He didn’t really know her, and he should be more careful around her. Because playing with fire was liable to get him burned.
Chapter Five
“Love Through the Ages” was the kind of art exhibition Jacinta would once have looked forward to seeing, but now the huge advertising banners fluttering outside the Museum of Modern Art made her wince. Tonight had nothing to do with love—it was only another opportunity to be seen in public with Lex. The Rochester Foundation was a major sponsor of the exhibition, and Lex’s uncle Ralph was bound to be here at the opening party, which was all the more reason to attend the opening that Saturday night, Lex had said.
As they approached the entrance to the art gallery, Jacinta spotted a couple of photographers and stopped in her tracks. “Are they going to take pictures of us?”
“Why not?” Lex replied.
“What will they do with the pictures?”
“I don’t know. Put them on the internet, publish them in a newspaper.”
When she and Lex had been together before, they hadn’t attended these big, public events, and she hadn’t minded because she wasn’t into upscale receptions. But tonight’s event was a reminder that Lex came from a very different world than hers, a world of billionaires and socialites where the Rochester name was prominent, whereas she was a nobody. She was usually comfortable with her status in life, but this swanky exhibition only highlighted the gulf between her and Lex.
She drew in a breath and patted down her skirt. At least she looked her best in a minimalist black shift dress adorned with just a chunky silver necklace. “Okay, then. Here goes nothing.”
As they walked within range of the cameras, Lex took ahold of her hand, threading his fingers through hers so there was no escape. Her heart jolted, and a split second tug-of-war ensued in her head. The feel of his hand was so seductive, but could she touch him again? Hang on, she reasoned this was all for the cameras’ sake.
Lex drew her next to him and the camera flashes went off. “Smile,” he murmured, grinning suavely at the photographers.
Through her daze, she pushed her lips into a semblance of a smile. She was Lex’s girlfriend. She was crazy in love with him. She was overjoyed to be seen in public with him.
And then they were past the photographers, but Lex didn’t let go of her hand. He tugged her forward into the melee, and she followed obediently. The first gallery was filled with pictures from different periods and countries, all linked by the common theme of love. She craned her neck, catching glimpses of the paintings, but there were too many people around them, all intent on talking to Lex. They circulated through the first gallery before moving on to another, which was less crowded.
“Oh, at least I can see a few pictures here,” Jacinta said. “And look, there’re some art installations.” She gestured to several art pieces dotted around the room and moved toward the nearest one.
Lex strolled after her. “Go on, knock yourself out. Maybe you can teach me the finer points of art appreciation.”
She smiled at him. “Me teach you? I’m not used to you being modest.”
“I know my limits—computer printers and art. So what does this one say to you?”
She examined the installation. It was a polystyrene sculpture of an unmade bed with toy figurines scattered over the rumpled sheets and pillows.
She tilted her head. “Um, it’s a metaphor for something...like, lost youth, maybe.” She really had no idea what it was about, but she liked it.
“Or it could be they’re into role-playing in bed. He’s Batman to her My Little Pony?”
She couldn’t help chuckling. “Or maybe they’re both Transformers.”
Grinning, he nudged her shoulder. “With interchangeable parts.”
His wink had her smothering a giggle. Who’d have thought Lex could be absurd and funny over a piece of art? But then, they’d never really had a chance to discover these things before.
“Lex,” a voice spoke up from behind them. “I didn’t think you’d be coming tonight.” A tall, spare man dressed in a gray suit and mauve bow tie strolled up to them, his gloomy face not exactly welcoming. “Not really your thing, I’d have thought.”
The humor disappeared from Lex’s expression. “I thought it would be interesting.” He drew Jacinta forward, keeping his arm linked with hers. “Ralph, this is Jacinta Greene. Jacinta, this is my uncle Ralph.”
“Hello there.” Ralph barely cracked a smile as he acknowledged Jacinta, his cold gaze traveling over her in a manner that felt vaguely insulting. Was she not dressed appropriately?
“What do you think of the exhibition?” Ralph fixed her with a beady stare.
