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“When are you leaving?” Maya asks.
“Soon. Mina had an opening in the gallery’s schedule. Theron’s taking me to look for an apartment tomorrow.”
“Aw…” Maya hugs me tight again. “I’m gonna miss you.”
“Me too,” Penny says.
“I’ll miss you guys too. But don’t worry. I’ll be back,” I say.
“Forhim,” Maya says in an accusatory tone as she frowns and eyes Theron over my shoulder.
I look back at Theron and blush when he winks at me.
“Well, we’ll come see you too,” Penny says. “What day does your exhibit open?”
“November tenth.”
Theron’s mom takes in a sharp breath through her teeth.
“What?” Theron asks a little too harshly.
“That’s the day of the auction.”
“Reschedule it. Also, why didn’t I know this?”
“I didn’t want to argue about it. And I can’t reschedule. The ads already went out.”
My heart sinks. I can’t expect Theron to pick me over saying goodbye to his dad’s farm. It’s been his whole life.
“It’s okay,” I tell him. “You can come the next day. You all can.”
“No. I’ll be there,” Theron insists.
I had no doubt he’d come to the gallery on opening day even though he didn’t promise he would, knowing he left it open-ended because he wanted me to trust him. But now? Even with him sounding so sure, I can’t be. I don’t feel like I have the right to expect him to come. No matter how much I want him there.
“I promise, city girl. I’ll make it work.”
Again, I want so badly to believe him but because he didn’t say it, I worry those wild horses might keep him away this time.
thirty-five
Skye
“Areyouexcited?”Minaasks as we walk the gallery floor one more time before the doors open in a little over an hour.
“I think I might throw up. Does that count?”
“Absolutely.”
Mina has been amazing through this whole process. Letting me shadow her through the exhibit that showed before mine. Kind of an internship. It answered a lot of my questions. Some I didn’t even know I needed to ask. Though I’m nervous as hell, I don’t feel like I’m going to make an absolute fool of myself.
I’d feel even better if Theron was here already. It’s still early though. He had no idea how long the auction would last or what the clean-up would look like but he promised he’d be here and I’ve chosen to believe him. Though, I would have loved to have gotten a text or something when he left. It’s at least a six-hour drive. But I guess I’ll just have to hope he’s already on his way or will be very soon just to get here before it’s over.
“He’ll be here,” Mina says when she catches me checking my phone for the hundredth time.
“How do you know?” I’m sure she’s only saying that to try to make me feel better but if she has a good reason for knowing he’ll be here that I haven’t considered yet, I’d love to hear it.
“He’s friends with Blake, right? Parker’s boyfriend?”
