Page 7 of Love Notes and Late Nights
Harris’ phone dinged.
WOLF: Be right there.
It took longer than expected for Wolf to open the front door, and Harris was beginning to think showing up unannounced wasn’t such a great idea. He didn’t know why he never thought to send Wolf a text before driving over. Maybe Wolf was busy ordidn’t want company. But then the door swung open, and Wolf stood there with a big goofy grin on his handsome face.
“What brings you around? Come in.” Wolf stepped aside to let Harris enter.
That’s when he noticed a red substance under Wolf’s fingernails and coloring his nail beds. And was that black paint on his jawline? “I brought you a caramel latte.” Harris raised the cardboard tray that contained the two drinks. Most of the whipped cream had melted, but the caramel drizzle still rested on top.
Wolf’s eyes opened a little wider. “Thanks. I could use a pick-me-up.” He pulled the cup from the tray, stuck the straw in it and took a long sip.
Harris watched Wolf’s lips pucker as he sucked on the straw and the way his throat bobbed as he drank. Then Wolf rolled his beautiful green eyes up to the ceiling and let out a satisfied breath. “That’s good.”
Harris noticed a streak of pink on Harris’ neck when he leaned his head back. “What are you doing? Painting?”
Wolf nodded, sheepishly. “Yeah. You know I paint.”
Wolf designed most of the band’s album and CD covers, did the artwork for a mobile salon trailer for Tyler last year, and even created logos for other bands once in a while. He doodled all the time, but Harris never realized Wolf painted on canvas, so this new bit of information surprised him.
“What do you paint?” Harris asked. “Things like murals and portraits?”
“Sometimes. I paint a lot of things. Whatever strikes me at the moment.”
“Can I see what you’re painting right now?” He didn’t realize he put Wolf on the spot until he saw the look on the poor guy’s face and Wolf didn’t answer. After a moment, Wolf took a longsip on the straw of his drink, probably trying to figure out a way to tell Harris that his work was private.
“That’s OK,” Harris replied, to save Wolf the awkwardness of telling him no. “That’s your business. I get it. You don’t have to show me. I was just interested. I know you’re a great artist. I was curious to see some of your paintings. I’ve seen drawings and logos and stuff like that. But I’ve never seen any of your paintings.” Harris couldn’t stop rambling. “I won’t bother you if you want to get back to it. I just thought of the drinks we had at Ethan’s the other day when I was ordering coffee and thought you’d like one. I thought maybe we could hang for a bit or grab something to eat or go for a hike or whatever. But we can do it some other time.”Oh my God. Shut the fuck up already!Harris had no control over himself and felt his cheeks burning.
Wolf stood there with an amused smile on his face as Harris went on and on. When he finally stopped talking, Wolf laughed so hard the cup in his hand shook. “How many of these things did you drink? And why are you still standing in the doorway? Come in.”
“You sure? I don’t want to interrupt you if you’re in the middle of a painting.”
“Come in,” Wolf repeated.
Curious about the artwork, Harris scanned the first floor as he walked into the house, but he didn’t see anything. “Where do you paint?”
“In my art studio. Upstairs.”
“You have a studio?” Harris expected to find an easel on the deck or in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows. He didn’t expect Wolf to have a serious art studio.
“Of course I have a studio. I got six bedrooms in this place. I also have a music room, a meditation room, a junk room, and a guest bedroom. But I never have any guests.”
“What’s a meditation room?”
“I don’t fucking know. I met this guy who was an interior decorator, and he did the room for me. I don’t know why I agreed to it.” Wolf chuckled with a glint in his eyes. “I think we both know why I agreed to it. I like the room, though. I go in there sometimes just to chill. It’s relaxing. Wanna see it?”
“Yeah. I’d love to see your art studio too.”
Wolf shook his head. “I don’t show anyone my studio. I don’t mind showing some stuff, like this.” He waved his hand toward an amazing painting of the mountains that hung on the far wall of the living room. “And the landscapes of Hollywood Boulevard that are in Ethan’s den. But I don’t let anyone see what I paint in my studio.”
“Why not?”
Wolf didn’t offer an explanation and only shrugged in reply.
Harris imagined they contained dark, macabre images that were the subject of Wolf’s nightmares and understood why the guy didn’t want anyone to see them. He looked closer at the mountain landscape that hung on the wall. There was a hawk in one of the trees. It was small, but its features were clear and precise. The setting sun cast a glow on the mountains and terrain that was so lifelike, Harris had to compare it to the sun shining in the sky outside the window. “This is amazing, Wolf. I love it.” He always knew Wolf was talented, but he didn’t know the guy had such vision and the ability to create something so lifelike with depth and emotion. Harris made a mental note to ask to see the paintings of Hollywood Boulevard in Ethan’s den, because he was blown away by just this one painting.
“It’s all right.” Wolf waved his hand for Harris to follow him. “I’ll show you the meditation room.”
Harris followed Wolf up the staircase and realized he’d very rarely been on the second floor. There was a long hallway with a lot of doors, all closed. There was more artwork on the walls, andhe assumed that Wolf painted at least some of them but didn’t want to pry.
