Abby stared into his earnest eyes and wondered if maybe, just maybe, she could believe him. She desperately wanted George to grow up having a father he could at least like. ‘I hope you mean what you say. If you do, you’re welcome round for dinner anytime.’
‘But by myself, yeah?’
‘Exactly.’ She studied him, trying to work out what their mum would have thought. Was he good enough for Mandy? He was good-looking with long fair hair and clear grey eyes. Average build but with a wiry strength. And a nice smile, she realised. One he was now using to good effect. If he managed to drag himself out of the hole he’d fallen in, perhaps he would be worthy of her sister. ‘I guess I’ll be seeing a lot more of you then.’
‘I guess you will.’
After she’d said goodbye she walked slowly back to her desk, wondering about the man she worked for. A man who’d offered a job to a virtual stranger. Peeping her head round the corner to check he was free, she walked up to Doug’s desk.
‘Can I have a word?’ The apple started to slip from her hands. Why the heck hadn’t she had the sense to put her lunch on her desk before barging in on him?
He swung his eyes up from his computer. ‘Of course.’
The apple slipped and bounced onto the floor, rolling under his desk. ‘Oh crumbs, I’m sorry.’ As Doug rose to his feet to pick it up she blurted. ‘Why did you just offer Roger a job?’
‘Ah.’ Calmly he took the sandwich, drink and crisps from her hands and put them next to the apple on his desk.
‘Yes. Ah. You can’t give him a job just like that.’ She clicked her fingers for emphasis.
Doug eased himself back into his chair. ‘I think you’ll find I can and I did.’
She let out a hiss of frustration. ‘What I meant is you should think really carefully about this. He’s been in trouble ever since I’ve known him and has never knuckled down to a proper job. Plus, if this is just you being charitable you need to know Spencers don’t need or accept handouts. We can manage on our own.’
‘I know you can.’ His eyes remained direct and steady on hers. ‘This isn’t a handout. It’s an honest day’s pay for an honest day’s work, with a probation period should either party not be satisfied.’
There was nothing there she could argue with. ‘Okay.’ Realising how churlish she sounded, Abby sighed. ‘Sorry, I didn’t mean to come across as an ungrateful cow. It’s very kind of you to give him a job. I hope he doesn’t let you down.’
‘I’m sure he won’t.’
‘Right then.’ She gestured awkwardly to her lunch. ‘Time to enjoy my squashed sandwich and bruised apple.’ As she picked them up, she glanced at him. ‘And is it okay if I say thank you again? What with helping at the house last week and now with Roger … it’s really good of you.’
‘It’s no problem.’ She nodded and was about to turn and leave when he surprised her with his next remark. ‘If you feel the need to express your thanks in some way, you could always come to the gallery tonight.’
‘You’re showing some of your paintings?’
He gestured to the lunch she was clutching. ‘Do you want to put that down again?’ When she dumped it all back on his desk he handed her an invitation card. ‘My best mate, Luke, runs a gallery and he’s foolish enough to exhibit my paintings from time to time. Only a select few will know they’re mine, though. I paint under D. Winters and I’m a recluse. My alter ego, Douglas Faulkner, attends because he enjoys art.’
‘So you go incognito and say gushing things about the paintings, while at the same time listening out for any nasty comments so you can bash those unappreciative punters over the head after they leave?’
His lips twitched. ‘That’s about right. Only I omit the head bashing. Too obvious.’ Bright blue eyes found hers. ‘Will you come? I should warn you, in the spirit of openness, that my sister Thea will be there. And Geraldine.’
‘Oh.’
‘Thea will be there because she’s home from university and bored out of her mind. Geraldine will be there because I invited her weeks ago when I didn’t think there would be any friendly face to talk to.’
‘I see. But now you’ll have two friendly faces. Plus your best friend. You don’t really need me.’
‘I may not need you but I’d very much like you there, if you’d like to come.’
Her heart gave a couple of loud thumps. ‘In that case, I’d love to look at your etchings … sorry, paintings.’
He let out a soft chuckle and she almost fainted with delight. ‘Good. The invitation is for plus one so feel free to bring a friend. Oh, and you should know that Thea is one of the select few I mentioned who will know I’m the artist, along with Luke and yourself.’
