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“We do. You look beautiful.”
My cheeks flush. Two compliments in one day? I’m not sure why he’s suddenly showing me more interest, but something tells me it’s connected to whatever happened this morning.
He follows me inside and my dad hands him a beer. My uncle enters the kitchen with a steaming plate of ribs. “Smells amazing, Uncle Mike.”
“Nothing but the best for my favorite niece.” He sets them on the counter, and we make our plates. Charlotte arrives with an enormous chocolate cake that has me salivating.
After dinner, she lights two candles shaped in a three and a one. Uncle Mike dims the lights and I’m subjected to the age-old embarrassing tradition of everyone singing to you off key while you sit there and pretend not to cringe. Charlie grins at me while he sings across the table, the glow of the candle flames making his eyes twinkle and me blush.
As they sing, I can’t help but miss my brother. It’s the first birthday of mine he’s missed, and I hate it so much. My smile slips but Charlie dips his head, getting my attention with a smile and the sadness disappears.
As the song ends, I contemplate my wish. Despite everything that’s happened, my only wish is for Luke to find happiness again. After everything he’s been through, he deserves to find it, even if it doesn’t involve me. At the last minute, I wish happiness for us both and blow out the candles. The lights come back on, and Charlotte slices the cake. I’m two bites in when someone knocks on the front door.
“Got a package for you, folks,” a voice calls.
My dad stands and I follow him. Gary, Tina’s uncle and the local mail carrier, is on the porch with a large, flat, rectangular package about the size of a car. It’s wrapped in brown paper and bubble wrap but doesn’t appear to be heavy.
“Sorry to bug y’all, but this came in late today and I figured it was a birthday present for Ms. Liv. I wanted to make sure we delivered it on time,” he says, only his head and shoulders visible.
“Thank you, Gary. That’s very kind,” I say, and he beams at me. Garrett slides the package in the house and leans it against the wall leading to the stairs. “Oh, and Tina asked me to bring this by for you, too. She’s says happy birthday.” He bends to pick up two plastic wrapped pies from the bench on the porch.
“Please thank her for me.” I hand the peach one to Garrett, since that’s his favorite, and I try not to drool for the apple crumb she made for me. She’s only buttering me up so she can date my brother, but I don’t mind the perks.
Gary shakes my dad’s hand, declining his offer to come in for a slice. He waves and heads to his truck. Garrett takes the pie from me, and I race to the package like a kid on Christmas.
“Who’s it from?” Dad asks.
“It doesn’t say, but it’s from an art gallery in LA. It’s not from you guys?” I ask.
My dad and Garrett shake their heads no. I grab one corner and Garrett helps me on the opposite end. Charlie, my uncle, and Charlotte stand off to the side, watching us with interest. We meet in the middle and reveal a painting on canvas, but it’s facing the wall. My dad and Garrett each take an end and maneuver it into a three-point turn. My hand covers my mouth and tears well as they lean it against the wall.
It’s the silent auction painting of the mermaid and the sailor from the veterans’ gala. Luke never told me he bid on it. My cheeks dampen and my dad puts his arm around my shoulders. It’s just as beautiful as I remember. The mermaid’s long red hair flows down her back as she rests on a rock jutting from the sea, her tail curled around her. Only the side of her face is visible, but it’s enough to feel the longing in her gaze as she watches the sailor with tattered clothing walk away from her on the beach.
I fell in love with the painting the moment I laid eyes on it, much like I did with Luke. The person I was at that gala so long ago doesn’t exist anymore. She died the moment I took a man’s life to save my own. Yet, the love I have for Luke never changed. Circumstances made our love impossible, just like it is for the mermaid and her sailor. There’s no regret in her gaze. Only a heartbreaking acceptance. It’s like the artist painted me on that rock.
“There’s a note,” Garrett says, pulling out an envelope from the back. “It’s got your name on it.”
Oh God. After the fro-yo this morning, I don’t know if I can handle a note from Luke. My lip wobbles and Garrett opens the envelope and scans the note. He smirks and shakes his head. “It’s not from Luke.”
I sniffle as my dad pulls me tighter and Garrett reads it out loud.
“Happy Birthday, Liv. This painting has been in my possession for too long. Luke didn’t want you to know he bid on it, so he put my name and information down. He was saving it as an anniversary gift for you. When you guys broke up, I asked him what I should do with it. He told me to throw it out or donate it. So, of course, I ignored the idiot.
“I told him I was going to send it to you as a birthday present from me. He said you’d never believe it, but he didn’t protest, which tells me he wants you to have it. I’m hoping I’m digging deep into that big heart of yours and pulling Luke out. You both deserve to be happy, so quit dicking around and take him back already. Please? Thanks. Signed, your favorite sexy quarterback and friend, Brody Metzer. P.S. If this has the opposite effect of what I’m hoping, please don’t destroy the damn thing. It’s worth more than my car and I know a few charities that could use the money. P.P.S If you’re well and truly done with Luke, call me. I’d love to take you for a drink sometime. Happy birthday, beautiful.”
I giggle as he finishes. The sadness dissipates, and I smile at the painting.
“Did Brody Metzer ask my daughter out for a drink?” my dad says, his eyes wide with excitement.
I step away from him. “No. He was joking to get me to smile. And it worked. Don’t get your hopes up.”
“Maybe he was only half joking?”
I roll my eyes and he grins. Of course, the one man on the planet who gets instant approval from my father is his favorite quarterback.
Garrett folds the note and slides it in the envelope. “Where are we going to put it? It’s huge.”
We stand back and stare at it. It’s the perfect size for the wall it’s leaning up against. We share a look and my dad shrugs and heads to the barn to grab the tools.
