For Amber, the last couple of days had been spent working on The Withered Lover, setting up the canvases, mixing the paint and getting everything as organized as she possibly could before she even picked up a paintbrush.

It was just her process.

Yesterday, she had finally been able to actually start, and the minute that first stroke of her brush fell over the canvas, she felt at home. All worries of her screwing up flew out the window as she let instinct guide her. Hours later, when she was finishing up for the night, she had looked back at the pair side by side, only seeing the barest trace of light gray on the canvas she was working on.

To anyone else, it might have looked like nothing, but to her, she could see what it would become, and what would ultimately complete it.

Tonight, though, she had only been able to work on it until four in the afternoon when one of Gabriel’s movers—as Elliot liked to call them—came to retrieve L’amant Flétrie for the day.

The painting was never kept in the studio, removed whenever she was done working and brought back in whenever she came in.

Amber didn’t understand the need for it all, especially if no one knew where it was. It just seemed like too much hassle having to take it from one place to another each day, but then again, she didn’t really know the owner of it, so she couldn’t say whether he was just that paranoid, or the precaution was needed.

She would have worked longer had Elliot not been holding a showing, this one displaying a sculpture on loan from a wealthy family in Manhattan.

But in the course of her work, she had forgotten all about the showing, and realized belatedly that she wouldn’t have time to get home, change, and be back in time for the event. Luckily, Tabitha’s, apartment was across the street from Cedar, and she was more than willing to let Amber raid her wardrobe for something to wear.

“You should wear this one,” Tabitha had said from her spot at the vanity, carefully winging her eyeliner, even as she pointed to the dress she was speaking of, still wrapped in plastic from whatever store she had bought it from.

Though she wasn’t independently wealthy—the wealth was her father’s after all—Amber wasn’t a stranger to designer clothing, but that didn’t mean she was willing to shell out thousands of dollars on a dress she might only wear once. It was all about comfort for her—jeans and shirts over dresses any day—but when she was on the floor, Elliot had the final say in what they wore.

And his standards were high.

Once she was dressed, makeup applied, and jewelry on, Amber fussed with her hair, manipulating it the way she liked. Having been blessed—or cursed, depending on the day—with extremely curly hair, it had taken trial and error to learn how best to tame it, though even on the best of days, it still had a mind of its own.

That was the thing about naturally curly hair, it did what it wanted whether you liked it or not.

Tonight, though, it worked in her favor.

By the time she and Tabitha made it back over to Cedar, the wait staff was readying trays of food, lining up glasses on the front table filled with champagne. Slowly, over the next hour, people began filtering in until there was a steady crowd of people.

Though the showing had started at seven, and it was now going on eight-thirty, Amber was already a jittery mess, even with the flute of champagne in her hand. It wasn’t just because of how tired she was—though she could no longer say she felt that way—and it wasn’t because this was anything new for her.

But, because of the man she was talking with just before Tabitha had pulled her away.

Kyrnon, he said his name was, and even if she wanted to, she couldn’t have forgotten him—the stranger on the train.

Since the last time she saw him, he had cleaned up a little. His hair was freshly cut, his beard trimmed slightly, but she couldn’t have mistaken those green eyes of his, or the laugh lines in the corners of them. And though she wore heels, he still stood several inches taller.

He was just … a whole lot of man.

“Finally,” Elliot said on a rush as he grabbed hold of Amber’s hand, dragging her along with him back to his office. Glancing behind them at Kyrnon, she held up a finger, hoping he would stay a moment like he said.

“I have a blogger here tonight for a feature in one of those magazines,” Elliot explained with a flip of his hand. “I have guests I’m trying to entertain at the moment, so help her with whatever she needs.”

That was how it usually went. Elliot, despite how flamboyant he could be at times, hated having any press printed about him. Whenever there was a feature on the gallery, Elliot usually had one of the girls take charge of it.

“Ah, there you are,” Elliot said, his tone changing from one of annoyance to sugary sweetness in the span of a second. “I’m terribly busy at the moment, so I’ll have my assistant, Amber, help you with anything you need.”

The smile spreading on Amber’s face froze into something more like a grimace as she caught sight of exactly who the blogger was—and that the woman hadn’t come alone.

Piper and Rob.

