Page 42 of Love Among Vines

“What?” Rett appeared at her shoulder.

She pointed to the far wall with a shaking finger. “That’s my painting.”

He turned where she pointed. “The muffin?”

Breakfast at Epiphany’s, one of Jade’s favorite pieces, hung next to a bathroom door. It was an abstract take of a blueberry muffin perched on the railing of the Empire State Building. The crumbs were coarse sand from the beach at Coney Island. The New York skyline sprawled in the background. Newspaper clippings about gentrification and corruption in the police force were papier-mâché’d into the shapes of buildings.

She had painted it the day Nate had told her he loved her for the first time. Was this a sign? She looked for Rett, but he had abandoned her to inspect it.

“There he is,” called a woman from behind the counter. Her curly gray hair was swept back into a loose bun. “I was hoping you’d stop in today. Who do you have with you?”

Rett swiveled away from the painting and side-stepped around one of a dozen tables. He wrapped an arm around Jade and dragged her up to the counter.

A tingle ran up her spine, but then she remembered. Right, the townspeople needed to believe they were dating. His arm was around her for show.

“This is Jade. Jade, meet Margie. The owner.”

“It’s so nice to meet you.” Jade extended a hand over the counter, and Margie shook it. “I actually painted that.” She pointed to the muffin.

Margie gasped and splayed a hand over her heart. “You’re Jade Gardner?”

“Yeah,” Jade said with a silly smile. She was recognized maybe once in a blue moon in the city, and only in the art district.

“Oh my lord,” Margie said. She threw a tea towel down on the counter and turned over her shoulder. “Amanda, you’re on register.”

Margie stepped around the counter and took Jade’s hand. “I have two of your paintings. If my house was burning down, I would save them first. I love your work. What in the world are you doing here?”

“I was just here for a wedding. I’m headed back to the city this morning, but Rett insisted on breakfast first.”

Margie looked at him like she was impressed. “Well, I’ll be. Jade Gardner in my little town. Let me get my phone for a picture.” She scurried to the back.

Jade’s cheeks grew hot, and she looked around the café. The longest wall was largely bare, a glaring void in the otherwise colorful and playful restaurant. An idea struck.

“Have you ever considered adding a mural?” Jade asked when Margie returned, phone in hand. “I noticed your wall is a little bit bare.”

“A mural?” Margie asked thoughtfully. Her eyes moved to where Jade had indicated. “It hadn’t crossed my mind, but now that you point it out, it is a little underwhelming.”

“I could paint one for you.”

The words were out before she could take them back. What was she thinking? She had never painted a mural before, and the only art she had produced in the last two years was a half-assed sketch of Rett and a waterlogged sunrise.

Rett shot her a look, clearly surprised.

Margie seemed to deliberate for a moment, gray-blue eyes moving over the far wall. After a beat, she spoke.

“You know what? I think a mural is just what this café needs.”

Relief flooded Jade. Maybe this would be a step towards digging herself out of her unfortunate hole. Or maybe it would be the final nail in her coffin.

“But you’re planning on leaving this morning?” Margie asked.

“That’s…negotiable,” Jade said.

Rett straightened beside her.

What was she doing? Was she really staying? Where would she live?

Margie smiled. “Good. Come in tomorrow morning and we’ll talk terms.”

---