by Tina Michele
“So you like her?” Cate asked as she leaned forward in her seat and grinned.
“Like her? Yeah, I like her. I mean she’s nice. Everybody likes her.”
“You know damn well that’s not what I mean. Do you think you’ll date this one, you know, more than once?”
Tara’s heart began to race. Date? They just met. She’d spent a mere total of two hours with her since then. Yeah, she was attracted to Belle and they’d kissed, but nobody said anything about dating her. Tara didn’t do that. “Why?”
Lucy and Cate both huffed and slumped back into their chairs. “Another one bites the dust,” Lucy said.
“Nobody’s bitten the dust. I’m just not the dating type. At least not in the way you see it, and you both know that. Dating is messy, and it makes me feel claustrophobic. Why does everything have to boil down to that? With all its labels and restrictions?” This was the reason Tara wanted to avoid telling them in the first place. They both wanted her to find “the one,” someone to settle down with. But Tara was comfortable with the freedom she had established in her life, and settling down wasn’t something she was interested in. “What’s wrong with just enjoying the things that come and go?” Tara winked at her double entendre.
“Wow!” Cate said.
“There’s our Tara. You had us worried that you might have found a reason to rethink your outlook on life,” Lucy added.
“No worries there. Believe me.” She’d said it, but for the first time she felt just the tiniest sliver of doubt in her statement. “More wine?” They nodded as the awkward conversation came to a close.
*
Kyle helped Belle out of the car. He had insisted on driving her to both the doctor and to work that day, and refused to leave until she was ready to go. “It’s just a sprain. I don’t need you to carry me,” Belle said as he slipped his arm around her waist.
He let go and stepped back. “Fine, but hurry up. I need to go tell Andrew about your wheelchair rodeo and smoochies with the hot security guard.”
“You’re enjoying all of this far too much. Do you know that?”
“Hell yes, I am. Well, except for the scary part before the handsome rescuer swooped in and saved you.”
Belle never asked for help. She had learned at a young age never to need or rely on anyone else. But she was secretly glad for Kyle and his nurturing ways. He pulled her up the driveway. Soon after they moved in, Kyle and Andrew converted the bottom level of the large detached garage building into a private ballet studio. The spacious one-bedroom apartment on top was where Belle called home. She eyed the outside steps and dreaded the climb on her sore and swollen ankle.
Noticing her trepidation he said, “Don’t worry. I’ll have Andrew carry you up later.”
“Neither of you will do any such thing.”
“Whatever, Miss Independent. Come on!” He opened the door and stood out of the way so Belle could maneuver her crutches through the doorway.
“Oh my goodness, girl! Look at you!” Andrew gasped and held out his arms toward her.
“I’m fine. I just need to sit.” Belle backed up against a large black armchair and plopped down into it.
Andrew stood with his hands on his hips as she got comfortable. Belle propped her leg onto the table and he gasped. “Oh damn, is it broken?” he asked as he covered his grimaced mouth.
Belle looked up and laughed out loud. She’d known him for years, but the sight of him in his skintight unitard always made her chuckle. “Do those things have to be so revealing?”
Andrew opened his arms and thrust out his groin. “What? You no like?”
“I like,” Kyle said before he kissed him hello. “Babe, guess what little miss over here did last night?”
“Besides almost scare us half to death?”
“Yes. But I’m not talking about that. I’m talking about afterward, the small juicy little detail that she failed to tell us.” Kyle slipped away from Andrew. He sat on the arm of Belle’s chair and wrapped his arm around her shoulders.
“Ooh?” Andrew sat on the edge of the table and leaned forward in anticipation. “Do tell.”
“It’s nothing, you two.” Belle knew how they loved to over-dramatize just about everything, in particular the things that happened to her.
“Now, now. If you don’t spill, then I will.” Kyle raised an eyebrow.
“You are making much more out of a silly kiss than there is.” It was just a kiss. Belle didn’t see the point in blowing it out of proportion or reading into it.
“A kiss? You kissed her?”
Kyle clapped his hands together and grinned from ear to ear. “She did!” He said louder than he’d expected and covered his mouth.
Belle looked up at him and rolled her eyes. “You’re such a drama queen.” She looked over at Andrew. “And no. I did not kiss her. She kissed me.”
“Eh. A technicality. So? How was it?”
Belle had thought of nothing but that kiss since the moment it had happened the night before. She replayed the scene at least a hundred times over. She could recall every detail, from the dark desire in Tara’s eyes to the smooth softness of her lips. “It was fine.” She lied.
Kyle laughed at Andrew’s disappointed snarl. “Ha! Like you expected anything other than that? Shame on you!”
“For once, can’t you indulge me?”
“Fine. It was amazing. When I close my eyes, I can still see her face. I can feel her hand on my cheek as she looked into my eyes, and my heart still races when I think about those few silent seconds before her lips touched mine. I don’t know if I’ll ever feel her kiss again, but at least I have that perfect moment to remember.” Belle touched her fingers to her lips.
Kyle and Andrew sat in stunned silence at Belle’s unexpected and honest confession. Andrew pushed himself off of the table and cleared his throat. He looked at Kyle, pressed his hand to his chest, and tapped his fingers. “Oh. Well, okay then.”
