Beautiful Ties (5 page)

Damn
.

Gail would never let me out of telling her now. She had crazy super powers to pull the words right out of me. She had done it to me many, many times over the years of our friendship. So, I was pretty much always pouring my feelings out to her.

“Okay, okay,” I huffed jokingly, earning a grin from her. “So, I met Lily’s oldest cousin, Jason, last night. Holy hell, the man is fine.”

“Oh,” she purred. “Did you flirt your little heart out?” She took another sip of her drink.

I stared down at mine, wishing it were that easy. Then, I glanced back up at her. “Of course not. He is the very same cousin who is now partnering up with his brother, Damon, and
my
brother, Kyle,” I said while shaking my head from side to side. “Pursuing him has working disaster written all over it.”

“Was he interested?” she questioned.

“Yes, I think so. The two of us danced together for a while, and we seemed to really enjoy each other’s company,” I replied.

“I sense a big, fat
but
coming next,” Gail said exasperatedly.

“Oh, there is.” I laughed. “
But
he didn’t look like the white-picket-fence type,” I clarified.

Gail rolled her eyes. “They never are, Abbey. I think that comes with time. And it’s just a job. Don’t let your career hinder the possibility of something great. I say, rein that bad boy in,” she added with a saucy tone, making me chuckle.

“He didn’t even ask me out,” I said. “And if he had—”

She cut me off before I could finish. “I know, I know. Your work ethics are standing in the way.” Gail waved her hand in the air. “Seriously though, Abbey, love doesn’t care who you work for.”

I threw my head back, laughing hard. I loved this woman’s sense of humor. “I’m pretty sure you can’t fall in love in eight hours, but I’ll definitely keep your advice in mind,” I responded, rising from my chair to toss out our empty cups.

Gail followed, and we strode toward the door.

“Enough about men. Let’s shop,” I said.

“You don’t have to tell me twice.” She grinned.

We came to a stop at our cars.

“Meet you at the main entrance?” she asked over her shoulder while opening her door.

We were each taking our own vehicles, so we wouldn’t have to backtrack.

“Sounds good to me,” I said before sliding into my seat.

I followed behind her as we made the drive toward the shopping outlet. We pulled into the main entrance that was centered in the middle of several department stores. The parking lot was surprisingly not too packed for a Sunday afternoon. I had expected a larger crowd for such a beautiful sunny day.

I parked and exited the car with my belongings, and from the space next to me, Gail tilted her head in my direction after shutting her car door.

“Where to first?” I asked.

I did not really need anything on this trip—at least, that was what I was telling my shopaholic self. I wouldn’t hesitate if I found something irresistible.

“As long as it has shoes and purses and clothes, it’s fine by me,” she teased. “How about apparels first?” Gail suggested, pointing in the direction of Banana Republic. “Since it’s September, I think a few fall outfits are in order.”

“Good idea,” I agreed before the two of us headed toward the store.

“Man, I have shopping fever like you would not believe,” Gail said.

We reached the double doors to the entrance, and she held one open for me.

“You
always
have shopping fever.” I snickered, rolling my eyes at her as I strolled inside.

Gail and I made quite the team, pairing together multiple outfits. We always loved to share clothes with each other since we had similar tastes. Both of our closets were overflowing with a ridiculous quantity of clothing. Shopping was like a disease, but I, for one, was not searching for a cure. I always chose to embrace it.

By the time our arms were abundantly full of clothing, we made our way over to the checkout counter. The saleswoman’s eyes nearly bulged out of her head when she saw our enormous piles.

“This is the result of shopping withdrawals,” Gail stated politely with her usual hint of humor.

I chuckled in agreement.

“I can see that,” the tall brunette said as she started to ring up Gail’s items. She folded each article of clothing and stacked them into a pile. “Maybe you should visit more often, so you don’t have such a buildup,” she teased in a friendly manner.

Gail and I both laughed again.

Gail shook her head from side to side. “I don’t think that would help in our case, and my credit card couldn’t take more visits, but thanks.” She grinned.

