If I squinted, I might be able to believe that, but I still set the groceries down and went right over to fawn over it. “It’s beautiful. You’re so creative, baby. How was your day?”
“It was good,” she said excitedly. “Did you know that butterflies start out as caterpillars?”
“I did,” I said, glancing over at Lu, who hadn’t even looked up yet. She was furiously coloring her caterpillar, completely focused until I sidled up and dropped a kiss on top of her head. “Do you think maybe I can have ahibefore you carry on?”
Lu mumbled a quick “hello” and went straight back to work. I caught Amber’s eye over the counter and she arched an eyebrow at me like she was sayingwhat are you going to do? She’s a perfectionist.
I smiled and started opening bags to put away the groceries, but my phone rang before I could even unpack the first one. The gallery’s name lit up my screen and I frowned, my mind immediately hurtling to the worst-case scenario.
Swiping up the device immediately, I answered, needing to know that my brain was just trying to con me into thinking I’d forgotten something important. “It’s the labels, isn’t it? The lighting on theTraveler’s Journeyis perfect, so it can’t be?—”
Debra’s chuckle came through the line. “It’s not the labels, honey. Relax. I’m actually calling to tell you about that piece from the back display. You know the one I’m talking about, right?”
I paused. “Yeah? The new Annie Matheson piece,Life As We Don’t Know It?”
“That’s the one,” she said. “It sold.”
“Oh, wow,” I said. “That’s great.”
It was also the piece I’d shown Zach, so I hoped he wouldn’t be too upset. Then again, I doubted he would ever buy something like that.
“It’s more than just great, Adeline,” Debra said. “Your commission on the sale is just over thirty thousand. Congratulations.”
I froze completely, every muscle in my body locking up. “I’m sorry. Can you repeat that please?”
“Thirty thousand,” she repeated cheerfully. “That’s why I’m calling. I thought you’d want to know right away. Talk about a good day’s work, am I right?”
I stared at the bag of apples in my hand. “Are you sure?”
“Yes.” She laughed. “I’m positive. Isn’t that amazing?”
“Yeah, it really is something, alright.” I swallowed hard, but my voice still came out on a squeak. “Thank you, Debra. I appreciate you letting me know.”
I ended the call and turned to find Amber watching me carefully. Both of her eyebrows were swept up this time.
“Well?” she asked.
I blinked a few times in rapid succession. “The new Annie Matheson sold. I’m getting a huge commission.”
She squealed. “That’s amazing.”
“Yeah, it’s unbelievable.”
Amber’s eyes widened. “Just unbelievable? It’s a freaking miracle, is what it is. Who bought it?”
I opened my mouth to tell her that Debra hadn’t said, but I already knew it didn’t matter whether I’d been given a name. Just remembering the way he’d stood there and how he’d looked back at it told me I knew exactly who that piece would be going to—and who I could thank for my first truly meaningful commission since I’d walked back into that gallery.
CHAPTER 19
ZACH
“I’m afraid to ask how much you spent on that,” Alex said, standing in the doorway of the conference room like the painting might attack him if he got any closer.
“I’m afraid to say,” I admitted as I crossed my arms, studying the oversized canvas currently dominating an otherwise very bland but elegant room. “It’s really not very pretty, is it?”
“Nope.”
He strode further in and came to stand beside me, joining me in squinting at the painting like we might be able to figure out why it cost so much if we just stared hard enough. We were two grown, successful men who were allegedly intelligent, but here we were, both of us frowning at what looked like blobs of paint on canvas.
