He gave me the third degree and went over our contract with a fine tooth comb , and wouldn’t give an inch on a few specific terms.” He shook his head and smiled good-naturedly. “I don’t think I’d want to cross him. Have a look around; here are a few sold labels if you want to mark something else as yours. Just take notes on what you claim.”
He walked away and Travis looked at her. “You seeing someone?”
She shook her head. “It’s Papa Bear. He drove me down and, well, Magnus is kind of right. He’s acting a lot like my keeper.”
“Will you walk with me while I look? I don’t want to make you uncomfortable, so please don’t feel obligated. I hope I’ve given you enough space, but I’ve missed you terribly. If buying your art is as close to you as I can get, I will, but I’d rather have you around. You have to know I’d never...”
Cara put a finger to his lips. “Stop, Travis. Just, stop talking. Yes, I’ll walk with you. No promises, no apologies. How’ve you been?”
“Lonely.” He smile was sad, and her heart broke for him. He shrugged, looking self-conscious as he added. “I’ve thrown myself into my work, so it’s been good for business.”
His voice told her he’d prefer having her around, instead of the time for extra work, but was trying to find something positive to say. She understood, though, as she’d done her best to keep busy, too. She returned his smile, hoped it looked friendly, and said, “Yeah, I’ve finished a lot of paintings and they’ve helped me work through some emotions, I think. And I’ve had more graphic jobs lately, which has been nice for my bank account. Between that and this, I’m planning to turn my notice in at the cafe. You can go back if you want. I’m sorry I kind of kicked you out. It was wrong.”
“No, it’s okay. I’m sorry I made you uncomfortable.”
She stopped and looked around, saw no one paying attention to their conversation, and said, “Look, I’m sorry I freaked. Okay? I’ve done a lot of reading and research, joined an online site and talked to people about...” She stopped, not ready to say it out loud. “I’m sorry I freaked.”
“Will you go out with me again?”
He didn’t try to disguise the hope in his eyes, and she wanted to fall into his arms. She needed to mend the rift between them, but the best she could do at the moment was meet his gaze and say, “Yes.”
He looked surprised. And happy. And then nervous. “Ah, I have a bit of a confession to make, then. The extra graphics jobs have been through one of my companies. Timothy’s in charge of the project, but I pointed him to your web site and suggested he give you a try.” He sped up, speaking the last part quickly, so he tripped over his words. “It’s been all you since though; he’s loved your work.”
She smiled. “Thanks for being honest. He’s paid my standard charges ; if he’d overpaid I think I’d feel weirded out. But you didn’t have anything to do with this, right? The gallery? It sounds like you know Magnus.”
He looked a bit guilty again as he said, “Yes and no. He was in Chattanooga for one of my parties and I recommended he take a walk through a local gallery while in town, as I’d seen some good stuff. I promise you that’s all I did; he chose you once he went in and looked.” He paused and added, “Magnus doesn’t like being led . I f I’d told him your name he’d have probably ignored your work on principle.”
It matched with the story Magnus had given her, though she hadn’t realized the gallery owner’s “friend” was Travis. Still, she decided to believe them. Her artwork was selling tonight and she had no reason to doubt it was speaking to people. She was smart enough to know having your work suggested was only the first step; if it wasn’t good then bringing it to the attention of the people who mattered wouldn’t help.
Travis interrupted her thoughts. “Can I take you out to eat when this is
He walked away and Travis looked at her. “You seeing someone?”
She shook her head. “It’s Papa Bear. He drove me down and, well, Magnus is kind of right. He’s acting a lot like my keeper.”
“Will you walk with me while I look? I don’t want to make you uncomfortable, so please don’t feel obligated. I hope I’ve given you enough space, but I’ve missed you terribly. If buying your art is as close to you as I can get, I will, but I’d rather have you around. You have to know I’d never...”
Cara put a finger to his lips. “Stop, Travis. Just, stop talking. Yes, I’ll walk with you. No promises, no apologies. How’ve you been?”
“Lonely.” He smile was sad, and her heart broke for him. He shrugged, looking self-conscious as he added. “I’ve thrown myself into my work, so it’s been good for business.”
His voice told her he’d prefer having her around, instead of the time for extra work, but was trying to find something positive to say. She understood, though, as she’d done her best to keep busy, too. She returned his smile, hoped it looked friendly, and said, “Yeah, I’ve finished a lot of paintings and they’ve helped me work through some emotions, I think. And I’ve had more graphic jobs lately, which has been nice for my bank account. Between that and this, I’m planning to turn my notice in at the cafe. You can go back if you want. I’m sorry I kind of kicked you out. It was wrong.”
“No, it’s okay. I’m sorry I made you uncomfortable.”
She stopped and looked around, saw no one paying attention to their conversation, and said, “Look, I’m sorry I freaked. Okay? I’ve done a lot of reading and research, joined an online site and talked to people about...” She stopped, not ready to say it out loud. “I’m sorry I freaked.”
“Will you go out with me again?”
He didn’t try to disguise the hope in his eyes, and she wanted to fall into his arms. She needed to mend the rift between them, but the best she could do at the moment was meet his gaze and say, “Yes.”
He looked surprised. And happy. And then nervous. “Ah, I have a bit of a confession to make, then. The extra graphics jobs have been through one of my companies. Timothy’s in charge of the project, but I pointed him to your web site and suggested he give you a try.” He sped up, speaking the last part quickly, so he tripped over his words. “It’s been all you since though; he’s loved your work.”
She smiled. “Thanks for being honest. He’s paid my standard charges ; if he’d overpaid I think I’d feel weirded out. But you didn’t have anything to do with this, right? The gallery? It sounds like you know Magnus.”
He looked a bit guilty again as he said, “Yes and no. He was in Chattanooga for one of my parties and I recommended he take a walk through a local gallery while in town, as I’d seen some good stuff. I promise you that’s all I did; he chose you once he went in and looked.” He paused and added, “Magnus doesn’t like being led . I f I’d told him your name he’d have probably ignored your work on principle.”
It matched with the story Magnus had given her, though she hadn’t realized the gallery owner’s “friend” was Travis. Still, she decided to believe them. Her artwork was selling tonight and she had no reason to doubt it was speaking to people. She was smart enough to know having your work suggested was only the first step; if it wasn’t good then bringing it to the attention of the people who mattered wouldn’t help.
Travis interrupted her thoughts. “Can I take you out to eat when this is
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