Page 38 of Lochlan

I'm tired of Geordie appearing when Kenzie is here; you'd think he had an interest in her. We're through the door and a few steps away, enduring the chilly morning. “Are you two getting close?” Geordie asks.

“Close enough, or are you asking the question because you want to know if you have a chance with her?”

He shoves his hands in the front pockets of his jeans and levels his gaze at me. “I think this one is good for you. It's about time you had a healthy relationship.”

I'm regretting the accusation, but the two of them seem close when they're together. “It happened unexpectedly. I'm not sure if this will last.”

“She's a smart, bonnie girl. It would be in your best interest to make it last. Maybe she can be the one who melts that cold heart of yours.”

“I'll not consider a relationship until I know my position in this winery is secure.”

He shifts his weight, his face ruddy with the cold. “I understand the logic behind your hesitation. Granda will soon be here to decide our fate. You can begin to turn this in our favor tomorrow at the Wine Association meeting. Are you ready?”

“I've been working with Kenzie. The main part of the presentation with the facts and figures is done. I'm still working on the last part of the pitch that convinces members to invest.”

“Whatever you have to do, cousin. If you've got to conjure up voodoo magic, then I suggest you work on some spells. Anything to convince Granda all is well and we don't need to be a concern.”

I shrug. There's no point in discussing what ifs; what happens next is out of my hands. “I'll do my best; that's all I can promise.”

“I'll be there tomorrow to give you support. Now, I have to go back to my office. Connell starts his internship today, and I need to go over my strict rules with him before he starts.”

* * *

Kenzie reappears,dressed in her clothes, and is clicking off from her cell phone. “Management says their locksmith is still unavailable. They'll search for someone else, but it will take some time.”

“I called George, our head of maintenance, when I was outside talking to Geordie. He can help you get back into your apartment. He'll drive you over. Are you ready to go now?”

Kenzie gnaws the bottom of her lip, considering. “Are you coming with me?”

“I'm not needed. He'll get you back into your place without having to wait for your apartment management to find someone.”

“How about the presentation? Let's go over it from start to finish.”

“I'm fine. I got enough out of our last session. You need to go home. Tomorrow is a big day. I'll walk you to the maintenance office.”

Kenzie's dejected frown is the last glimpse of her after I shut the door of George's truck. There's no need for her to stay; I have what I need.

I pull up the presentation and make notations on some of the slides. I even get up in front of the mirror and make a dry run to my sullen face. These owners already know me and won't expect sweetness and light. Appealing to their need for more profit is what I'll aim for.

After a few hours, I pack up my equipment, put it away in a cupboard, and grab my camera to review the photos of Kenzie I took a few nights ago. I find wires to connect the camera to the TV and have a big-screen viewing of that series of photos. I marvel at the beauty she brings to each shot. The way the light and dark frame her perfectly.

The pictures continue to move in sequence until I stop the images to study the last two shots of Kenzie holding up the sign I asked her to display. The first photo shows an angry, contorted face with her defiant finger raised to the camera. In the last shot, her body is rigid, clutching the sign with the promise of bloody murder in her eyes.

I regret these two photos, but I don't have it in me to delete these images because, as awful as the circumstances were that produced them, they are a profound piece of work.

A persistent thought tugs at me until I can't dismiss the idea. I'm on the phone with Logan, a painter I met during the first year I came to America. He has a studio in the hills and over the years we've gotten together to talk about our work.

“It's been a long time since I've heard from you. I'm working on a new exhibition. You should come up and see the paintings. I've been going back and forth over what to include in the show with my agent. You have a good eye and you haven't seen these pieces. Help me with the final selection.”

“I will. Name the date.”

He lets out a big exhale. “Great, I'll let you know by next week. Are you working on anything?”

I glance at the screen again and move to a photo that's caught my attention. “I just finished a session a few nights ago. They're semi-nudes. I think the work is exceptional. I was wondering if you would paint the subject from a photo?”

“I don't normally. I like to have my models in studio. Can you send me some images and let me see before I commit?”

I select two pictures and send them. “There are several in this session if you need more.”

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