Macyntire & Hough (A Paranormal Romance) (The Macyntire & Hough Saga)

by Franklin Kendrick

  A half hour later the gallery started filling with guests. Shelley kept wringing the edge of her dress in her hand with each new arrival. She didn’t want to think of the people like tallies on a ledger, but, as the room filled, that fear in the back of her mind that she would be stood up quickly subsided.

  Claire arrived twenty minutes in, dressed in a flashy yellow blouse and, true to her own outrageous personality, a pair of black tights covered in sequins.

  “Oh my gosh! Shelley, look at you!” She said as she hurried through the mixture of people. She crushed Shelley in a much needed hug. “You are gorgeous!”

  “So are you,” Shelley said. “I love the leggings.”

  “Well, you know I don’t get many chances to wear these,” Claire turned to catch the light with her sequins. She looked like half of a disco ball. “This place looks fantastic!”

  People stood in tiny groups holding drinks in their hands and admiring Shelley’s paintings along the walls. Most of her guests were from her time at the university; Professors, a few journalism majors, and a handful of old friends who would hopefully spread good word of mouth.

  “I remember this one,” Claire stopped in front of a very messy charcoal drawing — one of Shelley’s only attempts at mixed media. It was a cartoonish piece, done entirely by hand with a tablet. It featured a crumbling castle and tiny comic men and women fleeing the decaying structure. In the background she superimposed some crumpled paper, and the entire piece was matted in a sharp glass frame. “You did this when we were rooming together! I thought you sold this a while ago?”

  Shelley shook her head.

  “It was just in a box. I haven’t really sold anything substantial yet, besides my caricatures.”

  “Well, that’s going to change soon, isn’t it?” Claire smiled and motioned around the gallery. Shelley felt somewhat relieved having Claire beside her, but images of Tadin wouldn’t stop popping into her head. If only he were there, helping her through her anxieties the way he always did!

  Enough, she told herself. He’s not coming. He can’t, because it’s impossible. You just have to do it on your own.

  “Have you seen Lisa?” Claire pulled Shelley from her thoughts.

  “No,” she replied. “She’s probably just stuck in traffic.”

  “That’s not like her to be so late,” Claire said. “Hopefully she makes it before the toast.”

  Shelley took a deep breath as beads of sweat broke out on her brow. Suddenly it felt very hot in the gallery. It was a lot toastier than she remembered. Perhaps all the guests were adding to the temperature. She’d have to check the thermostat soon.

  The front door opened and Shelley looked up, expecting to see Lisa. Her knees nearly gave way when she saw her worst nightmare walk through the door.

  Claire looked to the doorway as well, and raised her eyebrows.

  “Oh no.”

  Danny Thompson stepped into the gallery, dressed sharp in an expensive looking polo and khaki pants. His eyes scanned the groups of guests and then landed on Shelley.

  She turned away from him and grabbed Claire by the arm.

  “Hide me now,” she said, and pulled Claire into a group of her professors.

  “It’s too late. He’s already making a beeline for us.”

  She rolled her eyes.

  “Just grab me a drink, please,” she said, and put on the fakest smile she could muster. She turned to face the man that had broken her heart.

  “Danny,” she said, hands on her hips. Just the sight of him made her whole body tremble with a mixture of hurt and rage. The last time she saw him was graduation. She thought that would be the last time.

  “You really know how to throw a party, Shel,” Danny said, looking around once more. “You always did, if I remember correctly.”

  Claire returned with two apple-tinis and handed one to Shelley.

  “That’s funny,” Shelley replied, her self-confidence returning now that a drink was in her hand. “I don’t remember sending you an invitation.”

  “You didn’t,” Danny said. “Lisa invited me.”

  Shelley was stunned.

  “Really?” She looked around and saw that Lisa had arrived. She stood in a huddle of people near the front of the gallery. Their eyes met briefly before Lisa averted hers, pretending to be interested in the conversation she was a part of.

  “I’m her plus-one,” Danny added.

  Shelley wanted to scream. She gritted her teeth and tightened her grip on the martini glass.

