Chapter 20

TWENTY

Clarissa

Clarissa checked the directions on her phone even though she knew exactly where she was going. This was the most prolific gallery in the city and being featured as a solo artist only spoke of just how high in demand Dee's paintings were. It was likely that she would be sold out long before the exhibition was over.

"I've never been to a gallery opening," Alix said, sounding quite chipper but nervous at the same time. "A static home isn't exactly the place to hang expensive paintings, is it?"

"It could be," Clarissa replied with a smile. "Thank you for going with me."

"You're welcome but I still don't understand why I had to tag along? Don't you want to spend time with your crusssssh ?" she said in a teasing tone.

"Stop that," Clarissa chided, heat flooding her face. "And Dee will have to chat to buyers most of the night so she won't have much time for me. Plus now you'll get to see the difference between my exhibitions and one of a really big artist."

They turned the corner and passed by a series of high-end boutiques, all so fancy there was not a single price tag in sight. The air was harsh and bitter from all the exhaust fumes and Clarissa grimaced just thinking about living here.

She didn't know if she could leave her dad for this, even if he was the first to tell her she should. He just wanted her to be happy but Clarissa didn't want to carry the guilt of abandoning her father for the rest of her life. It just wasn't right.

But if she wanted a life with her fated mate, could she really stay in Crescent Valley? It felt like an impossible choice and it was tearing her apart.

She pushed her thoughts away when the gallery came into sight, a large renovated building with modern touches. There were roll banners outside with Dee's name on and an enlarged piece of her centrepiece. Upon entry, there was a small line with prospective buyers or just people interested in looking at beautiful art. It was much bigger than any gallery she'd ever shown at and the pieces were going for much higher prices too.

It was intimidating, to say the least.

Once it was her turn, Clarissa gave her name to the receptionist, and handed over her coat to the person manning the cloakroom.

"Are you sure my dress is right?" Alix asked, suddenly looking unsure of herself. "I feel out of place. I'm not used to such fancy-pantsy places. I'm pretty sure people can tell I'm trailer trash."

"You look fine," Clarissa assured her. "And you're not trailer trash."

Alix let out a disbelieving hum. "Let's just find your girlfriend. I'm kind of curious to meet the Dee Lewis."

"As long as you don't call her my crusssshhhh ," Clarissa warned, already scanning the crowd for the spiky black hair of her fated mate. Her bear mark tingled just thinking about Dee like that but it always came with that same tightness in her chest when she thought about their future. She wanted it so much, it ached, and she felt even more trapped than when she was a teen.

Someone touched her back and she twisted around, directly staring into Dee's bright eyes. "Hey."

Dee leaned in to kiss her, holding her for an extra moment like she didn't want to let go. "Hi, you made it."

"Of course, I wasn't going to miss your opening night. Congratulations, I'm so proud of you." Clarissa truly meant it too. There was no jealousy or envy because Dee deserved this.

Alix cleared her throat. "Hello. I'm Alix, nice to finally meet you."

They shook hands briefly and exchanged pleasantries before Alix excused herself to find the bathroom.

"Do you want the tour?" Dee asked, her gaze fixated on Clarissa.

"Don't you have buyers to talk to?"

"They can wait. Plus the harder it is to talk to me, the more popular and in demand I look."

Clarissa chuckled. "Oh, so I'm doing you a favour now? Shall I pretend to be a buyer as well then?"

"Roleplay? Fun." Dee gestured towards the first room. "Shall we?"

With a nod, they set in motion. Clarissa had already seen all the paintings in Dee's studio, she'd even given her opinion and suggestions on some of them. But seeing them in a gallery was always different. The broken white walls gave all the pieces the necessary breathing room and the frames provided just a little bit of extra texture and character.

She'd always been a fan of Dee's work but this was a cut above her usual work. The lines were confident and bold but the dichotomy of the buildings and the countryside brought the real tension and drama to the piece. They were very clearly improved versions of what she so clumsily demonstrated on that fateful night.

And to nobody's surprise, plenty of them were already marked with a sticker to indicate they'd been sold. The whole thing was truly a triumph.

