Portrait of a Bad Boy ✓

Epilogue

Four Years Later

"For someone who's bouncing around so much, you would think you're the one getting featured and not me." Still his hands trembled as he tried and failed to fix the annoying bow tie. A pair of more steady hands grabbed it, causing him to freeze as she fixed it.

"I know but I can't help it. I'm so excited for you." She cupped his face. "I know you worked hard for this."

"We"—he stole a kiss between his words—"worked hard for this."

Red tinted Mirna's cheeks as she rolled her eyes. "I wasn't the one who worked on this piece for a whole month straight." She winked at him before she brushed her hands down her bright red dress. A dress that was calling his name.

"Blake." She warned, glaring at him. "First the party." She wrapped her arms around him. "We can always have fun later."

Blake smiled, pressing a kiss to her ruby lips. "I like the idea of that."

It was hard to believe that even now, Mirna was still by his side. If someone had told him four years ago that his art would be selected for one of the biggest galleries in the world, he would have laughed.

"Come on." Mirna entwined their hands and pulled him toward the door. "We're going to be late." Thirty minutes later, they left the hotel and arrived at the gallery. As they approached the floor filled with finely dressed people, Mirna looped her arm through his. "No word from your parents?"

Blake stiffened slightly. "Nope." Last he had heard about his parents, they were separated and his father had another son with a coworker from his company.

"Well then they're idiots." His smile widened at her bluntness. As they reached his panting, Blake's smile grew at the older man standing in front of him. "Blake Hills." Mr. Johnson smiled. "I always said you had potential and you proved it."

"Thank you sir." He beamed at his old teacher's praise. A hand squeezed his arm, snapping his gaze to Mirna. She was looking at another woman approaching.

Wait is that....

"Maria!" He called, pulling his nanny into a hug. "What are you doing here?"

Maria's gaze softened. "You can thank Mirna for finding me." She squeezed his arm. "I always knew you could do it." Blake glanced at a pleased Mirna. "I'm glad you could make it. Maria, may I introduce you to Mr. Johnson, his old teacher."

"Nice to meet you Mr. Johnson."

"Oh, I believe." He gave her hand a small kiss causing her face to flush. "The pleasure is all mine."

"Blake, how about we go get some refreshments?" Her gaze was fixated on the two. "I'm feeling a little thirty." Blake chuckled before he led her away. "Playing matchmaker again?"

"Yes, and before you say anything, I think it'll work." As they reached the table, an arm wrapped around Blake's shoulder. "I still don't understand half of this stuff." He reached for Blake's glass of wine. "But the food is still good."

Shoving him off playfully, he rolled his eyes. "You didn't have to come."

"And miss your big celebration. I think not." He nodded to Mirna.

"I thought you had a twelve hour shift?"

"One of the other nurses volunteered to take it."

"Volunteered or you paid them?"

Neil just smirked at them.

"Where's Lyla?"

No sooner than the words left her mouth, Lyla sprinted up to them. "Sorry, sorry, I'm late! Traffic sucks here." She smiled at Mirna before giving Blake a quick side hug. "Congratulations on this, Blake. Mirna told me how hard you two have been working."

"Thank you, Lyla." As the years went on, the awkwardness between the three of them had finally dissipated. After all, there was no use thinking about the past when he was head over heels for the woman beside him.

"Now, that semester is about to be over." Lyla wiggled her eyebrow. "Have you two thought about setting a date?"

"How about we get through this night first, love?" Neil wrapped an arm around her. "You ladies can talk about wedding stuff later." Lyla scowled mockingly before she looked back toward the two of them. "Alright then, where is this piece you made?"

Blake led them back over to his work. She was sitting in the same red dress, her eyes clear and her smile bright. There was no tension in the lines, only bright colors and steady lines to symbolize her love and support.

"It's beautiful, Blake."

Blake smiled before he wrapped his arm around Mirna. "Not as good as the real thing though." Mirna blushed at that before laughing and hitting his arm playfully. With a soft kiss to her forehead, his friends took that as their cue to leave them alone.

"I love you," he whispered. Mirna's eyes softened before she reached up and cupped his face. "I love you too." As her thumb brushed against his skin, he captured her lips with a kiss. There wasn't enough paint and charcoal in the world that could even describe his love for the loud, bold Mirna who took his life and turned it around.

Who dared to see him past his portrait of a bad boy.