“Of course he would.”
Alex couldn’t help but see the sadness in her eyes as he leaned down and lightly kissed her sweaty lips. His fingers traced the side of her face as he quickly felt lost. He felt her pull back slightly. “You seriously are the best kisser.”
“Yeah, I’ve been told that,” Alex smirked. She lightly hit his arm and started jogging again.
“Tell me about your mother,” she asked.
“She’s great. She can sometimes seem threatening but she’s not. She’s just very protective of her children.”
“You have a sister also, correct?”
Alex nodded as he suddenly felt winded. He didn’t realize how out of shape he was. “Yes, Patty. She’s wonderful. She recently got engaged to her long time boyfriend. I’m happy for them. They are one of those cute couples that you want to hate but can’t.”
“I have a couple of friends like that too.”
“Tell me about your parents,” Alex asked as he slowed down but fought to keep up with her.
“They are wonderful. My dad is a police officer and my mom is a school teacher. I have three older brothers who are very protective of me.”
Alex whispered. “I will keep that in mind.”
“Are you planning on seeing more of me?”
“I hope so, Ms. Matthews.” Alex stopped and grabbed his knees. He was happy to see his car again as he felt himself hit the wall.
“You did great, Alex. You should be proud of yourself.”
He was about to respond when his cell phone rang, he quickly set his Bluetooth to on and excused himself. “Hello?”
“Mr. Smith, it’s Becca. I’m sorry that I had to call you so early but there is a problem at the gallery, can you come in?”
“What’s the problem, Becca?”
“Are you ok, you sound winded?”
“I was out for a morning run. What’s wrong, Becca?”
“There was a break in last night. Some of the paintings have been destroyed.”
Alex gasped. “I will be right there!”
Eve noticed his reaction right away and came over to him. “What happened?”
“Eve, I need to go. There was a break in last night and I need to see what happened.”
“I should go with you just in case any of my items were damaged.”
Alex reassured her. “We have insurance but let’s see if we can’t get this straightened out.”
They drove in silence and noticed the police cars as soon as they pulled into the parking lot. “I really wish I had time to shower.” Alex groaned.
“Yeah, me too but business comes first.”
They raced inside as Alex was greeted by Becca at the front door. He noticed her glare at Eve but brushed it off as he slid by her and grabbed one of the officers.
“I’m Alex Smith, the owner of this gallery. Please explain to me what happened!”
“Sir, it looks like they were able to break into one of the backrooms and gain entrance into the main gallery. Your alarms didn’t trigger and we are looking into that right now as to why. Most of your damage is contained to your office and some portraits upstairs.”
Alex groaned as he raced up the stairs and into his office. He looked around and saw his paperwork scattered everywhere and his furniture overturned. He heard an officer come up behind him. “Please don’t touch anything, sir. We are still investigating and looking for fingerprints.”
“Of course, what can I do to help?”
“We will need a list of items that are missing. Please contact your insurance company so we can start the paperwork. I need to show you the damage to your artwork.”
Alex nodded and turned to see Eve standing at the stairs. “Nothing of mine was touched. The door was locked so they couldn’t get in.”
Alex sighed. “That’s because I locked up last night and I have the key. I’m happy about that Eve.”
She nodded. “Me too but I feel horrible about all of this.”
Alex turned his attention to far wall and groaned. Eve followed his line of sight and gasped, “Oh Alex!”
He made his way over to the portrait of Emma, Emily’s daughter and noticed that the painting had been slashed. “Who would do that?”
The officer spoke up behind him. “A bunch of kids, I’m sure. They don’t have respect for anything.”
Alex closed his eyes and wanted to cry. He didn’t have the heart of tell Emily that the painting was ruined. Eve came over and grabbed his arm gently. “Do you want to sit down?”
“No, I really should have this officer show me around the rest of the damage.” Alex explained as he reached into his pocket and pulled out his car keys. “Here, take my car back to the hotel. Shower, change and come back later and we will do lunch before your opening.”
“Do you think the show will go on as planned?” Eve asked.
Alex turned his attention back to the police officer. “Ms. Matthews has an exhibit opening tonight and we need to be back open by seven tonight. How do we make that happen?”
“As long as we can get through the paperwork and get the investigators out of here, you will be ok. We will just need to keep the backroom and your office closed for now. I don’t want anything tampered with.”
Alex nodded. “Thank you, officer.”
Eve reached for his keys and gave him a hug. “It will be ok, Alex. I will be back shortly.”
He nodded as she walked passed Becca on her way out. Alex could see Becca smile as she approached Alex.
“What can I do to help, Mr. Smith?”
“Why don’t you call the insurance company so we can start the claim? I need to make a phone call,” Alex said as he disappeared out at the front doors.
He quickly dialed the number for Henry’s gallery. “Good morning, Alex. How are you?”
“Not good Henry, my gallery was broken into last night.”
Henry gasped. “Oh my, that’s horrible. What did they do?”
“Broke into a back window and vandalized the place. They destroyed Emily’s portrait of Emma.”
“Alex, I’m so sorry to hear that. What can Barbara and I do?”
“I wanted to make sure that your place wasn’t hit as well.”
