Could've Said Yes

by Tracy March

  Collin took her hand in his and brushed the pad of his thumb across her fingers. “Want to dance?”

  Chapter 19

  Ellie had never seen such a huge turnout at the Thistle Bend Arts Festival. Granted, the weather was sunny and clear, a perfect Saturday afternoon for the event. Matt and Brian had both come yesterday to help her set up her booth and get the gallery back in order without the pieces they’d taken. So many people came to Thistle Bend for an arts weekend, not only visiting the festival, but the galleries in town, too.

  Double exposure.

  Ellie remembered a time when she’d fought to get any exposure at all. Smiling, she rearranged several pictures displayed on a large worn chest of drawers she’d bought for next to nothing at the thrift store. She’d sanded it down to a weathered finish and put it in the gallery. So many people had commented on the clever display of pictures propped on several open drawers that it had been a no-brainer to use it as the centerpiece of her booth.

  There had been a good crowd for the opening hours of the festival last night, but Friday was more about the live music and partying than the art. Ellie had made several sales, but Saturday and Sunday were when the real crowds came.

  “You got an ace location.” Holly had just shown up to help out for the afternoon. “Facing Calypso Coffee. Killer morning traffic—everyone wants coffee and cinnamon rolls. Probably just as good in the afternoon.” She waved at Ginny, the owner of Calypso Coffee, who had set up a makeshift booth of her own out in front. “Look at the line for the limeade. While everyone’s standing there, they’ll be checking out your pictures.”

  “It seems to be working,” Ellie said happily. “I’ve had a few limeade drinkers come over and buy pictures. And people with coffee and cinnamon rolls this morning. I’ve made so many sales that I might need to run over to the gallery and pull some stock from there.” She gestured toward an easel where she’d propped a big corkboard tacked with lots of photos of the pictures she had available for custom orders. “I even had one lady stand here and nearly cry when the couple in front of her bought the picture she wanted.”

  “Aww, that’s terrible.” Holly shrugged. “But kind of awesome, in a way.”

  “She custom-ordered one just like it, and left happy.”

  “Sounds like things are going great.”

  Ellie nodded politely at the older couple who stopped by to browse. She already considered the festival a huge success, with more sales than she’d anticipated, and positive comments from the jurors.

  “What about the pictures of Collin?” Holly gazed at the one Ellie had displayed on a set of open wooden shelves in the front corner of the booth—the shot that he and Ellie had picked out together. She had one of him on his motorcycle placed on top of the chest of drawers in between two landscapes.

  “I managed to get six painted before the festival.”

  Holly’s eyes bugged. “Six?”

  “I know. Crazy, right?” Ellie smiled softly. “That’s pretty much all I did outside of going to the I Bar with you guys.”

  And seeing Collin at night.

  “Doesn’t look like it was too painful.” Holly grinned.

  “The work was grueling, but the scenery was fine—all definitely worth it.” Ellie gestured toward the picture on the shelves up front. “That’s the one I painted for Collin. Other than that, the one up there on the chest of drawers is all that’s left.”

  Holly’s eyebrows shot up. “You’ve sold four of them already?”

  Ellie pressed her lips into a tight grin and nodded. “Peggy was right. I mean, I’ve sold other stuff, too. But people seem to really fall for those pictures of Collin.”

  Holly nudged Ellie’s elbow. “Just like you’ve fallen for him.”

  “I haven’t fallen for him.” Ellie said. “It’s just worked out for us to be together while he’s here.”

  “You don’t sound like even you believe that.” Holly shook her head. “I sure don’t. Bryce said both of you looked like goners when you were dancing together at the concert the other night.”

  Ellie’s stomach fluttered. “I’m not a goner,” she said. “What we’ve got going is totally temporary. He’ll be leaving soon—any day, for all I know. I warned myself from the start to keep my heart out of it.”

  “I remember thinking the same thing about Bryce when he came to town,” Holly said, “and look at us now.”