Belle was surprised by the relief she felt to say those things out loud to someone, even if the situation made her uncertain. “Was that what you were fishing for?” Belle smiled at the looks of shock and awe still plastered on their faces.
“Um. Sure. That’s good enough for now,” Kyle said.
Belle laughed and pushed herself up from the chair. “I need to get some ice on this thing. So I’ll leave you two here to process.” She propped herself onto her crutches and swung herself to the door. Andrew attempted to reach out and help her, but she shooed him away. “I got it. Just hold the door.” He held the door for her as she shuffled outside and made her way up the steps to her apartment.
When she got upstairs, she flopped herself onto the couch in exhaustion. She could have had Kyle or Andrew help her, but she was a stubborn control freak who would rather struggle than rely on someone else. Yet, for the first time since she could remember, she’d let herself trust someone—someone she didn’t even know. The thought that Tara was that someone who’d been able to weaken her defenses made Belle feel uneasy and vulnerable. Before she realized it, she’d let Tara in, and it had happened long before the kiss.
Chapter Twelve
Tara volunteered her entire Monday to assist and participate in the annual Grayson Museum Family Day. The annual event took advantage of the closed museum to host a private viewing for staff, family, and friends. Staff volunteers manned information tables, displays, and hands-on activities, while others conducted special tours and behind-the-scenes peeks. Tara hadn’t thought twice when the volunteer signup sheet had made its way around to her. While her art knowledge and skills still left much to be desired, she gladly accepted the position of runner, which according to Joe was no more than hired muscle. She didn’t mind in the least. She’d done far worse for much less in the past. And since it gave her an unlimited number of opportunities to run into Belle over the course of an entire day, the experience was priceless.
Tara picked up a large banquet table and flung it onto the cart. It made a loud bang, and T
ara heard a sharp yelp from a nearby room. As she hollered an apology, a startled woman shot out into the hall from a nearby gallery.
“What the hell?” Belle said as she clutched at her chest.
“Belle! I’m so sorry! I didn’t realize.” Tara stared at Belle as her face flushed from stark white to bright crimson.
“Oh. Well, it’s okay. No problem.” Belle fidgeted. “I should go,” she said as she motioned back toward the room she had come from.
Tara didn’t want her to go. “Wait!” she said a little louder than was necessary. “I mean, do you need anything? A table or chairs?” Tara inched closer toward Belle.
Belle stepped back and bumped into the wall behind her. “No. No. I’m good. I have my cart. I should get back to it.” She sidestepped quickly. “I’ll see you later.” Belle smiled and pushed a stray strand of hair behind her ear before she disappeared back into the room.
“Okay, then.” Tara had never before been so intrigued by someone like Belle. To Tara, she was as difficult to interpret as abstract art and no less complex, but there was something even less explicable that drew her to Belle. And she didn’t intend on stopping until she had figured out what it was.
She pushed the cart of tables past the gallery Belle had retreated to. Tara sauntered by in order to catch another glimpse of Belle who gingerly examined a small vase as she hummed along to the song in her headphones. Tara slowed to a near stop in an attempt to freeze the moment into her mind. As if sensing her presence, Belle tilted her head up and looked at her. Tara flashed her a wide smile. When Belle grinned shyly in return, Tara’s heart fluttered. She felt her face redden as the heat rose through her. Belle chuckled and returned her gaze to the object before her, and Tara was released from her spell. As she pushed the cart forward, it took her more than a few seconds to remember where she’d been headed in the first place.
Tara’s mind was filled with the vision of Belle’s sweet smile. The idea that someone she didn’t know had her so captivated was disconcerting. She seldom, if ever, spent so much time thinking about just one woman. And certainly not about a woman that she’d not even slept with, let alone spoken to. A handful of brief but memorable moments were burned into her mind, and Tara had yet to convince herself of their true danger. Like a child testing her limits, Tara risked letting Belle linger a little while longer. She wasn’t a child, after all. She helped set up the last of the tables and headed off to find her next assignment as the families were soon to arrive, hers included.
She could still hear the squeals she’d gotten from her nieces when she gave them the invitation to Family Day. She’d given them the invitation the week earlier so that they could harass their mother about it constantly. It was one of her many joys, irritating her sister. As she imagined Lucy’s “I’m going to get you for this” face, her phone rang. Speaking of the devil.
Before she could even say hello, two screeching voices blasted her ear. She made out a couple words like “fun,” “most awesomest,” and “Aunt Tara,” so she was good with that.
Lucy got on the phone, and Tara chuckled at her winded breathing. “Do you have any idea what it’s like to herd these girls into a car to come see you?”
“It can’t be that bad. They would’ve loaded themselves up last week and waited had you let them.”
“Yes. Thanks. It’s been a wonderful week of that!”
“You’re welcome.” Tara laughed at her exhaustion. It was one of the best parts of being a beloved aunt.
“So, we got them loaded and should be there in about five minutes.”
