Chapter 22
twenty-two
SADIE
“Do you think a nude would be too much for Mylene?” Autumn asks me, standing back to look at the oil on canvas painting.
We’re in the back room of the bookshop, which I offered as temporary storage once the paintings arrive. Each one’s destined for a different shop along Main Street, where they’ll be displayed in the windows as part of the Liberty Art Trail.
Visitors will get a printed map, encouraging them to follow the trail through town, stopping to admire each piece before heading to the hotel to finish the loop.
The aim is to bring more eyes, feet, and deep pockets to Liberty followed by the gala night that will put the island on the art world’s radar.
I look at the piece that Autumn’s holding. Next to me, Skyler turns her head to the side, squinting at the vibrant brushstrokes.
“Is that a nipple in the middle of her forehead?” she asks, wrinkling her nose at the pink circle that’s pretty much winking at her.
“I think that’s an eye,” I say.
“Does she have an infection?” Skyler says.
“Ignore her. She’s not exactly a connoisseur,” Autumn mutters. “Remind me, why are you here anyway?” Autumn asks her sister-in-law.
“Because you want to use my bar as a gallery,” Skyler replies, reaching for the next wrapped canvas like she’s lifting a sack of flour. “Also, I brought muffins. Don’t pretend you don’t love me.”
Autumn sighs. “Fine. And I do. Kinda.”
I lift a clipboard off the workbench and start checking off shop names.
“Okay, Mylene’s coffee shop gets this painting.
Eileen’s Inn is getting the one with the fish.
And I still need to find something for the hardware store.
” Because the owner decided he wanted to be part of the trail at the last minute.
Skyler raises an eyebrow. “What about the one with the melting toolbox?”
“There is no painting with a melting toolbox,” I say, my brows raised.
“Well there should be. If the guys get nipples, we should at least get some toolboxes. It’s only fair.” Skyler pulls a muffin from her bag and starts unwrapping it.
Autumn gasps. “Do not eat near the art. These pieces are worth tens of thousands of dollars.”
Skyler lifts a brow. “Remind me to get Ayda’s art supplies out after school. We could be millionaires by next week.”
“You and Hudson are already millionaires,” Autumn says dryly.
“I’m just saying.” Skyler shrugs. “Gotta start them young. I’m raising the next generation of Fitzgerald moguls here. It’s a tough job, you know?”
I shake my head, smiling at the two of them as I flip to the next name on the clipboard. I like being around Autumn and Skyler. And all the women on the island. They’re fun, they’re so welcoming, and I think that’s what I need right now.
“Speaking of toolboxes,” Autumn says, lifting her brows at Skyler, “I still haven’t managed to find out who Zach smuggled into his apartment the other night.”
I immediately freeze. They know about that?
“We’ll figure it out,” Skyler says. “I’ll get Hudson to send me the security footage.”
“And how exactly are you planning to persuade him to do that?” Autumn asks, tilting her head.
“He’s your brother.” Skyler wiggles her brows like a movie villain in an old black and white. “I’m not sure you want the details.”
I make a sound that’s supposed to be a laugh, but it comes out sounding like a damn foghorn. Luckily Autumn’s too busy pretending to gag to notice me having a minor meltdown.
It’s okay, I tell myself. I’m fine. It’s not like I have time to be thinking about the man who basically fulfilled every fantasy I’ve ever had then took care of me like I was the only thing in his world.
At least for a few hours. Because I haven’t seen him since.
And that’s just fine. I’m a strong, independent woman. Who doesn’t need to start pretending that night was anything more than a one-time thing. A fantasy fulfillment. Which is why I haven’t answered his last message.
I can’t fall for a man who doesn’t want to be fallen for.
Yeah, good luck with that. You’re already on the ground and covered in bruises.
“What do you think, Sadie?” Autumn asks.
“Sorry?” I blink, realizing they’ve probably been talking while I was busy pretending my entire nervous system isn’t a faulty live wire.
She and Skyler both stare at me, brows raised in twin arcs of expectation.
“The sculpture for the Salty Dog,” Autumn prompts. “The bronze with legs and no torso. Is it charming or scary?”
I look over at the statue. “I think it’s beautiful.” Even in the dark of the storage room it feels like it glows. The artist’s notes say it’s about female empowerment, about women carrying the weight of expectation and still finding the strength to move forward.
“Seriously,” I say to Skyler. “It’s completely badass. Like a middle finger to the patriarchy. If you think I’m just a vagina on legs, fuck you.”
Skyler lets out a laugh that bounces off the stacked crates behind her. “I love that. I might have to persuade Hudson to buy it. How much is it worth?”