How long had she managed to avoid her cousin? Three months? Longer? But for whatever reason, they had started running into each other more and more, much to her annoyance.

And Rob … well it had only been a few days since she last saw him — and did it really have to be the day she had to sneak out of his bed? Now seeing them together, she couldn’t help but think whatever break they had been on was now over.

Three years, and it still felt like a punch to the stomach when she saw them together.

But that was the thing.

Three years hadn’t meant anything in the grand scheme of things. Sure, when she had first ended it with him, she had her anger to focus on, but that only lasted as long as it took for the realization that he had actually chosen someone else over her—someone that was meant to be family no less—that her anger turned to sadness.

When she had walked away from him the other day, she had still believed she was over him and the way he hurt her. Back then, it had felt so easy moving on, or even just finding a one-night-stand to take her mind off him, but that had only lasted so long. If she were being honest, Rob had meant everything to her over the five years they spent together, and it was hard forgetting that.

Sure, he would downplay her work a little, making her feel like she was wasting her life away chasing a dream, but she had loved him in spite of that.

And maybe, even if she didn’t want to admit it to herself, a part of her loved him still.

So the last thing she wanted was to have them here, where she was meant to talk to guests and be friendly.

But she was a professional—and her mother’s daughter—so she knew how to be cordial, but Piper had a nasty attitude and wasn’t afraid to show it. The girl could test the patience of a saint.

Tonight, standing at her side, Rob had on a tailored suit, the top two buttons of his shirt left undone. He looked uncomfortable standing there, even as he boldly stared at her.

Piper, on the other hand, looked rather pleased with her head held high, wearing a figure-hugging red dress that complemented her hair.

Truth be told, Piper was everything Amber wasn’t. Polished and working a job that didn’t make people ask, ‘but what are you going to do when that doesn’t work out?’ Classically beautiful, Piper was exactly the type of woman Rob should have on his arm, especially since he was still working his way up the ladder at the law firm he worked at.

Amber, on the other hand, was none of that.

And while they were cousins—their fathers were brothers—they hardly resembled each other.

Piper had inherited the auburn hair of their paternal lineage, while also resembling her mother—same button nose, short stature, and clear skin.

Amber, on the other hand, was a perfect blend of both her parents—a Scottish father and a Nigerian mother.

“It’s so good to see you, Amber,” Piper said with a bright smile, one that didn’t touch her eyes. “What are the odds you work here?”

There was no need to emphasize the word, not when Amber knew exactly what she was hinting at.

“I’m sorry. I wasn’t aware the two of you knew each other,” Elliot interrupted politely.

“Oh yes,” Piper said with a flick of her hand. “We’re family.”

So they said, Amber thought.

“Well, I’m leaving you in good hands. Amber, find me once you’re finished.”

As quickly as Elliot had dragged her away, he was disappearing back into the crowd of guests, leaving Amber to deal with them.

Thankfully, there was a tray of drinks waiting on a table not too far away. With little care as to what they thought, she grabbed one and downed the contents.

“Very classy, Amber. It seems not much has changed, has it?”

Patience. That was what she needed. She could handle this. She could. “If you would like a tour, I’m happy to take you on one,” Amber said, ignoring what Piper had said. “If not, I can find someone else to do it.”

Because she didn’t want to be held liable for anything she might do to Piper if she stayed around her.

“Maybe that’s a good …”

Rob didn’t get a chance to finish his remark before Piper threw a hand up, silencing him. “No, we’re good with you, thanks.”

Just her fucking luck. “Then, by all means …” Amber gestured around them, making her point clear that she was ready to get on with it instead of standing around and talking—the less talking the better.

But Piper was in a sharing mood, it seemed. “I’m glad we’ve run into you though. I wanted to be the first to tell you the good news.”

Rob jerked his head in her direction, a frown tugging at his lips. “Piper, don’t.”

There was a flash of fire in Piper’s eyes as she glared at him, an unspoken warning in her gaze, but no matter Rob’s objection, she was going to do what she wanted. “I’m pregnant.”

Amber was careful, very careful, not to show a reaction, knowing that was exactly what Piper wanted. But her hand was shaking just slightly, her nerves frayed all of a sudden. She could still remember the day she and Rob had talked about having kids of their own, even the names they would choose, but he said he wasn’t ready for that. That he didn’t see kids for them just yet.