‘And Geraldine—’
‘Isn’t,’ he cut in.
She walked back to her desk with a grin on her face.
Chapter Twelve
Doug stood in the gallery surrounded by his paintings and a bunch of pretentious people who thought they knew a lot about art. The things some of them had supposedly read into his paintings made his mind boggle. Did they really imagine he was that clever? He painted from instinct, from the heart. He didn’t think about what he was going to paint next, it just came to him.
‘You’re supposed to be mingling,’ Luke hissed as he brushed past him. ‘Would it kill you to say hello to a few people? Maybe even encourage them to spend a stupid amount of money on one of your sodding paintings?’
‘Feeling a bit tetchy, are we?’
Suddenly Luke’s dour features brightened into a charming smile as he waved to someone over Doug’s shoulder. ‘So would you be if your major artist was a damn recluse who only managed to get his paintings to you a few measly days before the show.’
‘Wow, you said all that with a smile on your face.’
‘Some of us have learnt the art of smiling. You should try it some time.’
‘You know what, Luke, you’re turning into a real bitch.’
‘I’ll morph back into your mate if you convince a few of these people to buy a damn painting.’
He was about to move away but Doug held his arm. ‘Don’t dash off now. Geraldine’s just arrived.’
‘Has she now.’ Doug watched as his friend eyed up the dark-haired lady sauntering towards them. ‘You and she are definitely finished, yes?’
‘Yes.’
‘Finished as in it wouldn’t cut you up to see her with another man?’
Doug shot Luke a glance. ‘Don’t tell me you’ve got the hots for her?’
Luke waggled his eyebrows. ‘Hard not to fancy a woman who wears tight clothes and sexy red high shoes.’
‘Well, I’ll be damned.’ Doug didn’t have a chance to say any more as Geraldine was by his side, drowning him in her scent as she locked her arms around him and kissed his cheek. ‘Doug, good to see you.’ She took a step back and studied the man by his side. ‘You too, Luke. It’s been a while.’
And just like that, his mouthy friend suddenly didn’t have anything to say. Smiling inwardly, Doug took a glass of champagne from a passing waiter and handed it to Geraldine. As she and Luke silently assessed each other he studied them. Would he be cut up if they started something? Was Luke a better fit for her than he’d been?
His friend finally found his voice. ‘I seem to recall we last saw each other at the Crumbs Christmas party.’ He flashed Geraldine a wicked smile. ‘I gatecrashed.’
She held his eyes, her tongue darting across her blood red lips. ‘We danced.’
‘Yes.’ Luke cleared his throat. ‘I don’t have any trouble remembering that.’
The air between them fizzed more than a shaken bottle of Coke and Doug decided to make his move. ‘I’ll catch you both later.’ Neither of them so much as glanced in his direction.
He walked towards the window so he could keep a look out for Abby – yes, he was becoming besotted, yes all he’d done since he’d arrived was watch the door. He wondered if Luke would be feeling like this soon. If so, he hoped to God
the man knew what he was getting himself into. Luke wasn’t bitter and twisted like he was, but warm and open-hearted. Easily hurt. He’d be a much better match for Abby than Geraldine.
Doug watched in horror as the stem of the champagne flute he’d been holding snapped in his hands. Hastily he dropped the pieces into a nearby bin and grabbed a serviette to wipe the small cut on his palm.
‘At last I find my brother.’ Thea reached up to kiss his cheek. ‘Hello there … oh my, what have you done?’
He clenched his hand round the serviette. ‘Nothing, just a small cut that keeps bleeding.’ Refusing to think about his extreme reaction to the thought of Abby with Luke, Doug studied his favourite sister. ‘You’re looking good, Thea. No, better than that. You’re looking happy.’
‘And glamorous?’
‘Of course. That’s taken as read.’
She squeezed him round the waist. ‘That’s why you’re my favourite brother.’
‘Your only brother.’
‘Details. So,’ she said, leaning in so she could whisper in his ear, ‘how many have you sold?’
Doug shrugged. ‘Not a clue.’
Thea rolled her eyes at him. ‘That’s not the attitude. You should be circulating, watching out for those sold stickers. Where’s Luke? I’m sure he’ll be able to tell us.’
