Chapter 32
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
M axi meandered through the gallery, her heels clicking softly against the polished wooden floor, her phone pressed to her ear. “Chandler, you should see it—the entrance is graced by this rosemaling painting that practically dances on the canvas. And Olga’s hand-carved dala horse? A masterpiece under the skylight.”
The gallery setup had been completed, and Maxi and Olga had gone home to change. Now they were in the gallery alone with James, waiting to open.
Maxi adjusted the waist on her fitted emerald-green dress and glanced at Olga and James. Olga wore a navy dress that shimmered under the gallery lights, while James, in a tailored charcoal suit and crisp white shirt, looked every inch the proud husband.
“Sounds intriguing, Maxi,” Chandler’s voice buzzed from the other end. “You’ve done a spectacular job shrouding all this in mystery, what with the papered windows. Clever marketing!”
A modest smile curled Maxi’s lips. “Well, sometimes, the allure is in the unknown, don’t you think?” She chose not to reveal that the papered windows had been more a stroke of necessity than genius.
“I’d love to see it all. Send me some pictures, won’t you?”
“Absolutely,” Maxi assured him, her eyes lingering on a delicately sculpted glass figure near her. “Pictures will be on their way.”
She ended the call, slipped the phone into her clutch, and turned back to James and Olga. “Chandler wants pictures.”
“Oh dear, I hope he won’t be disappointed.” Olga pressed her palm to her face. The older woman suddenly seemed a bit overwhelmed with the idea of having a gallery showing.
“I’m sure he won’t be,” James assured her, handing her a bottle of water.
Maxi’s eyes twinkled, but her stomach churned with a mixture of excitement and jitters. “Hopefully, everyone else will like it too. What if covering the windows has the opposite effect and no one comes?”
James laughed. “Have you looked out? Half the town is out there.”
Maxi and Olga exchanged looks of panic and raced to the windows then peeked out between the gaps in the paper.
Maxi’s nerves eased a bit. Faces both familiar and new were gathering. Jane and Mike, Andie and Shane, Bunny and Sam, Claire and Rob—all waiting for her moment.
Taking a deep, steadying breath, she glanced at the clock. “All right, everyone, it’s showtime.”
As James and Olga began tearing down the paper barriers, Maxi pushed open the door and let everyone in.
As Bunny stepped into the gallery, her disappointment about the Quillen family not being the ones the gift belonged to evaporated, overtaken by the sheer splendor of the space. She squeezed Sam’s hand, stealing a glance at him. He looked remarkably handsome in a sharp, likely new charcoal-gray suit. It complemented her own lavender dress—a flattering, flowy piece that made her feel radiant.
Andie and Shane were already inside, their eyes wandering across the artwork. Andie wore a classy sky-blue wrap dress that contrasted beautifully with her dark hair, while Shane was in a black suit with a matching green tie. Jane and Mike were not far behind. Jane sported a champagne-colored cocktail dress which gave her an air of vintage elegance. Mike looked dapper in a navy-blue suit with a light-blue shirt.
Joining them, Bunny couldn’t help but beam. “Isn’t this place incredible?”
“It really is,” Andie agreed. “Olga has outdone herself.”
“Olga’s work is phenomenal,” Jane chimed in, her eyes still scanning the pieces around her. “I have a couple of her smaller works at Tides. They add such character to the place.”
As they chatted, Bunny felt a swell of pride. She had been the bridge that connected Maxi and Olga.
Maxi and Olga rushed over to the group, their faces glowing with joy and accomplishment. Hugs and congratulations were exchanged, laughter bubbling around them like champagne.
“You guys, this wouldn’t have even happened without Bunny,” Maxi declared, causing Olga to nod in agreement.
Bunny blushed. “Oh, no, I can’t take credit for any of this,” she demurred.
As if on cue, the room filled with a low, appreciative hum. Snippets of conversation floated toward them, phrases like “It’s brilliant” and “The colors are so vibrant” weaving through the air, punctuating the atmosphere with a sense of awe and admiration. Maxi and Olga beamed, soaking in the praise.
Maxi, never one to let the spotlight shine solely on her, pivoted the conversation. “So, how is everyone? And how’s your foster dog, Rob?”
“He’s doing great,” Rob responded, his eyes twinkling.
