Page 94 of Someday You Learn

Her eyebrow lifts. “And when you say thatshechanged, didyouchange as well?”

“I mean, yeah. Things shifted when she moved to Carrington Cove with me.”

“So would you say that your relationship was strong from the beginning, Parker? Did you two communicate effectively, grow and change together, and speak honestly with each other? Or not?”

A million memories slam into me all at once. “Fuck,” I mutter as I lock eyes with Dr. Jensen.

She scribbles something on her notepad with a grin. “I think we’re done for today.”

***

“Cashlynn?”

It’s Wednesday night and I’m getting home just after nine, but I made sure to text Cashlynn this time.

See? I’m fucking learning.

The practice was insanely busy today and an emergency surgery kept me there late. Seth stayed late too, like he was afraid to leave before me.Jackass. I seriously can’t wait until Robert makes his decision and I can put this whole thing behind me.

“I’m in my room!” Cashlynn calls out, instantly making me feel more at ease. I set my stuff on the kitchen counter and start unbuttoning my shirt as I make my way down the hall. The tie comes off too, and as I step into her room, my shirt already hanging open, I’m ready for her to rip it off since that’s been the routine the past few days.

But what I see stops me in my tracks.

She’s painting.

Holy shit.

Sitting on a stool in nothing but her underwear and an over-sized T-shirt, she’s completely focused on the canvas. Her hands move expertly, blending strokes of dark blue and white, accented by a few hints of yellow. Her hair is piled in a messy bun on top of her head, and she’s biting her bottom lip as she assesses each stroke of her brush, contemplating where the next will go.

She’s so consumed by what she’s doing that she doesn’t register I’m behind her until I wrap my arms around her waist. I plant kisses on her exposed neck and collar bone, watching her skin pebble right before my eyes. “You’re painting…”

She glances over her shoulder at me. “I am. Why are you so surprised?”

I brush her hair back, studying her work. “You haven’t painted since you moved in. I was wondering if I was ever going to see you in action.”

She nods, staring back at her canvas. “Honestly, I’ve been so busy getting ready for the gallery to open and figuring out how to get you to admit that you wanted me, I haven’t had the energy. But today, this image came to mind and I got the strongest urge to mess around with some paint, so I did.” She shrugs.

“It’s beautiful. What inspired it?”

“It was just the colors that kept coming to me.”

“Blue and yellow?”

“A mix of calmness and optimism.”

I stare at the canvas. “I guess I can see that.”

“Each color symbolizes different emotions, and I think those two are the most dominant in my life right now.”

I point at the single streak of black in the corner. “And that?”

Cashlynn tilts her head as she stares at the spot in question. “Fear.”

My stomach lurches as I clear my throat. “Yeah, I get that too.”

She turns her head to look at me. “A little fear is okay, Parker. It means you have something to lose, remember? But see how the other colors are more prominent?” I nod. “Those are the ones you tend to focus on, right?”

I stand back and push a hand through my hair, but Cashlynn doesn’t let me get too far. When she reaches out to pull me back into her, her fingers graze my chest and leave a trail of blue paint in their wake. We both stare at the streak of color on my bare chest, my shirt still hanging open. And then I see the hint of mischief in her eyes.

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