Beauty and The Best (Once-Upon-A-Time Romance) (43 page)

“
After you left, I tried to paint someone else. Anyone. Jasmine sat for me, Earl, I paid the family next door, but I couldn’t do it, Jolie. I couldn’t get that something I had captured with you.” He tucked a wayward strand of hair behind her ear and she tried to ignore the warm, melty feeling it stirred. “Then, Mr. Griff showed up and suggested I finish the pictures for the auction. I know I should have discussed it with you, but, honestly Jolie, I was still stung by your story. Then I read the whole thing—” he nodded to the mysterious novel—“and—”

“
And you figured since I had gone ahead and done this, you could too.” She sighed. “I can understand that. If I wanted my moment of fame, why not make it a big one and get back at me? I get it.”

He lifted her chin. “No, you
don’t
get it. That’s not it at all. That makes me sound selfish and shallow, and I’d like to think I’m above all that.” He put a finger over her lips when she started to speak. “No, I read that book and I thought about the title,
The Best Man
, and I saw the emotions in there, thought about you writing it, and then I thought about you, your life. I thought I’d known you, Jolie. Who you were, the person inside.” He paused while his eyes searched hers. “The person who wouldn’t intentionally hurt me.

“
It took me more time than it should have to realize that. And with this benefit—a benefit for underprivileged and abused kids and homeless families, things you lived through, things that shaped you—I knew you’d want to help if you could. I had all these paintings of you taking up wall space—”

“
You mean floor space.”

“
No, I mean wall space. I hung every one of them, Jolie, once I finished that book. All around my studio. Where I could see you all the time.”

She had absolutely no comeback whatsoever to that.

“
So, anyway, I had a bunch of completed pictures, a looming deadline and a cause near and dear to your heart. I honestly hoped to discuss it with you and get your agreement. I never doubted you’d approve.”

“
You’re right about that.”

He nodded. “I know. I know that about you. That’s why I did the show, Jolie. Not to hurt you, but to help with a cause you care about. And I didn’t show your face. Just like you’d asked.”

Oh, the love she felt for him was flooding every cell of her body. He truly
got
her.

“
Thank you,” she whispered. “I really don’t want that kind of fame.”

“
I know that, too. For the masses, you’re just a nameless body on canvas. I want to keep what’s between us, between us.”

“
What’s between us?” She was holding her breath.

“
You’re parroting me again.”

She bit her lip to stop the tears. He was teasing her. That had to be good.

“
I have something for you,” he whispered.

“
You do?” What more could she possibly want than his belief in her?

He retrieved the paper-covered something, tore the wrapping, then stopped. “Jolie, this was never intended for the show. I started it that day… after the dinner at Bella’s. Before the manuscript. I never hung it. No one’s seen it but me.”

She turned to fully face him, holding her breath. She’d never seen him this, well, nervous.

He tore the rest of the paper away and turned it around.

It was her. All of her.

She was on her side on that sofa, propped against pillows, with the drop cloth draped over her thighs. Her hair was mussed, falling over her breasts. Her lips were just a bit swollen as if she’d bitten them—or someone had been kissing them moments before. Her bottom leg was bent slightly, the upper one raised as if in invitation to discover what was beneath the cloth. And there was no doubt the artist already knew.

Everything she’d ever felt while they’d made love was there, in her eyes, looking out from the canvas. That
something
he’d wanted to capture.

This was a painting by a man who knew his subject in all her moods. And felt quite a bit for her.

Did she dare hope?

“
Do you like it?” His soft voice wrapped around her like the silence of a moonlit courtyard.

She shook her head. “No. I don’t.”

The hope in his eyes faded and she couldn’t let the teasing go on any longer.

“
I love it, Todd.” She touched his arm. “Almost as much as I love you.”

“
Thank you, God.” He blew out a breath and set the painting aside, pulling her back into his arms.

She met him halfway, and then they were kissing each other as if they could make up for all the hurt and separation.

“
I was so worried, Jolie,” he said after, oh, ten minutes or so. “When you saw that picture, I thought I’d blown it. I hadn’t had the chance to prepare you, and I knew you’d take it the wrong way. I would have.”

It was her turn to raise her eyebrows.

“
All right, I guess I did with your manuscript. I get it now, though the book thing does perplex me. Perhaps Mr. Griff will be able to shed some light on it.” He linked his fingers with hers. “But it doesn’t matter. We’re together and that’s what’s important.”

“
Together.”

“
Forever.”

“
Forever?” Did he say the “F” word?

He pulled back. “You don’t want forever? I thought you liked happily-ever-afters?”

“
Is this one?” She was trying so hard not to get her hopes up in case she was reading too much into this.

He smiled. “Oh, yes, Jolie Gardener, this is one big happily-ever-after.” He traced her cheekbones, then her lips, his eyes going all soft. “I love you. I want you in my life. Always.” He slipped off the bench to one knee. “Will you, Jolie Gardener, marry me?”

Ohmygoshohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh—

“
Yes!”

She threw her arms around his neck, her body into his, and she mauled the guy’s lips as she almost crashed them to the terra cotta floor. He wanted to marry her! He loved her! They could have a family—

Oh boy. Now she was the one who pulled back.