Just more bullshit to add to the ever long list of his lies.

“I’m happy for you.”

She was a little surprised she had been able to say that with a straight face. Amber didn’t often tell lies, but when she did, it was pretty obvious.

Maybe she was getting better.

Piper laughed, a harsh broken thing that sounded far more mean than amused. “Are you?”

“Why wouldn’t I be?” She had so many reasons …

“Maybe because you’re trying to steal Rob away from me.”

… and that was definitely not one of them. “Is this a joke?”

“He called you Monday night, and you talked,” Piper said, losing her cool.

Casting her mind back to Monday, Amber was already shaking her head. “We never talked on the phone. What are you talking about?”

“Don’t try to bullshit me. I’m not an idiot.”

Well that was up for debate. “I don’t want Rob. I’d be happy if I never saw the pair of you again. Yet you make it a point to flaunt your shit in my face. Don’t blame your insecurities on me.”

“Oh, please. As if I have any reason to be threatened by you.”

Amber smiled and said, “Then why are we having this conversation?”

“Amber.”

She startled at the sound of Kyrnon behind her. In the next breath he was standing at her side, one of his hands drifting across her back, his fingertips skimming up her spine to the nape of her neck and back again, leaving goosebumps in his wake.

And though it couldn’t have lasted more than a few seconds, she could still feel his touch after he pulled away, making a shiver work through her.

“What’s going on here?” Kyrnon asked looking between the three of them, his accent making the question sound far nicer than his tone meant it.

“Who are you?” The question was asked by Rob, and from the way he asked it, as though the very idea of someone standing at her side was foreign, all eyes turned to him.

He recognized the challenge in Rob’s voice, but Kyrnon wasn’t moved by it, caused if anything. Nodding his head in Amber’s direction, he said, “Her fella.”

It wasn’t what he said that made her glance in his direction as he said those words, it was the way he said it.

As though he truly meant it.

Rob’s gaze skimmed over Kyrnon from head to toe, his disgust making an appearance. “Even she wouldn’t sink that low.”

Kyrnon whistled, a short, dark sound that made a chill run down her spine. But it wasn’t fear she felt … definitely not fear. “It’s often that a man’s mouth breaks his nose. Keep going and see what my fist will do to your face, boyo. Now finish whatever it is you came to do and go on your way.”

---

Half way through Amber’s walk around the gallery, reciting facts she had memorized for this kind of thing, and giving Piper a chance to take pictures, her cousin had grown agitated and took her leave, dragging a reluctant Rob behind her.

It might have been because Kyrnon had stayed with them, silent but formidable—or because Rob had been moody since the second he joined them.

Only after Piper and Rob were gone and they were alone again did Kyrnon speak. “Ex?”

Wincing, Amber looked to him and nodded. “And she’s my cousin.”

He whistled, looking toward the exit they had gone out of. “Seems like they turned your night to shite.”

A surprised burst of laughter escaped from her. “Is it that obvious? And thank you, again, for helping me out.”

“Say less. But you shouldn’t let them wear you down, lovie. Let me take you out.”

Now, she smiled. “Right now?”

“Aye. I’ll be good for you.”

“What do you have in mind?”

“Let’s get breakfast.”

“You want to go out for breakfast?” Amber asked dubiously, checking her watch for the time. “But it’s almost ten.”

“Then it’s a grand time.”

Kyrnon extended his hand, fully expecting her to agree to come with him. It wasn’t like she was still needed around the gallery, and she definitely didn’t want to turn his offer down.

What did she really have to lose?

“I have to talk to my boss first—let him know I’m leaving,” Amber said though she did take his hand for a moment, squeezing briefly.

He waved her on. “Then go see it done.”

Surprisingly, Elliot was far too busy with his conversation to talk much as she explained she was leaving once she had crossed the floor to him. She didn’t try to drag him away from it, instead just letting him know she would message him later as to what time she would be back in the morning to work on the replica.

Kyrnon was waiting for her outside, a helmet in his hands, half-sitting on an impressive looking motorcycle parked at the curb. She would know a Harley when she saw one, but this definitely wasn’t one of those. It reminded her of the motorcycles from decades ago.

“I’m not sure that’s a good idea in this dress,” Amber said, forcing her eyes from it to him.

