The Art of Love (The Windswept Saga) (9 page)

Taylor nodded.  “I’m gl
ad to be home, regardless of everything that’s happened.  This feels like a fresh start.”  She scanned the crowd.  “Where is Christa?”

“Next door,” Mark replied.  “She’ll be over here in a moment.  Wait till you see Matt—he’s beautiful.”  Taylor shook her
head and smiled—there was something so unexpected but very right about seeing Mark as a contented family man.  It seemed that he and Christa were very lucky to have each other.  “She’s been meaning to drop by but she’s so busy with work and…”  Mark looked toward the back, where Christa was just emerging from the office.  “Over here, sweetheart,” he said, smiling brightly when she came close. 

“Taylor!”  Christa gave her a one-armed hug, since she w
as clutching Matt in the other one.  “I’m so sorry,” she said a moment later.  “We must be overwhelming you today—every Adams and Jasper and what looks like half of the state—but it is great to see you.” 

“Don’t worry about it,” Taylor replied.  “There’s
something life-affirming about seeing all of you with families of your own.”

Christa smiled tentatively.  “When there aren’t so many people around, I’d like to talk, just the two of us.”

Mark grinned.  “I’ll leave if you want me to.”  She looped her free arm through his and gave him a caring gaze.

“Don’t you go anywhere, cowboy.  Unless you’d like to get your wife some tea—Mom said it’s decaf.”

“Say no more, beautiful.  If you’ll excuse us, Taylor—it was good to see you again.”  He nodded and smiled.  “Come on, Max.”  She watched them leave and returned her attention to Christa.

“You two always did make a striking couple.  Nice to see you’ve passed those genes onto your kids.”  Christa smiled pensively.

“It hasn’t always been easy, but in some ways it was worth it.”  All at once she looked mortified.  “I’m sorry, again, Taylor.  I must sound silly talking about my problems when you’ve been through some hard times.”

“Please.  Chandler told me about Max’s accident, so I know you’ve been through it, too.  Don’
t feel the need to be sensitive around me.  I’ve discovered over the past few years that I can handle pretty much anything, whether I want to or not.”

Christa nodded.  “Been there myself.  Look, if you ever need another female voice, Alison is here, and so
am I.”  She glanced at the people funneling in through the front door.  “I’d better check on my brother, and my husband, and make sure neither of them is into mischief.  We’ll talk more soon, I promise.”

“I’d like that.”  Taylor nodded, smiled, and watche
d her depart.  The day only got better from there, as she had to place several SOLD signs alongside many of the canvases.  Occasionally she would catch Chandler looking in her direction, and when their eyes met, they would always exchange a smile.  If his goal was to reassure her, to make her feel confident in the work she was doing, to make her feel protected and safe, then mission accomplished.  Her mother showed up at one point, looking at once old-fashioned and very stylish.  Alice had always had an elegance about her, and Lord knew Taylor had been something of a tomboy, with very little of her mother’s advice making sense until she became a mother in her own right.

“This is quite a shindig the young Mr. Adams is throwing—with your help, of course.”  She
smiled perceptively at her daughter.  “Where is that handsome young man?”

Taylor refrained from rolling her eyes—after all, Alice was only trying to help.  “Check in back, Mom.  He’s discussing his art with the town council, and CJ and Mark are feigning d
isinterest.  You should see them—throw in a few swords and pointy hats and they’d be the Three Musketeers.”

“Mm-hmm.”  She lowered her voice to a whisper.  “Your secret is safe with me.”

Taylor frowned.  “Have fun, Mom.  Enjoy.”  She watched her mother move further into the gallery and prayed, silently, for the best.

*** 
     

“That’s my favorite, you know.”  Chandler looked from his brother, to the painting, and back again.

“You like the one of you and Mark.  Why am I not surprised?”  His words were pointed, but his tone was jocular.  “You always were a little full of yourself.”

CJ laughed.  “And it’s not for sale?”

“Not for sale.  Just a display item to let people see what I’m capable of.”

