looked casually questioning, if not for her pallor.
Thomas moved in front of Nic and leaned down, speaking quietly. She listened and responded, then moved over to the papers she’d dropped on the table. Thomas looked over his shoulder at Daniel, stared pointedly at CeeCee’s hand still on his knee and glared.
CeeCee gave a final squeeze, leaving marks—he was sure, and released her hold. Back at the head of the table, Karyn looked daggers at him.
If he hadn’t been sure that any future with Nic was now categorically destroyed, he’d have been sitting back and enjoying the humor in the situation. Running the events of the past three months, he realized that he’d always referred to Courtney as CeeCee and CeeCee had never called “The Other Woman” by name. Likewise, he’d referred to Nic as “My Little Artist”.
Altogether it had been a perfect storm of misunderstanding, and he feared it was likely to ruin his life.
As he struggled with some way to stave off disaster, Glenn stepped to the front of the room and announced the beginning of the board meeting for the Maxfield Hayes Foundation.
CHAPTER 18
At the Board Meeting in Washington, DC
N ic was thankful Thomas and Karyn were sitting at the conference table near her, ready to help if she needed it.
She was also grateful the three of them had rehearsed her presentation several times over the last few days. In spite of the intense shock that she’d just received — seeing Daniel with Courtney, Max’s widow, she was confident that she’d still be able to give a passable presentation.
Inwardly, she shrugged. Nic reminded herself that there were options, if the board refused to help. All she needed was help finding and vetting new artists, and there were many alternatives available. It had been out of respect for Max that she’d come to the Foundation first.
Glenn started the meeting, and passed the reins to her.
She turned her back on the board members, fussed a bit with the renderings sitting on the easel and then stepping to the side, she began to speak.
“As you may or may not know, I received my MFA in Painting several years ago. While grad school is certainly a challenge,” she smiled and looked around the room, “Making the transition into the real world is even harder.”
“I was fortunate. I moved here to the DC area and found a job at a graphic design firm until I was juried into the Torpedo Factory.
“Many newly minted MFAs are not that lucky. Leaving the nurturing environment of art school can mean losing any hope of a successful and self-supporting career.
“In many cases, a transition plan—offering free housing, a supportive atmosphere, along with needed resources—would make all the difference between living life as a productive artist and...” She paused for effect, “becoming a cab driver.”
Courtney Hayes moved restlessly in her chair at the cab driver comment. Nic had deliberately chosen that reference. The other board members were longtime friends of Maxfield Hayes and his early tenure as a cabbie was an often cited part of his “Great Artist” mystique.
Nic wanted the help that the Foundation could give her and she was campaigning hard... using every trick in the book.
Turning back the cover sheet on the first rendering, she displayed a long shot of the Warfield’s Landing school building. The color pencil sketch showed the building as it would look, when the renovations were complete.
“This is an old school in Warfield’s Landing, Maryland, along the Susquehanna River, right off I-95 and near the Delaware state line. It’s in the process of being converted into small condos with studios attached.”
She pulled the current rendering off of the easel and placed it on the table, then flipped the cover back on the next one, revealing a board with two illustrated floorplans.
Pointing with a pen, she showed the apartments and studios while she explained what was planned.
“The first floor has four one bedroom
Thomas moved in front of Nic and leaned down, speaking quietly. She listened and responded, then moved over to the papers she’d dropped on the table. Thomas looked over his shoulder at Daniel, stared pointedly at CeeCee’s hand still on his knee and glared.
CeeCee gave a final squeeze, leaving marks—he was sure, and released her hold. Back at the head of the table, Karyn looked daggers at him.
If he hadn’t been sure that any future with Nic was now categorically destroyed, he’d have been sitting back and enjoying the humor in the situation. Running the events of the past three months, he realized that he’d always referred to Courtney as CeeCee and CeeCee had never called “The Other Woman” by name. Likewise, he’d referred to Nic as “My Little Artist”.
Altogether it had been a perfect storm of misunderstanding, and he feared it was likely to ruin his life.
As he struggled with some way to stave off disaster, Glenn stepped to the front of the room and announced the beginning of the board meeting for the Maxfield Hayes Foundation.
CHAPTER 18
At the Board Meeting in Washington, DC
N ic was thankful Thomas and Karyn were sitting at the conference table near her, ready to help if she needed it.
She was also grateful the three of them had rehearsed her presentation several times over the last few days. In spite of the intense shock that she’d just received — seeing Daniel with Courtney, Max’s widow, she was confident that she’d still be able to give a passable presentation.
Inwardly, she shrugged. Nic reminded herself that there were options, if the board refused to help. All she needed was help finding and vetting new artists, and there were many alternatives available. It had been out of respect for Max that she’d come to the Foundation first.
Glenn started the meeting, and passed the reins to her.
She turned her back on the board members, fussed a bit with the renderings sitting on the easel and then stepping to the side, she began to speak.
“As you may or may not know, I received my MFA in Painting several years ago. While grad school is certainly a challenge,” she smiled and looked around the room, “Making the transition into the real world is even harder.”
“I was fortunate. I moved here to the DC area and found a job at a graphic design firm until I was juried into the Torpedo Factory.
“Many newly minted MFAs are not that lucky. Leaving the nurturing environment of art school can mean losing any hope of a successful and self-supporting career.
“In many cases, a transition plan—offering free housing, a supportive atmosphere, along with needed resources—would make all the difference between living life as a productive artist and...” She paused for effect, “becoming a cab driver.”
Courtney Hayes moved restlessly in her chair at the cab driver comment. Nic had deliberately chosen that reference. The other board members were longtime friends of Maxfield Hayes and his early tenure as a cabbie was an often cited part of his “Great Artist” mystique.
Nic wanted the help that the Foundation could give her and she was campaigning hard... using every trick in the book.
Turning back the cover sheet on the first rendering, she displayed a long shot of the Warfield’s Landing school building. The color pencil sketch showed the building as it would look, when the renovations were complete.
“This is an old school in Warfield’s Landing, Maryland, along the Susquehanna River, right off I-95 and near the Delaware state line. It’s in the process of being converted into small condos with studios attached.”
She pulled the current rendering off of the easel and placed it on the table, then flipped the cover back on the next one, revealing a board with two illustrated floorplans.
Pointing with a pen, she showed the apartments and studios while she explained what was planned.
“The first floor has four one bedroom
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