“
What?”

“
Family,” she squeaked.

“
Mike and Barb already love you.”

She shook her head as they resettled back on the bench. Good thing because Knees weren’t able to stand yet. “No. Family. You and me.”

“
Ah,” he smiled. “Yes, I want a family. Dozens of kids.”

“
Dozens?”

“
Enough to have my own football team.”

“
I’m not sure that’s physically possible for me, Todd.”

“
Well, then, we’ll just have to adopt some, won’t we?”

Honest to God, she loved this man. She honestly and truly loved him and she needed to crawl inside his skin and show him how much.

But not here. Obviously.

They needed to be in his house. Their house.

Their
home
.

He was right there with her as he stood, tugging on her fingers. “Come on, Jolie. Let’s go home.”

“
But what about the benefit?” Not that she was complaining, but still… niceties and all.

“
The pictures were sold the minute I unpacked them. My work here is done.”

“
Spoken like a true superhero.” Their shared joke earned her another smile, then his eyes went all mossy green velvet.

She knew that look. And this was not the appropriate place. “Yes. Let’s go home.”

His smile reminded her of the one between Mike and Barbara. Between Bella and her husband. That “This is our world and we’re the only two here” smile.

He picked up the painting as he intertwined their fingers.

“
Where are you going to put that?” she asked.

“
I thought since no one else will be sitting for me, I’d like to keep it in my studio.” He kissed her fingers. “To be inspired. Okay with you?”

“
You know,” she said as they headed out the iron gate, dipping beneath shuttered honeysuckle flutes and traipsing through scattered rose petals, “I kind of like that idea.”

“
And I kind of like the idea of having a naked woman in my studio.”

Yep, she tripped.

The End

The Beginning

M E M O R A N D U M

TO:
Raphael, Archangel

RE: HEA
, Case #TBJGB14215642360982019939.A8

As follow-up to reports A1-A7 concerning Charges, Todd Best and Jolie Gardener Best, I have the following updates:

1. Jolie Gardener Best has opened her own pastry shop,
Très Jolie Pâtisserie
, and continues to write romance novels. She has had fair reception from publishers and will continue onward to publication.

2. Todd and Jolie have four beautiful children—one for each bedroom in their home—and are in the process of adopting three more.

3. Jasmine and Earl Gray have moved in with them after Todd added an east wing to the house. The weekend the Grays went away was a bonanza for everyone: their son, Charles, and his wife are enjoying the set of triplets they added to the four children they already had. Not a spare inch of room for the grandparents, however. So Todd and Jolie forgave their well-intentioned interference and invited them to stay with them. Jolie has the family she’s always wanted.

4. I have put off their questions regarding the book,
The Best Man
, by saying the publisher, Beatus, Inc., went out of business.

5. Detective Phillips determined the fire that destroyed Jolie’s apartment was indeed an accident. Maurice in 2B, a deaf man, had been making his wife an anniversary dinner and didn’t hear the fire alarm when a stray white cat jumped in the window and knocked a ewer of oil that was sitting on the window ledge into a saucepan, and it kind of… exploded. A dishtowel went up, which then caught the curtains and the rest, well… It actually worked out rather well, despite the missing photographs and personal items. The insurance money came through, with a large fine for the landlord for having too many apartments in a building that wasn’t up to code. A developer took over and built brand-new, affordable, good-sized condos for the residents. There is talk, by the residents, of thanking the mysterious white cat.

6. Speaking of cats, Jolie was upset to find Boots missing, so St. Francis created a replica for them. I think Jolie may be suspicious, but since she thought she was imagining things when I was Boots, the replacement hasn’t raised any untoward questions. No one ever came forward from the Found posters.

7. And, last, but by no means least, my wing buds have begun to itch.

Respectfully submitted,

Jonathan Griff, Guardian

Acknowledgments

If I were to thank everyone who helped with this book, I honestly think the list would be longer than the book itself. This story was part of the American Title Contest (III) run by
Romantic Times BookReviews Magazine
, and I have to thank everyone who voted for it, as well as Leah Hultenschmidt, who chose it for the contest, and the wonderful
Romantic Times
staff for the contests and the conventions, especially Jo Carol Jones, Carol Stacy, Faygey Levy, Giselle Hirtenfeld/Goldfeder, Elissa Petruzzi, Stephanie Klose, and Liz French for all the fun over the years.

To the folks at Gather.com for their First Chapters Contests, and everyone who voted there for this story. I’m so glad you finally get the chance to read it in its edited form.

To the Wisdom of Wombats, in particular Beth Hill and Jill Lynn Anderson. Thank you thank you thank you to all of you for your help, your encouragement, and all that wisdom!

As always, to my family. Thank you for being you.

And to Stephanie Julian, convention roomie, eye-roller supreme, and critique partner extraordinaire, who keeps my half full cup from running over when it really shouldn’t. And for not snoring.

And thank
YOU
for reading
Beauty and The Best
. I hope you enjoyed it. If you did, please help other readers find this book:

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About the Author