Who Rescued Who

by Victoria Schade

  William nodded. “That way I could keep working her as well.”

  Trudy pursed her lips. “That sounds like the best solution. And when you come back to see us she’ll be here to keep you warm at night, as always.”

  Elizabeth envisioned returning for a visit. Would Georgina immediately recognize her, or would she treat her like any guest on the property? Would there be a getting-to-know-you period, or would they fall into their routines immediately? Thinking about the possible scenarios of their first reunion made her heartsick.

  They watched Major and Georgina wrestle and chase, completely locked in on each other with their usual comic intensity. Elizabeth turned to head back to the house and before she even had a chance to blow the whistle, Georgina was in step at her side.

  chapter thirty-nine

  This is better than I’d hoped for,” Trudy said softly to Elizabeth, stopping in front of Rowan’s portrait of a pensive man in round glasses titled Weary, the representative image they’d selected for the portrait reveal.

  “So, you’re pleased, then?” Tempus Gallery owner Luis Leal asked, plucking at the edge of his black turtleneck as he eavesdropped. “Rowan, are you happy?” The tall, thin man nearly quivered with nerves.

  “Luis, it’s wonderful. I can’t thank you enough.”

  “You’re here, Rowan!” Luis laughed and gestured to the paintings surrounding them in the pristine white room. “And we cannot believe our luck.”

  The joyful marriage between Rowan and Tempus Gallery was one more check mark on Elizabeth’s predeparture to-do list.

  First, the breakup with Woolard Gallery.

  Then, the empty Operculum.

  And finally, Rowan’s portraits in their beautiful new home.

  They walked through the gallery in a reverent silence. Each painting was surrounded by a halo of light, and coupled with the glow reflected from the gleaming black floor, the images looked like they were hovering a few inches above the walls. The subjects seemed ready to turn and have conversations with the viewer.

  “Rowan, I don’t mean to push, but if you ever change your mind about the paintings you’ve reserved . . . well, let’s just say we’ve had interest in your entire catalog, sight unseen,” Luis said.

  Both of the paintings of Trudy remained in the Operculum, along with a few other favorites. Elizabeth knew it was unlikely they’d ever leave.

  A pretty woman in a green jumpsuit peeked her head around the corner. “It’s hit the news. It’s officially out.”

  Tempus had timed the news of Rowan’s portrait reveal perfectly, first announcing that they’d be representing him after his “long and fruitful partnership with Faye Woolard, formerly of Woolard Gallery,” then hinting that there was an even bigger announcement to come. The operation was airtight, so the entire world was seeing Weary online for the first time together.

  “Do you mind if I check . . .” Elizabeth held out her phone.

  “By all means, do what you must,” Rowan said. “Let us know what the masses think about my little paintings.”

  Elizabeth walked through the graceful arched doorway to the lone chair in the lobby. Before she looked for reactions to the announcement, she pulled up Woolard Gallery’s Twitter feed. Sure enough, in the past fifteen minutes they’d tweeted eight times, highlighting Martin’s new roster of “subversive, modern, daring young artists.” He was tweeting like a desperate politician, doing everything he could to draw attention away from Rowan’s incredible announcement.

  Elizabeth smiled and started scrolling through the feedback about the portraits. It was universal gobsmackery. No one could believe that Rowan Barnes had kept such an incredible secret.

  “Bess?” The young woman in the green jumpsuit said. “We haven’t formally met yet, I’m Amelia Davies. I do PR for the gallery.”

  Elizabeth walked over to shake her hand. “Hi, so nice to meet you. Thank you for everything you’ve done. Rowan is thrilled. We all are.”

  “You don’t even know,” Amelia replied. “I’ve never seen Luis happier.”

  “Have you been checking?” Elizabeth held up her phone.

  “Nonstop, and it’s incredible. This is like the highlight of my career.” She paused. “Speaking of careers, Rowan showed me some photos of your work.”

  Elizabeth blanched. Sharing her work in Fargrove was one thing; showing it to someone at the epicenter of the art world was quite another. “You’re kidding me.”

