Chapter 21
Chapter Twenty-One
They spent a good hour with Joey, who walked them through every task his crew had completed.
“We could never have finished the reno as quickly as we did without your contributions,” Keaton told the contractor.
“You’ve done lovely work,” Layne added. “I’ll definitely recommend you to anyone needing a construction project done.”
“You put us to work at a slow time of year for us,” Joey said. “We were grateful to have a small part in restoring the Bay Breeze.”
“I’ll be putting up the pictures on the website soon,” Layne said. “I’m looking to open in three weeks, so look at your calendar. I still want to have you and your wife as complimentary guests for a weekend.”
Joey beamed. “I’ll talk to her about it. We’ll need to farm the kids out to my mom and dad. I’ll text you about it.”
Once Joey had left, Keaton pulled Layne into his arms for a slow, delicious kiss.
“We did it,” he said. “Your parents would be really pleased at how things turned out.”
He watched tears mist her eyes. “I wish they could’ve been here to see it. To meet you. Let’s head home. I’m hoping Stacy will forward her photographs soon, and I want to go through and have you help me choose which ones to upload to the website.”
“I know you want to get that up and running ASAP, but mentioning Stacy reminds me of something. I haven’t been to the gallery much, especially since things are so slow, but I went in today and found concert tickets which Stacy gave me for Christmas.
I’d stuck them in a drawer and had forgotten about them. ”
“What group?” Layne asked.
“It’s a country artist—and I don’t even know if you like country. He’s playing in Houston. A guy who was a part of my construction crew years ago. Case Wellborne.”
“You know Case Wellborne?” she asked, clearly familiar with the name. “He’s amazing. So talented.”
“He was one of the painters. A damned good one, by the way. Case was always humming or singing while we worked. He began playing weekend gigs. As he grew more popular, he started traveling through Texas on weekends. Finally, he quit Frank Peterson’s construction crew to earn a living by making music. ”
Keaton paused. “In a way, Case was my inspiration to keep painting. I hoped that one day I could follow my art and make a full-time living from it, just as he did his music.”
“I’d love to go see him live,” she said enthusiastically. “The Devil Dancing in the Moonlight. The Bridge to Another Heart. He’s put out some really great songs.”
“Good. I’m glad you don’t mind going. The thing is, we were going to drive up next weekend to see Piper’s last performance. Would you rather fly to Houston and save all that time in the car? It would eat up five or six hours each way.”
“That’s a great idea. Things are going to be getting really busy around here. We could be there in a little over half an hour if we fly, where it would take five or more to drive. That’s ten hours, there and back.”
They walked out to their vehicles, and he said, “I’ll arrange the tickets. Pick a hotel close to the venue. So clear all day tomorrow and Saturday, too. We can fly back early Sunday morning.”
“Will do,” she said, allowing him to open her car door and getting in.
As Layne drove off, Keaton got into his truck.
He had no idea how to contact Case and then thought about DM-ing him.
At Sidney’s urging, Keaton had created social media accounts, mostly to stake a claim to his name.
He had only made an occasional post of a painting to Instagram, and he followed no one.
Still, it seemed the only way to get in touch with Case.
If the singer responded, that would be terrific.
If not, they would still enjoy attending the concert.
He found Case’s Instagram handle and opened his DMs, typing a message.
Hey, Case. Keaton, your fellow painter, from a long time ago.
Bringing my girl to your Houston concert tomorrow night.
Doubt you’ll get this or if you would even honor a fan request, but I thought it was worth a try.
If you would dedicate Marry Me Before Sundown to Layne, I’d appreciate it. You can text me at 972-555-4672.
Keaton sent the message, thinking Case probably received thousands from fans each day. Most likely, he had a social media manager who monitored his accounts for him and would probably blow off the message. Still, he had made the effort.
He opened an airline app, skimming through available flights to Houston tomorrow, and reserved two seats for them on a one o’clock flight out of Corpus.
He booked return flights for Sunday morning, wanting to give them all day Saturday in Houston to shop for engagement and wedding rings.
Keaton planned to ask Layne to marry him at the concert.
He was glad to know that she liked Case’s music.
Then he arranged a hotel room for Friday and Saturday night near the Toyota Center, receiving an immediate confirmation. By now, he had also gotten an email with their boarding passes, so he downloaded those to his wallet.
The trip taken care of now, he drove home. As he approached the sprawling property, he couldn’t help the pride swelling within him. This was his forever home with Layne. This was where they would make a family and he would create art.
He pulled into the garage and cut the engine. His phone rang, the number unknown. For a moment, he thought to let it go to voicemail, afraid it might be Honey. He decided to answer anyway. It he heard her voice, at least he would know to block the number.
“Hello?”
“Keaton? It’s Chief Roberts. Got a little situation on our hands that I wanted to make you aware of.”
The chief’s words caused Keaton’s stomach to sink.
“Does it involve a woman named Honey?”
“Yup. That’s the one. She was caught shoplifting on the square. She’s been hollering to high heaven, demanding to talk to her son—which I assume is you.”
“She may have given birth to me, Chief, but Honey washed her hands of me years ago. Renounced her parental rights when I was young. I haven’t seen her in over twenty-five years.
Until this morning, when she appeared at the gallery wanting money and I sent her on her way.
I don’t want to have anything to do with her. She’s a stranger to me.”
“I hear you, son. She’s on parole for selling meth. Looks like a user herself. Don’t worry. I’ll take care of things. You don’t have to see her or talk with her. She’ll be going back to prison for parole violations. I just wanted to touch base with you.”
