An Heir For Her Enemy (Bossy Bachelors #3)

20. Delaney

CHAPTER 20

DELANEY

D elaney stared at the toy rabbit as though it might come to life and dance around the room. In front of her lay two open suitcases and three large black trash bags.

“What do you think?” Delaney asked the rabbit. “Are you coming to Italy?”

Then she gave herself a little shake. The rabbit wasn’t going to talk back. She tossed it into one of the open suitcases. The plushy was a memento from Delaney’s childhood, when she’d held that rabbit every night to help her fall asleep. Maybe it could offer a similar comfort to her child.

Delaney picked up a set of no-heat hair curlers, sighed, and tossed it into the garbage bag marked “Donation.” Even in her small studio, even with her frugal lifestyle, she had managed to accumulate quite a few possessions during her time in New York. Now, she was leaving for Rome in four days, and her apartment had never been more of a mess.

Delaney had decided to give up her lease on her studio. She wasn’t sure when she’d be back from Rome, and it didn’t make sense to maintain a place in New York City. The rents were just too high for it to be worthwhile. Delaney was surprised to find that she was a little sad about giving up her studio. It was small and expensive and the radiator never seemed to work right, but it was also the first place where she’d lived by herself.

It was also the place where she’d spent the night with Logan, but she was trying not to think about that. In four days, she’d be thousands of miles from Logan. He would be out of her life forever.

Delaney reached for the next item in her pile. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw it was the tiny model of a pizza she’d gotten in Rome with Logan. She hadn’t seen it in her bag when she’d returned, but it must have gotten mixed up with her clothes and gone through the wash or something. She held the tiny pizza in the palm of her hand and felt tears spring to her eyes.

She wanted to blame pregnancy hormones for her sudden tears over a miniature pizza, but she knew it went a lot deeper than that. Despite herself, she slipped the tiny pizza into the envelope where she was keeping the euros left over from Rome. Then she put the envelope on top of her suitcase and pushed herself to her feet. It was clearly time for a break.

Delaney grabbed her phone from the charging port and flopped onto her bed. She had a few new messages. Cora had written to ask when they were going to have a goodbye party, but Delaney ignored it for now. She didn’t want some big event to mark her departure from New York. Delaney’s mother had written, too, to ask if she wouldn’t reconsider moving in with them instead of going to Rome. Delaney ignored that, too. She knew going to Rome was the right decision, even if no one else seemed to believe it.

She also had a few news alerts. She’d set up a system to email her about art news in New York City. Delaney clicked on the first alert, something about the Met acquiring a new piece of art, and felt her heart skip a beat yet again.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art is pleased to announce our latest acquisition, The Cherished Infant. This Renaissance masterpiece is believed to be the work of Botticelli. Its rich history and gorgeous artistry make it the crowning jewel of our collection.

The Cherished Infant ? Delaney could hardly believe what she was reading! Had the painting she’d authenticated for Logan really been donated to a museum? It didn’t seem possible. Logan had been so set on keeping it for himself and his wealthy clients. Delaney kept reading.

The painting was donated by Logan Banks, a local businessman. Banks reported that he’d donated the work because it was simply too beautiful to be kept under wraps and because the public deserved to see it. In celebration of this, Banks has partnered with the Metropolitan Museum to sponsor a monthly ‘dollar day’, during which New York residents can enter the museum for just one dollar.

The exhibit will be unveiled…

Delaney skimmed the rest of the article, which went on to detail plans for the unveiling, then talked about the history of the painting and offered a brief analysis. Delaney set her phone down. She wasn’t sure how to react. On the one hand, she was proud that Logan had decided to make the piece accessible to everyone. She was sure she’d had a role in that, since Logan had been very against the idea in the beginning.

Yet this might not be the philanthropic gesture it seemed. Maybe Logan had donated the painting so that he could capitalize on the benefits it would provide to his reputation. He might have used her insights to pave his own way.

No matter Logan’s motivation, it was a good thing that The Cherished Infant would be on display. It was a gorgeous painting and Delaney was glad that people would get to see it. Still, this was a puzzling development.

Delaney got to her feet and stretched, then padded to the kitchen to find something to eat. Lately, she’d been craving pickles and peanut butter, so she prepared a peanut-butter sandwich with three large pickles on the side. As she was about to sit down and eat, her phone dinged from the bed. Delaney looked at it suspiciously. Then, with a sigh, she got to her feet and grabbed it.

She had one new email, from the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Her jaw dropped as she clicked on it.

Dear Ms. Cohen,

We are pleased to invite you to the grand unveiling of our new acquisition, The Cherished Infant, on November 12 th at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The event commences at seven. The dress code is black tie and we will be offering passed hors d’oeuvres.

We look forward to seeing you there.

Sincerely,

Patrick Adaire, Curator, Metropolitan Museum of Art

Delaney read the email several times. The news about The Cherished Infant being donated to the Met had been surprising, but this was even more so. Delaney had no idea why she’d been invited — there was no way the Met knew about her involvement with the painting.

Unless… unless Logan had been the one to invite her. Delaney bit her lip. She didn’t want to get her hopes up one way or another. There was every likelihood that she’d misread the situation. Worse, perhaps Logan had invited her to the event because he felt like, now that he’d donated the painting, they were even.

Delaney wasn’t going to go. She couldn’t. After all, she was far too busy packing and preparing to depart for Rome. She was leaving the day after this event. And even if the timing hadn’t been so inconvenient, she wasn’t sure she could keep it together while being in the same room as Logan. It was better to turn the invitation down and focus on her big move.

