Heidi and Emery exchanged the glance. The one that said they both knew more than they were supposed to tell.
“It’s not really our place,” Emery said softly.
“It’s stupid really,” Heidi added. “They just want a broad search.”
I wanted to ask the obvious question—why not Austin? But I couldn’t seem to get the words out. Asking about Austin was like opening a can of worms.
“Okay,” I said with a shrug, like I didn’t really care. “Are we ready to go then?”
“Yep!” Heidi crooned. “We’re picking Morgan up along the way?”
“We are?” Emery asked.
“Oh, didn’t I tell you? I invited her to have girls’ night with us to celebrate her promotion.”
“So, we’re a foursome,” I said.
Emery raised her eyebrows at me. “Now, you’re talking.”
I laughed and followed them out to Emery’s Subaru Forester. We all jumped into the car and drove out to Morgan’s apartment complex. It was downtown and nearly walking distance to the office. A really ritzy, upscale kind of place with gates and a doorman. Heidi buzzed Morgan down and grinned when she realized that Morgan lived on the top floor. Because…of course, she did.
Morgan moved into the backseat, next to me. “Hey, Julia.”
“Morgan,” I said with a head nod.
“Thanks for inviting me, y’all,” Morgan said with a genuine smile.
I wondered if she had many girlfriends that she could do this kind of thing with. She didn’t really seem like the type. Maybe because I knew Jensen was kind of a loner, and Morgan was a smaller female version of her older brother.
But what did I know? I’d never been like this before either. Though…truth be told, it hadn’t all been my fault in the past.
“We’re super glad to have you with us,” Heidi said. “Now, let’s go hit up food trucks and wine.”
“Wine!” Emery cheered.
“Is there actually art to look at?” I asked.
Morgan cocked an eyebrow at me. “Have you never been to a First Friday Art Trail?”
“Nope.”
“Plenty of art to see,” Morgan told me. “But, first, wine.”
“That should be on a T-shirt,” Heidi said. “But, first, wine.”
“And they all said, Amen,” Emery muttered.
We parked in a parking lot with a big sign that said they were going to tow us if we parked there. I shot Heidi a look of unease, but she laughed at me. Apparently, all parking lots downtown were free game for the First Friday Art Trail. Where I came from, if we’d parked there, we wouldn’t have a car when we got back. Lubbock, man.
The weather was overcast and a little nippy as we meandered down the street to the main center where the food trucks were set up. I wish I had my bomber jacket, but again, I hadn’t been able to find it. If I’d lost it for good, I was going to be really pissed at myself.
We all bought some wine, and Heidi got an ice cream cone as well from the Blue Oasis food truck. Then, I finally got to walk into my first gallery.
A sigh escaped me. This was pure joy. Canvas after canvas was covered in beautiful paint, capturing an emotion, a person, a new discovery. Art was insight and power and passion. Art didn’t lie. It didn’t cheat. It didn’t hate. It just was. You took out of it whatever message you saw in it, but it was all beautiful. From the smallest photograph to the largest mural from a solo street dance performance to a symphony from a haiku to a full-blown novel. If art made you feel, then it had done its job.
I was so engrossed in the amazing work an artist had done with growing intricately designed plants in pots and creating an elaborate mural with tiny flora with soft, velvety green leaves that I’d almost completely forgotten that I was with a group. And I’d somehow downed my entire glass of wine. I couldn’t even remember putting it to my lips.
“I think I need another wine,” I said, catching Morgan’s eye nearby.
She held her empty glass up. “Same. I’ll walk with you.”
We waved our empty glasses at Heidi and Emery, who were arguing over a circular terrarium at the center of the room. They waved us off, and Morgan and I set off to refill our glasses.
“That was a cool exhibit,” Morgan said. “I’d never seen anything like that before.”
“Me either. I don’t have a green thumb whatsoever. I’m pretty sure I would kill every plant imaginable.”
“You and me both.”
“Are you excited about your new job?”
Something in Morgan shifted at that question. She stood a little taller. She smiled a little wider. Her eyes glittered.