Read Online Beginning Again: Book 1 in the Second Chances series (Crimson Romance) by Peggy Bird - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Peggy Bird
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pedestals. If you’ll drag out that ladder for me, please, I’ll work in here and you can keep painting.”
A half-hour later, Jamie was in the storage space working on display pedestals and Liz was on the ladder finishing the installation of the last section of the hanging system that would eventually display the paintings of her artists. She was about to climb up one more rung when she felt someone caress the calf of her leg.
“The logo for this gallery should be you on a ladder. It’s sexy as hell and would sell a lot of art,” Collins said as he climbed the first two rungs of the stepladder and circled her waist with his arms.
“How is it you seem to appear out of nowhere when I’m on a ladder?”
“You leave the door open for me. Now, let me get you off this. I want to kiss you.” He lifted her from the ladder and stepped to the floor with her. He was in the process of making good on his promise when a discreet cough came from behind them.
“Sorry to interrupt but, Liz, you said you wanted all the rest of the pedestals painted. Even those short ones we weren’t sure you’d need?” Jamie asked.
Liz extricated herself from Collins’s embrace. “No, not those little ones. I think I’m going to get rid of those.” She waved her hand in Jamie’s direction. “Collins, this is Jamie Bruce. He’s the reason I can even hope to be ready for the opening in October. Not only is he willing to do whatever it takes to renovate the place, but he’s a genius with websites and social media. Jamie, this is Collins.”
The younger man held his hand out to the sculptor. “I’m so excited you’re going to exhibit here. I’m a big fan of your work. That piece you have in the bank building downtown, ‘The World on a String.’ It’s fabulous.”
“Thanks. It’s one of my favorites, too. Couldn’t believe a bank would buy it. And you do websites? Really? I want one but I’ve never gotten around to putting it together.”
“I’d love to help you. You can take a look at Liz’s to see my work. Which reminds me, I need images from you so we can get them up on the site.”
“I’ll take care of that when I get back to the cabin. And, Liz, don’t get rid of any small pedestals until you see what I’m bringing for you. Smaller ones might work for a couple pieces I’ve got in mind. They might even look good in one of your windows.”
“Oh my god, that’s excellent,” Jamie said. “I’ve been worried about what we were going to put in the windows. Your work would be perfect to draw people’s attention.” And with that the two men began to plan the window displays, the website for Collins, and the fate of the universe, for all Liz knew.
At the end of the day, the hanging system was reinstalled on all the gallery walls, the pedestals were painted, the small temporary walls were erected, and the card rack and print bins placed. Jamie shook hands with Collins before he left and hugged Liz, telling her to enjoy her days off. She asked him to say hello to Mason when he got home.
The door had barely closed behind the young man when Collins said, “Mason? He knows Mason?”
“He lives with him.”
“That’s who Mason left you for? Sweetheart, you’re a helluva lot more forgiving than I would be.”
“It’s odd, I know. But when Mason suggested it, it was hard to say no. He — Mason — has been so wonderful about giving me advice, free services — he did a whole advertising campaign for me, printed the brochures, paid for the ads.”
“But didn’t it seem awkward?”
“A little, at first. But then I discovered Jamie has great taste, knows a lot more about three-dimensional art than I do, and he’s a genius with computers. That’s what he did for Mason’s company. Besides, I like him. For a while I even thought of him as the son I never had, but then the ick factor kicked in and I went back to thinking of him as the sweet-young-thing who works hard, gets along with me, and lives with my
A half-hour later, Jamie was in the storage space working on display pedestals and Liz was on the ladder finishing the installation of the last section of the hanging system that would eventually display the paintings of her artists. She was about to climb up one more rung when she felt someone caress the calf of her leg.
“The logo for this gallery should be you on a ladder. It’s sexy as hell and would sell a lot of art,” Collins said as he climbed the first two rungs of the stepladder and circled her waist with his arms.
“How is it you seem to appear out of nowhere when I’m on a ladder?”
“You leave the door open for me. Now, let me get you off this. I want to kiss you.” He lifted her from the ladder and stepped to the floor with her. He was in the process of making good on his promise when a discreet cough came from behind them.
“Sorry to interrupt but, Liz, you said you wanted all the rest of the pedestals painted. Even those short ones we weren’t sure you’d need?” Jamie asked.
Liz extricated herself from Collins’s embrace. “No, not those little ones. I think I’m going to get rid of those.” She waved her hand in Jamie’s direction. “Collins, this is Jamie Bruce. He’s the reason I can even hope to be ready for the opening in October. Not only is he willing to do whatever it takes to renovate the place, but he’s a genius with websites and social media. Jamie, this is Collins.”
The younger man held his hand out to the sculptor. “I’m so excited you’re going to exhibit here. I’m a big fan of your work. That piece you have in the bank building downtown, ‘The World on a String.’ It’s fabulous.”
“Thanks. It’s one of my favorites, too. Couldn’t believe a bank would buy it. And you do websites? Really? I want one but I’ve never gotten around to putting it together.”
“I’d love to help you. You can take a look at Liz’s to see my work. Which reminds me, I need images from you so we can get them up on the site.”
“I’ll take care of that when I get back to the cabin. And, Liz, don’t get rid of any small pedestals until you see what I’m bringing for you. Smaller ones might work for a couple pieces I’ve got in mind. They might even look good in one of your windows.”
“Oh my god, that’s excellent,” Jamie said. “I’ve been worried about what we were going to put in the windows. Your work would be perfect to draw people’s attention.” And with that the two men began to plan the window displays, the website for Collins, and the fate of the universe, for all Liz knew.
At the end of the day, the hanging system was reinstalled on all the gallery walls, the pedestals were painted, the small temporary walls were erected, and the card rack and print bins placed. Jamie shook hands with Collins before he left and hugged Liz, telling her to enjoy her days off. She asked him to say hello to Mason when he got home.
The door had barely closed behind the young man when Collins said, “Mason? He knows Mason?”
“He lives with him.”
“That’s who Mason left you for? Sweetheart, you’re a helluva lot more forgiving than I would be.”
“It’s odd, I know. But when Mason suggested it, it was hard to say no. He — Mason — has been so wonderful about giving me advice, free services — he did a whole advertising campaign for me, printed the brochures, paid for the ads.”
“But didn’t it seem awkward?”
“A little, at first. But then I discovered Jamie has great taste, knows a lot more about three-dimensional art than I do, and he’s a genius with computers. That’s what he did for Mason’s company. Besides, I like him. For a while I even thought of him as the son I never had, but then the ick factor kicked in and I went back to thinking of him as the sweet-young-thing who works hard, gets along with me, and lives with my
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