“I thought you said you were leaving” she said at J.J. with a pleading gaze.
Looking at her, then Barnaby, then back to her, Jeff coldly stated, “Yeah, I’m leaving. I have no reason to stay.”
CHAPTER 24 - Jump the Gun
“No, don’t look!” Jasmine tore the newspaper from Kit’s hands.
“And why not?” she asked with an amused glare.
Jasmine screwed the paper into a ball and threw it towards the garbage bin beside their patio table at Miller’s Cafe. “Score” she said as it sailed into the hole. She turned to face Kit with a look of “yes, I’m stalling and thinking up an answer”.
“Jas?” Kit narrowed her eyes.
“Are you painting today?” she asked with a grin.
“I paint every day” Kit said seriously, getting up and retrieving a paper from another table that someone had left. She sat back down and purposely made a show of rifling through the pages and scanning them thoroughly. When Jasmine saw her getting towards the back pages, she let out a sigh.
“Kit” she said softly, “don’t believe everything you read”
Giving her a worried glance, Kit turned the page and her stomach fell. “What about what you see?” she asked, dropping the paper on the table. A society column photo showing a smiling J.J. with his arm around a beautiful brunette filled a quarter of the page.
“Magazine Heir and Supermodel Isabella Ryan heat up the Town” Kit repeated the headline. “Well, that’s that I guess”
“Don’t pretend it doesn’t bother you, not with me Kit” Jasmine commented, placing her hand on her friend’s arm.
“I’m okay Jas, really” she lied. “It was four weeks ago and frankly, it all seems like a dream now. To tell you the truth, I didn’t quite believe it was happening, even when it was” She shrugged. “Jeffrey Jones belongs with someone like Isabella whatever-her-name is. Not with me.”
Jasmine shook her head. “She doesn’t hold a candle to you. And you’re wrong. J.J. was crazy about you”
Kit smiled at her. “Was being the operative word; his insanity was evidently not only cured, but he’s obviously not suffering any after affects,” she replied pointing to the photo.
“I’ll tell you one thing. The man was positively green at Gillman’s that night. When you were dancing with Barnaby and Jeremy, I think he wanted to flatten them”
“Nah” Kit dismissed, “he only came to Brandon Bay to apologize and ask if we could still be friends”
“He could have done that over the phone”
Folding her arms over her chest, Kit looked at her doubtfully. “So what are you saying?”
“I’m saying that he came down here to get you back; and what he got was an eyeful of you kissing Barnaby. That’s gotta hurt” she replied adamantly.
Kit frowned. “Maybe so. But now he has an armful of Isabella and there’s nothing I can do about it. You once told me that you can’t control how others feel; only what you feel. J.J. is out of my control. He’s moved on.”
Jasmine opened her mouth to speak and Kit held her hand up, “No Jasmine, he has. I mean, what we had hardly constituted a meaningful relationship. In fact, I don’t know why I thought it was such a big deal. Our relationship consisted of a few conversations, a few kisses and fights, and a premature ending. In total it lasted six weeks; but only three days if you’re counting how long we were actually a couple. It’s ridiculous really that I thought it was more than it was”
“That’s because it was” Jasmine said wide-eyed, “As an observer, I can honestly say that you two fit”
Kit smiled sadly and looked down at the newspaper, “Well, looks like he found a better fit”
“Kit” Jasmine said with a sniff.
“I’ll live Jas” she said seriously, “It hurts, but I’ll live”
CHAPTER 25 - Get Down to Brass Tacks
“My dear, you’re a success”
“Funny, I don’t feel any different” Kit replied, giving Charles a huge hug. It had been five long weeks since the unfortunate night at Gillman’s and she had used that time constructively. She had painted non-stop since then. Partly to honour her promise to Charles, but foremost to forget the look on J.J.’s face before he left her sobbing on Barnaby’s shoulder in Fred’s diner that horrible Saturday morning. It still hurt, even more so when she’d seen his gallivanting with that Supermodel in the paper. But like she’d told Jasmine, life went on; nowhere to go but up from here.
“Well you should feel different. We sold two of your paintings and it’s convinced me that you’re a new star on the art world’s horizon. That’s why I intend you to be a permanent fixture at the gallery from now on. I’d very much like to represent you, if I may” he beamed proudly.
Kit threw him a look of complete and utter shock. “You do?”
“Of course. My Gallery only handles artists that sell. And my dear, it seems you’re one of those Artists”
“I’m an Artist” Kit said softly to herself in disbelief. It would take a while to sink in, but from the looks of it, she was on her way. Up indeed!
Charles was looking over her shoulder and smiled absently. “Well if isn’t my nefarious nephew over there. I haven’t seen him in quite a while”
Glancing in the same direction, she shook her head. “Neither have I” J.J. looked great, damn it. Why couldn’t he have grown two heads or something in the last month? Her stomach tightened at the sight of him and she nervously touched her hair and straightened her clothes; anything to keep her hands busy and keep her fists from clenching in trepidation.
