hands in surrender. I should get used to his harmless flirting. “If you’re practicing your lines, delete that one. Try something like: Kiss me now if you think I got it all wrong. But vampires exist, right?”
“Where the fuck did you get that line? It makes no sense. No wonder you’re still single.” Sterling laughs.
Then, he sobers up and arches an eyebrow. “Did someone use it on you?”
I shrug, remembering the guy from last night. James. A lawyer who’d just made partner at his firm. He was handsome in a Liam Hemsworth kind-of-way, just a little shorter and leaner.
“Yeah, last night. I thought it was original though.”
“Did you kiss him?”
“Nah, I’m not ready to date.” I scrunch my face, as I grab my makeup bag.
“It’s been three years. You should move on, Abby.”
I freeze. Is he talking about Wes? Did he move on? My heart cracks a little, but I remember what he just said. It’s been three years since we broke up. I’m happy, and I hope he’s happy too.
“What’s the point?” I stare at myself in the mirror, liking who I’m looking at. A confident woman from the inside out. “A kiss might lead to something else, and then how am I supposed to explain the scars on my body?”
“Car accident,” he suggests hesitantly.
“I refuse to start a relationship with a lie, and before you suggest I just sleep around, don’t, because I’m not doing that. If I choose to be with someone, it’s because I trust him enough to tell him who I really am.”
He rubs the back of his neck. “If I waited to fall in love before sex, I’d never have it.”
“For being such a caring guy, you’re heartless.” I search for my lip gloss through my messy bag.
“That I am,” he says with pride, but his eyes have dimmed.
“Who broke your heart, Sluggy?”
“No one,” he mumbles sighing, but I can see the battle brewing inside him. “She was nobody.”
His eyes are lost, and after a big sigh, he shakes his head and dusts his washed out jeans. I want to meet whoever broke this sweet boy and rip her heart out.
“Ready? It’s time to cut the ribbon,” he announces excitedly.
When we open the doors, I’m excited to see the crowd. The bronze sculptures in the front attract the attention of every visitor. Getting them to move toward the back of the space is hard. Gently, I tell everyone to continue through the exhibit, that most of the pieces are available for sale, and we offer delivery.
As we planned, Sterling moves to the middle of the second room where he can have enough space to have an audience gather. Once the flow at the entrance is normal, I make my way around the place to answer questions and make sure no one is touching the pieces.
“Excuse me, miss, is the delivery included in the price?”
I turn around and find a woman in her mid-thirties with a crisp long bob cut and a dark blue tunic I want to steal.
“No, that’s extra.” I smile at her, withholding the big question, where did you buy that outfit?
“What if I ask my neighbor to help me pick up my purchase tomorrow?” She rolls her eyes. “I rode with my girlfriends, and we won’t all fit if I bring it along.”
“Sure, we can hold it for you. What piece are you thinking of buying?”
She takes off, and I follow behind. “The sunset at the end of this hallway,” she answers.
I come to a complete stop when I see the piece she’s talking about. All the air gets knocked out of me. There’s a tall, black-haired man right in front of the painting, his broad shoulders almost blocking the entire piece.
Wes, I murmur under my breath. My heart thuds recklessly against my ribs. He’s here.
“This one. It calls to me. The rose stripes, the orange tones, and the girl watching it, hopeful for a better tomorrow.”
“Because no matter how bad the day was, the beauty of the sunset would erase the awful taste,” Wes repeats.
He remembers. My heart skips a beat. That’s what Grandma used to say, and I told him that once—in Tahoe.
Do you remember us?
Eleven
Wes
Sunsets are beautiful. They brighten my day even if they only last a few minutes. They are simple and unique. When I watch them, I feel free.
And I feel her right beside me.
Abby.
There’s a certain peace that emanates from a sunset that relaxes me while I admire them. I wish life were just as