Page 28 of The KING Review

“So, come on, tell me. What are we doing here?” I gesture to the empty lot around us.

Grant tips his head to the building behind me, and I turn to look. It seems run down but carefully repaired, and there’s a hand-painted sign on the door.

BIG SHOTS ART SHOW

My brows fly up. “We’re at an art show?”

He steps up behind me, so I can feel the heat of his body permeating the air between us. “Is that all right?” he asks, sounding unsure for a moment.

I glance back at him. “Yes. Of course. I love art shows. It’s Liv’s?”

His smile grows, bringing out his dimples, which are painfully disarming. As if I even need disarming; I’m already disarmed.

“Yeah, she set it up, but it’s actually the artwork of the at-risk kids she works with. They do a lot of murals and stuff around the city. This is a project they’ve been working on for a while.”

“I love that,” I say softly, and I mean it.

Grant’s swallow is audible. “I, uh… Liv’s daughter, Ivy—she’s a little younger than Sera, but they love spending time together. Since Liv’s schedule is more flexible than mine, she takes Sera one day a week when she’s with me, and they go somewhere. Usually it’s art related, or they go to a museum or something.”

Oh, God. That might be the most adorable thing I’ve ever heard.

I risk a glance at Grant, and he’s looking steadfastly forward, like he can’t decide if it was a good idea to give me that part of himself.

“I think that’s really cool. Especially since they’re doing something enriching. She’s lucky that you set that up for her. So is Ivy.”

Grant’s face lights up, and I soak it in. He chuffs a self-effacing laugh. “Enriching,” he echoes. “Yeah. My favorite ‘enrichment’ Liv has inflicted upon Sera might be convincing her to get a little Helen Fisher doll at the museum for International Women’s Day.”

A laugh bursts out of me. “That is incredible.”

Grant laughs as well, and it warms the space between us as we walk into the building. “Apparently, Liv told her that Helen Fisher did a lot of the kind of work I do.”

I guffaw. “Probably the best, kid-friendly explanation you could give her right now. How old is she?”

“Six.” He flashes a smile, but then it falls from his face, and he sucks in a deep breath, as if cleansing himself. “She’s the best.”

I touch his arm. “I’m sorry changeover days suck,” I offer. “That’s what this is supposed to help with. So, how about we check out some cool art and just… play it by ear, yeah?”

He squares his shoulders, trying another smile. It’s genuine, I can tell that much, but it’s thin, nonetheless. He’s struggling, and I really do hope this helps. He nods, stoic. “Right. Sure. Let’s go.”

When we step inside, the lighting is soft; no overheads, just downward spots above each piece, showcasing what’s there as if it’s in a little microcosm of its own.

I don’t know how old the kids here are, but the art is gorgeous. Most of it looks like acrylic, with dozens of different colors, patterns, and layers. It’s like being on the inside of a chaotic explosion of energy.

“These are incredible,” I breathe.

Grant walks closely behind me, and I swear at one point I can feel his hand hovering over my lower back. I want to believe it is.

“They are,” he agrees.

“You’ve seen them before?” I glance at him over my shoulder, and he flashes a totally panty-melting smile. I try not to react, but if Grant King could stop making me want to ride his beard in public, that would be fantastic.

“Yeah. Liv invited me to the opening night. I brought Sera.” He gives a one-shoulder shrug. “The theme was ‘inside your brain,’ and a lot of the kids Liv works with are neurodivergent—Liv herself has ADHD—so she likes working with kids and letting them know it’s not always a weakness.”

“It can be a strength, sometimes,” I murmur, glancing up to him. “I have it, too.”

Grant flashes another smile, knocking his shoulder into mine in a way that feels both affectionate and deeply erotic somehow. I don’t know how he does that. Maybe I’m just horny. Around him, it’s like I’m always horny, and it makes me feel like a bit of an asshole—like, if I were a guy, it would be downright creepy.

“Hey!” A voice from across the space pulls my attention, and I whip around to see Liv, smiling wide and bright—she looks so much like Cade, the genes in that family are uncanny—and her earrings trail all the way down to her collarbones, little strings of rainbow beads that whisper when she moves. “You didn’t say you were coming back out here—and you brought my favorite soon-to-be sister-in-law once-removed.”