Chapter Eleven
ZARIA
We’re cuddled up in my bed, and I look up at Nate. He appears completely content, and that makes me extremely happy.
“Just make sure you don’t hurt me, and I’ll keep that smile on your face.”
He smirks. “Stop worrying, okay? I told you, I’m not that guy. When I’m in, I’m all in.”
I chew on my bottom lip. “You know this music video…” He nods. “Well, you do realize I’m going to be getting very close and personal with Danger, right?”
He tenses, and I sigh. “In the script, it calls for almost kissing, body rubbing… stuff like that.”
Nate tightens his grip on me and nods.
“I can pull out of the video if you want me to?”
His eyes open wide, and he exhales. “Shit! No. As much as I’m going to hate seeing that, the band needs you. And if you pulled out because of me, I’d never hear the damn end of it.”
“Okay… but only if you’re sure.”
“Yeah, just don’t French kiss him. No tongues.”
Nodding, I laugh. “Well, that was never going to happen anyway. But yes, I can promise you… no tongues. And I’ll be thinking of you the whole time.”
“Better be…” He quickly changes the subject. “Hey, can I take you somewhere?”
“Like on a date?”
He grins. “Yeah. I wanna show you something.”
I lean in, kissing him before we slide out of bed to get dressed and head out to his car, where my security waits for my direction. He doesn’t tell me where we are headed, so they follow at a safe distance, far enough away not to be a nuisance but close enough should I need them.
On the way to wherever we’re headed, we stop at a drive-through to grab some takeout to eat.
Just as we’re finished with the last of our food, we pull up down a back alley, and I furrow my brows, wondering where the hell we are.
“Just ’cause we’re dating doesn’t mean you can now kill me in a dark alley,” I tease with a smile.
Nate rolls his eyes as we get out of the car and start walking down the lane. Security follows closely behind, watching cautiously. I’m sure the dark alley, with only a single streetlight casting a low glow, has them on high alert.
The walls are covered in graffiti, and it’s really dingy.
Although I trust Nate, this bristles my skin.
He walks me up to a green door marked fire escape, and I try to hide my nervousness.
My eyes dart around the area, taking in the brick walls and noticing their cracks.
If I didn’t know any better, this looks like a drug dealer’s hideout.
He looks at me and smiles. “Trust me, Ria. I’d never hurt you or let anyone hurt you.”
I nod, and he opens the door. I follow him inside, wrapping my hands around one of his arms with a firm grip. His words were meant to settle me, but I can’t help my body’s reaction to our surroundings.
Security casually follows, keeping their distance and standing back against the wall, giving us space.
Inside is a giant warehouse with white walls and art canvases everywhere.
It’s a gallery, and I stand here in complete shock.
I had no idea something so beautiful and clean could be behind that exterior door.
Releasing my hold, I walk in a little further, checking out the artwork.
It has an edge to it I recognize.
I turn to Nate, opening my eyes wide, gasping as recognition takes hold.
“Oh my God, Nate. This gallery, all these paintings, they’re yours, aren’t they?”
He smiles and nods.
Chewing on my bottom lip, I swing around, looking at the moody artwork. It’s somber yet so amazingly artistic.
I’m in complete awe of him.
“Nate… I’m speechless.”
“Really?”
“Yes, really. I knew you were good, but hell, I didn’t know you were amazing.”
He shakes his head. “I’m not that good—”
“Stop it! You really are. Can people come here and see these?”
He shakes his head adamantly. “Nah, you’re the only one who’s been here besides Robert, the cleaner.”
I scoff. “What? Not even Matt?”
“Nope, not even Matt. He doesn’t care about my art. You’re the only one who’s shown an interest in it. So much so that I sneak in here when the band has downtime, or I can’t sleep, leaving no one the wiser.”
“Nate, you need to be selling these.”
He grins, lopsided, and shakes his head. “Na, they’re worthle—”
“Stop! They’re so good. Stop putting yourself down and take a compliment, will you? Nate, these are incredible. Definitely good enough to be sold. You should open the gallery to the public.”
