03 The Fate Of The Muse - Marina's Tales by Derrolyn Anderson Page B

me, wrapping his arms around me and
burrowing his face in my neck.
    “I guess it’s up to me to feed the cats now,”
I said, thinking about Stella’s request.
    He held me tighter, rubbing my back. We were
just starting to relax into each other when a powerful engine
roared around the corner, startling us. Ethan pulled me behind him
as a sports car lurched into the driveway, coming to a screeching
halt. It was a familiar bright red, but longer and lower to the
ground than the Porsche. I looked around Ethan’s shoulder to see
Cruz step out of it.
    He looked at us with a smirk, “Now, why am I
not surprised?”
    “Welcome back Cruz.”
    Ethan looked at the car, and then at Cruz
with raised eyebrows, “Whoa! She lets you drive the
Testarossa?”
    “I have carte blanche in the garage,” Cruz
said haughtily, throwing his overnight bag over his shoulder, “So,
how are things here in tinytown? Are you two kids behaving?”
    Ethan and I exchanged an amused glance, “Your
mom misses you,” I called after him as he jauntily strolled into
the house.
    “I have to get back to work,” Ethan said,
explaining that he’d promised to help finish setting up. There was
a ton of heavy lifting to do before sunset and his dad was already
there waiting for him. Abby and I had offered to help but were
informed that we’d probably just be in the way.
    He took both of my hands in his and looked me
in the eye, “Are you sure you’re gonna be okay?”
    I nodded yes, “I have to go to a gallery
opening at five tonight… Will you be done by then? Do you want to
go?”
    “A gallery opening?” he asked, looking
surprised, “Why?”
    “I have some paintings in a place downtown.
It’s a friend of Bill’s.”
    He looked stricken, “Why didn’t you tell me
before? I should have gotten started earlier…”
    I smiled ruefully, for it wasn’t as if he
could work any harder than he already did. “It’s okay… I only found
out yesterday. Shayla’s gonna go with me. I know how busy you
are…”
    “I’m sorry,” he said, “It’s just that–”
    I cut him off, “It’s okay! I’ll see you first
thing tomorrow.”
    Then he kissed me, and I could feel the
urgency behind it. I was leaving the morning after the rally, and
the weight of our impending separation was weighing on both of us.
I thought about being alone with him at my studio and snuggled
closer with a shiver. Maybe it was finally time.
    “Tomorrow is my last day before I leave for
Paris,” I whispered in his ear.
    “I know,” he groaned, “I wish this whole
rally thing was over already. It’s taking up too much time. I never
have enough time…”
    “I want to take you somewhere afterwards,
okay?”
    “Where?” he asked.
    “Just say yes.”
    “Yes it is.”
    We parted reluctantly and I watched him drive
away. When I walked into the house Cruz was waiting by the door
with the same sympathetic look as Abby on his face. It didn’t suit
him.
    “I’m sorry for flipping you crap out there… I
didn’t know about the crazy cat lady.”
    I shook my head at his choice of words,
stepping up to give him a hug. He could be caustic and snarky
sometimes, but I loved him for who he was, and I could never
imagine him being any other way.
    “Cruz– you’re such a pain. Don’t ever
change.” I drew back, “Hey! Do you want to go to a gallery opening
tonight?”
     
    Shayla arrived within the hour, walking in to
announce, “A Ferrari! Oh my God! Can someone take me for a
drive?”
    I ushered her to my room and we had fun
getting ready, joking and laughing, playing around with our hair
and makeup. She put on a dress Cruz had made for her and I slipped
into an edgy looking black shift with an asymmetrical neckline. I
adjusted the aquamarine around my neck and smoothed back my
hair.
    “Do I look like an artist?” I asked.
    We emerged from my room, fully fluffed and
primped. Cruz was waiting on the couch with his mom.
    “You two girls look like you just stepped out
of