Chapter 28
Gabriel
“My love.” I hold out my hand for Elena to take as we step out of the car. She gives me a shy smile before she lays her hand in mine.
“Thank you.”
“Always.” I grin harder.
The whole car ride she was quiet as a mouse as she kept twisting the ring around my finger. I noticed she isn’t wearing hers and I have two theories on why that could be.
She forgot or it didn’t go with the dress and she decided to only wear the necklace I recently got her, that looks phenomenal. She won’t have to know that it cost close to a quarter of a million.
The only thing that matters is that she looks good.
And the fact that I can spoil her.
“Are you ready?” I ask her in a subtle tone and she just straight ahead to the venue, probably the nerves crippling up her body.
“Nope.”
“You have me.” I told her. I reach over to her and move her sideways to look at me. Her anxious expression softens as she gets a good look at me and her hands stop shaking less in mine.
She takes a deep breather in, adjusts her dress and then we already are making our way inside.
I knew that Elena might like it here. She is kind of an art geek. I noticed that on the plane she quite often took out her sketching pad and sketched anything that came to her mind. Whether those were orchids, tulips, a statue from old Greek or a portrait.
She always keeps her head low and her eyebrows twist in a weird form when she is concentrating, while awfully biting on her lip where she could draw blood from the bite.
It’s adorable if you take a closer look. I have never seen her more passionate or concentrated on something other than her sketching.
“Woah.” She exhales as we step in, the light in her eyes brightens up as she looks around. Old modern art is hung up all around the venue.
This is a museum of art after all so the art pieces aren’t surprising.
The gold chandeliers on the wall make the room shine and the art gets brighter from the light of the candles.
This museum was built almost three decades ago, but just because we are in the modern time, doesn’t mean the owners will change the lighting from candles to bulbs.
Rather the opposite.
The candles give the room a smell of fresh wax and a hint of sandalwood that everyone loves who admires art and gives the room a better light.
“This all looks so…exquisite.” She admires the painting on the wall that has been hanging there since the museum opening and never taken down except to move when needed.
Zahra Harper is the sole owner of this museum and this might be her best art according to most.
“The Great War.” She says in a low voice as her eyes wander all over the painting. The fine structure and fine lines and the ordinary colours. “One of Zahra’s best art. In my opinion, of course. The fine lines. I have only ever seen it in pictures and now that I am seeing it in real life it seems so…bizarre.”
“Never been at an art museum?”
“I have been to countless ones but never have I been more captured with the art as I am with this one. Zahra’s paintings are exquisite. This painting tells the story of star-crossed lovers who go through hell to save their love.”
“You are quite an art geek, huh?”
“I am. If I hadn’t had to study architecture, I would have taken the opportunity to study the history of art at the Louvre Palace in Paris. Might be one of the hardest schools to get in but I did have an amazing grade and was a straight A student.”
“Had to study architecture?”
“Not all of us have the luck to study what we want.” She starts, her voice gets quieter with each passing word. “Sometimes we have to make sacrifices to make sure we survive. Architecture was the second best next to art. Sure it is much harder but at least I get to do what I love. Sketch. Even if the sketching needs to be done by the millimetre or else it’s a failure. Good thing I pay close attention to details.”
My mouth gapes open at her. I never knew the struggle of having to give up something so that I can survive. I did inherit the company from my stepfather years ago after he stepped down from his role of CEO.
He has been the only father in my life worth calling a dad. My real one left when I was six. Talk about father of the year.
My stepfather, Jakob entrusted it to me and I repolished the entrusted brand.
Renamed it to suit the family better.
Harvey Co. Architecture.
Has a better ring to it than Jakob and Co Architecture.
Since the rebrand, many projects all over London and other countries were built by us and we have become one of London’s biggest architecture firms.
“I’m sorry you had to give up your dream.” I tell her and I watch her from the sad as the sad expression on her face becomes harder to miss. I place a hand in her small back, soothing her and hoping it will bring her a little comfort.
“I didn’t. Technically. I still sketch. In work and outside.” A small smile curls up on her plum pink lips that shine from the lip gloss. She turns to me.
“Might I see one of your sketches? Others you have made of me, obviously.”
She presses her lips to a thin line and shakes her head. “Nope.”
“Why not? I could be an inspiration if you want.”
“Oh yeah sureee.” She nods. Quite sure she sounded sarcastic.
“I mean it, I could be your model any way you want me.” I lean down and pull her closer by the waist. “Nude too, if needed.”
She lets out a loud whimper and that doesn’t make the situation not better. My pants are getting awfully tight from the image of her drawing me nude.
“I’ll make sure to let you know if I ever need one.” She says in a shaky voice and it’s great to know I have an effect on her just as much as she has one on me.
