Page 86 of The Awakening of Nina Fontaine

36

Nina placedthe last photograph on the wall, made sure it was attached to the hook, and stepped back to take a look. It was a new series featuring old trestle bridges in the Hudson Valley — the first series Moni had let Nina place on her own. It wasn’t for a show, but Nina still felt proud looking at herhandiwork.

“Looks great,” Moni said, joining her by thewall.

“Thanks.”

“Hey!” Moni said. “That’s the first smile I’ve seen on you inawhile.”

Nina sighed. “I think I’ve turned acorner.”

It had been a month since her last horrible conversation with Liam. A month since she’d seen or talked to him, since she’d felt his arms aroundher.

A month since she’d seenJack.

She’d had no choice but to tell Moni everything after showing up a mess for work. It was ridiculously unprofessional, but Nina couldn’t hold back the flood of tears, couldn’t eat, could hardlysleep.

She’d been grateful when Moni hadn’t criticized her for the way she’d handled things with Liam. She knew Moni and Liam were friends, but so far Moni had been nothing butsupportive.

“Art is good for the soul,” Moni said. “So is work. Speakingof…”

She went to the office at the back of the gallery and returned with a small box in her hand. She held it out toNina.

“What’sthis?”

“Take a look,” Monisaid.

Nina opened the box and realized it was filled with business cards. When she removed one she was surprised to see her name hovering over the title AssistantManager.

“What?” She looked up at Moni. “Are youserious?”

“As a heart attack, which is what you’ll probably have if you take me up on the offer to help run this place. It means more work, more hours, but it also means a smallraise.”

“I’ll take it.” She didn’t need to know details about the raise or about the extra work. The gallery and her friendship with Moni had helped her find her way when she first moved to Brooklyn, had been a salve to her broken heart over the past few weeks when she struggled to get through the day without being knocked back by waves of grief and guilt. She looked down at the business card in her hand. “This means so much to me, Moni. Thankyou.”

Moni leaned in to give her a hug. “You’ve earned it. It’s such a relief to have someone I can trust here, and you have a real knack for acquisition andcuration.”

“Want to go for a celebratory drink?” Ninaasked.

Moni frowned. “Can I take a rain check? I have to pick up Angela fromrehearsal.”

“Of course,” Nina said. “I need to cleananyway.”

“We’ll do it tomorrow,” Moni said. “Angela’s spending the night atBeth’s.”

“Perfect. It’ll be my reward for a clean apartment,” Ninasaid.

Moni glanced at her phone. “Do you mind lockingup?”

“Not atall.”

They said goodbye and Moni rushed out of the gallery. Nina took one last look at the new series and went to the back to grab her things and shut off thelights.

It was early July, the air warm and humid, the sun hanging just above the city. The sidewalks were busy with people out for drinks after work or enjoying a midweek date, everyone relieved now that the worst of the day’s heat hadpassed.

She locked the door behind her and started for home. The first couple weeks after she’d broken things off with Liam she’d held her breath around the gallery, half expecting to see him ambling down the street toward her, blue eyesflashing.

He hadn’t appeared, and she finally decided he was probably avoiding theplace.

---