Chapter 5
Iwake to the sound of a text message coming through my phone. Reluctant to leave the cozy softness of my sheets, I’m curious about who would be texting me. In the six months I’ve lived in Montana, I’ve only made one good friend and Olivia isn’t an early riser.
Rolling to the edge of the mattress, I grab my phone and my heart leaps in my chest when I see Jorge’s name.
Jorge:
Good morning. I’m not sure dating is a good idea. Please, forgive me.
Me:
Oh. OK.
I swear my heart is crushing inside my chest. The pain is like someone has wrapped it in their fist and is squeezing the life from me.
Those three little dots blink back at me.
Jorge:
I would like it if we could be friends. I’m sorry I can’t offer more.
Me:
I thought there was something between us, but if that’s how you feel, I understand. You don’t have to try to soften it with a friendship that would be awkward for both of us.
Jorge:
There are things about my life that you don’t know and if you did, you’d realize this is for the best.
I’m so furious with myself for allowing so much vulnerability last night. What the fuck was I thinking letting a man I barely know touch me and make me come? I’ve never wanted anyone the way I wanted Jorge. Even Peter, the man I was engaged to, didn’t turn me on like that.
Rather than my usual attempts to make someone feel better, I drop my phone on the nightstand without responding.
Getting out of bed, I head for the kitchen. It’s definitely a six cups of coffee kind of day. I start the pot and ignore the beep of my phone from the other room when another text message comes through.
I have a show to get ready for next week and no one, not even a sexy panther, is going to stop me from success.
As I pull on my smock and get my paints ready, I think about the way his eyes mesmerized me. When the coffee is ready, I pour a cup and head for my studio. I prepare a new canvas and paint those eyes looking through the canopy of jungle foliage. This is how I see him.
My mind drifts to other people in town, and I wonder what they shift into. There’s a man at the gun shop who I met when I considered buying a weapon to keep in the house in case of emergency. He’s so big and burly, I think he must be a bear.
Milo at the diner might be a cat like Jorge, though his eyes are different. Maybe another kind of cat.
Gabe is a wolf and now that I know, I see how there were signs in his eyes and mannerisms.
When my front doorbell rings, I jump. The canvas is full of different animal eyes staring back at me.
The doorbell sounds again and I run through the house and open the door.
Olivia smiles, her bright disposition shining through. “You didn’t answer your phone.”
I step aside so she can enter. She’s been helping with all the arrangements for my show. She talked the fire chief into letting me use their hall for a very low price, and sent out so many invitations I’ve lost count. “Sorry. I left it in the bedroom and I’ve been working.”
“No problem. It’s just not like you. Why is your coffee pot still full? It’s nearly ten.” She points to the cold, wasted black gold with one long yellow fingernail. “You must have really been in the zone.
“I learned something last night that got into my head, and I went off on a bit of a tangent,” I admit, and pour the stale cold coffee down the drain. Making a new pot, I think about the odd painting I just created.
“Want to tell me what you learned or show me the painting?” She leans against the counter and drops a manila folder.
“You can look if you want. It’s not right for the show, but I guess I needed to get it out.” I open the folder to find the guest list for next Friday is up to seventy-five people. There’s a bill for wine and beer as well as one for hors d’oeuvres. All at a discount. I don’t know how Olivia does it.
I close the folder and watch the coffee drip.
When she doesn’t come back, I join her in the four-seasons room.
She’s staring at the eyes of a dozen different beasts in the jungle and woods. It’s like a collage. “You learned about the shifters.”
“You know?”
She laughs. “Of course. It’s amazing you didn’t notice before now.”
I don’t mention that it took someone shifting in front of me for me to notice. “Jorge Panteras kind of saved me from that guy Gabe last night. Jorge told me about shifters.”
Turning from the painting, she stares at me with deep brown eyes. “Let’s have some of that coffee and you can tell me all about Mr. Tall, Dark and Handsome.”
While I follow her into the kitchen, I say, “There’s nothing to tell. Like I said, Gabe got a bit forceful. We were out on the porch and Jorge chased him away.”
“Did you invite him in?” She pours two cups of coffee and hands me one.
“Who?” It’s silly, but I feel exposed talking about last night
Twisting her lips in a don’t-play-dumb look, she says, “The panther, not the wolf.”
Wow, she really does know what happening in this town. I shrug. “He wanted to see my art.”
Her smile is wicked. “Cats are very sexy. Actually, all the shifters have merit. Gabe is a dick, but every town has one or two of those types. Is there anything else you’d like to share?”
I shrug again. “He asked me out to dinner, but then canceled this morning.”
Staring a long time, she frowns, then drinks her coffee. “You like him.”
“I thought I did.” My heart aches again. “Can we talk about something else?”
After the briefest hesitation, Olivia nods. “Sure. I need checks for beer and wine and catering. I got great deals because people seem to really like you.”
“I think it’s you they like, but thanks for that. I can pay those today when I go out. You don’t need to run around. You’ve already done so much for me.” I could never have put this show together without her help.
