Chapter Fifteen
By late Friday afternoon, as Willow walked toward the gallery, the strange restlessness she’d been aware of over the last few days had changed into an odd nervousness she didn’t understand.
Everyone in her family was fine, she’d texted her sisters-in-law to make sure. She was excited about the exhibition but not nervous, so why she felt like this, she had no idea.
As she entered the gallery, she checked her watch. Her family had already arrived in Seattle, they should be here soon. She was excited but also nervous about their reaction. Her mom would love all her paintings, but she wasn’t sure how Hayden and Becket would react to her newest work.
Eden rushed forward the moment she saw Willow. “Ooh, Willow, I can’t tell you how excited Greg and I are. Here, let Tony take your coat.”
“Thanks, Tony,” Willow said as she handed her coat to Tony. She’d met the young man a few times. He was studying art and worked part time in the gallery.
Eden’s eyes widened. “You look absolutely stunning, Willow. I love the bling top with the short satin skirt. You do have such nice legs.”
“Thanks, Eden. You look very elegant yourself.”
“Willow!” Greg called out as he hurried toward them. “Did you tell her?” he asked Jade.
“Tell me what?”
Greg was beaming. “Every single painting has been sold in the course of the day.”
Willow inhaled sharply. “Not every painting, I hope?”
Greg grinned. “Not ‘Spring’ or the two portraits, of course, but I do have an offer on all three. The client is coming tonight, you still have time to decide.”
As more and more people entered the gallery, Willow caught a glimpse of her brothers towering above everyone else. For a moment her eyes searched for another tall, well-built figure before she sighed. Hunter wouldn’t be here.
He was on a ranch in Colorado, many, many miles from here.
*
Hunter hadn’t been sure what to expect at the opening of an art exhibition. If you wanted information about livestock markets, he was your man, but visiting art exhibitions? He’d never felt so out of his comfort zone as he was at this moment.
His eyes fell on a waiter with a tray of champagne. Grimacing, he moved through the crowd. Of course they would have champagne. This was certainly no place for beer and belching cowboys.
He was within touching distance of the waiter when he noticed people were staring at him. Openly. What the hell? He’d showered and changed and okay, yes, black jeans were probably not what one was supposed to wear to something like this, but damn it, it was clean.
As he was moving forward, his eyes focused on the tray in the waiter’s hand, someone tapped his shoulder. His heart lurching, he turned around, but it wasn’t Willow. A tiny woman with pitch black hair, her eyes brimming with mirth was looking up at him.
“The ex-fiancé, I presume? Eden Davis. This is my husband’s gallery. Come with me, I need to show you something.” And grabbing him with surprising fierceness for such a tiny woman, she dragged him behind her.
Longingly, he glanced back at the tray of champagne. He’d been so close.
As he followed Eden, he again noticed people staring at him, talking behind their hands. What the hell?
“Look what the cat dragged in,” a very familiar voice said behind them. Hayden Weston.
Bracing himself, Hunter pulled himself free from Eden’s grip and turned to face his previous boss. He just managed to swallow his groan. Not just Hayden, but the whole Weston clan was there, clearly surprised to see him.
“Oh, you must be the brothers and their lovely wives.” Eden smiled and greeted everyone. “And you are Willow’s mom; she has your smile. You all must be so proud of her.”
Cooper, the only one who didn’t look surprised to see him, slapped him on the shoulder. “I’m glad you’re here. Have you seen Willow?”
“Here she is!” Eden called out gaily as she opened her arms. “Willow, darling, I’ve just met your lovely family and your ex-fiancé.”
He turned and there she was, looking at him with the same stunned expression her family had. The tight band around his chest he’d been aware of since he’d left the Weston ranch days ago, eased somewhat, giving him a chance to inhale.
She took his breath away. Dressed in a glittering top and a short skirt that left those long, sexy legs bare, she looked every inch the successful artist. But it was the light in her eyes that lifted his heart. He was moving toward her before he’d made the conscious decision to do so.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” a voice boomed over a speaker. “Welcome. It is my pleasure to introduce Willow Weston to all of you—the artist of these exceptional artworks hanging on the walls tonight.”
Touching Willow’s hand, his eyes roamed over her face. “Hello, gorgeous, you look amazing. Can we talk?”
