by K. C. Crowne
As the elevator door opened on my penthouse, I tried to push out any and all thoughts of Declan. I said goodbye to Lily and undressed, preparing for my bath.
I lowered myself into the warm water, my body instantly relaxing. My phone was nearby, so I reached for it and found myself searching for a name I’d tried not to think about in fifteen years.
What is Declan up to these days, I wondered, as I found him on LinkedIn.
As soon as my eyes landed on his profile photo, my stomach tied itself into a million knots.
Those blue eyes… Even through the internet, they seemed to see right into my very soul. His hair was longer than back in high school, and he had a beard, but he hadn’t changed all that much. He was still one of the most handsome men I’d ever laid eyes on.
I managed to pull my gaze away from his picture long enough to see what he was up to these days.
“An architect… No surprise there,” I mumbled to myself. A smile pulled at my lips. I always knew he would do something artistic, but he was also a very hands-on, engineering type of person too. The best of both worlds, and his career of choice was incredibly fitting for the Declan I knew.
I didn’t find him on Facebook, and I didn’t dare check Instagram - I let Lily handle that because my followers could be a bit much sometimes.
Part of me was curious what Declan had to say, and I considered messaging Lily for his information, but I knew it was for the best to leave the past in the past.
I was no longer Evelyn Palmer, the girl he’d convinced that he loved. I was Eva Stone, a woman he probably wouldn’t even recognize.
It was better for both of us to just let this one go.
Chapter 3
Declan
Sitting in my truck after work, I stared at the second number Eli had sent over. This one hadn’t been impossible for me to find. In fact, I saw Matt Palmer around town a lot over the years. Liberty wasn’t that big.
Matt, however, had not wanted to talk to me.
Why did I think things might have changed?
Except now that we were older, maybe he would give me the time of day. Fifteen years had passed, and at least fourteen since I’d last tried to talk to my former best friend. He might be the best chance at apologizing to Evelyn for what had happened since I doubted her assistant would pass along my message. That and I wanted to reconnect with my old friend, even if Evelyn never wanted to speak to me again. I missed them both.
Fuck it, I thought. What did I have to lose?
I dialed the number, and after a few rings, Matt answered. “Hello?”
“Hey, Matt? This is Declan Wilde.”
I waited to see if he’d hang up on me, and honestly, I wouldn’t blame him if he did. But he didn’t hang up.
“Oh wow, man… Long time,” he said.
“Yeah, I know. I wasn’t even sure if you wanted to hear from me, honestly,” I said. “But I would like a chance to apologize and explain, if possible.”
“We were kids, man. The past is the past.”
“I know, but I’d still like to explain my side of the story, if possible. If you’ll hear me out.”
“Shoot. Go for it,” Matt said.
Surprised, I began talking quickly. “I should have told you I was falling for your sister, Matt. But Evelyn was nervous about your dad finding out. She wanted to wait until she was no longer living at home and I respected her wishes.”
“I understand that things were contentious between my dad and her. I get it now,” Matt said, his voice soft. “But what I don’t get is why would you invite Tucker and the rest of those assholes over if you really cared about her? Because it was a shitty prank, man, and it hurt someone I love. That’s the part I’ve struggled with over the years.”
“I didn’t invite them over,” I defended, my mouth suddenly dry, making it hard to speak. “Earlier that day, Amy asked if she could use my phone since Mr. Harmon confiscated hers for texting in class. She said she needed to call her mom and remind her of something, I don’t remember. I said sure and gave it to her. After about ten minutes, she came back with a shit-eating grin on her face, but I didn’t know it at the time - after calling her mom, she snooped through my messages and saw the ones with Evelyn. I only found this out later, when I questioned them about it and Jessica told me, in private. I think she secretly felt bad. Even though it hadn’t stopped her from using some of the photos for, well, you know.”
There was silence on the other end of the line, and I wasn’t sure if he believed me. It did sound pretty convoluted.
“Matt?” I asked.
“Yeah, Declan. I’m here. I believe you.”
“You do?” All these years, I’d assumed they would hold this over me forever.
“Yeah, because I know Amy, and that sounds like exactly something she would do.”
Relief washed over me. “I’m really glad you believe me. I’ve felt guilty ever since. Hell, I still do. Your sister did not deserve that, and honestly, I meant it when I told her I loved her. I would have never done anything to hurt her.”
“I know. I should have known you weren’t that type of guy, Declan, but we were young and stupid, and I’d just lost my sister. She’d run off to New York City with our mom, and it was too easy to blame you for all that than to realize Eva was always going to do what she wanted regardless.”
“How is she?” I asked, my voice cracking.
“She’s good,” he said, though it didn’t sound entirely convincing. “I mean, have you looked her up online? She goes by Eva Stone now, and wow, you wouldn’t recognize her, man.”
“I’ve looked her up. I’m not surprised at all by her success. I always told her she’d be big someday.”
“Yeah, well, I don’t know if she’s happy.”
“What do you mean?”
“I shouldn’t be talking about her personal life. It’s none of my business,” he said. “But I will say, it’s a shame things didn’t work out between the two of you. I think you would have been good for her.”