“No, we are fine. Have the police started their investigation?” he asked.
“Yes, they are here now. I should get back to them. Will we see you tonight for the new exhibit?”
“Yes, we will be in attendance. Will everything be good to go?”
“I hope so. I will see you tonight, Henry. I’m glad that everything is safe and sound down the road.” Alex hung up the phone and headed back into the gallery.
“Mr. Smith, can we have a word?” one of the officers asked as he entered the main gallery.
“Of course, did you find anything new?”
The officer walked over to a side room so they were away from all the commotion. “We talked with your security company. We asked why the alarm was never triggered when the window broke. They claim the alarm was set around five last night.”
Alex quickly interrupted. “Yes, that was by me when I left for the evening.”
He nodded in agreement. “Around ten o’ clock last night, your alarm was disabled.”
Alex looked dumbfounded, “By whom?”
“That’s what we don’t know yet. We need a list of who has access to your security codes.”
“Of course, it would be Becca, my sister and of course me.”
The officer nodded. “Do you have any doubts about them?”
“I can tell you right now that my sister would have nothing to do with this. As for Becca, I can’t understand why she would do something like this. But, I would like to be there when you question her.”
“I would highly recommend that you let us do our job, sir. We are trained professionals. We will have a word with her and of course, we will need to talk with your sister.”
“I will contact her right now.”
Alex looked over his shoulder at Becca
as she paced around the front lobby. He worried that he may have misjudged her. He allowed the officers to detain her for questioning and called Eve to see if she could pick him up.
CHAPTER NINE
Eve showed up about thirty minutes later and picked Alex up in front of the gallery.
“Thank you for lending me your car,” Eve said as she smiled.
He nodded. “No problem, I didn’t want you to have to wait around for me.”
“How’s it going?” she asked as she drove him back towards his house.
“The alarm was turned off before the break in. Only a few people have the codes. I’m worried that Becca has a connection with this.”
Eve pouted slightly. “That sucks. Though from a girl’s perspective, I think she was very put off when she caught us kissing at the bar last night.”
Alex shook his head. “No way, she doesn’t care about that. She never made a pass at me or made me feel uncomfortable. It doesn’t make sense to me.”
“I’m sure the police will get to the bottom of it, Alex. In the meantime, why don’t you shower and I can make us some lunch if you don’t mind me raiding your kitchen.”
Alex laughed. “I actually have someone who does that for me.”
Eve’s laughter filled the car. “Man, how rich are you?”
He couldn’t help but blush and look out the car window. “I live comfortably.”
“I guess so,” Eve said as they pulled into his driveway. “Do you mind if I stick around since I don’t have a ride back to the hotel?”
“Of course you can and you can make lunch. I would love that.”
Eve smiled and followed him into the house. “Wow, this is amazing.”
“Thank you, I love this place.”
“I can understand why. You have great taste, Alex.”
He smiled. “If you would excuse me, I need to shower. Have a look around, explore and if you run into Mrs. Bennett, just tell her you are making lunch today so she can take the afternoon off.”
Eve chuckled. “Got it, enjoy your shower.”
Alex disappeared up the stairs and into his bedroom. He pulled off his sweaty running clothes and threw them into the hamper. He walked into his large shower and turned on the hot water.
He couldn’t stop thinking about the break in. He didn’t understand why someone would want to destroy a few portraits just for the fun of it. He dreaded the phone call to Emily to tell her that the painting of Emma was destroyed. That painting meant so much to him.
His fingers slid through his wet hair as he rinsed the shampoo from it. His thoughts drifted to Eve. He smiled as he realized just a simple thought made his worry disappear. She had already turned into a good friend. He looked forward to exploring his feelings towards her. He knew that he shouldn’t jump into a relationship but he always followed his heart.
He stepped from his shower and grabbed a towel from the rack. He walked into the bedroom as the door opened and Eve gasped. “Oh my God, I’m so sorry.” She quickly turned around so her back was towards him.
Alex chuckled. “Are you trying to sneak a peek at me, Eve? You could have just asked.”
“Oh my God, don’t make this worse.” Eve grimaced.
Alex grinned. “It’s ok. At least I’m in a towel.” He thought he heard her mumble that she could see that. “Were you just exploring the house?”
Eve nodded. “Yes, I thought this was a spare bedroom. I never imagined it being the master bedroom.”
“Eve, we are adults. You can turn around.”
She turned around and he could feel the heat from her eyes as they trailed over his body. He groaned softly and shook his head. “Ok, maybe that was bad idea.”
Eve chuckled. “It’s your fault. I tried being a lady.”
He nodded. “You are right.”
“So, this is the master bedroom, huh? It’s gorgeous, Alex. I love your fireplace. This house is just spectacular.”
“Thank you. You can step onto my balcony and see the pool.”
Eve opened the french doors and stepped onto the small balcony. “Wow, your yard is breathtaking. I love the gazebo. Do you rent out this space because if you don’t, you should?”
Alex nodded. “I only did once. A favor for...” His words trailed off.
Eve turned towards him and quickly finished his thoughts. “Emily.”
