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“Is this where we’re going? What is this place?”
“This is the surprise. Well, part of it anyway.”
We walk inside the space, darkened by the paper that is covering all the windows. The space is still raw. I have plans for how I want it to look, but I also really want to get Beth’s input. “What do you think?”
“This is yours?”
“As of ten o’clock this morning, yeah. It’s officially mine.”
“Wow, Ezra! What are you going to do with it?”
“Well, I thought I might start a gallery. Seems our little city might need one.”
The look of disbelief and joy on her face is worth all of my self-doubt and anxiety. “That’s amazing!”
“I came by The Gregg today hoping to steal you away. I need a director.”
“Ezra, you don’t have to—”
“I’m asking because you’re the best in the business, Beth. Not for any other reason. It’s purely a business decision, although I admit I’d look forward to spending a lot more time with you.”
Her mouth gapes open, and I can tell she wants to say yes, because if there’s one thing she and I have shared for as long as we’ve known each other, it’s our mutual love of art. We both know we’d work well together, although I can understand her hesitance about working with someone that you’ve just started a relationship with. What she doesn’t understand is that I’m all in on her. Now that I’ve let myself have a taste ofwhat it would be like to give in to my feelings and attraction, there’s no possible way I’m letting go.
I don’t press her about it. Instead, I ramble about some of my plans, giving her time to think. We fall into easy, excited banter about what the gallery should look and feel like. She seems to love and understand how I want to make the art more attainable, less pretentious.
“I was thinking about leaving this wall exposed and putting a desk over here so it wouldn’t disturb the flow of any kind of exhibit you’d want to set up. I’ve already got a few interested artists, but I figured we could work out all the initial kinks by doing some personal exhibits. I’ve always got work I can show. Cal’s got some experimental new stuff. It’s a great chance for him to try something different, so he’s in. And I heard about this hot new up-and-coming artist that I’m hoping I can persuade to do a first showing.” She misses my wink in her direction. She’s too busy gazing around the room with stars in her eyes, no doubt imagining all the potential the space has.
“Oh, I’d love it if we could show new artists! That’s what I missed most about how it used to be at The Gregg,” she says thoughtfully, her eyes unfocused, dreaming of the future. She doesn’t pick up on my hint, but I let it go when I realize that she’s talking as if we’re already doing this.
“You saidwe… Does that mean you’re in?”
“How could I say no? Thank you for considering me. I’m truly honored and excited!”
I run the few paces between us and pick her up in a hug, spinning her around. I’m filled with the buzz of excitement and a ridiculous giddy happiness that feels too good to be true.
“Thank you, Beth. This is going to be a spectacular place with you in charge. No one could do it better.”
Setting her down, I kiss her hard before grabbing her hand and pulling her towards an elevator. “Okay, now foryoursurprise,” I say.
“What? I thought that was the surprise!” She laughs as I pull her into the small elevator. There’s a staircase in the back, but I want the extra moment to tie a blindfold around her eyes and kiss her senseless. Which I do, to the point where the elevator doors open and then close again twice before I can let her go.
Finally, I pull away from her, not wanting to get too far ahead of myself. I’m a nervous wreck, but she liked the first half of my proposal, so I’m hoping for the best.
I tuck a strand of hair behind her ear and smile down at her. Her lips are swollen and pink, hair disheveled from the elevator that is now humid from our body heat. “So perfect,” I whisper before hitting the door-open button, and leading her out into the bright space. The windows aren’t blocked on the second level, and even with the increasing rain outside, it’s light and airy up here.
I position her in just the right spot before untying the blindfold. I can’t help but nibble behind her ear a bit while I pull it off her eyes, and they remain closed for a moment before I step back to watch her. I wring the blindfold in my hands, trying to hide my nerves.I hope she likes it.
Beth
My eyes open and I take in the space around me. The storm clouds outside are darkening, but it’s still a brighter space without the windows blocked, and I can see clearly without a light.
It’s a classroom, with long tables covered in brand new tabletop easels. There’s a larger standing easel at the front of the room on a raised podium. Boxes of supplies are stacked against a wall—canvases, paints, and brushes.
“What is this?” But part of me already knows.
“When I was initially looking at this building, I knew the downstairs would be perfect for a gallery, and there’s a great space for a studio in the back, but I wasn’t sure what to do with this area. Then the other day on the roof, you mentioned those painting classes, and I thought it would be a perfect use of the space.”
I don’t have words for what I’m feeling. Overwhelmed doesn’t cover the insane heartwarming gratitude I feel that he was not only listening to me, but went out of his way to make it happen.
