Epilogue
Sadie, in the boardroom of Murphy International, couldn’t take the huge smile off her face. She was in love, carrying her man’s child, she’d had amazing sex this morning—and last night—and she’d never been happier in her life.
And now she got to tell Keely and Joa that not only did she think their painting was by Homer—the results of the paint analysis informed her that the paints used on the canvas were consistent with paints used in the mid-nineteenth century and also with Homer’s preferences—but that there were another two paintings in the series.
Where were they? She couldn’t wait to start tracking them down...she was damn good at her job.
As she’d proved when she finally tracked down the artist of the massive painting in Carrick’s—no, their bedroom. Between researching the Homer paintings, she’d flipped through countless databases of unattributed works and finally found a similar canvas in a private collection in Dubai, a collection she’d had the privilege of viewing, via Hassan’s father, years ago.
The painting was by Joshua Reynolds, who was better known for portraits than for landscapes.
Yeah, let’s be honest, she rocked at tracking down provenance and attributions.
She was nearly as good at that as she was at loving Carrick Murphy...
Sadie stood behind Carrick, needing to feel his heat, his presence, their connection. Looking down at him, she smiled. She was so lucky to have him in her life; their child was blessed to have him as their father...
Carrick looked up as his hand covered the hand on his shoulder. “Are you okay, sweetheart?”
Sadie nodded, suddenly emotional. “Very okay.”
“You’re not going to faint again, are you?”
She grinned since he often teased her about falling at his feet. “Not right now.”
Carrick lifted his arm to encircle her waist. “Not very professional, Mr. Murphy,” Sadie murmured.
“I can’t tell you how little I care,” Carrick replied.
“Jeez, not only do I have to watch Levi and Tanna’s public displays of affection, I now have to watch you two, as well?” Ronan complained as he walked into the room. “Unhand your fiancée, brother, we have work to do.”
Sadie looked down at her engagement ring—sapphires and diamonds—and grinned. She was Carrick’s fiancée and would, when they finally decided on whether to get married before or after their baby’s birth, be his wife. She couldn’t wait.
But Ronan was right; they had work to do, so she stepped away from Carrick and smiled at Keely and Joa. “I have good news and better news. The good news is that I’m convinced your painting is a Homer.”
Joa’s eyes immediately darted to Ronan, and they exchanged a look full of heat and a healthy dose of confusion. Sadie looked at Carrick and raised her eyebrows. He winked at her, telling her that he also noticed the sparks flying between his brother and his nanny.
Keely clapped her hands in glee. “Take that, Wilfred.” She looked at Carrick. “Wilfred was convinced it was a fake. I can’t wait to tell him he was wrong, wrong, wrong.”
Sadie had heard that the estate was wound up, so why were Keely and her lawyer still talking? Especially since they seemed to rub each other the wrong way. And why did she call him Wilfred when everyone else called him Dare?
Anyway, back to business.
“The better news is that I think it’s one of a series. There are two more paintings out there. The one you own might be copies of the originals.”
Joa leaned forward. “If we own one original, where are the other two?”
Sadie lifted her hands. “Good question. Somebody needs to track them down.”
Joa glanced at Keely before a beautiful smile crossed her face and brightened her eyes. “Can we hire you to do that?”
Sadie grinned, and mentally punched the air. She’d wanted to suggest that the Mounton-Matthews heirs do exactly that, but she hadn’t wanted to sound too pushy. Of course, if they hadn’t asked, she would’ve offered.
“Of course I will. I’m not walking away now.” Sadie looked across the table to Carrick, who was watching her with a lazy, sexy, possessive look on his face. She tipped her head to one side and gently rested her hand on her slightly rounded stomach. “I’m not ever walking away again.”
Carrick smiled at her. “Good to know. Not that I’d let you but still...good to know. Now come here and kiss me.”
Ronan released a long, heartfelt groan. “Oh, for the love of God, enough already!”