  “Why would she do that?” she asked.

  “Because she hates that we’re still fighting,” Danny answered. “She was hoping we could put the past behind us and start off fresh.”

  “Is that what she said?” she looked directly into his eyes, hoping to see some hint of remorse over the hurt he had caused her. But, there was nothing. His eyes were the same as always, seemingly incapable of sympathy. “Tonight is definitely not the most ideal time for a reunion.” She sipped her drink and turned to Claire. “Can you not stand to see me enjoy myself?”

  “What are you talking about?” asked Danny. “I came here because Lisa asked me to. You didn’t even have to talk to me if you didn’t want. I would have just stood here, drinking as much as I could until it was time to go. We may not be on good terms, but I do support your new enterprise. I’ll tell a few of my friends about this place as well. Maybe I can drum up some business for you.”

  She folded her arms and focused on her breathing. She needed to stay calm and collected. Tonight was a celebration of something new, the next step in her post-grad life. She had to brush off any negativity. Besides, she thought, Danny seems to be making an attempt at civilized behavior. She rolled her eyes.

  “That’s kind of you,” she said, tilting the glass in her hand so that the liquid came precariously close to the rim. “It’s fine. Everything is.”

  “I’d say so,” Danny continued. “I mean, look at this place. I think I’ve passed by here a million times, and never seen it looked so nice. You must have busted your ass to get it like this.”

  Shelley raised her eyebrows.

  “Really? You’re being serious?”

  “Sure. I mean, you did this all on your own, right?”

  She hesitated. Of course, the conversation would steer towards the other elephant in the room — Tadin.

  “No,” she said. “I had help.”

  “Of course,” Danny said, as if he’d just remembered something. “The sign says ‘Macyntire & Hough’. Who is this mysterious Hough anyway? Man or woman?”

  She forced a laugh.

  “Man.”

  “Ooh. I thought you were done with men after me?”

  She tried to step away from him, but Lisa came up behind her and took her by the arm. She was anchored in place.

  “I see you two are speaking, finally,” she said.

  Claire rolled her eyes. At least Shelley wasn’t the one who had to do it this time.

  Shelley was about to reply when Claire stepped in for her.

  “You know,” she started, leading the group over to one of Shelley’s drawings. “This party is about Shelley’s art, isn’t it? Let’s talk about that.”

  Shelley was thankful to turn the attention from her to her art. She wanted to observe the rest of the party, to know what everyone thought about her art, but all she could catch was snippets here and there above her own group’s musings.

  “I thought Tadin was going to be here,” Lisa said suddenly, looking around.

  “Who?” asked Danny.

  “Tadin! You know, Hough? The man we’ve all heard so much about?”

  “You’re looking at him,” Shelley motioned to the drawing before them.

  She’d worked all summer to get the picture of Tadin just right. It was nearly an act of Congress to get Tadin to sit still. Not to mention all the heat he used up for her to be able to see him completely! But, in the end it was worth the effort. His brilliant eyes really made the picture stand
out. They were looking far-off, admiring a horizon that only he could see.

  “Wow, you weren’t kidding!” Claire said. “He’s handsome!”

  “Yes, but I was kind of hoping we’d actually get to meet him,” Lisa continued. “In person. Is he here?”

  Shelley sipped her martini, trying to stall the fact that Tadin wasn’t going to appear. She smiled, hoping the strong taste of vodka might give her courage to face Lisa’s mocking comments.

  “He said he might make it, if he wasn’t swamped with paperwork,” she glanced over her shoulder as if Tadin would just come waltzing around the corner. It wasn’t a complete a lie, but she still felt horrible trying to cover up Tadin’s absence.

  She laughed at herself for even asking him to show up.

  Impossible, she thought. Who was I kidding anyway? There’s no way Tadin could just show up at a housewarming party! This is real life, not Casper.

  “Don’t tell me he’s not sociable?” Danny asked. “He’s a recluse, isn’t he? That’s why he looks so uncomfortable in the drawing.”

