A Discovery of Hope (A Coming Home Again Novel Book 3) (25 page)

Chapter Twenty-Five

I hang the last of the new canvases with satisfaction. There are a total of seven and I’m overjoyed at how well they came out. I can’t wait to see JP’s reaction. I’ve spent every bit of my free time carefully working with his canvas printer. Thankfully, I’ve not broken it and I have also purchased replacement ink and a roll of canvas for what I’ve used. I declare the week a success with attending all my classes and opening the gallery with special hours this week and setting up the new photo display. It’s been slow so that’s been helpful. I guess the transition to another season has quieted things.

Looking around the gallery once more, I grab my bag and book it to the airport. JP’s flight isn’t scheduled to land for another hour, but I can’t stand it any longer and head over early. I’m overwhelmed with needing to see him. Yes, I find this strange. Only a few short months ago, we couldn’t stand to speak to one another and now I’m finding myself absolutely in love with him. Go figure.

Even though I know Duke and Hope aren’t gone for good, I’ve still been grieving their departure. I need JP here so I can handle these changes. No, I’m not all of a sudden some needy dimwit, but I am human and need some comfort. And I know JP will deliver.

I sit near the terminal and can’t help but fidget with anticipation. I watch the arrival board with strict dedication and when that little line changes from in flight to arrival I nearly come unglued. Standing, I draw as close the terminal exit as the guard will allow and scan the passengers until I see the top of a very blond mane weaving through the crowd. As soon as his eyes lock on mine, JP sets into a jog and once in front of me, he grabs me into a hug so forceful my feet leave the ground. I know it’s only been one week and we probably look right cheesy, but I don’t care.

“You okay?” he whispers in my ear as we continue to hold each other. I just nod my head as I feel him walk us a ways. I keep my face comfortably buried in the side of his neck until he sets me down to retrieve his bag.

Saying nothing else, he grabs his bag and pulls us outside. Once he has his bag placed in the back of my SUV, JP opens the passenger door for me. He then all but climbs on this side too and claims my lips.

I fist my hands into his hair and cling to him as we kiss our hellos. Pulling back slightly to catch my breath I ease my forehead to his. “I missed you too much.”

“Me too, babe,” he says before kissing me once more. “Let’s go home.”

Well, I sure do like the sound of that. I release him and he closes my door before hopping into the driver’s seat and peeling out of the airport parking lot. Holding my hand, he asks, “So everything went good this week?”

“Yeah. Those crazy women showed back up to keep me company,” I say full of affection.

“Yeah?” he asks as he merges into traffic.

“Yeah,” I sigh out. “But they didn’t maul me or throw obscene amounts of cash at me… Quite disappointing,” I deadpan with a pout.

JP looks over at me smugly. “Sweetheart, I got plenty of cash and I’d be mighty happy to maul you all your little pretty heart desires.”

“All right, Mr. Flirt,” I warn with a grin. “You’re getting a bit saucy.” I tsk.

Chuckling, JP raises our entwined hands and places a kiss on the back of mine. “So how was school?”

“It’s all about photography. How could it not be good?” I smile over at him. “I’ve also scheduled a few interviews for you next week. They’re not Duke, but that guy is one of a kind.”

“True,” he comments. “I already miss the punk.”

“Me too.”

We ride in quiet until we are about to pull up behind the gallery. The dark has just descended completely. I’m almost giddy about my surprise.

“Oh yeah. I’ve also printed off some new canvases. They are just waiting for your approval, boss.”

He looks relieved. “Wow. You’ve been a busy woman. That’s a relief. I’m jetlagged and sure didn’t want to have to dive into printing and wrapping canvases tonight.”

After he parks, we quickly head to the back door, but I tug on his hand a bit to stop him before he unlocks it. “I need to explain the pictures a little before you see them.”

Looking over at me curiously, he cautiously says, “Okay.”

“The syllabus for my expressive photography class states that I have to produce a grouping of pictures with a theme to present by the end of the semester.” I shrug my shoulder. “I was inspired, so my project is done. I paid for the costs already to replace the materials I used, and these photos are not for sale, of course.” I’m rambling so I clamp my lips shut and give him a quick peck on the cheek, before going inside.

I take the lead and stand JP before the grouping of seven black-and-whites. I watch him guardedly as his eyes widen and his mouth falls slightly open. I’m not sure if this is a good sign or bad, so I wait.

I glance back at the photos. Each one has a saying in different shades of blue, but all are in the same block font. Some of the sayings skirt along the bottom of the photo horizontally, while others run up the side vertically. And more importantly, JP is the focal subject of each one. I knew he wouldn’t be crazy about that part, so only one captures his entire face. It’s the center focus of the collection, and I think it is most fitting.

“Let’s take a picture walk,” I say, before pulling him to the beginning of the collection that is neatly lined on the rustic brick wall. “The theme is love, and the first love I witnessed here was of you and Duke.” I point to the black-and-white of JP with his arm protectively over Duke’s shoulder. They have their backs to me with their heads bent towards each other as though they were deep in discussion. I point to the blue phrase along the bottom. “
Brotherly Love
. I captured this one while we were at his party.” I look over to wait for his reaction. He only nods his head and takes a step to the next.

“I’ve noticed one thing in particular about you. It’s that you always have a hand on your camera.” I point to the second photo. One day he was in his office, standing by his desk while in some phone conference. The entire time, he fiddled with his camera that was sitting on top of the dark wood desk. I snapped a close-up of just his hand lying on top of the camera. The print has
Love Captured
running up the right side.

I pull my speechless companion over to the third canvas. It’s an action shot of him surfing. It’s a side profile with his face down and slightly away from the camera. Looking at it now, I’m still in awe of how magnetic JP is on a surfboard. “
Living Love Vividly
,” I read. These words are in a deep teal hue that reminds me of the ocean.

