“I’ll give you seventy-five grand for it!” someone shouted.
“I’ll give you free fries for life if you hang it at Ernie’s,” Ernie called.
“It’s not for sale,” Noelle said loudly, her tone brooking no argument.
Miriam and Noelle stared silently at each other for several beats, everyone else in the room disappearing from Miriam’s awareness.
“Hey, we’re still here to buy a painting!” one of the Old Ladies reminded them.
Noelle gave a tiny nod that Miriam couldn’t interpret, then mouthed, “Later.”
Miriam had done everything she could do for her love life. Now, she had to save her home.
She brought up the painting for auction and gave a brief overview, including some history of her inspiration while working.
The crowd cheered. “The bidding will start at thirty thousand dollars.”
Miriam was nervous about whether or not anyone on Earth would want to pay $30,000 for one of her paintings, but she had to trust how much these old families loved this place, how far they would go for Cass’s niece.
The bidding started flying, and Miriam suddenly wished her mother hadn’t left her alone at the microphone. Hannah mouthed “breathe” to her, as paddles, and the price, went up and up andup. The scene in front of her was surreal, with the greenery and the glitter, the twinkling lights like tiny stars stretching the barn out into a galaxy. Everything was under a soft-focus lens, and time seemed to freeze.
Esther and Joshua ended up in a bidding war with the president of the bank, Mr. Rodriguez, who had decided that if he could not save the farm at work, he was going to do so with his own money. Miriam shook her head the tiniest fraction at the twins, and they drove it to where they thought the president might break before bowing out.
“Sold! To Mr. Rodriguez for $232,500!” Ziva exclaimed triumphantly.
They were going to save Carrigan’s.
With the funds from the online auction, and the GoFundMe when it was released, they might even be able to pay off the mortgage Cass had taken out. They could start their new vision with a clean slate.
But it wasn’t over yet.
She walked into the celebrating crowd. Cole and Hannah surged forward to catch her up in a giant, ecstatic hug.
Hannah was sobbing, laughing, and screaming, over and over, “It’s ours! We did it! It’s ours!”
Someone snapped a photo that Miriam knew she would keep all her life, of her and Hannah holding each other and smiling as hard as they had ever smiled.
She labeled it:The Heirs of Cassiopeia.
Hannah kissed her cheek and whispered, “You saved the farm, Miri. Now go get her.”
Miriam looked up to find Noelle watching them, standing still in a crowd of people going wild. She raised an eyebrow at Miriam, a little corner of her mouth turning up. Miriam took a deep breath, threw her shoulders back, and walked to her fate.
Chapter 25
Noelle
Noelle watched Miriam walk toward her and wondered when she’d become able to read every line of Miriam’s body to divine her real feelings. Even from across the room, Noelle could tell—by the tilt of her chin, the set of her shoulders—that Miriam Blum was nervous. She hated that she’d put this uncertainty between them. Noelle wanted to be the person Miriam most trusted, to always be gentle with her heart, but she hadn’t proven she could be.
She would, if she got another chance. She would prove it every day forever, if she was lucky enough for this magnetic, talented, fascinating, brave elf to forgive her.
And then Miriam was in front of her, holding her hands out, looking up with those huge sad eyes. All Noelle could think to say, suddenly, was “You painted for me.”
“I did.” Miriam nodded.
“You didn’t have to do that.”
Miriam just nodded again. “Yes, I did.”