Autumn looks at her tablet. “Thirty-thousand dollars.”
“It’d look great in my bedroom,” Skyler says, grinning. “Especially since Hudson’ll have no idea what it really means.”
We move onto unpacking the next piece, and to my annoyance the conversation turns to Zach again.
“I just don’t get why he’s grumpier than ever these past couple of days,” Autumn says to Skyler.
“I thought casual hotel sex was supposed to make men more easy going, not bite your head off when you suggest they think about changing up the décor in their bedroom because it screams ‘guy with no sex life’.”
“I thought you chose the décor for the bedroom,” Skyler says, shaking her head.
Autumn shrugs. “I did. But that was years ago and I chose it for Parker when he lived there and I was absolutely determined he wasn’t going to get with anybody but me.” She sighs loudly.
“Maybe he just needs more sex,” Skyler suggests. “If he’s anything like his brother, once is never enough.” She looks a little gooey eyed, like she’s remembering a moment with Hudson. Autumn pretends to gag again.
“Maybe we should introduce him to someone at the gala,” Skyler continues, oblivious. “I mean, there’ll be collectors, artists, a few gallery reps… I could invite Hudson’s assistant from New York. She’s just broken up with her boyfriend and she’s so nice.”
Autumn frowns. “Isn’t she a dyed-in-the-wool New Yorker? We need somebody who wants to live here.”
“You think Zach’s going to stay on Liberty?” Skyler asks. “I thought he was only here for a few weeks.”
I start to pull the brown paper off the next piece of art, trying to keep my face in a neutral expression.
“But we want to encourage him to stay, right?” Autumn says pointedly. “So no New Yorkers.”
“What about Romy?” Skyler asks. “She’s single, isn’t she?”
“She’s a little too young. How old is she anyway?” Autumn asks me.
I open my mouth to tell her ‘too young’ when my phone starts to ring and I’m literally saved by the bell.
I glance down to see a number I don’t recognize on the screen. Normally I’d let it go to voicemail, but right now I’d rather chat to a scammer about my nonexistent car insurance than admit that the idea of Zach being with anyone else makes my chest ache in ways I’m not ready to unpack.
“Sorry,” I say, my voice too chirpy. “Gotta take this, I’ve been waiting for this call all day.”
“No worries,” Autumn says, already distracted by the next piece of art. I shoot her a smile and walk out of the store room into the empty gallery, sliding my finger across the screen to accept the call.
“Hello?” I say, walking over to the window that looks out on Main Street. It’s raining today and the sidewalk is emptier than usual. Shop owners have brought their displays in, and tourists are probably sheltering at the coffee shop, or hunkering down in the hotel and resort.
“Hello Sadie.” The low voice is so recognizable it makes my stomach tighten.
Darien. My ex. My stomach twists. God, how did he find me?
“What do you want?” I manage to say. I have to lean against the wall of the shop to steady myself. It’s the shock more than anything. He never made me fear for my life, but I still hate this.
I hate that he took me by surprise.
“I’ve just been to the unit to pick up my things,” he murmurs. “And something is missing.”
“How did you get this number?” I whisper, hating how vulnerable I sound. But I can’t speak louder. I can’t do anything. It’s like I’m paralyzed by the sound of his voice.
There’s a pause, and then that low, amused exhale I still hear in my nightmares. “A friend of a friend. And this is purely business. You’ve taken something of mine and I want it back.”
My knees weaken. The phone shakes in my hand. He can’t. He’s not allowed. The no-contact order should shield me.
“I… I don’t have anything of yours,” I whisper, but I know the lie is paper-thin.
“Oh come on. Don’t talk to me like I’m an idiot. I want the painting back. And I want it now.”
“Leave me alone,” I tell him, then hang up, my heart pounding. I have no idea why I’m so upset, but I am.
I turn my phone off for good measure and walk through the door dividing the businesses. I just want to be alone. I storm through the bookshop like I’m on a mission. Romy calls my name twice before I realize she’s there.
“Are you okay?” she asks, then she notices the expression on my face. “Oh god, what happened? Is it Zach?”
I shake my head. “Can you tell Autumn and Skyler I have to go do something upstairs?” I ask her, my voice thick. “Will you be okay here without me?”
“Yeah. It’s Bro’s Book Club so I’m staying late anyway.” She frowns, taking in the expression on my face. “Honey, can I do anything?”
“I just need to be alone,” I say.
She nods, like she understands and I head for the stairs, my blood rushing through my ears, knowing how stupid this is.
How I shouldn’t let him affect me.
But I still do. Because he’s out. I knew it was a possibility, but now that it’s actually happened it feels like such a shock.