“Okay, how long will it take for you to complete theartwork?”
She started to shrug, but stopped herself and glanced at himsheepishly.
He chuckled, dispelling the serious mood that hung over them. “You’re a fastlearner.”
She shrugged, intentionally this time, and they both laughed. Customers with lobster-colored skin and bright Hawaiian-print shirts at the surrounding tables stared at them before turning their attention back to their icedcoffees.
“Beautiful.” He unbuttoned the second button of his shirt then grabbed the stack of napkins from the table and dabbed at his forehead and back of his neck. Even in the shade, the heat wassweltering.
“What’sbeautiful?”
“Yoursmile.”
Whoa. Was that a compliment?She traced the rim of her coffee lid, unsure of how to respond. When was the last time a man had complimented her on anything? She couldn’t remember Stephon ever doing so during their two and a half-year courtship. All he ever did was criticize her work. He was always more interested in the business side of her work than the beauty of it. Or should she say the financial side?Thievingjerk.
“This is where you saythankyou.”
“What?”
Josh gave her that slightly crooked grin again. “You didn’t seem to know what to do with a compliment, so I wastellingyou.”
Momentarily stunned, she recovered quickly. “I don’t need a man to tell me what to do.” Then she stood, downed the rest of her coffee and march over to her bike. Pulling it from the rack, she hopped on and pedaled hard, desperate to get away from Josh and his boyish charm, away from the thought of recreating the piece of art that marked the demise of her relationship, her career,herlife.
