Lily sat at her easel, staring at the blank canvas. Her insides were knotted with so many emotions at once that she thought she’d collapse from the pain.

“Are you really going to let him win?” Connie asked from behind her. “You’ve been staring at that easel for two days. I can’t stay here and watch you suffer at that man’s will again. You need to fight.”

Lily slammed her brush down on the table. “How? He owns me.”

Connie pulled a chair out and sat by her side. “You’re my sister and I love you, so I want you to know that what I’m about to say I’m saying out of love and concern.”

Lily gave her a sideways glance but didn’t say anything.

“You’re stupid.”

“Thanks. Glad you love me so much.”

Connie moved to the edge of her seat. “I’m serious. You’re stupid for letting that man ever convince you that you lack talent. You’re stupid for letting him come in here and dictate your life.”

“You heard him. I don’t have a choice.”

“And you’re stupid for believing him. You know he’s a lying jerk, yet you aren’t even questioning if what he said was true or not. Have you read that contract? Have you tried to verify if it’s binding?” Connie gripped her hands. “If you want to fight, I’m pretty sure we can find a lawyer.”

“I know, but—”

Connie held up her hand. “And one more thing. You’re stupid for letting Josh go when he obviously loves you.”

The knots in her belly uncoiled as blood raced through her with hope and fear. “He doesn’t love me.”

“Oh, really? Then why do you think he stuck around the last few weeks?”

Lily rubbed her temples. “Because he needed that drawing.” The drawing she couldn’t give him.

“As I said, you’re stupid.” Connie grabbed her shoulders and shook her. “Wake up or you’re going to lose everything and end up back where you were a two years ago. It’s time for you to let go and trust another man.”

Lily shook out of her sister’s grasp and bolted from the chair. “What are you talking about?”

“The fact that you won’t complete that drawing no matter how much time and effort you put into it.”

Lily threw her arms up in the air. “Don’t you see? That’s why I have to go back. I can’t paint or sketch. Stephon says he can fix me, that I’ll be able to paint again.”

Connie quirked an eyebrow at her. “Do you really think he has that kind of power? That he’ll wave a magic wand and make you suddenly be able to create art again?”

Lily collapsed onto the couch. “I know. I guess deep down I always knew I was done. I have to return for the show, but I already know that when Stephon bleeds me for every last cent he can, he’ll send me away again.”

“Then don’t go. Don’t let him win.”

Lily dropped her head in her hands as tears pricked the corner of her eyes. “He already has.”

Connie dropped to her knees in front of Lily. “You still don’t see it, do you?”

“See what?”

“That Steven has nothing to do with that picture.”

Lily shook her head, tears streaming down her face.

“It’s Josh.”

She swiped the tears from her cheeks. “What are you talking about?”

“You’re scared to open your heart to someone else because Steven broke your trust. You don’t want to open yourself up to that kind of pain again. It isn’t the past that’s keeping you from finishing that piece. It’s your future. You’re still seeing Steven standing there next to you under that arch of flowers when you should be seeing someone else. Someone who has stood by you even when you repeatedly shut the door in his face. Someone who didn’t give up on you when you made him chase you all over Cape Hope in a three-piece suit.”

Lily sat there frozen as her sister’s words sunk in. “I…I’m not…” She sucked in a stuttered breath. “It doesn’t matter. Josh is gone. He’s leaving today. It’s over.”

“Only if you let it be over. Go finish that drawing and take it to him for his client. We’ll fight Steven…Stephon, or whatever his real name is. We can beat him together. We’ll hire an attorney with the money you earn from the advertisement and use it to make that jerk eat his words.”

“No, I owe you, remember? You deserve to get paid for helping me all this time. I’ve barely been able to cover our bills with what I’ve made since we’ve been here.”

Connie chuckled. “Do you really think I’ve stayed here this long so that you’d pay me to be your art dealer? I stayed because I love you. You’re worthy of love. Mine and Josh’s.”

Lily swallowed a lump of indecision. She would do almost anything to get away from Stephon, even if that meant never selling another painting for the rest of her life. “But what if Stephon goes after you and Josh?”

“Then we’ll fight back. We’re grown-ups. We know how to fight our own battles. But first you have to take the drawing to Josh and see what he says. You’ll know what to do from there. And don’t tell me you can’t finish it. If you allow yourself to open up to the possibility of loving Josh, you’ll be able to finish it. And it’ll be amazing.” Connie stood up and slipped from the room without another word, leaving Lily with nothing to do but face her biggest fear.

She opened her sketch pad and allowed her emotions to flow. By the time the clock in the hall struck three in the morning, she was signing her initials. Exhausted, her eyes swollen from crying, her back aching, yet feeling exhilarated, she sat back and stared at the finished piece. It was better than she’d ever thought possible. The depth and brightness of the man’s blue eyes stole her heart, just as the real ones had the first time she saw them. She only hoped it could win Josh’s.