Page 31 of Sweet Escape at Bayside
There wasn’t a sculpture in sight.
The opposite side of the room told a different story, one where paint cans and tubes were organized by color. Canvases and paintbrushes separated by size and type. An easel displayed a half-finished painting of the back of a man standing on a dock, the outline of a boat visible in one of the slips.
The only commonality between the two sides of the room was the unfinished floor, marred and scratched, speckled with dried paint and clay. This history of Desiree’s and Violet’s lives coming together.
He picked up a beautiful pottery bowl with fluted edges. “It’s all so familiar, and yet it’s not.”
“It’s been a long time.” Violet waved at the left side of the room. “That’s Desiree’s side. She paints, obviously. We share the studio.” She pointed to a closed door and said, “That’s a supply closet.” Then she pointed to another door across the room and said, “That’s the bathroom.”
“Did you give up sculpting? You were a natural. I always pictured you crafting beautiful sculptures of the kids you helped.”
She walked to the windows and looked out at the water. “I still sculpt, just not here.”
“Why not here?” he asked, joining her by the windows.
She shrugged, fidgeting with the edge of her tank top. The deep purple made her hair look even darker and her eyes even brighter. He wondered if her moods still influenced her clothing.
“Sculpting wasourthing,” she said. The strain in her voice told him that revealing as much wasn’t easy for her. “It’s private, something I do for myself.”
He pushed his fingers into her hair and cupped her cheek, wondering if she knew how much that meant to him. “I’m glad you didn’t give it up. Where do you sculpt? I’d love to see that studio, too.”
Her eyes flicked toward the window, then back, with a hint of apology lingering in them as she said, “At Justin’s.”
That felt like a punch to the gut, but he pushed past it to try to understand. “You keep secrets from your sister and all your friends, but not from Justin? Does he know about the coffeehouse, too?”
She shook her head. “We know some of the same people, but he doesn’t hang out there or anything. Dwayne is his cousin.”
He took a step back and said, “I’m trying to understand, babe. I really am. But if there’s more to you and Justin, please tell me.”
“There’s not.” She crossed her arms. “When I came here, I barely knew Desiree. She was like a figment of my imagination. The sister who was put in front of me for a few brief, uncomfortable days at a time. I had no idea if we’d get along or if we’d ever feel like real sisters again. She was the one my father chose to keep.”
The hurt in her voice slayed him. “I’m sorry, babe. I thought that was Lizza’s decision.”
He reached for her and she shook her head, but she didn’t step away.
“If you had a stepdaughter, would you let someone just take her away?” She didn’t wait for an answer. “But that doesn’t matter. You wanted to know why I don’t sculpt here. I had enough going on with Desiree and the inn and the freaking chaos Lizza had created. I didn’t want my memories of you added onto that. But I also didn’t want to forget you or what it felt like to be with you. When I told Justin that, he offered his studio where he does stonework. Our schedules worked out perfectly. In the spring and summer, he does most of his studio work during the day and on weekends. My summer schedule is the opposite. Between the gallery and the inn, I don’t have time to sculpt until late at night. This year we didn’t take any reservations after August because of the wedding, but we usually take them until late fall. And then mine and Justin’s schedules flip-flop.”
The sting over how much she’d shared with Justin took a backseat to the heartache she’d just revealed about her feelings toward Ted. Andre had met him at the wedding, and the guy had talked about Violet like a cherished daughter, not like a castaway. As much as he wanted to tell her that, the way she’d thwarted the conversation told him she had no intention of talking about that situation right now. He could only hope she’d open up more about it soon, as she had about other parts of her life.
He was in awe of his strong, resilient woman who had found a way to keep him in her heart while also dealing with rekindling her relationship with Desiree, dealing with the inn, and everything else she’d had to handle.
“I’m glad you have a place to sculpt where you feel safe, and I hope your creativity flows freely there.” He lowered his lips to hers in a tender kiss.
“I was serious before, when I mentioned bringing your landmine of boxes up from your cottage and sharing this space. We can move some things around, make room for your sculpting supplies?”
“Whoa, girl. Slow down. Are you asking me tomove into your studio with you?” he teased. “That’s a pretty big step.”
She smiled and said, “Bigger than letting myself go all mushy while you’re banging my brains out?”
He kissed her again. “You had no choice in that matter. My sexual prowess was stronger than your tough girl exterior. So yeah, it’s a bigger deal. Although I’m not sure it’s bigger than letting me drive your bike.”
“Darn it,” she snapped. “You’re right. I should have led with that.”
He took her hand and headed for the door.
“Why are you rushing?” she asked, hurrying to keep up.
“Are you kidding? I want to seal this deal before you change your mind.”