He nodded.  “
Your landscapes, man, they’re perfect, but you’re great at portraits.  You should do ‘em more often.”

Chandler smiled.  “I wasn’t aware you were such a connoisseur of art, bud.”

“Oh yeah, I like to look at all beautiful things.”  He leaned his mouth close to Chandler’s ear.  “In fact, I think I’ll go stare at my wife for a while.”

Chandler laughed.  “Be good.”

“Always.”

He knit his brows together and pursed his lips to one side, the way he always did when deep in thought.  But momentarily, another voice from
the past interrupted him.

“It’s hard to believe one man can possess so much talent.”  His mouth changed into a quick smile and he pulled her into a hug.  When he placed a kiss on her cheek, she blushed.

“Miss Alice,” he said with reverence.  “I’ve been waiting here for you all day.”   

“You clean up very nicely, young man.” She brushed imaginary dust away from his coat lapels.

“Why thank you, ma’am.”  He laughed.  “See anything you’d like to buy?”

She waved her hand at him.  “Most of it is outside my pric
e range, young man.  I wouldn’t say no to a free sample, though.”

Chandler nodded.  “For you, I’ll paint the Grand Canyon.”

“You flatter me, sweetie.”  She checked from side to side, made sure no one was within earshot at the moment.  “Thank you again for giving Taylor this job.”

“Think nothing of it, ma’am.  She earned it with her level of experience.  It was a stroke of luck that she applied when she did, because I was just about ready to give up on it.”

“That would have been a very bad idea,” Alice mused, “because you’re clearly smitten with her, and I think the feeling is mutual.” 

He was mildly perturbed by her insinuation, because it held more than a grain of truth.  “Miss Alice, you can’t live in the past.  What we had back then, it was great, but it’s over and we’re different people.  This is a simple business arrangement and I w
on’t do anything to make her feel uncomfortable.” 
Famous last words,
his conscience retorted.

“You always were a gentleman,” Alice rejoined.  “Speaking of which, I think I’ll go praise your mother for raising such a kind young man.  If you’ll excuse me…”

“Of course,” Chandler said, for lack of anything else.  “It was great to see you again.”

“You too, Chandler.  Don’t be a stranger.  Stop by the house anytime.”

He blew comically from the corner of his mouth, the puff of breath fluffing his eyelashes for a second.  Everyone loved his art, but they clearly thought his love life needed a fresh coat of paint.

***

Late in the day, with the public gone and only family and friends remaining, he gathered them all in the middle room for an informal message of gratitude.  Taylor stood at his side, not quite sure of her place otherwise but knowing that it felt correct to be there, at his right hand.

He cleared his throat and smiled.  “I’d like to thank each and every one of you for being here today.  I’d like to thank
you for the sage advice and wisdom you’ve given me over the years, and the care you expended raising me.  Mom and Dad, I know I put a few of those grey hairs on your heads.”

Chase laughed.  “It’s not grey,” he pointed out for his son’s benefit.  “When you’
re blonde, you go platinum.”

Chandler grinned with pride.  “I’ll try to remember that.  Sometimes I was difficult to live with so to my siblings and their wonderful spouses, I owe you big time.”

“Remember that next time I need you to muck out the horse stalls,” CJ joked.

“I may end up regretting that,” Chandler observed.  “I’d like to thank Scott for his wonderful photography, once again. 
You were the first artist I ever met.”

Scott laughed.  “Thank you.  By the way, the check will clear, right?”  Everyon
e laughed at the good-natured ribbing.

“It will, Scott.  I promise.”  Chandler turned toward Taylor and smiled warmly.  “The person I need to thank the most is standing here next to me.  She took a big leap of faith on me this week, and not for the first ti
me in our lives, so I think Taylor Holt deserves a big round of applause for turning this place from just another hobby for me into a rousing success in just six days.”  He put his hands together and everyone did the same.  She wasn’t quite sure how to respond, for she hadn’t expected such a public display of recognition.  In the end, when the applause had faded, she mouthed a simple “thank you” and he nodded and smiled in understanding.

