She turned the phone so he could see which photo she meant.
“I can’t take much credit for that. It’s the draw of the place, not the art.”
“What about the choice of composition? The timing for the best lighting?” She was surprised to hear him undersell himself. “That’s the artistry.”
He rubbed a hand through the light scruff of golden-brown hair along his jaw. “If I go back to photography, I’ll improve. Until then, I hope to stockpile enough funds to pay off Sarah’s education.”
She flipped through more images—paintings and photos alike—one after the other and began to see the creative synergy between them.
“I can’t believe you quit photography with such a gift.” She didn’t mean it as a judgment, however, and worried he might take it that way. “What I mean is, you obviously inspired one another. It must have been hard to decide to do something else.”
“I had an idea for a local television show about the art community. It was self-serving since I wanted to feature Liv first and foremost. But as I was pitching the guy I wanted to sponsor the project, we got talking about something else—a show about local singers. I ended up making that,Voice of America, instead.”
“You produceAmerican Voice?” She nearly dropped his phone.
American Voicewas still on the air, still in the tabloids, and had been incredibly lucrative judging by the celebrity singers who coached young talent on each week’s episode.
“Not the version you now see on television. But I owned the rights since I started it on a regional level, and I retained a share of the project after I sold off creative control.” He grinned for a moment, a rogue dimple making its first appearance that she could remember. Then, the smile faded. “The show paid for that big house I built inLafayette. It put me in demand as a producer. I started traveling more.”
She reached for his hand and held it. He was a success on multiple fronts and had achieved so many dreams at a young age, only to see them end in a horrific way. Leaning over, she kissed his shoulder and hoped it was okay to gently steer the conversation away from the dark sadness still dogging him.
“It’s an amazing talent to bring artistic vision to the masses.” She couldn’t believe all he’d accomplished in a short time.
“I know. Liv had that talent in spades. She started a second business as a perfumer and that was going really well, too.”
Erin shook her head. “I meantyou, though. You’ve got a great talent, Remy. A lot of creative people don’t get the satisfaction of seeing their work enjoyed by the public, but you found a way for people to view your earliest photos. You’ve created multiple television shows that give viewers something entertainingandsubstantive.”
“It doesn’t mean a lot, though, when I can’t even get Sarah off to college successfully.” He rested his elbows on his knees. “Maybe I’ve been away from my bayou roots too long. My mama would say that people count a whole lot more than things. And it’s people that I keep failing.”
She opened her mouth to argue the point, but the lights flickered. Once. Twice.
Then went out altogether.
“It’s okay.” Erin stood, grateful for the flashes of lightning that lit her way. “I put some candles out earlier.”
She made her way to the kitchen and patted around the counter until she found the box of matches.
“I should call Sarah.” Light from Remy’s phone illuminatedthe living room. “Or text, I guess. Kids don’t use phones to talk.”
Erin lit the two tapers, then moved around the living room with the box of matches to light a few candles she kept on the mantel and end tables.
By the time she was done, the house glowed with warm light. The house wouldn’t cool off that much since a rainstorm in a Tennessee spring didn’t bring the temperature down that much.
“I think the quiche is almost done anyhow.” She pulled it out of the oven. “It smells amazing.”
“Sarah is a great cook.” Remy strode toward the kitchen, stopping to lean on the island. “She says they’re fine, by the way. Ally invited her to sleep over.”
“Good.” Erin wondered how Bethany was doing after being so upset at the store. “Ally could use friends around her right now. Her mother and father are going through a tough year.”
“Even the best marriages are tested.”
Did he speak from experience? She had pictured his marriage as perfect.
Erin left the quiche on the counter. “We should probably wait a few minutes to let that cool.”
His teeth flashed white in the glow of candlelight.
“Leaving one to wonder how we should fill the time?” His hands settled on her hips, drawing her near.
