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Chapter One
This was it. The big reveal. One of the custom pieces I’d designed and put my blood, sweat, and tears into. The blood, thankfully, didn’t actually make it onto the carving, but there was a stain on the floor of my workshop I’d forever remember as the Stain of Tarkin.
The Bayside Market was bustling, and thanks to an unseasonable warmer than average August, the place was packed. I hadn’t had a chance to sit and work all day on the piece I’d brought with me, but that was okay. I was selling out of my smaller pieces and getting ready to unveil a custom order for a new friend. I’d taken some of my friend Libby’s ideas, and covered the piece with a tablecloth, setting it in front of my table, waiting, almost impatiently, for Dr. Chloe Tarkin to arrive for the grand unveiling.
As she arrived, I stood like a Price is Right model, hand on top of the edge of the frame, a giant smile on my face, and my other hand on my ample hip.
“Oh my god, Erin, is that it?” Chloe’s voice pierced through the crowd as the bubbly blonde pushed her way over to my table.
“It sure is.”
I waited to yank it off. A crowd was gathering, much to my delight. Hopefully, if the customers saw the work, they would be interested in ordering their own custom design, and if not, I always had a few carvings on my table ready for immediate sale. Either way, this was a helpful boost to my shaken confidence.
Dr. Tarkin stood ready. Hands folded together, she kept tapping them against her lips. Like me, she loved the excitement building, I could see it in her eyes.
“Are you ready?” I asked, cocking an eyebrow.
My hands twitched in excitement as I gripped a bit of the red tablecloth and teased the bottom of the artwork.
She squealed with delight and grabbed her boyfriend’s hand. “Oh my god, I can’t wait.”
BJ Sutcliff, a local author, twisted away and whispered something in her ear, and she blushed slightly as she playfully bumped into his chest.
“Unveil it already. I’m going crazy.” Her eyes widened.
“Here we go.” I ripped off the red fabric and sent it flying behind my table display.
Propped up against the front of the table was her custom piece – a four-by-three-foot wooden frame, with intricately carved trees, stacked in five lines to give a sense of depth to the woodwork. Born from a sketched idea, I made a prototype and photographed it. Naturally, that was the single piece Dr. Tarkin fell in love with when she perused my brag book.
“You like it?” I surveyed her wide eyes and generous smile. She positively glowed, but then again, I could never really tell if the person was being genuine or putting on a good show.
“I freaking love it.” She hunched down to touch it gingerly as if it would break.
Sweet relief sighed out of me, and I smiled in appreciation.
“I used the actual types of trees for each row; Douglas Fir, Weeping Willow, Red Cedar, Common Beech, and at the back is White Pine.” I touched each row as I mentioned the wood grain by name. “It’s all edged in the Douglas Fir, which is a little unorthodox, but I wanted it to look like this first row of trees were growing right off the frame.”
“It’s amazing.” She went to lift it and must’ve been prepared for a solid weight as she nearly launched it into the air.
“Trade secret.”
Not too long ago I figured out how to hollow out the wood without losing strength, so my chisel didn’t go right on through and crack a work of art. It was a huge learning curve, but the end result was fantastic – it wasn’t heavy, and any hanging artwork wouldn’t pull its hanger down the wall.
A taller man, with broad shoulders like a linebacker, pushed through the crowd and stopped in front of Dr. Tarkin’s paid artwork. “Wow, that is some piece. I’ve been searching for something unique and jaw-dropping to have at work, and this is exactly what I need.” He popped his head up and looked down at me. “I’ll take it right now. How much?”
Dr. Tarkin didn’t look too impressed and quickly wrapped her hands around the artwork.
Her boyfriend stepped closer to her. “Should I load it up in the car?”
“But I was interested in it first.”
Omg, is the cute guy actually whining?
“It’s already been sold.” Dr. Tarkin cleared her throat. “It was a custom piece I ordered from Erin here.”
The linebacker pulled down on his beard and twisted in my direction. “Really? Custom ordered, eh?”
I crossed my finger over my chest. “Honest to God truth. I made it myself.”
