Always the One

by Tara Randel

  “No problem. We look forward to reading your article about the opening.”

  They chatted for a few moments before Marie moved on. Hannah lifted her hands to make a gesture and Michelle’s eyes went wide. She’d zeroed in on Hannah’s bare ring finger. Hannah’s stomach dropped and she waited for the inevitable.

  “Jonathan, why isn’t your fiancée wearing your engagement ring?”

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  AT THE AWKWARD PAUSE, Hannah lowered her left hand. Honestly, she hadn’t considered the ramifications of arriving at the gallery tonight without her engagement ring. She fought the urge to hide her hand behind her back, but the move wouldn’t accomplish anything since Michelle had already noticed. She squeezed her hand into a fist and tried to come up with an excuse.

  “I...ah...”

  Jonathan’s eyes blazed. “Michelle. A word.”

  Realizing that she’d not only embarrassed Hannah, but also her boss, Michelle blanched. Under the bright lights, she was caught wide-eyed and nervous. For the first time since Hannah had known her, Michelle looked uncertain.

  Before steering Michelle away, Jonathan glanced at her. “I’ll be right back.”

  She nodded. In a way, wasn’t this partly her fault? She was the one taking the time to decide where she and Jonathan stood, but she hadn’t pictured what her indecision would mean to him. She was messing up everyone’s life lately.

  Bernard shuffled over to her.

  “What’s going on?”

  “Nothing to worry about.” She painted a smile on her face and glanced around the room. “I’m going to get a drink. Want anything?”

  He held up his glass. “I could use a refill. Sparkling water.”

  “You got it.”

  Hannah wove through the guests to reach the refreshment area the caterer had set up. She deposited Bernard’s glass on a nearby tray and ordered two waters. As the bartender went to work, she rested her elbow on the portable bar and watched the crowd enjoy themselves.

  “Quite a turnout,” a tall man with dark hair said as he came up to her.

  “Prescott Gallery only represents the best.”

  “I can see that.”

  Hannah glanced away, not up to chatting with a stranger, but the man didn’t move.

  “Are you new to the gallery?” she asked.

  “Yes. I just arrived in town a short while ago.” He smiled, but his gaze was rather unsettling, like he was searching for something. “Trying to get the lay of the land. Meet new people, that sort of thing. I was interested in the exhibit tonight so I decided to stop in.”

  An uneasiness settled over her. “Well, you picked a good place to start. The people involved in the local art scene are wonderful.”

  He held out his hand. “Mike.”

  She reached out to return the gesture, but a sudden shiver stopped her. Unsure of what to do, she was saved by the bartender, who handed over the two drinks she’d ordered. Tucking her clutch under her arm, she accepted the glasses. “Nice to meet you,” she said. “I have to deliver these.”

  “Sure,” he said, but she didn’t miss the flash of impatience in his cold eyes. “We’ll talk again.”

  Who was this guy? The odd feeling of being watched, the one that had returned during the last few weeks, had her looking over her shoulder. She caught the man following her movement and the uneasiness shot up tenfold. When she faced forward, she nearly collided with Bernard.

  “Here you go.” She noticed her hand shaking as she passed him his glass.

  “Are you okay? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

  Not a ghost. Maybe worse? She couldn’t be sure, but the fact that the gems were still fair game had her suspecting the stranger might be up to no good. Or she was imagining things. But didn’t Derrick tell her to trust her instincts?

  “I’m fine. It’s been a long day.”

  Bernard leaned over to kiss her cheek. “I appreciate you coming out tonight.”

  She managed a smile until the artist found another guest to chat with. When she looked back toward the bar, the stranger was gone.

  How she wished Derrick was here. He’d know just what to do. He’d been trained for situations like this. Should she call him? Leave? Her mind was so busy coming up with options, she jumped when Jonathan appeared beside her.

  “I didn’t mean to startle you,” he said.

  She placed a hand over her racing heart. “Sorry, I was...daydreaming.”

  “About us, I hope.”

  Instead of answering, she peered around him. “Michelle?”

  “She realized she overstepped. It won’t happen again.”

  “It wasn’t her fault. She was right to ask. I took off the ring.”

  “Which I hope you’ll put back on once Derrick leaves.”

  A shadow passed over Jonathan’s face. She reached out to place her hand on his arm. “You’ve always had faith in us.”

  He shrugged. “Why not? We both want the same things.”

  Did they?

  A few weeks ago she would have agreed. But her life had been upended once again and she had to be smart about her decisions. She’d run on fumes for so long, she hadn’t taken the time to truly examine what she wanted, but with her mother’s cancer scare over and Derrick showing up, there was no excuse not to.

  “We have plenty of time to plan our future,” he said, no doubt in his tone. “This is just a small setback.”

  “Thank you. For being so patient.”

  He lifted her hand to kiss her palm. She waited for the tingly shivers that accompanied a loved one’s romantic actions. Nothing. Guilt swamped her all over again.

  “It’s a good thing I have the gallery to focus on until then.”

