Chapter Ten
Chapter Ten
One year later
C arson pointed at the poster hanging in the window of Mona Gallery in Houston. “The amazing and talented and famous artist known as JayLee is making her first public appearance in fifteen minutes.”
Jenna laced her fingers in his, and together they entered the gallery. “I’m only famous when I’m JayLee, and out at a gallery showing the works of a few new budding artists from Texas—Martha Stevens included. All the other days of the week, I’m Jenna Makay who lives in a cabin at the lake with her new husband, Carson.”
“Ladies and gentlemen, if I could have your attention,” the CEO of the gallery said when Jenna entered the building, “JayLee has arrived, and I’m going to turn this microphone over to her.”
Jenna took the microphone from Audra’s hand and smiled at the crowd. “I am JayLee, and I’d like to thank you for all coming to our first-ever showing of young, budding artists from the great state of Texas. If you are interested in buying one of the paintings shown here today, or if you would like to make a donation toward a university scholarship for one of these amazing artists, Audra will take care of that for you. My painting is available in a silent auction beginning right now, and whatever it brings will be divided among the scholarships for the ten artists who are represented. Dig deep into your pockets, and let’s help the next generation. Thank you again for attending today.”
An older man at the back of the room raised a hand. “I’m Fred Taylor from the Houston Chronicle . Is JayLee your real name?”
“It’s my professional name. My real one is Jenna Makay, and this is my husband, Carson, standing here beside me,” she said.
“Where did you get JayLee?”
“My mother’s name was Jenene. My father’s middle name was Lee. They supported me when they would have rather I studied business or maybe corporate law. Any more questions?” she asked.
Several flashes from phones and cameras lit up the place. Some of them would be horrible pictures because she was talking, but the ones when she looked up at Carson might be decent. He was her rock and the absolute love of her life. Kelly and Amber had watched the wedding on FaceTime on Christmas Day when she and Carson were married at the edge of the lake. That was six months ago, and she was happier than she had ever been.
“Yes,” a tall, lanky boy with glasses near the front asked. “Will you sign my brochure?”
“I would be glad to,” Jenna answered.
People began to press her with brochures held out. Audra reached for the microphone and pointed toward a small table set up in the back of the gallery. “JayLee will be sitting right back there and will be happy to sign brochures for anyone who wants them.”
Everyone stepped back and made a path for her to get to the table. She took Carson’s hand in hers and whispered, “Stay beside me, please.”
“Wouldn’t want to be anywhere else,” he said, grinning. “I’m Mr. JayLee today.”
“No, darlin’, you are my rock today, and down deep inside, I’m really Mrs. Carson Makay. And I love that title most of all,” she said, as they made their way through the crowd together.
“While you are waiting for your JayLee autograph, let me draw your attention to her painting on the wall,” Audra said. “The silent auction bidding form is on the table right below it. Remember, all the proceeds are to be divided for scholarships for the students who are here today.”
“This is surreal,” she said when she sat down.
“I can only imagine, but you are the strongest woman I’ve ever met, so it will get easier each time,” Carson assured her. “And honey, what you’ve done for Martha can’t be put into words.”
Martha and her parents, Joyce and Paul, were the last ones to come by to say a few words and get Jenna to sign their brochures. Martha stepped around the end of the table and hugged Jenna tightly. “Thank you for everything, and I’m so excited for Paris.”
Jenna hugged her back. “Thank you, Martha. You helped me at a time when I needed it. Keep learning and don’t just paint—enjoy the talent you’ve been given.”
“I will,” Martha promised.
“We can’t thank you enough for everything,” Paul said. “I had misgivings about leaving Vega and moving to the lake, but there was a promotion, and they promised Joyce a job. Because of that, we met you, and now we are going on to even better jobs next week. If you ever need anything, we are here for you.”
“Thank you, but it’s been my pleasure to work with Martha. We have become such good friends, and I will miss her and y’all,” Jenna said.
Audra nodded at Jenna from across the room. “The gallery will be closing in fifteen minutes. I’m happy to report that all of the students’ paintings have been sold. The buyers can pick them up and pay for them at the table where JayLee has been sitting. I take cash or credit cards and would like to say thank you again for coming out today and supporting our new artists. Also, I would like to remind you that there will be a showing of JayLee’s newest work next Saturday. The silent auction will be finished in ten more minutes, and then Martha Stevens will bring me the winner’s name. So, if you haven’t gotten your bid in, you’ve still got time. Jenna has a few words to say before she leaves.”
“I’d just like to say thank you to everyone again. Have a safe journey home.”
The applause that followed her out of the building was deafening.
“I’d say that was a big success. I checked that silent auction bidding form as we were leaving. Each one of those students just got ten thousand dollars added to their scholarship fund,” Carson said.
“Who was the highest bidder?” she asked.
Carson got her settled in the passenger seat of his truck and kissed her before he closed the door. He rounded the back of the truck and slid in behind the wheel.
“No name, just the initials C.M. Whoever it is got a beautiful painting. It was my favorite of all the ones that you have done.”
“Think about it,” Jenna said with a grin.
He whipped around to stare at her. “You didn’t?”
“I did,” she said. “I would have donated that much money to the artists anyway. What better way to do it than to buy the painting to give to you? Audra will deliver it to us next week on her way to Lufkin for a conference with the CEOs of all my galleries.”
He leaned across the seat, tucked his fist under her chin, and kissed her again. “Thank you, my darlin’. Let’s hang it in our bedroom, since it’s a rendering of the place where we got married.”
“Great minds and all that,” she agreed. “I was thinking that would be a good place to put it.”
He started the engine and drove away from the gallery. “I love you, JayLee, but I love Jenna more.”
She reached across the console and laid a hand on his shoulder. “I’m glad, because Jenna is announcing this bit of news, not JayLee. You are going to be a father sometime around Christmas or New Year’s.”
He whipped into a church parking lot, braked so hard that gravel went flying every which way, and turned off the engine. “Are you serious?”
“Yep, and I hope you are as happy as I am,” she answered.
He slung open the door, jumped out of the truck, jogged all the way around to open her door. He scooped her up in his arms and carried her a few feet from the vehicle, then sat her down and hugged her tightly to his chest. “Darlin’, I’m so happy right now that I can’t breathe.”
“So am I,” Jenna said. “But you better suck in some air, because parenting is a big job, and it’s going to take both of us.”
He leaned back and then lowered his lips to hers. When the kiss ended, he drew her back into another embrace. “We are going to make wonderful parents. We are going to wrap our children up in love.”
“Yes, we are,” she agreed. “And that’s because of the love we have for each other.”