The Lesson (17 page)

“Six months ago, I convinced Lali to come to
my studio and check out my work. She thinks I have potential and
finally offered me my own exhibit as long as I included the
‘Evolution of a Boy’ and ‘Redemption’ series. I wasn’t going to,”
he looked down at the floor, suddenly shy.

“Mason,” Bianca breathed. “Why? They’re
beautiful.”

When he looked back at her, she was shocked
to see his eyes shining with emotion and unshed tears, and his
voice was gruff when he spoke. “Because they were for you. I wanted
you to see that I understood what I’d done to you, and that I had
changed. They were so personal, I wasn’t sure I could put them up
for sale. Lali convinced me that because I felt that way, it was
even more important to display them. She said they were my best
work and anyone looking at them would feel all the angst and love
and determination that went into each piece.”

He looked at the paintings again. “She was
right. If someone buys them, I’ll be able to let go now. Because
you’ve seen them, and now you know. You know I’ve learned how to
stand on my own two feet, and I can be my own man. You know that no
matter what happens between us after this, you have irrevocably
changed me, and I’m grateful. You know I love you more today than I
did all those years ago, and if you give me the chance, I’ll love
you for the rest of our lives.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Bianca opened her mouth to speak, but no
words came. Instead, she threw her arms around him and reached up
to press her lips against his.

Mason shuddered, gathering her tight against
him as his tongue danced over her own. The sensation of his hot
kiss pierced through her, shooting to her core, and before long,
Bianca wasn’t sure she could stand on her own.

Too soon, he tore his mouth from hers. “My
sweet Bianca,” he panted. “Please, please tell me you’ll give me
another chance.”

She stared up at him before tearing herself
away, turning her back on him and studying the paintings again. “I
don’t know what to say,” she murmured. “I think I’m only now
realizing I never stopped loving you, but so much happened. I’ve
been hurting for so long, I don’t know if I know how to stop
hurting.”

He came to stand behind her as she studied
the last painting in the series, ‘Rapture.’ He leaned over her
shoulder and she could feel the heat of his body against her back.
“If I could take away the hurt, I would,” he whispered, his breath
warm against her ear. “I can’t change what I’ve done, I can only
move forward.”

“I know,” she answered, her eyes still on
the painting of the two of them. “Tell me, Mason, what do you feel
when you look at this?” She pointed at the image. “What are you
thinking in this painting?”

“I feel hope,” he answered. “I look at it
and I imagine what’s possible, imagine all my dreams coming true.
The me in the painting is looking at you and seeing the life he
longs for. He’s on the precipice of everything he’s ever wanted,
and he’s just waiting for her to open her eyes and tell him what he
wants to hear.”

Bianca leaned back, laying her head on
his shoulder.
Can I give him what he
wants?

The real question is, can
you let go of the past enough to take what
you
want?
asked the little voice inside
her.

How can I be sure he’s changed? Maybe he
really has spent the last five years becoming a different man, but
I’ve only had minutes to digest it. What if he hurts me again?

He’s right here offering you everything
you’ve ever wanted, all you have to do is reach out and take
it.

Can you really have it
all?
she wondered.

Maybe sometimes you
can,
answered the voice. Bianca waited for a moment
for the voice to add a discouraging word, and was surprised when it
didn’t come.

“Mason?” she whispered.

“Yes?”

“What about me?”

His voice was confused. “What do you
mean?”

She turned to look up at him. “I made
mistakes too. I’ve been so cold. I’ve always been so afraid of
hurting, of losing the people I care about. I’ve isolated myself.
My life has been so empty since I lost you and Nonno Joe. I hate
that you left me when he died, but I gave you an ultimatum, made
you choose between me and your family. It was wrong.”

“It was a natural reaction,” he soothed,
cupping her cheek with one hand. “Your grandfather had just died.
Leaving you alone was a terrible thing to do. I should have stayed
by your side.”

“Yes, you should have,” she nodded. “But it
was still wrong, what I did. If you had asked me to choose between
you and Nonno, I would have made the same choice. He was my family.
Family is important, even if we don’t like them much. I don’t want
to be the wedge between you and yours.”