  “They’re good! They’re really good, actually.” She smiled warmly. “I have some friends who just started a new gallery. It’s small but it’s already getting attention. I think you should talk to them.”

  It was too farfetched to even consider. Elizabeth made animal paintings for friends that ended up over fireplaces and cash registers. Amelia was clearly caught up in Rowan fever and wasn’t thinking straight.

  “Thank you. I’m sort of mortified, but thank you. I’m getting ready to go home, in a few days actually. I don’t know how . . . I mean, I’m not going to have the chance to paint once I leave. That’s really kind of you to offer, but my painting career is basically over. And it was just a hobby anyway.” She shrugged.

  “Really? Well, that’s a shame, I think they would’ve loved your work.” She reached into her pocket and pulled out a business card. “Promise to ring me if anything changes.”

  “Promise,” Elizabeth said as she took the card.

  Amelia left and Elizabeth leaned back to stare at the giant purple-tentacled glass sculpture hanging from the ceiling.

  In three days, she’d be home.

  chapter forty

  Town was quiet, so Harriet took the opportunity to rally her crew, put the Gone Swimming sign on the Siren’s front door, and join Elizabeth and Georgina on a walk. They strolled along the cobblestone streets, stopping to chat any time someone peered into Ian’s carriage, and laughing as Poppy tried to draw attention away from the baby. Elizabeth was pleased to discover that she remembered nearly everyone’s names, and that they greeted her as warmly as they did Harriet.

  “So, tomorrow?” Harriet asked as they walked along the bumpy street.

  “Tomorrow.” Elizabeth nodded, suppressing the familiar wave of nausea that rolled through her any time she talked about leaving.

  “We should’ve had a party for you! What was I thinking?”

  “Harriet, you’ve done more than enough for me. Stop.”

  “Have you said all of your good-byes?” Harriet drove a baby carriage the same way she drove her car, staring at Elizabeth instead of the road in front of her. The carriage careened off a step, jostling Ian. “Whoopsie!”

  “I’m working my way through them. I told Reid I’d drop in today so we could figure out the Georgina hand-off details.” The gut-punch of tears caught her off guard. “Oh my God, this sucks.” She sniffled and rubbed her eyes.

  Harriet stopped pushing the carriage and pulled Elizabeth into a hug, which made Poppy run over and join in and Georgina leap up on their backs, yipping and pawing at them. The tearful moment shifted into laughter.

  “Did you enjoy your time in Fargrove? Was it worth the trip?” Harriet asked when they finally continued walking.

  “I can’t even put it into words.” She swallowed hard and sniffled.

  “Okay, okay, let’s talk about something else. Let’s talk about . . . coffee! I’m desperate for a cup since Ian is nocturnal.” The baby let out a disgruntled scream from his carriage. Poppy ran to Elizabeth and grabbed her hand and skipped along beside her, pretending that her baby brother didn’t exist. Barnabas and Georgina trailed behind them, and the effect made them look like the circus was coming to town.

  The courtyard in front of HiveMind was empty, which Elizabeth knew would make for a jittery Reid. Even though his business was strong, the occasional slow times made him crazy. She tried to imagine what busywork he’d conjured
up to keep from focusing on his empty shop. Perhaps he was on the roof communing with the bees?

  “Barnie, you stay here,” Poppy said to her cat when they reached the door. Barnabas responded by rolling onto his back in a patch of sun by the door. “Maybe we’ll bring you a sweet, if you’re a good kitty.”

  Georgina forgot her manners and scratched on the door, eager to get to Reid. HiveMind was as much her home as Reid’s.

  The group burst in with a clap of chatter and laughter, catching Reid off guard.

  “Hey, love, we’re here to make you work!” Harriet bellowed at him. “Get off yer arse, man.” Poppy held her hands to her mouth and giggled at the word arse.

  “Look at all of the beautiful women,” he said as Poppy ran behind the counter to give him a hug.

  “Cup of chocolate?” Poppy asked shyly.

