Page 39 of The Bad Boy’s Homecoming (The Southern Hart Brothers #2)
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
Missy
My Moment
F eeling confident in the black sequin dress that looked demure and professional in front but had a low-cut sexy back, Missy walked into the gallery with Levi.
They were at least an hour early. She’d wanted to see all the pieces hung and just take in the exhibit before anyone arrived.
She was surprised to see a small black carpet lined the front of the gallery, a valet stand, and there was already some press out front.
“I wonder how many people she is planning for?” Missy said to Levi who sat in the back of the black SUV he’d hired to take them to the gallery.
He instructed the driver to take them to the back entrance.
“Babe, I think you’re in for a whirlwind event tonight and you’ll be Cinderella at the ball. Just remember, if you get overwhelmed, you’re an amazing talent.” She squeezed his hand and then he nodded outside the window.
“Looks like the welcome wagon is here to greet you.”
Missy spotted Rose holding a bouquet of flowers and several of the staff waiting with big smiles.
The driver popped out of the car and opened her door, and she was greeted by Rose who also seemed to know Levi.
“Rose is married to one of my former teammates,” Levi explained.
Missy realized that must have been how Rose had learned about Missy’s paintings. And she gave Levi a knowing look.
“Missy, we’re so excited to be showcasing your talent here tonight. And I for one am eager for you to see all your pieces hung together.” She handed her the flowers and gave her a big hug.
After walking in through the gallery’s side door, Rose led them into a back hallway that had a sign with Missy’s name in bold letters. Levi had her stop next to the sign and took her picture along with someone working for the gallery.
“Now you’ll want to make sure we got the flow right and we still have time to change the placement of any pieces. I want you to be sure it’s right.”
Missy just nodded, unsure she could ever find anything wrong with seeing her own works of art hung in a prestigious gallery for anyone besides her family to visit and look at.
They walked through the large open main room of the gallery where there were two small bars set up on either end, and a dozen tall cocktail tables with black tablecloths.
Then Rose led them into the primary gallery space and hanging on the tall two-story wall was over a dozen pieces of her work.
As she stepped farther inside the space she could see how they flowed into the next room, and she followed them to the smaller space that held the darker, more intimate pieces she’d done.
Several that Levi had not seen yet were the primary pieces of this showcase.
The black frames made the art pop, and the smaller room walls were painted black, giving the art the illusion of floating.
Levi took her hand and squeezed it before his mouth was on her ear. “I’m buying this piece, no matter what you say.”
She shook her head. “I saved a few other pieces I thought you might like.”
Rose smiled like a proud mama. “What do you think?”
“It’s perfect—shocking really how you can plan the display in such a way that you take the viewer on a journey.
“We’ve been calling it the Oh My collection,” Rose said, and glanced at Levi who had one hand wrapped around her middle.
“I like that,” he said. “No one knows what will happen next.”
She looked up at him, and he kissed her with a light peck.
“I know, but they’ll have to wait to find out,” he said.
She shook her head and looked back at Rose. “So, then, we’re ready?”
“Yes. If you don’t mind, I’d like to have a few photos taken of you for press releases.”
“Okay.” She followed Rose, and Levi hung back.
Before she knew it the gallery was filling up. There was even a bouncer at the door making sure only people on the list could get in, and she hadn’t seen one familiar face until Declan arrived.
He hugged her, lifting her off her feet.
“If Mama and Daria could see you now…but I know they’re watching from above,” he said. His voice rough with emotion.
“Do not make me cry in front of all these strangers.” She hugged him and turned him toward the space where her work was hung.
Rose stood at the entryway and smiled at Declan.
“You must be so proud,” Rose said.
Missy introduced them and squirmed when Declan spoke about how talented he always knew she was. Then Rose offered to walk with him through the pieces. And then she was caught up in another hug when Brooke, Dalton, Mrs. Hart, and Mr. Greer found her.
“This is so amazing and I’m so proud of you. Did you know we got to walk a black carpet out front and the press took our picture,” Brooke said.
Before she could respond Mrs. Hart cupped her face. “You enjoy every bit of this night and know it is just beginning, my girl. And to think you did all this in my little old sunroom.”
