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“I’m sure you will. I just moved here,” Colleen said in an equally cheerful, phony tone.
Without another look back, Colleen headed to the elevator.
When she stepped inside her apartment, it was empty. “Sean?” she called out, but there was no answer. She checked her phone for messages and noticed a missed text a few hours ago:
I’m spending the night at Ana’s. I promise to give you my full attention tomorrow night after your first day at your new job. Good luck.
Colleen tossed her phone back in her purse and walked to the window. She wrapped her arms tight around her waist and focused her attention on the city night skyline. Taking a deep, cleansing breath she took stock of what just happened with Ashley. She’d left California and a cheating boyfriend for a new life in New York. Finn said he wasn’t dating anyone, and she had no reason not to believe him. But Ashley was clearly interested in him. And this fact annoyed her more than she wanted to admit to herself. Girls like Ashley were confident in ways Colleen could never be. It poked at her most vulnerable spot, that old wound that refused to heal.
She ripped her hair tie off and ran a hand through her hair in frustration. There was no point in beating herself up over Ashley and Finn. She moved to New York for a reason. Her new job was her priority, not Finn. Unlike ten years ago, Finn wasn’t going anywhere, and neither was she. Colleen took one more look out the window and headed off to take a shower before going to bed.
CHAPTER 16
COLLEEN
A commute that should’ve taken only twenty minutes, ended up taking over an hour. Colleen used her MetroCard and boarded the correct subway train, but instead of heading north, she took the southbound train. Once she realized her mistake, she had to reverse her trip. She left a message on the gallery’s voicemail, but she hadn’t heard back to confirm the manager received the message.
By the time Colleen arrived at the Grayson Gallery, she was cranky and sweaty. She smoothed her black pencil skirt and tucked the loose tendril of hair falling from her chignon behind her ear.There was nothing she could do but forge forward and hope Kiki Grayson, the gallery manager, would understand.
Colleen approached the glass double doors etched with a stylish, intertwined “GG” script and stepped inside. She was surrounded by rock music coming through the gallery’s speakers.
The gallery was huge, with the ubiquitous white walls and polished concrete floor. Overhead lighting flooded the gallery with bright light, accentuating Jasper Grayson’s large-format abstract paintings. Colleen was familiar with much of his work but wasn’t a fan. He’d worked through many different styles of art, but never settled on any particular one. She believed he was more interested in his celebrity status than his art. But she’d have to put her personal opinions aside, because she was here to begin a new career selling his art.
“Hello?” she called out over the music. “Hello?” she said in a louder voice. Someone must be here, but she didn’t want to snoop around.
“Hi,” said a tall, lanky guy shoving his hands through his shoulder-length hair. He wore low-slung, torn jeans and a vintage Ramones T-shirt. Tattoo sleeves covered each arm and his nose was pierced with a stainless-steel ring.
“Hi. I’m Colleen Murphy. I’m late, but I’m here to meet Kiki Grayson.”
“Hey, Kiki. Colleen Murphy is here,” he said over his shoulder. “I’m Tick,” he said, moving closer to her with a mischievous smile.
“Like the insect?”
“Ticks are actually arachnids,” he said in mild annoyance.
“My mistake.” She shook his hand.
“Kiki? Where the hell are you?” he shouted out.
The music stopped abruptly, and Tick’s voice echoed in the gallery.
“You don’t have to yell.” A tall, skinny blonde with a severe, short haircut wearing a black leather mini skirt, black turtleneck, and knee-high boots came from a room in the back. “You’re late,” she said, her voice calm but underlaid with a stern reprimand.
“I’m so sorry,” Colleen said, fidgeting with an earring, embarrassed she made such a big misstep on her first day. “Rookie mistake. I took the right subway line but got on the wrong train. Didn’t you get my message?”
Ignoring the question, Kiki shook hands with Colleen. “Don’t let it happen again.”
“I won’t. I promise.”
“Thank you, Tick, for coming in today. My father will be flattered you’re interested in buying his paintings.
“You’re kicking me out? I thought we were going to lunch?”
“Let’s have dinner instead,” Kiki said coolly. “I have to get Colleen oriented.”
“Okay. I’ll send a car to pick you up.”
“That’s fine,” Kiki said with a dismissive wave of her hand.
