I too have heard the rumor that Madonna covets de Lempicka’s art, but I let him go on. He clearly loves talking about money.
“But you aren’t wrong. It was a small fraction of what we pay for male artists. I believe the most expensive sale of all time remains Vincent van Gogh’sPortrait of Dr. Gachetfor about eighty million dollars. Though I don’t know if I could continue enjoying this meal if you’d said your favorite painting was something as pedestrian asStarry Night. What do you love about it?La Dormeuse.”
So many things. I love that the woman looks powerful, even in a state of rest. I love that she’s sensual but not at all submissive.
“It makes me feel all the things,” I say instead.
“I have it on good authority that the collector who purchased it will be loaning it to the Louvre for a show soon. Have you been?”
“To the Louvre?” I purposely pronounce it incorrectly. Loov-rah! Then I lower my voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “You do know that as an American visitor you’re not actually allowed to stay in the country unless you visit the Louvre within two months of arriving. The secret Parisian police will find you and drive you to Charles de Gaulle themselves.”
Matthew’s chuckle is validating. In the beginning, Pascal pretended to enjoy my sarcasm. He pretended to adore everysingle thing about me, told me I was brilliant and witty. But eventually my jokes wore on him and he just cocked his head and stared at me with concern when I said anything he deemed off-color.
“I could give you a private tour of the Louvre, perhaps check and see ifLa Dormeusehas arrived.”
“Oh, you work at the Louvre?” I ask sarcastically.
“The Swansons have special access. We can go when there aren’t hordes of tourists.”
“That might be nice.” The wine is now making me sleepy and also making me believe that I deserve to wander through the halls of the world’s greatest art museum with a handsome billionaire.
I let my leg willingly drift closer to Matthew’s until our thighs are firmly connected beneath the table. I’m now actively wondering what his body looks like beneath his clothes.
“How much do you know about my family, Emma?” he asks.
“Only what you and your grandmother have told me.”
Matthew lights up. “Do you want to know more?”
Obviously.“Sure.” I play it cool.
“My family works in art. Always has. My grandfather Maxwell, Stella’s husband, was an art dealer, just like his father before him. We have offices all over the world.” He says it as casually as someone might say, “We have a couple of hoagie franchises in Delaware.”
“ ‘We’? Do you work for them?” I pretend to know less than I do.
“Been primed for it since birth. My sister, Caroline, and I both have. Right now we’re essentially the same level, but I think there’s a good chance Father will tap me for a promotion soon. To groom me to take over when he’s gone.”
“Is he sick?”
Matthew laughs. “He’s a man who likes to plan. I’ve been working hard to prove myself. I do all of our Hollywoodtransactions. Don’t tell anyone, but I just sold an Edward Hopper to Steve Martin.”
“Which one?”
“I shouldn’t tell you. It’s still top secret.” He rakes a hand through his hair and then drapes an arm around my shoulders, running his index finger along the nape of my neck.
He whispers it in my ear. “It wasHotel Window.”
“That’s such a quiet, lonely piece. But also so elegant.”
“Steve was so pleased with how it all went he played me a banjo solo afterward. I fucking love New York and Los Angeles. So much less stuffy than here and London. I’ve been over there most of the year meeting with some investors who think we could do the coolest things with virtual reality.”
“Isn’t that science fiction?”
“It doesn’t have to be. Imagine dancing inside of a Degas or swimming beneath the waterlilies, sleeping on Van Gogh’s wooden bed.” He’s giddy with excitement. “Think about what people will pay for that!”
“What if it didn’t have to be priced out like a side of beef?” I scoff a little again.
He laughs back almost meanly. “Artisa commodity. It’s what my great-grandfather Henrik Swanson figured out a long time ago. He was one of the first to see it. This is simply taking that concept to the next level.”
