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The wave of sorrow that sweeps over me is the worst one yet. Poor little Micah; he shouldn’t ever see his dad like that. Maybe I was too hasty the other night at the gallery. Maybe Nathaniel and I should’ve made a time to talk about things properly; clear the air on a better and more mature note.
Fast forward an hour, and I can’t believe I’m here. Standing outside the gallery.
If I had any sense of self-preservation at all, I’d turn myself around and go back home to the safety of my Netflix and decadent tub of ice cream.
But when a brokenhearted little boy shows up on your doorstep and tells you that his daddy’s been crying and he bets you could cheer him up, you pull on your big girl panties and go check on the asshole you’re pretty damn sure you might be in love with.
Micah’s earnestness, his big, hazel eyes that reminded me too much of his father’s… I just hadn’t been able to say no. I’d promised him that I would check on his dad.
And here I am.
I might be an idiot, but at least I’m one who has a heart.
I use my key (which I forgot to return to Nathaniel) to let myself into the gallery and quickly put in the code, so the alarm doesn’t trip. The nanny told me that Nathaniel had been holed up here at the gallery for days, so this seemed like the place to find him.
I grimace. If he’s in his office with some bitch, I’m going to lose it.
As I walk in, I see that there’s a light on in one of the back rooms, so I head that way, hoping I’ll find him there and get this over with.
“Nathaniel?” I call softly as I approach the door. There’s no answer, so I step inside the room and look around. All that’s in here is a large drop cloth, splattered with paint, an array of painting supplies, and a huge canvas. I glance around again for Nathaniel, but there’s no sign of him. Curious, I walk around to the front of the canvas.
As soon as I look at it, I freeze. My jaw drops.
It’s… me.
I can barely breathe as I step closer to the painting. It’s gorgeous. The artist captured everything, from the angles of my face to the weird way my lips quirk up when I’m smiling. The woman in the painting… me… is giving that little smile, her eyes sparkling mischievously. Who the hell has done this?
“You weren’t supposed to see that,” a deep voice says behind me. I spin, and Nathaniel’s standing there in the doorway, a bottle of whiskey clutched in his hand.
I tilt my head and gesture at the bottle. “Please don’t tell me that’s what you’ve been doing the last few days.”
“Like you give a damn,” he says with a smirk, but there’s no missing the bitterness in his voice.
I walk toward him. I can barely breathe. My stomach is twisting, my heart pounding. I knew I’d be affected seeing him again, but I didn’t expect it to be so intense.
I should have known better.
I reach him and lift my hands, cupping his face between them. “I care,” I murmur, meeting his eyes. He looks away, and I say his name. He meets my eyes again. “I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t. Micah came to see me,” I add, still being gentle. “He’s worried about you. He said you’re sad, and that he thought I could make it better.”
A tear slides down his face, and I gently wipe it away with my thumb. “I’m sorry he bothered you… I didn’t know he realized…”
“He didn’t bother me. I’m glad he told me,” I say softly. “He was worried. He’s a good kid, clearly. He doesn’t seem to believe in standing back when he thinks someone needs help.”
Nathaniel gives a small smile. “He was asking me about you. I thought I played it off okay, but maybe not,” he says. Then he takes a deep breath. “Micah’s mom—”
“You don’t have to tell me,” I say, remembering what little Dad had told me.
“I need you to know this,” he says, quieter, and I nod. If he wants to tell me, I’ll listen. “Micah’s mom and I were married for a little over a year. I was crazy about her. When we found out we were expecting, it was one of the happiest days of my life.” He pauses, and it seems like he’s struggling to continue. I gently run my fingers through his hair, and he takes a deep breath, meeting my eyes again.
“She had a good pregnancy, right up until the end. There were some complications…” Even before he says it, I know the words that come next. My heart breaks more than it ever has in my life. Oh, what a fool I’ve been. “She died in childbirth,” he finishes in a whisper, and I blink back the tears.
“Oh, Nathaniel,” I whisper, my heart aching for both him and Micah. “What was her name?”
