Trade It All(46)

She’d spent half the night asking herself if agreeing to go away with Lance had been a wise choice and the other half imagining how good it would be with him. It was about more than just sex, although she was looking forward to that. Everything was more vivid when he was at her side. Colors were brighter. Food tasted better. Willa’s face hurt from smiling as much as she had these last couple days. Simply holding his hand feels so damn good I don’t want to let go.

She glanced at Lance and her breath left her in a whoosh when their eyes met. He winked and gave her hand a gentle squeeze. He’s finding it as difficult to concentrate as I am. He wiggled an eyebrow as if checking that her mind had wandered to the same naughty place his had. She tried to keep a straight face, but she couldn’t. She let out a loud laugh.

Emily stopped the story she was sharing and turned toward them. She placed a hand on one hip as if she were about to reprimand the two of them, but she smiled instead. Her eyes danced with humor. “You did ask for this tour.”

Lance and Willa exchanged an amused look then both tried to look contrite. Lance chuckled. Willa joined in. They might be in trouble, but they were in trouble together. Together. Willa looked down at their linked hands and marveled at how open Lance was about being with her. It took how good she felt to a whole new level.

With an indulgent shake of her head, Emily said, “I’ll show you one more section, then I’ll release you two lovebirds back into the wild.”

As if he just realized he could be offending Emily, Lance said quickly, “We’re not in a rush, Emily. This place is truly incredible.”

Emily waved for them to follow. “Don’t worry, I totally understand. I’m just not sure what we’re doing here. Am I a chaperone? Because I feel like that parent at a school dance whose job it is to remind the kids not to maul each other in public.”

Not liking that they might have repaid Emily’s kindness by making her feel uncomfortable, Willa dropped Lance’s hand. “Emily, I feel awful. You have no idea how much I admire you and what this museum represents.”

Emily looked modestly pleased by the comment. “Coming from a fellow artist that means a lot.”

Willa shook her head. “I’m not an artist.”

“Asher told me you were,” Emily countered, looking puzzled. “Weren’t you an art major in college?”

“I studied art, but I’m not talented. I simply appreciate it.”

Lance frowned. “That’s not true. Kenzi was always talking about something you’d painted or the sculptures you created. She’d send me pictures of them. They were quite good.”

Willa couldn’t even remember the last time she’d picked up a sketch pad. “That was a long time ago and Kenzi would have loved anything I made.”

Lance looked certain he was right. “Didn’t you win a scholarship with one of your paintings?”

He remembers, Willa thought in awe. “I did, but there wasn’t much competition that year.”

Their eyes met and held. “It was more than that. I saw it. It had humor and emotion. I was amazed at how you’d been able to portray a real tension between two squirrels facing off over one acorn. It made me laugh and feel sorry for them at the same time.”

Willa looked away, unsure of how to handle how much it meant to her that she’d mattered to him back then. Believing she mattered to him had died when Lexi told her about their kiss. Yet now it was cautiously coming back to life. She caught Emily watching her reaction and blushed. “Thank you, but they were nothing like what’s here.”

Emily tipped her head to one side and studied Willa before speaking. “I know exactly how you feel, Willa. I’ve spent most of my life trying not to get lost in the shadow of my mother’s talent. I will probably never feel that I am as good as she was, but my sculptures are an extension of who I am, and I’ve learned to value that. Every piece in this museum is different and wonderful in its own way. Some way or another, they are also all a piece of my journey. Comparison is a death blow to creativity. Don’t let it stop you from doing what you love.” Her eyes misted over. “I dare you to give me something to display at my museum. If you still have that sketch, I’ll take it. Or you can create something else.”

“Oh, I can’t imagine—”

“Is that how you handle a dare? You’ve got more fire in you than that.” Lance’s hand on her lower back felt possessive, daring.

Warming beneath the touch of his hand and his encouragement, Willa felt like she just might. She smiled cautiously at Emily. “Does it have to be three dimensional?”