“She paints?”
“Oh, just mucking around, she definitely doesn’t see herself as an artist. But she used to love it as a teenager.”
“I never knew this about her,” I whisper, fascinated.
“I think she’d forgotten all about it. Oahu and time alone has been good for her.”
I smile as I imagine her painting at an easel . . . hmm. “She reads my letters, hey?” I should go. I pause, thinking of what else I can say. “Well, if you think of anything, can you call me?” I ask.
“I will.”
I exhale heavily as I stand.
“I thought you would have given up on her by now,” Brad says.
I turn to him in surprise. “I’m in love with her, why would I give up?”
“You did before.”
“I never gave up. I had to meet that artist and I don’t regret it; I never touched her and returned to Kate. Given, I did take too long to return . . . but still, my intention never wavered.” I shrug. “I guess I just needed some time to get my head around it too.”
He walks me to the door, and I hold out my hand to shake his. “Well, you’ve made my day, knowing she reads my letters means a lot.”
“No worries.”
“And if you think of anything . . .”
“Sure.”
I turn toward the door and glance up and see a photo on the sideboard.
I walk over and pick it up, stare at it, my mind a clusterfuck of confusion.
What?
It’s a picture of Brad and Kate, with Harriet Boucher.
My eyes meet his. “How do you know this woman?”
“Who?” He frowns.
I point to Harriet. “How do you know her?” I demand.
“She’s our sister, Elanor.”
Chapter 27
“What do you mean?” I frown.
“That’s Elanor, our sister.”
“Since when?”
“What are you talking about?”
“This woman.” I tap her face on the photo. “That’s Harriet Boucher, the artist I met in France.”
“What?” He screws up his face in confusion. “What do you mean?”
“The artist, the one whose paintings I love, it’s this woman.” I tap her face on the glass again. “Her name is Harriet.”
“No. It’s Elanor, you’re mistaken.”
I stare at the photo. “I swear, it’s her.”
“It’s not, you’ve got the wrong woman, maybe someone who looks similar. Elanor doesn’t paint . . . not at all.”
“Oh.” I think on it for a moment. “Hmm, maybe it isn’t her.” I give an embarrassed shake of my head. “I feel like I’m going crazy lately.”
He smiles. “That’s okay.”
I nod.
“I’ll let Kate know you dropped by.”
I give him a lopsided smile. “I just want her to come home.”
“She will.”
My eyes hold his.
“Give her time, she’ll come back.”