Page 15 of Abstract Passion

“So, Devlyn,” Mom starts. “What do you do for work?”

This is not an interrogation. This is my family getting to know Devlyn.

“Artwork. Oil painting, pencil drawings, charcoal. Whatever calls to me for the piece.”

A flicker crosses Mom’s face before her eyes widen. She stares at him for two breaths before her eyes dart between the two of us. “Oh my goodness.” She sets her fork down and brings her hands to her lips in prayer. “Are you Devlyn Templar?” she asks, her tone filled with awe.

Devlyn spears a potato and nods, acting as if her local celebrity moment is no big deal. “Yes, ma’am.”

Mom’s eyes dart to me, then back to Devlyn. This happens three times before she finds her words again. “How long have you been dating?”

I know why she asks this question. The drawing she gifted to me for Christmas. She bought it off a local artist’s website. My reaction to the piece. Peyton’s reaction. The pieces are slowly clicking into place in her mind.

Please don’t let her give me grief for not broadcasting my relationship sooner.

“Since early December,” I answer. “But we met back in October.” My gaze shifts to Devlyn as I lay my hand on his thigh beneath the table. “He did some artwork at Petal and Vine.”

For a split second, Mom’s face falls at the time line. It doesn’t take a genius to do the math. Devlyn and I have dated nearly three months. Have known each other five. That isn’t what makes her face temporarily wilt. She doesn’t have to say it, but I know it’s because I didn’t share the news sooner.

The Reed family isn’t big on secrets. We share important details about our lives on a regular basis. But just as my brother didn’t come right out in the beginning and tell our parents he and Peyton were dating, I followed suit. Not to hurt my parents. More to give myself time to adjust to the change. To see where our relationship went.

After what happened in my apartment the night of Devlyn’s art show, had I told my mother sooner about a potential relationship, the update of our weeks apart would’ve been harder. Mom would have brought Devlyn up more often than not. Asked questions I wasn’t prepared to hear or answer.

And my heart would have snapped sooner.

I love my mother, but she can be a handful at times.

“Oh.” Two letters. One word. That is all she says as she picks up her fork. Then she blinks a few times and swallows. Pierces the beef on her plate and cuts off a smaller piece. “And the drawing we gave you at Christmas…” She doesn’t finish her question before she shoves the fork in her mouth and meets my eyes that match hers. A coincidence she probably never considered when the art was purchased.

I squeeze Devlyn’s thigh as he sits quietly at my side. “That’s me,” I say with a little too much exuberance, then laugh under my breath. “Well, it’s mostly my eye. But you know what I mean.” Across the table, Micah bites back a smile at my rushed words while Peyton’s eyes drop to her plate. “What’re you smiling at,starlight?” I tease my brother with an arched brow.

“Starlight?” Dad chimes in. “What the hell does that mean?”

Peyton and I burst out laughing while Micah and Devlyn pick at their dinner and my parents sit in a cloud of confusion.

“Dad, you of all people should understand. Between Micah’s nickname and the drawing with the constellation in the iris.” I gesture toward Mom. “Have you not noticed how identical my and Micah’s eyes are to Mom’s?”

Dad stares at Mom across the length of the table for two breaths. Then a soft smile plumps his cheeks. “Her eyes always remind me of the nights we used to camp in the woods. When there wasn’t a light for miles. All you could see were thousands of stars.” His eyes glaze over as his memories flood in from years past. “She’s always been my favorite starry night.”

My heart melts as I listen to Dad speak with so much love for Mom. After more than thirty-five years, they are just as in love today as they were back in their teens. If not more. And it is a beautiful and envious thing.

Dinner continues with less intense conversation. Talk about Micah and Peyton and business at Roar. Dad mentions his time line for selling the insurance firm in the next three to five years. He has an eye on the market and wants to make sure he sells before a downshift. Mom talks about trends she has noticed in marketing and the shift on how to advertise. She mentions helping me when I take over Petal and Vine at the start of next year.

At this, Devlyn fidgets in his seat. His leg bouncing beneath my hand.

Mom and Dad clear the table and suggest we head into the living room for dessert. While they are in the kitchen, we meander to the living room and sit on the love seat.

“What’s going on?” Micah whisper-shouts from his seat on the couch.

Leave it to my brother to detect the blip in my radar. He may not be the most intuitive person on the planet, but when it comes to me, he knows when something is off.

“I’ll explain when Mom and Dad come back.” His eyes narrow. “Micah, please,” I plead with him.

Devlyn wraps his arm around my shoulder and kisses my temple. “Deep breaths,” he whispers in my ear. Inhaling deeply, I rest my head on Devlyn’s shoulder, eyes still on Micah.

“Please,” I whisper.

Mom and Dad enter the room with a loaded tray. Small portions of peach cobbler and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. They hand out dessert and spoons, then take their seat on the couch.

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