“This is so beautiful. I am seriously in awe that you have the ability to sit down and casually paint something so amazing on a whim. How long did it take you?”
She placed the painting on the ground, leaning it against the table leg. “About an hour-and-a-half. But you know, it’s not always that easy for me. Maybe you go through this with your writing, but some days you’re just on, right? You can feel the creativity oozing from your veins, and you just need to drop everything and take advantage while it’s there. That’s why I needed to come to the beach tonight.” Her eyes were filled with passion as she spoke about her art.
This woman is amazing.
“I so get what you’re saying, Melody,” I said. “I used to feel like that from time to time when I first got the idea for this book I’m writing. The first three chapters just poured out of me, very organically like that. And then once I started to apply pressure on myself after I landed the publishing deal, nothing has been happening.”
“Rush said that you write in the romance genre?”
Once again, I was surprised he’d gone into that much detail with her.
“Yes. Contemporary. Well, if I can ever get going again, yeah.”
“Nothing like pressure to hinder creativity. I can relate. A few of my pieces have been commissioned in the past. There’s definitely a difference between creating something out of your own free will versus obligation.”
“Exactly.”
“You’ll find your way—your inspiration, Gia. It will happen.”
Can I keep her?
“Thank you. I hope so.”
We stood there just staring at each other momentarily. If I didn’t know better, I’d think she really liked me, too. I wasn’t ready to let her go. Melody Rushmore fascinated me.
The words just fell out of me. “I would love to see more of your paintings sometime.” I hoped I wasn’t being too forward as I anticipated her response.
“Well, you’re welcome down to my house whenever you like. I have a studio there filled with art.”
“Honestly? I would really love that.”
Rush came up behind me. “What’s this, now?”
He reeked of smoke. My pulse raced. I couldn’t gauge his reaction to my hanging out with his mom.
But I played it cool.
“You’re taking me to see your mom’s studio. I want to see her paintings—all of them.”
His brow lifted as if to challenge that. “Is that right?”
I crossed my arms. “Yup.”
“If I’d known you two were conferring, I would’ve hurried my ass up,” he said.
His mother was grinning at him. “Gia and I have a lot in common.”
“Yeah, you’re both pains in my ass,” he teased, winking at Melody.
She must have been used to his sarcasm because she didn’t react to that statement. I was relieved that he didn’t seem too mad anymore.
“Are you heading back home tonight?” I asked her.
“No, I’m staying for a couple of nights.”
“We go to her favorite pancake breakfast place every year when she comes out for her birthday weekend,” Rush said.
I turned to her. “Tomorrow is your birthday?”
“It’s today, actually.”
“Oh my gosh. Happy birthday!”
“Thank you. Rush had the chef make a special dinner for me. Salmon Oscar. It was very yummy.”
It warmed my heart how protective and sweet he was being toward his mom. I really loved this side of Rush. If only he wasn’t an insensitive prick the other half of the time.
He reached into his pocket and handed his mother a key. “Here. Take this and let yourself in.”
She asked him, “Are you coming home tonight?”
Apparently, she knew her son enough to know that there was a chance he wouldn’t be coming home.
Probably figured he’d be staying at some skank’s apartment.
“Yeah. I’m just gonna finish up some things here. I’ll meet you back at the house. You can leave your art stuff here. I’ll pack it all into my car and take it home.”
“Thank you. Sounds good. I’m kind of looking forward to taking a hot bath.” She turned and offered me a hug. “Gia…it was an absolute pleasure meeting you. You let me know when you’d like to come for a visit. I’ll put on a pot of tea and block out the afternoon.”
Embracing her, I said, “That sounds wonderful, Melody. Thank you. I plan on it. It was so great meeting you.”
She started walking away, then stopped. “Actually, would you like to keep the painting I made tonight? I have so many. I can’t keep them all.”
“Oh my God. I would love to. Are you sure?”
“Totally. I would love for you to have it.” She walked over to where it was and handed it to me.
“Thank you so much, Melody. Seriously, this really made my night. I’m gonna hang this up in my room.”
I watched as she headed toward the stairs and disappeared. It was after closing, and Rush and I were now alone on the rooftop.
I held the painting in my hands, looking down at it. “Your mother is amazing.”
“She is.”
I placed the painting on a table then looked up at Rush for several seconds.
“What?” he asked. “You’re looking at me funny.”
“It’s nothing.”
“Let me guess…you’re wondering how with my black heart and temper I can be so different from the kind and gentle, zen-filled soul that my mother is?”
“I didn’t say that.” I laughed.
“You were thinking it.”
“No. I wasn’t thinking that exactly, because I actually do think you’re kind, too. Now I know where you get it from, that side of you. You’ve shown kindness to me. You just have a way of ruining it sometimes.” I paused. “I want you to know that I apologized to your mother for my behavior earlier.
And now, I’m apologizing to you.”
“It’s fine. You know…you only traumatized her because now she thinks her precious son is a butt burglar.”
I burst into laughter. “Oh my God. Butt burglar?”
“Yeah, she’s gonna have nightmares now.” He winked.
“You’re crazy.”
We were both cracking up. At least, he didn’t hate me anymore.
When the laughter died down, he said, “I’m sorry I lost control outside earlier.”
I squinted at him. “No, you’re not.”
“You’re right. I’d probably say that shit to you all over again.”
“I figured.”
“You made me mad talking to that pansy-ass bartender. I lost my mind a little.”
“Well, if you don’t want to be with me, you have to get used to seeing stuff like that.”
“Doesn’t mean I have to like it, especially when it’s being thrown in front of me in my place of business.”
Not wanting to get into it with him right now, I expelled a breath. “Can we just forget this entire night ever happened? Well, except for the part where I met your cool mother?”
He surprised me when he said, “Yeah. We can do that.” Rush made his way over to the bar. “You want a night cap?”
“I’m driving home. I have Riley’s car tonight, so I shouldn’t drink.”
He ignored me, grabbing a glass anyway. “I’ll limit you to one, and I’ll make it weak.”
“What’s the catch tonight? What expletive do I have to say to earn my free drink?”
“Babe…you alluded to ass fucking in front of my mom, I would say you’re absolved for a while.”
A shiver ran down my spine, and I couldn’t figure it out if it was because of my embarrassment or the fact that he’d called me “babe.”
I covered my mouth. “Oh my God. Did tonight really happen?”
“Afraid it did.”
I watched in silence as he made some fruit concoction before slipping a little umbrella inside and sliding the glass toward me.
Taking a sip, I thought a bit more about how I immediately took to Melody. “Life is funny.”
He cocked a brow. “Funny?”
“Yeah. I was just thinking about how we’ve both sort of experienced similar but opposite life situations. I have a great dad and no mother. And you have an awesome mom and no father. Well, you have a father…but you know what I mean.”