Tara looked around the lobby as the families had begun to arrive, and she smiled. It was going to be a great day. “Excellent! I can’t wait. The girls are going to love this.” She hung up and slid her phone into her pocket. Out of the corner of her eye she spotted a figure peering out from a doorway. It was Belle. She stood quiet and invisible tucked just inside the gallery entrance. Belle fingered her necklace as she absently stared into the crowd of cheerful families.
The look in her eyes was one of sadness and longing. That much could be seen even from where Tara stood. The brightness that her eyes had held earlier that day was nowhere to be seen. Tara remembered the night they spent in that very gallery where Belle now stood. She hadn’t asked at the time, and she kicked herself for being so blind, but it all began to come together as she looked into the emptiness in Belle’s eyes. The only family she’d ever known was gone. Tara couldn’t begin to imagine the hurt Belle was feeling in that moment. She wanted to go to her and console her as best she could, but Belle had spotted Tara and her concerned gaze. The look of sadness was replaced with surprise before she disappeared into the room behind her.
Before Tara had a chance to follow, she heard her name echo through the lobby. Olivia and Eden rushed toward her with open arms and wide smiles. Her heart swelled as it always did around her precious girls. She maneuvered them back to her sister as they waited for the festivities to begin. She glanced back toward the Grayson Gallery hoping to see Belle once more, but she was gone.
*
Belle picked and plucked at the items on her cart. One of her favorite days was Family Fun Day. It excited her to see all of the bright, smiling faces—children and adults alike—as they absorbed and participated in the activities of the day. It reminded her of when Giles had opened her eyes to the same beautiful world. But it was days like this that she missed him the most.
Like every year before, Belle stood off to the side and watched as the staff greeted their families as they arrived. They mingled and chattered in the lobby while the children bounced around like loaded springs itching to be sprung. She watched the most curious of them peek around at what adventures awaited them. Those were her favorites. She imagined that had her childhood been different, she would have been that kind of child.
Before Belle could let her mind drift away to what might have been, she spotted Tara who stared at her from across the room. The look on her face was questioning and concerned, and Belle felt exposed. She wasn’t sure how long Tara had been staring at her, but it was too long. Belle slipped backward into the room and pushed her cart toward her activity station to wait for the families.
It wasn’t long before the group shuffled into the Tiffany Studios gallery where Belle had her workspace set up. She gathered the group around her area as she prepared to demonstrate one of her many responsibilities. The result of her demo was twofold. She got to do her job while teaching others about it.
Everyone circled around as the children pushed in close. “Careful. This is very fragile. So we want to make sure that we don’t push each other.” The last thing she needed was to have a hundred-year-old Tiffany vase crash to the floor and shatter into a million tiny shards. Most of the children took a few steps back, while several parents gripped their child’s shoulders and pulled them in close. Content with everyone’s distance Belle began her lecture. As she started to describe the collection of Tiffany lamps behind her, she saw two tiny faces darting back and forth at the back of the crowd.
Belle set the vase down and asked, “What do we have back there?” She stood on her toes to get a better look over the crowd.
Two bright-eyed girls gasped and turned to stone as they stared back at her. “We…” one began to say before the other finished.
“We couldn’t see.”
They might have been the most precious pair of twin girls Belle had ever seen. They were identical, but most distinguished by their bright and original choice of clothing and accessories. Not a single thing matched on either of them, and there was no shortage of animal prints and glitter. Belle was smitten. “Come on up here.”
They looked up at the man beside them with wide eyes. After a brief moment, he smiled and nodded in approval. Smiles spread wide across their faces as they made their way to the front through the parted crowd. They aligned themselves with the other children and clasped their hands in front of them. Simultaneously, they echoed, “Thank you.”
&nbs
p; “Oh my goodness. Aren’t you two the best in the world? What are your names?”
They answered for each other as they pointed. “That’s Eden.”
“And she’s Olivia.”
Belle looked up at their father and smiled. He gave a knowing grin and just shrugged. “Okay, let’s get started. Can anyone tell me what this is?” Belle asked as she pointed to a table lamp behind her. She got the answers she had expected, except for two.
“Art new bow,” said Eden.
“Tiffany,” added Olivia.
“What?” Belle looked down at the girls in surprise.
“Art new bow?” Eden asked that time.
“So close! It’s Art Nouveau. And you’re right! How about you, Olivia? Can you repeat your answer?”
“Tiffany,” she responded quietly.
“Yes! Very good! This is a Tiffany table lamp in the Art Nouveau style. Excellent!”
The girls beamed with pride as they looked back toward their grinning father. Eden waved her little fingers and he blew her a kiss. Belle’s heart twisted in her chest. He was the luckiest man on the planet, and she was jealous.
Belle cleared her throat and continued her demonstration. After slipping on a pair of latex gloves, she gently lifted the lamp and set it onto her cart. She prepared a number of supplies and laid them out so everyone could see. She also passed around a few spare items that she had for examples—large swabs, cleaning cloths, and polishing wipes. While several of the children had become bored and had begun sword fighting with the oversized Q-Tips, Eden and Olivia stood steadfast and enthralled with her lesson.
She leaned down toward the girls. “Would you like to help me?”
Their mouths gaped open and their heads spun around toward their dad. He smiled and nodded his approval once again. They answered, “Yes!”