Page 11 (1/2)
She snarls, "He took everything from me He’ll do the sa to you again, you’re mistaken I only do stupid once per person Sorry, you used your turn already"
Sophia’s eyes burn a hole in my face "What will it take? A cut? You want his money? Fine Consider it done I’ve spent the past twenty years trying to erase thatI want"
I stare at her "Cole’s changing his naoing to let you win Not this time" I toss rabs my elbow I jerk to a stop When I turn back to look at her, she’s in my face
"Those pictures will destroyopposed to trash like that I can’t be seen ive it toa two-faced bitch is your own daood for the with Cole We are at his favorite restaurant for dinner It’s quiet tonight There are a scattering of people at the tables around us They lean in close and speak softly The candlelight flickers between us, highlighting his beautiful face I’ Chucks It earned us strange looks alked in, butonto Cole’s arm, to our table, the waiter made that ah-ha face No one appreciates juxtaposition in attire, except hobos and artists Cole smiles at me
After we’re seated, I look at my hands and then back up at his face "I knoe said ouldn’t talk about court tonight, but I need to tell you soet to tell his She wants thelass in his hand He stops, mid-sip, and his mouth falls open He chokes out the words, "What? Why would she…?" he falls quiet and then nods, placing his glass back on the table He shakes his head "I can’t believe this All this time, she wanted those pictures Is that what she’s been after?"
"Cole, I don’t understand why she even wants them It’s not like anyone would knoas her They were taken twenty years ago Not to be mean, but she doesn’t look the san, no one would think it was her anyway"
Cole s his head His dark hair ers through his hair and tug However, I e to remain in inal ies showed her face When I processed them and put them onto canvas, I altered the pictures to what you saw They were supposed to be a wedding gift" He s ahead after that Anyway, Sophia never saw the ies, but she knoe shot What you saell, those weren’t the original crop lines Sophia doesn’t knohat I have or what I don’t--she’s guessing--and after you , she thinks you saw the portraits and assumed the worst"
An idea bu ball It ju a cohesive plan It pulls a sether like an evil villain "You want to freak her out and shut her up at the sae, blood-thirsty way, Laht now" Cole sood ankle and he winks at allery shoith those portraits--the version you showed me--as the center pieces? The unseen, early work of Cole Stevens It could be the last show you do before you change your name We could hype the hell out of it People would swa the media Sottero would wet herself, until she shows up and sees what you did, which is spectacular by the way" I grin at hiether Maybe it’s not diabolical, but it would get rid of her Plus, it gives the world a glimpse of the Cole that I think is utterly fantastic "Maybe she’ll buy theain"
Cole stares at me I can’t tell what he thinks Soe bone I think I have two They’re both pretty sether, they can be kick ass Besides, Sophia needs to get over herself She needs to see that she’s a hypocritical idiot I know she’ll love those paintings, as much as I know she never saw them
"When?" he finally asks The waiter comes by with our order The food smells heavenly
After the waiter leaves, I say, "This weekend It gives us a few days to pull things together I can alert Em and she can tell the rest of the news people I’allery…"
"I can handle that," he says cutting into a huge steak
"And I want to design the invitations," I’ up and down in my seat I know exactly what I’ll do I’ll use the left side of the purple painting that shows the curves of her waist and chest, but nothing else They’ll be elegant, black and white, with a touch of purple The invitation will be written on sheer rice paper, and attached on top of the gallery inize it, but no one else will
"Re up at me
"Dude, it’s been twenty years It’s time for Sophia to learn her lesson already"
CHAPTER 11