“Douche boyfriend…” She exhales. “Left me with nothing, literally. He stole everything from my apartment and my bank account. Wiped me out in one fell swoop. Left me with zilch and with no family to fall back on, I had to go to the streets. Lame as fuck!”
“That’s rough.”
She winces, her confident outlook faltering slightly before it’s back up again. “Yeah, but you roll with the punches. I was studying art and business before the douche came into my life and took everything. Ria made an appearance at a homeless shelter I was boarding in. We became good friends, and she helped me get back on my feet. I finished my art and business degree, and now I can put it to good use, working for you.”
“Okay. I don’t know anything about selling art or running a gallery, so I’m gonna leave that up to you, but I’d like to remain anonymous. I’d like people to buy my art because they like it, not because they know the drummer from Recoil paints it. Do you know what I mean?”
“Anonymity… got it! I already have ideas for sprucing up this place and opening it to the public. It’s going to be great, Nate, I promise.”
I walk up to her and put out my hand for her to shake. She smiles and shakes it firmly. “Okay, let’s do this.”
“Big yes energy!”
Maybe Ria wasn’t the chance that was coming to me today?
Maybe it’s Alex and the gallery?
Perhaps Whisper’s at it again?
Nah…I chuckle.
Chapter Twenty-One
NATE
After spending a few hours talking with Alex about ideas, she has already started making changes around the gallery. She wants to do a launch, but then we realized the artist would need to be present, which kind of blows the anonymity thing right out of the water. So instead, she’s just going to get the place ready, and we’ll open for business and have signage on the street. She is hoping for a week from today and wants me to get some new pieces in the gallery to fill it up a little more. And seeing as the band doesn’t have much going on this week, I’ll spend it all painting at the gallery in the back studio.
But for now, I’m heading home.
It’s been a long night and day, and I need to relax and go to bed.
Matt’s already home when I walk inside, and he’s making his way through another tub of Ben and Jerry’s.
“Dude, you’re gonna get fat, and Whisper won’t be happy either,” I say.
He smirks. “So, was Zaria your present?”
Shaking my head, I pout. “No, Alex was.”
He furrows his brows. “Alex?”
“Mmm… Alex is, well, interesting.”
“Who the fuck is Alex?”
“Ria thought hiring me a manager slash curator was a good idea, so she sent me Alex.”
“But no Ria?”
“No Ria.” I shake my head.
“Bummer, but you can reach out to her now. Say thank you for this interesting Alex character?”
“No. Apparently, Ria is doing Alex a favor, and that’s all it is. It’s nothing to do with me.”
“Double bummer. I’m sorry, bro.”
Shrugging, I head up the stairs. “Lay off the damn ice cream.”
