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Every surface.
As they continued making their way down staircases, along hallways and out into different sections of the gallery, they were met with different murals and mosaics by a range of artists.
“I met Isaiah Zagar once,” Jacob said.
“The artist?” she asked, spotting his name on the wall.
“Yup. He’s pretty old now, but he was at an event Amelia, my cousin, put on,” Jacob said. “I heard him once talking about how he loves using shards as they represent the pieces of life that people just throw away and consider junk.”
Huh. That was pretty deep. She was surprised and took a moment to let her gaze roam Jacob’s face, realizing she didn’t know him very well.
And that there might be a lot more to him than just a very sexy body and a kinky lifestyle.
Of course there was. He had a big, loving family and a successful business.
But with all his playful flirting and, well, Friday, she had never noticed the layers underneath.
They stopped and stared at one mosaic as Jacob slid his hands into his pockets. It was beautiful. Almost mad in a way as a pair of what seemed to be eyes—but not—stared back at her.
“But it’s not junk, is it?” Leilani replied.
“I suppose that’s over to each of us.” Jacob dropped his eyes to hers. “He was able to make art from trash. Make a fortune. Someone else tosses the same material into the trash each week.”
She glanced back at the art and slowly nodded.
“Is that how you make your millions? By turning trash into art?” Leilani asked.
She knew he had made money in hedge funds, but was he talking about his own life?
Jacob laughed, one hand sliding out of his pocket and laying it low on her back. She turned a little farther toward him. “No. That was a mix of privilege, a very expensive education, learning how the game works, and luck.”
She liked the fact that he was humble enough to admit that. Damn, she didn’t need to like this sexy man any more than she did.
On that, why had he been parked outside her house? And why, with those sad eyes she kept seeing, had he chosen her to be the person to spend time with?
“Why are we here?” Leilani asked, as he brushed a lock of hair over her ear.
“I’m trying to piece my life together, princess. Instead, it feels like it’s splitting into shards, much like this art,” Jacob said, glancing around them.
When his eyes landed back on her, she saw that same hurt she’d noticed in her driveway.
What was going on in his life?
Would he tell her if she asked?
“I drove around for hours today looking for answers. Tell me why I found myself outside your house, princess?” he answered her silent question, but directed it back to her.
“I don’t know,” Leilani whispered.
Jacob’s thumb brushed over her bottom lip.
“Neither do I.”