“Nonsense.” His gaze dropped to her legs, the appreciative smile that curled his lips making her glad her height afforded her something. “Who’s going to complain?”

He shook the helmet a little, beckoning her closer, and before she could talk herself out of it, she was reaching for it and pulling it on. Swinging a leg over his bike, he settled on it, reaching a hand out to help her gingerly climb on behind him.

“Oh, hold on.” Slipping out of his leather jacket, he handed it back to her, waiting until she had her arms through the holes before he turned back and started the engine.

Wrapping her arms around him, she clung to his back, pressing as close as she possibly could, but as close as she thought they were, it wasn’t close enough for him. He reached an arm around her, bringing her even closer until she could feel the heat of him through his shirt and the skirt of her dress clung to her thighs, but only barely.

She couldn’t think of a time when she had ever been more aware of someone before.

From the way she could feel the muscles in his back shift as he drove, or even the way his hard abdomen seemed to flex whenever one of her hands shifted.

There was nothing about Kyrnon Murphy that could be ignored.

The drive from Cedar to the restaurant he was taking her to wasn’t a long one, nor was it what she had been expecting once they arrived, though she was glad it wasn’t.

For most of her life, Amber had gone underdressed to dinners, events, and the like, but for the first time in what felt like years, she was overdressed for the restaurant—or diner, she should say—that Kyrnon parked in front of.

The Starlight Diner was one of those old school affairs, a place that looked like it was made of aluminum, with bright neon letters glowing on the side of it. The inside paid homage to the 50s, with the retro design and cracked vinyl booths—even a jukebox sat in one corner.

Chalkboards hung from the ceiling, proudly displaying the day’s specials and current menu. Resting on the length of the counter were a number of pies, displayed with tiny cards folded in front of them with the flavor scrawled in cursive handwriting.

Kyrnon walked ahead of her, still keeping hold of her hand as though he thought she might run away. It didn’t seem to matter that they had just met—at least officially a couple hours ago—he held her with a comfortable familiarity, as though they had known each other far longer than they had.

Amber couldn’t say she minded.

Sliding into the booth on one side, he ran a hand through his hair, making the strands stick out in spikes as he rested his elbows on the table now between them. She noticed the twin black bands that circled his bicep, and briefly wondered if those were his only tattoos. She didn’t doubt that he had already seen hers since it was displayed rather openly because of the cut of the dress.

The diner smelled of grease and fried sausage, but above all else, there was the scent of maple syrup that hung heavily in the air. Though she rarely got the time to indulge in a big breakfast due to her hectic schedule, it was one of her favorites.

“So,” he said after a moment, green eyes on her. “What do you think?”

Did he mean the diner’s appearance? Because despite her work, and the outfit she was wearing, she didn’t care very much about appearances — not that there was anything wrong with those that did as long as they weren’t shaming anyone.

But to answer his question … “I don’t know yet—we haven’t even ordered.”

To that, Kyrnon didn’t respond, but she did think she saw a ghost of a smile before he had his hand in the air, gesturing to a waitress on the other side of the floor, busy taking the order of a father and his son. She glanced in their direction with a smile, holding her finger up.

It was clear the pair knew each other from the easy way in which they interacted, and the moment she was free, the girl was skating through the tables in their direction, coming to an abrupt stop just short of them.

Up close, it was clear the girl was exactly that, a girl, no older than sixteen if Amber had to guess. She also had a mouthful of braces that she wasn’t afraid to flash at Kyrnon when she smiled.

“It’s been a while, Celt. Ma says you went out of town for a while.”

Celt?

Was that like a nickname? It made sense, him being Irish, but she still wondered about the story behind it.

“Had a job overseas,” he answered. “Where is Mildred anyway?”

“In the back with Freddy. Donnie quit last week.”

Kyrnon shook his head. “Told you the lad wouldn’t last.”

“Of course you did, because you know everything.”

Amber smiled, not knowing whether she was being sarcastic, or she actually thought Kyrnon knew everything.

“Smart arse. Tierra, this is Amber, my lovely date. Amber, meet—”

“His friend ’til the bitter end. That’s what he told me once, but I’m thinking he’s regretting that now,” Tierra said with a smile in her direction.

