Chapter 10
CHAPTER
TEN
EMMA
I’d been dreading coming back here. The shame of breaking a piece of art was bad enough, but now I had to face the music over the hideous article too.
Thankfully, there was no stuck-up receptionist at the door to greet me, just a guy who nodded in greeting and guided me to the staircase I’d walked down with such trepidation on Friday evening.
Today, it wasn’t the same level of anticipation strumming through me, it was more like fevered panic.
I doubted there’d be anyone waiting at the bottom of these stairs, ready to give me a kind smile or a pretty peony, like the one that was currently sitting in a small vase in my living room.
As I pushed through the metal doors, I spotted Lloyd across the gallery, taking a framed piece of art off the wall. I caught his eye, and he handed the art to another member of staff, before sauntering over to me.
“Emma,” he said with a curious frown.
He didn’t look overjoyed to see me, not that I expected him to be doing cartwheels. There was a hint of annoyance in his gaze, and the visible tension as he ticked his jaw told me exactly how he felt about me.
He’d read the article.
I owed him money and I’d shit all over the gallery at the same time.
I was the last person he wanted to be polite to.
But he masked his anger as best he could, painted on a fake smile and extended his arm to shake my hand. “I didn’t expect to see you here again so soon. How can I help?”
I shook his hand, then took a deep breath.
“I had to come today. I felt so awful about what happened on Friday. I wanted to discuss how I can settle my debt... and... I expect you’ve seen the article.” I felt so ashamed I wished the ground would open up and swallow me whole.
Lloyd dipped his head, then cleared his throat.
“The article. Yes. We’ve all read it. That’s why I’m surprised you’re here.”
He probably thought I was a real piece of work, bad-mouthing his place of work and then turning up like this to justify myself.
“I’m so sorry,” I blurted out, stepping closer to him, trying not to hang my head in shame.
He didn’t move away from me, so that was a positive.
“That article and the things it said, they weren’t written by me.
I mean, yes, it had my name on it, but I didn’t write it.
On Friday, you were nothing but generous.
So welcoming. And I really enjoyed being here and the performance, the art, all of it.
It was amazing... and you... you’re amazing.
This gallery put on a magnificent event and... ”
“I’m sure you can understand how your article reflected badly on us, though,” he interjected, looking at me like he pitied me, but wasn’t quite sure how to deal with me being here.
“The artists we invite here can be somewhat... fragile, when it comes to the critique of their work. Your article was pretty damning.”
“But it wasn’t my article, that’s what I’m trying to tell you. And I feel awful about it.”
I took a moment, waiting for him to tell me it was all okay.
But he didn’t. He stayed silent. So, I went on.
“I don’t want to upset any artists. And I was thinking, if you’re in contact with S.K.A.M. you could tell him how sorry we are at the Echo for printing that piece.
I don’t have any way of contacting him, but I know you do.
” I pleaded with my eyes now, as well as my words.
“Please, Lloyd. Tell him it was a huge mistake. Tell him I didn’t mean to cause him so much hurt, but... ”
“The words are out there now,” Lloyd stated plainly. Snapped even. He didn’t look convinced. “You can’t take them back, Emma. And if you can’t live with the consequences, then maybe you shouldn’t have written...”
“But I already told you, it wasn’t me,” I argued, feeling like I was banging my head against a brick wall. Lloyd clearly wasn’t listening.
“Nevertheless, the ripple effect from a review like that can be truly staggering.”
I felt a ten-tonne weight hit the bottom of my stomach, and adrenaline shots fired through me when I heard those words.
Truly staggering.
That’s what he’d said in the email he’d sent me.
You just achieved something truly staggering.
I swallowed, trying to control my nerves as I leaned a little closer and whispered, “It’s you, isn’t it.”
“What’s me?” Lloyd asked with a frown.
“S.K.A.M. It’s you. You’re the artist.”
Lloyd threw his head back and laughed. It was the first time I’d seen him crack his tough exterior since I’d arrived.
“Are you serious?” he asked, struggling to keep his laughter under control.
I nodded, and he shook his head.
“I wish I had that much talent.” His face softened. “But sadly, no. I’m not S.K.A.M.”
“But you had red under your fingernails on Friday after the performance,” I added, like I was fucking Poirot.
“I’ll admit, I was involved in setting up the staging, putting the buckets in place, and some of the contents might have spilled.
But I didn’t stand on that wall and perform.
” He took a step back and gestured to himself.
