AllFreeNovel
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She was young and successful and her art was beautiful. Nature pieces.
What he found funny was that she gave lessons and had parties at her studio.
Why would someone as successful as her do that? When the lessons didn’t seem all that expensive either.
There was definitely more to Laine Connors than met the eye.
And when she opened that bright yellow door and she was standing there in a cream-colored sundress that hit the floor with pastel tiny floating flowers all over it, he thought he was looking at an angel.
Her blonde hair was swishing around her shoulders and she had no makeup on. She was stunning. Her eyes as clear blue as the sky on the drive over.
“Come in,” she said. “You look different when you’re not in scrubs.”
“You look different when you aren’t wearing rags.”
She took a bow for him. “I had to make sure you don’t remember me as this eccentric airhead.”
“Hardly that,” he said. “But I will admit that I did look into your work a bit more. No one who creates that much beauty is an airhead or eccentric.”
“Why, thank you,” she said. “You might not think that if you saw some of my other pieces in college. I tried my hand at abstract and expressionism. They were fun but not my style. I didn’t feel that as I do naturalism.”
“That is what you do?” he asked.
“I do what comes to me, but I’m inspired by nature. I don’t like to be put into a slot, if that makes sense.”
“It does,” he said. “I brought wine. Alcohol and nonalcoholic versions. I didn’t know if you were a drinker. I mean you came in sober last night.”
“When most people would have been inebriated with that type of injury or what they were doing to get it?” she asked, winking.
“You said it, not me.”
“I’m just going to grill some chicken,” she said. “I put together a potato salad with it.”
“Phew,” he said. “I didn’t know if you were one of those vegan-type artists.”
She started to laugh. He was only joking and hoped she’d think it was funny.
“Nope,” she said. “I like meat and potatoes and veggies and everything else. Life is for the living. That means food and drink. I’ll have a glass of wine if you join me, but just one. All in moderation.”
“Except in dance,” he said, smirking.
“Some rules are meant to be broken,” she said, tilting her head. “But since you’re here, why don’t I show you what I was doing before I broke out into my celebration dance? It’s not quite done but mostly there.”
He followed her through the living room, dining room and into a kitchen, then saw a sunroom off the back. Lots of windows and natural light and her art supplies neatly arranged everywhere.
There was a canvas on an easel that almost replicated the storm he’d seen when he went on break last night.
“Damn,” he said. “Sorry. Damaged livers.”
She turned to look at him. “What?”
“You said dipping dots. That came to me first. Guess medical terms come faster than food. No swearing.”
She giggled. “You can swear. I do when it really matters. I don’t expect other people to not do it because I’m not. But I do find that sweet.”
“That’s me,” he said. “The sweet one.”
“Then how come you’re still single?” she asked. “Sorry. I know about the Bonds on the island. Probably more than I should. I’m not nosy or anything, but being on the town board I get an earful at times.”
