By the time I returned home and explained everything that had happened to Bram, I barely had enough time to get ready for the event at the gallery. I switched into another dress: a shorter, more form-fitting black halter-neck. It was one of the sexy outfits Mac had gotten without the guys’ knowledge when she’d shopped for me using Bram’s money.
Mac, Lemon, and the guys were going with me tonight. Because we all couldn’t fit in my car, Mac, the guys, and I would meet Lemon at Stewart’s.
The guys dressed up nicely for the event. Roe was in all black. Black slacks with a black button-up shirt. Wyatt was wearing a dark blue button-up with nice blue jeans. Reid was in a dark red button-up and black slacks.
Mac borrowed from me a short, pale gold dress with very thin straps that looked amazing on her. She had her long brown hair with caramel highlights down and curled.
It was dark when the event started. We met Lemon outside. She was dressed in a short, dark forest-green cocktail dress that was form-fitting and long-sleeved.
As soon as we walked into the gallery, I just felt this joy take over. There were quite a few people attending. The gallery was large with a maze of floor-to-ceiling white walls, light wood floors, and lighting that perfectly illuminated every piece of artwork on the walls. Waiters walked around with trays of champagne flutes.
I’d purchased the tickets for everyone ahead of time. After checking in, we started to make our way around, taking in each piece one at a time. Lemon flagged a waiter down and bribed him with a hundred dollars to serve us. We each got a glass of champagne.
Wyatt and I were the most excited and talked a lot as we moved from artwork to artwork. We both took the time to explain the different styles each artist used to the others.
I bribed the same waiter for another round of champagne, which was warming my empty belly. I stupidly hadn’t eaten all day. I’d been too nervous this morning before meeting my grandfather, whom I could once again refer to as such, and after the meeting, I’d had to get ready to come here.
“You’re smiling a real smile,” Roe whispered in my ear as he wrapped his arms around me from behind.
My smile stayed where it was as I continued to take in a dancing naked woman wearing a pearl-beaded mask that only covered her eyes. “I know.”
“I think this one is my favorite so far,” Mac said as she came up to stare at the naked woman, leaving Reid, Lemon, and Wyatt behind as they lingered at the previous piece. “Do you think the artist used a model to draw this?” she asked.
“Possibly. I’m sure the curator would know if the artist isn’t here,” I said.
Mac couldn’t pry her eyes from the drawing. “How amazing would that be?”
“To model naked?” I asked. “Are you wanting me to draw you naked? If so, that’s a whole other level of bonding compared to me showing you my breasts.”
She snorted. “Not you?—”
Before she could say more, someone approached us. “You ended up coming.”
It was Ezra. He was dressed nicely in an all-black suit, sans tie, and the top two buttons of his shirt were undone. The dark outfit really made his black-rimmed, lime-green eyes pop.
“Thank you for telling me about it.” I gestured to Mac and Roe. “I don’t know if you’ve met, but this is my boyfriend Roe and this is my friend Mac.” I gestured to Ezra. “Guys, this is my drawing rival, Ezra.”
Roe and Ezra nodded at each other, but Ezra stared at Mac, taking all of her in. “Hello,” he said to her.
Unaware of or pretending not to notice his fixed gaze on her, she asked him, “How are you two rivals?”
“We’re the best in our class. But it’s not much of a rivalry. She’s a lot more talented than I am,” Ezra said.
“I wouldn’t say ‘a lot.’ I have to work hard to compete with you,” I grumbled.
Ezra looked up at the dancing woman. “Regardless of who’s better, it’s all for fun at the end of the day.” For a split second, a sadness that I understood showed in his eyes. The sadness of not being able to pursue what you loved. Ezra was going off to an Ivy League college after we graduated, to later go work for his father’s company.
Mac stepped closer to him. “Do you draw with charcoal, too?”
He shook his head. “Oil pastels.”
I pushed my back against Roe’s chest so we could retreat and sneak off, leaving the two alone. We went over to the rest of our group. Lemon glanced over my shoulder at Mac and Ezra, then gave me a smile.
“Who is my sister talking to?” Reid asked as he frowned over at them.
“My rival,” I said.
“He’s a good guy,” Lemon said.