“I second that,” I chimed in, cringing at Gail’s total. Then, I realized that mine was probably going to be damn near close to hers.
Oh well, you only live once.

And since I had been good in the last few months, I had earned a good splurge. After this though, it would be back to budgeting and saving. I had a three-year plan of saving enough money for a down payment on a house. Gail had thought I was a little mad for having such a goal while I was still single, but it felt like it was time to move forward in my life. I loved my condo, but I dreamed of having a home with more space and a big yard. Besides, a person could only have so many clothes before the items were just good for taking up space.

After checking out, we headed over to Timothy and Sons Art Gallery. Every time I came to the outlet mall, I always tried to stop in and see his ever-changing displays. It was also another common thing Gail and I shared. Our appreciation for hand-painted portraits of all kinds could keep us talking for hours.

I approached a new painting on the far left wall, and I came to a complete stop when I took in its full beauty. It was a painting of a lake with a wooden dock. My eyes continued to roam over each detail, and then they widened when I realized it was a painting of the very same dock my brothers and I had jumped off of many times when we were children. The scenery matched Lake Tahoe perfectly, and then I saw one of the many orange, white, and black signs in the background that read,
Sudden Drop-Off.
It was distinctly bolted onto the center of a same colored rustic post halfway up the dock.

The picture was stunning with its array of blue shades and hints of white in the sky, which were artistically centering around all the different yellow hues making up the sun. I could see every stroke the brush had made, and I appreciated the areas where the painter had flawlessly blended the colors. Golds and beiges of the sand ran from the bottom left all the way to the right, leading to the dock. The wood was painted with shades of light and dark browns, showing every detail in the planks, including natural wear. The water glowed in the center with a mixture of pastel and royal blues. My eyes continued to take in the green pine trees outlining the lake that I personally knew so well.

Gazing at the painting instantly made me wish that I could visit the beach and press my toes into the fine warm summer sand. Then, once my body was heated from the sun shining brightly, I imagined walking along that wooden dock to jump into the cool blue water.

It was one of the finest paintings I had seen come through these doors in quite some time—and the three-thousand-dollar price tag matched it. I frowned, wishing I could justify the purchase, but it was simply way too much.

“Wow,” Gail breathed. Then, she sighed, and I knew she had seen the price. “And it has a steep price tag to go with it.”

“Yeah, it does,” I whispered, still gazing at the amazing portrait.

Gail continued to walk along the wall while I stayed rooted in my spot, staring ahead. I heard the door chime from a distance, but my eyes were locked on the painting. It was my fondest childhood memory painted on canvas, and I had to repeat over and over in my mind that it was too substantial of a purchase even if I did love it. I silently prayed that maybe the artist would lower the price if it did not sell over time. Waiting it out and hoping it did not sell to another interested buyer would be my best chance.

“James LaBloom—he’s a very gifted artist,” someone said from behind me. His low and deep tone was filled with appreciation.

My heart stuttered from the familiar voice, and it instantly broke my concentration.

I turned slightly toward the voice to meet a pair of sky-blue eyes that had been burned into my memory. They were the same eyes I’d been trying to forget over the past day.

Jason.

My lips parted to speak, but to my surprise, no words left them.

“He’s well known for taking any landscape and creating a masterpiece from a blank canvas and a paintbrush,” he added, staring intently at me.

My heart made the same jump as it had yesterday.

“You know his work?” I asked in awe, already knowing the answer. However, it was the only decent sentence I could put together with his proximity.

His light masculine cologne smelled incredible. I instinctively wanted to take a step closer to catch more of his scent, but I restrained myself to stay in my place. I had thought I wouldn’t see him until tomorrow when we started working together. I could not ignore the excitement and thrill I felt at the unexpected surprise of him standing in front of me.

His stare was thoughtful as if he was searching my eyes for a reaction from seeing him here.

“Of course. James is extraordinarily talented, and many of my clients in the past have specifically requested his work,” he answered with a genuine smile.

