Chapter 26
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
It was clear skies again, thank goodness.
Edie stood at the entrance to the event center as another van pulled into the lot. Three young men and a woman a little younger than she stepped onto the asphalt to make their way around to the back of the vehicle.
It was like opening a gift, each large piece of artwork that emerged more impressive than the last.
“You must be Blanca?” Edie scanned the pages of her clipboard to locate the artist’s name on her sheet of those featured at the gala.
“That would be me.”
“Perfect. You’ll be hanging your piece in slot nineteen. If you need any help, just let one of us in these blue volunteer shirts know and we should be able to assist you.”
The woman hooked a thumb stacked with beautiful sterling silver rings over her shoulder. “Should be fine. It’s why I brought my three sons along with me. Honestly, put them to work if you need them. I promised them community service credit.”
Edie smiled. “I just might take you up on that.”
She stepped aside to allow Blanca and her boys through with the large canvas. There were five more artists scheduled to arrive with their pieces, and then Edie could really focus her attention on the finishing details for the event.
The tables and chairs had been delivered the day before.
The linens yesterday afternoon. And now they just waited on the actual artwork.
With the event taking place later that evening, it felt a little last minute, but Cal had assured her it was the best way to do things.
Then they didn’t run the risk of damaging any artwork as the tables and chairs were delivered and set up.
Plus, he said a few of his artist friends were still putting the finishing touches on their pieces.
Creativity didn’t always cooperate with the timeline.
That said, Edie had been ready to hang hers weeks ago, but she supposed that was the difference between photography and painted work.
When she captured her shot, that was it.
Sure, there was some photo manipulation and editing she could do after the fact, but she rarely adjusted more than the saturation or white balance.
Cal had said that was because her pictures were so impressive straight out of the camera that they needed little in the way of post-processing.
But she just believed she wasn’t all that skilled when it came to Photoshop or computers. Whatever the reason, it worked for her.
She poked her head into the event space, glimpsing her big canvas on the back wall.
It was her most recent favorite, the one she’d captured of a pod of California Gray whales, their big, finned flukes cresting in unison.
Next to it, she’d posted the purchase price of the image, even though she felt a little silly doing so.
But it was an artwork auction, intended to raise money for charity.
She’d required all of the other artists to do the same.
She just hadn’t gotten used to giving her artwork a monetary value.
It was something she needed to be better at.
“How are things going out here?” Cal stepped over, a towel draped across his shoulders. He took the corner of one side and ran it over his face, damp with sweat. “Getting everyone checked in okay?”
“Just waiting on a few more, but I believe they’re on their way. How’s the setup going?”
“Good. Some of those pieces are pretty heavy, but I’ve been able to hang most of them in the studs.”
She nodded. “Blanca said her sons can help if we need any more hands.”
“Could probably use some, actually. I’ll sync up with her.” He grabbed either end of the towel around his neck, gripping the corners as his head cocked. “Listen, I’ve actually been wanting to talk to you about something—”
“Hey, Edie?” Josh squeezed through the doorway, effectively placing himself between Edie and Cal on the ramp leading to the building. “Have you heard from Morgan at all today?”
“She said she’ll be here by three. Had an emergency with the spinach and feta quiches, I think. But she said she’s got it under control now.”
“Got it.” He passed a glance between the two, a sudden realization hitting him that he’d interrupted something. “I’ll go count those wine glasses one more time. I think the rental shorted us two.” He made backward steps, eyes still locked on the duo. “Just holler if you need me.”
Cal didn’t have a comeback or quip, which surprised Edie.
He was nothing but serious as he just lifted his chin in a nearly imperceptible nod.
What exactly had he been about to say to her?
Whatever it was, it seemed serious. “You were about to tell me something?” she prodded once Josh was fully out of earshot.
“You know what?” Cal released the ends of the towel along with a slow sigh. “We can talk later. We’ve got a lot to do to get things ready for tonight.”