“S.K.A.M. is over six foot, Emma. I wouldn’t make that height even in built up heels.
” He laughed at himself, and I couldn’t help but smile too, because he was right. Lloyd didn’t match the build.
“Maybe there’s two of you,” I countered. “I know you probably wouldn’t admit it, even if you were involved. You’d want to keep the mystery going.”
A mischievous twinkle sparkled in his eyes, and he folded his arms over his chest before tapping his finger on his chin in thought.
“I know a way I can prove I’m not S.K.A.M. Have dinner with me next Thursday. S.K.A.M. is due to perform at a gala in Paris that night. If you have dinner with me, and he’s over there, then you’ll know it isn’t me.” He held his arms out. “I can’t be in two places at once, now, can I?”
I opened and closed my mouth way more times than was necessary, trying to find the right words to respond. Dinner with Lloyd was the last thing I wanted to do. Was this going to be a deal breaker for paying off my debt, too?
“I don’t think that’d be appropriate, under the circumstances,” I replied.
“What circumstances? I’m sure the scandal of the article will die down in a day or two.”
“But I owe the gallery money. And I need to discuss the possibility of paying in instalments if I can, because five thousand pounds is a lot of money, and I don’t know...”
Lloyd held his hand up to stop me, then shook his head.
“There is no debt, Emma. It’s all been sorted.”
The sweetest relief washed over me as he said that.
“Thank God,” I gasped. “Did the gallery waive the charges? I’m sure it was all insured, and I did think...”
“No,” he cut in. “It was paid in full on the night.” He tilted his head in question. “Did you not know that?” He frowned harder, then added, “I thought it was weird, when you said just now about settling a debt.”
“I had no idea,” I replied, my relief short-lived as I tried to guess which one of the trio had shown mercy on me and paid the bill I couldn’t afford. “Who paid it off?”
“It was me,” a deep voice announced from behind, and I spun around, coming face to face with Alex Kingston.
My breath caught in my throat as I stared into his hypnotic green eyes. He stood there, smiling back at me in his designer suit, his hands in his pockets as the air around us turned electric.
“Emma.” His warm expression softened as he said my name.
“I tried to find you after the performance on Friday, but you left before I could say a proper goodbye.” He glanced at Lloyd, then added, “Tobey and Ethan filled me in on what happened before you left, though, and I thought it was only right to do what I could to make things right. I didn’t want you to worry. ”
“You didn’t have to do that,” I said, my words coming out all breathy.
“He didn’t have to charge five thousand for an accident that the insurance company could easily cover, but I’m in the process of getting that dealt with,” he announced, and I could feel the embarrassment emanating from Lloyd as he seemed to shrink into himself.
“We’re looking into that,” Lloyd stated.
“I’m sure you are,” Alex replied with a haughty air, sounding unconvinced. Then his face softened again as he turned to me.
“I’ll pay you back,” I said, but Alex shook his head.
“There’s no need. It’s done. Forget about it. I have.”
“Five thousand pounds isn’t something I can easily forget about.”
“It’s in the hands of my insurers now. Please, don’t give it a second thought,” Alex stated, and just like that, he’d made one of my troubles vanish. If only he could work his magic on the other one.
“I’m sorry I didn’t get to say goodbye to you on Friday evening,” I said, feeling at a loss for words.
Five thousand pounds.
He’d dropped five thousand pounds to make me feel better.
No one had ever done anything like that for me before.
“I didn’t expect to see you here, today,” Alex replied kindly, his gentle tone putting me at ease. “It’s a nice surprise, though.”
“I didn’t expect to be here. But I had to come to apologise.”
His smile faded.
“Apologise for what?” He glanced between Lloyd and me, looking mystified. “Is this still about the broken sculpture, or has something else happened?”
“It’s the article,” Lloyd announced, raising his brows in a telling way.
“Have you read it?” I asked, feeling nervous about his answer. I was really hoping he’d say no.
“Of course I have,” he said, and my erratically beating heart stuttered with dread and fear. “It was a little... abrupt, maybe,” he went on, choosing his words carefully. “But I don’t understand why you’re here to apologise.”
“It was abrupt,” I said, mirroring his words, “But it wasn’t my article.”
Lloyd cleared his throat, preparing to dive into the conversation, but Alex wouldn’t let him.
“What do you mean, it wasn’t your article?”
“I didn’t write it.”
“If you didn’t write it, who did?”
“Mr. Gold.”