Why Not Tonight (Happily Inc. #3)(79)

Natalie did her best not to gasp or faint or scream. Rather than risking speech, she simply nodded. “I’ll get to it right away.”

“Good. I’m going to need a little time to figure out how I want to rearrange the gallery, but I should have your piece up by tomorrow.”

“Thank you.”

Natalie left her talking to herself about space and display, and slowly made her way back to the studio. Her heart was pounding and she was having trouble doing the very simple math. The gallery took half the sale’s price, which meant Natalie got the other half. She was almost sure that meant she would get twelve thousand dollars.

If it sold, she reminded herself. That had to happen first. Except all her pieces had sold so far and Atsuko had an excellent eye and if she were even slightly featured in the next gallery event, then... Then...

She came to a stop and closed her eyes. Twelve thousand dollars. That was huge! That was five figures. That changed everything.

Okay, not everything, but close. Between what she’d earned helping Pallas and making the centerpieces for the wedding, she had three months’ rent. Even after taxes, the commission would maybe cover another three plus her living expenses for nearly half a year. She could afford to take a couple of weeks off a month to really focus on her art. She was nowhere near ready to stop working completely, but she was on her way.

She drew in a breath and thought longingly of her mother, who would be so proud of her. She thought of all the work, all the small projects that had sold for fifty or a hundred dollars. She thought of how life was quirky and unexpected and surprising all at the same time. Then she thought of Ronan.

He would be so happy for her. So excited. He would want to celebrate and tell everyone. On the night of the event, she had a feeling the usually famously reclusive Ronan Mitchell would make an appearance. All for her.

He was good to her. So supportive and affectionate. She enjoyed his company, his laughter, his brilliance. Even his struggle made her care about him more.

She reached for the studio door only to stop. The truth she’d been avoiding, the truth Silver had so bluntly shared, couldn’t be ignored anymore.

She was in love with him. She was in love with Ronan. She’d assumed she would be sensible and not fall for him but she’d been wrong. She loved him and she honestly had no idea what that meant or how to deal with the fact that there was a very good chance he would leave her. But for the next however long the guys wanted to talk about her meeting with Atsuko, she was going to have to fake it.

She pushed away thoughts of love and what it all meant, remembered how it felt when Atsuko had said she would be on one of the center walls and walked into the studio.

All three of them were waiting there, looking expectant.

“Well?” Ronan asked. “Tell us.”

“She took it! It’s going up in the next couple of days.” She paused for effect. “On one of the center walls.”

Mathias and Nick cheered. Ronan wrapped his arms around her waist and spun her around.

“I knew it,” he told her as he held her close. “Good for you, Natalie. Congratulations.”

Her heart swelled a little and her eyes filled with tears. Happy tears, she thought as he kissed her.

This was what she wanted. As for the loving part, she would deal with that later. Or maybe not at all.

*

“I’M IN LOVE with Ronan,” Natalie said plaintively.

“Well, duh.” Silver was sprawled in the club chair in her living room while Natalie sat on the sofa. “You’re just now getting that?”

“You were right. I was wrong. Better?”

Silver grinned. “As nice as that is to hear, this isn’t about me.” Her smile softened. “Are you okay?”

“I don’t know. Maybe. I hope so. I’m trying. It’s just I never expected this to happen.”

“Why not? He’s a good-looking guy. Successful, talented, and he treats you like gold. How could you not fall in love?”

“I thought I was immune.”

“No such luck.”

Apparently not, Natalie thought. “Do you think anyone knows?”

“Your friends might be suspicious but no one will say anything. If you’re asking if Ronan knows, I wouldn’t worry about it. Men don’t see that kind of stuff. I’m not sure if that’s a blessing or a curse.”

Natalie wondered if they’d stopped talking about her and Ronan and had shifted to Silver and Drew. Not that there was anything to talk about.

Natalie didn’t know all the details but she’d heard that the couple had been hot and heavy back in high school. Things had gone awry, and while they’d never gotten back together again, there were rumors that Drew was more than a little interested in winning back the platinum blonde he’d once sworn to love forever.

Silver shook her head. “Let me be clear. I was not talking about myself.”

“If you’re sure.”

“I am. Now what are you going to do?”

“I don’t know. I’m scared on so many levels.”

She’d never thought she would fall in love. She’d even been considering having a baby on her own. Okay, not considering, but toying with the idea. Now she knew that wasn’t possible—at least not for a long time. She loved Ronan—she wanted to be with him. She wanted him to be “the one” and have them get married and start a family together. She wanted the fantasy. But she needed him to want it, too, and right now he wouldn’t even admit Elaine was his mother.