A smile formed on my lips. “She was good for me too. I really wish I could talk to her again. If anything, just to explain my side and to apologize, but I only ever get her assistant when I call.”
There was another silence, but before I could check to see if he’d hung up, he said, “Hey, I have an idea. I’m currently in New York City. I’m attending her art auction tomorrow. If you’d like to see her, I could get you in.”
“New York? Tomorrow?” I checked my watch. It was just after six in the evening.
“Yeah, never mind. I know it’s asking a lot, so maybe next time—”
“I’ll do it. I’ll get on the next flight out of Salt Lake, and I’ll be there.”
“Wow, are you sure, man?” Matt asked.
“I’m sure,” I said, my heart racing at the idea of seeing Evelyn again after all these years. It might be the last chance I had to see her and to apologize for what had happened, and I owed her that.
“I’m not a hundred percent sure how she’ll feel about it, but I think it needs to happen,” Matt admitted, a warning that revealed he might rescind the invitation.
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“Well, she thinks you helped those jackasses take those pictures of her,” he reminded me, “even though you didn’t. But honestly, maybe if you talk to her and she realizes you didn’t have anything to do with it, it’ll ease some of that hurt, you know.”
I nodded, guilt running through me again. I made not have had anything to do with it, hadn’t even known about it, but I should have tried harder back then to apologize. This could be my chance.
“I want to explain to her. Apologize for those idiots,” I said. “Hopefully make it better.”
Matt nodded. “She seemed stressed about the auction and work lately. I think a little taste of home is exactly what she needs. I’ll text you my hotel info and meet up tonight, if you’d like.”
“It’s likely going to be late.”
“I know
, but I think it’ll be worth it.”
I had to agree. It would be worth it.
I got off the phone and texted Ezra that I needed a few days off work for personal reasons. One benefit of owning the company with some of my best friends was that I could take time off without worrying about getting fired. Ezra responded that he hoped everything would be fine and I drove off, stopping home only briefly to grab a few things before I headed to the airport.
The next night, I was standing outside of the art gallery. The twenty-four hours leading up to the event had been a whirlwind. I’d managed to get a flight into New York, even though it meant getting there near dawn. Matt had kept his word and waited up for me, and we’d grabbed breakfast before getting some sleep. Damn, it was good seeing my best friend again.
And I had no doubt it would be good to see Evelyn again too, though my heart was racing as Matt and I checked in.
The man at the door was checking a long list of names when a brunette sidled over and whispered something to him.
“Hi Matt,” the woman said with a smile. Her hair was pulled back into a chic updo and dark glasses framed her small features. She was wearing a fitted black dress and the highest heels I’d ever seen - but even the heels didn’t make her as tall as Matt. She was a tiny little thing.
“Hi Lily,” Matt said. “Good to see you again.”
“I told Bruno to let you and your guest enter,” she said. “I’m so sorry you waited in this line. Had you come to find me, I could have shown you the VIP entrance.”
Ahh the infamous Lily. Evelyn – err, Eva’s – assistant. Her big, brown eyes were locked on Matt; she didn’t even seem to notice me beside him.
“So, may I ask the name of your guest? We have custom gift bags and want to make sure he gets one for the VIPs.”
Matt motioned to me. “Lily, I’d like you to meet my friend, Declan Wilde. Declan, this is Eva’s assistant, Lily White.”
Lily’s eyes grew wide. “Declan…Wilde? The man I talked to on the phone yesterday?”
“That’s the one,” I said with a smile, reaching out for her hand. She gave it a good, strong shake. “It’s nice to meet you, Lily.”
“Likewise, Mr. Wilde,” she said, seemingly embarrassed. “Well, I better get back to work. I hope to see you inside, Matt.” She winked at him as she hurried into the front doors.
“She’s into you, man,” I said with a dry laugh.
“Lily? Nah,” Matt chuckled, running a hand through his hair. “She’s nice to everyone.”
“Whatever you say,” I said under my breath as we walked past the red velvet ropes.
“Ever been to an event like this?” Matt asked as we stepped inside. A server with a platter of hors d'oeuvres walked past us, followed by another with champagne.
“Can’t say that I have,” I said, marveling at the guests around us.
Matt and I were dressed in suits - black jackets, white shirts and dark ties. I had assumed you would dress up for an event like this, but looking around at the guests, I felt like I stood out amongst all the color swirling around us. No one else was wearing a black and white suit.
“I feel overdressed.”
“Yeah, me too,” Matt said. “Fashion is an art, according to Eva, something I wouldn’t really understand.”
The next time someone came around with champagne, I grabbed a flute as did Matt. We followed the crowd through the gallery, looking at the work for sale - most of it I had already seen on her Instagram.
“Your sister is really talented,” I commented as we looked at one of the paintings up for auction titled Sympatico. It was a flurry of emotions on a canvas. Evelyn had always used painting as an escape for her feelings. She didn’t paint realism; she painted reality as she knew it. This painting was a mixture of dark colors swirled together with some red and white. A stark contrast, but the colors all seemed to work together beautifully, creating an image of a motorcycle riding down a rainy, empty city street.