  Ellie didn’t want to look at them now. All she’d see was something she couldn’t have. It was better to spend her nights with Collin in total denial that he’d be leaving soon. That he was exactly the kind of guy she’d been afraid to risk falling for.

  And losing.

  It was easier to tell Holly that she wasn’t all in on Collin, because she wanted to believe it herself. Wouldn’t that make losing him easier?

  “It’s not the same for us,” Ellie said, hoping Holly would drop the subject. She gazed at the picture of Collin on the top of the chest of drawers.

  Holly smoothed her hand over the skirt of her patchwork sundress and shook her head. “Deny it all you want. But no one who’s seen the two of you together believes you.” She leveled her gaze on Ellie. “There’s more than just chemistry between you two. You might as well admit it.”

  —

  Collin had worked his ass off from sunup to sundown every day since the spill, trying to make some headway on the recovery project, fighting an unwinnable battle. Nothing he did was going to get that toxic water back into the mine, or clean the contaminated river faster than nature could itself.

  If nature can…

  Truth be told, it could be years—even decades—before the river healed. He felt helpless to do anything about it except show up and keep working, trying to stop the same thing from happening again.

  All day, every day.

  But not today.

  Unless he counted eight hours as a full day’s work. Despite the accident, he’d dedicated himself to the Big Star project, but there was something even more important going on today. Ellie was exhibiting in the Thistle Bend Arts Festival, and it was his turn to support her for a change.

  She’d knocked herself out for him—before and after the breach—and there’d been very few ways for him to do the same for her. Sure, he’d brought her flowers, and a bottle of her favorite wine, and shown her how much he appreciated her being there for him.

  Especially in the bedroom.

  But this thing with her had become about a hell of a lot more than what they did in bed. They’d connected in a way that had rocked Collin as much as the accident. He’d made a decision at the mine site, and incredibly bad things had come from it.

  Just the opposite had happened with Ellie.

  What he thought might lead to a hot hookup had turned into something totally different. Something that had set up camp in his heart, and wouldn’t leave. The crazy thing was, he liked it there. After everything that had happened with Megan, he hadn’t expected to find something real.

  So he’d left the site at two, determined to get cleaned up, get to the festival, and surprise Ellie. Just because his career was crap now didn’t mean he couldn’t celebrate her success. She’d struggled plenty to get where she was, and she deserved it.

  Wearing worn jeans, a light green button-up shirt, and his new cowboy hat, Collin made his way down Larkspur Avenue, checking out the booths as he passed, each one under its own white tent.

  Jewelry.

  Sculpture.

  Paintings.

  Really cool stuff.

  But none as awesome as Ellie’s.

  Last night she’d told him that her booth was facing Calypso Coffee—and that she’d probably gain five pounds just from the scent of cinnamon rolls baking in the morning.

  A line of people came into view, shorter than the one at Milly and Merri’s booth at the farmers market, but decently long just the same. It led straight to the front of Calypso Coffee, right across from Ellie’s booth.

  Collin’s pulse picked up
pace as he got closer. He couldn’t wait to surprise her, and to hear how many sales she’d made. But as he walked past the booth before hers, the artist’s beautiful handmade jewelry caught his eye, and he ducked in to check out the displays.

  “Hey, man,” he said to the guy standing behind one of the glass-topped cases—a big dude with a long beard. He wore a headband with tiny Volkswagen camper vans printed on it.

  “Killer work you’ve got here.” Collin said. “Stopped me in my tracks.” Getting to know Ellie had taught him how much it meant to artists when people gave them sincere compliments.

  “Nice of you to say.” The guy extended his beefy hand over the case, and Collin shook it. “Cody Silver. Pleased to meet you.”

  “Likewise,” Collin said. “Great name for a jewelry maker.”

  “There’re a couple of us in the family. Guess it’s in our gene pool.” Cody ran his fingers down his beard. “Looking for something special?”

  “I wasn’t.” But the jewelry reminded him of Ellie—unique and a little bold, yet also delicate, however the guy had accomplished that. “But I think I just changed my mind.”