  She blinked. Why did he do that? Manage to make what they were going through take second place to the gallery. She’d be annoyed if she hadn’t put them in this situation. Until she voiced a firm commitment to the man, of course he’d put his gallery first.

  “What do you think of the exhibit?” he asked.

  Thankful for the change of topic, she said, “It’s quite stunning. I forgot how unique Bernard’s pieces are.”

  “I’ve had a real interest in sales. Plus, there are new faces here tonight. You’re right—the reputation of the gallery is growing.”

  “About that. I met a man who said he was new to the area. I was wondering if you knew him.” Searching for the tall man she’d spoken to, she located him on the other side of the room, alone, but watchful. “That guy over there.”

  Jonathan followed her direction. “Oh, yes. Mike, I believe. He’s a serious buyer. Told me he wanted to complete his collection.”

  “Did he mention what that entailed?”

  “He wasn’t specific. You know how collectors can be, protective of their acquisitions.”

  That bad feeling from earlier made her stomach swirl again. Time to listen to her intuition. “You know what? I think I should head home.”

  “So soon?” His look of disappointment almost had her changing her mind.

  “I’m worried about Mom. She’s not shaking this cold.”

  “I understand. Let me get your coat.”

  She grabbed his arm before he left. “Would you mind walking me to my car.”

  He tilted his head. “Is something wrong?”

  “Just a weird feeling I’ve had all night.”

  “Of course. I’ll be right back.”

  As he went to get their coats, Hannah returned her glass to a serving tray. She glanced around but couldn’t find the stranger in question. The tingle running down her spine had her wondering if she was overreacting.

  “Anna.”

  It took a moment for Hannah to realize someone was speaking to her. She met Michelle’s questioning gaze.

  “Sorry,” she mumbled. She
needed to get her nerves under control. The stranger could be exactly who he said he was, a collector looking for another piece, not some shadowy guy looking for the missing gems.

  “No, I’m the one who should apologize,” Michelle said. “Jonathan pointed out that the status of your relationship is off-limits. I guess I was surprised not to see you wearing the ring.”

  “There’s a lot going on right now and Jonathan has been so wonderful to give me the space I need.”

  “So why end the engagement?”

  “It’s not ended. I’m...”

  She nodded to a few people passing by and stepped out of the way, not wanting anyone to overhear.

  “You’re having second thoughts,” Michelle said.

  “No,” Hannah blurted.

  Michelle’s eagle eye didn’t miss a thing. “It’s that handsome friend of yours who showed up in town, isn’t it?”

  “I think you’ve misunderstood.”

  “No, I don’t think I have.” The usual haughty look disappeared and one of concern replaced it. “I’ve made no secret of the fact that I don’t like you and Jonathan together, but he’s happy. And I’ll admit, I’ve tried to interfere, but he’s been very committed to you. I don’t know what’s going on, but I’m asking that you don’t hurt him.”

  “I don’t want to hurt him,” Hannah replied in a subdued tone.

  “Then don’t. He’s a good man.”

  “On that we can agree.”

  Michelle sent her another steely glance, then turned on her fashionable heel and disappeared into the crowd. Jonathan strode up as soon as she walked away.

  “Ready?”

  More than, but she said, “Yes, thanks.”

  As Jonathan helped her with her coat, she noticed the stranger in her peripheral vision. He was chatting with a couple, discussing one of the sculptures. She took her phone from her clutch.

  “I should get a picture of Bernard’s work to show Mom,” she said, snapping a shot with the stranger in it. She quickly dropped her phone back in her clutch and headed for the door.

  The temperature had dropped considerably and the wind had picked up since Hannah had arrived. As they braved the cold night together, she shoved her hands in her pockets to find her gloves. They walked in silence, nodding at passersby. At the end of the block, one of the lamplights flickered on and off.

  “I suppose someone from the city will have to come out and fix that.”

  Is that where they were now, engaging in random conversation? “I suppose.”

  After a car drove by, Jonathan took her elbow and they crossed the street to the public parking lot. They stood by her car as she searched for her keys.

  “This is more than not wearing the engagement ring,” Jonathan said, the air clouding before his mouth as he spoke.

  She shivered, her reaction from more than just the frigid night.

  “Whatever is going on is serious, isn’t it?”

  She nodded.

  In a solemn tone he said, “Please figure it out so you can come back to me.”

  He placed a kiss on her head, then opened her door and assisted her inside. She started the ignition, wishing she could reassure him, but didn’t know what to say. She waved, then pulled away. When she glanced in the rearview mirror, he still stood in the same place, making her question every decision she’d ever made.

  How could he be so accepting? So calm? She hadn’t told him a thing, yet he trusted her. At this moment in time she didn’t think she deserved him. She truly didn’t want to hurt him, either, but couldn’t deny her heart’s desire.

  * * *

  LOADED WITH TWO cups of coffee in his gloved hands, Derrick shuffled to keep warm while standing out in the biting cold. He was meeting Hannah in the downtown area of Carson City, full of trendy shops and boutiques, to look for a wedding present for his mother. She’d requested they meet here instead of him picking her up at home, which he couldn’t decide was a good or bad omen. But he had coffee prepared just the way she liked it and warned himself to be patient. He had her company for the day—what more could he ask for?

