As Long As I Have You

~ Chapter Thirty One ~

Thirty minutes after leaving Evan's office, Kirsten was safely tucked in an oversized club chair in her parents' home holding a cup of tea in an equally oversized mug. Orange pekoe never tasted as good as it did when she was at home, and she sighed at both the security and respite of the notion, and tucked herself deeper into the plump-stuffed cushions.

Elizabeth Travis sat in silence watching her stepdaughter, sipping on her own cup of tea and digesting everything the younger woman had just told her.

"Why don't you tell me again, honey." When she started to complain, Elizabeth stopped her. "It's a lot of information, and you were pretty much tripping over yourself when you stormed in here."

Kirsten couldn't argue that. Her emotional reaction to Evan's text message, How did you know the name of the painting? nearly triggered a panic attack on the way over here, so a bit of frenzy was actually an improvement, even if the older woman didn't know it.

"Everything up until Evan showed me my painting doesn't matter, Mom."

"Are you sure? Because it sounds like everything leading up to Evan showing you that painting is what actually matters."

Kirsten blushed ten different shades of pink, still regretting sharing quite so many details of her afternoon.

"What's going to happen in a year when the two of you don't need to be married anymore? How will you separate business and pleasure then?"

"We just will. I told you this arrangement isn't long-term."

"By 'arrangement' you mean 'affair'."

"Mom—"

"And just so I understand, how do you have an affair with the man you're married to?"

Kirsten threw her hands into the air in frustration. "Why are you so against this all of a sudden? You were the one who said I should get my feet wet and have a fling."

Elizabeth had the sense to look at least a little abashed. "In all honesty, honey, I didn't think you would actually do it. This is a lot more complicated now."

"You think?"

"So, what now?"

"I have no idea. Evan doesn't want anything complicated and I'm too complicated."

"You are not."

"I'm a widow. A washed out lawyer. A struggling painter trying to offload her father's failing company. How is that not complicated?"

"I think you're overstating it a bit."

"Really? What have I said that isn't a hundred per cent true? We haven't even mentioned Danny, or the embezzlement scandal just begging to hit the front page. Oh, and let's not forget Evan has no idea what really happened between me and Jason."

"Honey—"

"It's about as complicated as it gets, Mom.  You and I both know Evan would never get involved with me if he knew who I really was."

"I hate to break it to either of you, but you're a little late. You're business partners, married, and you're sleeping together. Seems pretty involved to me."

She sighed with frustration. "It's not that easy, Mom."

"And I don't think it's that hard."

"Really? Then what do I tell him about the painting?"

Elizabeth barely pondered the question. "The truth."

"Ha! Be serious!"

"It's only a painting, Kirsten. Now just a minute," she waggled a finger towards her with motherly discipline, "don't give me that look. I know that painting represents a lot of emotions you worked through after Jason died."