“We might be getting a little too attached.” Claire shrugged.
“I don’t see Sandee around,” Maxi continued. “How’s the whole Beach Bones situation?”
Claire smiled. “I may have an update, but I’ll fill you guys in at our usual coffee meetup at Sandcastles. Tonight is about you and Olga. I don’t want to detract from that.”
Just as everyone nodded in agreement, Olga’s children came rushing over. Their faces were etched with frowns, sending a ripple of unease through Bunny’s stomach.
“Mom, you did all this?” Kristen’s eyes widened as she took in the room, her gaze tinged with awe.
Olga smiled warmly. “I made the pieces, but Maxi arranged them into this beautiful gallery. We’re a team.”
Richard’s brows furrowed, concern etched on his face. “But, Mom, this is a lot of work.”
“Oh, it is,” Olga agreed, her eyes twinkling. “But when have you ever known me to sit idle? Keeping busy keeps the mind and body young.”
Finally, the tension on Kristen and Richard’s faces eased into smiles. They moved in to hug their mother. “Well, you must be on to something,” Kristen said, “because you’re acting years younger than your age.”
“We’re sorry for trying to push you into assisted living,” Richard added. “Clearly, you don’t need it.”
“Thank you.” Olga looked at her children fondly. “I understand you were only looking out for my well-being, but I’m fine in the house. I still garden and rake the leaves and can take care of most everything I did years ago.”
“You’re right, Mom. I guess we got a little overprotective.” Richard chuckled before adding, “So does this mean you’re coming over to rake my lawn next week?”
Olga laughed. “Oh, don’t push your luck!”
Olga’s arms wrapped around Kristen and Richard’s shoulders as they moved away from the group, their path taking them toward a display featuring intricately crafted dala horses.
“Remember when Grandma Johnson used to put these in all of her windows?” Olga said, her voice tinged with nostalgia.
Kristen and Richard looked at each other then back at the dala horses, their expressions softening. “I’d forgotten about that,” Kristen admitted.
Sally joined the group. Her hair wasn’t in its usual braid and flowed freely past her shoulders for once, and her outfit was a colorful departure from her usual work clothes, with a red skirt and colorful top.
“Bunny, you look wonderful tonight,” Sally said, her smile as bright as her skirt.
“So do you,” Bunny returned the compliment.
Sally nodded toward Olga. “Looks like Olga finally got her kids to see the light.”
“It seems that way,” Maxi said. “I’m delighted for her.”
“Me too. I hope my kids don’t try to put me in a home before my time,” Sally added with a wink.
Laughter rippled through the group. Everyone knew that if there was one person in town who could manage a home all on her own, it was Sally.
Sally turned to Bunny. “So how is it going with that mystery you were trying to solve?”
Bunny filled Sally in on their latest disappointment.
“Intriguing,” Sally said, visibly interested. “And you found it in an old trunk? Was it a big gift?”
Andie held her hands apart, forming a small rectangle. “No, just a little box, about this big,” she said, indicating a size of roughly three inches.
“And you have no clues?” Sally asked, her eyes narrowing.
“None, really.” Andie sighed. “The tag just had a nickname—Urchin.”
At the mention of the name, Sally’s eyes widened, her posture straightening. “Urchin, you say? Now, that’s a name I haven’t heard in years, but I think I know who that might be. Even better, she’s in town right now!”
Andie and Bunny exchanged astounded glances.
“In town? Where?” Andie stammered, hardly able to contain her surprise.
Sally nodded, her face alight with excitement. “Yes, she’s right at Tides. Betty! We grew up together, and Urchin was her family’s nickname for her. Jane, you must have heard me call her that when I saw them at Tides.”
Jane shook her head regretfully. “I remember seeing you greet them, but with all the commotion of the day, I must’ve missed that.” Jane’s expression turned somber. “I’ve got some bad news. They were planning to leave tonight.”
Bunny’s eyes widened, her heartbeat quickening. “Tonight? What time?”
Jane looked at her watch. “They weren’t sure. Actually, they did talk about extending to see the art show, but I don’t see them here, so I’m afraid they decided to leave.”
Bunny grabbed Andie’s hand and tugged her toward the door. “We need to get to Tides. There might still be time to catch them!”