“Willow?” the voice boomed again.
“Uhm … maybe later?” Before he could stop them, the small black-haired woman was steering Willow away from him.
“What the hell are you doing here?” Hayden grunted under his breath.
“There you are!” another voice called out from somewhere close.
Hunter didn’t have to turn around to know who it was. Jade, his sister and his self-proclaimed backup had arrived. This should be interesting.
Smiling, Jade grabbed his arm and hugged him.
“Fancy meeting you here,” he said.
“Told you I’ll have your back,” she whispered. Turning to the Westons, all frowning now, she pointed to Hayden and Becket. “So, who are these two guys who look ready to slug you?” Jade wasn’t known for pulling punches.
Both Hayden and Becket turned red in the face.
Hayden’s eyes flitted between Jade and Hunter. “I thought you loved our sister.”
“But here you are with another”—Becket’s eyes dropped down to Jade’s hand and he inhaled sharply—“fiancé?”
“Ladies and gentlemen, if you could pay attention for a moment?” the voice boomed again.
Turning his back on the Westons, Hunter found a place from where he could watch Willow. Just then Wilder arrived with two glasses of champagne.
“My fiancé,” Jade whispered to the Westons. “Wilder Nelson. Hunter’s my brother.”
As she and Wilder joined him, Jade nudged Hunter. “I seriously hope Willow is nicer than her mean-looking brothers.”
“They’re just looking out for her.”
“Is that her?” Jade asked as Willow moved in behind the microphone.
“That’s her.”
“Wow, she’s gorgeous. No wonder you look as if someone had stolen your Easter egg.”
“… thanks so much for everyone who is here tonight,” Willow was saying.
“Before I take questions, I’d like to thank Greg and Eden for their hard work to make this possible.
Greg had even arranged for couriers to pick up a few extra paintings I’ve only finished recently.
Thank you. For everyone who has already bought a painting, thank you for your support.
My family is all here; thank you all for putting up with me while I’m painting and thank you, Hunter.
” She looked in his direction but didn’t quite meet his eyes.
As she talked, Hunter looked his fill. Maybe, after tonight, he would get to watch her take off the glittering top that seemed to move with her as she motioned with her hands. Or, this could be the last time he’d be able to simply watch her. Either way, he couldn’t look away.
He was drawn to her like a moth to a flame. By the time she’d stopped speaking, he was already heading toward her.
*
As Willow moved away from the microphone, she sighed in relief. She had no idea what she’d said. Hunter was here. At her exhibition. All the way from Colorado. She was still struggling to get her head around it.
“That was great,” Greg said as he clapped with the rest of the crowd. “Now go mingle, I’ll call you if I need you. So many people have asked about the portrait …” His eyes widened as he looked behind her.
Before she turned around, she knew it was Hunter.
As his big, warm hand picked up hers, she turned to him.
He was smiling. “You were great.”
“Thank you.” Inhaling his scent, she moved closer to him. She had no idea what his presence meant, but it was so good to see him.
The next moment, a stunning blonde grabbed Hunter’s arm, the sparkling engagement ring on her ring finger the first thing Willow noticed. Her blood froze and she quickly pulled her hand from Hunter’s.
The blonde smiled. “Hi, I’m Jade, Hunter’s sister.”
For a moment, Willow was incapable of getting a word out. So many thoughts had just raced through her mind she wasn’t sure whether Jade had actually said she was Hunter’s sister or whether she’d prayed for it.
Laughing, Jade stepped forward and hugged her. “Breathe, my dear, breathe. Sister. I’m his sister.” Turning around, she waved another man closer. “This is my fiancé, Wilder Nelson.”
Relief washing over her, Willow smiled at the two strangers. Jade had Hunter’s eyes, of course she was his sister. If she hadn’t been so quick to jump to conclusions, she would’ve noticed it.
“So, tell me,” Jade said coolly. “Are all the Westons so distrustful?”
Before she could answer, her eye caught Greg who was frantically waving at her.
“Excuse me, Greg seems to need me.”
Hunter took her hand before she could move away. “I’m not leaving your side. We still have to talk.”
She quickly glanced at him to find his eyes on her.
“What?”
“You take my breath away,” he said in a voice so low and filled with emotion, it sent shivers down her spine.
