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For his part Max had tried to dress more like a Whiskey River resident. He’d put on a pair of faded jeans and western-style shirt and his Kelly Boots. So far, he wasn’t sure that his casual dress was making him more approachable.
“Hiya, Tex.”
He glanced over to see the amused expression on Sox’s face as she took in his getup. The young graffiti artist seemed to have a smaller chip on her shoulder lately and to Max’s eyes seemed lighter.
“Hello. Does it seem like I’m trying too hard?” he asked.
“A smidge. Thanks for helping out with my mom. The insurance you put me on to had open enrollment. Honestly just getting health coverage for our family is the best Christmas present.”
He nodded, thinking how a few phone calls to the right people had been all it took to solve one of Sox’s biggest worries. He was happy to do it for her and for the first time she actually looked a bit more like a teenager. “No problem. I wanted to invite you to come to my mansion next week for a cocktail party with some art gallery owners and investors. Reg and I have been showing some photos of your work in LA and they are excited to meet you.”
“Uh, I’m not sure I’m a cocktail party kind of gal,” Sox said.
“You just be you. The cocktail party is for them so they’ll invest in you,” he said.
“Thanks, but that’s really not my kind of thing.”
He crossed his arms over his chest and looked over at her. “Is it nerves or something else?”
She shrugged and sort of looked away from him. Her talent and her gutsy confidence made it easy for him to forget she was still just a very young woman. She’d taken to doing graffiti because there was no other way to express herself.
“These people want to invest in you. This could be the start of a business for you, so instead of working for the Rossis you could just do murals around the country. Other people are interested in having a signed limited-edition print run of your art. This is a business opportunity, but if you’re not ready and it’s not the time, we can push it back until next year or five years from now. You’re a good artist. This isn’t a now or never deal; it’s a when you are ready deal.”
She moved a bit closer and talked softly when she spoke. “Do you really think they would want to buy my art?”
“I do,” he said. “But if you don’t want to sell it you wouldn’t have to. This time of year is good because a lot of them have extra free time in their schedule. And since I’m couching it as a party, they’ll show up.”
“I guess it would be cool,” she said. “But why are you doing all this?”
He looked down into Sox’s face and knew that he couldn’t bullshit her. She would see through anything less than the truth. Why could he be all in on business but not personal stuff?
“I know you need the money and the opportunity. If you didn’t have any talent, I’d be pushing you to work in the new space we are opening in The Barrels and urging you to hone your skills, but you are beyond that. I think that you should have some advantages that I can give you. That’s it.”
She gave him a cocky smile and he caught a glimpse of that confidence and attitude that she’d rocked up with the first time they’d met. “I am the bomb.”
“You are,” Sully said as he joined them, throwing his arm over Sox’s shoulders. “You’re hogging my girl’s time. I’ve got someone I want you to meet.”
“Who?” she asked looking up at Sully with hero worship in her eyes.
“Only Paco Marquez.”
“Paco! No way. I didn’t know he was coming with you tonight,” Sox said.
“Who?”
“Dude, he’s only the best MMA fighter. Well up and coming,” Sox said.
“Yeah, he trains with me and this one is his number-one stan,” Sully said.
“Where is he?” Sox asked standing on her toes to try to see through the crowd.
Sully just laughed. “He’s shorter than you. If you’re done talking to Mr. Parrish, we’ll go find him.”
“Yeah, we’re done. Text me about next week,” she said then leaned over and gave him an awkward but sincere hug.
“I will.”
He watched them walk away realizing that he was starting to care about this community. Interesting. It wasn’t something he’d ever done before. Normally he drew up plans, approved projects and funded them. That was it. He’d never been this ground-level with a project before.
