Page 100 of Pining for Pierce
It all makes perfect sense when he says it like that. “Are you sure it’ll be okay?” I ask, still harboring doubts.
“Your mom and dad just want you to be happy, Harley… and you are happy, aren’t you?”
“Of course I am. I’ve never been happier. The thought of leaving you…” I stop talking, my voice cracking, and he raises my hands to his lips, kissing them one at a time.
“Then don’t think about it… and don’t do it, either.”
“Okay… as long as you’re sure.”
“I’m positive. We belong together.” I nod my head and he kisses my hands once more, staring into my eyes as he lets out a long sigh. “Don’t ever do that to me again,” he whispers. “You scared the shit out of me.”
“I’m sorry.”
He smiles and lets go of one of my hands so we can eat, although he doesn’t take his eyes from mine… not even for a second.
As the afternoon wears on, I realize Pierce was right. I overreacted. I panicked. Mom and Dad are gonna be fine. It might come as a surprise, but like he said, they just want me to be happy, and there’s no-one happier… except maybe Pierce.
The responses on the gallery’s social media page have blown up even more over the last couple of hours. I thought it was crazy this morning, and I guess a part of me half expected things to calm down after that initial flurry of interest, but if anything, it’s gone the other way. As I shut down my computer, I sneak a peek at my phone and smile when I see there are nearly three times the number of ‘likes’ compared to how many there were atlunchtime. The comments have more than doubled, too, and I can’t wait to see Pierce, to ask how he feels about it all.
He’s not waiting outside, but we didn’t arrange that he would be, and I walk down Main Street toward the store, still glancing at my phone. I’m so pleased for him. Okay, so it means a very different weekend for us. We won’t be able to have a lazy Sunday brunch at the coffee shop, or go for a long walk down by the creek, but at least we’ll be together for some of the time, and I’m glad he wants me to be a part of all this. I look up, stopping in my tracks when I see a small crowd of people outside the store, and then pick up my pace, running the last few yards. Has something happened? Is Pierce okay?
My heart is racing, my head spinning, when I reach the door, pushing my way through, and finally getting inside. There’s a crush of people in here, too, although none of them seems worried. They’re all chattering and smiling, and I try to relax. It can’t be something bad, can it? Not if they’re all so cheerful.
“What’s going on?” I ask, recognizing Mrs. Brennan, who turns and smiles at me.
“I’d have thought you’d know by now,” she says. “The two of you are such good friends, so I assumed you’d realize we’ve got a celebrity in our midst.”
I smile at the thought that Pierce and I are still thought of as ‘good friends’, although we’re so much more, and I nod my head. “You mean Pierce?”
“Of course,” she says. “It’s all over the town.”
“I didn’t think people would react like this,” I say, looking around.
“Oh, you know what folks are like.”
It seems not, but I smile at her and make my way through the crowd, nudging between people until I reach the back of the store.
Pierce is there, behind the counter, grateful for the protection it’s giving him, I think, as he fields questions about his paintings, the exhibition, and whether people can buy tickets from him.
“Are you gonna leave town now you’ve made the big time?” Mrs. Craig asks.
“I don’t know what I’m gonna do,” Pierce says, his eyes catching mine and filling with obvious relief.
I join him behind the counter, and he gives me a grateful smile.
It takes another forty-five minutes for the store to clear, and for Pierce to close the door, locking it, and leaning back against it.
“Man,” he says, shaking his head as he walks back toward me. “That was insane.”
“What happened?”
“I don’t know. They all just appeared. I’ve had three potential commissions, you know?”
“Really?”
“Yeah. I’ve told them I can’t work on anything new until after the exhibition starts, and they were fine with it.”
“That’s fantastic, Pierce,” I say, leaning in to him as he puts his arms around me.