***
The evening came in a rush and in a blink of an eye the museum was full. Only half of the guest list was here and it already was crowded, unable to look around without a head getting in the way.
I have lost sight of every single person I came with, including my fiancé.
“Gabriel!” My name is being shouted from across the hall and it’s a voice I haven’t heard in a while.
I walked to the voice and as my gut was right, Zahra Harper had called my name.
“I’m so glad you could make it.” She wraps her arms around me as soon as I am in hugging distance.
I met Zahra four years ago at an - as you can guess - art event. She is the wife of one of the Formula Drivers I am sponsoring.
I might have told a little lie to Elena when I said how I knew Formula One. Everyone knows that sport. It’s one of the greatest sports where tracks expand through the most interesting cities.
It wasn’t a lie though when I told her to start watching because of her. I never was the kind of motor sport enthusiast who could never miss a race but now I am one because I get to talk with her after the weekends on what happened. Those are my favourite parts of Mondays at work.
Zahra is the one person who organised this charity auction. Tonight is not so much of an auction but an exhibition. Everyone invited can admire the paintings and start setting bets on them. The higher the bet, the better chance of winning. But the whole winning thing happens tomorrow.
“I wouldn’t have missed it for the world. How are you?” I ask her as I let go of her embrace.
Zahra is a warm person. She has a warm personality that everyone loves. She is a little like Elena. Both love art and the story of what painted art can present.
“I’ve been better.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. Just Nate. He had to stay at Silverstone for something with his car and won’t be here tonight.” She lets out a heavy sigh that comes from the heart.
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
“It’s okay. At least he is here tomorrow.”
“I know he will be. He wouldn’t miss this for the world.”
“I doubt it.” She mumbles.
“Why?”
“Nothing.” She shakes her head. “I don’t want to burden you with my marriage problems. I heard you brought your fiancé.”
“I did.” My lips curl into a smile.
“Well…introduce me to her. I want to meet the woman who captured your heart and wrecked your world.” She places her hands on her hips and sighs. “Remind me to never say that again.”
“Will do.” I nod at her. She raises an eyebrow at me. “Her name is Elena and I met her - which is surprising - eight months ago and we got engaged last week.”
“Pretty name and wow. That is early, even for you. Where is she?”
“I am not sure. I lost her as the guests started to gather. Probably still at the ‘The Great War’ painting and admiring the art.”
“Is she by chance a hopeless romantic?”
“Definitely, why are you asking?”
“It’s my best artwork hanging in this museum and represent a love story. What else did you expect?” She humorously laughs at me.
“Sorry for offending you, Harper.”
“No need for an apology. Let’s go find your fiancé.” She grips me at my bicep and forces me through the crowds of people.
“Is Elena rather anxious?”
“Very. She is kind of a shy person.”
“Then she is not at the painting. Hold on here.”
I furrow my brows at her and she makes me stand in front of the ladies room to keep guard.
Minutes pass before I hear the lock on the door make a clicking sound and Elena comes out with Zahra. It seems that Zahra is saying soothing words to her.
“Everything okay?”
“Yeah. I just got a little anxious with all the people and the bathroom was quiet so I hid for a little. But I am all better now.”
“Oh.” A pounding feeling expands in my chest at her words. I wasn’t there when she needed me. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there.”
“It is not your fault.” Elena shakes her head at me. “How did you know I might be here?”
“My sister-in-law also suffers from social anxiety and mostly I end up finding her in the bathroom hiding.”
“So, you are kind of an expert when it comes to finding people with social anxiety.” Elena asks her with a soft laugh
Zahra points a thumb up. “You can call me ‘the social anxiety people finder.’ I am so sorry to stop our talking session. I am supposed to present the art works for sale and I am doing a terrible job. Might have lost one or two potential buyers. Bye, Elena. You take good care of her and give her my number dumbo.” She flicks her fingers at the side of my head.
I growl at her. “Was that really necessary?”
“Yes.” She says and leaves immediately, running to her art works.
“Rude, don’t you think?” I complain to Elena and she just laughs at me. It’s great to hear her laugh after a moment of chaos. Her laugh is the solution to the chaos because when I hear it, it is as if the room gets quiet and only she is laughing.
“Not really.” she tells me with a shrug of her shoulders.
“Are you really okay?”
“I have been better but I think I will be. Never leave my side, okay?” Her tone gets more serious with the last sentence.
“I wouldn’t dare.”
“Good.” She says in a clipped tone.
I hold out my elbow for her to put her arm around. When she does I notice the slight trembling in her movements.
We walk around the building, stopping now and then to admire the painting on the wall. She talks about them and explains the essence of the art to me. When she talks, she slightly tilts her head. It’s adorable.
