AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He knows. He always seems to know. He inches back, his navy blue eyes meeting mine, and for just a moment, I see what he never allows me to see: Vulnerability. And that is progress. That is one step closer to him being as exposed as he’s made me.
…
By the time I reach the gallery, I’m leaning toward includingAn Eye for an Eyein the L.A. show. Excited about my choice, I chitchat with Sara, then settle into my new office with a cup of coffee beside me. And then I do it. I pull up the forms for my submissions and type in my selections, but I can’t seem to get myself to push send. Sara appears in my office and claims the seat in front of me, setting a photo on the desk. “What do you think of this painting?”
I study the waterfront beach scene and smirk. “Average.”
She sighs. “My thoughts, too. The artist is quite lovely, but she just isn’t ready for the big league. I dread telling her we won’t be selecting her work. Anyway. On to brighter topics. Have you thought about painting the office?”
“Yes. I’m excited to start, but it’s going to have to be next week. I need to take care of the management side of the winery. I’ll be gone Friday to Sunday and back Monday. But can I ask your opinion on something?”
“Of course.”
“I made it into the L.A. Art Forum.”
“Oh, wow. That’s a big deal. Congratulations, Faith.”
“Thank you. I need to pick all my pieces and submit them this week.”
“And you’re having trouble picking?”
“Yes and no. See, they picked me after they saw my work at the show you guys set me up with. That show had my classic work. The definition of who I’ve been publicly as an artist. But I want to include something different and daring for me. But should I? Or should I stick to safe over daring?”
“Safe is average,” Chris says, stepping into the doorway. “Decide if you want to be average, and you have your answer.” He disappears into the hallway.
Sara lifts a hand. “There you go. Your answer.”
“Well, the thrust is that I’m not feeling like playing it safe or being average. As proof, I’m not only here instead of at the winery, but I agreed to move in with Nick.”
“You did? Wow. Yay! That’s huge.”
“It is, and it was also an easy decision thanks to you.”
“Me?”
“Yes. You. You said:What if there is no tomorrow?Those are my new words to live or die by.”
She smiles and stands up, exiting the office. I pull up the Forum paperwork in my email and fill it all out. I enterAn Eye for an Eyeas my final piece. I then text Nick:I did it. My entry for the Forum is complete.
He surprises me by texting back a picture ofAn Eye for an Eyethat I didn’t know he’d taken:Did this masterpiece make the cut?
I smile and type:Yes. It did, and why do you have that picture?
His reply is instant:Reminding myself to be the same kind of badass you are today.
I smile, warmed inside and out by this man in ways I didn’t know I could feel warm. As for being a badass, Nick is the ultimate badass, while Macom is the ultimate asshole. I try not to think about how that might look when the two meet. Because they will meet, no matter what painting I place in that show. And they will clash, no matter how I try to stop them. And I’m not sure Nick is capable of war and peace. I’m pretty sure it’s all war to him.
And Macom aside, God, it’s sexy.
…
Our Thursday morning court date has arrived, and I’m a nervous wreck. I can’t paint, and I’m done with my show pieces, so I work out with Nick, and even a hard run doesn’t calm me down. Nick’s attempts at distracting me in the shower are completely effective, but the minute we’re dressed, my nerves are back. He dresses in a navy blue suit, and I pick a blue-and-silver tie to match and then help him knot it. My dress is black, with a tapered waist and flared skirt. My shoes, classic pumps. I have no idea why I picked black when funeral black is the last thing I need to be wearing today, but it’s too late. It’s what I have.
“Let’s go on to Sonoma when we’re done today,” Nick says, leaning on the doorframe.
“I thought we were going to wait until tomorrow. What if something goes wrong today?”
“It won’t. It’s going to go well. And rather than flying, we’ll drive. It’s not far, and we’ll have the BMW when we’re there.”
