Page 54 of Canvas of Lies
The whispered words shivered across her skin, raising goosebumps before my warm palm smoothed over them. A tear spilled over her cheek, landing in a damp circle on my shirt. I immediately lifted my hand to her face, urging her to look at me.
“Oh, Kat. Don’t cry, please don’t cry,” I murmured.
When her lips lifted to touch mine, I knew I was lost—my heart belonged to her. It always had. She drew back and smiled in that soft way that made her blue eyes shimmer with joy. Emotion flooded my chest, threatening to burst forth like shooting stars. Never in my life had my heart felt so gloriously full.
“I think I’ve always loved you, you know,” she said quietly.
My arms tightened around her. “Believe me, I do know, because I’ve loved you just as long.”
Contentment cloaked us both as surely as the dappled sunlight that danced across our skin. Kat closed her eyes and I let the warmth of her body and her words sink through me.
Not all quests ended with success, I knew that well enough, but now that we had found one another, it certainly felt like we’d cleared the biggest hurdle of all.
Chapter Twenty
Kat
Thatnight,Nicomadelove to me slowly, tenderly, like he was taking particular care to show me just how precious I was to him.
When we first arrived, we’d both thanked our lucky stars that Uncle Philippe hadn’t been so cruel as to insist on separate bedrooms under his roof. We had only one more full day in Avignon before flying home and, despite having little to show for our efforts, I knew we both felt like we’d been handed a second chance.
Even as we settled down on the living room floor to sort through the last of the boxes the next morning, Nico seemed to be feeling optimistic to an almost unsettling degree. How long had it been since he’d looked to the future and seen a chance at real happiness?
I noticed his bright mood right away and tilted my head at him.
“You’re awfully chipper this morning.” I leaned close and whispered, “I can’t possibly imagine what might contribute to such a sunny outlook first thing in the morning, dear Nico.”
He winked at me. “I have the most beautiful woman in the world by my side, what more could I ask for?”
I shuffled through a stack of papers, shaking my head. “Solid legal proof of ownership of the painting, maybe.”
“I wouldn’t turn it down, but I don’t think we’re going to find anything along those lines here. I’m prepared to accept defeat.”
Still, we worked side by side until the final box was emptied and repacked. Despite Nico’s resignation, I had to fight against the wave of disappointment rising in my chest. Too often, I’d seen my father win because of his money, his connections, or his willingness to play dirty.
It would’ve been beyond satisfying to beat him at his own game.
Philippe and Camille insisted that the two of us spend the rest of the day playing tourist, so Nico dragged me off to see some of the sights in Avignon. It was every bit as glorious as I’d hoped, especially with him at my side. We toured the Palais des Papes, wandered through the museums, and strolled hand in hand through the Place de l’Horloge.
Nico seemed to glow brighter throughout the day, as though the wonder in my eyes fed some spark within him as well.
“We’ll come back someday soon,” he said softly, kissing my temple as we returned to his uncle’s house. “As often as you want.”
I nodded and leaned into him for a moment. We hadn’t found all that I’d hoped for, but the trip felt almost like a honeymoon, a little bubble of solitude and beauty so far removed from our regular lives that I was tempted to just hide away here forever.
“Your father must have missed this, after you moved to the States. The place, the people. Even the language,” I mused.
“He did, I’m sure. But no matter how much he loved it here, after my mom died, there were just too many painful memories for him. That’s why he took your father’s job offer.”
“Did he ever regret leaving?”
“No, I don’t think so. While I was growing up, he told me so many stories, about her, about the family. I barely remember living here, but when we showed up, it felt like coming home. Having you at my side this time just made it that much more meaningful.”
I squeezed his fingers. “I’m sorry we didn’t find what we were looking for. I really hoped there’d be something for us to use against him.”
“Don’t be sorry. Everything works out the way it’s supposed to—my father always said that. I used to think it was ridiculous and sentimental, but now I’m beginning to realize maybe he knew what he was talking about.”
He tugged me in for a quick, fierce kiss before we entered the house.
