt a shock like static electricity from the touch.
“I can work with pizza and beer. My mother agrees with you on the hair. She’s been on me for years to cut it.” She had to refrain from reaching up to run her fingers through his hair. She had the strongest urge to kiss him. He must have realized what she was thinking as he glanced down to her lips and smiled.
Meghan cleared her throat to gain their attention. “The exhibit is over there.” The smile was back in her voice. “And I need to get back to my hot date.” Both turned to see her walk away to a man who stood with his back to them, talking to Gary. He had short dark hair but never turned to look their way.
“She’s very protective of me. I’m sorry if she said anything that embarrassed you, Marc. We were college roommates and she nursed me through one too many mistakes in my naïve early days of dating.” He took her hand in his and she looked down to see his fingers intertwine with hers.
“So, she’s suffered with you when you were hurt by assholes. I don’t know how I know this but I promise you, I’ll never hurt you. There’s something about you that I can’t explain.” He smiled then and she smiled in return.
“You know it’s crazy but I believe you.” He brought her hand to his lips. His warm breath fanned across her fingers and her body reacted strongly to that feeling. When his lips touched her skin, her breath hitched but then his tongue gently touched her before he pulled away. Her heart sped up and she could feel the blood rushing to her face.
“You take my breath, Sadie. I look at you and I swear I see my future.” His face turned pink before he looked away. “If that sounded half as corny to you as it did to me, then I’m sure you think I’m insane.” She smiled at his reaction.
“Sometimes corny is wonderful and sanity is overrated.” They both laughed before they walked through the exhibit. So many paintings had meaning and beautiful colors, but one kept drawing her eye. No matter where they wondered to, she always ended up right in front of it.
He’d wound up buying it and surprised her with the purchase. It was the simple painting of a silhouette of a large tree in front of the sunrise. The painting was gorgeous with lots of oranges whereby she said her new favorite color was no longer green but orange.
“Why did you want this painting? It’s pretty but she had so many to choose from.” Marc stood next to her with an arm around her waist. The painting in question still hung in the exhibit, with a paper in the corner marking it as SOLD. His name was neatly printed on the ticket.
“I don’t know, it just called to me. She said it was inspired by Mishaka Peak, which is nearby. I’ve never been there, but I’ve heard it’s beautiful. Something about that large tree drew me and I just love the colors. It feels, like something beautiful happened there.”
“Far be it from me to question my lady’s choice. I heard Meghan’s date wanted to buy it too, but I beat him to it. Maybe you can take me there sometime. We can make out under a tree.” He winked and pulled her in for a quick brush of his lips against hers.
As they turned to go, Marc accidently bumped into a man. They stared at one another for a brief moment as Marc apologized. The man smiled and accepted the apology. His dark hair and blue eyes met Sadie’s before she looked away. She felt some recognition flare but Marc pulled her hand and they moved away to go to dinner.
****
Present Day
Sadie jerked at the memory. She barely remembered to shut off the shower and ran dripping and naked to the spare bedroom. She stood in front of the painting on the wall over the bed. “Oh my god.” Not only had she been drawn by the painting because she and Dave had first made love there, she and Marc had seen Dave at the art exhibit. She was covered in goosebumps.
She ran to the kitchen and pulled her cell phone off the counter and returned to the bedroom. She snapped a picture of the painting and texted it to Marc and Dave. She was in shock that she hadn’t remembered this before. Marc was looking for a connection between them from before the t
ime rip. This painting, Sarah’s art show, both men knowing Gary and Meghan. It was all a web that connected them and to Sadie it proved they were meant to be together. Marc wasn’t a strange twist in her and Dave’s relationship. They were all linked by a weaving of different threads.
Her phone rang as she stood staring at the painting, her heart pounding. She didn’t even realize she was holding the phone, barely heard it ringing as she stared at the painting. She had no idea how long time had passed before she heard her name being called. Marc stood beside her, and Dave soon followed him into the room.
“Sadie, honey?” Marc’s voice whispered in her ear. The spell was broken as she turned to look at him.
“I found it. The connection you were worried about. You didn’t think you belonged with us, but you do. I fell in love with you that night. It’s all connected.” She turned to Dave and took his hand. “You were there as Meghan’s date, weren’t you?”
Dave grinned. “I had forgotten about that. I wanted this painting but didn’t know why. Now I do. You were the guy that bumped into me that night.” The men looked at each other, recognition blooming.
Marc looked back at the painting. “Mishaka Peak. Where you two went after the party at Gary’s house and made love the first time.” Sadie turned to look at Marc, afraid he’d be upset. She was surprised by his smile.
“Maybe we should move it to our bedroom and put it over our bed.” At her questioning look, he simply smiled. “It’s the thing that brought all of us together the first time, even if we didn’t know it then.” He reached up and tucked her damp hair behind her ear before sliding his fingers along her jawline.
“Then we need to commission Sarah to paint the river from a vantage point of a boat so it evens out the paintings. What time of day was it when you two first made love? Afternoon? Evening?” Dave’s voice was huskier than she would’ve believed. His hand snaked around her waist, his mouth moved to her temple. “And you’re naked.”
“And there’s a bed, right here.” Marc moved closer to her other side.
It was good to be Sadie right about now.
Chapter 7
Marc, Sadie and Dave walked into KenSpec Labs and headed to his office. He glanced to his secretary and nodded. “I’ll be in a meeting with Captain Amsted and Sadie. Unless anyone with higher rank than him calls, I don’t want to be disturbed. Also, Dr. Lackney will be coming in, you can send her through. I’ll need the conference room when she arrives. If it’s taken, clear the schedule for me.”