  “He’s not uncomfortable!” she defended the piece. “He’s thoughtful. Anyway, I don’t expect you to understand fine art. As for him showing up — I don’t control him. He’s an individual, so he goes where he wants when he wants. That doesn’t mean he’s not excited about the opening. If anything, he’s here in spirit.”

  But, what exactly did he mean by that? she asked herself. He could be anywhere at any moment, and she wouldn’t even know unless he wanted her to be aware.

  “Well,” Claire reached out and clasped Shelley’s hand for a moment. “Even if we don’t see him in the flesh, it’s still a beautiful party — and a beautiful drawing too.”

  Suddenly the temperature shifted as if a breeze had just blown in from the bay. Shelley felt a hand rest on her shoulder.

  “She captured me perfectly, didn’t she?”

  She turned and almost fell to the floor when she saw Tadin standing behind her. He was dressed in a cream-colored dress shirt which was open at the collar with a pair of gray corduroys. His hair was neatly combed as always. She watched him capture the attention of the entire group. Just having him next to her was enough to send butterflies through her stomach. She wanted to run her fingers through his hair and mess it all up — she wanted to jump on him.

  Her cheeks reddened.

  “Well!” Lisa said, sizing him up and down. Shelley could tell that she approved just by the way she fixed her blond hair over her shoulder. Her jealousy makes up for her inviting Danny, Shelley thought.

  “Now that I see you,” Lisa continued, “I’d say Shelley could never do you justice!”

  Tadin grabbed a martini from the counter and swirled it in his hand.

  “Do you always give compliments like that to men you’ve just met?” he smiled.

  Shelley saw how his eyes curved with his smile, something she’d never consciously noted before yet probably saw a thousand times.

  “Of course,” Lisa disentangled herself from Danny’s linked arm and stepped closer to Tadin. “You never know who you’re going to meet. I’m Lisa.”

  She held out her hand and Shelley flinched as Tadin reached out for it in return. Could he really do that? Wasn’t it dangerous?

  Despite her misgivings, Tadin shook Lisa’s hand firmly and Lisa blushed.

  “You have cold hands,” she said, returning her own to her drink.

  “You know what they say,” Claire stepped in this time. “Cold hands, warm heart.”

  Tadin looked flattered. He shook Claire’s hand, then glanced over at Danny who held out his own, but Tadin didn’t immediately take it.

  “You’re Danny, I take it?”

  “Yes. You’ve heard of me?”

  “Of course. Any man stupid enough to give up dating Shelley Macyntire deserves to be talked about over more than a few drinks,” he replied.

  Danny looked taken aback, an expression that Shelley relished.

  “Well,” Danny tried to recover himself. “People go through a lot of phases in college. Sad to say that our relationship was one of those phases.”

  “Yes,” Tadin looked over at Shelley and winked. “Sad for you.”

  This was the second surprise of the night from Tadin. Not only did he appear to escort her, Shelley was amused to find that Tadin also put up a good fight for her — just when she was starting to worry that she’d slip up and say something embarrassing!

  “So, what do you do, Tadin?” Danny asked, taking an active interest in his drink. “Besides this whole art thing. Do you go to school?”

  “I went to school of course, but never really finished.” Tadin set his drink down (Shelley knew he was just holding it for something to do with his hands) and folded his arms casually. “I was studying to become an architect.”

  “That’s a bizarre choice,” Danny smirked. “The real estate business isn’t exactly booming, is it?”

  “It seemed like a reasonable passion at the time,” Tadin looked to Shelley. “I did some remodeling on this place, so it wasn’t a total loss, right, Shelley?”

  “Tadin built those beautiful bookcases,” she led the group over to the book section of the gallery. It was filled with hundreds of used books, many from her own library that she couldn’t find room for. The bookcases were made of sturdy wood with ornate details carved into the corners. There was even an archway bridging the two tallest cases, giving the impression of a gothic cathedral. Etched in a flowing script was the word ‘dream’ across the arch.