  “One hot chocolate coming up. And I have a lovely new espresso for the grown-ups. And a crusty bread bone for Georgina.”

  Elizabeth dropped Georgina’s leash, and the dog dashed behind the counter to pester Reid for goodies.

  “What about Barnie?” Poppy asked, and pointed to the window, where the cat sat watching.

  “Hmm, how about some leftover waffle for the adventure cat?”

  Poppy jumped up and down and clapped her hands.

  “Bess, I’ve worked out the Georgina details with Rowan and Trudy,” Reid said, suddenly serious. “She’s going to spend the day with them tomorrow after you leave, and then on Monday she’ll punch in here with me.”

  “Are you sure it’s not too much? The back-and-forth?” Elizabeth focused on the logistics to keep from getting overwhelmed by what they were mapping out. The care and feeding of her dog.

  “Not at all. I’d miss having her around. And besides, she’s good for business. Everyone loves her. She’s going to be employee of the month for life.”

  Reid knelt next to Georgina to rub her shoulders and she threw her head back, smiling and panting at him with her front paws dancing. Anyone looking at them would assume that they were a dog-human team, bonded for life.

  “Aw, Bess. It’s okay,” Reid said when he noticed Elizabeth’s heartbroken expression. “She’ll never forget you, I promise. You will always be her person.” He leapt up, threw his massive arms around her, and picked her off the ground in a bone-crushing bear hug. “And you will always be my sister, you damn Yankee.”

  chapter forty-one

  They clearly enjoyed the hike,” Elizabeth said as a symphony of canine snoring seeped in through the closed bedroom door.

  James was spooned against her naked body, gently stroking her arm in a way that both lulled and enflamed her. She thought she didn’t have the energy for another round, but the more he petted her the more likely it became.

  “It was the only way I could guarantee a night of peace. Otherwise we’d be dealing with whining at the door.”

  “So you’re saying we took a sex hike?”

  “Four miles of hilly terrain with three off-leash dogs means I can have you without interruptions for the entire night. Yes, it was definitely a sex hike.”

  Elizabeth rolled over so she could see his face. Illuminated in the moonlight, he looked like he was made of pale blue porcelain. She traced along his lips, trying to commit the sensation to memory.

  “You are perfect,” she marveled. “How do I even deserve you?”

  “I’m so far from perfect, Bess. Stick around, you’ll see.” He gave her a wry smile, realizing what he’d said after it was too late.

  They stared into each other’s eyes, not saying a word.

  “I want you to know something,” Elizabeth said, rising onto her elbow. “Before I go, I think it’s important that I say this.” Her heart felt like it was beating off rhythm, and she wondered if he could hear the irregular thumping.

  James reached out to smooth her hair behind her ear. They both knew what was coming.

  “I’ve never met anyone like you. I’ve never had anyone make me feel the way you do. It sounds weird, but my skin needs to be close to your skin. It’s almost . . . chemical.”

  He nodded.

  Elizabeth pulled the blanket higher across her chest like a shield as she readied herself to say the words.

  “I know it hasn’t been a long time, but that doesn’t matter. I just—”

  James grabbed her hand and pulled her close until they were inches apart.

  “Bess Barnes, I love you.”

  He rolled on top of her and crushed his mouth on hers before she could respond. She wanted to say it back to him, but she didn’t want to stop kissing him either.

  A metallic sound from the other room pierced the silence.

  Porter let out a test woof, followed by a questioning bark from Amber. Georgina erased any canine doubt by launching into a full-throated barking fit, and the other two dogs joined in.

  “What’s going on?” James asked angrily.

  “My phone, that’s someone FaceTiming me. I think it’s work.”

  “But it’s after eleven!”

  Elizabeth shot him a look as she leapt out of bed with a blanket wrapped around her. The dogs barked at her with worried expressions as she tiptoed to the phone and pulled it out of her purse.

  “Shhh, it’s fine,” she told them.

  As predicted, it was Carson Keller. There was no way she could skip the call, not with her first day so close. She answered the phone and placed it on the orange end table so that it was facing the ceiling as she ran around looking for the shirt she’d ripped off a few hours prior.