“We were just looking at this piece.” She gestured toward the polystyrene sculpture. “It’s quite, um, entertaining.”
“Entertaining?” Ralph grunted derisively. “Not very entertaining to see a piece of throwaway plastic foam masquerading as serious work.”
Lex frowned. “It’s not going to be everyone’s taste, I agree, but it has its merits.”
“Can’t see it myself.” His uncle sniffed. “Amazing what passes for art these days. Most of the stuff here is just populist trash.”
Jacinta felt Lex’s arm stiffen against hers. “The curator and the director seem happy with the public’s response so far,” he said.
“Waste of good money pandering to the masses’ bland taste.” Ralph straightened his bow tie. “For the same price, I could have bought something truly spectacular for the Rochester Foundation gallery.”
“Our gallery doesn’t have the space for more acquisitions,” Lex said, still frowning.
His uncle wrinkled his lips in a disdainful grimace. “Then we should expand. I’d rather spend money on our gallery than subsidize these lowbrow events.”
Lex’s arm vibrated again; she could practically feel his patience running out. “Ralph, we’ve been through this already. We agreed that a certain percentage of the foundation’s budget should be set aside for modern exhibitions to highlight new artists.”
“I agreed only under duress. You know I don’t approve.” With an indignant harrumph, Ralph stalked off.
Jacinta glanced at Lex. A muscle ticked in the wall of his cheek. “What was that all about?”
Lex made an impatient gesture with his hand. “My uncle is something of a purist when it comes to art. He thinks anyone who disagrees with his taste must be a hillbilly. The Rochester Foundation has its own gallery and collection, which Ralph oversees, and he’d rather pour all the money there than support up-and-coming artists.”
“Why is he here at all, if he hates this sort of art?”
“Because he’s the head of the Rochester Foundation. It wouldn’t look good if he didn’t put in an appearance.”
“But if he’s in charge of the foundation, why did he make it sound as if you’d forced him to sponsor this exhibition?”
“It’s a long story.” He pushed his hands into the pockets of his pants, his expression closing up.
For a second she considered pressing him, but quickly changed her mind. If he didn’t want to talk about his problems with his uncle, she wouldn’t pry. But as they moved around the gallery, her uneasiness wouldn’t go away. Whatever the cause for the rift between Lex and his uncle, was it deep enough to make Ralph betray Lex?
Lex appeared unaffected by his uncle’s brusqueness. They moved into the main lobby where drinks and canapés were circulated. A glass of wine helped to ease the kinks from Jacinta’s back. The tension generated from standing at Lex’s side and smiling at everyone, all the while conscious of his arm around her waist, had left the muscles in her back in a permanent knot.
In the whirl of cameras and people, she’d lost sight of what exactly she was supposed to be faking—was she pretending she liked him, or was she trying to feign the pretense itself? Because regardless of what she thought of Lex, being in his company was as intoxicating as ever, and at times it was difficult to remember why she’d broken up with him. Each time she spoke or smiled at Lex, she had to weigh in her mind whether she was giving herself away, and each time he touched her bare arm or leaned in to murmur in her ear, his lips caressing her cheek, she had to remind herself that he was just doing it for effect.
As the evening wound down, a slender young woman with a short, elfish haircut pushed her way toward them. By this time Jacinta was used to women approaching Lex, but unlike the others, this woman’s smile was tight and her eyes were guarded.
“Hello, Lex,” she said, her voice cool.
Lex nodded at her. “Hi, Holly. Good to see you.”
So this was Lex’s cousin Holly, Ralph’s daughter. With her petite frame and strawberry blond hair, she didn’t resemble her father, but the aloof manner was familiar. Her expression grew curious as Lex introduced her to Jacinta.
Holly nodded after they’d exchanged greetings. “Oh yeah, I heard you two were at Carl’s party.”
Jacinta’s eyebrows shot up. “But that was only last night. How did you...?”
Holly shrugged. “Facebook, how else? Saw some interesting photos too.”