Part 21 (1/2)

”Ahem, well...” said Helen.

”I ... really ... I...” stammered Fiona.

”A simple yes or no from each of you will do.”

Fiona blinked. And then she actually said, ”Of course I'll come, Lacey.”

And Helen said, ”Well. Thank you for inviting me. I'll do my best to attend.”

”Terrific.” Lacey fluffed her hair and straightened her midnight-blue sequined sheath-no leaks yet, thank

G.o.d. ”I can't tell you how much I'll enjoy having both of you there.” She turned, edged around the dazed-looking Fiona and headed for the exit door, pausing before she went out to remark pleasantly, ”This has been a great party. But the chickenKievwas just a tad dry, didn't you think?”

Fiona and Helen looked at each other. They both nodded.

”Yes,” said Fiona.

”A little dry,” Helen concurred.

Chapter 15.

During the drive home, Lacey toldLoga.n.a.ll about the incident in the ladies' room.

He did not look pleased when she related the things Fiona and Helen had said, but then a half-smile curved his lips as she described how she'd marched out of the stall and spoken right up to them.

And then he said what she already knew. ”You probably would have been wiser to have spoken up right away-or to have left it alone and kept quiet until they left.”

”I agree, but you know how I am.” She leaned across the console and touched a finger to his lips. ”And I saw that smile. You don't completely disapprove of the way I reacted.”

He caught her hand, kissed the fingers,then let go to execute a turn.

”And besides,” she said. ”Ilike Fiona. And Helen's basically okay, too. They can be a little stuffy, but they're still good at heart-a lot like you, actually, in that respect.”

”Oh, I'm stuffy, am I?”

”If the lab coat fits ... but it's okay. I love you anyway. And if I hadn't stood up to those women right then, I would have had to do it later, or ended up resenting them. This way, we all know where we stand.”

”No doubt about that.” He casther a look. ”And what about thisL.A.opening you invented out of thin air?”

She hesitated, not sure she wanted to get into the subject of the call she hoped to receive from Belinda Goldstone.

He prompted, ”Well?”

”I think I'll play that by ear.”

He sent her another glance, an amused one this time. ”I guess you will.”

She waited a little nervously for him to say something else about the supposed art show. But he didn't. So she let it go. She'd stick with her original plan and tell him after she knew more-if it turned out there actuallywas more. It was always possible that both Barnaby and Xavier had misread the art dealer's reaction.

Maybe, in the end, there would be no call from Belinda Goldstone. That thought made her feel more than a little deflated.

But then she reminded herself of the painting she'd been working on, the one of the twins. It was coming together pretty well. Shewas working again. Shedid have talent and she wasn't going to give up, whether Belinda Goldstone offered to be her dealer or not.

Rosie was hungry when they got home. And Lacey was more than ready to feed her.Loganpaid the sitter and drove her home.

When he returned, they took Rosie to bed with them. They snuggled in, all three of them, and turned on the television in the sitting area to a channel that was playing an old Hitchc.o.c.k thriller. Rosiefell asleep first, cuddled between them.

Lacey dropped off soon after that. She woke a little later to find her husband snoring softly and her baby still sound asleep as well, sucking her tiny fist. On the television,TippiHedren screamed under brutal attack by a flock of furious crows. Lacey found the remote and pointed it at the television.

The screen went black. She kissed her baby and brushed her husband's dark hair off his forehead.

”And Fiona thinks it's mostly physical,” she murmured fondly. Then she pulled the covers close and joined her family in sleep.

Fiona called the next day to apologize. ”I was completely out of line to speak that way of you. I've just been agonizing that you're going to hate me.”

Lacey said, ”I don't hate you, Fiona. I like you. And I agree with a lot of what you said last night.”

”You ... you do?” ”Absolutely. MarryingLoganisthe best thing that ever happened to me. And sinceI'm the best thing thatever happened to him, I'd say we're an excellent match.”

Fiona took a moment to digest that bit of logic. Then she chuckled. ”Lacey, my dear, you are a breath of fresh air. Tell me, can I still count on you for Sat.u.r.day? The Aid to the Indigent rummage sale?” Lacey a.s.sured Fiona that yes, she'd be there to handle a booth. ”And about those reminder calls...” ”I made the first set already. And I'll call everyone again in the next couple of days.” ”You are an angel.” ”Well, I wouldn't gothat far.” * * *

Atone o'clockMonday afternoon, Belinda Goldstone called.

At first, she spoke in hushed, awe-struck tones, praising the nine figure studies she'd seen in Barnaby Cole's studio, calling them fresh and exciting and ”hauntingly sensual.”

Then she got down to business. ”As I'm sure you've guessed by now, I would like to represent your work. Now, I know this is a lot to take in all at once, but as it turns out, I have an unexpected hole in my gallery's schedule.”

One of her artists, she explained, had moved toNew York. ”TheSoHoscene has gone to his head,” Belinda grumbled. ”The wretched little ingrate has jumped s.h.i.+p to go with a dealer there. He was scheduled to show in March. I'd like to put you in his slot. We'd hang the paintings I saw at Barnaby Cole's studio, of course. And do you have anything else that's ready to show ... orcould be ready by then?” Lacey felt slightly dizzy. Six months. Six months until her first major show, aone-woman show. With Belinda Goldstone's gallery. ”The silence is deafening,” said Belinda. ”Am I pus.h.i.+ng too fast? We could wait until next October. Would that be better? That will give you a full year to-” ”No. No, March should be fine.”

”You sound unsure.”

”I'm not. It's just ... what you said. A lot to take in. But I have a few other paintings stored at Barnaby's. You could take a look at them. And I've been working on some things more recently, too.” She was thinking of the painting of Mira and Maud, of some ideas she had that would center on Rosie-and the sketches she'd done ofLogan, asleep in the cabin inWyoming. She'd been planning to do more with those very soon.