Perhaps I could have a forgery made. Maybe. I didn’t know much about art forgery, but I was pretty sure they needed more than a slightly blurry text message–quality photo.
And Tess probably wouldn’t accept a copy, not if that was the last piece she had of her mother.
I needed to get that painting back. And soon.
Shannyn must have known how much it was worth. She would probably put it up for auction at some point, right? I could just anonymously buy it back for Tess. I rifled back through my memories. Shannyn had worked at an art gallery, right?
Beck:How does the art auction system work?
Archer:I’m guessing you didn’t just give the painting away to a homeless person.
Beck:She’s an art dealer.
Archer:*sigh*
Archer:I bet she already has a private buyer lined up.
Beck:Shit.
What was I going to do? I didn’t want to lose my sisters, but I also didn’t want to lose Tess. I needed her. My life would be empty without her.
The restaurant the girls had picked was busy. I put our names down on the list at the hostess station then went to wait with my sisters.
“Tess didn’t want to come?” Enola asked. “Did you ask her?”
“She didn’t respond to me when I texted her,” Annie said with concern. “Is she okay?”
“I don’t know,” I admitted. “I gave away something of hers that I didn’t have a right to.”
“Uh-oh! Can you get it back?” Enola asked.
“I’m not sure. Probably not, unless by some sort of miracle. So if you two have any great ideas for an apology present, I’m all ears.”
“What did you give away?”
“Her painting,” I said with a grimace.
My sisters each winced.
“Ooh, that’s rough.”
“Yep.” I looked around the restaurant, willing Tess to appear or at least that painting. Instead, my eyes locked with two ice-blue ones at the nearby bar.
“Hi, Belle,” I said. She was with Dana Holbrook, her business partner. Both women glared at me.
“Hi, Ms. Belle. Hi, Ms. Dana!” my sisters chorused. The two women smiled at the girls then turned their ire back to me.
“So this is one of the ones trying to steal my tower?” Dana raised an eyebrow.
I wondered if Greg had fully considered the fact that he would not only piss off both women but also their respective male family members. Knowing my brother, he probably thought that was a plus.
“Great evening for a meal,” I said, shifting my weight.
“Cut the BS,” Dana said. “We were just discussing how to keep you brother from stealing our flagship investment project.”
“Greg is fully committed to having that tower,” I warned them.
“And I’m fully committed to that not transpiring,” Belle retorted.
