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Tonight.
Before I lost my nerve, I escaped the Cove Room and dropped the iPad into the charging rack. I pulled out my purse from under the desk and ran into Jax again on the way.
“Where’s the fire, Grace?” He folded his arms. “Actually, looks like the fire has already been put out.”
“Jax.”
He lifted one finger off his forearm. “Hair is a bit wilder, cheeks flushed, and there’s a whole lot less stress in those shoulders.”
“Shut up, Jax.”
He laughed. “I’m jealous. And if it was the same guy who just glowered at me on the way by not five minutes ago, then I’m thinking you need to go for another round. He’s still wound up.”
I blew out an exasperated breath. “We are definitely not discussing this. Where’s Linda?”
He grinned. “In recovery.”
“Oh God. You didn’t.”
He threw his head back, his chuckle throaty and delighted. “Not that kind of recovery.”
“Never know with you.” I flipped my keys around my fingers and into my palm. “I’ll be right back.”
“Where are you going?”
I turned around at the door, pushing it open with my butt. “To go get my future.”
Seven
Getting a three-foot glass and copper sculpture into my little car required a lot of bubble wrap, blankets, and muscle.
The ride out to my grandmother’s house, time to change and clean up—holy hurricane hair—as well as loading my precious cargo for movement took a lot more time than I’d thought. By the time I got back to the gallery, I had twenty-five minutes to get her set up.
Phil was fluttering again. Her mouth was flapping as much as her arms now. While I’d been gone, she’d rearranged one of the rooms completely.
I rolled my eyes and hoped Linda would remember to update the gallery program. Doing the commissions would be a bitch otherwise.
I grabbed a hand truck and went back to my car, snagging one of the half dozen interns on my way out the door. The two of us got it out of my car without mishap and into the Cove Room.
Phil rushed in as we were tearing off the bubble wrap. She pushed the intern away. “Go help Linda.”
“Yes, Mrs. Stanwick.” The girl gave me a finger-wave and bolted.
“Thanks,” I called after her.
“No problem,” she said over her shoulder.
“Oh, Grace. When you said different, you weren’t kidding. This is gorgeous.”
“Yeah?” I wrapped one arm around my middle again, the other resting on my forearm so I could nibble on my thumb. We were well beyond butterflies in my belly at this point. I was pretty sure I was going to fly apart.
Phil slapped my hand away from my mouth. “Stop that. Yes. It’s stupendous.” She glanced down at my bright indigo dress. “You look better in color.”
“You like us in black.”
“Well, now you’re an artist, so I’m glad you went with color.”
I clasped my hands together or I was going to gnaw what was left of my thumbnail off. “I’m still working the show.”