“Thanks for coming,” Chandler acknowledged his grandparents a few minu
tes later.

“Not a problem, my boy,” John replied with a warm, aged smile.  “When I leave this Earth, I’m willing the painting back to you.”

“Then I’ll have a long wait,” Chandler rejoined, “because you’re going to live to be a hundred.”

“I hope so,” he sai
d with a handshake.  “Goodbye, son.”

“You might get sick of me,” Christina alerted him, “for I plan to be a frequent visitor.”

“Never,” Chandler said, placing a soft kiss on her cheek.  “Drop by anytime you like.”

“Sorry that we have to go, t
oo, Chandler. It’s past Sam’s bedtime,” Susan joked.

“Women,” Sam teased.  “Don’t ever get married if you can help it, son.”

Chandler grinned.  “Nothing but decades of misery, huh?”

Sam gazed at Susan lovingly.  “Exactly.”  Chandler shook his head and waited for his pa
rents, each accompanied by a grandchild.

Chase smiled.  “I’ll trad
e you this one for five dollars.”

Chandler examined the sleepyhead.  “Little Chase?  Is he worth five dollars?”

“Per pound,” he joked.   “Good show today, son.  See you tomorrow.”

“I’ll be t
here,” Chandler said with a nod.  “Goodnight.”

“Do you have a kiss for me?” Bryn asked softly.  Bree was sleeping in her arms.  Chandler knelt down and pecked her on the cheek.

“Always.  Goodnight, Mom.”

CJ was next to stop by, Max slumbering on his broad
shoulder.  “This one ain’t mine,” he said with a grin, “but he fits pretty well in my arms.”

Chandler nodded.  “And good on you to give your sister a break.”

CJ glanced downward affectionately.  “He sleeps like an angel.”  He met his brother’s eyes again. “Congrats, bro.  See you tomorrow.”

“See ya.  Drive safe.”

“I plan to make sure of that,” Alison promised with a smirk.  Chandler stooped to receive her kiss on his jawbone.  “Thanks again, kid.  I owe you.”

“Your brother is my other business partner, so
fair’s fair.”

Mark held Matt in his the crook of his arm, and met Chandler with a firm handshake.  “Get some rest, bud.  See you bright and early tomorrow.” 

Christa, arms mercifully unoccupied, gave her brother a huge hug.  “So proud of you, little brother.”

Chandler winked at her.  “Those are fightin’ words, ma’am.  See you tomorrow.”  He expelled a lungful of air and smiled languidly at Taylor.  “Come here, please,” he said with a gentle motion of his hand.  Her feet were sore but she smiled back, grate
ful for the day.  She raised one hand up to his elbow, probably a little too intimate but she was otherwise too tired to care.

“What’s all of this about tomorrow?”

“Oh,” he said apologetically.  “I’m going to be out at the ranch for a few days.  Probably doesn’t make much sense in the grand scheme of things but I’m going to take down and wrap all of the sold paintings tonight before bed.”

Taylor frowned.  “Aren’t you tired?”

“Adrenaline,” he replied.  “I’m just about too excited to sleep.”  His face lit up then, gratified, excited, and she was unprepared for what happened next.  His arm hooked her waist and he pulled her against the hard surface of his chest.  “Thank you,” he reiterated.  “I was a lost ball in high weeds when you showed up.”

She was conscien
tious not to grip his strong shoulders too firmly.  “You’re welcome.”  He released her, with what she deemed a trace of reluctance, and a startled silence fell between them.

“About the paintings,” he mentioned inanely.  “I’ll stick the buyer info on them,
leave them in a pile, and the delivery men will do all of the heavy lifting.  And Alison will be right next door if you require any assistance.  Sorry to leave you shorthanded, but it’s just for one day.”

“Chandler, I’m not made of glass,” she said tersely
.  “I’ll be fine on my own.”

He nodded and responded with his own brief smile.  “I know, T.”  He glanced downward, then she was rewarded with a solemn pair of blue eyes.  “You can head home whenever you’re ready.  I’ll lock up.”