Delaney deleted the invitation. It was better that she wasn’t tempted by the opportunity to see the painting again — and perhaps get closure with Logan.

Yet, as she ate her sandwich and went back to packing, she couldn’t stop thinking about the event. Despite her best intentions, her curiosity had been piqued. She wanted to know why Logan had donated the painting and why she’d gotten an invitation to the unveiling.

The next day, Delaney distracted herself with another round of packing before going to meet Cora at their favorite diner. It was the only goodbye party that Delaney was willing to have — anything else would feel way too permanent.

Cora embraced Delaney at the door and led her to their usual table. They both ordered, then Cora sat back, her eyes watery.

“I’m going to miss you so much.”

Tears sprang to Delaney’s eyes. “I’m going to miss you, too.”

“Are you sure you have to go?”

“I’m sure.” Delaney patted her eyes with a napkin. “I’m surer every day. There’s just too much chance of running into Logan here.”

“You could avoid him,” Cora said. “It’s not like you run in the same circles, apart from a few art events.”

Delaney shook her head. “Our lives are too tied together. He just donated The Cherished Infant to the Met, for instance, and I’m invited to the unveiling.”

“Wait. What?”

Delaney quickly explained about the invitation. Cora stared at her.

“Okay, you’re right. You would run into him there, definitely.” She leaned forward. “But aren’t you just the least bit curious?”

“Of course I am.” Delaney took a sip of her tea. As always, the herbal taste reminded her of mornings with Logan in Rome. “I just can’t let myself act on my curiosity.”

“Right.” Cora drank her coffee. “I just wonder why Logan invited you. Maybe he wants to make up.”

“Maybe, but that’s the same hope that’s been hurting me. Even if he wants to make up, I don’t know what that would mean to him. Does he want to have a casual relationship? Or just be friends? Either way, I don’t think I could do that — and I know he wouldn’t want anything more.”

“He’s missing out,” Cora said loyally. “You’re an amazing person. I’m going to miss you so much.”

“Oh, don’t start again!” Cora’s words tugged on Delaney’s heartstrings. “You know I’m going to miss you like crazy. But you’ll come visit, right?”

“Obviously. You won’t be able to keep me away.”

“That’s the dream.” The two women smiled at each other. “But let’s talk about other things now. I don’t want to think about Rome or about Logan.”

“How about baby names, then?” Cora leaned forward with a twinkle in her eyes. “I’ve always liked the name Cora…”

Delaney chuckled. “I’m not naming the baby after you.”

“Why not?” The twinkle turned to puppy eyes. “I am your very best friend.”

“You are. But for one thing, I’m pretty sure I’m having a boy.” A boy with Logan’s easy athleticism and intelligence. A boy with Logan’s gray eyes and smile.

“I could accept Cory, too.”

“You are shameless, you know that right?”

Back and forth they joked, until Delaney almost forgot about her impending departure and about her ongoing worries involving millionaires and art unveilings. At the end of the meal, the friends embraced, although Delaney reminded Cora that they’d see each other again at the airport before she left.

“I know. We just won’t have our special brunches again after that.” Cora tried to smile bravely, but Delaney could see that she was still sad. Delaney was, too.

“The next brunch will be in Rome.” Delaney squeezed her friend once more. “See you later.”

“Bye.”

Delaney hurried off towards her studio. She was on the brink of tears again and wished she wasn’t. Leaving her friends and family would be hard in any situation, but it was especially difficult with pregnancy hormones mixed in.

The next couple days were filled with goodbyes. Delaney bid farewell not just to her friends, but to the city that she loved. This was the city where she’d worked hard and made a lot of her dreams come true. It felt bittersweet to walk one last time through Central Park in a huge puffer jacket against the November chill, to get one more tea at her favorite coffee shop, and to pack up the last of her things in her studio.

Finally, though, it was the day before Delaney was supposed to leave. She spent a quiet morning finishing her packing, but as afternoon rolled in, thoughts of the art unveiling began to creep in again. The event was tonight, and as Delaney had told Cora, she really was curious. Beyond curious. Even though she knew that seeing Logan again would be a mistake, part of her wanted to go anyway. Maybe it would offer her some closure, if nothing else.

Plus, Delaney hadn’t yet packed the cream-colored dress that she wore to all formal events. It hung on the back of her bathroom door, waiting for her to fold it neatly and add it to her brimming suitcase. She wasn’t sure why she hadn’t packed it yet, but something had made her leave the dress until the very last minute.

Maybe it was fate.

Delaney’s eye was drawn to the dress again and again as she ate her lunch, then put on her shoes for a brisk neighborhood walk. It caught her eye again when she returned, and she sighed. After tomorrow, she would be in Rome, thousands of miles from Logan. Maybe, just maybe, she could find out what this unveiling was all about, then move on with a clear mind.

Decisively, Delaney stripped off her exercise clothes and headed into the bathroom for a shower. She washed and curled her hair, applied her best subtle makeup, and slipped into the cream-colored dress. After a little hesitation, she added a small jacket against the chill outside and chose a pair of sensible flats. They weren’t her nicest shoes, but she hadn’t packed them yet, and she didn’t want to turn her ankle while pregnant.

In the mirror, Delaney looked every bit the confident art consultant she’d always been. She smiled at her reflection. This was her last night in New York City. She might as well try to make it count.