Chapter Two
MATT
Three and a half months ago…
Making my way to Nate’s gallery, I’m slightly nervous. This is the first time I’m seeing this place—his passion other than the band—and I feel kind of like an asshole for not knowing this place even existed.
I know he’s passionate about his art, and I understand that he often leaves the house to paint.
But I never realized just how far it goes—or that he has his own dedicated space to fully immerse himself in his creativity.
It bothers me that Nate felt I wouldn’t have supported him, and even more so, he was alone in this dream until Zaria came along.
Now, with Zaria gone, I want to be the one to help him harness his energy into something productive for himself.
Maybe then he will feel close enough to me to open up.
I’ve been told he has two staff members working for him at the gallery—his cleaner, Robert, and his manager slash curator, Alex. I don’t know much about Alex other than his name. Hiring a guy is a smart move, since I think it could get awkward with a chick.
Making my way down the street, my eyes are immediately drawn to the vibrant signage—an elegant combination of bold black lettering against a rich cobalt blue background framed by gold accents that shimmer in the sunlight.
Below it, the entrance beckons with its oversized glass doors, framed in sleek, matte-black steel, offering a glimpse of the curated treasures inside.
Potted ferns on either side of the doorway add a touch of lush greenery, softening the modern aesthetic.
It’s impossible to miss—Alex has done an exceptional job of creating curb appeal that not only catches the eye but practically invites you to step inside and explore.
My hands are shoved deep into my pockets as I approach the doorway, a nervous energy buzzing through me.
Nate has no idea I’m coming, and the thought twists my stomach in knots.
More than anything, I want today to go well for him.
This is a big moment—a milestone—and I need him to know I’m here, standing in his corner, ready to support him in any way he needs.
As I approach, I catch a glimpse of a tiny, framed woman standing in the doorway next to Nate.
Her hair is a mixture of white blonde and aqua.
As I get closer, I notice she has a surprisingly cute little nose ring and two lip piercings that give her that extreme edgy grunge look.
But despite all that, she’s dressed immaculately and professionally.
It’s a stark contrast to her face and hair.
Although her outfit has a slight sixties feel, it’s still very professional-looking and doesn’t match her overall ‘look.’ It’s like she’s dressed for work.
But the thing that does catch my attention is her eyes.
They’re stunning. Not the color, as they’re quite dark—almost black—but the size.
They are huge doe eyes that resemble a cartoon character.
They light up her face while her lashes curl up, giving her this totally innocent look, even though everything screams hardcore badass.
This chick’s a walking contradiction, and I’m slightly taken aback as I step up to the gallery while taking in every detail of her cute face.
I can’t help but wonder, who the hell is she?
Maybe she’s another artist. She looks the type.
Her stunning eyes lift, and when she notices me, they widen even more, if that’s fucking possible.
My heart skips a beat, and my breath catches, which takes me by surprise.
It’s weird. She’s not the normal type of woman I’d be attracted to, but there’s something about her that’s sparked my interest, and I don’t know what it is.
She doesn’t meet any of the requirements on my checklist, but I can’t deny that she is rocking.
As I pull the door back, she looks me up and down with a smirk while standing next to Nate.
“Whoa, dude, this is trippy,” she notes as she smiles widely and proceeds to shove a flyer straight into my face. “Welcome to the gallery of Artist Anonymous. We hope you enjoy your time here today. I’m the curator, Alex. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask.”
Swallowing hard, the sound of her voice is husky and yet somehow angelic. What the fuck is with this chick? She’s an enigma.
She stands there, flyer out, and stares at me with the cutest of smirks. I gawk at her, completely awestruck.
Then it hits me.
She said her name’s Alex…
As in Nate’s Alex? The manager and curator that Ria hired for him. The woman I thought was a man?
She’s definitely not a man.
I casually look down at her medium-sized tits and quickly back up to her big doe eyes.
NO! Definitely not a man.
“You’re Alex?” I ask.
She nods. “Mm-hmm.”
While I’m still trying to comprehend that all this time I thought Alex was a guy when she really is all woman, I shake my head slowly and blurt out without thinking, “But you’re not a dude?”
Alex chuckles. “Um… nope!” She places her hands on her tits, squeezes, and nods. “Yep, definitely not a dude.”
I make a little grunt and think how hot that was while drawing my brows together in semi-shock. “Nate, you said Alex was a dude!”