“Well, let’s remedy that, shall we?” Charles said, madly waving to get his attention.
“No Charles, please”
As Jeff made his way over, Kit kept her eyes to the ground. Where the hell was Jasmine or even Barnaby? Yeah, Barnaby was always good for a pop-in; but of course always at the wrong time, which meant he certainly wouldn’t appear now.
Kit could feel a giggle evolving and tried in vain to stifle it. J.J. knew her too well. In a heartbeat he would suspect that she wasn’t the picture of cool, calm collectedness she was trying to project. Were they still friends? Probably not, Kit thought, but the air crackled with everything but friendliness on her side. She wanted more, much more; but she wasn’t sure where they stood and how he felt; or rather, if he still felt anything at all anymore.
Charles broke the silence. “J.J., I was just telling Kit that you’ve been making yourself scarce lately”
“I’ve just been busy, Uncle” he replied calmly. “Hi Kit Kat” he added with a crooked grin. Kit smiled, dove into his chocolaty eyes and said nothing. Apparently “Kit Kat” was back and she couldn’t be happier.
“You don’t have a woman stashed away somewhere, do you J.J.?” Charles turned to Kit with a nudge-nudge wink-wink elbow in her ribs. “Last time he disappeared it was due to a redhead with legs that didn’t quit. Different girl each night, this boy –reminds me of myself at his age”
Kit started laughing and Charles joined in, thinking his amusement factor had risen considerably. Horrified that she’d so blatantly shown Jeffrey Jones that he affected her in no uncertain terms, Kit was desperate to get away and calm her nerves. “Excuse me, will you Charles, J.J.?” Kit said in between giggles.
Feeling J.J.’s eyes on her retreating back, she quickly ducked into the closest ladies room and found Jasmine fixing her hair.
“There you are” Kit said in relief. “So this is where you’ve been hiding”
“Oh. Hi. Not hiding. I had a hair emergency. Growing my hair out is gonna take forever, I think I should just chop it all off again” she replied, holding up a can of ultra-hold lacquer and spraying her hair into a new and decidedly strange position. “What’s up? You look like you’ve seen a ghost”
“J.J. is here” Kit stated, looking in the mirror and shakily applying a layer of lip gloss.
“Good. You guys need to work this out”
“Work what out? According to Charles he
has a new lady love in his life; most probably Isabella Ryan” she said with a frown.
Jasmine stopped spraying and looked at her doubtfully. “What did J.J. say about it?”
“Nothing, but he was there and he didn’t deny it”
“Why not get it from the horses’ mouth and find out for sure before assuming the worst?”
“I guess I’m scared” Kit admitted. “The thought that he’s all but forgotten me is hard enough to bear, without hearing it from his actual lips”
Jasmine turned and started to push her out the door. “No guts, no glory” she said with a grin, adding “now get out of here, before you end up with that frown on your face permanently sprayed into place”
Finding herself on the other side of the ladies room door, Kit hesitantly looked around. Perhaps J.J. had left. Or maybe not, she thought, turning the corner and bumping directly into him.
“Hello again” he said with a smile.
“J.J.?” she replied with a nervous smile back.
“Kit?” he shot back.
“Yeah?” she said uncertainly. This conversation was getting nowhere fast; what had happened to the easiness they once had? Was it gone forever?
“Um, big turnout tonight. You should be pleased” he finally said.
“Yeah. Charles said two of my paintings have been bought already.” She then looked at him suspiciously and noted his nervousness. “It wasn’t …”
“No, it wasn’t me who bought them. I thought about buying one, but I knew you wouldn’t like it”
She sighed in relief. “Thanks. I wouldn’t have liked it all.”
He glanced around, avoiding eye contact with her and asked, “So did you bring anyone special to share in your success tonight?”
“You mean a date?”
Fixing his chocolate gaze on her, he asked, “Yeah I guess I do”
“Well my Moms here. And I had to invite Jasmine, she’s really the brains of the operation. And Barnaby said he’d try and stop in”
“Oh, great; my favourite person” he sarcastically commented.
“Down Fido” she chuckled, but J.J. wasn’t laughing along with her this time. I guess without Jules Vernes’ help, Kit thought sadly, we’ll never recapture what we had. The tears started to sting and she knew she needed some time to get herself back together before going another round; best to go to her corner and save her strength. She tensely glanced around for a rapid escape route, as J.J. cleared his throat and continued their voyage into banal small talk.
“It seems you’ve been busy” he stated, indicating her art on the walls around them.
“Yeah, really busy” She put on a bright smile. “So you’ve been busy too?”
“Pretty busy” he said quietly.
Great. They’d both been busy. Kit grasped for something more to say. “Saw you in the newspaper not long ago. I must say, you and Isabella make a perfect couple” Good grief, she couldn’t come up with a better topic than that? Talk about sado-masochistic.