Doug glanced across the sea of heads to where Luke and Geraldine were still talking, their bodies so close they almost touched. ‘I think he’s busy at the moment.’
‘Oh well, never mind.’ She reached for a drink from one of the ever present waiters. ‘You can entertain me instead with tales of espionage and cut-throat dealings in the biscuit industry.’
‘Better still, you can tell me all about university.’
She immediately pounced on the subject, as he’d hoped. And he kept his eye on the gallery entrance, waiting for the arrival of a slight blonde figure.
‘Are you sure I look okay?’ Abby asked her sister for the fifth time in five minutes.
Mandy looked up from the sofa where she was cuddling a dribbling George who didn’t look anywhere near ready for bed yet. ‘You don’t look okay, Abs, you look great. A black trouser suit will take you anywhere and the pink silk blouse shouts I’m glamorous and perks it up for the evening.’
‘I hope so.’ She glanced down at herself, feeling more dull than glamorous. ‘I’ve never been to an art show in a gallery. I’ve no idea what the dress code is. Doug should have told me.’
Mandy snorted. ‘Sure, because men are so interested in discussing clothes.’
‘He didn’t have to discuss it. Just tell me what to wear.’
‘He’s a bloke, Abs. He’d have said as little as possible.’
‘No, he wouldn’t. Doug’s not like that.’ She could picture him now in his expensive suit, studying her with his cool blue eyes. ‘He’s more mature than that. More classy.’
‘He’d have thought it then. Same difference.’
‘He doesn’t think of me that way.’
Mandy let out a sharp laugh. ‘You told me he kissed you, right? Trust me, when a man kisses you he’s already imagined you naked.’
‘Oh God. Maybe that’s why he said he won’t kiss me again.’
Mandy laughed again, placing the squirming George on the floor, along with what looked to be half the contents of Toys R Us. ‘Don’t be daft. Doug fancies you, but he’s struggling because he’s your boss, that’s all. If you really want to take it any further, you’ll have to make the next move.’ She eyed her speculatively. ‘Is that what you want?’
The thought of taking things further with Doug, of kissing him again, made her legs so weak Abby had to sit down. ‘My body is screaming yes. My head is telling me to stop being a stupid bimbo and set my sights on someone more attainable. A man who won’t break my heart.’ She pulled a funny face at George before focusing back on her sister. ‘What about you, Mandy? How does your head and heart feel about Roger these days? You know he’s got himself a job at Crumbs?’
‘Yeah, I know. Thanks to your Doug.’
‘He’s not mine.’
‘Maybe.’ Mandy stared down at George, who was now grabbing at every toy he could lay his chubby hands on and shoving them into his mouth. ‘For this little fella’s sake both my head and my heart are in agreement. We hope Roger sorts himself out and comes back to us.’
‘Then I’ll wish for that, too.’ Getting back to her feet, Abby bent to hug her sister. ‘I’d better go. I’m half an hour late already.’
It was a fifteen minute bus ride to the gallery and Abby spent the entire journey riddled with nerves, wondering why she was putting herself through this. She had no clue whether what she was wearing was appropriate. She wouldn’t know anyone when she got there, other than Doug and Geraldine. She didn’t even know the first thing about art so if she was forced into a conversation, she’d end up looking like a total muppet.
She paused at the entrance to the gallery. Luke Wilson was written in silver across a graphite background and in the window discreet spotlights highlighted two large canvases. Even to her uneducated eye, she could see they were painted by the same artist she’d seen on Doug’s office wall. Tentatively she pushed open the door and immediately caught Doug’s eye. Right there in the blue of his gaze was the answer to why she was putting herself through this. It was because Doug had said he’d like … no, he’d really like her to be there.
Her eyes flew over the crowd, bouncing from strappy dress to sequined top to plunging neckline, and she felt the blood slowly drain from her face. Oh no, the women were wearing party gear. Snazzy dresses and towering high shoes.
‘Abby, thank you for coming.’ Appearing magically at her side, Doug bent his head and planted a soft kiss on her cheek, enveloping her in his sophisticated aftershave.
He looked amazing in his tailored charcoal suit, but all she could think was how stupid she looked. ‘Why didn’t you tell me this was like a party?’ she hissed. ‘I’m dressed like I’m going to the flipping office. I should have worn a dress. I would have worn a dress, if you’d told me.’
