Page 125 of Someday You Learn

“I could never resent you for making me realize that my dreams could change. I didn’t think there was anything else I could want more than being the boss, but there is.”

“So what are your dreams now?”

I cup the side of her face. “Anything that involves you, baby.”

Chapter twenty-five

Cashlynn

Six Months Later

When I unlock the door to the Paula O’Neil Art Gallery of Carrington Cove—named after my mother—all the lights are off except for one in the very back of the space where I usually hold my paint nights. I know I shut off every light last night before locking up, so the faint glow and the text Parker sent earlier, telling me to meet him here, piques my curiosity.We’re celebrating the six-month anniversary of the gallery being open, a milestone that still seems unreal. I honestly thought we’d be celebrating at home—preferably in bed—but Parker seems to have other plans.

My father and Beth are taking us out to dinner in honor of the milestone tomorrow, and Willow, Astrid, and Hazel have something planned on Sunday at the Sheppard family dinner.

But the two of us? We tend to celebrate in our own messy way, and I love it.

My life has turned an entire one-eighty since I moved to Carrington Cove, and I don’t regret it for a second.

“Follow the light!” Parker calls out as I lock the door behind me and shove the keys in my pocket.

Over the past six months, we’ve made a habit of meeting here when he gets off work. Usually, he picks up some dinner for us to enjoy together while he helps me balance the books or unload supplies. But I’ve hired two more employees, so those nights have dwindled in frequency recently.

The faint smell of chocolate hits my nostrils as I get closer to the man who’s become a permanent fixture in my life, the person I feel completely free to be myself with. When I embarked on this adventure of chasing my dream in Carrington Cove, I never imagined it would lead me to this kind of contentment. Between the improved relationship with my father, and the safety and peace I feel with Parker, it makes me wonder if I really am living in a dream sometimes.

But when I see what Parker has on the table waiting for me, I’m convinced that this has to be a dream and I’m going to wake up any minute.

I glance back at the chocolate fountain before meeting his eyes, trying like hell not to focus on the fact that my boyfriend is shirtless in board shorts because that’s a distraction I wasn’t anticipating at all. “I’m…confused.”

He takes a step toward me. “Well, I knew that if I wanted to make this happen, we had to do it here. If chocolate got on the carpet at home, you know I’d freak out.”

I cover my mouth as a snort escapes me. “Sounds about right.”

He takes my hand and leads me over to the table with the chocolate fountain, reaching for a white bikini lying next to it. “You need to go get changed, though.”

“You want me to wear that?”

“Honestly, I’d prefer you naked, but I thought trying to prevent chocolate from getting into places it shouldn’t would be smarter.”

I glance over at the floor, noticing the tarp under the easel holding up a canvas under a white sheet. “We’re painting with chocolate?”

“We are, but not in the way that you think.” He pulls me into his chest, and as soon as our torsos touch, I can feel his erection building against my thigh. “Now go change so we can get to the best part of the evening.”

With a grin on my lips, I head for the bathroom, changing into the bikini. I could’ve changed in front of him, but this feels like part of the mystery, so I play along.

When I return to the room, soft candlelight illuminates the space from electric candles. Parker has two glasses of red wine poured for us, holding one out to me.

“Red wine and white clothing don’t mix,” I say as I take the glass from his hand.

“Neither does chocolate and white fabric, but that’s kind of the point.”

I take a sip from my glass. “This isn’t how I anticipated celebrating.”

Parker takes a deep breath before replying. “I’ve been driving myself insane for the past few weeks, trying to think of a way to show you how proud I am of you, how much you’ve changed my life in the past six months, Cashlynn—”

“You show me that every day, Parker,” I say, cutting him off.

He shakes his head. “Not enough.” Setting his wine glass on the table, he takes mine as well and places it down, then moves to cup my face in his hands. “When I tell you that my world was black and white before you came into it, I’m not just trying to use a pun that you’d understand and appreciate.” The corner of my mouth lifts up. “You’ve truly helped me see color again, beautiful—the beauty and complexity that life has to offer. I’m in awe of the way you view the world, of how you inspire others to find the glimmers that make life truly incredible.”

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