“Nobody is suggesting you break up with Cam,” Michael said, wrapping his arm around her shoulder. “But you don’t have to stay with him to prove you’re not like your mom. You haven’t shared much about her, but I’ve heard enough to know she isn’t a nice person. Being like her would take decades, and I’m sorry to disappoint you, but I don’t think you would be accepted into the training program. You’re way too nice. Besides, I heard you have to have some sort of secret handshake.”
“What are you talking about?” Bre said, shaking her head.
“The secret manipulative bitch society. They really do exist. I’ve encountered some of their members. They are fierce.” Michael responded, raising his eyebrows, his lips twitching.
An uncomfortable laugh escaped Bre’s mouth, and she wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes. “I’m not sure if that made any sense.”
“It didn’t,” Sara said.
“Doesn’t matter. You get my point,” Michael said, handing Bre a painting. “Besides, that’s enough talk about lover boy today, but after this weekend, all bets are off. I plan to give you a full report of my findings after he leaves. I’ll let you know whether or not he redeemed himself. We have to hang ten more pictures in the next hour before the cleaners get here. Now get to work.”
“Yes, sir,” Bre responded, looking around the gallery. “What are we going to do with the front corner of the east wall? We don’t have enough paintings to fill that space. We need about three more.”
“Don’t worry about that,” Michael said. “I have a surprise artist I plan to reveal tomorrow night.”
Sara chuckled under her breath.
“Are you hiding something from me?” Bre questioned, looking back and forth between Michael and Sara.
“Yes. That’s why it’s called a surprise,” Michael responded.
Chapter Sixteen
“Are you sure you don’t want to go out for a drink?” Sara said, holding open the front door to the gallery.
“No. I’m going to stay here in case the cleaners have any questions,” Bre said.
“Make sure you lock up after they leave,” Michael yelled from the sidewalk. “I don’t want to walk into a bare gallery tomorrow night. Total ruin before we open our doors to the public would be more than I could handle.”
“Hey, I only forgot once and the gallery was empty at the time,” Bre yelled out the front door over Sara’s shoulder.
“Well, now it isn’t,” Michael responded.
Sara hugged Bre. “Ignore him,” she whispered. “He’s anxious about the opening.”
“So am I,” Bre said.
Sara dropped her arms from Bre’s shoulders and grabbed her hands. “And don’t worry about Cam. Everything is going to sort itself out. This weekend will be good for you two.”
Bre shook her head. “I hope so. For some reason, I’m more nervous about seeing Cam than the gallery. How backwards is that?”
“It’s because the gallery is going to be a raging success. Nothing to worry about there.”
“I think you’re right,” Bre smiled. “Now go have some fun, but not so much that you have a hangover tomorrow.”
“You too! Tell Cam I said hi,” Sara yelled.
Bre watched Michael and Sara get into Michael’s car, then she went to her office to review her notes on all the artists showing their work at the gallery tomorrow night. Although she had everything committed to memory, she took comfort in being overly prepared.
As the hum of the vacuum cleaner filled the air, a text from Cam popped up on her phone.
Sorry, babe. I can’t make it to the opening. Major band and work stuff this weekend. <3
As Bre read the message, she could feel her eyes blazing with anger. Of course, Bre thought. His band. His job. Those are the only two things he cares about anymore. Her loved ones could die, she could be celebrating her new business, and Cam would choose his band and his job over her. Why didn’t she see it earlier? He didn’t want to be part of her life right now.
She started to type a response to Cam’s text, but she deleted it and called him instead. She refused to let him cancel again without talking to her. She deserved more than a thoughtless text.
“Hey, babe,” Cam answered enthusiastically. “Did you get my text?”
“Would I be calling right now if I didn’t? You’re supposed to be on a plane right now! I wouldn’t call you if I thought you were flying,” Bre realized her voice was unnaturally loud, but she couldn’t control her mounting frustration. Michael and Sara were right. Cam never made her a priority, and she let him get away with it. She never challenged or questioned him.