Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 74467 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 372(@200wpm)___ 298(@250wpm)___ 248(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 74467 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 372(@200wpm)___ 298(@250wpm)___ 248(@300wpm)
She could watch people all day. It was one of her favorite things to do. Often, she’d make up stories about the people who would pass by her. Sometimes lavish. Sometimes not. In those stories, she tried to twist the outcome to give them a happy ending. In every story she created, there was always love and happiness. She believed those two things were all someone needed in life.
Fortunately, people watching and painting went hand in hand for her, which was why she loved working at the beach. With another glance at Kiel and his mom, an idea struck. She went back to her stool and sat behind her easel. From her vantage point, she could see the beach and the beauty it offered.
Eloise had a blank canvas that needed life, and she had just the idea. Her keen eyes absorbed the scene in front of her—the cerulean sea stretching to meet the vast sky, the waves dancing around the surfers and swimmers, and the seagulls and osprey—both hunters, vying for food.
But it was the Collier family that would be the subject of her project today.
She sat down on her stool, grabbed her palette, and opened the bag that held her paint. She could only bring an assortment, leaving most of it at her place. Eloise started with the landscape. She captured the ocean, the cliffs, and the mansions. Her paintbrush glided across the canvas, coating the fabric in rich colors, while the birds sang, people chatted, and the breeze reminded her why she was there.
As Eloise painted, she lost herself in the rhythm of her craft. Each stroke reflected the emotions that surged within her. Family. Love. Memories. Her heart, heavy with thoughts and dreams, found solace in the simplicity of the people she added. The beach was their happy place. People came here to soak in nature in its truest form. To give their children joy. To fall in love.
Time seemed to stand still as Eloise continued to paint. The sun peaked above, casting a warm glow over the beach. She adjusted her focus to the shoreline, where Kiel and his family were. They were now her focus. Eloise kept one eye on them, the other on her canvas.
She sat back and studied her painting. The sun shining brightly in a cloudless sky, casting the perfect red, orange, yellowish glow down onto the people who basked in its glory. Eloise spotted the sandcastle she had painted, the young child who had built it added a flag, and now her painting had one.
But it was Kiel and his mother who were the focus of her painting, standing there with waves washing over their feet, holding hands. That moment was far too precious for her to miss.
With her painting done, she packed her things and sent a text to Kiel, letting him know she had to run to the gallery and for him to text her when he was ready to meet. She scootered to her aunt’s store and rushed inside, eager to show her the painting. For the first time in what felt like forever, Eloise loved her creation.
Once inside, she set it on an easel and waited for Margaux. Eloise studied it, questioning where she could add more or where she added too much.
“Wow,” Margaux said from behind Eloise. She turned and looked at her aunt, whose mouth had dropped. “Wow,” she said again. “Where have you been hiding this?”
“I just did it.”
“Finished?”
Eloise shook her head. “No, like I just painted it. I don’t know what came over me, but I was down at the beach and it’s like the most perfect day. There were so many people, but these two stood out.” She pointed to Kiel and his mother. “They spoke to me.”
“I love it, Eloise.”
“Do you think it’s worthy of the showcase?”
Margaux nodded. “I do, but now that I’ve seen this, I know you can step things up.”
Eloise smiled. “I think so as well.”
twelve
Spending the day at the beach was exactly what the Collier family needed. They laughed, napped, ate lobster rolls from the snack shack, played in the sand as if they were kids again, and sat on blankets spread out in the sand, four wide.
It surprised Kiel to find a text from Eloise when he and his family started packing their stuff for the day. There had been a few times during the day when he thought he'd get to go visit her or she'd walk to him. And when she hadn't, he was relieved in a way. He didn't want his sisters or family involved with whatever he and Eloise had going on. He liked his privacy, and while it wasn't a secret, he wasn't chomping at the bit to introduce her to his parents.
After they arrived home, Kiel told his family he had plans. He made the unfortunate mistake of looking at Ciara who made childish kissy faces behind everyone’s backs. He showered and then set out on foot to the gallery. He hated not having his own car and seriously considered going back and renting the Wrangler for the duration of his stay. The problem with that was, the Jeep was pricey. Way more than he'd ever want to spend on a vehicle and way more than he could afford. Besides, Seaport was small and walkable. The sidewalks were well maintained, most of the cars stopped for pedestrians, and there was the beauty of the old homes he passed as he made his way to the shop. He would have to ask Eloise about them later, mostly the ones with the placards on them. Who did the houses belong to? Were they famous historical figures he would've learned about in school?