Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 74467 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 372(@200wpm)___ 298(@250wpm)___ 248(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 74467 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 372(@200wpm)___ 298(@250wpm)___ 248(@300wpm)
Slowly, people began leaving and once Margaux locked the door, Eloise sat down on the sofa with a huff. Her feet ached, her stomach hurt. Anxiety had riddled her nerves and had kept her insides flipping around all night. If she hadn’t known better, she would’ve said she’d spent the evening jumping on a trampoline.
“Sweetie,” Margaux said as she came to her. “All but two paintings sold.”
“What?” Eloise and Kiel said at the same time.
“That’s good, right?” Skyla asked. Emmett had taken Leona home a while ago, and the twins stayed.
“It’s really good,” Kiel said to his sister.
“Holy shit,” Eloise finally muttered. “I’ve sold things in the past—”
“But not like this,” Margaux told her.
“You’re getting a nice commission,” Eloise teased her aunt.
“No, I’m not. I didn’t do this to make money off you. I did this because I believe in your talent. With that said, any pieces I sell after tonight, yes, I get a commission.”
Eloise laughed. “I wouldn’t expect anything else.”
“Well, I have a ton of paperwork and then I’m heading home. I’ll see you tomorrow?” Margaux asked.
Eloise stood and gave her aunt a hug. “Thank you for everything.”
“It was my pleasure.”
Margaux disappeared into the back, leaving Eloise with Kiel and his sisters. “The night is young,” she said to them. “How about some dessert and then I think we should hit the Sea Shanty for drinks.”
“Uh, the twins aren’t twenty-one,” Kiel told her.
“Well . . .” Skyla and Ciara smirked at their brother.
“I don’t want to know,” he told them.
“They can crash at my place if you need to hide the evidence,” Eloise told Kiel.
He pulled her into his arms and whispered, “I’d rather us be alone tonight.” He kissed her softly which sent a shiver down her spine.
“Dessert it is then.”
The twins moaned but followed them out. They walked down the block to Carter’s Diner, which had the best dessert in town as far as Eloise was concerned, and went in, surprised by the loud noises out back.
“Dinner?” the young waitress asked.
“No, just dessert. Hey, what’s going on back there?” Eloise asked.
“Oh, that’s Carter’s Night Club.”
Eloise looked over her shoulder. “Since when?”
“Since a few weeks? Dune created it for his girlfriend. It’s a lot of fun.”
“Open to the public?”
The waitress nodded. “I’ll be back to take your orders.”
“Night club?” Skyla’s eyebrow rose. “That means dancing!”
“Do you like to dance?” Eloise asked Kiel.
“I do, we should go after we eat. It’ll be fun.”
The waitress returned, took their order, and left them a carafe of coffee. Eloise poured everyone a cup. She was able to take one sip before her hot fudge sundae appeared before her.
“Heaven,” she said as she took it in.
Ciara had ordered a peanut butter tower, Skyla the cheesecake, and Kiel went with a cookies and cream sundae.
“God, I’m going to get fat and it’s going to be worth it,” Skyla said, much to everyone's laughter.
After they gorged on ice cream and cake, they waddled their way to the back. “Oh, wow,” Eloise said when she stepped outside. White lights hung along the fencing, and propane heaters provided warmth. In one corner, Crew Carter played music from a DJ booth, and a crystal ball hung over the makeshift dance floor. In the other corner, there was a full bar. The courtyard had been transformed into an outdoor nightclub.
Kiel wasted no time in bringing Eloise onto the dancefloor. He spun her and then pulled her into his arms. Everyone around them danced and moved their bodies to the music, while Eloise and Kiel held each other.
“These past four weeks have been hell,” he said to her. “Missing you and knowing you were around but needed space to work killed me.”
“I’m sorry,” she said to him. “I should’ve called but I didn’t want you to see me like that or for me to cancel or not show up because I get so lost in my work sometimes.”
“I get it.”
“Do you? Because not everyone does. Some people think artists are manic because we stay up for days on end to finish a project. I swear, I’m not. I do sleep, but I also stayed up for a couple of days to finish.”
“Eloise, stop worrying. I’m not going anywhere.”
“Except back to Albany or whatever school you decide on.”
He looked into her eyes and shook his head. “Definitely not Albany, at least not for any extended period of time. School is another story.”
“What do you mean?”
“My parents are buying a house here. We’re moving. My dad got a job at the naval base. I hear there’s an artist in town who needs a muse. I thought about applying for the job.” Kiel winked. “And maybe she’ll let me follow her around. I could carry her easel or something.”
“Seriously?” she asked as a smile spread across her face.
Kiel nodded. “Now tell me about New York and London. Margaux mentioned those places.”