His eyes gleam as they meet mine, so solemn a shiver runs down my spine. “I know you will, Wren.”

Never have I seen anyone have so much faith in me. My clients always put some trust in me, yes, but I’ve never felt anything like that. Like there isn’t one doubt in his mind that I will do the right thing for them.

One thing’s for sure: I’ll do whatever it takes not to let him down.

Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8

Aaron

My pen slides against the screen of the tablet in front of me, something so intuitive I could do it with my eyes closed.

I’m at peace for the first time in a while. It’s like my brain has left the building, which is what happens every time I get enthralled with a project. If I’m in the zone, I can spend hours without thinking about a single thing. It’s like the art flows directly from my fingers to the page, not even needing a thought process behind it. There’s no feeling quite like it.

I haven’t been able to create in a while. I’ve answered emails here and there, but sit down and truly focus only on my designs? It feels like it’s been ages. Today, though, I needed to do it. Craig, my boss, has called me a few times in the past days to ask me if I’d gotten started on the primary sketch of the background design for the next game Arcade Games will release. I should’ve told him right then and there I wouldn’t be able to do it because I’m quitting, but I couldn’t make myself do it. It’s too painful to leave a job that makes me happy, no matter how much I need to do it. And I will do it. Just not now. Not when this project has lit me up inside like a firecracker.

I’ve never been an expert in character drawings, but designs of foreign—or not-so-foreign—lands are my thing. The creation team has been having meetings recently about the theme we want to go for, and even though I had to miss the last few, they sent me a list of ideas I needed to work with. Inspiration automatically hit. Ideas have been flowing through my mind for weeks. However, between managing the farm, making sure Callie has everything she needs when Ma is busy, helping out as best I can inside the house, and installing mouse traps inside the cabin, I haven’t had much time on hand.

But today, I arranged all my schedule so I would be able to work on this. I woke up at 4:00 a.m. to make sure I’d be done with what needed to be done on the farm by noon, and I’ve been locked in the office-turned-art-studio since then.

It’s been nothing short of a blessing.