Page 48 of How to Get Even

Potential.

Yeah. So damn much, it hurt.

‘Can you give your details to Bella?’

‘Of course.’

Behind him they shared information while Chase looked over canvases that made him ache from the inside.

He knew a place where she could set up for a chunk of time. He’d work with her. It would mean that he’d be less hands-on at the gallery, but Bella would be able to pick up what he had to let go of in order to ensure that they had a featured artist for opening night. He was half convinced that she’d do a better job than he would anyway.

‘She’s good,’ Bella said when they hit the sidewalk, falling into step with him. But he wanted,neededto be alone.

‘She’s fucking amazing, but don’t tell her that.’

‘Why not?’

‘Because soon everyone will be telling her that and she’ll stop bothering to try,’ he said, knowing firsthand how it worked.

‘Is that why you stopped painting?’

Her question caught him by surprise. Everyone else pussy-footed around him, ignoring the gaping black hole in his chest.

‘No, Bella. That’s not why I stopped painting.’ He barely managed to force the words out through the fist gripping his throat tight. He needed to get out of here.

He scanned the road, stuck out his hand and hailed a cab.

‘I’ve got somewhere to be. You can head back to the gallery, or home, whatever works for you. I’ll see you tomorrow.’

He didn’t, couldn’t, spare her a glance as he got into the cab and told the driver to take him anywhere but here.

Coward, his inner voice accused.

Damn right.

* * *

Bella stood on the sidewalk, watching the taxi get lost in a sea of cars, buses, cabs and trucks. Raw. She felt raw from their confrontation.

Don’t ever apologise for me again.

Even now, the cool winter’s dusk settling over New York couldn’t dim the fierceness of the blush of shame on her cheeks. She railed against the telling off, wanting to have been in the right. Usually always in the right. But she wasn’t. She’d been so eager to smooth the tension with the professor that she’d assumed Chase’s rudeness was wrong. But it hadn’t been.

And now she felt uncomfortable. Like her skin was crawling and she wouldn’t be able to settle until he told her it was okay. She hated it. The fear of having done something wrong. And the fact she was concerned about being good for Chase? That was really worrying too.

She headed back to the apartment, unable to expel the nervous energy that rippled around her, forcing a smile for Isiah, the doorman, and wondering where Chase had gone to as she rode the elevator up to their floor.

She’d just let herself into her apartment, slipping off her coat and dumping her bag on the back of the island countertop, when her phone pinged.

Astrid

Please tell me you’re close to bringing him down.

I need some good news today.

Frowning Bella typed back.

Bella

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