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Acting confused, I turn my head.
"I knew that was you."
"Oh, hey, Lauren!" I plaster on a smile, praying she can't read my embarrassment. But who am I kidding? She's a lawyer. Of course, she can.
Her face mirrors my own. "So, uhh. Did you hear all that?"
"Oh, alright…" My shoulders deflate. "Maybe a little."
Her friend chuckles awkwardly. "Oops."
Thankfully, Lauren is quick on the rebound, acknowledging her favorite pieces so far, complimenting my dress and Hayden's unmatched talent, and introducing me to her friend, Hannah.
"I'm Juliana." I outstretch my hand, meeting her friendly, chocolaty-brown eyes, before she bypasses the handshake altogether and catches me in a hug, squeezing tightly.
"It's so nice to meet you!" Hannah retreats with a broad smile, keeping at a familiar distance. "So, your boyfriend painted all these?"
I nod, catching Lauren's smirk at my fidgety state.
"That's amazing! I'll have you know, I already placed bids on three different pieces." My eyes bulge. "Although, a girl who works here—Angie is her name, I think—told me I was outbid on all of them."
"Oh my gosh…" Excitement steals a breath from me. "Hayden will be ecstatic." When he gets here!
"I counter bid, of course. Still waiting to hear back. By the looks of it, there may be some deep-pocketed collectors here, but I'm not leaving without five pieces, at least. Maybe six or seven, depending on my mood."
Catching a glint of Hannah's engagement ring, looped snug beside a matching wedding band, I don't doubt her words. That diamond's not a rock, more like the tip of a mountain.
Not to reinforce the starving artist stereotype, but... she must be the wealthy spouse.
Lauren shakes her head, concealing a grin. "Gee, Hannah. How many paintings do you own? Damien's going to lose it if you shove another one above your mantelpiece. Don't think he's forgotten our antics at my family's last auction—you nearly gave him a heart attack from how much you spent."
"Yeaahhhh…" She scratches her neck. "You're not wrong."
I pipe up, "If it helps, remind him that half the proceeds are going to charity."
As soon as the word charity leaves my lips, both of them freeze and exchange another one of those mysterious, secretive glances. I swear I catch competitiveness gleaming in their eyes.
Clearing my throat, I glance at Hannah's corsage. "So, you came with the pianist?" I ask, stating the obvious.
"Yes, he's my husband," she says, blushing as though she's talking about a crush.
"Who's also my cousin," Lauren adds, and suddenly, the whole finger-tiredness thing makes more sense.
Yikes.
When the music switches up, I angle my head, finding a woman seated at the piano's bench instead, playing a violin. Not far from his instrument is the pianist, who laughs with a man who frankly looks out of place in the gallery.
It's not that he doesn't wear his expensive suit well—quite the contrary, actually—but the sheer size of him and the abundance of tattoos. They crawl up the sides of his neck, adorn the backs of his hands, peeking past his cufflinks, and—
Hold up. Isn't that…? I squint, making out the corsage pinned to his suit lapel, then look to Lauren's wrist, finding an identical match. No. Frickin'. Way. That's Lauren's husband? Now I see why Jeremy thought he was intimidating. Even so, doubt still lingers, until I catch the way she ogles him.
"Well, uhh… he's a super talented musician," I tell Hannah, before stating that her husband should consider taking the gig full time, if he hasn't already, which the duo finds amusing for some odd reason.
Secrets, so many secrets.
When another bout of silence spreads, Lauren tips back her champagne glass, gulping down the rest. And it's then I realize Hannah doesn't have a flute—something Mei would deem a crime. Apparently, art critiquing is at its finest while mildly intoxicated.
"Would you like something other than champagne?" I ask her. "My friend's running the showcase, and I think I saw some red wine in the back. I could go snag you a glass."
