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I fire up my new computer and start reviewing the paperwork for the sales. I still have to reconcile a lot of the bills from the renovation, the event planning, and the various tasks that have taken up the past couple of months in my life, so I’m deep in the dark corners of a complicated spreadsheet when the gallery’s front door opens.
Grateful for the distraction, I exit the office and smile at the sight of Christine and Matt. “Hello, you two.”
“My dad told us you wanted to talk to us today before we head out,” Christine says. Her eyes roam around the gallery, pride shining in them.
“Yes, I did. Thank you for coming in.” I join them in front of the big canvas out front and clear my throat while I touch the label below the piece.
Christine’s eyes grow wide at the sight of the little red sticker on the corner of the glass covering the label. “Is that…” She glances at me, then at Matt, then back at me. “You sold it?”
“That and three others,” I answer. “And two of Matt’s.”
Her hand claps over her mouth. “No. Really? I didn’t…” She trails off, wide-eyed. For someone as gregarious as Christine to be speechless, she must be feeling big things right now.
“Are you okay?” Even Matt’s eyes are shining. He wraps an arm around his girlfriend and hugs her close. The two of them are so cute together.
“You really shouldn’t be that surprised,” I say gently. “You’re very talented.”
Sebastian’s daughter wipes her eyes and shakes her head, curling away from Matt’s hug. “It’s not that.” She sniffles. “I mean, it’s a little bit that. I didn’t expect to sell anything, let alone four paintings. It’s…” She glances at Matt.
“You should tell her,” he answers with a soft smile. “She’s from Clare too.”
Well. Not really—not anymore—but I’m not going to argue while they’re having a tender moment.
Christine inhales deeply, settling herself. “My dad’s old house is on the market,” she explains. “The new owners are keeping most of the land, so it’s just the house with three acres, but they must be looking for a quick sale because the asking price is really cheap.”
Matt kisses her temple, smiling. “It’s pretty run-down, but it’s still a good deal.”
Christine beams at me. “I want to buy it for my dad, but when I spoke to a mortgage broker, I was about twelve grand short of the down payment.”
My brain disconnects from my face for a moment, so I’m not sure what I look like for two or three seconds. What I feel on the inside is a plummeting, horrible feeling, like all my organs are trying to escape my body.
“That’s…wonderful,” I answer, wanting to puke. “Does your father know?” Thankfully, my voice only wobbles a tiny bit on the last question.
Christine doesn’t notice. She shakes her head, wiping her cheeks to dry the last of her tears. “No, no. I’m going to surprise him. He’s going to be so happy. He loved that house, and I know it killed him to sell it off when he and my mom divorced. I’m not sure he even wants to live there anymore, but at least this way he’ll have the option, you know?”
“Of course.” My smile feels pinched. I gasp theatrically and glance at my watch. “Oh, look at the time. Can I call you later to run through the details of the sale? I have a meeting in five minutes.”
“Sure, sure,” Christine says. She hesitates, then launches herself at me, wrapping her arms around me in a tight hug. “Thank you, Georgia. You brought my dad back to life.”
I must make the right noises, because she lets me go and leaves the gallery with her boyfriend. Locking the door behind them, I stand in the middle of the floor, staring at nothing.
The illusion of my hopeful future tears as easily as wet tissue paper.
Christine will buy Sebastian’s old house. He’ll leave Heart’s Cove, because we both know he wants to go back to Texas. I’ll stay here, because there’s nothing for me there—nothing except Sebastian, and even twenty-five years later, that isn’t enough.
A couple of hours later,after I’ve gathered myself together, unlocked the gallery door again, and greeted the few curious townspeople who have come to have a look around the new space, I feel almost normal. The rational side of me coaxed my racing mind back down to safe ground. The truth is, I don’t know what Sebastian will do. Even if he buys his family home back, it doesn’t mean our relationship is over. The way he looked at me last night, the way he said he wanted to sleep next to me every night…that doesn’t just go away.
I’ll talk to him, because we’re both adults now. We’ll figure this out.
As if I wished him into existence, Sebastian strides through the gallery door. He scans the space and sees me, then stalks down to where I’m sweeping the floor in the back corner. I barely have time to lean the broom against the wall before I’m wrapped up in his arms and being kissed silly.
He always kisses me like I’m the only person that exists, like he’s been starved without the taste of my lips. But is there something else in his kiss today? Some extra emotion, maybe brought on by the fact that he can finally move back home?
We pull apart, and Sebastian’s blue eyes are soft. “Hey.”
“Hi.”
“I missed you.” His eyes coast down my button-down blouse, my straight-leg jeans, the heels on my feet. His gaze darkens.
