Chapter 34
The next morning, we went for breakfast at Coffees and Commas, walking into the shop hand in hand. It smelled like paperbacks and coffee beans. Katie wiggled her eyebrows at us when she saw us. There was loud hammering from the back of the shop where the roofers were repairing the leaks. Adam and I were giddy to be starting our life together, hand in hand.
After we placed our order and were looking for a table, Adam was insistent that we should sit over by the wall.
“The wall?” I asked, confused. “Which wall?”
“That wall.” He pointed toward a blank wall that had four empty frames hanging gallery style. He had a mischievous smirk. “By the beautiful art.”
“You mean empty frames?” I whispered in case Katie could hear us. I had to be missing something.
“Empty frames waiting to be filled with your beautiful art,” Adam said, pleased with himself. He pulled out a chair at a table under the frames and sat down while I stood dumbfoundedly staring up at the frames.
“Did you…?” I asked slowly. “What have you been up to? Am I supposed to fill those frames?”
“Order up for Adam and Lucy,” Katie called out. Adam stood up to get our order and I followed after him, eager for answers.
“Katie, I’m telling Lucy what we’ve been talking about,” Adam said as he grabbed our drinks. I slowly picked up our bag of baked goods with my mind reeling.
“Oh, yes. Lucy, he wanted to surprise you with the idea,” Katie said, clapping excitedly. She then placed her hands on the counter and leaned toward us. “I mentioned to Adam that I’ve been wanting to display local art in the shop. So, Adam immediately thought of you. I didn’t even realize you were an artist! He’s been working up a contract for you to provide a few art pieces. I was thinking that either of the pieces you’ve already worked on, or you could make specific pieces for us—maybe even inspired by Sweet River? I love the piece Adam has. What do you think? He was really pitching you.”
“I think—yes!” I blurted out, not even needing to think about it.
Katie and I sorted out the details together for a while at the coffee counter while I sipped on my icy, sweet lavender latte. Adam was sitting at the table reading a book, waiting for me. My heart felt so full that it was close to bursting. My art would now be hanging in my favorite coffee shop.
Later, Adam and I huddled in the corner table underneath the empty frames waiting for the art I would make for them. We dreamed up plans for the lake with my family that coming weekend. They had extended the invite to my new boyfriend last night. This led to us discussing plans for fall and his brother’s coming visit to Sweet River.
Adam and I were dreaming up a life that was ours.
We spent the next few days enjoying the freedom of post-festival madness and relishing in our new relationship. Adam made a list of places he wanted to visit in Sweet River. I was so proud, walking everywhere hand in hand, staking my claim on Adam.
When the weekend arrived, we had both our bags in the back of his Jeep to head to the lake. Adam had his hand on my knee in my denim, cut-off shorts. He was telling me a funny college story.
“Do you think we would’ve hit it off in college?” I asked, taking in the peppermint and bergamot Adam scent that filled his Jeep.
“Oh, for sure,” he said. “I would’ve been just as obsessed with you from the get-go. Enamored. Hopefully, without the whole messy, festival meeting, I wouldn’t rub you the wrong way?—”
“I don’t know. I could see you being the class Know It All.” I tilted my head, assessing him.
“High possibility,” he admitted. “Maybe you’d find it cute?”
“I’d definitely find it cute,” I said, then added, “eventually.”
He chuckled, staring out the windshield. “We would have found our way here. You know what they say? You always find your way home.”