He smiled and shook his head. “You won’t be.
Funny thing happened when I stood on my own two feet. My father
stopped treating me like the child I was. We don’t talk a lot, and
they’re not entirely thrilled with the line of work I’ve chosen,
but they don’t try to run my life anymore. And they know I came
back to Portland to see you. They’ll accept my choices now,
whatever they may be.”

Her eyes widened. “Really?”

“Really.” His smiled widened. “I don’t think
we’ll ever be best friends, but I think they want the best for me,
even if their idea of what that is doesn’t mesh with mine.”

She laid her head against his chest. “That’s
good. I don’t think I’ll ever want to spend a lot of time with your
parents, but I’m glad you found some peace with them. I’m sorry I
ever put you in that position.”

“No more apologies,” he kissed her hair. “If
we’re ever going to have a chance together, we have to let go of
the past and move forward.”

He’s right,
Bianca thought.
But am I strong
enough, brave enough to let go?

“Mason,” came a voice behind them, and he
stepped away.

Bianca turned to see a tiny woman with
fine-boned features wearing a long flowing skirt and an abundance
of silver jewelry, while a wild mane of hair cascaded down her
back. She had a gypsy look about her, and even though she appeared
to be in her thirties, Bianca suspected she was slightly older.

Mason gave the small woman a brief hug.

“Lali, I’d like you to meet Bianca,” he
introduced the two women.

Lali grinned up at her. “Ah …,” she said
knowingly, a slight accent evident in her clipped syllables. “The
muse. I’ve been looking forward to meeting you.”

Bianca blushed. “I’m so glad you gave Mason
the opportunity to display his work. He’s a wonderful artist.”

“I agree, of course,” Lali answered. “He’s
going to have an amazing career as long as he continues to put out
work like this.” She waved to the ‘Redemption’ series. “I have big
plans for him.”

Mason’s face reddened slightly and Lali let
out a tinkle of a laugh. “Enough. We have a show to put on. Bianca,
I hope you’ll stay for the evening.”

She nodded. “I wouldn’t miss it.”

“Well, come along then,” Lali waved them to
join her as she left the small side room. “We have about fifteen
minutes before our guests begin to arrive. Won’t you join me in a
drink?”

They followed her to the bar where she
plucked several glasses of champagne from a tray, handing one to
each of them. Holding hers in the air, her eyes danced over the two
of them. “To success,” she toasted. “Mason’s and mine, of course.”
She grinned at them, her cheeks dimpling. “And to love, without
which, there would be no art.”

Bianca sipped her champagne, and glanced
over as the front door opened. “Looks like the show has started,”
she indicated with a nod of her head.

“Duty calls,” Lali shrugged, putting her
glass down on the bar. “Mason, I’ll give you about half an hour and
then you better be glued to my side for the rest of the night.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he saluted and she laughed,
waving him off as she walked away to greet the people at the
door.

Mason turned to Bianca, giving her an
apologetic look. “I didn’t think about how much I’d want to be
alone with you right now. We should talk, but I can’t leave.”

“Of course not,” Bianca responded. “I
wouldn’t ask you to. This is your night.”

“Will you stay?”

“Of course!” she exclaimed. “I wouldn’t miss
this night. Whatever talking we need to do can wait.”

He took her hand in his. “Stay with me. This
night would never have happened without you.”

The next few hours passed in a blur. Within
the hour, the gallery was full.

Bianca shook hands, made small talk,
deflected inappropriate questions after people recognized her face
in the paintings, drank more champagne than she should have, and
met what seemed like hundreds of people. She felt a little dizzy by
the time the evening came to a close.

She stood at the bar with Mason and Lali a
little after midnight when the tiny woman leaned in to whisper at
them. “Let’s ice this cake, shall we?”

