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“I love you, Jace,” I say quietly, blinking away tears. “I love you so much.”
I’m about to break into tears, but I can’t have that right now.
“You’d better show up tonight,” I murmur, fist his shirt, and pull him in for another brief kiss so I can shut up and collect myself.
With all that’s happening, I hope the gallery night doesn’t turn into mayhem.
58
JACE
I wearmy fancy suit only when we meet with important clients.
Considering Lu and her gallery night are the most important things in my life right now, and I promised to be on my best behavior, Roey forces me to dress up. He’s as always stylish, in a slick gray suit over a white T-shirt.
Have you been to a gallery opening?
This fucking intensity. Suits. Attitude. Watch your words—anything can be a trigger.
There are only a dozen people in the gallery on Broad Street. The giant canvases cover the walls. Smaller ones are on pedestals. One is mounted on the ceiling—a stork carrying a teddy bear in a cloth bundle dangling off its beak, and the blue sky is dotted with military airplanes, showering bombs onto the viewer.
I’ve seen them all before, but Lu’s talent still takes my breath away.
“The stork is safe, and so is the teddy bear. But the future? That remains a grim mystery. That’s our children, born into the uncertainty of the current political dichotomy,” a guy in bohemian clothes explains to his friend as they stand in the center of the gallery, their faces lifted to the ceiling.
There’s a bar stand and a caterer in the corner, but barely any people to serve.
I feel overdressed. The place looks empty. My heart falls at the sight—this is not the exhibit opening Lu was hoping for.
Seth Gordon’s warning spins in my head. But when I look at Lu, I know I will never give her up. And I definitely won’t stay away on the most important night when she might need me the most.
“I love you, Jace.”
I feel like I can fly every time I remember her words.
My phone dings with a message.
Amon/ Brexton Recovery: Losers gonna lose. Reznik is ours.
I clench my jaw and raise my eyes to Roey. “I guess Brexton Recovery got the Reznik job again.”
Roey takes a sip of his rum and coke and swills it in his mouth before swallowing, his eyes on Becky.
He’s brooding. Not getting lucky with Becky is not helping. And now our rivals have the biggest assignment again.
Lu and Becky talk to the visitors, and we don’t interrupt, waiting, just being here for the support, until they both walk up.
“Gentlemen,” Becky says with exaggerated diplomacy. “Did you leave your weapons at the door?”
Lu purses her lips as she casts her eyes down—of course, she told Becky everything.
And Becky won’t let go. “Maybe we should set up a bin at the entrance, like an umbrella one but for guns and rifles.”
Roey only smiles at her. “I’m saving my biggest weapon for you.”
Lu looks so humble tonight. Wide pants, tight tank, bracelets, necklaces. She has an artsy hippy vibe with her hair curled and let loose.
And she’s on the verge of tears.