Greg stepped forward. “Willow, this couple are the clients I’ve told you about. They’re interested in both ‘Spring’ and the untitled …”
“I don’t think so, Greg …” Willow said quickly.
“Are you the model in the portraits?” the woman asked, her eyes on Hunter.
“What … what portraits?” Frowning, he looked at Willow.
Greg smiled. “Come, both are such powerful works of art, everyone who sees them are deeply moved.”
With a last questioning look, Hunter put his hand on the small of her back as they followed Greg and the couple.
“Ooh, this sounds interesting,” Jade said behind her. “Come on, Wilder.”
As they rounded the corner, Willow blinked. Just about everyone who was here tonight, including her family, were standing in front of the two portraits she’d made of Hunter.
Some people turned around and noticed them, some recognized Hunter as the face on the portraits and moved to the side. She didn’t dare look at Hunter, she’d never felt so exposed in her life before. Everything she felt for him, was captured in the brush strokes on the two paintings.
Her mom approached them, her eyes bright with tears. “Willow, sweetheart, it’s brilliant, just brilliant. When did you paint these two? Hunter, I’m so, so happy you’re here to see this.”
Hunter’s hand dropped from her back as he moved to look at the paintings.
A flustered Greg stepped closer. “Money is no problem for this couple,” he said under his breath. “You name your price, they will pay.”
At that moment, Hunter turned around. His eyes were suspiciously bright, but that wasn’t what caused her heart to nearly jump out of her body.
Every emotion, every feeling inside of him crashed in waves over her. It was so strong, so intense, she was struggling to breathe. Oh, no!
The niggling feeling of the last few days was gone, so was the anxiousness she’d felt earlier today. Somehow over the last few days, she’d opened her heart to Hunter, she was connecting with him and knew what he was feeling.
Her heart beating at an alarming speed, she tried to catch her breath. It was too much, too intense, too overwhelming, too strong, there was no way she’d survive.
She’d subconsciously gone and done what Cooper and her mother had suggested, but damn it, she couldn’t handle one more person’s emotions and feelings. It wasn’t as if she hadn’t known this all along—that was the reason why she’d never wanted a relationship in the first place.
“What do you say, Willow?” Greg’s words forced her back to reality.
“I’m so sorry, but they’re not for sale. I’m happy to do something on commission …”
Smiling, the woman touched her hand. “If anyone looks at me the way this guy is looking at you, I’d never sell it either. We do want to buy something of yours, though. Come on, Greg, didn’t you say there were other paintings that haven’t been sold?”
As Greg led the couple away, most of the other people also wandered off, and she and Hunter were left with her family and Hunter’s sister and her fiancé.
“I’m hungry,” Luke announced, lifting the tension somewhat.
Her heart in tatters, Willow pasted a smile on her face for her nephew. “So am I. I need to mingle for another half an hour, then we can have dinner. Maybe you guys can go to the restaurant if you’re hungry, I know the food they’re serving here is not exactly your idea of a meal …”
“Not by a long shot,” Becket muttered. “I want steak.”
Willow turned to Jade and her fiancé. The last thing she wanted to do was to include Hunter’s family in the celebrations, but the situation was awkward enough as it was. “I’ve booked a table for us for dinner, I hope you and Wilder can join us?”
“That will be lovely, thanks.” Leaning toward Willow, her eyes twinkling, Jade winked. “Do you think your brothers are going to relax? It can’t be good for their indigestion to be so grumpy all the time.”
Sighing, Willow looked at Hayden and Becket. She honestly didn’t have the energy to deal with them as well. “Come on, you guys, relax. Excuse me, I’ll join you all as soon as I can.”
Hunter grabbed her hand. “I’m coming with you.”
“It’s really not necessary, it’s all very boring, I assure you.”
“Being with you is many things, but boring isn’t one of them.”
“Hunter …”
“Do you have any idea how desperately I need to kiss you right now?”
“We have to talk.”
“Talking is not what I have in mind.”
“Hunter, please?” she pleaded.
Clearly puzzled he stared at her. He could see she was upset and didn’t understand why.
“Willow?” Greg called out.
“Excuse me.” She quickly walked to Greg and the clients he was talking to, feeling Hunter’s eyes on her every step of the way.