A Light in the Dark_Survival of the Fittest

by Christina Kirby

  “I guess the mystery is part of the charm,” she offered as she climbed out of the cab.

  The windows were covered with light blue curtains so that nothing was visible except faint lights and a few shadows. Considering the sidewalk was deserted around them, she decided they were either walking into a very exclusive opening or a horror movie where they were the victims.

  “This should be interesting,” Cohen muttered as he held the door open for them. Jessica elbowed him on the way past. “Oooph.”

  They took a card as they entered and on the front it said, Finding Light in the Darkness.

  Brie flipped it over and there was a picture of some sort of splatter painted work, but no artists’ names or other information was given. Aside from the title and the image, the only other image was that of a map. It appeared the exhibit was meant to be moved through in a specific order. Other voices could be heard, but they were too muffled to make out.

  “Are we early?”

  Jessica shook her head. “Right on time, I think.”

  They started walking toward the front of the space, Jessica and Cohen leading the way. Brie couldn’t see much due to the strategic placing of walls, cutting off her view from anything other than what was right in front of them.

  Soft music played over the speakers, it was vaguely familiar, but there were no words. If it weren’t for the added guitar it could almost be mistaken for elevator music, but there was something about it which made it more appealing.

  Cohen and Jessica stopped in front of her, pulling her attention away from the music. When her eyes landed on the first installation, they narrowed. It was a coffee cup sitting on the ground beside a stump where some of the coffee was splashed over the sides and onto the ground.

  Brie leaned in and whispered in Jessica’s ear so not to offend the artist if they were nearby. “I’m all for modern art, but this seems a little thin.”

  “Agreed. Let’s hope it gets better.”

  They moved on and as they did, Brie paused to fix her shoe where it was rubbing against her foot. She knew she should’ve broken them in more. They were cute, but hurt like hell. When she stood, she found herself alone and hurried to the second exhibit, but when she found it, her steps slowed.

  Standing before her was a full-size Pac-Man game and two stools. She blinked, dumbfounded. Jessica and Cohen were nowhere to be seen. What is going on?

  She hurried on and found a bench situated before a huge black and white image of the Ashmolean Museum. It couldn’t be . . .

  Brie kept moving, her heartbeat turning frantic as she tried to make sense of what she was seeing. The music changed overhead and this time, she knew exactly what she was hearing. It was the music Bailey had written for her to walk around the museum for Christmas, and as it played she found a small table with the map he’d made for her and a rose.

  Tears burned the back of her throat as she kept going. He was here. Somewhere in this place, Bailey was waiting. Annoyed at her own slowness, she paused to strip off her shoes. The next exhibit was large and stopped her where she stood. It was Jessica’s piece of the crying girl—the one she said Brie had inspired. It was set up beautifully and she imagined it was the way she would’ve gotten to enjoy it had she made it to the showcase.

  Brie teared up and moved on. Bailey had done this.

  She turned a corner and there covering the wall was the image from the card they’d picked up when they walked in, but this time she wasn’t seeing a small portion of what she’d assumed was a painting. In fact, it wasn’t a splatter painted canvas at all. It was the drop cloth where they’d first made love. Her hand flew to her mouth as she let out a laugh. There were distinctive handprints and a few she knew to be butt cheeks.

  Her face heated at the memory and then Bailey was there.

  He stepped out from behind the wall dressed in dark jeans and a button up shirt. His sleeves were rolled up revealing his arms. Her body turned liquid at the sight of him and it became harder to breathe. She hadn’t spoken to him since graduation. She hadn’t known what to say.

  “What’s all this?” Her voice shook as he moved towards her.

  “It’s our story.” He glanced around them and then back at her. “The first part of it anyway.” He smiled the same dashing smile that had tugged at her heart the first time she’d seen him in the park. It was a smile that had the power to be her undoing.

  “I couldn’t let you leave without talking to you.”

  “This is a lot more than simply talking. How did you do all of this?”

