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Monroe straightened. ‘I’m not asking favours from one of Linc’s friends.’
‘Oh, don’t get your knickers in a twist.’ Ali waved her hand impatiently. ‘I know how important pride is to you. But it’s misplaced here. Carole’s a tough lady and she has one of the best and most influential independent galleries in New York. She’s not going to agree to exhibit anything unless she thinks it’s outstanding. The question here is, do you have the guts to try? Or are you going to spend the rest of your life hiding behind your insecurities?’
Annoyed and embarrassed at one and the same time, Monroe had to force himself not to pout. ‘We’re getting off the point here. I want to know where Jessie is. I didn’t come here to get a lecture about my insecurities.’
‘Well, tough, you happen to need one.’ Ali’s face lit up, as if she had been struck by divine inspiration. Then her eyes narrowed and she gave Monroe a
look that he could only describe as sneaky. ‘I tell you what, Monroe. These are my terms. You call Carole and get her to have a look at your work. Whatever she says, once she’s seen it I’ll let you know where Jessie is.’
Monroe blinked in astonishment. ‘You’re not serious?’
‘Yes, I am,’ came the sharp, no-nonsense retort. ‘And another thing.’
‘I don’t want to hear this,’ he muttered.
‘Well, that’s a shame, because you’re going to. I think it’s about time you started making something of your life, Monroe. You were forced to cope with some terrible things in your childhood and your adolescence. But I think you’ve spent enough time running away from them, don’t you?’
He didn’t bother to answer the rhetorical question, just fumed in stony silence.
‘You’re thirty-two years old.’ Ali’s voice was firm. ‘And in about seven and a half months’ time you’re going to be a father to boot. When you see Jessie again, you’ll need to offer her a bit more than a grovelling apology and a declaration of undying love.’
‘Who said I was going to grovel?’ His angry words were answered with a disdainful look.
‘You’ll need to show Jessie that you’ve changed. That you’ve got something to offer her and the baby. That you’re running towards something now.’
‘But what if this woman hates my stuff?’ He snarled the words, but even he could hear the insecurity behind them.
‘Do you think your work is any good, Monroe?’
He shrugged. ‘I mostly get what I aim for.’
‘Then that’s all the answer you need, isn’t it?’
Monroe was furious. He’d been cornered, but he could see from the determination in Ali’s face that he wasn’t going to be able to charm or bluff his way out of this one.
‘Hell, okay, I’ll call this Carole Jackson today. But whatever she says you’ll tell me where Jessie is, right?’
‘Of course I will. A deal’s a deal.’
After watching her brother-in-law stalk out of the room, Ali walked over to the crib. Leaning down, she stroked an unsteady hand down her newborn son’s downy cheek.
‘I hope your auntie doesn’t kill me for this, when your uncle turns up on her doorstep.’
CHAPTER TWENTY
JESSIE stepped out of the glass-fronted art gallery onto the bustling Prince Street sidewalk. She’d done it. She’d got the job. She should be overjoyed.
The assistant sales position was low-paying but Cullen’s was a well-respected Manhattan gallery and the job had prospects with a capital P.
This was the sort of opportunity she wouldn’t even have dreamt of when she’d left London to join Ali and her family in the Hamptons.
She ducked into the tiny coffee shop to get out of the sweltering hustle and bustle of lunchtime SoHo, ordered a herbal tea at the counter and then sat down at the only available booth. She needed to get in touch with Ali, who had been leaving messages demanding that she call her for the last few days. But she dumped her bag on the table and left the phone inside. Staring blankly out at the busy street through the café window, she absently rested her hand on her still-flat belly. She took the peppermint teabag out of the earthenware mug and sipped the steamy brew.
The joy wouldn’t come.
Had Monroe destroyed this for her, too?
She couldn’t stop the anger, the resentment and misery from welling up inside her. With this new job, she was beginning the brilliant career she had always dreamed of. But after what had happened with Monroe, she wondered how long it would be before she’d find joy in anything again.