“It’s my pleasure.” She takes a long sip of coffee. “You’re right about that new painting. It’s not right for this show, but I love it. Maybe I’ll buy it from you.”
“If you love it, it’s yours.” I shouldn’t have painted the thing anyway. I have a show that’s landscapes, not strange staring shifter eyes.
She grins. “Thank you.”
“I’ll finish it today, but it will need some time to dry.” I pour another cup of coffee.
“No rush.” She glances back toward the studio. “I’ll get out of your way so you can get back to work, but get your phone in case I need you this afternoon.” With a hug, she leaves.
Fresh coffee in hand, I go to the bedroom and get my phone.
Three missed calls from Olivia and one from my ex, Peter.
I ignore the voicemail and open the text messages.
Jorge:
If I was going to let anyone into my life, Daile, it would be you. I’m sorry.
A tear leaks out of my eye before I can squelch any feelings. Why does this feel worse than the breakup with Peter? What is it about Jorge that calls to me so fiercely? It doesn’t matter. He doesn’t want me, even if it seemed like he did. Even if he gave me the best orgasm of my life without taking off my clothes. Even if his kisses set my blood on fire and made me ask for things that I never ask for.
Damn him.
The night of my show comes too quickly. Suddenly, I’m standing in the event hall of the local fire department in a cocktail dress and heels. My pulse is racing as a crowd of people walk around talking about my art.
Olivia managed to get three big art critics to come, one from Los Angeles and two from New York. I can’t believe they would make the trip to see my work in Broken Arrow.
Olivia’s grin is ear to ear when she sashays over to me in a white silk jumpsuit that molds to all her curves and highlights her dark hair. “It’s going very well. We have offers and John is doing a great job with the sales. I think you’ll be happy at the end of the night.”
“How did you get Sylvia Markham here?” I point my chin toward the LA critic currently staring at my lookout painting.
Olivia shrugs. “I sent her a sample of your work in an email, and she was excited to be here. She brought a friend who I think might be a gallery owner.”
A waiter walks by with glasses of champagne, and I grab one. I’m not much of a drinker, but I need something to do with my hands. “I hope this wasn’t a huge mistake.”
Rubbing my back, she laughs. “Just smile. It’s all going to be great.”
Sylvia and her friend are both bleached blondes with expensive business suits and even more expensive shoes and handbags. They make their way over to me and Olivia makes the introductions.
Sylvia says, “This is my friend, Madeline Parks.”
Without waiting for more, Madeline grabs my hand. “I love the way you see the world. It’s as if the scenes are real and impossible at the same time. We took a small plane to the local airport and the mountains are inspiring. You have a great eye. I think this kind of magical realism will do very well in California. Would you be interested in a show at my gallery? I realize much of what I see here will likely be gone tonight. How long would you need to be ready for something larger?”
“Larger?” My brain and my mouth are not working together. “Um. I don’t know.”
Olivia wraps an arm around my shoulder and smiles brightly. “She did all of these in three months. Let’s see where we land after tonight. If everything sells, she’d be ready by late fall. If not, earlier.”
Thank god Olivia is here, or I’d be completely screwed.
Madeline claps her hands. “That’s perfection. I can’t wait to work with you, Miss Whittaker.”
“Thank you.” I shake her hand and watch her and Sylvia walk to the wall with all the waterfalls hanging.
“You did great.” Olivia is the perfect friend who lies when you need it most.
“I was idiotic.”
She laughs. “Well, get your wits about you. Your panther just walked in.”
Turning, I watch Jorge slip off to the edge of the crowd. He quietly makes his way through without drawing any attention to himself.
I see him, though. Now, he’s all I can see. As the night winds down, more of the paintings have sold stickers next to the titles and my attention is still focused on the shadows where Jorge watches.
Somehow, I managed a semi-intelligent conversation with both critics from New York and a brief one with Jude, the president of the local motorcycle club. He must be a shifter, but I’m not sure what kind. Now that I know about them, I see wildness in many people in town.
As the crowd thins, I’m drawn to the dark corner. “I didn’t expect to see you here.”
“I couldn’t stay away. This is magnificent, Daile.” His voice shoots electricity through me.
I’ve avoided the diner for the last week and a half because I knew I couldn’t see him without longing for him. Trying to pull myself together, I take slow breaths. “Thank you. A gallery from Los Angeles wants me to show there in a few months.”
“That’s wonderful. Congratulations.” He pauses. “You’ll leave Broken Arrow then.”
Leave? Would I relocate? It would be easier to avoid him, but I like this little town. “I don’t know. Does it matter?”
Leaning in until he’s only a centimeter away from me, his breath is warm on my cheek. “It shouldn’t, but I find it does matter. It matters very much.”
“You said you didn’t want to date me.” My body is on fire. My legs shake, and I have to put my hand against the wall behind me to keep my footing.
“I know what I said. I also know that I watch every night to make sure no one like Gabe bothers you, and then I leave before you see me. There’s something about you that makes me lose my good sense.” His lips graze the shell of my ear.
Olivia’s voice wakes me from the erotic moment in the shadows. “Daile, I need you for a minute. Your guests are leaving.”