Page 76 of California Dreaming

Yes, the idea scared her to bits, but in a secret part of her heart, it thrilled her too.

Frankly, she didn’t want to be alone this afternoon. Or, more accurately, she was having too much fun with Arch to leave him alone at home while she painted, also alone.

She’d spent so long keeping her true self hidden. She never could have imagined how beautiful it was to fully open up to another person, let alone her teenage crush.

But every step of the way, Arch had shown her that she could depend on him. Nothing about her or her life story had shocked him. Instead, he’d given her such beautiful things—kindness and understanding.

So even if they could never be a forever couple, at least he was hers for now.

And now was absolutely amazing.

What’s more, given that she trusted him enough to be intimate physically, it made sense to her that she should trust him with her art.

Arch was engrossed in his script, a pencil in his mouth, ready to make notes in the margins. She smiled out of the pure happiness being near him brought her, then threw herself into her work.

As always, the physics of time changed as she painted. She was able to achieve a focus so complete, so absolute, that she had no idea whether fifteen minutes or two hours had passed before she was brought back to the present by the sound of a dog happily barking. She blinked several times, then saw Arch on the beach, playing with a chocolate Labrador puppy.

The dog bounded across the sand, chasing an old tennis ball, and then dropped it at Arch’s feet. He picked it up obligingly and threw it again. And again.

Watching him, Tessa was filled with warmth. Arch really would love having a dog. It was clear that he fed off their positive energy, and vice versa. She could easily see him with his own dog at home, curled up on the couch or bounding along the beach, ball in its mouth. A gray-haired couple, no doubt the dog’s owners, approached Arch, and she watched as they talked with one another. From where Tessa was standing, it seemed that if they knew he was a famous movie star, they didn’t let on. He was easy to chat with, and the locals responded to his down-to-earth nature.

She’d been so engrossed in her work she hadn’t even noticed Arch leave his spot on the bench. Turning to her painting, she stood back from her easel and studied her new additions.

Mylene was right: Her painting was good. And Tessa was in the zone. A few more strokes to capture the light on the leaves, and she’d be finished.

She quickly became reabsorbed and didn’t realize Arch was standing beside her, watching, until he said, “Wow, Tessa.”

She startled, but when she saw his expression of wonder as he took in her painting, she softened. He didn’t need to say more. She’d impressed him, and that made something deep inside her glow golden and bright.

“The light on this is exquisite,” he said. “Your colors are so soft. Did you underpaint this?”

She nodded, surprised he knew the term. “I never skip that step, or a value study, although I know many plein air painters do. I find that laying a good foundation serves as a guide for what’s to come.”

“Do you underpaint in monochrome, or do you go straight in with color?”

Again, she was surprised that he’d know the difference between underpainting with just one pigment or more. “I’m still finding my way, so I find it easiest to start with one color to separate the underpainting from the painting’s color development. The process feels more manageable that way.”

He nodded thoughtfully, still staring at the painting. “I think it’s sensational, Tessa.”

She was about to object and say something self-effacing, the way she always had before, but she caught herself. If there was one thing she’d learned from Arch, it was the power of belief in oneself. He didn’t apologize for knowing that he was a great actor. On the contrary, he owned it.

Right then and there, Tessa saw how her attitude needed to change. Yes, her husband had been cruel about her painting. But that didn’t mean he’d been right, though she’d taken his word as gospel for far too many years. It was long past time that she learned to accept praise as well as criticism.

Turning her smile to Arch, she simply said, “Thank you.”

She could tell that Arch wanted to kiss her then. His eyes had gone misty with affection and desire. And oh, how she wanted to kiss him back.

But there were so many people on the beach, so many sets of eyes. She could feel him holding himself back and knew it was for her sake, because she had insisted on privacy, on secrecy.

But it seemed that today was a day for throwing caution to the wind. Not only with her new belief in her own talent, but also with her relationship with Arch. So she leaned forward and kissed him gently and tenderly on the lips.

He responded immediately, yielding to her and bringing their bodies closer. As she responded to his delicate touch, she could no longer deny that she had fallen hard and fast for him.

When they finally parted, she felt deep within her that something had shifted. Something big.

But, that little voice in her head that wanted to keep her safe said, is the shift big enough? Can you really do this? Can you actually date a movie star without losing yourself in his world? And can you handle the people around the world who will wonder why he chose you when he could have a far prettier and more successful woman at his side?

“Are you close to being finished?” Arch asked.

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