Hugo was still looking at me, his expression quietly amused.
“He sounded more like a fan than a friend,” he said. “Most surprising, Andrea. Sebastian isn’t exactly generous with his critiques, as I’m sure you know. I’m impressed.”
I drew in a careful breath. I felt as if something in me had been knocked loose and needed a moment to settle back into place.
When I looked up, Liam was watching me too.
“So am I,” he said quietly. “Just less surprised.”
His face had softened into a gentle smile.
If I hadn’t known better, I’d have thought it was pride.
*
“Liam!”
Another old friend, waving him over.
“Do you mind, Andrea?” he said. “We could find somewhere quiet if you need a break—”
“It’s fine.” I smiled. My phone had buzzed again, and I reached into my purse to check it. “I’m just going to sit here for a minute.”
“I’ll be right back,” he said.
Kelly:The bank declined my overdraft. Just got theletter.
Me:But you’ll get a redundancy payout, right?
Kelly:Not required. I’ve been there less than twoyears.
Shit.
I saw Miranda waving to me on her way over.
Me:I’ll text you soon, hon, sorry. I’m a bitbusy.
Too busy for my friends? Nausea tugged at my gut.
“Andrea, I had no idea.” Miranda pulled up a chair next to me, her tone conspiratorial. “How did we not know this about you?”
It was cooler away from the terrace, and the fairy lights looked sharper now that the sky was almost dark.
I didn’t feel like talking about myself with Kelly in bits back in London. I shrugged.
Miranda laughed, dragging me back into her world again. “Of course, it all makes sense. Why you were at the exhibition, why Liam was so drawn to you. I should have guessed.”
A waiter drifted over, and I took a tiny pastry shaped like a flower from his tray.
“Hugo was right,” she went on. “You must have something very special. Sebastian doesn’t bother unless something’s caught his attention.”
“It was kind of Sebastian to say something. Surprising really.”
Miranda fixed me with a look that said I shouldn’t have been surprised. “Kind isn’t a word one often associates with Sebastian.”
I shrugged and tried to smile, but seeing Sebastian had rattled me more than I wanted to admit.Was everything I’d told myself about my art for so many years… wrong?
“I did… love it. It’s just been a while since I’ve been able to paint.”