“Music takes up too much of my time. I couldn’t put my soul into a gallery, not like I’d like anyway.”
“Then have someone else run it… you paint, they sell. That would work best for when you’re touring and stuff, too.”
He purses his lips, looking around the open expanse. “You really think I could sell these?”
“Nate, I know you can. You asked me to trust you, so please trust me in this. You’re. Good. Enough!”
He exhales and nods, swallowing hard.
“Nate!”
“Okay, okay, I’ll look into it.”
“Promise?”
He pulls me in for a hug. “Promise…”
“I’m really super impressed, Nate. I’m in awe of you right now.”
He smiles so wide as I look up at him. “Thank you. You don’t know how much this all means to me.”
“I think I do. But these shouldn’t be hiding away in a dingy back alley. They need to be out there for the world to see.”
“You have so much faith in me.”
Smiling, I caress his cheek. “I see your potential, Nate.”
His smile is soft and warm, and then he leans down, placing a quick kiss on my lips before he pulls back, looking past me. I turn to see him looking at a doorway. “I wanna show you something I’ve been working on, but I don’t wanna freak you out.”
I raise my eyebrow in curiosity and chuckle. “Well, now I really do have to see it.”
He inhales and nods, takes my hand, and walks me over to the door. After opening it and walking me through, we step into a studio where paints and empty canvases line the walls. The cloth-covered canvas on an easel catches my attention, piquing my interest immediately.
Nate walks me over to the easel and stops, taking a deep breath. “Okay, so I did this for you, but I don’t want you to think I’m crazy.”
“Nate, just show me.”
He pulls off the sheet, revealing a canvas with a dove, the same dove he always draws for me.
However, this dove is in much finer detail.
Behind it, the background bursts with vibrant colors—soft blues, pinks, and golden hues— blending to create a highlight around the dove’s form.
The colors swirl as if the dove is floating in a world of light and color.
I can’t help the gasp as it escapes my throat, and my hand shoots to my mouth in utter shock.
I’m amazed, shocked, overwhelmed, and tears well in my eyes.
It’s stunningly beautiful.
It’s perfect, and I love every stroke he’s put into it.
“Your eyes are welling up… shit, Ria. I didn’t want to upset you.”
With my hands, I reach out, grab his, and look into his eyes as fat tears roll down my cheeks.
“No, you have it all wrong, Nate. I love it so, so much. I have no words. It’s perfect.
” I pull him to me in a tight embrace, and he seems genuinely startled by my confession because he’s delayed in hugging me back.
“Really? You really like it?”
“Nate, I love it. Can I have it?”
He pulls back from me like he doesn’t believe I’m asking that question, but then he nods once. “Of course, it’s for you. I need to do some finishing touches, though. I’ll bring it by when I’m done.”
“I’ll pay you for it. It will be your first sold art piece.”
He furrows his brows and frowns. “Ria, no. It’s a gift. It’s not for sale.”
“Nate, please… let me be the first person to buy one of your artworks. I want to be your first official fan.”
He smiles and pulls me into another hug. “Okay, but not this one. This one is a gift.”
“So I get two? That’s even better. I’m so excited. I can’t wait to choose.”
He shakes his head and exhales in a long, drawn-out breath. “Thank you. No one has ever supported me like you have, and you’ve only known me a really short time.”
Smiling, I squeeze him a little tighter. “The moment I saw you, Nate, I knew we’d be close. I don’t know how, but I knew. And I’m so glad to be here with you now. I’m excited to see where our future goes from here.”
He tilts his head. “So, if we’re together… are we telling people?”
“Mm… I guess we can tell the band and my people, but as for the public, it’s probably best to keep it under wraps until the video comes out.”
He slumps a little, then tries to cover it up. “Yeah, you’re probably right. Don’t want our news to overshadow the release.”
“Exactly. We can wait. There’s no need to go public. It’s not going to stop us from seeing each other in the meantime.”
“True. But we should tell the guys, Tillie, and Lunar. Maybe tomorrow at the filming?”
“Yes. We’ll tell them together. We can go in together if you want?”
“Perfect!”