Page 134 of Love Me

“I love you. Thank you,” I say before hanging up. I follow up the message with a picture I take of one of Sharia’s paintings that Ms. McClure brought with her.

All of the pieces of my gallery are finally in place. Now all that is left is for my personal life to follow suit.

CHAPTER34

Monique

“He called her to convince her to feature her daughter’s work at your gallery?” Kennedy asks after I tell her the story about Ms. McClure and what happened earlier.

We’re heading out of the Mexican restaurant where we just had dinner. It’s only a few blocks from my gallery, so we decided to leave our cars parked there.

“Yes,” I say with a smile. I haven’t stopped walking on cloud nine since Ms. McClure and Mikey left my gallery hours ago. The only thing that would make this moment more perfect is if Diego didn’t have a work dinner. I wouldn’t mind spending all night showing him how thankful I am.

He’s meeting me at my gallery after his dinner though.

Kennedy sighs. “I’m not one for love, but what you two have is special.”

I stop short directly in front of the doors of my gallery. “What do you mean you’re not one for love?”

Though unconventional, Kennedy’s parents have been married for years and she grew up in a family full of love. I should know, our families are deeply intertwined. One in the same, practically.

If anyone is to believe in love, I would think it would be her.

She shrugs like it’s no big deal. “I mean it sounds cute and all, but with my luck I’d probably come across a guy like my dad or my brother or something. Someone who’s all controlling and possessive.” She rolls her eyes. “No thank you.”

That reminds me of that night at the Black Opal. When she looked as if she’d seen a ghost.

“Hey, do you know the owner of The Black Opal?”

Her eyes squint as if she’s trying to place what I’m referring to. She quickly shakes her head vigorously. But the movement looks too exaggerated. “No.”

It’s as if she’s trying to convince herself more than me.

“Anyway, I assume once your gallery is open and operating smoothly, I should expect a wedding invitation in the mail soon, huh?”

She changes the subject back to me, but I let it slide.

“Why would you think that?”

I unlock the door and let us both inside of my gallery before flicking on the lights.

“Uh, because if you haven’t noticed my cousin is head over heels in love with you. And, you know, part of my job as an investigative reporter is to be observant of my surroundings. He’s not the only one who’s in love.”

My stomach tingles from the butterflies that just thinking about Diego produces. She’s right.

But marriage?

“No, he’s not,” I admit. “Marriage is a huge commitment, though, and I don’t know if either one of us are ready for that.”

“Why not?” a deep voice asks behind me.

I spin around to see Diego filling up the entrance of my gallery.

“Hey, cousin,” Kennedy says into the thickness of the tension his question and my ensuing silence brought on.

He nods at Kennedy.

“Yup, that’s my cue to go.” Kennedy pulls me into a quick hug and mumbles, “Good luck,” in my ear.