Chapter 17
“Yes, Dear. No, Dear. I’m sorry, Dear.” Christopher laughed into his cell phone.
“But in my defense, it was almost three when I got in, that would have been midnight your time, and I didn’t want to wake you.
” He paused as he listened to the person on the other end of his cell phone.
What he didn’t see was his partner staring at him like he had two heads.
“Yes, I’m at work now, I made it home safely, so I did my husbandly duty, now get to work, woman.
” He laughed and hung up. “What?” He stared at the shocked expression on Sean Brown’s face.
“What or who was that?”
Christopher grinned. “My wife.”
“Bullshit. You’re not married. I would have been your best man at the wedding.” When he saw Christopher’s facial expression, he stared in shock. “Spill.”
“Only if you get me a coffee.” Christopher grinned as he passed his cup over to Sean and watched as he practically ran to the coffee pot. Once he was back, he said. “Okay, we have twenty minutes before we have to get to work. Spill.”
“Remember when I came in here and told you Amber’s and my wedding was off, and you immediately showed me the file you had on her?”
“Yes, then you went away for six weeks. Then you’ve been gone this last week.”
“And I thank you for taking up for my slack. But everything’s good now, and I’m here to stay.
I didn’t break off the wedding with Amber because she was sleeping around.
When you showed me that file, it was the first I heard about it.
I left here and went back to my place and kicked her out.
No, the day the wedding was called off, we went to apply for our license down at the courthouse.
We filled out the paperwork, and the clerk put it in.
After she entered my info, she asked if I had divorce papers. ”
“For what?”
“Shocked the hell out of me, but there was a marriage certificate on file that I was already married. I left here and went to my parents’ house to talk to them about it.
It was the most innocent thing, but somehow someone in the church got my dad and the bride’s mom to sign the paperwork.
They were the best man and matron of honor.
Because they were our legal parents, and we were underage, their signatures basically gave their permission that they agreed. ”
“So, how long have you been married?”
“Twenty years, three months and three weeks.” Christopher grinned as Sean actually dropped his coffee cup and had to jump back and rush to clean up the mess.
“No freaking way. You’re only what, twenty-six? You would have been five fucking years old?”
“Yep.” Christopher laughed and then sobered as he opened his desk and pulled out a wedding photo.
“This is a picture of the wedding, but I don’t want you to freak out.
” He passed it over and studied Sean’s face when he turned it over and looked at it.
He looked up in shock. “Yes, she was sick and given only two weeks to live.” Christopher went on and told Sean about the whole wedding and how he’d left.
And what happened in the spring and then this last week.
“We have a year before an annulment can be granted.”
“Damn. Do you happen to have a current picture?”
“I do.” Christopher grinned as he accessed the pictures he’d taken of Wanda when she hadn’t been aware of him snapping them.
“Damn, man, she’s absolutely gorgeous. And you’re going to divorce her?”
“Maybe.” He grinned at Sean’s shocked expression, but before he could ask anything the phone rang and they got down to business.
*****
“Knock! Knock! Willow!” Gypsy called out to get the artist’s attention.
She didn’t want to get sprayed with a hose or have goop thrown on her.
Not that it would make a difference after the shitty day she’d had.
Ten years she worked at her job, and today she was laid off.
Downsizing. She snorted and looked up when she saw Willow across the room.
“Hey,” Willow said as she arched her back and wiped the back of her wrist across her sweaty forehead. “What are you doing here this time of day?”
“Frustrated. I know you don’t drink and I so want to get drunk, but I know it’s not the answer.”
“Sit over there.” Willow pointed to a chair across from her. “I want to finish this, but you can talk to me while I work.”
“Fine.” Gypsy sighed and slumped in the chair Willow indicated. “I was laid off today. Ten years with them and they lay me off because they’re downsizing. What the hell am I going to do now?”
“Damn, that sucks. But if you’re interested, I’ll hire you?”
“For what? No offense, Willow, but I can’t really do what you’re doing? Hell, I’d break a nail.” She held out her hand, and they laughed at her long-manicured nails. One pinky actually had a dangle bangle on it. Willow, aka Wanda, only shook her head.
