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I pull allery, by both necessity and preference The chilly evening wind lifts off the nearby ocean, blowing loose strands ofhair astray with it Goosebuather ant knee-length sheath dress Okay, Ella’s dress and shawl actually, but ere always borrowing each other’s clothes As a foret her phone to ring through I click my lock into place and slide my keys into the dainty, creaht on the pier last suhts, the action of the SoMa Art District, bustling with people enjoying the stores, alleries I don’t come down here often I just can’t It re though, I realize, nearly a year since I’ve enjoyed thefrolass structures to old warehouses converted into home and work spaces, was as s on the concrete walls of the rando special here I feel alive here It’s what I feel when I leave that I dislike

Bringing the gallery into view, I pause to watch a group of elegantly dressed visitors pour through its double glass doors lined in shiny silver for the black-tie affair Artsy swirls of red letters, displayed above the entry, spell "ALLURE"

Nerves flutter in h I can’t say why I love the contemporary art Allure specializes in, love their mix of local, new artists who I can discover, as well as the established names whose work I already appreciate Nerves are ridiculous I’m uncomfortable in this world, but then, this isn’t my world It’s Rebecca’s, and Rebecca is the real reason I’old atch, also bought at the pier, confirms I have plenty of time to spare It is seven forty-five, fifteenthat will be displayed in the gallery and up for silent auction through the end of the week Oh how I’d love to have an Alvarez original, but they don’t coirl can dream

Excite brunette woman in a simple black dress holds it open for me and offers allery, noting the nervous energy bouncing off the twenty-soy that see" This isn’t Rebecca, who I knoill be daringly bold and confident In fact, the hostess brings out the schoolteacher inand tell her she’s doing fine I’ot it from my mother, just like I did my love of art, only I wasn’t talented with a brush as she had been

The girl is saved fro froh the air and draws my attention to thethe four-thousand-square-foot wonder that is the Allure gallery, but it doesn’t diain

The entryway opens to thewhite wonder The walls are snohite, the floor glistening like white diamonds The shiny divider walls curve like abstract waves, and each of the, colorful artwork

I turn away fro to business before pleasure, and present ant with long, raven hair "Rebecca?" I ask hopefully

"No, sorry," she says "I’lass doors at an approaching custo woman can connect me with Rebecca I listen attentively while she directs the new guest to a short stairway that leads toward the music, and apparently, the location where Ricco Alvarez will be unveiling his masterpiece

"Sorry for the interruption," Tesse finally says, givingfor Rebecca Unfortunately she isn’t attending tonight’s event Is there so I can help you with?"

Disappoint someone in Rebecca’s role would likely do I just want to know, for certain, that Rebecca is safe Painting er doesn’t seem the way to do that "My sister’s an old friend of Rebecca’s She toldher new phone nu events like this one She’ll be disappointed I missed her"

"Oh, I hate that you enuinely concerned "I’m not only new, I only work part tioing on internally, but I think Rebecca took some personal tier here," she says "He’ll be tied up with the presentation soon, but I can introduce you to him afterwards if you like?"

I nod "Yes Please That would be perfect"

The piano stops abruptly "They’re about to start," Tesse inforrab a seat while you still can I’ll be sure to help you connect with Mark after the presentation"

A thrill shoots through me "Thank you soarea I can’t believe that I ainal presented by Alvarez hile" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7451196230453695" data-ad-slot="9930101810" data-ad-format="auto" data-full-width-responsive="true">