  “Oh, I had some help.” He took her hands in his and rubbed his thumbs over her knuckles. “Brie,” he held her in place with his gaze, all kidding aside as his tone grew more serious, “I know I screwed up when I left and then I screwed up again when I asked you to marry me as a way of apologizing. I guess I still need you as a teacher in some ways.”

  They both let out uneasy chuckles.

  “Now, that doesn’t mean I don’t want to marry you, but I do realize now that, at the time, it wasn’t what you needed to hear.”

  Her heart soared into her throat cutting off all ability to speak. He still wanted to marry her?

  “The thing is, Brie, I don’t think I can be here without you.”

  She swallowed down the lump in her throat and pulled her hands back. “Bailey, I can’t stay.”

  “No, no, no. I know that and I’m not asking you to give up anything. If you want to be in New York, then that’s where we’ll be.”

  “That’s where we’ll be?” Her mind reeled at his words. “But, what about school? You need to finish school. I know what it means to you.”

  “I will finish, Ms. Freeman. Promise.” Bailey crossed his heart and then smiled. “But, I plan on transferring to a school in New York.”

  When she didn’t say anything, Bailey’s easy expression changed to a kind of panicked look. “Please don’t hate the idea because I’ve already talked to Mr. Catling about it and he’s agreed to help.”

  “I don’t know what to say.” Her chest swelled, and she moved closer to him, her hands against his chest as he encircled her in his arms. “Are you sure?”

  “I want to be wherever you are.”

  She bit her bottom lip as images of the two of them together filled her mind, walking hand and hand in Central Park, checking out a new gallery in Midtown, or maybe heading to a bar to check out a local band. Bailey waiting for her inside their place when she got home from work. Her watching Bailey study at a table while they’d sit drinking coffee together. Days filled with love and nights filled with passion. The idea was too good to be true.

  “Do you remember that thing you asked me before?”

  A slow smile spread across Bailey’s face as he nodded. “I think I remember it vaguely, yes.”

  “Ask me again.”

  He slipped his hand into his pocket again and held up a ring that looked like the Posie rings she’d told him about—the ones she loved inside the Ashmolean.

  “Will you marry me, Brie?”

  She nodded as fresh tears slipped down her cheeks. Bailey lifted her off her feet and swung her around and then set her back down so he could slide the ring onto her finger.

  “There’s a message on it for you.”

  She held it up and looked closely at the tiny words. Love is everywhere. She smiled up at him and nodded. “It sure is.”

  He covered her mouth with his and when she opened her eyes again, they were surrounded by their friends. Oliver, Lexie, the other guys from the band and Simone was there, too, handing out glasses of champagne. Jessica hugged her and Cohen grinned, while Mei and Drew beamed from the back of the group.

  “I damn near had a heart attack keeping a straight face on the way here.”

  “You?” Jessica squealed at Cohen. “You sh
ould try living with her. I should win the BAFTA for the performance I gave this afternoon.”

  “Welcome to the family, Brie.” Lexie leaned in and hugged Brie. “You’ll never be bored.”

  Oliver hugged her, too, and kissed her on the top of the head. “I always wanted a sister.”

  “Hey,” Bailey laughed and hit his brother in the shoulder.

  “What? Girls smell better.”

  Bailey shrugged. “I can’t argue with that.”

  “Hey, bro,” Oliver jerked a chin toward the drop cloth hanging on the wall. “Is that some sort of artwork from one of her favorite artists or something?”

  Bailey burst out laughing. “Something like that.”

  Brie’s face ignited in heat, and luckily before Oliver had too much time to think about it, she was saved by John, who cleared his throat and held up his glass.

  “Cheers, you two.”

  They all held up their glasses and toasted. “Cheers.”

  Brie grinned again and hooked an arm around Bailey, her future husband. The mere thought made her insides turn to mush.

  As though sensing her line of thought, Bailey met her eyes and grinned. “I guess plans change.”