Kyrnon smirked. “I said nothing of the sort. She just latched onto me like a leech one day and I’ve yet to shake her off.”

“And luckily for you,” Tierra said quickly. “It won’t be tonight either. What can I get you?”

Amber ordered water with lemon while Kyrnon got tea, but when it came time to order the food, he ordered them both a ‘Breakfast Explosion.’

“It’ll be the best thing you’ve ever put in your mouth,” he said with a wink as Tierra skated away, placing their menus back in the holder. “Guaranteed.”

Shaking her head, Amber turned the straw in her drink. “I’ll take your word for it.”

“So … you wanna tell me about them?”

It had been so long since Amber had shared this story with anyone. As far as she could remember, the last time she had talked to anyone about their breakup—at least the important details—was to her mother, and that was only because she asked after seeing him and Piper together. She didn’t think it would hurt to share one more time.

“Rob and I were together for five years before everything went left. One weekend a few years ago, I was visiting my parents out in California, but ended up coming back early. I caught them in my bed of all places.”

“Bloody hell.”

Amber shrugged like it was no big deal. “At first I was okay. I just tried to focus on anything else, then I missed him, actually tried to convince him why I was good enough for him.”

Now that admission was something she had never confessed to anyone. At that point, she was low. Depressed maybe, and missing what they used to have. But as quickly as she had sunk that low, she dragged herself back out of it and got it together.

She expected pity from him, but there wasn’t any in Kyrnon’s expression, far from it. “You shouldn’t have needed to do that. If he couldn’t see what he had standing there in front of him, the fella’s an eejit.”

Amber almost smiled. “You don’t—”

“Need to say that? I do if it’s true. And trust me, it is.”

What could she say to that? If not for the sincerity in his tone, she might have thought he was simply stating a line, trying to lower her defenses, but even with just this short amount of time around him, she didn’t think he was that kind of person.

Their food arrived shortly after, both plates heaping with everything imaginable. Grits, hash browns, eggs, three different kinds of meat, and that didn’t include the pancakes on the side. While she didn’t think she would be able to finish it all, she was definitely going to try.

Squirting ketchup on her hash browns, Amber stirred them as she asked, “Is this where I ask you what you do, Kyrnon?”

“I track acquisitions,” he said, biting into a strip of bacon.

“What does that mean exactly?”

“Say you lost something, I can help you find it.”

“Like a private investigator?”

“Or a bounty hunter of expensive things. Same difference.”

“That sounds… interesting.”

It was unlike anything that she had ever heard, but in this city, it wasn’t completely unreasonable.

“And you? You work at that gallery?”

She nodded, ignoring his change of subject. “I do, and I paint.”

“I ken you’re good at that—you have that look about you.”

“Do I?” she asked.

“No one looks at art the way you did at Cedar, and not dabble in it,” Kyrnon said easily.

Conversation with Kyrnon was easy, relaxing even, and as the hours slipped away, Amber realized that she wasn’t tired at all. And now seeing that he hadn’t just stumbled into the gallery, but he actually knew about different artists and their works, she found herself relaxing further. There was common ground.

By the time their food was gone and the diner had emptied of most of its guests, they were still there, sitting opposite each other. Amber found that she wasn’t quite ready to leave yet. She was enjoying his company, but she still had a job to do, and with only three weeks to do it, she needed to get some sleep so she’d be able to focus in the morning.

Like he could read her thoughts, he reached into his pocket, pulling out a couple of twenty dollar bills and dropped them on the table. “Ready?”

She nodded, grabbing his jacket and taking his hand when he offered it once more as they headed out into the night.

The journey from the diner back to her apartment was over far too soon, but she did drag herself off his bike despite not wanting to leave him.

Before she could get far, however, he reached into his pocket, pulling out his phone and handing it to her, all before he even said, “Give me your number.”

Unbidden, a smile bloomed. “You’re not even going to ask?”

With all the arrogance a man could possess, he shook his head. “Would it change the result?”

Not bothering to respond, Amber plugged her number in before handing him back the device. Afterward, she started to pull his jacket off, but he shook his head before she could get it off.

“Give it back next time.”

“Next time?” she questioned with a smile.

Turning the key, the engine of his motorcycle roared to life. Fitting his helmet back on, Kyrnon winked at her. “Or maybe the time after that.”