Page 99 of Cactus Heart
I was up before the sun and in my studio.
I’d never felt this inspired before. But with all of the secret kisses and nights together with Levi and Mateo, my muse was running at full battery.
Between all the wild thoughts about those two, though, were cracks of worry in the foundation. I was all too aware of the fact that I’d missed family dinner last night and never received a text from my mother. All too aware that I hadn’t heard a single thing from her since our blowout.
That weighed heavily on me, like it was my fault. It wasn’t, and I knew that, but it still felt like it.
Then there was Levi.
Two more weeks.
We had two more weeks with him before he had to go back to Minnesota. A little ball of dread was forming between my shoulders.
I didn’t want him to go, but I’d never be the person to ask him to stay. His career was there. His life was there. I couldn’t ask him to change it all to be with me and Mateo.Thatwould be selfish. And as someone who had walked away from all my bigdreams of traveling the world and beingthatsort of artist, I’d never do that to someone I lov—liked.
I leaned back on my stool and stared at the canvas. The background was coming together, but the figures at the center were still missing. Cacti bloomed around them, the sunset dripping with magentas, oranges, and golden hues.
This was going to be one ofthosepieces. One that stuck with me. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to let it go.
So who was going to go in the middle?
An idea started to scratch at the corners of my brain, but was interrupted. Footsteps outside my studio room had my head turning, but there were only two people it could possibly be—really only one, given how early it was. Evie’s head poked into the doorway, but her eyes were covered, because she knew this room was off-limits to everyone.
“Morning,” I chuckled.
“Morning. Come join me for coffee?”
I was already springing up from my stool. “Yep.” I didn’t bother to take off the apron I wore while painting. It was a beige canvas fabric once upon a time, but now it was covered in bright colors. I had a habit of wiping my brush off on it when I was deep into a project.
I followed Evie out of the room and let the door shut behind me. She uncovered her eyes and smiled, pure sunshine in a pretty dress.
“Hey,” I said, giving her a hug. I noticed flour on her nose and wiped it away before releasing her. “How’s it going?”
“Oh, you know,” she said. “Working way too early, per usual.”
“But you’re closed on Mondays,” I said. “I’m surprised you’re here.”
“I’m prepping for something later this week. And I wanted to catch up. You’ve been so busy with Mateo and Levi, I feel like I’ve barely seen you.”
She had a point. “Sorry about that,” I said. “It’s been a wild time. I’d love to catch up.”
We left my gallery and crossed the empty street to her bakery.
Evie unlocked the door. “I think June will come over too. She’s starting to get ready for mum season, so I saw her lights on early too.”
“Oh god.”
Mum season in Texas was a big deal. Every September, our little town celebrated the annoying, but cherished, game known as football by creating corsages quite literally the size of Texas. Given that June owned her own flower shop, mum season was one of the biggest events of the year for her—even more than Valentine’s Day in a lot of ways, which was saying something.
“At least she’s prepping early this year,” I said.
“She needs to. Homecoming will be big this year. And you already know all the boy moms are gonna be up her ass for the best mum they can get.”
“They terrify me,” I said as we stepped through her shop’s door.
“Me too. Coffee?”
“Yes, please.” We rounded the bar and I hopped up, seating myself on the counter as she fixed each of us a cup. “What’s on your mind?”