Ever so often, Dee's hand grazed over Clarissa's hip, exactly where her bear mark sat. It was entirely on purpose and always came with a little playful grin.

"Dee Lewis!" A tall dark man with a powerful stride came their way, his mouth twisted up in a big smile. "There you are. Great work tonight, congratulations. I love the collection."

Dee beamed. "Thank you, Mr Kabelo. It's always a pleasure to show in your gallery. I'm glad I ran into you now, this is my partner, Clarissa Foster."

With a polite smile, Clarissa held out her hand. "Nice to meet you."

"Likewise, I've heard a lot about you."

Surprise welled up in Clarissa. "You have?"

"Yes, Dee said you were responsible for her inspiration for these pieces so I checked out some of your work. I know some people think nature is boring but they reminded me of my hometown. I found them quite moving." He fished a business card from his breast pocket and extended it. "If you're not exclusive with another gallery, we should talk about having a collection of yours sometime."

Clarissa stared at the card, dumbfounded, overwhelmed, grateful, and in disbelief all at the same time. She knew how the art world worked well enough, it was all about connections, that much was true. But it was even more about money and a gallery like this would never invite her if they didn't think she would sell.

She glanced at Dee. "Did you do this?"

"No, I didn't know he was going to do that. I only mentioned you in passing, at least, I think it was in passing." A thoughtful look appeared on her face. "Hmm. Maybe I have been talking a lot about you."

"Wow. This is big. I... Wow." Clarissa held onto the card like it was made of gold. It might as well be, this could be her golden ticket to earning more money with her painting. If she managed to find enough time to create a full collection. She'd seen first hand how much time and effort it had taken Dee. Sleepless nights, long days, obsession at its finest.

She didn't think she was capable of that at the moment but she put the business card in her handbag all the same. Even if she could never make it happen, the offer was there at least. That was validation in itself.

They continued on through the exhibition and one painting caught Clarissa's eye. It was different from all the others and not just because the paint was still wet. The skyscrapers weren't prominent like in the other pieces but instead, they were hidden in the background and behind a large farmhouse. There was more focus on the landscape too and the flowers in the foreground were very familiar because they looked a lot like how she painted them.

She turned to Dee, searching her girlfriend's face. "I don't remember seeing this one before."

"It's new."

"It's different from the others." Clarissa leaned in closer. "And it's not for sale? I'm confused."

"It's a house," Dee said.

Clarissa chuckled. "I can see that."

"In Crescent Valley. I'm thinking of buying it."

And just like that, Clarissa couldn't breathe. "What?"

"I can't keep squatting at my parents but I don't want to return to the city, not without you."

"I can't---"

"I know, you can't leave your dad. Not right now, anyway. So I'm moving here. It makes the most sense."

Tears pooled in Clarissa's eyes, threatening to fall. "But you love the city."

"I went to the city because I couldn't paint in the village. But now I can. And you're there. That's all I need. Painting and you." Dee was never one to mince her words. She didn't need to. "The house is really beautiful too. It's ten minutes from the store, there's a large fenced-in garden, and there's a lot of space. In fact, enough space for two studios."

"You want me to move in with you? Just like that?"

Dee shrugged. "This isn't meant as an ambush. You can move if you want, there's room for you and for Bork. Or if you don't like this one, we can find another place. Or you can stay where you are. Whatever you want. I just want to make this work. I'm serious about this."

The force of her hammering heart was almost making it impossible for Clarissa to think properly. It was all so sudden, so fast, like the morning they discovered they were fated. But this time, there was no biting ache in her chest, just the rush of excitement and possibility and promise. Because this time, when she looked at Dee, she no longer saw the flighty teenager but the adult version of herself that was fully committed.

It made Clarissa realise that she couldn't hold back either, like she had done so many times before. If she didn't grab this opportunity, this chance, her life was going to slip through her fingers like so many other things already had.

"Yes," Clarissa whispered, her worries fading away.

"Yes?" The relief on Dee's face was immense. "To me moving there? To you moving in with me?"

"Yes to everything," Clarissa said, pulling her fated mate in for a kiss. She meant it too.

From now on, she was going to start saying yes to life.