‘Hey.’ He took hold of her hands and clasped them inside both of his. ‘Calm down. You look perfect.’
‘You’re just saying that.’
His bright eyes flashed into hers. ‘I don’t say things I don’t mean.’
Instantly heat scalded up her neck and over her cheeks. ‘Then thank you. Though now you’ve made me blush, which is going to clash really badly with my pink shirt.’
His responding chuckle had her heart fluttering like a bag of butterflies. ‘Come on.’ He led her inside, clasping her hand and sending a bolt of awareness through her. ‘Let’s find you a drink before I introduce you to my sister. Then I expect the pair of you to wander round the paintings and gush in loud voices.’
He’s good at doing that, Abby thought a few minutes later when she was studying his canvases with Thea. Able to calm a situation with little observable effort. He’d done it with Teddy the groper all those weeks ago, and again last week with Roger’s thuggish mates. Tonight he’d taken her from nervously hyper to smoothly relaxed in the blink of an eye.
‘I think this one’s the best,’ Thea declared in a loud voice. ‘The juxtaposition of the dramatic, rising cliffs with the tiny figures makes a startlingly vivid contrast. This D. Winters is a genius. Don’t you agree?’
She darted Abby a look full of mischief, forcing Abby to bite her cheek to stop from giggling. It was hard to believe this bubbly, fun-loving girl was Doug’s sister. ‘Absolutely,’ Abby replied in as cultured a voice as she could manage. ‘He takes the art of the juxtaposition to a new level.’
A warm hand clasped her shoulder. Startled, she turned to find Doug looming over them. ‘Enjoying yourselves, ladies?’
‘Oh yes,’ Thea replied enthusiastically. ‘We’re extremely lucky to have this opportunity to see such rare talent close up. We were just expounding on the clever juxtapositioning—’
‘Thank you, Thea,’
Doug cut in dryly. ‘Let’s go and find Luke. Maybe he can keep you both out of trouble.’
They crossed the gallery and Abby nearly gasped out loud when she spotted Geraldine giving a more than cursory kiss to a good looking guy of average height and stocky build. Wow, she’d moved on quickly.
Behind her, Doug coughed and immediately the two lovebirds sprang apart. ‘Abby, I’d like you to meet the gallery owner, and my occasional friend, Luke. You both know Geraldine.’
She’d been snogging Doug’s best friend? This time Abby couldn’t contain her gasp, and immediately Doug squeezed her hand. ‘It’s fine,’ he whispered.
But how could it be? If that had been her best friend making out with her ex, and at her show to boot, Abby would have been spitting mad. It made her want to shake Doug. Tell him to stop letting people walk all over him. First his father. Now his lover and best friend.
With a coolness Abby could only dream of, Geraldine carefully wiped the traces of her lipstick from Luke’s mouth. Then she gave them all a small smile. ‘Actually, I was just leaving, so I’m afraid it’s hello and goodbye from me. Thea, Abby. I hope you enjoy your evening.’ With a nod of her head and an elegant swish of her silk crimson dress, she was gone. Leaving behind her a waft of scent, and an awkward silence.
It was Doug who broke it. ‘I take it she bought a painting, Luke. Or do you kiss all your customers like that?’
Luke didn’t quite have Geraldine’s sangfroid and he gave Doug a sheepish smile. ‘Only the seriously hot ones.’ He gave Thea and Abby a fake leer. ‘So you two had better watch out.’
They all laughed and the atmosphere finally lost its strain. ‘Look at you, all grown up now,’ Luke said to Thea, giving her a hug. ‘Last time I saw you must have been when you turned eighteen. All gangling arms and skinny legs. Oh and zits.’
Thea’s elbow contacted sharply with his ribs. ‘I didn’t have that many spots, you rude man. And at least I never kissed my best friend’s ex in front of him.’
‘Ouch.’ His eyes slid from Doug, to Abby and back to Doug. ‘I accept the dig, though I have a feeling your brother isn’t at all bothered by what he just saw. In fact, if I read him correctly, he’s more relieved than anything.’ Turning to Abby, he gave her a broad smile. ‘Delighted to meet you. I hope this guy isn’t giving you a hard time. He can be a real unsociable bugger at times.’
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