Nate jolts back, watching me with a smirk. “What? No, I didn’t.”
Squishing my brows even further together, I think back to our short conversations about Alex. “No, you’re right. I guess I just assumed. How did I not know you were Alex?” I scrub my fingers through my hair. “Dude, Ria sent you a chick… no wonder you knew it was over for good.”
“Mmm…” Nate slumps his shoulders while Alex keeps looking from me to Nate and back to me again.
“Wow! It’s astounding,” she says.
“What?” I ask while raising an eyebrow.
“Well, you look so alike at first glance. But really, you’re nothing alike. There are so many subtle differences,” she says, and Nate and I both tilt our heads in unison.
“Really? People always have such a hard time telling us apart,” I state.
“Pfft, nah. I’d be able to tell you two apart easily.
The first sign is that little bit of gold you have in your eyes, which differs from Nate’s.
His are just blue, whereas yours turn more to a golden green.
Plus, you have more of a subtle freckle pattern just under your right eye. Nate doesn’t have that.”
“Wow! Your attention to detail is quite, um… scary,” I say as Nate chuckles.
“That’s what makes me good at art. I see the beauty in everything.”
“Even a dipshit like Nate.” I chuckle to myself. Making light of every situation is something I do when I’m nervous or out of my comfort zone.
Her brows draw together before she answers, “Well, come in, have a look around. I think you’ll see Nate is actually pretty damn good.”
I nod at Alex as she defends Nate from my stupid, nervous remark. Good on her for sticking up for him. I like her already. “I can’t believe I’ve never been here before.”
“It’s not like you knew about it, though. You know… in your defense,” Nate says.
“True. Now I know where you used to disappear to.” I smile. “I’m proud of you, bro. Learning to read, Funging your Shui, opening a gallery, you’re really stepping it up. I like this new you.”
He smiles weakly. “I couldn’t have done it without Ria. She pushed me to be better. I wish she could see this.” He draws a deep, centering breath. “I miss her, you know?”
Alex looks out to the street. “Shit! People are actually coming. Quickly, go away… like now,” she murmurs, gesturing with her hands for us to shoo.
I laugh along with Nate, and we walk off to another wall to check out one of his paintings as if we were interested in making a purchase before a group of people walks in.
Alex gets right to work as Nate tenses up and chews on his bottom lip while looking around a little too noticeably.
“Stop looking around. You’re being obvious,” I chide while frowning at him.
“I’m nervous. What if they hate everything? What if they’re critics, and they review really badly?”
“Dude, you’ve been open five minutes. You need to calm the fuck down. Do I need to get Whisper in here to calm down your ass?”
“No, I don’t need him in here…” he pauses, trying to find the right word, “… rearranging. Let’s go out back. I can’t handle watching.”
“Pussy,” I scold with a chuckle.
We walk out to the studio, and it’s only now that I’m not distracted by the presence of Alex that I take in all of Nate’s artwork around me.
I stare at the moody pieces and smile—I’m actually impressed.
I knew he was good. Every once in a while, he leaves pieces lying around the house, and we have a few hanging on the walls, but I never really knew just how good he is.
Until now.
“Dude, this is really amazing.”
He huffs. “Nah… it’s just something I needed when we weren’t touring or rehearsing.”
I take a seat and roll my eyes. “Nate, man, really… just take the compliment. Stop making excuses. You have talent… real talent. You’re fucking good.
Yes, you work hard, but no matter how long I worked at painting, I wouldn’t be this good.
So, you need to know you have a real talent here, bro. You really are extremely good.”
He half-smiles and slumps into his chair. “Thanks, that means a lot coming from my brother.”
“Ria isn’t the only one who believes in you, you know. I do… always have. I genuinely didn’t know how invested in this you were. I’m glad Ria saw this and helped you.”
He nods with a gulp and slumps down even further into his chair. “She should be here today,” he murmurs, and I barely catch what he’s said.
“Yeah, I know. But Alex is her friend, right?”
He nods. “Right.”
“So, she’ll tell her all about today and how amazing it’s going to go.”
“It’s not the same.”
“I know… and I know you want her here. I also know you want Ria in your life again. But she’s made her choice, and you can’t change that. Wishing isn’t going to make it so. If you want her back, you gotta do something about it.”