Megan smiled at the woman before touching Willow’s arm. “I’ll see you later. I promised Nora I’d take plenty of photos.”
“Remember to take a picture of the bison canvas. She’ll like that one.”
With a quick nod, Megan disappeared into the crowd.
Willow wished she could do the same. It was nerve-racking being here when people were discussing her photos. It was even worse when those same people could make or break her career.
Zac founda parking space a block away from Nick Costas’ gallery. He’d only arrived in Bozeman half an hour ago. With just enough time to have a shower and get changed, he’d left the hotel in a rush, worried he’d miss Willow’s exhibition.
He looked at his cell phone and checked the address of the gallery. The last thing he needed was to be running in the opposite direction to where he needed to go.
The main street of Bozeman was packed with people enjoying a night on the town. Zac didn’t realize how much he’d become used to the small town of Sapphire Bay. He moved closer to the red-brick buildings, trying to reduce the likelihood of triggering a panic attack. As long as a vehicle didn’t backfire or someone crash into him, he would be okay.
A few minutes later, he stopped outside the gallery. Inside the large glass display windows were two of Willow’s canvases. They were both landscapes showing Flathead Lake in all its glory. She must have taken the photos in the fall. The deep red and orange glow of the trees was magical against the clear blue sky and glistening lake.
“You’ll need an invitation to go inside,” a man’s voice said from beside him. “This is the opening night of the exhibition. But from tomorrow, you can see the canvases whenever the gallery is open. It’s well worth a look.”
Zac turned and smiled at the stranger. “Thanks. Did you buy anything?”
The stranger returned Zac’s smile. “I did, but I nearly missed out. Someone else was ready to buy the three landscapes of Yellowstone National Park, but I beat them to the desk. I’d better get going. Have a good night.”
“You, too,” Zac said. He looked through the window at the people holding glasses of wine and nibbling on food. He’d forgotten that tonight was for invited guests only.
He could call Willow and tell her he’d arrived, but that might upset her.
Trying to get past the security staff without a ticket would only embarrass her. So he walked around the side of the building. Megan was here. If he could find her, he would have more chance of getting inside the gallery and seeing Willow.
The soft, classical notes of a string quartet drifted down the wide alleyway. A wall of floor-to-ceiling doors shone light onto the asphalt and gave him a clear view of the exhibition.
Whoever owned the gallery knew a thing or two about displaying art. Each canvas was lit by spotlights, adding to the texture, light, and movement in each photograph.
A woman walked past the window holding a camera. Zac stopped. It had to be Megan. He doubled back and peered inside the gallery, hoping she realized who was standing outside.
If he didn’t figure out a way of getting into the gallery soon, someone might think he was up to no good and call the police.
Just when he was about to give up and head back to the front door, Megan saw him and frowned. He pointed to the locked doors.
When she realized what he wanted, she looked over her shoulder before letting him inside. “Why didn’t you come in the front door?”
“There are two security staff on duty. I didn’t want to embarrass Willow, so I thought I’d try coming through the back door.
“I’m assuming Willow doesn’t know you’re here?”
Zac nodded. It didn’t look as though Megan was particularly happy to see him, either. “I wanted to apologize for the way I treated her. I made a mistake when I ended our relationship.”
Megan crossed her arms in front of her chest. “William told me I should butt out of Willow’s life and not say anything to you. But, as her friend, I feel a moral obligation to tell you exactly how I feel.”
Zac braced himself for the words she was about to say. He probably deserved every unkind thought that had crossed her mind. He just hoped Megan hadn’t shared her thoughts with Willow.
“Anyone with half a brain can see how much you care about each other. You’re a good man, Zac, but you really need to work on your confidence.”
His mouth dropped open. Instead of telling him he was an idiot, she was giving him advice.
Megan’s frown deepened. “The sooner you apologize to Willow, the better it will be for everyone. But before you go anywhere, there’s something you need to see.” She pointed to a white wall not far from where they were standing. “Go over there and look at the canvas hanging on the wall. I’ll follow you. If you need to find somewhere quiet to sit after you’ve seen it, just let me know.”
Zac’s imagination was working overtime. Willow’s photographs weren’t the sort of pictures that gave you nightmares. If anything, they celebrated what was buried below the surface of each image.
“Go on,” Megan said. “I’m right behind you.”
