“Uh,” his stupid, brilliantly white smile falters but he recovers. “Well, um, what do you think? You’re quite the collector, man, I saw that piece on you in Art Digest.”
I ignore his flattery completely, “Tell me, Theo, how much did Janelle help your career?” I see Janie’s head snap up to me but I ignore that too. Finally the guy starts to stammer. “Did she work your books, organize your shows? Sort your inventory?”
“I, well, yeah, she—”
“And did she get a cut of your profits? A salary or commission in all those years she made you what you are today?”
“Wait, what? Jay?” He puts his angry eyes on Janelle and something in me snaps.
I lean forward. “Don’t look at her you weak, indecisive, sad sack of shit,” His head rears back and he starts to protest but I inch forward. “You had your shot with her and you weren’t bloodysure?Weren’t positive that nothing better could ever or would ever happen to you? You’re the world’s biggest idiot. And you’re mental if you think you can simply walk up to Janelle and touch her? Hug her? Speak to her in bloody private? Absolutely the fuck not. Walk away.”
“Ben,” Aiden warns behind me. I can feel every eye on us, a crowd gathering, I just don’t care.
“Are you for real right now, man?” Theo says, his hands turning to fists at his sides.
“Walk. Away.”
He shifts to look around me and calls to her, “Janie!”
“Talk to my wife again and watch what happens to your little…” I sneer at one of the sculptures, “career.A few calls and you never sell another piece of your overpriced Play-Doh shit ever again, so go. Now.”
He releases a frustrated grunt before storming away. I watch him go, vibrating with anger. I haven’t punched anyone since my teens but my fists are clenched at my sides too.
“Ben,” Janie whispers behind me.
I inhale and then breathe out slowly, bracing. I turn, ready to have my face ripped off for turning into an ape and overstepping by about a thousand kilometers. I face her.
“Can we get out of here?” She asks.
“Of course,” I gesture for her to lead the way. I’m positive she doesn’t want to hold hands or link arms after my little show.Shit.
We make quick work of exiting the space. By the time we reach the sidewalk, I can already see the car pulling up.
“Janie, I—”
“Don’t.” She says. I sigh and decide to obey for now.
As the car takes us slowly across town, I sneak a few glances at her. She’s turned away, focused firmly on anything and everything outside the car window. I ache to reach out and grab her hand, tell her I’m sorry.
She can hold her own, I know that. I should’ve known it, in the moment. She didn’t need me to go all alpha male. I’m sure she’s not only angry but embarrassed, maybe hurt that I brought up her past in front of prying eyes.
Shit shit shit!
I decide to keep my hands and thoughts to myself.
But it’s physically sickening. Painful, even.
And why the hell is that, exactly? Why did I turn into a neanderthal in the first place, and why now am I struggling to breathe?
It’s just a tiff, who cares? She’ll come ‘round. Tell me I’m gross and flee back to Juniper Falls. We’ll go back to being friends.
Friends. Fine. Good.
But as the car pulls up to my building, I feel even worse.
26
JANIE