“Give me five minutes,” she said as she finished what she was doing. It was ten minutes later that she stood and went over and washed her hands. She came back toward Gypsy with a folder. “What kind of job did you just get laid off from?”
“Administrative Assistant. I organized six executives’ lives at the office.
Everything from their daily work schedules to their anniversary dinners with their wives and their family vacations.
When they traveled, I made all their travel arrangements and made sure all their reports were typed, and when they had their meetings, I set up the meeting room. ”
“Wow, so you’re a well-organized person?”
“I’d like to think so. Why?”
“These are my orders that need to be filled this week. I can fill them. However, I don’t have the time to box them up and mail them out.
I already have an assistant, but I need to hire someone that can keep me organized.
Box up what I make, get it out the door.
I also need someone to coordinate with Trish Bower, she’s my assistant that Magnolia hired for me almost three years ago.
I send my product to her and she doles it out to small rustic shops.
Last weekend she had my stuff in some gallery opening up in Seattle, and this is everything she had on display there.
” Willow handed her several pieces of paper.
“Wait, this says that it’s all sold and is going to be on display for a month and the gallery owner is still taking orders? What’s your lead time?”
“Three to four weeks, some items could take up to six to eight weeks. I don’t expect you to do this.
” Willow pointed to the potter’s wheel. “But I need someone to organize my work. Do whatever you have to do. I only want a list of items I need to make in front of me and peace and quiet. I guess what I’m saying is that I want you to coordinate with Trish.
I can give you her phone number and e-mail.
But there are a couple of things you need to know before you decide to take this on. ”
“And that is?”
“One, Trish is the owner of Bower Agency. I was her first client, and since taking me on, she’s taken on a couple employees and at least twenty more artists, I’m not sure exactly how many she actually works with.
I only work with Trish. No one else. That would be the rest of Trish’s employees.
There’s one woman that works for Trish by the name of Amy, she keeps trying to get my personal information from Trish.
If you take this job, you only work with Trish.
Apparently, Amy and Trish’s other employees work on a commission.
They’re assigned different artists, and when their stuff sells, they get a commission. ”
“I understand. And do you and this Trish think this Amy wants you because you’re a hot artist and wants the commission?”
“That’s what we discussed earlier today.
I even said that I needed to hire someone on this end to do the paperwork and shipping.
Trish said she’d be willing to work with whoever I hired as long as it stayed like we do.
Exclusively. But, Gypsy, Trish doesn’t get a commission from me, I pay her a weekly salary. ”
“Okay, what else do I need to know?”
“I have never, not once, met Trish in person, or over the computer. I’ve only dealt with her through e-mail and phone calls. I don’t know if you remember Magnolia?”
“I do, I miss her.”
“As do I. But Magnolia hired Trish for me, she told me to trust her and I did. So, basically, you’d be taking over for Magnolia.
I never expected to be this busy when I started this job.
And maybe you can get Trish off my ass. She wants me to go to gallery openings, and visit the shops that sell my designs.
I can’t do that.” She held up her hand and shook the stack of orders.
“But if you can travel, then that will be included in your salary. Hopefully, this next statement will explain why. If I go to all the gallery openings that Trish want me to, then I will never have time to do the actual work to make the pieces to display at the opening.”
“Wow, that’s perfectly understandable, and is there anything else?”
“Yes, I don’t do interviews or like my picture taken. I don’t mean to be a temperamental artist, but I think if Trish puts me in another gallery, I will make a personal appearance if it’s only in New York.”
Gypsy looked up quickly. “Isn’t that where Christopher lives?”
“Yep.” Willow grinned. She looked at her friend and didn’t say anything else, and when Gypsy remained silent, she was grateful. She didn’t want to have to explain her relationship or lack thereof with Christopher Evans.
“Do you have any more questions?” Willow asked.
“What about your personal life?”
Willow snorted. “What personal life?”
“I meant do you need me to get your groceries, manage your schedule, remind you to pay your bills, make doctor appointments, stuff like that.”