Page 9 of Love Finds Home

“Yeah. I call that oneNight Dreams.”

This painting has a woman lying in the grass looking at her reflection of the start of who she wishes she were.

“Looks a little like you, doesn’t it?” Ginny raises a brow my way, and I feel my cheeks heat under her assessment.

“How about that pizza?” I ask, changing the subject. I don’t want to talk about my art right now.

“Sure,” she willingly gives in. “How did everyone take you coming back so soon?”

“Mom doesn’t understand why I need out of the city. Dad’s pissed that I didn’t let him buy me a house, and the brothers are, well, the brothers. Overbearing, overprotective, overgrowntoddlers. They wanted to hook me up with a tracker on my Jeep and in my bags. All the bags. And maybe my shoes.” I laugh, Ginny joining in.

“Nothing like big brothers,” she says, raising her beer in my direction. “Davis used to take me everywhere so he could watch over me. When I got into boys, shew, that was bad.”

Ginny’s smiling, but there’s something about her posture that doesn’t seem right, like she’s subconsciously defending herself.

“Let’s not talk about overbearing big brothers tonight. Let’s talk about something fun.” I give her an evil grin. “Tell me all the things about thisRangerguy and why you all like him so much when he’s such a fucking tool.”

Ginny laughs, and it’s contagious. The way her face lights up when she starts to giggle-snort is nothing short of gorgeous. I’d love to paint her just like this so that maybe she’d see herself as everyone else does. Effortlessly beautiful.

“I wondered how long it would take you to ask about him,” she eventually gets out between her giggles.

“Yeah, yeah, yuk it up, bitch. He was nothing but an ass tonight. Is he always like that?”

“No!” she exclaims, laughing again. “He’s never like that. Matter of fact, that might be the most emotion I’ve ever seen from him. Between him and Joker, I’m not sure who is usually the most stoic and quiet.”

“So, what was the deal tonight?”

“Wish I knew.” She shrugs her shoulders. “If I had to guess, I’d say you embarrassed him when you called him out in front of all of us, but you only did that because he was being a jerk.”

“Exactly!” I point at her to emphasize my feeling. “I didn’t do anything to that man other than breathe, and he judged me and found me lacking immediately. Why?”

“Maybe he likes you and doesn’t like that he likes you.” She waggles her brows. “Maybe he wants to see you naked.”

“No way. That man does not want to see me naked.”

“Never know. Maybe he wants to see what other ink you have on your skin. Make sure it’s up to par.”

“Have you seen any of his work?”

“Sure. I have a tattoo that he did for me.”

“Really? Where? Lemme see!”

Ginny looks off for a minute, like she’s trying to decide if she can show it to me.

“If it’s private, I don’t need to see it, Gin. You only have to show me if you want.” I grip her hand and make sure she sees the truth in my eyes. I understand some things need to stay private. Maybe more than most.

“It’s not you,” she assures me. “This is all on me. Only two people have seen it, and only one cared enough to ask the why behind it.”

“Ginny, you never have to tell me anything you aren’t comfortable talking about. Please know, I might ask, but I’ll never turn into a bitch if you tell me no.”

“Seems like you have your own stories you want to stay secret, don’t you?”

“I have a past that I try not to think about, yeah, but it’s mainly because I feel like a fool most of the time when I do.”

“Me, too.” She gives me a sad smile. “Unfortunately, my mistake cost me so much more than my pride. It cost me my future.”

“Are you dying?”

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