Rose Petal Promises

Chapter 1

Elaine's Pov...

A lot has changed in my life. I now own a gallery.

The White Rose Gallery.

I sell my own paintings. Life has been good for me. I make a lot of money. From painting different roses and having Rosebud classes. I am content.

The Rosebud classes are for young aspiring painters and just my way of giving back and I love children.

I haven't seen my family in more than two years now. Ever since my father teamed up with the MacRoys. I kept my distance. I know Kade and I shared a kiss. Or he kissed me. Whatever but that was it. We still went back to not knowing each other as always and Seth. I ignored him too, because I felt like he knew about all of this. He set me up.

I do not need any of them anyway, but here we are. I am happy with my life.

As we speak, I am in talks with an investor to open up another gallery in another location. Who knew I could be such a success?

My investor is very busy. He sends his assistant. I do not mind. As long as he writes the zeros on that cheque, I am good.

I leave my gallery and head to the cafe across the street from my gallery to meet Liz. She is the assistant.

Call me paranoid, but lately I have been seeing a black maybach following me. Everywhere and every day. Who would follow me and why? I mean, I know for a fact that I am not that famous. I sell at least 50 paintings a week.

But my paintings are affordable for everyone.

What made me notice this is because whenever I have to meet with Liz. The black maybach shows up more often. Is it just coincidence or just me being paranoid?

Liz is already sitting at a table by the window drinking her coffee. I hate caffeine. I guess my mother programmed that in me.

I entered the almost empty cafe. The morning rush is gone. Great.

I headed to Liz's table.

"Morning," I said and took a seat opposite her.

"Morning, boss. I came with a little more paperwork for you to sign." I groaned, as she said that.

"Liz, this is too much paperwork." I said to her with a sigh.

"I know, but this is the last set. I promise. I mean this needs to be signed before construction can start." She said that about the last paperwork too.

"You said the same thing last time," I said, whining.

She smiles sweetly. "How about I take you out for drinks to celebrate your success?"

"Liz, I don't have a dollar to spare between the new gallery and Rosebuds," I said to her. I could ask my parents, but I want to make it on my own without them. I wanted to be associated with them, then my gallery would have been The Dean gallery. That is not happening in this lifetime.

"I'll pay with the ever so generous money of my boss." She says, keeping her sweet smile. I let out a laugh.

"I don't think he is that generous." I say, being honest.

"You would be surprised then." She says to me and hands me the paperwork. "Are you going to other anything aside from a muffin?" She asks me, sounding annoyed. That is my go to order. They do not have the best beverages, but their muffins are to die for. I guess you cannot have it all.

"You are such a buzzkill. Please do not bring the same energy tonight. Leave it at home." She says to me and sips her coffee. Which I'm sure is cold now.

"Okay. Where are we going anyway?" I had to ask at some point.

"It is a surprise and there is someone that I want you to meet and who is excited to meet you." She says and her smile grows wider.

"Please don't say you want to hock me up?" I said to her and I could feel this is where this is all going.

"No, I am not hocking you up. My boyfriend is jealous of who I see all the time. He wants to meet you. He will have a drink with us and he has to head out to Chicago. He has a client meeting there." She explains and the smile is still on her face.

"How long have you been with each other?" I ask her suddenly curious.

"Since I started dating, he is the only guy I have kissed or fucked." She says with a shrug. That must be nice.

"High school sweethearts." I say not holding back my smile.

"Yeah. I like him. He gets me." She says, finishing her coffee.

"You mean love him?" I ask her just for clarification. She rolls her eyes at me.

"Yeah, genuis. I love him. You need to like them even when you don't love a person, and love them even when you don't like them, or some s**t like that. My mother always said that about my father." She says and goes to her purse and takes out 20 dollars.

"You and your father don't speak much?" I asked her, as I could sense the tension as she spoke about him.

"He is a liar and a cheat. What is there to talk about?" She says and she applies her lipstick and checks herself in her small purse mirror.

I think it is best I leave the topic before it gets more heated.

"El, sign the papers so I can travel across town and hand them over." She says to me as she hands me the black pen. I take the pen and sign the papers without reading them before handing them over to Liz.

"Pleasure doing business with you, Miss Dean." She says and then she is gone. I guess talking about her father is a deal breaker.

I tend to find people's dealbreakers.