She picked up a champagne glass and tapped
on the side of it with a ring. When the chatter around the room
died down, she smiled. “I want to thank you all for coming out
tonight,” her voice rang out through the gallery. “It’s so
gratifying to see so many of you out tonight, and in support of one
of our own.” She held up a hand to indicate Mason and a light
smatter of applause ran through the room. She waited for it to
dissipate before she spoke again. “Mason Freeman is a native to the
Portland area and a wildly talented one at that. I’m so very
pleased to include him as part of the Portland art scene, and as
part of my family here at the Lali Renaldo Gallery. Please won’t
you join me in a toast?” She held up her glass. “To Mason
Freeman!”

“To Mason Freeman,” echoed the crowd.

Lali flashed the room a smile. “Now, enjoy
the rest of your evening and don’t forget to support a poor
starving artist!”

Laughter ran through the crowd, and Lali
turned to Mason and Bianca. “We’ve already had a tremendous
evening,” she whispered. “Tonight has been one of the most
successful shows I’ve ever put on. Congratulations, Mason.”

A glow spread across his face, the corners
of his mouth tipping up in triumph. “I couldn’t have done it
without you. I can’t thank you enough, Lali.”

“Meh,” she dismissed with a wave of her
hand. “Yes you could have. Talent like yours would have been
discovered eventually. I’m glad I was the one to get to you first.
Now get out of here. You’ve done your duty.” Her eyes twinkled.

“I’ll get your jacket and purse,” Mason told
Bianca and left the two women standing by themselves.

Bianca waited until he was out of earshot
before she turned to Lali and gave her a leveled gaze. “Lali, you
can’t sell ‘Rapture.’ At least, not to anyone but me.”

Lali returned her gaze, her smile stretching
across her cheeks. “You sure?” she asked. “You have the real thing,
what do you need with a painting?”

“I have the real thing?” Bianca cocked her
head to one side. “Perhaps, although I prefer to think of Mason as
his own man now. Still, I want the painting.”

Lali laughed. “He might be his own
man, I can’t say. I
can
tell
you he has you so high on a pedestal I shudder to think what would
happen if you should fall off it. But,” she shrugged. “If you want
the painting, you can have it. I still have the limited edition
prints.”

“Thank you,” Bianca gave her a nod. “And
you’re wrong. He doesn’t put me on a pedestal.”

“Hmm,’ Lali responded doubtfully.

“He loves me,” Bianca told the tiny woman.
“It’s not the same thing.”

“The question is,” Lali cocked an eyebrow,
“do you love him back?”

“Yes,” Bianca answered without
hesitation.

“Ah,” Lali pursed her lips. “But will you
stay with him? Or is it time to let go?”

Bianca stared at the other woman, unable to
answer her questions.

“I see,” said Lali, and Bianca felt that the
tiny woman did indeed see. Straight into her heart and soul. “I’ll
let Caroline at the front desk know that ‘Rapture’ has been sold,”
Lali continued. “You can pick it up later this week. In the
meantime, I suggest you pick a path. If not for your sake, then for
his.”

Lali leaned forward, all humor gone from her
face. “He’s been in limbo these last few years, building a dream in
his head. It’s so big now, and this night is the pinnacle of the
whole damn thing. If you’re going to let him go, you need to do it
quickly and cleanly. Give him the chance to move on.”

The two women studied each other for a
moment, and finally Bianca nodded. “I won’t string him along, I
promise. And for what it’s worth, I have no desire for either of us
to be hurt.”

“Fair enough,” Lali responded, glancing past
Bianca. “Looks like your ride is here.” Her face broke into a grin
again. “Mason, you better get your ass in here tomorrow morning. We
have a lot to discuss.”

He hugged the tiny woman and they exchanged
a few words before she waved goodbye to them and Mason was putting
Bianca’s wrap around her shoulders. “Are you ready?” he asked.

“Yes,” she nodded.

It took a few minutes to make their way
through the crowd to the front door. Everyone wanted to talk to
him, shake his hand, pick his brain, and by the time they stood on
the sidewalk under the night sky, they had to stop for a moment to
catch their breath.

Bianca grinned at him. “What a night. How do
you feel?”

He let his head fall back, staring at the
starry sky. “Amazing. Incredible. Terrified. Overwhelmed.” He
spread his hands out wide. “I feel like the luckiest man
alive.”