“I love Owen’s glass studio,” Natalie said sincerely. “When he asked if I’d be part of this exhibition, I couldn’t say no.” She looked behind Steve and frowned. “Excuse me for a minute.” Walking across to the table, she studied a bronze sculpture of a horse.
It had taken Steve two months to createEquine Grace.It showed a horse in mid-stride, with its muscles finely detailed and mane flowing. He wanted anyone seeing it to feel the movement and vitality of the horse, to be able to imagine it roaming across the flat plains of Montana.
“Do either of you know who made this sculpture?” she asked.
Steve cleared his throat. “That’d be me.”
Natalie’s frown deepened. “Did you say your last name was Thompson?”
“That’s my legal name,” Steve explained. “The name I use for my sculpting is?—”
“Steven Gromwell,” Natalie said softly. “I saw this sculpture in Milan a few years ago. I tried to buy it, but the gallery owner said it was part of a private collection.”
“It’s one of the first bronze sculptures I made. I don’t want to sell it.”
Natalie’s eyes shone with excitement. “I can’t believe we live in the same town. I’ve followed your career for years.”
Steve felt a little uncomfortable at the attention Natalie’s words were creating. “Thanks. I umm… enjoy being out of the limelight.”
Natalie looked at the people who were silently watching their conversation. “It’s okay,” she told everyone. “I’m just admiring everyone’s work.”
With a subtle move that impressed Steve, she guided them away from the other artists. “Why didn’t you tell anyone you’d be here?” she whispered to Steve. “I know collectors who’d fly to the other side of the world to see your work.”
By this stage, Owen’s mouth had dropped open. He was staring at Steve as if he’d grown two heads.
“I don’t want anyone in Sapphire Bay to know I’m Steven Gromwell,” Steve explained. “People treat me differently when I exhibit under that name.”
Natalie’s gaze focused on the other pieces Steve had brought with him. “But here you are. In my humble opinion, your sculptures are fantastic. After the weekend is over, would you and Owen like to come over for a cup of coffee? The three of us have a lot in common. It’d be nice to talk shop and bounce ideas of each other.”
Owen sent Steve a warning look before saying, “We’d enjoy that.”
The power behind Natalie’s smile could have lit half of Sapphire Bay. “That’s awesome. You have my contact details, Owen. Give me a call when you’re both available.” She checked her watch and sighed. “I’d love to keep chatting, but I’d better bring my other two paintings to the studio before everyone leaves.”
With a wave to both of them, Natalie headed toward the main door.
“Well,” Owen said with a bemused expression. “That was interesting.”
Interesting wasn’t the word Steve would have chosen. “At least she likes our work. I would’ve felt bad if she couldn’t find something positive to say about what we do.”
Owen wasn’t being fobbed off by small talk. “You never told me you’ve exhibited in Milan.”
“Mysculptureswere in Italy,” Steve reminded him. “Iwas living here.”
“You’re splitting hairs,” Owen told him grumpily. “You told me your sculptures sell for lots of money, but I didn’t realize you exhibited in galleries around the world.”
Steve frowned. “The galleries promote my work to people who might never have heard of me. I’m still the same guy who can outrun you around the lake.”
“Only when you’ve got a tailwind,” Owen said with a growl. “It’s just as well you have a dog. Rex makes you appear as human as the rest of us.”
Steve glanced at the other artists in the room. Now that Natalie had left, no one was interested in what he was saying to Owen. “At least you can’t say I’ve got a big ego.”
“That’s true,” Owen acknowledged. “And to prove it, you can give me a hand in the kitchen. We need to make sure there are enough cups and saucers for all the people we’re expecting.”
“Is your mom doing the herbal tea thing again?”
Owen nodded. “She thinks it’s better than the wine I’ve bought. By the end of the exhibition, we’ll know who was right.”
Steve wouldn’t discount Owen’s mom quite so soon. She could be persuasive when she needed to be. A lot like her son.
