said it without much conviction, because she knew, that, while she would never have slept with Aidan, her feelings toward him had run away with her and gone beyond that of employee/boss, or even that of friends.
" It’s just kind of a shitty way to go about doing things, Sky. Really low class."
Sky rolled her eyes. "Okay, then. I see that you’ve made up your mind. There’s no point in trying to convince you otherwise, even if what you believe is complete bullshit."
Sky didn’t wait to hear any more of what Stephanie had to say. She stomped out of the café, ignoring the looks she got as she went. She walked with her head down, shoulders hunched, unsure, at first, of where she was headed. People saw her coming and stepped out of the way. It wasn’t until she passed Café Del Mar that she knew she was going to Prelude , and she hoped more than anything that Ashley was there.
She threw the door open with such force that it flew back and slammed into the wall, making the whole building seem to reverberate. Aidan jumped.
"Sky!" he said. "Is everything okay?"
The sight of him in his cardigan sweater and dark-rimmed glasses made the rage she was feeling ebb a bit.
"I’m sorry," she said. "I didn’t mean to slam the door like that. But no, actually, everything is not okay."
He hurried over. "What is it?"
" I was actually hoping to talk to Ashley."
" Oh. She’s in Tiburon right now. She should be back some time this afternoon, around four, I think. Did she call you or something?"
" No, I just..." Sky paused. There was no point in telling Aidan. If anything, it would just upset him, and she didn’t want to put him in the middle of it. "Never mind. It’s nothing."
He looked at her uncertainly. "Are you sure?"
" Yeah, I’m sure."
" Well, okay. But I’m glad you stopped in. How are things going? How’s the new job?"
" It’s good, Aidan. Thanks. Thanks for helping me get it."
" I didn’t really do much of anything."
" Yeah, you did. I definitely wouldn’t have the job if it wasn’t for you."
" You like it?"
" I do. He’s got an amazing art collection."
" That’s what I’ve heard. I’ve seen him once or twice at different art auctions, but never really had the chance to talk with the guy. But I’m glad you like it. I really am."
" How is everything here?"
" Decent. Ashley’s really been chomping at the bit to get some new work in here, as I’m sure you can tell. She wants to basically empty the place out and put all new work in. She wants to specialize in works from hard-to-source artists is what she was telling me the other night. I like doing the new artist showcases, but I guess there’s no harm in trying something new."
" No, there’s not," Sky agreed. She took a deep breath. "Anyway, I better get going. You actually don’t even need to tell Ashley I stopped by, if you don’t want to. I’m sure I’ll run into her at some point. It was nothing important."
" No, no, I’m glad you stopped by. I thought that things were a little strained between you guys, so I’m glad you were coming by to say hello. That makes me happy." He gave her a big smile. "It was nice to see you."
" You too, Aidan," she said. "I’ll see you later." She left and walked away, anger starting to flare again with each step she took. She didn’t want to put Aidan in the middle of it, but why did Ashley feel the need to be saying things like that? Wasn’t it enough that she fired her and never had to see her again? Sky walked for a while and then finally went home. There was no point in dwelling on it and she tried to push the whole thing from her mind.
Chapter 17
She woke up the next morning in a bad mood, which was not improved when the first pot of coffee she made came out too strong and the second too weak. Finally, she gave up and went out to get a cup before Conner came to pick her up. He kept up a constant stream of chatter, which only grated on her nerves, even though everything he was talking about
" It’s just kind of a shitty way to go about doing things, Sky. Really low class."
Sky rolled her eyes. "Okay, then. I see that you’ve made up your mind. There’s no point in trying to convince you otherwise, even if what you believe is complete bullshit."
Sky didn’t wait to hear any more of what Stephanie had to say. She stomped out of the café, ignoring the looks she got as she went. She walked with her head down, shoulders hunched, unsure, at first, of where she was headed. People saw her coming and stepped out of the way. It wasn’t until she passed Café Del Mar that she knew she was going to Prelude , and she hoped more than anything that Ashley was there.
She threw the door open with such force that it flew back and slammed into the wall, making the whole building seem to reverberate. Aidan jumped.
"Sky!" he said. "Is everything okay?"
The sight of him in his cardigan sweater and dark-rimmed glasses made the rage she was feeling ebb a bit.
"I’m sorry," she said. "I didn’t mean to slam the door like that. But no, actually, everything is not okay."
He hurried over. "What is it?"
" I was actually hoping to talk to Ashley."
" Oh. She’s in Tiburon right now. She should be back some time this afternoon, around four, I think. Did she call you or something?"
" No, I just..." Sky paused. There was no point in telling Aidan. If anything, it would just upset him, and she didn’t want to put him in the middle of it. "Never mind. It’s nothing."
He looked at her uncertainly. "Are you sure?"
" Yeah, I’m sure."
" Well, okay. But I’m glad you stopped in. How are things going? How’s the new job?"
" It’s good, Aidan. Thanks. Thanks for helping me get it."
" I didn’t really do much of anything."
" Yeah, you did. I definitely wouldn’t have the job if it wasn’t for you."
" You like it?"
" I do. He’s got an amazing art collection."
" That’s what I’ve heard. I’ve seen him once or twice at different art auctions, but never really had the chance to talk with the guy. But I’m glad you like it. I really am."
" How is everything here?"
" Decent. Ashley’s really been chomping at the bit to get some new work in here, as I’m sure you can tell. She wants to basically empty the place out and put all new work in. She wants to specialize in works from hard-to-source artists is what she was telling me the other night. I like doing the new artist showcases, but I guess there’s no harm in trying something new."
" No, there’s not," Sky agreed. She took a deep breath. "Anyway, I better get going. You actually don’t even need to tell Ashley I stopped by, if you don’t want to. I’m sure I’ll run into her at some point. It was nothing important."
" No, no, I’m glad you stopped by. I thought that things were a little strained between you guys, so I’m glad you were coming by to say hello. That makes me happy." He gave her a big smile. "It was nice to see you."
" You too, Aidan," she said. "I’ll see you later." She left and walked away, anger starting to flare again with each step she took. She didn’t want to put Aidan in the middle of it, but why did Ashley feel the need to be saying things like that? Wasn’t it enough that she fired her and never had to see her again? Sky walked for a while and then finally went home. There was no point in dwelling on it and she tried to push the whole thing from her mind.
Chapter 17
She woke up the next morning in a bad mood, which was not improved when the first pot of coffee she made came out too strong and the second too weak. Finally, she gave up and went out to get a cup before Conner came to pick her up. He kept up a constant stream of chatter, which only grated on her nerves, even though everything he was talking about
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