  “Carson, hey,” she called out from across the room as she pulled James’s T-shirt over her head instead. “Gimme one sec.” She ran her fingers through her bedhead, licked her finger and swiped the runny mascara from under her eyes, and picked up the phone.

  “There you are. Looking good, Barnes.”

  “Sorry, it’s late here.”

  “You ready to get out of . . . what did you call it? ‘Nowheresville’?”

  “Did I say that? I don’t think I said that.” She laughed nervously and looked toward the bedroom. “What’s up?”

  “We gotta go over some planning and I figured it was easier to do it live instead of going back and forth. Then I need to go over your schedule with you. I’ve got you booked solid on your first day.”

  “Is that right? Wow, jumping right back into the fire.” It was probably for the best. Being busy would keep her from thinking about anything but work.

  “I won’t take too long tonight, half hour max.”

  “Uh, okay. Just give me a minute.”

  She muted the phone and ran back to the bedroom. “Sorry,” she whispered.

  James turned over in bed so that his back was to her. “Try to keep your voice down, please.”

  Elizabeth ran back to the phone and unmuted it. “I’m here. Shoot.”

  The sound of Carson’s voice filled the tiny cottage no matter how low she turned the volume. Georgina watched her for a few moments, then whined and pawed at her to signal that she wanted to climb on Elizabeth’s lap. Elizabeth sat the phone on the edge of a shelf, adjusted so Carson couldn’t see below her shoulders, and carefully pulled the little dog up.

  Georgina maneuvered herself until she found a comfortable spot on Elizabeth’s lap. She made her little contented sighing noise, and Elizabeth tried to absorb some of her dog’s calm as Carson droned on.

  chapter forty-two

  Georgina followed Elizabeth down the hallway, pawing at her overstuffed suitcase. She could tell Georgina wasn’t playing based on how she had her ears plastered back. Elizabeth didn’t know how to comfort her, because if she knelt down to pet Georgina she’d wind up weeping. She had five good-byes to get through—canine and human—and it was too early to start crying.

  “I’m just going on an adventure, Georgie,” she s
aid, making her voice sound cheerful. “Don’t be sad!”

  They walked to the kitchen together, where Trudy stood looking out the window with a cup of tea in hand.

  “He’ll be here soon. I’m sure James planned for traffic. Although you missing your plane wouldn’t be the worst thing.” The corners of her mouth turned up in a wicked smile.

  Rowan strode into the room, all business. “Copies of the land transfer paperwork will be mailed to you, Bess. Once that’s settled we can begin the sales process,” he said. “We’ll see to that. And I’ll have your paintings shipped too. Of course, we’re keeping the one of Major, as well as the one with the field mouse.” He leaned down and petted Major, who looked as concerned as his people.

  “You don’t have to send the paintings, I won’t have the time to do anything with them.”

  “Well, that is a sin.” He shook his head.

  “He’s here. James is here,” Trudy said, her voice thin. Major let out a test woof, then looked up at Trudy with his ears back.

  Elizabeth waited for the usual barking fits as the sound of wheels on stones got louder, but Major and Georgina were too keyed into the vibe in the room. They paced faster when James’s car came into view, but never uttered a sound beyond a few questioning grumbles. Elizabeth had been counting on the hubbub of a normal greeting with James to make the final good-byes less painful, but her self-appointed therapy dogs were too good at their jobs.

  Trudy opened the door and Major shot out silently. Georgina turned to look at Elizabeth and waited until she’d rolled the suitcase to the door so that they could walk out together. It was a feat of patience well beyond the dog’s typical behavior, especially when a favorite person had just arrived on the scene.

  But nothing about the past twenty-four hours had been typical.

  James jogged up to take the suitcase from her. “Hello, all set here?” His voice was overly chipper, and Elizabeth could tell he was putting on a show for Rowan and Trudy. She knew that underneath he was still boiling at her over the call from Carson. He’d been asleep by the time she got back into bed nearly an hour later.