“Today was fun,” Brittany said when they pulled to the front of her building. “Thanks so much for inviting me today and last night, Josie. I really enjoyed myself.”
“You’re welcome,” Josie said with a warm smile. “I had fun too. We absolutely have to make this a regular event.”
“Absolutely!” Brittany said as she climbed out of the car.
“And keep me posted on Kai!” Josie yelled after her.
Brittany turned and gave her a thumbs-up and an exaggerated smile.
Josie settled into the backseat and texted Ash on her way back to the apartment. She’d told him she was having lunch with the girls and he’d told her to have fun and let him know when she was headed back. Maybe he’d even get to come home early from work.
Anticipation licked up her spine as they drove through the city. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d been so . . . happy. So carefree and utterly satisfied with the direction of her life.
When they arrived at Ash’s apartment building, she got out and thanked the driver. As she headed inside, the doorman, who was on the phone, put his hand over the receiver and called from across the lobby.
“Miss Carlysle, a package came for you while you were out. It’s on my desk. Shall I have it brought up to the apartment?”
Josie smiled. “No, that’s okay. It’s small, right? I’ll take it up with me.”
She’d ordered some new brushes and knew they were coming in today.
“It’s in the office. Give me just a sec and I’ll get it for you.”
“Oh no need,” she called. “Finish your call. I’ll just get it and bring it up with me.”
“Miss Carlysle!” he called after her.
She pushed inside the small office that housed deliveries and glanced at the desk where a small package was sitting. With a smile, she went over and tucked it underneath her arm. When she turned to go back out, her gaze caught on several covered paintings resting against the far wall.
She frowned because one of them wasn’t fully covered and it looked an awful lot like hers. But what would they be doing here of all places?
She hurried over, unrepentant about snooping. She pulled back the covering and gasped. They were her paintings!
chapter twenty-eight
Josie quickly rummaged through the others, her stomach knotting as she took in every single painting she’d sold in Mr. Downing’s art gallery.
What on earth?
She let the covering fall and stepped back, the knot in her stomach growing bigger. Oh no. No, no, no. It couldn’t be. He wouldn’t have.
But he had. The evidence was staring her right in the face.
“Miss Carlysle, please. You shouldn’t be in here,” the doorman said from the door.
“No, I don’t suppose I should,” she murmured.
She pushed past him, ignoring his calls for her to stop. What on earth could he possibly say?
She shoved into the elevator, tears stinging her eyes. How could he have done it? She felt like the biggest fool on earth. She’d never dreamed that Ash had been the one to buy all her paintings, but it shouldn’t have surprised her. He’d orchestrated every aspect of their relationship so far.
Desolation settled over her. She wasn’t successful. She wasn’t independent. Everything she had came from Ash. She was living off his money, in his apartment. Nothing had been bought with her money. Her earlier sensation of rightness, that she’d found her place in the world, was gone with the discovery of those paintings.