13. Avery
Six months later
S tepping into my living room, the smell of fresh flowers filled the air, and my chest filled with disbelief and a sense of pride.
This place was now my home.
The expansive windows framed a beautiful view of Charleston’s skyline, and the hardwood floors gleamed under a crystal chandelier.
Our new home was, in a word, perfect.
And our housewarming party was in full swing, with Betsy holding court in the dining room, commanding everyone’s attention—champagne flute in hand—as she regaled Hunter, Logan, Casey, and Dean with a ridiculous tale about how she’d once single-handled negotiated a real estate deal worth millions.
Logan listened politely while Casey giggled—and Dean looked completely charmed and enraptured by Betsy’s story.
Leaning against the doorway, I took it all in; my life had undergone a complete transformation in just six months. Thanks to Mr. Marcus Lockwood and his purchase of Harborstone Gallery, I had gone from living paycheck to paycheck to being a millionaire with endless options.
Yet what planted my roots firmly in the ground wasn’t money—it was Hunter, standing across the room and offering me a smile that said I was the only thing that mattered.
He quickly crossed the room toward me. “Having fun?”
“I still can’t believe any of this is real,” I said, my voice almost a whisper. “I keep waiting to wake up from this dream.”
“Hmm…” he said, scratching his jaw. “I think I have something that can make it all seem a little more real.”
Before I could say a word, Hunter gestured toward Casey who quickly disappeared from the room. He returned a few seconds later with a large, rectangular object covered in a cloth. Hunter took it from Casey with great care as if it were something valuable, placing it on the floor before me.
My curiosity had been piqued. “What’s this?”
Hunter grinned wider than I’d ever seen. “Open it.”
I reached for the cloth, my hands trembling, and gently pulled it away to reveal Charleston Harbor at Dawn , my favorite painting.
My breath caught in my throat, and I froze.
It was the painting I thought I’d lost forever in the sale of the gallery. Rich hues of orange and blue reflected off the painting, just like I remembered from the cheap printed copy on my childhood bedroom wall.
“Hunter,” I said, barely able to speak. “How did you…”
Hunter smiled and put his hand gently on my back. “Casey told me it was your favorite, so I made sure it wasn’t involved in the sale.”
I gazed at him, studying his face. “Hunter, you didn’t have to do this.”
“Yes,” he said, taking a step forward, “I did. Because you matter more to me than anything else, Avery.”
Forgetting that the room was filled with people, I reached out and pulled Hunter into a tight hug, feeling his embrace around me. All around us, I heard Betsy’s “aww,” and Casey’s approving clapping.
When the moment had passed, Dean sidled up to Hunter with a glass of bourbon in his hand, his signature, effortless charm radiating off him.
“Well, cousin, you’ve outdone yourself,” he said to Hunter. “A thoughtful and romantic gesture like this? Honestly, I didn’t know you had it in you.”
“Hey!” Hunter smirked. “You don’t know everything about me.”
“Touche,” Dean said with a hint of a laugh. “Enjoy the victory, boys. And congratulations on the house, it’s an absolute beauty. And Avery, if Hunter ever becomes insufferable, just give me a call and I’ll get him out of your hair.”
He chuckled and walked off to join the rest of the group.
An hour later, as the evening wound down and our guests took their leave, I sat on the back porch and stared up at the stars. Hunter joined me a moment later, wrapping his warm arm around my waist.
“What’s on your mind?” he asked.
“This,” I said, gesturing out to our moonlit back yard with glowing string lights, “is everything I never knew I wanted.”
“And this,” he said, brushing a kiss against my temple, “is only the beginning for us, Avery.”
My heart was full of hope as I leaned into him. Six months ago, I could never have imagined a life like this. This wasn’t just a new chapter in a book; it was the greatest story of my life.