She was quiet a moment. “Yes. But then I think, I’ve spent my life being cautious, weighing and measuring my feelings so I didn’t dive headfirst into cement. Now I’m almost thirty and single. When I was little, I thought I’d be married with kids by now. What I’m saying is, there’s no one right way, I guess. If they’re all in, they’re all in.”
“That’s a hell of a gamble. Nothing wrong with weighing your choices. Thinking things through and being sure.”
He felt her gaze on him. He focused harder on the road, flipping the visor down to block the streaks of sunset shining in his eyes.
“Haven’t you ever just gone with your gut? On a deal? A place you wanted to buy?”
He thought about the warehouses he’d purchased through his father’s company. The ones he was currently trying to off-load to get his money back because his father wasn’t willing to see Noah’s vision.
“Sure. But that’s different.”
Grace’s laugh didn’t hold the same humor it had earlier. “Right. A deal is just millions of dollars.”
Exactly. A hell of a lot easier to lose money than your heart.He kept the thought to himself.
32
Grace did her best to put the obvious skepticism in Noah’s tone behind her as he parked the truck.You feel the same way. Why judge him for something you agree with?Because if neither of them believed in acting on their feelings or throwing caution to the wind, what were they even doing?
She looked up when Noah stopped. The Art Shop. Her smile widened when she met his gaze.
“Up for something different?”
Grace gave a quick nod. “You like to paint?”
Noah took her hand. “Walls? Not really. This is different.”
“It really is. I thought we were going to grab something to eat,” she said, surprised that he could surprise her so much.
“Give me some credit, Gracie. I know how to treat a girl.” He nudged her with his hip.
When he knocked on the bright yellow wood door, she saw the sign in the window that saidCLOSED. Before she could ask him about it, a lock clicked and someone pushed it open.
A woman, probably in her late twenties, wearing a canvas smock, with clear goggles pushed back on her head and paint smearing her hands, greeted them.
“Mr. Jansen?”
“Carrie?”
“Yup. Come on in.”
“We’re excited to have you. We’ve set everything up as requested. The back door locks automatically and I will engage the alarm remotely once you text me that you’re finished. Do you have any questions?”
“No. Thank you for accommodating us.”
“Our pleasure. Dinner is set up.” She pointed to one room. “When you finish, in there, you can head to the back to the Sunset Room. If you need anything, you can call me.”
Noah nodded his head while Grace did her best not to let her jaw drop.
She smiled at Grace, then went down a hallway Grace assumed led to the back exit.
Turning in a circle, Grace took in the walls. One was a swirl of rainbow colors with a quote by Degas in black lettering: “Art is not what you see, it’s what you make others see.” Another wall was a mosaic of colored tiles. Bits of evening sunlight shone through the window, bouncing off those tiles, creating a myriad of colors dancing on the floor.
She’d never been anywhere like this. Grace became acutely aware of the pressure invading her chest. It was like Noah was physically seeping inside of her heart to carve out a cozy spot for himself. One that would leave a hell of an imprint if this didn’t work.
“You good?” Noah’s voice was soft, the front of his body barely touching the back of hers. She turned, much like she had at her house, launching herself at him.
“This is the best date ever,” she whispered into his ear.
