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“And I thought this might be the right audience, but I want you to help me scope them out. These are the biggest donors in the city. What if this was the base for my first exhibit? I could use someone to help me compile a list of the couples who are art aficionados.”
“I think it sounds perfect, Aubrey. You should do it. No matter what I think of the crowd. I’m not really good at reading people and art.”
She grabbed my arm. I’d never seen her this excited. “Honestly, I was hoping you’d help me with more than that. I want you to help me organize the entire thing. I want the event to launch an actual studio. And I think there’s a real advantage to you being younger. Not that much younger.” She laughed. “But maybe a little more social media savvy than I am. You could run my marketing campaign and get some interest going for me while I focus on the art and securing a location.”
I stared at her. I was speechless.
“You hate it.” Her eyes darted back and forth. “You think it’s terrible.”
“No. No. I don’t hate it all. It’s a wonderful idea.”
“Ok. So you want to do this with me? Open a gallery?”
Shit. Why was tonight the night she decided to confide in me about her goals? It was going to make the dagger wedge in that much deeper.
“Sure. Of course I would.”
She sighed. “I was worried you would think it was crazy. Or that I was being less supportive of Paul.”
“God no. Why would I think that? He has a career. You deserve to have one too. You’ve been putting things on hold so you could get settled in Paris, but now it’s your turn. You should do this, Aubrey.”
“Thank you. I think this calls for more champagne. We need to celebrate our partnership.” She waved the waiter back and handed me a full glass. “To art and friendship.” She raised the glass in the air.
“To art and friendship,” I echoed. The hollowness of the toast rattled under my heart. After tonight, she’d never consider me a friend.
It took a few more minutes before I could make my way to Vaughn. I bowed out from a trip to the ladies’ room with Aubrey. She left without me and I headed straight for my Paris husband. He and Paul were locked in a circle of men, discussing fine cigars. I waited on the perimeter for him to break away.
“What is it?” He led me to a corner of the room, nodding toward the men he would be back.
I carried the train of my gown over my arm so it was easier to walk. “Aubrey wants me to help her open an art gallery.”
“Ok?”
I sighed. “I just want to go. Do we really have to wait?” He wasn’t sympathetic.
“Why don’t you bid on something?” he suggested. “Walk around and look at how insanely expensive everything is.” He winked.
My fingers twitched. My throat was dry, despite the champagne. It was hard to believe that we were leaving Paris tonight. Fleeing from the gala.
“You’re so calm,” I whispered.
He tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. I looked into the piercing center of his eyes. They should have steadied me. Held me, but I was terrified. Petrified beyond a place where reassurances from Vaughn could put me back together.
“You’ve got this, babe. We’ve got this.” He tilted my chin. “Just a few more hours.”
I nodded. “I just keep thinking our timing might be off.”
He looked over his shoulder. “We aren’t going to discuss it here. You have to trust all the work we’ve done. Trust me. Trust yourself.”
“I feel like I’m floating outside of my body. I don’t know if I can keep it together.”
“You can,” he pressed.
Aubrey was headed toward us. She had returned from the powder room. There was a big smile on her face. She had reapplied the plum lipstick that matched her dress.
“Kate, there’s someone I want you to meet. Let me introduce you to our realtor. I just spotted her in the parlor.”
It was then that she stepped to the side and I saw Eloise.