  Cody nodded. “Relax and have a look-see. Let me know if there’s anything you’d like to grab hold of, and I’ll take it out for you.”

  Collin liked his no-pressure sales style and took his time checking out the choices. “How about that necklace?” He pointed to the one that he kept coming back to.

  “That one’s a beauty.” Cody pulled it out of the case—a long, brushed-silver chain with elongated oval links. An artfully tarnished, 3-D gold heart hung at the end of it, along with a silver key. He handed the necklace to Collin, the cool chain skimming over his fingers.

  Collin held the heart in his palm, the key dangling next to it. He might not be able to put it into words, but the necklace represented exactly what Ellie had done to him—opened up his heart and moved right in.

  He glanced behind him at the line of people waiting to get limeade, and wondered how things might’ve gone with her if the accident hadn’t happened. Maybe they would’ve gotten cinnamon rolls together one lazy Saturday morning. Or eaten dinner at The Canary. Ellie had said the place had the best fried chicken in town—and it was the only entrée they served. They might’ve gone to a movie at the two-screen theater, or hung out in the High Country Pub and drunk a few beers. But they’d missed doing all that—

  Because of me.

  Now time was running out for them. He couldn’t stay here with her, and he doubted she’d want to leave Thistle Bend. She had just settled back in after the fiasco in Phoenix, and her career was kicking into gear. He wouldn’t even consider asking her to sacrifice any of that for him. What did he have to offer her right now anyway? Even he didn’t know what would happen to him once he got back to Durham.

  He swallowed hard. Ellie deserved way more than he could give her.

  But I can give her something to remind her of what we had together.

  “I’ll take it.” Collin handed the necklace to Cody, pulled his wallet from his back pocket, and paid.

  “Some lucky lady’s going to get quite a surprise,” Cody said as he put the necklace in a cotton-lined box and handed it to Collin.

  “I’m the lucky one.” Collin slid the box into his shirt pocket. “Thanks, man.”

  Cody gave him a wry grin as he left the booth and stood just outside, allowing the people who’d been behind him to get a better look at Cody’s work. Collin glanced over and caught a fine rear view of Ellie, who was wearing a chambray sundress and cowboy boots, her hair in a messy bun. She and Holly stood at the far side of the booth, talking to a middle-aged bald guy who might regret not wearing a hat if he stayed in the intense afternoon sun too long.

  “Cool photos you got here. Or I should say paintings?” The guy scanned the pictures Ellie had displayed on a set of shelves, pointed to one, and winced. “Is that the guy who blew out the mine and turned the river to mustard? Swear it looks just like him.”

  Collin froze in place. His heart thudded against the box in his pocket. It was almost like déjà vu. He’d overheard a conversation of Megan’s that he wasn’t meant to hear, but he was better off because he did. Was this going to turn out the same way?

  It struck him how knotted his chest had become, wondering what Ellie would say.

  “It is,” she said.

  “Can’t believe you’re trying to sell pictures of that clown after what he did. Seems like he should be paying us. You got any idea how bad people have it because of him? Friend of mine runs a fly-fishing outfit down on the Lariat. He’s slam out of business right now.”

  Holly nodded. “Things are slow for lots of people since the spill, and that trickles down. I’m a real estate attorney. Agents aren’t getting as many contracts—especially for houses around the river.” She shrugged. “So I’ve got fewer closings coming my way.”

  Ellie cut her a look sharp enough that Collin could see it in profile.

  “What?” Holly asked. “I didn’t mean anything against Collin. I’m just saying that this guy’s friend isn’t alone.”

  “No, he’s not,” Ellie said with a tick of anger in her voice that Collin had never heard. “One of my brothers runs a white-water rafting business on the Lariat, and he’s sunk until the river recovers. I share photo revenues with him, and I’m getting zero while no one is running the rapids. My other brother is a stream biologist up at RMBL. He’s torn up by the devastation the spill has caused in the waterways—some of his research got totally hosed.”

  Collin’s stomach pitched.