She was about to protest, but in that moment another artist pulled into the lot, simultaneously pulling her attention. “Cal, I can talk now. I have time—”
“Tonight,” he said with a forced smile. “Forget I even said anything.”
Well, that wasn’t going to happen.
Edie and Cal had shared many conversations over the months, but the look in his eye, paired with the pinch in the middle of his brow, was different.
A wariness, maybe? It set off a nervous ache in her stomach, and she’d already been a bundle of nerves about the event.
Now she had the added worry over this impending conversation with Cal.
She’d have to shove that out of her head for now.
And she was able to, for the most part.
Truthfully, she had been too busy to dwell on it. But once she was back at her beach house that afternoon, standing in front of her bathroom mirror, makeup in place and curling iron in hand, her thoughts began to wander.
Just the other day, she’d been tormented by the little inside joke the two men had shared at the coffeehouse. In the end, it was about nothing really, just something about a customer’s insanely complex coffee order that they’d found funny and decided to run with.
But this was different.
Cal was about to tell her something important. She could sense it in the delivery of his words and through the expression of his body. The way he twisted that poor towel like a sodden dishrag, practically strangling it.
Was he going to tell her he was out? That he no longer wished to compete for her heart? Not that the men had really been competing lately, anyway. They’d all been too preoccupied with the Artistry Uncorked gala to be bothered with matters of the heart.
But the thought of Cal saying it was over did something to Edie.
And it wasn’t what she had expected. Sure, there was a huge amount of regret there.
A sense of immense loss. But woven into that was the tiniest morsel of relief.
And she didn’t think it was relief over the thought of things fully ending with Cal.
But more over the idea that she no longer had a choice to make.
That the choice had been effectively made for her.
As she moved the hot iron over her red strands, she conjured up the same scenario but placed Josh in the center.
If Josh had approached her, telling her that he was no longer interested in pursuing a relationship with her, how would that make her feel?
To her surprise, she experienced the same mixed emotions of regret and relief. But where things with Cal had been skewed heavily toward the side of regret, when imagining the words coming from Josh’s lips, relief won out.
And that certainly said something.
Of course, she liked Josh. Really liked him. The kiss they had shared, and the moments they spent together, were wonderful. He was a good man and they’d had a strong connection from the very start.
But it was nothing like her pull to be with Cal.
Was that it? Had she made her decision? Maybe she had, but she’d still have to wait to hear what Cal had wanted to say to her. Because even if she did choose him, he might be coming to her with something else entirely.
At five o’clock, Edie made her way back to the gala, sure to be there before it started promptly at six-thirty.
Her feet already ached. When was the last time she’d worn heels?
She couldn’t remember, but they pinched in the toe and the arch was much too high.
She needed to toughen up. The black stilettos were the perfect match for the sequined, forest green dress that she’d been lucky enough to snag half-price at an online retail site specializing in previously worn designer formalwear.
She’d loved the way the deep green complemented her fiery red hair, and how she’d done her makeup to match, complete with winged eyeliner she’d learned to apply after watching a handful of online tutorials.
In a way, she felt like a piece of artwork herself, certainly after all the fussing and primping she’d done. She felt beautiful. And based on Josh’s gaze the moment she stepped foot into the gala, she assumed he thought so, too.
He’d been deep in conversation with one of his sommelier friends, but the moment his eyes lifted and met hers, his mouth slipped into an open gape.
He touched his friend’s elbow to excuse himself.
“Edie,” he murmured. “You look stunning.” His lips pressed to her cheek.
“So do you.” She waved her hand over his tuxedo that looked like it had been designed just for him.
Josh wasn’t shy about admiring her. His eyes lingered, conveying his appreciation. “I mean, you’re always beautiful. But…but I just wasn’t prepared for this.”
The way he stuttered over his words was endearing and sweet. “Given the occasion, I can clean up pretty well.”
Truthfully, though, she rarely had an occasion. The last time she remembered getting all dolled up like this was on her wedding day. And oh, how she’d felt so beautiful then. Inside and out and all over.