Before You(49)

“I don’t know about that. I’m speechless. Seeing my work framed is surreal, but I’m petrified that people won’t like it.”

“There’s nothing to be afraid of. You’re unbelievably talented,” Michael said, squeezing her shoulders.

“Thanks,” she mumbled, feeling self-conscious. She’d always dreamed of displaying her art, but she’d never had the courage to pursue it. Watching someone critique her art seemed too personal, almost as though she’d spilled her secrets for the world to see. Besides, being an artist was her mom’s thing and she hated admitting they were alike in any way.

Unfortunately, she didn’t have time to bask in the moment because her nerves were frayed from all the craziness in her life. Trying to reduce her anxiety, Bre grabbed a glass of champagne off a waiter’s tray and downed it, then grabbed another glass before the waiter walked away. She hoped it would ease the last remnants of her hangover from the night before because she needed to sell a lot of artwork this ski season in order to make it through the mud season without taking out a loan to cover operating costs.

Seeing Bre’s indulgence in alcohol, Sara squeezed her arm. “You need to relax and forget about Cam for the next few hours or you’re going to scare away our customers, and then Michael will be a total ass on Monday. Can you imagine?” Sara’s eyes were wide in mock terror.

Laughing, Aubrey turned to face Sara, her uptilted amber eyes shining with the first glimpse of true amusement she had experienced all day. “All too well. You’re right. I’ll relax if only so I don’t disappoint Michael.”

“Incoming! Let the games begin,” Michael yelled animatedly, rubbing his palms together as he watched the first wave of guests approach the gallery.

Before Sara could walk away, Bre grabbed her arm. “Thanks for arranging to have my art displayed. I would have never taken a step like this by myself.”

Sara smiled. “Don’t thank me. Thank Jax,” Sara leaned in and whispered. “Besides, what’s the fun in owning your own gallery if you can’t display your own art?”

Nearly an hour and a half later, the gallery was packed, and a fifty-something couple had Bre boxed in the corner, evaluating whether the colors of a large piece would clash with their pillows. Laughter rippled through the gallery as sixty or so fashionable people floated from one painting to the next while waiters navigated the crowd serving drinks and appetizers. Bre had already sold two of her own paintings and three paintings of one of her favorite local artists. She hoped to close the deal on this one because it was one of the most expensive pieces they had on the gallery floor. Then, she and Michael could deem the night an unqualified success.

“Art should call to you. If you fell in love with this painting the moment you saw it, you should buy it. Art is a long-term investment, and whether or not your pillows are the exact shade of something in the painting won’t matter five years from now,” Bre commented to the couple.

“You’re right, dear,” the wife said. “I can always change the room to coordinate with this painting. This is the right piece. I feel it.”

Bre smiled hearing the woman’s husband groan and mumble under his breath about wasting more money redecorating, but in the end, he handed his credit card to her and she made her way toward her office.

Just as she turned the corner, she heard a familiar high-pitched voice calling her name. Whirling around, her stomach twisted. “Mia, I didn’t expect to see you here. I didn’t realize you were in the market for some artwork.”

“I’m not. I heard about the gallery grand opening, and I thought I’d pop by and see how you were managing after last night.”

“Excuse me?” Bre questioned, arching her eyebrows. She hoped Mia didn’t know she and Cam broke up.

“I saw you and Jax get in a taxi last night, and I wanted to check and see if Jax got you home in one piece. You looked as though you’d had a lot to drink.”

At the mention of Jax’s name, Bre immediately went on high alert, and her heart started beating erratically in her chest. Mia bloomed at the mere hint of scandalous gossip. She created it, fostered it, and sharpened it to be used like a bludgeon against anyone she didn’t like, and Bre undoubtedly fit into that category.

She particularly detested Bre because Mia had dated Cam briefly before Cam and Bre confessed to each other that they both wanted to be more than friends. Not a week later, Cam made a big production of asking her to prom. Mia never let go of her infatuation for Cam or her jealous loathing of Bre. He even mentioned that Mia occasionally showed up at some of his shows in LA. Bre knew without a doubt that Mia would launch a vicious campaign against Bre if she ever discovered what happened with Jax. That reality added even more stress to her already frazzled mind.