Book three in the A Cut Above, Cold Hard Courage series!
The sun may have set on Tobias and Beatrice's story, but with a new dawn brings new light to a new hero, Graham Eaton, son of our beloved protagonists from the two previous stories, now old en...
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Author's note: Sorry for cussing in this! It just makes the scene a better, more intense scene rather than using replacements or re-writing the scene.
[jolene hale]
Graham retreats away from me and I exhale sharply. In all honesty, I finished the painting a few minutes before he came over to see me. I was just standing there so it would seem like I was busy so he wouldn't approach me... Guess that plan didn't work out so well. I sign the bottom corner of the painting and paint Elaine and Rory onto the canvas in the opposite corner, then turn the easel to show off the painting. I remove my apron and pack up my supplies, exhaling sharply with regret for how I spoke to him. I spot his mother and father standing at a table a few feet away from me. I approach them, smiling at each of them.
"Mr. and Mrs. Eaton, how wonderful it is to see you both. You look spectacular." I say, taking Beatrice's hand in my own.
She smiles at me and nods, looking at her husband. Tobias smiles tightly as if he knows why I'm here.
"Beatrice, love, do you mind if Jolene and I speak alone for a moment? I would like to ask her about something for you but cannot do so if you're standing here listening." He lies.
She nods and kisses his cheek before spinning around and approaching a friend of hers, their laughter dying down as they walk away from us.
"You saw what happened over there, didn't you?" I ask, wringing my hands together tightly.
He places his hands on his hips and exhales, shaking his head slowly.
"What I saw was how defeated my son looked walking away from you. He's bold, brave, and confident. Whatever confidence he had when he went over to speak with you was all burnt up when he left. I get that he can be headstrong and confident, but you should at least hear him out. There's a lot of pent-up emotion inside of him that he's dying to tell you about, and it's all about you. Please, just give him one chance." He says.
"But, Tobias--" I stop when he places his hand on my shoulder and gives me a stern look--a look my father gave me when he knew that he was right and it was time that I listened to him.
I nod and spin around, unclipping my hair. I walk past groups of people admiring the painting and approach the door Graham used to get up onto the roof. My heels click as I climb the four flights of concrete stairs. The roof door is cracked, a breeze escaping into the building. The December air is cold, but refreshing. I climb to the door and spot Graham's wallet propping the door open so he can get back in. I pull the door open and close it behind me, mindful that the wallet is still in place.
"You should be careful where you place your wallet. Someone might steal all of your cash." I say.
Graham looks back at me from his spot on the floor of the balcony's edge for the best seat in town, then looks back at this city without saying a word. I bite my lip and approach him, the goosebumps from the air starting to send a shiver into my bones. I sit beside him and exhale, removing my high heels, dangling my feet over the city below me.
