Naomi nodded.“I think you can add a few arrows, directing traffic but also giving information.Or even smiley faces or hearts or something basic and silly.”
Parker-Roth nodded, and she could see the light in his eyes.“Yes,” he said.“I love the whimsy of it, but also it serves as concrete information delivery.Dual purpose wins the race every single time.”
Naomi nodded, pleased her suggestion matched the artist’s concept of what he wanted.“I’m glad,” she said.“Do you have…?”
Parker-Roth shook his head.“I’ve got everything together,” he interjected, correctly assuming that the next words out of her mouth would be the search for supplies to make the items.“I figure some of the gallery assistants will want to help with the actual making of them; I figure you and I can supervise that process.”
Naomi nodded.“Thank you,” she said.
“I’m excited to work with you on the wedding,” he replied.“I like your vision; it seems like you’re willing to go out of the box if you need to.”
And then there was a pause.“I know that things have been weird and ridiculously hard for you—I heard briefly from Samuel, but if there’s anything I can do to help?”
And then she got the wildest idea.“Actually, I have a question for you.”
Parker-Roth nodded.“Absolutely.Go ahead.”
“You must have an accountant you can trust?”
And that made Max Parker-Roth full-on laugh.“You’re kidding me.”
Naomi shook her head.“Absolutely not.I figure if anybody could do the taxes of someone who does both event design and visual art exhibits, as well as everything else that inspires you, they could either do mine or advise me on whattodo.”
Parker-Roth laughed again.“Well, I have to hand it to you,” he said.“You’re really smart about these things.I’ll text you my accountant’s information later today.”
She smiled back at him.“Thank you,” she said.“I appreciate it.”
“But for now,” he continued, “let’s get on with the prep so that when the doors open, we’ll be ready.”
Which, Naomi thought as she glanced toward Jason, was the best idea she could think of.
Chapter Fourteen
For the secondtime in two days, Jason left an exhibit, exhausted but creatively fulfilled, Naomi by his side.It was fun exhibit, and it was even made more so by how the layers of the story Max Parker-Roth told about the different ways light was used were accessible to anybody who attended.Younger kids at the beginning of the night, art enthusiasts toward the end.
And, Jason noted with a grin, he and Naomi weren’t the only attendees wearing black.
Yet as they left the gallery, exhilaration turned to exhaustion and Jason found himself glad that he’d offered his place for them to stay at that night; it was just the right distance away from the gallery.
And judging from the expression on her face, Naomi was also feeling the signs of exhaustion.He put his arm around her as they walked the short distance to his building.The building door opened easily, if not squeakily, the creaky elevator moved them up and dropped them off, and the keys in the door did their job.
He desperately wanted to collapse onto his couch, but he was hosting and he never ever wanted her to think he was a bad host, let alone didn’t want her there, in his space.“You okay?You hungry?”
She smiled, looked up at him.“Surprisingly I am.”
He nodded, and headed to the kitchen, his mind racing to a recipe he’d seen and wanted to try.
“I’ve heard this dish is best eaten after the night is over,” he replied.“You know in that manner of things after you’ve had a great night out, you’re buzzing like the stars…”
She looked up at him.“Yes?”
And then he thought of a better idea.“Come on,” he said.“Let’s go.”
She blinked; he could see the confusion in her eyes.“I thought you were cooking?”
“I forgot I knew an expert,” he replied honestly.“Someone I know just opened a place that specializes in the dish I was going to completely botch for you.”
She nodded.“Okay,” she said.“Let’s go.”