  “But what happened up at the Big Star site was an accident,” Ellie said. “If you’ve been paying attention, officials say it could’ve happened to anyone working up there.” She pointed at the picture on the shelf. “But it happened to this guy.” She faced the bald man. “I don’t know what you do for a living, but can you stand there and honestly tell me that you’ve never made a mistake—at your job or in your personal life? Maybe not something that polluted a waterway, or put people out of work, but a simple, awful mistake. Something you never intended to do, but it happened, and you couldn’t take it back no matter how many people attacked you and said horrible things—even though they don’t know you?”

  Bald guy blinked as Ellie whipped around on Holly.

  “What about when you accused Bryce of scheming to try to build a road on your family’s property? That was a huge mistake that could’ve cost you your relationship with him—and almost did.” Ellie shook her head and pointed at the picture again. “This clown made a mistake. He caused an accident. But he’s a really decent person who totally regrets it, and he’s working his butt off to do everything he can to make it better.”

  “Sorry,” Holly said. “You’re right.”

  “If you don’t like that picture of him, sir,” Ellie said, “that’s okay with me. But I do. It reminds me of the relaxed and easygoing guy I knew before the breach happened and rocked his entire world. If it makes you feel any better, he’ll feel guilty about it his entire life, because that’s the kind of person he is. Before you go around calling names and saying nasty things about someone else, just imagine if the same thing had happened to you.”

  Collin’s heart hammered as the bald guy stood there, stunned. He swaggered over to Ellie’s side and put his arm around her. “I’m the clown in the picture,” he said to the guy, who had gone red all the way up to the crown of his head. “If you’ve got anything else to say about it, say it to me.”

  Ellie gazed up at him, eyes wide, lips parted.

  Bald guy shook his head slowly, then extended his hand to Collin. “It’s tough what you’ve got to go through,” he said sheepishly.

  Collin shook his hand firmly, and nodded once. After a beat, the guy turned and walked away.

  “I shouldn’t have said what I did,” Holly gazed at Collin, apology in her eyes.

  “No worries,” he said. “Everything you said is true. I don’t think it was aimed at me personally.”


  Holly forced a smile, and hurried off to chat with a young couple who were checking out Ellie’s pictures.

  Collin wrapped his arms around Ellie, pulled her close, and whispered, “Surprise.”

  She rested her head against his chest for a moment, then pulled back and met his gaze. “I can’t believe you’re here, and you were standing right there when that happened.” She gestured behind her. “I’m sorry you had to hear it.”

  “I’m used to it.” Collin gently gripped her shoulders. “But what you said…”

  Ellie shrugged beneath the weight of his hands. “You would’ve done the same for me.”

  “Can’t imagine I’d ever have to,” he said. “But I definitely would. Then I would’ve kicked his ass.” He winked.

  Ellie grinned. “I think I could’ve taken him myself.”

  He smoothed his hands down her arms and hooked his thumbs in the crook of her elbows. “I wouldn’t have bet against you, that’s for sure.”

  “You already did.” She frowned playfully. “And won.”

  A satisfied smile lit his eyes. “You sold one of the pictures of me?”

  “Nope.” He furrowed his brow. “I sold four of them.”

  “Four?” After what had just happened with the bald guy, Collin had a hard time believing her.

  “That guy was the only person who’s had anything negative to say about your pictures. Other people have loved them. Of the six I started with, I only have two left.” Ellie gestured to the one on top of the chest of drawers, then pointed toward the picture on the shelves. “And I painted that one for you.”

  “I still want one,” he said. “But if you can sell it, go ahead and bank a couple hundred extra bucks.”

  She smiled. “I’m way ahead of you on that.”

  “So sales have been good?” he asked.

  “Better than I even hoped. And the jurors have been encouraging, too.”

  Collin loved seeing the happy glimmer in her eyes. “All that, and wilderness camping to look forward to. Let’s go tonight.” With tomorrow being the last day of the festival, he knew she couldn’t do it, but he liked teasing her anyway.