Page 96 of After Indigo Irish Nights
Shewasglad something positive had come of it, and of course, it put her closer to being able to start on her larger installation.
Only…
Declan was still walking like an old man and working through things. Like a typical guy, he wasn’t sharing much of his feelings about losing the fight or getting ready for the next one with Jimmy—or his worry about Owen. He’d asked her to stay over at Summercrest the last couple of nights, both wanting to be with her and to keep her closer.
She wasn’t going to let anyone make her cower. Still, there was no denying she was on alert when she was by herself, both at the cottage and in the shed. Her friends were always quick to offer their company, but she couldn’t be with them constantly; there were moments when she had to be alone.
“Who’s the architect?” Kathleen asked, happy to hear more news about the future of the arts center. “You just said some guy. I know better than to think you’d try to corral just anyone.”
He chuckled. “Wait for it. Thomas Sarkesian.”
“You’re kidding!” Kathleen all but shouted.
“No. Way.” Ellie put a hand to her forehead. “He designed—”
“One of your favorite museums in Vienna,” Linc filled in, his tone gleeful. “Yeah, I had to be a little cool when Sophie first mentioned his name. She called him and set up a dinner between us in two minutes flat. Things are moving fast.”
Ellie slumped against Kathleen’s side. “God, I’m almost faint with excitement. Daddy, if you pull this off—”
“You guys have to secure planning permission,” Kathleen said, her own blood buzzing. “Fast.”
“After the next fight, we should have enough votes. Donal thinks we should make a formal presentation then. We’ll be ready.”
“You’re always ready, Daddy.” Ellie blew him a loud kiss. “Have fun in Saint-Paul de Vence—and Oslo.”
“You want anything?”
“Some lavender sachets,” she said. “It will offset the damp smell.”
“I’m beginning to hate the damp,” Kathleen muttered. She’d killed another massive spider in her cottage this morning. “Bring home a bottle of champagne. We need to celebrate.”
“I’ll bring a case. Oh, one last thing, Kathleen…”
“Yes, Papa Linc?” she tried to drawl, prompting Ellie to wince.
“Sugar, you are so not meant to drawl, but youdodeserve to get paid a lot more for your larger installation. Bets and I talked about it and kicked around some figures. She’s going to talk to you about it when she gets back. You might do some thinking yourself.”
Her heart rapped in her chest. “But we don’t have planning permission yet.”
“True, but I’d like to have a budget ready to present to the council after Declan’s fight, presuming things continue to go well for us, which they will. This is done all the time, sugar, with the understanding that the terms hinge on official approval.”
“He’s right,” Ellie said, bouncing on her heels and grinning at her. “The new modern museum in Washington, D.C. made conditional offers to key artists before submitting their budget for approval—”
“They also needed money,” Linc said in a wry tone. “In our case, we already have the money. Still, we plan to show the council a couple artists and their thoughts. We already have yours, Kathleen, and Sophie is drawing up an early design, which we’ve agreed she can change later, to show the council. We’ve discussed some terms with her as well. If I can get Thomas to agree, I’ll be including him in the proposal as well, design pending, of course. It’s the full enchilada, girls.”
Thank God she was sitting down. Her brain kept sending shock waves through her at the thought that she was going to be included in a proposal with Sophie Giombetti and Thomas Sarkesian. “I’ll talk to Bets.”
“Good. Then I’ll let you go. You girls have fun.”
When the call ended, she and Ellie hugged each other and then gave a giant yawp.
“OMG!” her best friend cried.
“What you said.” She touched her temple. “I can’t feel my face. It’s buzzing.”
“Of course it is! Hey, do you want to look up what other metal sculptors have been paid for something like your piece?”
“Hell, yeah!” She watched as Ellie raced over and grabbed her tablet off the kitchen counter. “I want to be ready when Bets gets back.”