“Are you nervous about seeing her tonight?” Matt asked.
My sweaty palms and racing heartbeat would have given me away had I tried to lie. “A little. Mostly I’m afraid to upset her by being here. I would hate to ruin her night.”
“Nah, you won’t ruin her night. I bet she’ll be fine. She’s in her element.”
I glanced around the gallery. “I wonder where she is.”
“She’s getting ready for the auction, no doubt,” Matt said. “It’s set to start in a few minutes.” As if on cue, Lily walked up on stage and called our attention in that direction. Matt motioned for me to follow him. “Come on, we can wait in the VIP area.”
I followed him behind even more red ropes, where one of the guards recognized Matt instantly. Must be good to be related to the star of the evening.
“Could I have one of those?” I asked, pointing at the paddles to bid.
The guard handed it over, after taking down my information. Lily was finishing her intro as the crowd erupted into cheers.
We were closer now and had chairs lined up facing the stage. We had private seats in the front row.
“You know her paintings usually go for a lot of money, right?” Matt asked.
“I know. I saw the prices of a few of her other paintings online,” I said confidently.
I didn’t want to say it out loud because it would feel like bragging, but the construction company was doing very well, and money wasn’t an issue. I had every intention of taking one of her paintings home with me tonight - no matter the cost.
My gaze returned to the stage as a spotlight fell on the famous Eva Stone. My heart pitter-pattered in my chest, and I found myself standing along with everyone else to simply get a better view.
Her black hair was sleek and shiny, moving around her delicate face as she beamed at the audience, waving and blowing kisses from her perfectly red pout.
And the dress… Holy shit.
I couldn’t imagine a more flattering gown for someone with her figure. It hugged her curves in all the right places, dipping in at the waist while also highlighting her hips. It took me way too long to realize that the black and red dress wasn’t just any ordinary gown, but that it was splattered with her artwork - the work I’d looked at only moments before. When she lifted her arms to greet the audience, the cape that was with it spanned out, showing the entire painting sprawled across her gorgeous body.
“Thank you, thank you so much, everyone,” she said as the cheers began to die down. Her voice sounded the same as it did years ago. Soft and sweet, but there was a confidence in it that I’d never heard from her before. “I’m so glad you are tonight. I know the Arts Center appreciates each and every one of you, as do I.”
“I love you!” shouted a woman from the crowd outside the VIP section.
“I love you too,” Eva said with an adorable chuckle, blowing the woman in the audience a kiss. “Like I said, I appreciate every one of you here tonight, and thanks to you, we’ve already raised $10,000 for the Arts Center of Brooklyn, and I’m going to match that amount with my own donation of $10,000, along with whatever we raise from the auction.”
She continued speaking, telling us about the organization and how it helped underserved children gain access to art and after-school programs they might not otherwise have access to, and even though years had passed, a part of me fell in love with her all over again.
Evelyn had always been one of the kindest, smartest, sweetest and most creative people I knew, and Eva was all that and more.
I realized I was still standing while most of the VIPs were sitting, including Matt. I took my seat and palmed the paddle, prepared to do anything to get one of her pieces for myself.
As she finished her speech, she announced the auctioneer, and for a moment, I feared she might leave the stage. However, she remained as they brought up each piece.
“This one, Sympatico, holds a special meaning for me,” she explained, gazing at the painting that matched her dress. “Which is why I had Georgio Piccol
o make this custom dress so I will always have something to remember it by.”
That was it. That was the piece. I knew it when I saw it, the raw emotion that had been depicted in the paint strokes, everything about it. That was Eva at her best.
And it would be mine.
The auctioneer started the bidding at $5000.
I held up my paddle.
Matt raised his brow but didn’t say anything.
A woman sitting a few rows behind us bid $7000.
“$10,000,” I called out.
Eva’s gaze moved toward me, and our eyes locked. Her red lips parted in the perfect O as she stared at me with a mix of shock and awe.
A man sitting a few chairs down bid $11,000.
“$15,000,” I called without taking my eyes off Eva. She never took her eyes off me, either.
Matt nudged me and whispered, “Are you sure? That’s a lot of money, man. You don’t have to do this to make it up to her.”
“I’m good for it, and besides, it goes to a great cause,” I whispered back, though I didn’t take my eyes off the stage.
The man nearby bid $17,000.
I raised my paddle. “$20,000.”
Matt let out a low whistle, and Eva’s eyes grew wider. She seemed to forget she was on stage, her focus was on me and me alone, and I couldn’t help it - I lived for that. I didn’t want to lose.
I wouldn’t lose.
The man a few seats down talked to the woman he was with in hushed voices as the auctioneer asked, “Would anyone care to bid $22,000?”
I raised my paddle again.
“Sir, you’re already the high bidder,” the auctioneer stated.
“I know, but the money is going to a good cause. I would like to bid $30,000.”
An audible gasp let out from the crowd. Someone behind us whispered, “Who is he? I haven’t seen him before…”
Eva stared at me with those big, grey eyes. I smiled, hoping to invoke a smile from her as well, but she still seemed too stunned to even speak.
“Wow, $30,000.”