Part 18 (2/2)
In fact, she realized, she couldn't afford to put off telling him any longer. If anything did come of Belinda Goldstone's visit to Barnaby's loft, she wanted her husband to be reasonably prepared. It only seemed fair that he should know about the existence of the paintings before she sprung the news that Belinda Goldstone wanted to hang them in her gallery.
She told him two nights after Xavier called, over a dinner of roast beef, baby carrots and new potatoes-a meal that was one of his favorites. She'd decided it wouldn't hurt to coddle him a little before she hit him with the information she probably shouldn't have kept from him in the first place.
He took the news amazingly well. He seemed surprised, but not offended. And he had a number of questions.
”You say it's impossible to tell that I wasyour ...” He frowned, seeking the right word.
She provided one. ”Inspiration?”
”Okay. I'll go with that. Will anyone be able to tell that Iinspired you?”
”Well,” she hedged. ”People who know you might guess. But I promise, they won't know for certain.
The face in each painting is hidden-with a mask, or by shadows, or because the figure is turned away from the viewer.”
He was still frowning. ”Exactly how nude is nude?”
”Logan. What is that supposed to mean?” He tried again. ”I guess I'm asking, are they ... tasteful?” She had to laugh. ”Tastefulwasn't exactly what I was shooting for.” He set down his fork. ”Let me put it this way. What shows?” She understood. And laughed again. ”How can such a s.e.xy man be such a prude?” ”Just answer me. What shows?” ”No genitals. How's that?” He picked up his fork again. ”A relief.” They ate in silence for a minute or two. Then he said, ”There are nine of them?”
”Uh-huh.”
”How long did it take you to paint them?”
”I painted the first one here inMeadowValley, when I was staying with Jenna, at the beginning of
October.”
He glowered at her. ”Right after you sent me away.”
She let the implied accusation pa.s.s and stuck to the issue. ”Yes. And I finished the ninth one inL.A., in
early April, about a month before I left forWyoming.” He drank from his winegla.s.s and set it down. His expression had softened. ”I guess that means I was onyour mind a lot, all those months.” ”Yes,Logan, you were.” She cut a bite of meat, concentrating on the small task, then glanced up through her lashes at him. ”You know that you were.”
His eyes were very dark. ”You were on my mind, too.”
”I'm glad.” She waited, thinking,It's going to happen now. He's going to actually get the words out. He's
going to say that he loves me.
But the moment pa.s.sed. He watched her with desire, with tenderness, with a hint of exasperation-and
with what she knew to be love.
He just didn't say it.
”Why are you telling me now?” he asked quietly. She poked the bite of meat into her mouth and
chewed, thinking,Well , what did I expect? The man is hardheaded, but he's certainly no fool. So what now? She could lie and keep her little secret to herself. He might never have to know. But if Xavier or Belinda Goldstonedid call...
So much for her secret.
She finished chewing. He waited, his eyes never leaving her face.
She swallowed. ”You remember the artist I went toL.A.to study under? I think I talked about him a little,
last September.” Loganthought for a minute. ”Hockland, right? XavierHockland .” ”Yes, XavierHockland . He called, the day before yesterday with some good news ... or itcould be good news.”
Loganhad set his fork down again, but he didn't speak. He was waiting for her to tell him whatever it was she had to say.
She sucked in a breath. ”Xavier had lunch with a certain very well-known art dealer, Belinda Goldstone,
a few days ago. She'd heard about the paintings-through the grapevine, you could say. She asked to see them. He wanted my permission to show them to her.”
”XavierHockland has the paintings?”
”No, they're at Barnaby Cole's. I've told you about Barnaby, haven't I? He's a friend. He has a big loft.
Downtown. And Xavier wanted to take Belinda Goldstone there, to see them.”
”And?”
”And I said yes, that it was fine with me if Xavier showed her my paintings.”
”What else?”
”Nothing else. Yet.”
”A reputable art dealer wants to see some of your paintings. You gave XavierHockland permission to
show them to her. And that's all.”
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