  She joined him a few minutes later, bundled up in a pale blue jacket, a scarf around her neck and a hat keeping her wild curls in place. His heart banged against his chest. She grew more dear to him every day.

  She smiled when he held out his hand with the offering. “You read my mind,” she said, taking a quick sip. Her eyes closed as she savored the hot drink, then she braced her shoulders. “I know I said I’d spend the day with you, but I want to head back home around noon. Mom has been fighting a nasty cold and when I left this morning she was coughing pretty badly.”

  “Hey, we could have rescheduled.”

  “I would have, but she insisted I meet you. Her friend Carol is going to be with her until I get back.”

  “I appreciate this. You could have stayed home.”

  “I could have.” She paused, her eyes growing troubled. She seemed to shake it off and said, “Where to?”

  “I was hoping you’d guide me.”

  “You didn’t come up with any ideas?”

  “I thought maybe we could stroll around. I have a feeling this is one of those, I’ll know it when I see it, times.”

  “Sounds good.”

  They moved down the sidewalk, shoulders brushing as they dodged other Saturday morning shoppers. He’d pause before a window and Hannah would point out a potential gift, but so far nothing interested him. When they reached a bakery, he dragged her inside for a pastry, loving that she insisted she shouldn’t indulge, but eating the treat with gusto. They resumed the search, unsuccessful until Hannah pulled him into a boutique featuring interesting gift ideas for weddings, baby showers and retirement parties.

  Removing her gloves and unwinding her scarf, she stopped at a table. “How about a frame for your mom’s wedding portrait?”

  “It’s an idea,” he countered, stuffing his gloves in his jacket pocket as he roamed around the sales floor in the wedding section.

  “Here’s a lovely wall clock. You could have it personalized.”

  He shook his head.

  “His and hers matching robes?”

  He grimaced. “This is weird. I haven’t thought about weddings since we were kids and planned to elope.”

  “How on earth did we think that was a good idea?”

  “We were young with no responsibilities.”

  “Times have changed.”

  “They have.” He picked up a champagne glass and twirled it in the light. “After spending time with you lately, I can’t help but wonder about the direction of our lives if we’d stayed together. Would I have joined the FBI Art Crime Team? Would you have become museum docent or curator instead of a teacher?”

  “It’s hard to say. And pointless, really.”

  He sent her a sharp glance.

  “I don’t mean to be insensitive, Derrick, but wondering won’t change anything. Our lives turned out the way they did and I think we both adapted pretty well.”

  “Pragmatic, I see.” He set down the glass. “We’re surrounded by these gifts and I guess it made me speculate.”

  Hannah rounded the table to sidle up beside him, a mischievous grin on her lips. “Have I told you I like the man you are now?”

  His breath stalled in his throat. “No.”

  “You’re exactly where you’re supposed to be, protecting people like me...” She grinned. “...and works of art. I admire you.”

  “Wow. I don’t know what to say.”

  She playfully tapped his arm. “Now that is totally unlike you.”

  He chuckled. “I guess it is. You have a way of making me want a better life.”

  “We’ve only been back in each other’s lives for a short time.”

  “That’s all the time it’s taken.”

  S
he shook her head and moved to another table.

  “I know you wanted to work in a museum, but Hannah, the way you are with kids? It’s a gift.”

  “Thanks. It was kind of unexpected at first, but I love the job.”

  “It shows.”

  She peered at him through lowered lids, with that teasing look that always made his heart race. “We’re just a mutual admiration society, aren’t we?”

  “Catching up for lost years, I’d say.”

  Hannah looked away, but not before he caught the pleasure on her face.

  “Here’s a pretty wedding album. If you don’t like the frame idea, this would certainly showcase your mother’s memories of the day.”

  He walked over, quickly enveloped in her sweet scent. He stood a little too close, wanting this moment with her to last forever, but knowing they were on the clock. The album cover was quite pretty, something his mother would go for. “I like it.”

  “Finally. You are the fussiest shopper ever.”

  “Well, I never thought I’d be buying a wedding gift for my mother.”

  Hannah picked up the album and held it to her chest. “Is she happy?”

  He glanced at her, at the freckles dotting her pert nose and smooth skin, the hazel eyes he dreamed about, the total package that was Hannah. The events of the past were just that, the past. Since being reunited with her, Derrick had fallen in love with her on a whole new level.

  “I could ask you the same thing.”

  “But we aren’t talking about me.”

  He grinned at her comeback, then said, “Yes, I believe she is.”

  “Then she’ll love anything you give her. And having you at the wedding? That’s icing on the cake.”

  “I wish you could come with me. My Mom would love to see you.”

  Her smile faded. “I don’t think so, Derrick.”

  Yeah, he figured as much.

  She put the album back in place and he followed Hannah to another display. “What about you?”

  “Me?” She frowned.

  “When you walk down the aisle. Won’t you want your dad there?”

  She stiffened. “That’s impossible.”

  “Is it?”