  “Wow. I’m impressed,” Claire said. “You don’t see this kind of attention to detail any more. If you’re not buying it from Ikea, then you don’t have it at all. All of it is hand made?”

  Tadin nodded.

  “It was a hell of a time getting the wood through the doors, but I’m pleased with the result,” he moved the group through the browsing section to the front of the shop. A few comfy chairs were angled among reading lamps where people could explore the books they browsed. “It’s all in creating an atmosphere.”

  “Holy! I could fall asleep here,” Claire tried out one of the armchairs. She sighed and settled back. “It’s so hard to find places like this any more! I remember when I could spend all day in the bookstore, browsing and reading. I never failed to walk out with a handful of books.”

  “Let’s hope that everyone else in Portland feels the same way,” Shelley said. It would be a dream come true if every customer walked out with handfuls of books. Maybe they’d even pick up a piece of art as well.

  “Where do you get these books?” Lisa asked.

  “All over the place, really,” Shelley said, leading the group back to the glass counters. “Mostly I get them from libraries that are throwing them away. They just don’t have room to keep all of them, so why condemn them to a landfill when someone else can treasure them?”

  Tadin looked like he was hanging on her every word. He glanced away with an embarrassed smile when she noticed his staring.

  “Tadin reads almost everything I put on the shelves.”

  “Really?” Lisa laughed. “Where do you find the time?”

  Tadin shrugged.

  “I’m just a fast reader,” he said.

  “Well, I think people would be fools not to make this gallery a success!” Claire said and walked over to the drink counter to pick up a fresh glass. “This deserves a toast, don’t you think?”

  Everyone agreed, and Claire stood up on a nearby stool.

  “Can I have everyone’s attention, please?” she called over the buzzing of conversation. The crowded room quickly gave her its undivided attention.

  Tadin stepped closer to Shelley and she trembled as his hand was placed lightly on the small of her back. She looked up at Claire and tried not to blush.

  “I would like us all to offer up a toast to the success of this amazing gallery,” Claire said. “May it become a haven for those who support traditional bookshops and local artists here in the Old Port, and continue to
be a place of passionate expression that Shelley and Tadin both deserve for many more years to come!”

  The assembly unanimously agreed and sipped from their glasses. Claire took a large swig and Shelley brought her own glass to her lips. She looked over at Tadin who was without a glass and offered him hers.

  “You know I can’t drink!” he said in a hushed voice, but she pressed the glass into his hands.

  “It’s fine!” she said. “Just pretend.”

  He rolled his eyes and brought the glass to his lips.

  The tiny mouthful of martini dribbled from the rim of the glass, down into his opaque body and splashed on the hardwood floor below.

  Thankfully the cheering of the assembly was loud enough to mask the sound of the splashing drink. Shelley laughed at the embarrassment plastered on Tadin’s face. That emotion looked adorable on him.

  “Are you happy?” he asked, handing her back the drink.

  She set the glass down on the counter, stepped up onto her toes so that she could reach his face, and planted a kiss on his cheek. His cheek was surprisingly warm and soft.

  “I’m very happy,” she smiled, and stamped out the wet stain on the floor.

  Chapter Nine:

  Thursday - 11:45pm

  Tadin was relieved once all the guests finally filtered out of the gallery, wishing Shelley and himself a goodnight. He did his duty. He was as social as he could possibly be, and now he felt like he was going to keel over with exhaustion.

  There was so much to clean up. Shelley set to work clearing all the empty martini glasses scattered around the gallery. Tadin wondered what they were going to do with them now that the party was over. Would they ever need so many glasses again? An amusing picture of a high-class game of beer pong popped into his head.

  After the gallery was cleared of debris, Tadin ushered Shelley, who enjoyed one too many drinks, up the stairs to the apartment.

  She slipped halfway up and Tadin hurried to catch her.

  “Careful!” he said, becoming solid to catch her under the arms.

  She tried pushing him away, claiming she could walk on her own — but, Tadin knew she was more than a little tipsy. I may be an old spirit, he thought, but I recognize a tipsy Shelley when I see one.