Page 104 of Love Deep

I pat my handbag and chuckle to myself at her excitement about reading. Let’s hope it stays like that.

“I see the sign,” she says as we continue up the street.

My stomach flips as I see where Riley’s pointing across the street at a simple white sign with black lettering. This is it. I’m in New York. About to talk to a gallery owner about my paintings.

The door is all glass, but when I try to enter it, it doesn’t open. My heart starts to race. Did I get the wrong time? The wrong day? Has she changed her mind and decided to keep the place closed to avoid me.

“You need to ring the bell,” Riley says, as she presses the buzzer on the doorframe. “It’s for security,” she says, sagely.

Grace appears in a few seconds, beaming at us both as she approaches the door.

“She’s really pretty,” Riley mutters.

“Yeah. She really is.”

“Riley, Juniper!” Grace says as she opens the door. “Thank you so much for coming. How is your first trip to New York?”

“Awesome,” says Riley.

“Awesome is good,” Grace says. “And you’re going to see Vivian Cross tonight, I hear?”

Riley nods. “She’s my favorite singer,” she says.

“Mine too,” Grace says, offering her a high five.

“Riley’s brought her book so we can talk.”

“Great,” Grace says. “My assistant has Connect 4 in the back if you’re interested? I’m warning you though, she always beats me.”

Riley grins. “I like that game.”

“Good,” Grace says. “Tanya, come and meet Riley.” She turns to me. “She’ll be perfectly safe. The door is locked, and if we get anyone in the gallery, Tanya can bring her in to sit with us, if you’d prefer.”

“Thank you.”

“Tanya, show Riley around the gallery. If she wants, she can read her book in the chair over there. That way she can see us while we’re in my office. Or you two can play Connect 4.”

“Got it. Gallery tour first?” Tanya asks.

Riley glances at me and then nods.

“I know what a worry it can be. When I bring my children into the city, I always get nervous, even though I’ve lived here my entire life. Anyway, enough about me. Comeon back. I hope you don’t mind, but I invited a friend of mine to join us.”

My breath catches in my chest, and I brace myself. She’s told Fisher I’m here. I’m going to see him. I won’t be able to hold it together.

“She’s an agent,” she says. “I think you might like her.”

I grin at Grace like I haven’t just done an emotional loop the loop. Okay, so not Fisher. That’s good, isn’t it? Good that I won’t see him. Good that the door is still firmly closed. That’s how it should be. How it has to be.

I follow Grace to the glass office at the back of the gallery. It doesn’t seem like much of an office to me. Just a room with a table and four chairs. And a tall blonde woman in a white suit.

She smiles as Grace opens the door. “Juniper French? I’m Rachel Grint.” We shake hands, and I try not to feel like the country bumpkin I so clearly am. I’m in jeans and a white shirt. I’m wearing sneakers and big panties. I bet these women don’t own a pair of sneakers. Or waist-high underwear.

“I’m very excited about your work,” Rachel says, as we all take a seat around the table. Grace guides me to the seat opposite the window, and I relax slightly because I can see Riley chatting away to Tanya as they both look at one of the paintings. “Grace has shown me some pictures, and then of course I’ve taken a look at your website. You’re very talented.”

“Thank you,” I say. “I never made it to art school or anything though. I don’t know if that means people aren’t going to like my work or?—”

“Art school isn’t a requirement to produce thoughtful, beautiful work. You’ve proven that. Like I said, you’re very talented.”