My eyebrows raise in question as I try to process the news. Don’t really know who those people are, but by the way he enthuses about them, I bet they’re big in the plant industry.

“I have to give them a presentation of all my work. Every bit of research. A body of evidence. Everything I have that could convince them to work with me.”

My body relaxes, finally understanding what he’s been doing the whole time he was away. Working on something that could change his life in the best way possible.

“You should’ve told me,” I sigh. “I would’ve been more understanding.”

“I wanted it to be a surprise. I wasn’t sure if I could finish it in two weeks, so I thought keeping it secret was the best option.” Elias shrugs, watching me carefully.

I nod my head in agreement. He’s right. I wouldn’t have thought less of him if he’d failed to get the presentation done, but he would’ve felt like he’d disappointed me somehow. Even though that could never be true.

“Do your parents know?”

“Nah,” he grimaces, “I’ve avoided their calls. Couldn’t get the image of them crying out of my head.”

His expression mirrors how bad he feels. He loved his sister so much and he did his best when it came to being part of her life. Olivia loved him, too. Couldn’t stop talking about what a smart brother she had and how lucky she was.

“You should go talk to them. Or at least see them,” I suggest, lowering my tone.

“After the meeting, I will.”

His gaze flicks behind me, meeting the sketches I’ve been working on the last three days, all scattered on the kitchen table, along with the meal I was eating before he arrived.

They’re not my best, but they’re definitely more than I’ve done in the past few years. When his eyes linger for too long, I lower mine and tug at my T-shirt.

He bypasses me, walking in slow, deliberate steps. Elias grabs them one by one, making sure to analyze every detail until I feel like my soul is standing naked in front of him. Quite intimidating and satisfying at the same time.

“Holy…” he whispers, shuffling through them once more. “These are incredible, Indigo.”

I shrug, scratching the back of my neck. The movement lifts the shirt a little over my thighs, but he’s too caught up to notice.

“Holy shit. I can’t stop staring at them.”

Elias lays them all on the countertop, taking another close look. He’s seen how I paint, but never how I sketch. My sketches are so different. They don’t have a person or objects as a subject, they’re filled with emotions, nothing certain. Just swipes of my pencil, reflecting how I felt in that respective moment.