Dalton and Mr. Greer also gave her big hugs and it was nice to feel like she had her own team there to root for her.
For so long she’d felt alone in the world but now she realized family weren’t just the people you were related to.
And even if things ended with Levi tomorrow, these people would support her; they were hers too.
“Now where is that handsome grandson of mine?” Mrs. Hart said as she looked around the room.
“I’m right here, Gran,” Dalton teased.
But they all looked around until they spotted Levi in the back of the entry space with several young women smiling up at him as he signed napkins.
“Hmmm, baseball bunnies,” Gran said.
And as if Levi could hear her his eyes found them, and he walked away from the crowd he’d amassed.
“Gran, thank you for saving me.” He gave his grandmother a kiss on the cheek and then slipped his arm around Missy’s back. “What a crowd, right?”
They all chatted but Missy wondered how much Levi enjoyed the spectacle of attention from random women.
Was it like that everywhere he went or just because he was a prominent athlete in Atlanta?
Would it be like that now in Tampa too? There were several flashes of lights as more photographers joined the event and snapped pictures of the crowd and her.
Two hours later and it was a complete crush.
While the numbers of people allowed into the actual showcase were limited by a red rope and several gallery attendants, the anteroom was filled.
Jazzy music played, people were enjoying the open bar, and Missy was both ready for the night to end and hoped it never did.
“It’s so strange to see you in this setting,” a voice she recognized said from behind her.
An unsettled feeling washed over as she turned to find her ex, Peter, standing there with a glass of champagne and a cocky grin.
“I was shocked to learn you had another hidden talent.” He stepped closer and wound an arm around her back to embrace her. But the feel of his hand on her bare back made her freeze and she pulled away, bumping into another guest.
“I’m working for the Ballard firm, just like we talked about doing. How come you never told me about your art?”
“Why are you here?” Missy said.
“What do you mean? I had to see you. I had to see your work.” He turned his head to look into the gallery. “I have to say it’s much more intense than I imagined, but to be honest I didn’t know what to expect. Since you never told me about it.” His tone made it sound as if he were the injured party.
But before she could respond he was ushering her to move to an alcove off the main gallery. “Are you back in Atlanta for good? I want to see you.”
“See me? What, why?”
“I think I made a mistake. I was stressed out in school and if I’m honest I was jealous of how easy everything came to you. Then what happened, it was all too much.”
“I thought you said you never loved me, and I was pathetic.”
“Because I thought we couldn’t have two attorneys just starting out in the same house, but things have changed. You could do your art, and I’ve settled in at the firm.”
She couldn’t understand what she was hearing—now he wanted her back? After almost a year of never hearing from him, after he chose another woman over her?
“You shouldn’t be here. I’m not moving back to Atlanta.”
“But you could. We were so good together.” His hand reached out to her again and she didn’t want to cause a scene.
This was the man she’d thought she’d been in love with. They’d been inseparable until he broke her heart. Now he wanted her back, on the biggest night of her life. Before she could respond Declan approached and had an odd look on his face.
“Missy, is everything okay?”
“Um, yes.” She hesitated on what to say because she’d never told Delcan about what had happened.
Declan put his arm around Missy possessively. “I think Rose is looking for you,” he said.
“Okay,” she said, searching the room, eager to get away from Peter and this awkward moment.
Finally Levi came into view but he was in the middle of what looked like a heated discussion with another tall man attending the event.
Levi had his hands at his sides and his fists were clenched.
Then she spotted the man had a press tag on his lapel.
They were required to wear them for entry into the event.
Levi’s eyes flashed to her but then he shook his head before he looked away again.
In the next moment he walked away from the reporter and headed for the back door.
He didn’t so much as stop to say goodbye or look back at her.
She wanted to go after him, but then Peter put out his arm to give her arm a stroke in front of Declan. And she shirked it away.
“I was just trying to convince Missy to come back to Atlanta full-time, so we can give things another shot.” He smiled down at her.
“Peter, I’m never getting back together with you. You’re a small, cruel, insecure person, and I can’t believe I wasted any time on you. You need to leave.”