He nodded. “Her best friend needed a venue for her wedding reception and I offered to have it arranged here.”
“That was nice of you. I can tell that you have a kind heart, Alex. I like that.”
“I’m glad to hear that. I guess I should get dressed. Did you find Mrs. Bennett?”
She nodded and looked at the floor. “Yeah, she said that she would have lunch ready shortly.”
Alex walked over to her and tilted her chin up to face him. “What’s wrong?”
“I don’t think she likes me.”
“I’m sure that’s not it. She’s very protective of me. I probably should have introduced you to her. We will fix that later.”
Eve nodded and smiled at him. “Kiss me.”
Alex took a deep breath because he loved her confidence. He lowered his lips to her and kissed her gently. He felt her lips mold around his and heard a faint moan. Her fingers reached for his chest and he felt the warmth of her hands on his bare skin. He groaned as he deepened the kiss and she came along for the ride.
Alex ran his fingers through her hair and pulled her tighter against him. His body responded to her and he knew that she could feel it through the thin material of his towel but he didn’t care. He wanted more of her. He felt her nails run down his chest as he groaned. “I have never lost control this fast with someone. What are you doing to me?”
“Maybe you just needed the right person,” Eve explained as he could hear her light panting.
Alex licked his lips, swollen from their kiss. “We should probably stop before we reach the point of no return.”
Eve nodded. “Yeah, I agree. Do you want to go out tonight after my show?”
Alex nodded quickly. “Yes, I know the perfect place to celebrate.”
Eve backed away slightly as Alex found himself grabbing her waist and pulling her back to him. “We will continue this at a later date, Eve.” He kissed her again.
Eve stepped away and walked towards the door but before she left the room she turned towards him and smiled. “I like you, Alex.” She disappeared from the room.
Alex changed into a pair of dress slacks with a white button shirt. He grabbed a tie and jacket from his closet and headed downstairs. He rounded the corner and found Eve sitting at the breakfast counter.
“How’s lunch coming?” Alex asked.
Mrs. Bennett finished up the sandwiches and placed the plates on the counter. “You are all set. Alex, I taught you better manners than this. You allowed a stranger to come into my kitchen to introduce herself.”
Alex smirked. “I’m sorry, Mrs. Bennett. I had a very rough morning, I wasn’t thinking clearly. Eve is displaying her artwork at my gallery for the next two evenings so you will see a lot of her around the house.”
The older lady nodded. “Should I make myself scarce for awhile?”
“You don’t need to do that but if you would like to take a few days off, I’m fine with that. I’m sure my mother would love to see you.”
She nodded again. “How’s Emily? I miss her.”
Alex frowned and looked at Eve as he noticed the disapproving look as it appeared on her face. “Mrs. Bennett, why don’t you head home for day? I need to go back to the gallery and take Eve back to her hotel.”
She nodded as she left the kitchen leaving Alex with Eve. “I told you that she didn’t like me.”
Alex sat down next to her and put her face in his hands. “It’s not that. She loved Emily. She wanted us to work out so badly and they bonded with each other in that short period of time. When I came home and told her that Emily had chosen Eric, she was heartbroken.”
Eve no
dded. “I can understand that. How was she with the next girlfriend?”
Alex chuckled. “Are we having this conversation already?”
Eve blushed. “Yeah, I guess it’s a little early to talk about our ex’s.”
Alex grabbed his sandwich and took a bite. He watched her out of the corner of his eye. He didn’t have a problem telling her about the one real relationship that he had since Emily but would she judge him that it was only the one?
Eve grabbed his hand and traced her nails over the back of it. “You can tell me whatever you want, whenever you want. I’m a good listener and I’m dying to know more about you.”
Alex grinned as he swallowed and looked back at her. “I only had one real relationship after Emily. Her name was Sue and everyone hated her,” Alex laughed. “She was nice but just not my type. I’ve been on dates but nothing worked out. I was still healing.”
Eve nodded. “My last boyfriend was in a well known band. He would fly me to whichever city he was in that night, we would hook up and then I would head back home in the morning.”
Alex couldn’t help but chuckle. “Sounds like a great relationship.”
“Oh, it was nothing more than great sex. I got that from the beginning but who doesn’t want to hook up with a rock star, right?”
Alex grinned. “Yeah, I guess so.”
“Before him, Ethan was my last serious relationship. We were inseparable. I loved him with every ounce of my being. It hurts to even talk about him.”
Alex grabbed her hand. “You don’t have to, believe me, I understand that pain.”
Eve smiled at him. “No, it’s ok. You shared, so will I. Ethan and I were together for years. We went to college together and shared everything. I knew his family, he knew mine. Life was easy. The night that he asked me to join him at his family’s estate I thought it would be the night of our engagement.”
Alex noticed Eve’s face sadden as she looked at her plate. He wanted to support her but wasn’t sure how to get close to her. He moved his hand across her back and massaged it as she spoke.
“When I arrived, Ethan was standing on the back patio. He looked so sad. I ran over to him and asked him what had happened. I was afraid that a family member was sick. But, it wasn’t that. He revealed to me that he was about to have a child.”
True Love (Volume 4) (Now and Forever) Page 4