Read Online Beginning Again: Book 1 in the Second Chances series (Crimson Romance) by Peggy Bird - Free Book Online
Authors: Peggy Bird
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weren’t alone when I came in this morning, were you? I heard two people walking around upstairs and heavy footsteps coming down the back stairs a while ago.”
“Jamie, I hate to have to ask this but … ”
“Was it morning after or early morning delivery?”
She could feel her face redden. “Obviously I should think about carpeting everything upstairs.” She pushed through her embarrassment. “Look, I have to ask you something.”
“From your face and this need to change the subject it’s certainly interesting, whichever it was.”
“If you’ll let me ask what I need to, I’ll satisfy your curiosity.”
“Deal.” He held out his hand for a handshake, but she ignored it.
“Did you go up into my apartment for something yesterday while I was gone?”
His hand dropped and she could tell from his expression that she’d hurt his feelings. “Of course I didn’t. I wouldn’t go into your place without asking you beforehand. Why are you asking?”
“Stuff got moved around in my office. I just wondered if you needed access to something about the gallery and … ”
“I would never invade your space like that. I wasn’t even here yesterday. We went to a matinee of A Chorus Line and then dinner.” He was looking her straight in the eyes and all she saw was how hurt he was that she thought he’d do something like that.
“I don’t mean to sound distrustful. I apologize. I just can’t figure it out. You have the only other key. And the only other person around was … ” She stopped. “I’m sorry. I must have done it myself.” Shaking her head to clear the suspicions, she changed the subject. “Was it a good production of A Chorus Line ?”
“Mason said he’d seen better but I loved it.” His indignant look had softened somewhat, but he still sounded like a hurt puppy.
She put her arm around his shoulders. “I apologize again. Forgive me?”
“I’ll think about it. If you satisfy my curiosity about your overnight guest.” That sounded more like the real Jamie.
“He’ll be back in a while and you’ll meet him.”
Jamie put up his hand for a high-five. “It’s about time. All you’ve done since you bought this place is work. I was beginning to worry you’d forgotten how to play.”
“Then you’ll be happy to hear that I’m going to take the next couple days off. Since I won’t be here, you can stay home, too, if you’d like.”
“No, it’s perfect timing. This’ll give me the chance to set up the inventory and billing systems and update the website. We have images from all your artists now … ”
“Except for the new one. I’ll ask him for … ”
“You signed someone else? Who?”
“A metal sculptor named Collins.”
“You signed Collins? Oh my god, Liz. How did you manage? Oh my god, is that who … ?”
“You know who he is? Am I the only person in Portland who didn’t know?”
“Don’t be so hard on yourself. You know everything about what hangs on the walls. I know more about what sits on the pedestals. Collins is one of the hottest new sculptors in the region. But you didn’t answer my question. Was that who I heard tromping down the steps?”
She shook her head, trying to find a way to avoid telling him the truth. When she realized she couldn’t, the headshake changed to a nod. “Yes, it was but … ”
“This is sensational. Wait ’til Mason hears.”
“Jamie, please. I don’t want this spread around. First of all, it may be nothing, just a one night — few nights — thing. In the second place, if people think I sleep with artists to get them to sign with me, I’ll be the laughing stock of the city.”
“I promise I won’t say a word to anyone except Mason. And he’d never do anything to damage your reputation so he’ll keep his mouth shut.”
“You both better keep your mouths shut. Now, before I can take off for that downtime you think I need, we have to get the hanging system reinstalled and some more work done on the
“Jamie, I hate to have to ask this but … ”
“Was it morning after or early morning delivery?”
She could feel her face redden. “Obviously I should think about carpeting everything upstairs.” She pushed through her embarrassment. “Look, I have to ask you something.”
“From your face and this need to change the subject it’s certainly interesting, whichever it was.”
“If you’ll let me ask what I need to, I’ll satisfy your curiosity.”
“Deal.” He held out his hand for a handshake, but she ignored it.
“Did you go up into my apartment for something yesterday while I was gone?”
His hand dropped and she could tell from his expression that she’d hurt his feelings. “Of course I didn’t. I wouldn’t go into your place without asking you beforehand. Why are you asking?”
“Stuff got moved around in my office. I just wondered if you needed access to something about the gallery and … ”
“I would never invade your space like that. I wasn’t even here yesterday. We went to a matinee of A Chorus Line and then dinner.” He was looking her straight in the eyes and all she saw was how hurt he was that she thought he’d do something like that.
“I don’t mean to sound distrustful. I apologize. I just can’t figure it out. You have the only other key. And the only other person around was … ” She stopped. “I’m sorry. I must have done it myself.” Shaking her head to clear the suspicions, she changed the subject. “Was it a good production of A Chorus Line ?”
“Mason said he’d seen better but I loved it.” His indignant look had softened somewhat, but he still sounded like a hurt puppy.
She put her arm around his shoulders. “I apologize again. Forgive me?”
“I’ll think about it. If you satisfy my curiosity about your overnight guest.” That sounded more like the real Jamie.
“He’ll be back in a while and you’ll meet him.”
Jamie put up his hand for a high-five. “It’s about time. All you’ve done since you bought this place is work. I was beginning to worry you’d forgotten how to play.”
“Then you’ll be happy to hear that I’m going to take the next couple days off. Since I won’t be here, you can stay home, too, if you’d like.”
“No, it’s perfect timing. This’ll give me the chance to set up the inventory and billing systems and update the website. We have images from all your artists now … ”
“Except for the new one. I’ll ask him for … ”
“You signed someone else? Who?”
“A metal sculptor named Collins.”
“You signed Collins? Oh my god, Liz. How did you manage? Oh my god, is that who … ?”
“You know who he is? Am I the only person in Portland who didn’t know?”
“Don’t be so hard on yourself. You know everything about what hangs on the walls. I know more about what sits on the pedestals. Collins is one of the hottest new sculptors in the region. But you didn’t answer my question. Was that who I heard tromping down the steps?”
She shook her head, trying to find a way to avoid telling him the truth. When she realized she couldn’t, the headshake changed to a nod. “Yes, it was but … ”
“This is sensational. Wait ’til Mason hears.”
“Jamie, please. I don’t want this spread around. First of all, it may be nothing, just a one night — few nights — thing. In the second place, if people think I sleep with artists to get them to sign with me, I’ll be the laughing stock of the city.”
“I promise I won’t say a word to anyone except Mason. And he’d never do anything to damage your reputation so he’ll keep his mouth shut.”
“You both better keep your mouths shut. Now, before I can take off for that downtime you think I need, we have to get the hanging system reinstalled and some more work done on the
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