Page 109 of Maximum
“Hmm. I’m glad you feel that way,” she said with a smile. “I never got her name, but this girl came skating down Pike Street one day and she looked so badass that I just had to paint her.”
“You painted this?” Nathan asked, his voice a tone lighter than usual. “We were just admiring your talent, but it looks like most of your paintings are already sold.”
The blond woman shrugged. “Darren has a waiting list for buyers. We had to borrow pieces to bring because I can’t paint fast enough to saturate the need.”
“Is that one sold?” Jolene pointed to the skater girl.
“I’m not sure. You’ll have to ask River Robertson, she’s the lady who owns this gallery.”
I smiled and reached out my hand. “We know River. I’m Fleur, and this is Nathan, River’s brother, and Jolene, her sister-in-law.”
“Nice to meet you.” Cia shook our hands and even reached out to take Rose’s and Lucas’ little hands. “Cute kids.”
“You said that you borrowed these paintings to exhibit them. I’m curious, who owns the one of Cleo?” Nathan asked.
“Cleo and Adam usually have it in their bedroom but they’re on vacation at the moment, so they allowed me to ship it to Ireland.”
“You know Cleo?” Nathan asked with excitement. “So does my wife.”
“Who’s your wife?”
“Serena Star.”
Cia’s eyes expanded. “Ah, so that’s why you look so familiar. I was trying to think of which boy band I’d seen you in, but now I remember. You’re that soldier who got booted out of the army for beating up a rapist. G and I read about it and he was upset because he met that creep and never liked him.”
“Who’s G?” Nathan asked.
“My husband. He’s a combat engineer.”
“Is he here?” Nathan looked around. “I’d like to meet him.”
“No, I’m afraid he couldn’t get off from work so Darren and I came for the exhibition, but Gabriel is flying over in a week. We’ll be traveling around Ireland together.”
I felt a hand on my back and looked up to see Maximum beside me. “Honey, there’s someone who would like to meet you.”
“Oh?”
We all greeted the large man next to Maximum. His clothes were flamboyant, and his speech matched his loose wrist, with the way he lisped.
“I’m Darren, the fabulous gallery owner who talked America’s best artist into showing off her impressive work on this side of the Atlantic. Girl, your husband just bragged about you being a female version of Tarzan, so I just had to meet you.” He stood with a champagne glass in one hand and his other hand outstretched.
“Hello, Darren, I love your pants.” The fabric was yellow with blue and purple flowers on them.
“Of course you do, they’re an expression of your name. It’s as if my spirit guides were whispering in my ear this morning that I would meet a true flower and that my clothing today needed to honor this special occasion.”
I smiled at his energy and interest in me.
“I see you already met Cia, but have you told her that you can talk to animals?”
Cia frowned and I shook my head.
“No, we only just met and it’s not usually the first thing I tell people.”
“What do you mean you can talk to animals?” Cia asked and pushed her shoulder-length hair back.
“It’s a long story, and today is about art,” I said because I didn’t want today to be about me, but Darren wasn’t ready to let the subject go.
“Her husband just showed me video of her walking among lions and elephants. I’m seeing inspiration for a painting here.”
