“It really upset me that you assumed I can’t make my own decisions.”
He makes a face. “It’s been pointed out to me that I’m treating you like a doll. Or something. Anyway all the other women in my life have pointed out the error of my ways. Repeatedly.”
“Well good. That really hurt him that you thought he’d take advantage of me. And for the record, Zack didn’t have to trick me into falling for him. I fell a long time ago.”
He picks at the edge of the desk. “I just had to know that he wasn’t hurting you. I promised that I’d never let anyone hurt you again. And that promise I made to you has reminded me of the kind of person I want to be over the years. I owe you for that.”
I shake my head, moved by what he’s said. “You don’t owe me anything. We’re friends. That’s part of the job.”
Because I know he won’t make the first move, I walk over and hug him. “I love you Gabe but the next time you pull that crap I’m going to kick your ass.”
He bursts out laughing. “Duly noted.”
“So did you get a chance to walk the exhibit?”
“The pictures are fantastic, Jo. Really amazing.” He sounds awed.
“Really?” My voice is small and I know he can tell that I need the reassurance.
“Yeah. I told Zack that I was sorry before we came here tonight but I’d have said it anyway after seeing this. You really love him, don’t you?”
“I do. It’s always been him. Even when he had no idea and made my life hell every day.”
He laughs. “You guys did have some arguments for the ages. Hopefully that means you’ve gotten it all out of your systems.”
I recall our passionate lovemaking the night before. Zack usually takes me nice and slow until I feel like I’ll die before I get what I need but then there’s the times when we’re going at each furiously. Almost like angry sex.
“I hope we never get it all out of our systems.”
Gabe pretends like he’s sticking his finger down his throat. “I don’t want to know.”
I laugh at the look of disgust on his face. “I told Jamie that you were being a douchenozzle about this whole thing.”
That makes him crack up. “I love that. I’ll have to start using that one.”
We’re still laughing when the door opens again. Mr. Hartwell gestures to me. “It’s time, Ms. Harlow. Are you ready to meet your adoring fans?”
Gabe hugs me and then pushes me toward the door. “Go, be fearless.”
“Thanks, Gabe.”
I follow Mr. Hartwell out of the office and down the hall. When we enter the main gallery, he accepts a microphone from someone. When he calls my name, I’m nearly deafened by the applause. But all I’m doing is looking for the only face in the crowd that matters.
Zack.
When I see him, I smile and revel in the spotlight.
†
I’m in the middle of talking to a potential buyer when I see them. My parents. My mouth falls open and I stop speaking mid-sentence. The buyer stops talking too and glances around us, trying to figure out what I’m staring at.
“Would you excuse me?”
I don’t even wait for an answer before I walk away. My brother and Izzie are here somewhere but I doubt he would have told my parents. They’ve been just as dismissive of his relationship as they’ve been of mine. If he’d known they planned to be here, he would have warned me for sure.
My mother sees me coming first. She’s standing in front of one of the early pictures in the series, from when Zack and I first decided to take this journey together. We were walking and I’d just told him that he was my first kiss. The look of awed wonder on his face contrasted with the barren trees behind him is quite striking. I titled the image, The Revelation.
“Josephine.”