Page 48 of For the Love of Art

It was a familiar voice. One I had hoped to never hear again after the grand opening.

My heart pounded as my eyes slowly caught the vivid green of my estranged husband’s irises.

“Don.”

His eyebrows were raised in surprise. “I didn’t expect to see you.”

“Same. But with you, I mean….”

My cheeks heated.

“I have a meeting with Nathan.” Don held up his leather folio. “Your… boss?”

The way he said boss left me feeling like he didn’t like the idea of the notorious bachelor being so close to me.

“He is.”

Don nodded, still seemingly unsettled by the idea.

“When did you get a meeting with him?”

“A few weeks ago. I met him when he opened this place. I got to chat with him, and well–” He shrugged. “He liked my marketing ideas.”

“Don!” Nathan’s voice boomed through the gallery. “Good to see you again.”

I sat frozen.

“Good to see you again, Nathan.”

The two men shook hands firmly.

“Come on back to my office.”

Nathan smiled at me before turning and heading back the way he came. Don followed but stopped just behind my chair. He leaned closer, and I could smell his Old Spice.

“This place looks good on you, Isla,” he whispered, his breath blowing my hair slightly.

His voice, his smell, and his breath sent a shiver down my spine. Tears stung the back of my eyes as the sound of his dress shoes on the marble floor echoed through the gallery, slowly fading to nothing.

I was catatonic until Dori arrived. Barely acknowledging her, I gathered my things and went to my office but left the door open so I could see when Don left. As soon as I saw him stride through the gallery, I bolted for Nathan's office.

I didn’t knock; I just opened the door.

“What the hell?”

Nathan looked perplexed, which made sense since I gave no context to my exclamation.

“What?”

“Do you know who that is?”

“Donald Watts, a marketing executive from Holden and Grey Enterprises.”

“Watts. Watts!”

“Yes, that's his last name.”

“And mine!”