He makes a beautiful sound halfway between a laugh and a snort.
“That’s right,” I agree. “We don’t need anyone.”
Least of all,Michael.
That’s what I tell myself as I drive, ignoring the pit in my stomach, the ache that hasn’t shown any signs of fading in almost eleven months. Still, this is the lot of some women, many women, and I wouldn’t trade Theo for the world.
I feel eyes on me as I carry Theo through the function hall toward the offices at the back. Or maybe I’m just imagining it, projecting because I’ve felt the sting of self-consciousness ever since I first started showing as a young mother. I’m twenty-three, so it’s not like I’mthatyoung, but still…
Sometimes I think they can tell what happened just by looking at me. I imagine them thinking,Aw, poor girl, she bought some playboy’s lies and then he lumbered her with the consequences.
Adrian and Cassie are sitting at a small table when I enter. Adrian is dressed sharply as usual. He stands, smiles tightly, his eyes staring in that way people calldeadorshark-eyed. Cassie is a bright, happy hippie, a thirty-year-old, with hair dyed multiple colors, wearing a set of denim overalls. She coos as she walks over and gently takes Theo from me.
“I’ve got his bassinet in the car,” I tell her. “I’ll go and get it. I forgot. Sorry.”
“Ava,” Adrian says. “Take a breath. This isn’t that big a deal.”
I bite my lip, then release it. Not wanting to seem anxious sometimes makes me more anxious. I get anxious about seeming anxious. What a loop. “What if he starts crying? Will they hear? Is there a fridge in here? I’ve got my travel cooler, but?—”
Cassie nods to the corner. “We’ve got a fridge. Don’t worry. That oh-so special milk won’t spoil.”
I flush, laughing. “You’re right. I need to chill. I promise, when I come back, I’ll be so Zen, you’ll ask if I’m changing my profession to full-time monk.”
I go outside again, this time imagining them thinking,What a mother, she’s abandoned her baby!and grab Theo’s stuff. When I return, Cassie has got Theo on her knee, cooing as he giggles happily up at her. Adrian is standing over the table, papers spread out beneath him.
I set the stuff down, then go to his side. “These are the ones we need to look out for,” he says, showing a few experimentalist pieces. “The artist is on the rise.”
“She sold a piece last month to those English aristocrats for half a million, right?”
Adrian grins at me, nodding. “Yes, precisely. That’s why I’d like us to circulate before the auction begins. We have two chances here. The first is to network, expand our reach, and make friends who might become useful later.”
“The usual schmoozing,” Cassie comments. “Better you than me.”
“And the second is to subtly downplay Athena Gravestone’s value,” Adrian mutters, tapping his chin. “But thesubtlepart is important. We don’t want to be seen outright slandering anartist. If we can lower her value in the eyes of a few players, we might be able to snag some pieces a little cheaper.”
“Athena Gravestone,” Cassie mutters. “That has to be made up.”
Adrian chuckles. “She’s a genius, Cass. She can call herself anything she wants.”
“When I’m branded a genius, you won’t even be able to print my name. It’ll be a public offense,” I say with a grin.
Adrian rolls his eyes at me, and I smile. I’ve got a dad, who’s supportive, who I love, who loves me, but sometimes, Adrian feels like my work dad.
Adrian’s cellphone rings. He takes it out of his jacket pocket, and his smile immediately becomes more convincing. Not that I need convincing, it’s just… well, sometimes, in certain lights and at certain times, I know what people mean when they call him unnerving.
He leaves the room, so I sit beside Cassie, gently stroking Theo’s cheek. He giggles but also gives me one heck of a stink eye as if I’ve just intruded on him and Cassie. Cassie notices, laughing, shooting me a wink.
“Have you noticed that Adrian only ever looks really happy when his wife calls?” Cassie asks.
“Hmm,” I murmur, afraid to overcommit in case I ruin this once-in-a-lifetime job opportunity.
“Hmm,” Cassie echoes, laughing. “I’m not a spy, Ava.”
“I think it’s nice he loves his wife. This world has too many men who are willing to abandon and ignore their women. Who arewilling to just… just walk away and pretend like they never made a commitment to begin with.”
Whoa, slow down.
“Their women,” Cassie repeats. “I didn’t know you were so… old-fashioned.”
