Page 101 of Under Ground

I swear she has stars in her eyes as she speaks about it. Something tells me she’s excited about this—possibly even more than I am.

We get out of the car and enter the building. I see what she means.

It’s comprised of shelf after shelf of all the art and craft items you could ever think of. It’s a little overwhelming and unlike anything I’ve seen back home. I’ve only ever had my small pad and pencil, but we soon find large drawing pads and an easel, and then Delaney stumps me with a question in an aisle lined high with different shades of paint.

“If I pay you to do a portrait of Amelia and Addison, what do you want to do them in? Pencil? Paint? Something else?”

I bite my bottom lip. “Seriously, I’ve never used anything more than a pencil.”

“Then we’ll get you all the colours.” She smiles. “But, you know, if you want anything else …”

“You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”

She places her hand on my arm. “I have a big thing for kitchen appliances. It’s the cook in me. This is something new, and it’s exciting. Go big or go home. That’s what I say.”

I grin and then take a deep breath. Delaney’s right. Now is the time in my life to try something new.

I can’t wait to share what we’ve bought with Alex.

* * *

“I have something to show you,” I whisper, grasping Alex’s hand after tucking Casey into bed.

He cocks his head, giving me a curious look. “What is it?”

“Come with me.”

I lead him downstairs to a room where Delaney and I set up the easel when we got home.

He looks around as I flick the light on.

An easel stands in one corner, right by the window that gets the morning light. Beside it, a stack of sketchpads are lined up on the table. Packets of pencils with every colour of the rainbow sit beside them.

“What’s this?”

I bite my bottom lip. “A temporary studio for me.”

“Wow.”

My heart swells. “I know. Delaney thinks I could make some money from my art, so I—”

“Who paid for all this?”

I swallow hard. “Delaney offered. I couldn’t really say no. Besides, she’s paying me to draw portraits of her children. It’ll work out.”

Alex runs his fingers through his hair. “There are way more things here than you need for a couple of portraits. We’re already staying for free and now Delaney’s paying for your things?”

“It’s not like that.” I slide my hand into his. “She said to think of it as paying it forward. I told her I’ll repay her when I’ve done the portraits, and she thinks I’ll be able to set up a business from it.”

He shakes his head. “Why didn’t you ask me for the money? I know we haven’t got things sorted out yet, but—”

“Because we haven’t sorted things out yet. That’s why. And Delaney wanted to go do it this afternoon, so we did. I don’t want to argue with you over this.”

He taps his foot on the ground. We’ve never fought. Not even when we broke up did we have what I’d consider to be a fight. But now? I didn’t ask for Delaney to pay for anything—she offered. And I’ll be damned if I’m made to feel guilty over it.

“Things are tense enough with this whole Reece situation.” He runs his free hand through his hair.

“I know that. But it hasn’t impacted my friendship with Delaney or Pania, and I’d like to keep it that way. I don’t want to come begging to you every time I want something.”

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