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She narrowed her eyes and the corner of her mouth lifted. “There’s definitely someone.”
I smiled tightly as I held my breath, keeping the tears at bay. “It’s…it’s complicated.”
Melanie smirked and handed me her flask. “Life is complicated.”
Even though I tried to talk Melanie into going home, I was certain she kicked on after we parted ways.
“I’m not wasting this outfit,” she said, reapplying her lipstick. “I only have one night left of freedom before Grayson gets home and I’m going to make the most of it.”
She wanted me to join her, but with the exhibition only a week away, I still had a ton of work to do. Plus, I needed time to process everything. I never dealt with secrets well, especially hurtful ones, and now I was sandwiched between the lies of two people I cared about.
When Melanie spoke about Grayson, the guilt was unbearable. I felt like the other woman, and the very notion made me sick to my stomach. Over the past month I’d become someone she confided in, and clearly needed. She deserved to know the truth about my relationship with Grayson, but I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if it pushed her over the edge.
Grayson must have felt the same, but his motivations were derived from a lie. Melanie had somehow made Grayson believe the baby was his, and he’d lived with a sense of responsibly for her since. It was unforgivable.
Unfortunately, I had to spend the rest of the weekend staring at Melanie’s flawless face on my computer screen, which annoyingly didn’t require much retouching at all. With a few slight adjustments, I was left with one of my favourite pieces for the show.
It wasn’t even Melanie’s overall appearance that pulled me in, it was her expressive eyes. There was so much anguish behind them, it made me curious about her lost love and what happened between them so many years ago. There was so much pain there, a pain that could only come from losing someone you love, and as much as I wanted to hate her, I couldn’t. I knew that pain well. My heart ached for her.
Opening my web browser, I hesitantly typed ‘Blackwood & Associates’ into the search bar and came up with one hit in Midtown. Bingo! I perused their super slick website until I found the ‘about us’ tab, and clicked through.
I immediately recognised the first face to appear and frowned, trying to figure out where I’d seen him before. Scott Blackwood. I repeated his name several times in my head, until a memory jolted me. Hank and Sabrina’s wedding!
No wonder Grayson acted strangely towards him. Scott Blackwood was the ex-boyfriend of his ex-fiancé. Awkward. He shared the singles’ table with us, but I barely remembered the conversation we had before Grayson monopolised my attention.
I skimmed over his profile, which included the details of his fancy college and law school, until I found something that made him sound remotely more human.
In his free time, Scott enjoys long drives, vintage cars, and collecting fine art.
An art collector? Interesting.
I opened the spreadsheet of invited guests Melanie created for my event, and scanned down the list. I rolled my eyes. Of course his name was missing. Why on earth would she invite the man who left her pregnant and broken-hearted at seventeen?
Flicking back to the picture of Scott and his genuine smile, I found myself wanting to know his story. According to Melanie, he wouldn’t have known about the pregnancy, and his reason for leaving her eleven years ago remained a mystery. Perhaps he had a valid excuse. Perhaps he never had the chance to explain himself. Perhaps he could now…
Maybe if they reconnected, Melanie would find the closure she needed. Or maybe she’d remember how it felt to love someone, and would finally let herself—and Grayson—move on.
Without dwelling on all the reasons why I should and shouldn’t interfere, I opened a new email and sent Scott an invitation to my exhibition. I knew it was selfish, but in the moment, I refused to care. There was a good chance he wouldn’t come, or even open the email, so the risk was minimal. I was simply giving the universe a little nudge.
***
24
My exhibition was a success. There was barely an inch of standing room as I squeezed through all the guests admiring my work. My work!
It was impossible to miss Melanie as she waltzed into the gallery, wearing a spectacular scarlet red designer gown, but it was the accessory on her arm that drew my attention. Grayson.
He looked so devilishly handsome in his suit, combed hair and glasses, I couldn’t help but gawk. He’d been in and out of meetings all week so I’d barely seen him, and apparently my body needed a fix.
“You’re drooling,” Amy whispered, giving me a little bump.
“Oh god, am I that obvious?” I mumbled, lowering my eyes as I turned to her.
“Not as obvious as him.” I peeked back and found Grayson’s eyes glued to my body as he stalked up to me, holding two champagne glasses. My heart quickened as he approached and Amy discreetly moved away.
“Congratulations, Josie, you’re truly remarkable.” He kissed my cheek and handed me a glass as Melanie edged up beside him.
“I couldn’t have done it without Melanie’s help.” I smiled at her. “Thank you.”