He squinted at her. “Me and Isabella? A couple?”
“Yes” she replied, going for nonchalant, but sure she wasn’t fooling anyone; least of all J.J.
“Did you read the article?”
“No. But a picture paints a thousand words” she said flatly. Oh wonderful; she sounded jealous. “Is she here? I’d love to meet her” she ground out with a forced smile. There. That’s better. Certainly couldn’t call her jealous now.
“You do know she’s my cousin don’t you?” he smirked knowingly.
Kits face fell, “Cousin?”
“Yes, she’s Charles’ daughter from his first, but very brief, marriage. She lives in Europe for the most part.”
She pondered the caption under the photo, “But isn’t her last name Ryan?”
“Her professional last name is” J.J. took a step closer, “Listen Kit –”
Talk about feeling foolish. Kit swallowed hard and tried to pretend that the last five minutes never happened. For God’s sake floor, open up and swallow me now, she wishfully thought. Placing a grin on her face, she cut in. “You’ll have to excuse me J.J.; Charles has me on short leash tonight –no dog pun intended. There are so many people he thinks I should meet”
“Well, it’s your night. Enjoy it” he replied, seemingly unopposed to her leaving his side.
“I’ll see you …”
“When you see me?” he finished with a hopeful look.
“Later J.J.” she said, sailing away from him like it didn’t bother her in the least. What a crock!
*****
Throughout the night, Kit and J.J. intermittently exchanged glances, waves and small smiles, but Kit focused on what she was really there to do; to display her work, meet other artists and schmooze the collectors and all the terrifyingly judgemental critics.
She tried her best to charm them all, and wasn’t quite certain if she succeeded. Well it was just too bad if they didn’t all like her or her art, she thought smugly, because someone liked two of her paintings enough to buy them without delay.
Trying hard not to ponder the notion that Isabella Ryan was no longer competition; she decided to flatly refuse to let herself go there. Although she and J.J. had shared some rather longing looks across the crowded room; that was no indication that the evening would turn, like the song, into an enchanted one!
By ten o’clock the crowd had somewhat dissipated, so Kit decided to take a break and get herself a glass of something ice-cold and refreshing. She was tired, but it was a good sort of tired. One that came from accomplishing a goal that meant a lot to her.
Placing an order at the open bar, she felt a presence beside her and knew who it was before she turned to face him.
“Hope you’re not thinking of going to Eastern Europe tonight?”
Kit smiled warmly at J.J. as the bartender placed her drink on the bar, “Nyet, strictly USA; just a coke. I thought I’d better keep my head about me this evening.” She saluted him with her glass and took a big swig.
“Good idea” he said watching her swallow. “I’m really proud of you Kit Kat”
“Me too” she said simply.
“I’ve been meaning to call you” he said unsurely.
“Really?” she frowned, wanting to add, then why didn’t you; but holding her tongue.
“To thank you” he replied quickly, “A revamped version of America Now hits the stands next month” he smiled.
“Oh, that’s wonderful J.J.” she grinned warmly, touching his arm in congratulations. “So tell me, who’s on the cover?”
Looking both ways, careful not to be overheard, he replied quietly, “Angelina and Brad”
She widened her eyes, “Wow, that’s quite the coup”
“Cross fingers it works”
“It’ll work. I have faith in you.”
J.J. licked his lips, “You really do, don’t you?”
Kit beamed and nodded.
Jeff leaned in close and whispered shakily in her ear. “You look beautiful tonight; do you know that? It’s taken all my control to stop from monopolizing you all evening.”
“Has it?” she asked carefully, as he pulled back to look in her eyes. Kit kept her cool. Like Jasmine told her, if it was meant to be, it was meant to be. Don’t force it. Just because Isabella was his cousin didn’t mean that he still had feelings for her. But, man, she hoped he still felt it; because she did –big time.
“You’ve changed Kit?”
“What do you mean?” she said with a befuddled face.
“You seem so together and not as nervous as you used to be”
Kit thought about that. He obviously hadn’t realised that her previous laughing fit with Charles was nerves. Had she changed? Well, maybe she had a little at that. She still had a long way to go, but she didn’t care quite so much anymore what others thought, and she certainly knew what she wanted in life. The only question left was whether what she wanted, wanted her.
But then again, if it didn’t work out, she kne
w she’d be okay. It would hurt like hell and would take some time, but there was one thing she’d discovered in the last two months; and that was that time had a habit of changing everything; People, feelings, surroundings; even a mousy little cubicle dweller into a desirable and somewhat successful woman.
“I don’t seem to have the power to make you nervous at all, do I?” he added, biting his lip.
“Not much” she replied with a small smile. And it was true; she’d never really had a complete meltdown in Jeff’s company. She’d been nervous seeing him again, but all in all, he made her feel like she could be herself.
Back to Square One (Brandon Bay Babes) Page 16