Page 20 of Always Be True: Tino
Chapter 5
Natalie checked her watch and knocked on the back door of the gallery. She’d arrived in time—barely. Her mother wouldn’t be happy about her skating in just under the wire, but there wasn’t much Natalie could do about it. She’d been ready in plenty of time, but then she’d gotten a panicky phone call from her assistant saying that there was a problem with the computers they’d ordered for the community center.
It had taken two more calls and a bit of determined begging to resolve the situation. The computers would be delivered as promised, which meant she didn’t have to reschedule the IT people who had volunteered to get them all installed over the weekend. It had been only one of several fires she’d had to put out during the day.
The bottom line was this cocktail party was the last place she wanted to be right now. At least it was her father who came to open the door. He frowned at her and pointed toward the clock on the wall.
“Sorry, Dad. I would’ve been here sooner, but some last-minute foundation business came up.”
“Well, at least you made it in time to be part of the receiving line. Your mother was getting pretty frantic.”
And they both knew that wouldn’t have been good. As a rule, her father was pretty unflappable. The only thing that ever fazed him was when his wife was unhappy about something that he couldn’t fix. Natalie not showing up on time definitely would have fallen into that category.
“You can leave your purse and coat back here.” He gave her one last look. “There’s no time to dawdle.”
“Tell Mom I’ll be right there.”
She quickly touched up her lipstick and brushed her hair back and anchored it with the antique hair combs her mother had given her for her last birthday. After setting her purse and coat on a chair in the corner, she took a calming breath and headed out to find her parents.
As soon as her father spotted her coming, he murmured something to her mother. She’d been talking to someone but excused herself as Natalie approached.
“Thank goodness, you made it.”
There was no use in apologizing for her tardiness, but she did anyway. “Sorry I didn’t get here a little sooner.”
Then she kissed the cheek her mother offered her. “You look stunning, Mom. I love the new dress.”
Her mother did a slow twirl to show off the blue sheath dress, the sequined bodice catching the light and sparkling. “Thank you. I thought the occasion warranted it. I wanted to look good for such an important night.”
Natalie’s father slipped an arm around his wife’s waist. “You would look just as beautiful in jeans and a sweatshirt.”
Her mother might have rolled her eyes at the comment, but her husband’s assessment clearly pleased her. Natalie had never doubted for a single instant that her parents loved each other very much. They’d set the bar pretty high as far as the kind of relationship she wanted to have with her future husband, whoever he might be.
Jacob Jones, the gallery owner, joined the small group. “I’m about to open the door, so places, everyone.”
They formed a line as her mother performed a flurry of introductions. The artist was the only person Natalie hadn’t already met. Julie Stahl was older than she’d expected, probably in her mid-thirties. Interesting that she was just now launching her career. What had she been doing up until this point? That particular question would go unanswered for now. This wasn’t the time to exchange life stories, not with a bevy of wealthy potential buyers about to file through the door.
She realized Julie was speaking to her. “It’s nice to meet you, Natalie. Your mother has told me a lot about the wonderful work you and the Waines Foundation do. She’s understandably proud.”
When the two of them shook hands, the other woman’s hands felt like ice. No surprise there. She had to be terrified about the evening ahead. Affairs like this could make or break an artist’s career. Putting the last vestiges of her own frazzled day on the back burner, Natalie did her best to put Julie at ease. “My mother has been raving about your paintings, and she’s not easy to impress. From what I have seen so far, I understand why she’s been so excited about your work.”
Julie and Natalie both watched as Tracy Kennigan assumed the role of hostess to welcome the elite group she’d invited to the showing. Natalie performed the actual introductions, doing her best to ease Julie’s way as the crowd slowly filed by.
Everything was going smoothly right up until she spotted a familiar but unwelcome face bringing up the end of the line. Her first reaction was a flash of anger. Her mother knew full well that Natalie had no interest in seeing Benton anytime soon, yet there he was. Damn it, there was no way to avoid him without making a scene, which her parents wouldn’t appreciate. It also wouldn’t be fair to Julie, who was supposed to be the star in the spotlight.
“Julie, this is my mother’s dear friend Gloria Humboldt and her son, Benton.”
By now the artist had either lost her jitters or was better at hiding them. “It’s nice to meet you both. Thank you for coming.”
Gloria nodded to the artist. “Tracy has told me so much about your paintings. I couldn’t pass up a chance to see them for myself.”
Then she turned her attention to Natalie. “It’s been too long since we’ve seen you. You’ll have to have Benton bring you over for dinner soon.”
She moved on, taking a glass of champagne from a passing waiter, leaving Natalie staring at her back. Seriously, did she not remember that Natalie and Benton were no longer engaged? Speaking of the man in question. She dragged her attention back to her hostess duties to find him impatiently waiting for her to acknowledge him.
Her forced smile made the skin on her face feel tight. “Benton, I don’t see your father, so I assume you got drafted to escort your mother.”
“Actually, I volunteered. Yesterday your mom mentioned you’d be here and didn’t have a date. I tried calling you a couple of times last night to see if you wanted to ride over with us, but you didn’t pick up.”
