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He grinned. “Notnecessarily.”
She tried to hide her burning cheeks by brushing imaginary dust off her pants. “My coffee’s back on the desk, so you’re safe from that atleast.”
“I’d be lying if I didn’t say I was relieved,” hesaid.
Feeling more composed now that she was on her feet, she dared to look athim.
He wore jeans that showcased his muscular thighs, and a T-shirt peeked out from under his jacket. His feet were clad in dirty, well-wornboots.
He was as beautiful — and as young — as sheremembered.
“Can I help you with something?” she asked. “It’s my first day, but I’ll do mybest."
“Are you working here?” Liam asked. “It’s Nina,right?”
She nodded, surprised he remembered her name. She was almost positive she saw genuine interest in his eyes, but it might have been wishful thinking. Not that she was wishful about such a gorgeous — and young, so young —man.
“I am,” she said. “Just part-time for nowthough.”
“Good for Moni,” hesaid.
“You knowEdmonia?”
He nodded. “We’ve been friends for years. She’s been looking for someone to help out here, but she’s…selective.”
Nina smiled. “I got that impression, although knowing how to make a cup of coffee doesn’t seem like a highbar.”
“Ah,” he rocked on his heels, “she gave you the kids-these-days-don’t-know-how-to-make-coffeespiel.”
Nina pretended to be offended. “And here I thought that was just forme.”
He laughed. “Hardly. She should copyright it at thispoint.”
The conversation that had been flowing so well, so naturally, suddenly stalled. A long moment of silence settled between them, Liam’s eyes on hers, before she remembered she was supposed to beworking.
“You never said if I could help you with something,” shesaid.
He straightened and looked around, like he’d been somewhere else and had just brought himself back to the present. “Not really. I drop in every now and then to see who she’sshowing.”
He wandered over to the white wall, now populated with a handful of photographs by JanetWexler.
“These are nice,” he murmured. “Rich, a lot of movement andenergy.”
She stood next to him. “I thought so too. In fact, that’s what brought me into the gallery in the firstplace.”
He looked down at her. “You saw one in thewindow?”
She nodded. “I’m new in town. I came in for a closer look and ended up with ajob.”
“Sounds like it was meant to be,” hesaid.
She met his eyes. “It felt thatway.”
He pulled his gaze away from hers and returned his attention to the wall, taking in the arrangement of photographs. “These look good. Moni’s always had a great eye forcuration.”
“How do you know her?” Ninaasked.
“She’s the one who shows my work — when I show it, which isn’toften.”