My eyes were busy taking him in as he stood beside me at my favorite art gallery. My gaze focused on the expansion of his full lips and the defined contours of his strong jaw. Fitting his relaxed, easygoing personality, he was wearing a dark gray T-shirt and a worn pair of jeans. His dark blond hair had the slightest wave in it. It was the perfect length, and I had the sudden urge to know what it would feel like to run my fingers through it. I blinked away the thought and tried to focus on the present moment, so that meant no ogling.

I nodded to acknowledge his reply. “Yes, I have noticed a painting or two of his in here before. His work is stunning,” I said while glancing back at the portrait.

From the corner of my eye, I watched Jason’s gaze as his eyes also looked at the painting.

Then, he tilted his head at me again. “You look as though you are very fond of his work, or you know of this particular place. Which is it?” he asked softly.

“Both,” I murmured. I decided to explain further. “It was one of my favorite places in Lake Tahoe. As a child, I would go swimming there with my brothers.” I lifted my finger to gesture at the painting. “That very dock is only a short distance from here,” I added while happy childhood memories flooded my mind.

“That is a coincidence. I did not realize that LaBloom had been to the West Coast,” he replied attentively.

He paused, causing me to look directly at him. I tried to guess what he was going to say next.

“So, are you ready for our first day of work together tomorrow?” he asked casually.

“No,” I responded honestly before my mouth could filter my thoughts.

His husky chuckle sent a shiver racing down the center of my spine.

“Why not?”

I tried to recover from my slipup, but I failed terribly as my flirty side overcame me. “Oh, you know how it is to be stuck showing the newbie around.” I grinned, shaking my head. “It’s going to be a lot of work.”

His next laugh was a bit louder.

I just had this feeling that this upcoming week was going to be full of challenges. Jason seemed like anything but a simple man. A part of me was thrilled to get to know him better while the other part knew it was a really bad idea. Temptation had a way of building with time.

“Don’t worry, I’m a quick learner.” He smirked.

Gail came up from behind me and stopped at my right side. “You’re still stuck on this painting?” she asked in amazement before her gaze caught on Jason. Her eyes roamed up and down him, like she was ready to devour a sweet caramel candy wrapped in chocolate. “Well,
hello
,” she purred at him sweetly.

“Gail, this is Jason, Lily’s cousin and one of Kyle’s new business partners.”

Gail and Jason both raised their hands to shake.

“Jason, this is my best friend, Gail,” I finished introducing them.

“Nice to meet you, Gail,” Jason replied kindly.

My eyes were stuck on Jason. His eyes were friendly and soft, and I could not help but notice that he looked at her differently than me. His gaze was more…platonic with her.

“Likewise, Jason.” Gail smiled. “So, what brings you here? Do you have an appreciation for art?”

“Yes, I do. It just so happens that I was shopping in hopes of hiding my plain white walls at my new apartment.” He laughed.

He’s a man who loves art and hates white walls.
Could he be any more perfect?

“It seems you two have a lot in common then.” Gail smirked in my direction. “Abbey also despises white walls.”

At her tone, I could practically hear the wheels turning in her mind. My eyes snapped to hers, glaring, while I silently prayed that I was not making it too obvious to Jason.
What is she doing?

Gail bit her lip to keep from grinning, and I knew exactly where her thoughts were going. She was planning her escape route. Our many years of friendship had given us this unexplainable ability to practically read each other’s minds and finish one another’s sentences. She was like the sister I never had. Sometimes, it was a gift, and other times, it was a curse.

“Well, kids”—Gail yawned dramatically, and I had to fight the urge to roll my eyes at her theatrics—“I’ve had a long day today, and I have to be up at the crack of dawn. But Abbey over here has excellent taste in art. I’m sure she’d be more than happy to help you spice up that new place of yours.” She stepped forward to hug me. “Call me this week, Abbey. Good night,” she added quietly, her voice full of wit.

“Good night, Gail,” I replied as I embraced her back. I became nervous at the thought of being left alone with this gorgeous man. I sure hoped she knew what she was doing because I felt like I was in over my head.