“Thank you, Chief Roberts. And just a heads up to you, Layne’s ex from Dallas, Jeremy Riggs, also showed up today at the Bay Breeze.
We convinced him to leave, but I just wanted you to know in case he decided to hang around and cause a little mischief.
He spray painted Layne’s garage in Dallas with an expletive after they broke up.
I’d hate for him to do anything to the Bay Breeze. ”
“Pulling up his driver’s license picture and vehicle registration now,” the police chief said, all business now. “I’ll send out the info and make sure my guys know to be on the lookout for him. We’ll keep an eye out, Keaton.”
“Appreciate it, Chief.”’
He went inside the house, relieved to know that Honey wouldn’t be bothering them anymore. Layne was sitting at the kitchen table, pouring over her tablet.
She smiled up at him. “Pull up a chair. We can go through these photos together.” Picking up a pen, she turned her notebook to a fresh page. “I’ll make notes of the ones we like best.”
They perused the folders Stacy had created for each room at the B&B, noting the number of shots which appealed to them. He told her that she didn’t want a cookie cutter layout, so they were careful to choose a variety of photographs of the various guestrooms.
“Now that we’ve made our choices, I can slide them into the templates I’ve created. I’ll be needing your opinion again once that’s done and I’ve added the copy I wrote.”
“Then I’m going to go and get a little work done.”
Keaton retrieved his sketchpad and went to sit outside on the deck. He believed he would do a lot of sketching here, looking out over the water.
Layne joined him, asking, “Do you mind if I look at what you’ve been sketching? I don’t want to invade your space or break up your routine.”
He had never had anyone to share his work with at any stage, but he decided he wanted her involved in every aspect of his art.
Handing his sketchbook to her, he dragged his chair beside hers. Together, they went through each page, viewing the sketches he’d been working on.
“As fabulous as I think your oil paintings are, you could actually sell your sketches. Maybe compile these into a book and detail your process.”
“It’s a thought,” he agreed.
“You were meeting with Collin today. How did that go?”
“Well, a lot happened this morning. We own another house now.”
The look on her face was priceless. “What in the world are you talking about?”
Keaton explained how the space on the square wasn’t going to be available, after all, and how Hillary had taken him to a house on the market.
“It’s in decent shape. I’d like to have it painted inside to brighten it up a little.
Joey can handle that. Anyway, it has one large room which had served as a combination living and dining room.
We can bring in long cafeteria-style tables for the students.
It has two bedrooms. To sweeten the pot, as well as helping out a cash-strapped Collin, I offered for him to live in the house, rent-free.
He can take one bedroom for himself and use the other one as an art studio for himself.
I know we don’t need the money, but I told him we’d split the fees we’d charge for lessons. ”
“Good idea. I know you really believe in him. This will give him a place to work, as well as some additional income.”
“Exactly. I did say that I would provide all the supplies for the students. We can put some shelving in the kitchen, and students can go there to get what they need. Clean their brushes at the end of a lesson. Collin is looking into the curriculum. Deciding what to teach in the classes. Stacy mentioned about having lessons for both kids and adults, which isn’t a bad idea. ”
“I like that, especially having lessons for kids. Who knows? You might find the next budding artist to come out of Driftwood Bay.”
“If this idea catches on—and I think it really could—Collin might be able to give up his job at the gas station and teach lessons, both group and individual ones, and paint fulltime.”
“We need to think about designing a website for this venture,” Layne said enthusiastically. “Painting Plus? Painting by the Bay? I need to think on it.”
He laughed and leaned in, capturing her mouth for a sweet kiss. “Let’s go work on dinner first.”
Her eyes lit with mischief. “And maybe other things after dinner?”
Keaton looked at her innocently. “Oh, right. We need to pack for our quick trip.”
“You are incorrigible, Maxwell. But oh, so sexy.”
He ran a finger down her arm slowly. “After we pack? I’ll let you pick tonight’s activity. We have a lot of rooms to christen in this house, Layne.”
“That we do.”
She stood. “Right now, you need to feed me. It just hit me that we never ate lunch. I’m starving.”
As he followed inside to the kitchen, Keaton knew he was starving not only for food.
He would always be hungry for Layne.
Layne said, “I’m in need of comfort food.” She began pulling out the ingredients for one of Miss Peggy’s easy, go-to dishes. “Hope tuna casserole is good with you.”
“It’s always a good time for tuna casserole.”
“Let me handle it. Open some wine for us and go relax.”
He found a bottle of pinot noir and opened it. Fetching two glasses, he poured wine into both of them and then checked his phone, on the off-chance Case might have replied to his message.
To his surprise, Case—or someone working for him—had actually responded. Eagerly, he sat at the table, reading the message.
Good to hear from you, buddy. Janine and I always think of you fondly, especially every time we put a new baby into that cradle you made for us. We’ve had four of them sleep in it now and may or may not be done.
Would love to see you and Layne. The tickets I can get you are better than anything you bought. I’ll give my manager your number. He’ll text you where to come around seven and have backstage passes for you. We’ll get in a quick visit before the show starts. Looking forward to catching up with you.
This was far more than what Keaton had expected, especially because he hadn’t been friends with Case, merely friendly with him. He decided this part would be a surprise to Layne.
“What are you grinning about?” she asked, putting the casserole into the oven.
He took a sip of wine, calming himself. “Just got the confirmation for the hotel. I also booked flights for us.” Keaton smiled. “Things are really shaping up for this weekend.”