Chapter 19

Jamie

I looked at my clock and couldn’t believe how much I missed Hunter already. It had only been a couple hours since he went to see his grandfather, and I was missing him already. He didn’t tell me any of the details, but it was obvious they didn’t get along well. I wonder if it had something to do with that portrait he was looking for.

I sat up on my bed and crossed my legs, deep in thought. I asked him if he found what he was looking for back at the auction, and he said no. I couldn’t help but keep wondering what it looked like, and maybe I could ask around for it? I mean, I did work at an auction house, and I could’ve reached out to our connections there.

I really want to do something special for him, and this seems like the perfect idea, I thought to myself.

I only needed some information, and maybe a picture of the item, and I knew just the person who can give it to me.

I scrolled through my contacts and dialed the appropriate number, hoping I wasn’t calling her at a bad time.

The receiver picked up and I greeted her brightly.

“Hello, Lark? It’s me, Jamie…”

I explained to her what I was going to do, and she was eager to help me out, sending me a couple of pictures of the portrait, and telling me the date when it went missing and the name of it. And then I set to work calling everyone I knew.

***

“Oh, that’s too bad. But can you please keep me updated if you find anything? Thanks, I owe you one…bye,” I said, feeling crestfallen as I hung up the phone. I sighed. I got a couple of promising leads about where it could be, but not one of them had the portrait. It was like finding a needle in a haystack, and I was so close to burning the whole barn just to get it over with.

“Maybe I should bake something. That always makes me feel better,” I murmured to myself before jumping off the bed and stretching my arms up in the air. Yeah, that would probably be best, and Hunter really liked eating my cookies…

I was busy mixing the flour when Mrs. Blossom entered the kitchen, holding a basket of fresh linen sheets under one arm.

“Mrs. Blossom, would you like some help with that?” I offered, putting the bowl down immediately.

“Oh no, this is nothing. Are you making those for Hunter?” she asked kindly.

“Yeah. I was feeling a bit stressed out, so I’m taking the edge off,” I admitted, going back to my mixing.

“Oh, what is it? Is something the matter?” she asked, concerned.

“I was just…,” I sighed, dropping the bowl on the counter again. “I just really wanted to find that portrait Hunter’s looking for. I thought I would be able to find it easily with my connections, but it didn’t turn up, and now I’m just disappointed I couldn’t find it for him.”

“You really care about him, don’t you?” she said, looking at me affectionately.

“I do,” I said, blushing pink. “I’m only realizing it now.”

“Well, dear, let me give you a piece of advice,” she said, holding me with her hands and squishing my face slightly. “Something worthwhile takes a lot of work and incredible patience,” she said, and I frowned at her revelation.

“It’s Hunter’s grandmother you’re looking for. He’s looking for her portrait?” she said.

“I didn’t know it was his grandmother…,” I trailed off.

“Yes, dear. It’s his grandmother’s name. ‘Clara Louise’.”

“She was a very beautiful woman up until she died. She doted on Hunter so much when he was little, and he loved her very much.”

“So that’s why this portrait is so important to him,” I said, my stomach fluttering as I thought about how warm Hunter’s heart was. “But do you know why it went missing in the first place?”

Mrs. Blossom’s looked down at the floor, growing a little despondent at my question.

“I’m sorry. You don’t have to tell me if it’s too painful to remember,” I said quickly, but she raised her hand and shook it.

“No, dear. Perhaps it is about time you knew what happened,” she said, pulling out the high chair from the island and sitting down, folding her hands over her lap before beginning her story.

“Clara Gandy was a very intelligent woman, and very much ahead of her time. She met Rowan Drake, Hunter’s grandfather, and together they started a business that soon became one of the most profitable companies in the country. With her brilliant mind and Rowan’s determination and keen flare for business and marketing, their wealth prospered, and after the birth of their only daughter, Emilia, their life was finally complete.

Emilia was bright and frivolous, too innocent with the ways of the world, and thought only the good in it. It was because of this blind faith that she met and fell in love with Hunter’s father. Clara and Rowan didn’t like him one bit, but they couldn’t convince their daughter otherwise.

Clara dearly loved all of her grandchildren, and she set about leaving them each one of her worldly treasures once they were old enough. Since she didn’t trust Emilia’s husband one bit, she hid the treasures in a few places, and when Hunter was old enough, and she was nearing death’s door, she told Hunter his treasure lied with a painting of herself.

Unfortunately, Emilia’s husband found out about it, and since Rowan wouldn’t give him anymore access to Emilia’s money, he left the estate, towing the portrait and other treasures with him. Emilia was so distraught that the man she loved betrayed her by stealing from the family, that she died not too long after, leaving her sons under the care of her father. But Rowan couldn’t stop grieving over the loss of his wife Clara, and now his daughter too, and the company began to crumble. Hunter had no choice but to try and takeover and do what his grandfather should’ve done to protect them.”

The whole story left me completely gob smacked. I didn’t know there was so much history behind Hunter’s past, and now I understood why he was that way. His heart had hardened from everything, and it was difficult for him to open up.

“It’s so sad. I can’t believe he had to go through so much at such a young age,” I said.

“Yes, but now he has you Jaime, he is not alone in this anymore, he has found someone he can trust and believe in.