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But Veronica threw a huge wrench into the works. It didn’t feel casual. It wasn’t serious yet, but it could be. Not a problem in and of itself, but Veronica hated New York, and he was heading back there. There was no way around that. If things did get serious with her, there was no future.
Even if he set next year’s plans aside and focused only on the present, he was misleading her. He hadn’t lied exactly. Yes, he’d grown up in New York City, but he hadn’t lived there full-time since he’d left for college at eighteen. It no longer felt like his home, but his family was still there. He still went back for holidays. Now that she was comfortable with him, he could tell her that. Let her know that not all guys from Manhattan were assholes.
Reassuring himself that she’d understand or at the very least that he couldn’t control how she’d feel about it, he spotted the gallery ahead and picked up his pace.
He’d been in a couple of the Jackson galleries, but he could tell this one was way too rich for his blood as he approached. There was a huge abstract bronze statue in the window that he’d guess cost something close to six figures. This was no local artists’ shop.
It was a large space and crowded with people. Gabe had assumed he’d spot Veronica as soon as he walked in, but she didn’t seem to be in the front room. He passed through to a back room that was even bigger. A bar was set up in the middle of the room and dozens of people milled around. They weren’t his normal Jackson crowd. In fact, he felt as if he’d been transported back to Manhattan. The women wore spike heels and lots of jewelry. Most of the men were twice Gabe’s age. He had no idea how Veronica had ended up here. Maybe it was part of her gig with the paper.
He scanned the crowd as he walked slowly around the bar, watching for the bright, vibrant Veronica who made public appearances. But he didn’t find her. He found a shier version.
She stood in a corner, in the shadows between two brightly lit paintings. Her teeth worried her bottom lip, and her eyes were cast down, staring at the champagne in her hand. She wore a little black dress that skimmed her body and showed off her legs. Gabe’s heart skipped at the sight of her.
It did more than skip when she looked up and spotted him. The uncertainty on her face disappeared in an instant, replaced by a smile that crinkled her eyes and twisted his heart.
“Gabe!” he heard her say from twenty feet away. She strode toward him, her legs muscles tightening with the movement. He let himself watch the show.
She reached toward him as if she meant to hug him but then seemed to catch herself and stuttered to a stop a foot away. “Hi,” she said.
He leaned closer, keeping his hands to himself as his mouth neared her cheek. “You look beautiful,” he murmured, and watched her skin turn pink.
She touched her hair and ducked her head. “Thank you. And thank you for coming.”
He meant to say something charming then, but the sight of her so close started a series of memories in his head. Quick little movies of Veronica perched topless on his lap, of her naked on the couch, of her licking him, teasing him, sucking him. “Damn,” he breathed. “It’s good to see you.”
She glanced up, and her happy eyes held his. Her shy smile turned wicked.
Gabe cleared his throat and rocked back a little, aware that he was already on the verge of getting embarrassingly aroused. “So what are we doing here?” he asked.
“My dad’s really into being a big shot in Jackson. Sometimes he wants me to come to these charity events with him. It makes him seem like a community family man or something.”
Gabe was suddenly very glad he’d moved back. “Your father is here?”
“He’s in front being— Oh, shit. This is weird, isn’t it? I didn’t mean to make this into a meet-the-family thing! Oh, God. I won’t even introduce you, okay? This is...” She grimaced and shook her head. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s no big deal,” he said, hoping he was right.
“I wasn’t thinking of that. I just wanted someone to keep me company. It’s always so boring. There aren’t a lot of young single people at charity auctions, and there’s never anyone I know, and I wanted to see you.”
“Hey.” He rubbed her arm. “It’s fine. If you introduce me to your dad, I’ll pretend we just met and I’m barely tolerating your presence. It’ll be fine.”
She nodded and crossed her arms tightly. “You’re kidding, right?”
“Yes, I’m kidding. I’ll introduce myself and then ask his permission to take your virginity. How’s that?”
Her laughter started out as a shocked squeal, but it soon descended into hilarity, complete with tears leaking from her eyes. “You,” she gasped, “really are the worst.”
“I know. Sorry.” He had a strong urge to pull her into his arms and press a kiss to the top of her head, but he didn’t have that right. Not in public. Certainly not with her dad here.
A waiter approached and Gabe snagged two glasses of champagne, exchanging Veronica’s nearly empty glass for a fresh one.
“Should we mingle?” he asked.
“Absolutely not,” she said. “Let’s look at the art instead.” She moved toward a wall of photographs. “This is a local photographer. She has her own place around the corner.”
He thought the photo was black-and-white, but as he studied it, he realized it was only a late fall scene of bare aspen against a hill of rock and snow. There was a hint of gold in the crushed aspen leaves that littered the ground. “It feels a little sad,” he said.
“It is. But I love it. She doesn’t take the most obvious photos. There are so many beautiful places here. I like that she finds the secrets, too.”
