"So, you approve. "
He grinned when she tipped her head up to look at him. "That's a trick question, and my mama didn't raise any fools. I say yes, and you'll rip my butt reminding me you don't need my approval. So I'm just going to say I like him. I like him a lot. "
"You're a slippery one, Harper Ashby. Tell you what. " She patted his back, eased away. "You can give me a hand in here for a while. I want to do up twenty bags of each weight category. "
"I thought you wanted Ruby to do that. "
"Changed my mind. Doing some uncomplicated and monotonous work ought to give you some time to reflect on the error of your ways. "
"Talk about slippery. "
"The day you can outwit me, my baby, is the day I see about moving myself into a home. Let's get started. "
AFTER WORK SHEwent straight home, and directly upstairs to clean up. Wary now, she checked the mail on her desk, looked through the bills. She couldn't say she was relieved when she found nothing. It was like waiting for the other shoe to drop.
There had been a similar sort of harassment right after the divorce, then a nice period of peace. When, she assumed, he'd had some other woman on the string and was too involved to waste his time poking sticks at an ex-wife.
She'd handled it then; she'd handle it now.
As she was dressing the phone rang. When it hit the third ring, she assumed David was otherwise occupied and answered herself.
"Good evening. Is Rosalind Harper available?"
"This is she. "
"Ms. Harper, this is Derek from the Carrington Gallery in New York. We're just following up to let you know the Vergano will be shipped to you tomorrow. "
"I don't think that's a good idea, Derek, is it? I didn't order anything from your gallery. "
"The Cristina Vergano, Ms. Harper. Your representative spoke with me personally only last week. "
"I don't have a representative. "
"Ms. Harper, I'm very confused. The charge has already been cleared to your account. Your representative indicated that you were very taken with the painting, and wished to have it shipped as soon as the showing was over. We've had considerable interest in this work, but as it was already sold - "
She rubbed hard at the back of her neck where the tension had settled. "It looks like we both have a problem, Derek. Let me give you some of the bad news. " She explained briefly, caught herself pacing as she spoke, and as a fresh headache brewed. She noted down the credit card company and number.
"This is very upsetting. "
"Yes," she agreed, "it certainly is. I'm sorry you and your gallery have been inconvenienced by this. Would you mind, just for curiosity's sake, telling me the name of the painting?"
"Vergano's a very powerful and dynamic artist. This oil on linen, custom framed by the artist, is from her Bitches collection. It's calledThe Amazing Bitch . "
"Of course it is," Roz replied.
She went though the routine, calling the credit card company, and her lawyer, then writing to both to document the incident.
She took aspirin before going down to the kitchen and pouring herself a large glass of wine.
David's note sat propped on the counter.
Hot date. An exceptional lasagna's on warm in the oven. Hayley and the baby went over to Logan's with Stella and the boys. They're having a little painting party. More than enough lasagna for two. Dr. Studly's in the library. Just warm up the bread, toss the salad - in the fridge - and you're set. Buon appetito!
David
P. S. Appropriate CDs already loaded in the player. Nowpleasego up and put on those Jimmy Choo's.
"Well. " She noted David had set the kitchen nook with festive plates, fat candles, a bottle of San Pellegrino, pale green glasses. And it explained why a bottle of good Italian red was breathing on the counter.