twisted. "I'm allergic to
interviews."
"We
also have a member fundraiser planned, and you'll need to make a special
appearance that night. It's a lot of fun. You get dressed up and schmooze and
get your picture taken for the society pages."
Dread
mounting, Gwen let her head thump against the wall. "I'm allergic to
society, too."
Jennifer
laughed. "You're funny, but then I figured with a store called Outta My
Gourd you'd have to have a sense of humor. Most of the artists I deal with are
quiet recluses."
"That
describes me, too." She swallowed thickly. "What happens if I don't
want to be part of the publicity?"
"I'm
afraid publicity is part of the deal," Jennifer explained in a tone that
showed her confusion. "I understand the desire for privacy, but I can
guarantee you this is a good thing for both your future as an artist as well as
your store."
Olivia and
Eve had told her the same thing, but that was before having her picture
plastered in newspapers was a reality. Thinking about her family, she shook her
head. "I don't know that it is."
"Not
only will you be in a featured exhibit that'll be traveling, but we'll have
some of your artwork for sale in the museum store. And the publicity for your
store will be invaluable. You can't buy that sort of marketing. You'll
see."
"I—"
"I'll
get the contracts to you ASAP," Jennifer said, overriding her. "Take
your time and go over them. I'm here if you have any questions or other
concerns."
"I'll
definitely have concerns," she mumbled.
Jennifer
congratulated her again and before she hung up, added, "I understand your
hesitation, but this is going to change your life."
Was it
ever.
Gwen winced
as she hung up. What had she done?
~
Gwen burst into Grounds for Thought
more forcefully than she'd intended. The door banged against the wall and bounced
back into her.
"Ouch," she muttered,
rubbing her arm as she walked to where Eve stood at the counter.
"That was some entrance,"
her friend said with a hint of amusement. "Are you okay?"
"No." She frowned. "Do
you have anything stronger than tea? Like whiskey?"
"Since when do you drink
whiskey? Especially at"—Eve checked her watch—"two in the
afternoon?"
Since she'd sent her artwork to a
famous museum and been selected to be splashed all over the media. She propped her elbows on the counter and dropped her head
into her hands. What had she been thinking?
"Okay, Gwen, you're scaring
me."
She looked up into Eve's concerned
face. "You'll think I'm crazy."
"You make a living on gourd art.
I already think you're crazy." She grinned. "But I love you, so your
quirks are endearing. Should we go sit down so you can tell me what's up?"
"Yes." She pursed her lips
in thought. "Maybe you should bring a couple madeleines with you."
Eve laughed. "Sure thing. Go sit
in the window. I'll just tell Maggie to cover for me."
True to her word, Eve came with a
small plate of chocolate chip madeleines and a pot of chamomile tea. "To
soothe your nerves," she said as she poured the tea.
Gwen bit into one of the cookies and
hummed. "This is almost as satisfying as a shot of whiskey. At least in
theory, because whiskey is disgusting."
"Are you going to tell me what's
driving you to drink?" Eve leaned back and crossed her legs, bouncing her
foot.
"Pretty shoes," she said,
pointing to the bright violet mules her friend wore. On the top, they are two
decorative buttons: one orange and one green. Eve always had cute shoes.
"Nice try in distracting
me." Eve tucked her hair behind her ear, waiting patiently.
She sighed. "The de Young called
me today. I won the placement in the permanent collection."
Eve exclaimed so loudly the people
around them turned to look. Gwen flushed, smiled apologetically.
"That's so great," Eve
enthused. "Does Olivia know? She's going to be psyched."
"I just found out. No one
knows."
"No one knows what?" a very
masculine voice said from over her shoulder.
Rick. Eyes narrowed, she turned to
glare at him.
interviews."
"We
also have a member fundraiser planned, and you'll need to make a special
appearance that night. It's a lot of fun. You get dressed up and schmooze and
get your picture taken for the society pages."
Dread
mounting, Gwen let her head thump against the wall. "I'm allergic to
society, too."
Jennifer
laughed. "You're funny, but then I figured with a store called Outta My
Gourd you'd have to have a sense of humor. Most of the artists I deal with are
quiet recluses."
"That
describes me, too." She swallowed thickly. "What happens if I don't
want to be part of the publicity?"
"I'm
afraid publicity is part of the deal," Jennifer explained in a tone that
showed her confusion. "I understand the desire for privacy, but I can
guarantee you this is a good thing for both your future as an artist as well as
your store."
Olivia and
Eve had told her the same thing, but that was before having her picture
plastered in newspapers was a reality. Thinking about her family, she shook her
head. "I don't know that it is."
"Not
only will you be in a featured exhibit that'll be traveling, but we'll have
some of your artwork for sale in the museum store. And the publicity for your
store will be invaluable. You can't buy that sort of marketing. You'll
see."
"I—"
"I'll
get the contracts to you ASAP," Jennifer said, overriding her. "Take
your time and go over them. I'm here if you have any questions or other
concerns."
"I'll
definitely have concerns," she mumbled.
Jennifer
congratulated her again and before she hung up, added, "I understand your
hesitation, but this is going to change your life."
Was it
ever.
Gwen winced
as she hung up. What had she done?
~
Gwen burst into Grounds for Thought
more forcefully than she'd intended. The door banged against the wall and bounced
back into her.
"Ouch," she muttered,
rubbing her arm as she walked to where Eve stood at the counter.
"That was some entrance,"
her friend said with a hint of amusement. "Are you okay?"
"No." She frowned. "Do
you have anything stronger than tea? Like whiskey?"
"Since when do you drink
whiskey? Especially at"—Eve checked her watch—"two in the
afternoon?"
Since she'd sent her artwork to a
famous museum and been selected to be splashed all over the media. She propped her elbows on the counter and dropped her head
into her hands. What had she been thinking?
"Okay, Gwen, you're scaring
me."
She looked up into Eve's concerned
face. "You'll think I'm crazy."
"You make a living on gourd art.
I already think you're crazy." She grinned. "But I love you, so your
quirks are endearing. Should we go sit down so you can tell me what's up?"
"Yes." She pursed her lips
in thought. "Maybe you should bring a couple madeleines with you."
Eve laughed. "Sure thing. Go sit
in the window. I'll just tell Maggie to cover for me."
True to her word, Eve came with a
small plate of chocolate chip madeleines and a pot of chamomile tea. "To
soothe your nerves," she said as she poured the tea.
Gwen bit into one of the cookies and
hummed. "This is almost as satisfying as a shot of whiskey. At least in
theory, because whiskey is disgusting."
"Are you going to tell me what's
driving you to drink?" Eve leaned back and crossed her legs, bouncing her
foot.
"Pretty shoes," she said,
pointing to the bright violet mules her friend wore. On the top, they are two
decorative buttons: one orange and one green. Eve always had cute shoes.
"Nice try in distracting
me." Eve tucked her hair behind her ear, waiting patiently.
She sighed. "The de Young called
me today. I won the placement in the permanent collection."
Eve exclaimed so loudly the people
around them turned to look. Gwen flushed, smiled apologetically.
"That's so great," Eve
enthused. "Does Olivia know? She's going to be psyched."
"I just found out. No one
knows."
"No one knows what?" a very
masculine voice said from over her shoulder.
Rick. Eyes narrowed, she turned to
glare at him.
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