When she was not pointing at the art pictures, she was fidgeting with her nails, trying to build off the anxiety.
I never have seen Elena this worked up. She is usually a calm person. If there just could be something for me to help.
Hold on.
“Wait.” I take a fast halt and she stops too.
I unhook her arm from mine and look at my ring that is on my index finger. Elena kept playing around with it in the car. Maybe that will help her not break her nail because she is chipping off that nail polish and I have a feeling she won’t be happy when she realises.
I take the ring off and take her hand in mine, the ring almost fits around her thumb.
“There you go.”
She stares at the ring on her finger, her eyebrows furrowed. “Why?”
“So, you can stop chipping off your nail polish and regret it later, and it helps you calm, doesn't it?”
“You noticed?”
“I told you, there is nothing that I don’t notice about you.”
“Nothing?”
“Nothing. You have made yourself too noticeable with me that I can’t seem to look anywhere without seeing you, my love.”
“Don’t call me that.” A pang of hurt lands in my heart when she says that in a harsh tone.
“Why not?”
“Because you don’t mean it.”
My worried expression goes to a soft one and a smile curls up on my lips. “Who said I didn’t mean it, my love.”
She hesitates. “You. This arrangement between us. We are just for show or rather a couple to keep Mio away. Which we haven’t done a great job at, by the way. Don’t give me false hope with the nickname.”
Even if her words hurt more than I would love to admit, I will never stop seeing her as my love. No matter what she thinks.
This between us was never fake. Just a plan to get her to be closer to me.
Chapter 29
Elena
‘Who said I didn’t mean it, my love.’
My love.
MY LOVE. ??Why does he keep calling me that? Everything between us is a straight up arrangement. Many people did not surround us, certainly not those who need to know we are engaged.
All we had so far we had two kisses and one too many almost kisses, it can’t be if he feels the same way about me. It could just be that he seems to me the same as Mio.
A physical relationship and I don’t need those in my life. I get attached too easily to pull them off properly.
I turn in the bed, the bed sheet rustling in the deep silence. Gabriel is fast asleep but I can’t seem to keep an eye close for longer than a second before I start overthinking his words all over again.
He seems peaceful when he sleeps. Quiet. Subtle.
To its own accord, my hand moves to his face and I move the strands of hair that are falling to his forehead away. My finger brushes against his skin and his eyebrows furrow at the sudden touch.
He is a light sleeper for sure.
No surprise he woke up to my accidental alarm the morning before.
Quite daydreaming and sleep, Elena!
I am driving myself crazy here by overthinking the words he said tonight and I need energy for tomorrow to continue to argue with Mio.
Yes, I have made it my life lesson to bring down Noa. Gracefully but not to hurt her in any kind or be too mean. I still have to give her a compliment or two so I don’t seem too mean because kindness goes a long way.
The more I think about the words I just said in my brain the more I realise how stupid and idiotic I sound.
“What’s keeping you up, Lena?”
My heart stands still at the sound of his deep and sleepy voice, his face still pressed against his pillow.
Maybe he is just sleeping.
“Or maybe he got woken up by your moving around.” he mumbles again.
My eyes widen in shock and I look up to the ceiling to avoid eye contact.
Did I say that out loud?
“What?”
“What is going on in that pretty head of yours?” His voice sounds clearer. When I look over to him again, he is sitting on his back, his head against his head. He rubs his eyes awake and yawns when he fully opens his eyes.
“Nothing.” I say.
“Something must be keeping you awake, my love.”
‘This is keeping me awake!’ I shout at him in my head. I want to tell him that but then he might see me as attached and pathetic and once again, I don’t need that.
I am attached. That is why I am trying so hard to ignore whatever is floating between us.
“Nerves, I guess.” I mumble my lie. It might be nerves that keep me awake but at the time it is not nerves.
“For tomorrow?”
No, the night because Peter Pan might come and bring me to neverland. Why else, Gabriel?”
I just nod at him, keeping my lips clamped shut because I won’t be caught saying stupid stuff.
‘I am sleep deprived; I am sleep deprived. I can get through the night. I will sleep soon.’ I repeat the words over and over again.
“Don’t be. You have me.”
I groan in a high-pitched tone and pinch the bridge of my nose. I rub the spot between my eyebrows before I wipe my hand all over my face.
I will regret that in the morning.
“I do.”
“Is everything okay?”
I hold my breath for a moment to think about my answer instead of shouting out peaches. Again. “Yeah…”
“Want to talk? Maybe it will help you sleep.”
I shake my head at his suggestion. “No, it’s okay. Go back to sleep. I am sorry that I woke you up.”