  “I definitely didn’t plan on you.” She kissed him and let the rest of the world melt away.

  Also by Christina Kirby and Soul Mate Publishing:

  SAFE AT HOME

  (Book One in The Warm Springs Trilogy)

  Driven by fear and desperate to protect her family, Samantha is forced to leave Chicago and everything she’s worked to achieve, only to start over by tossing a dart-at-the-map. The Georgia townsfolk’s true Southern charm is the unexpected prescription needed to heal her soul, and the sexy carpenter who touches her heart are distractions she didn’t plan on, but they might offer her a chance at a new life, if she can let go of her past.

  Town heartbreaker Spencer Malloy isn’t looking for anything serious. His days are perfect working as a contractor, attending his nephew’s baseball games, or taking him fishing. He never expects to fall for the big city girl, Samantha. She’s not his type, timid and closed off, but in her unguarded moments, he’s intrigued by the woman he can’t get out of his mind. The urge to get closer to her grows stronger each day, and when the shadow of evil resurfaces, he vows to protect Samantha, even if it means abandoning his home and joining her on the run.

  When confronted by the man who’s bent on revenge, Samantha must choose between running again to save the people she loves, or, if she has the strength, to stay and fight for her new life.

  Available now: SAFE AT HOME

  RUNNING HOME

  (Book Two in The Warm Springs Trilogy)

  Small-town beauty queen Jenny Fillmore is a survivor. In the wake of having been kidnapped by a madman, she’s managed to put her life back together, complete with a successful career and a serious boyfriend. But, when her first love returns and hires her as his real estate agent, old wounds are torn open, making Jenny question whether or not she has the life she wants. It turns out broken hearts don’t heal so easily and old desires don’t always fade with time.

  Professional baseball player Adam Hamilton didn’t expect a career-ending shoulder injury. Thrown a curveball in his prime, he returns home to Warm Springs and the one woman whose heart he broke to pursue his sports dream. But earning Jenny’s forgiveness won’t be easy. What he and Jenny once shared was real, but she’s moved on. With the new man in her life, time isn’t on Adam’s side.

  Available now: RUNNING HOME

  PROTECTING HOME

  (Warm Springs Trilogy Book 3)

  The town’s favorite troublemaker, Avery Hamilton, is all grown up and has returned to Warm Springs—this time to stay. She used to envision following in her grandfather’s footsteps and opening her own general practice. But, that dream was before. Before she made the mistake that derailed her life, a mistake she’s tried hard to put behind her. Returning to the one place she loves most in the world will help her heal, but not before the man she’d left waiting forces her to confront her past.

  Everyone’s favorite cop, Nick Holloway, has his sights set on making detective, but when the one woman he thought could’ve been the one blows back into town, his world tilts on its axis. While focused on his future, his life starts to unravel, both professionally and personally. And, the one person Nick never saw coming is the one who hates him enough to stop at nothing in order to ruin his life. Even if that means hurting the people he loves.

  Nick and Avery must find a way to let go of their pasts to secure a future, but if the man out for revenge has his way, they may not get the chance.

  Available now: PROTECTING HOME

  A FACE IN THE CROWD

  Alexis Hightower considers trust a four-letter word, and she has no intention of getting serious with anyone. After all, her day job as a nurse is plenty serious enough. On one of her nights off, she attends a concert for her favorite band and ends up on stage. She never expected to meet the legendary singer in person or that he would be the one to make her question her way of life. But how do you learn to trust again when the one you want is desired by thousands?

  Oliver Honeycutt has it all, success, fame, admirers, but when his family is faced with the unthinkable, none of it matters. Stranded in Atlanta, he meets Alexis, who’s unlike any woman he’s known before. As his attraction grows, plans for the future change, which leaves someone desperate to keep them apart. But Oliver won’t be easily discouraged. To have a future with Alexis, he’ll do whatever it takes to make her see the man behind the image.

  Available now: A FACE IN THE CROWD