Chapter 15

Cheyenne shut herself in the studio for three days after Nolan's harassment. She'd seemed to lose control, refusing to see anyone. On the third day, Evan knocked and opened the door. He didn't bring up how Nolan had knelt outside her building until he'd fainted and just stood there with a box of art supplies. "The maple leaves on the outskirts have turned red. Do you want to go see them?" As the car left the city, Cheyenne stared out at the plane trees sliding past in a blur. They didn't stop until they reached a leaf-strewn mountain road, and after Evan parked by a stream, she finally pushed the door open. The crisp autumn air brushed against her skin, the creek splashed lightly against the rocks, and across the water, the maple grove glowed like flames. "Do you want to give it a try?" Evan handed her a pencil and set up an easel facing the stream. Surrounded by the beauty of nature, Cheyenne opened her arms and felt something inside her begin to heal. She didn't notice how lon