JP clears his throat and nods his head again, before stepping to the center canvas. I follow and run my hands under his lovely eyes on the canvas. I allowed them to keep their baby-blue hue with the rest of the photo being black-and-white. “This one is my favorite of the collection.
Love Overflowing
.” This headshot of JP is captivating with his eyes piercing the camera. I matched the font color as close to his eyes as I could and placed the phrase at the bottom. The breeze had lifted his blond hair slightly away from his face, exposing his features holding a serious tenderness—those full lips only alluding to a smile. He was watching me during our walk on the beach in Bay Creek, and I raised my camera before he could protest.

We step to the next and JP shakes his head. He finally speaks and I let out a breath of relief. “How have I not noticed you taking so many blame pictures of
me
?”

I worry he may be creeped out by it, but when I glance at him, he is only looking at me affectionately. “
Talented Love
,” I say as I nod to the fifth photo. This photo is from one day we were in the workroom. JP had just finished wrapping some canvases on the wood frames. He had a canvas in each hand studying them. I snapped the photo in a side profile with his head tilted towards the camera.

We move over to the next one and JP lets out a
humph
. I’m sure he had no idea again that he was subject to my camera. It’s of him sitting on top of his surfboard that Sunday morning—his back to me, gazing out over the ocean. His shoulders are relaxed and I felt a vibe of peace when I studied it. “
Love Renewed
,” I read and ease to the last canvas.

“
A Friends Love
,” I read as JP looks over the photo of him with all the guys from Rivertown. “It was from the end of that rowdy basketball game. I love how you are all huddled together, slapping each other on the back in good humor.”

JP looks each one over in a reverse walk before turning towards me. He stands here as if waiting for an explanation of some sort so I try.

“You say you don’t speak the words, I love you, often. But you most definitely live them in everything you do. You live and love passionately.”

This answer seems to impress him, because the next thing I know, JP has me wrapped tightly in his arms with a magnificent grin igniting his handsome face. “I most definitely love you.”

“I know,” I say. I place a gentle kiss on his lips and pull away, not wanting to get carried away. I’m not finished with this picture walk just yet. I run my hand over his stubble-covered jaw as I speak. “I thought about including the picture I took of you surrounded by all of those ladies with your fist full of cash and your cheeks painted with lipstick. I was going to entitle it,
Too Much Love
.” I pause as we both share a laugh. He
will
find that picture as his new background when he turns his computer on in the office though.

JP glances back over the collection once again. “It’s complete exactly the way it is. You, my lady, will ace that project.” He lifts the edge of one of the canvases to inspect my work. “Excellent job on wrapping the frame.”

“Thank you. I had a great teacher over the summer, who has taught me quite a lot.” I look over at him and find him smiling at me proudly.

Gesturing back over the canvases, JP says, “Capturing human emotion with your camera is your gift, Willow. I see so much through your eyes. I think this should be your focus.”

I feel my cheeks warm a bit with his praise. I really do enjoy photographing people more than any other subject. I nod my head in agreement.

I take his hand and start pulling him up the stairs. “Now, I know the grouping looks nice with an odd number, but I couldn’t help but make just one more. I won’t include it, but it had to be made.” I say no more until I stop JP in front of his bedroom door.

“You sure have been busy while I’ve been gone.” He quirks an eyebrow.

“Now, I want to explain to you that I didn’t invade your personal space. I simply hung a photo and nothing more.”

JP smiles as he skims his fingers along my cheek. “I trust you, Willow.”

“Good,” I say as I push JP’s door open and usher him into his room. Both of our attention immediately draws to the wall by his dresser. I’ve placed another black-and-white with the caption,
Love Heals
. It’s the close-up of his chest with the bite mark on display. Underneath the caption is another one slightly askew from it towards the right.
Love Discovered
.

He rubs his chest in the offending spot as he studies the picture. He nods his head approvingly, but seems to unable to speak. Time passes with no words spoken as he wanders closer to the dresser to study the image. Eventually, JP turns to stalk over to me and presents me with a long
love-filled
kiss.

I’ve never left JP Thorton speechless until today, and I sure am enjoying it. It makes me feel bold, so after standing a while longer in his room, I push away from him teasingly and whisper, “Be sure to lock your door tonight.” Giving him one more languid kiss, that is just as passionate as the unruly kisses we’ve shared, to remember for the night, I leave him for my own room.

“You best not forget to lock yours,” he says huskily before I close my door. Moments later, I hear the shower running and all I can do is grin. This man has completely stolen my heart.

~~~~~

I bustle in Monday after school and head straight into JP’s office to find him at his desk. I’m amazed at how content it makes me to be here with him.

Without looking up from a photo spread laid out on his desk, he grouches out, “I should go ahead and fire you.”

Well. There went that contentment. As I place my camera bag and messenger bag by the filing cabinet, I sass back, “All you have to do is change the blame background picture. I personally think you like it.” I point over to his grinning face squinting happily at us from his computer.

“No.” He waves his hand dismissively towards the screen, and then points to the last container. “We had a deal.”

I pop the lid and show it to him. “Three envelopes and I’m done, I’ll have you know.” I roll my eyes at him for good measure.

“Well.” JP pats his legs. “Maybe we can work out another deal.”

I set the container down and happily sit in his lap. “What did you have in mind?” I ask before kissing him.

“Oh, I’ve got a lot in mind for you, babe.” I smack him playfully on the arm. Capturing my hand, he says, “Seriously, I can’t thank you enough for handling the ton of photo filing. Today, I had a client come in wanting to see some photos I took for him two years ago. All I had to do was go to the filing cabinet and voila, there they were!” He pulls my right hand to his mouth and skims his warm lips over my knuckles. “My right-hand,” he says pointedly.