might part with a couple of the paintings for the right price and to the right home. She's a picky old bird."
"Are you talking about Di's Stowe's mother? She owns all these priceless paintings and more besides?
"Mrs. Rachel Stowe of New York City. No one can get her to say exactly how many she has stashed away. I'll see you again tomorrow then? I was certain this would be right up your alley." Sam clapped him on the back and headed off.
Jake was more in the dark than before, but of one thing he was certain. He was a complete fool. He'd kicked Di out of his house. What an idiot! "I'll be there."
Jake waded through the crowded room to get closer to Di. If he thought she looked like a million bucks in the dress he'd bought for her, then she looked like a billion tonight.
" Di," he said to her back and she turned to face him.
"Jake."
"I believe I owe you an apology."
For a second it seemed as if she would turn her back on him. Her face paled and she winced. Damn. Why had he been such a jerk?
Jake waited for a response, but she gave him nothing except a frown. It was clear she had no intention of making it easy on him, and he didn't blame her.
"I had no idea you were an expert on Raduski. I should've kept my big mouth shut."
Di opened her mouth, then snapped it closed again, her plush lips drawn into a tight line. “Theodore Raduski was my great-great grandfather. Why does it surprise you to learn I’m considered an expert?”
" I didn’t know. I guess I should have given you a chance to explain. And I didn’t realize you owned a collection of Rasuski’s. Since you don't have to lecture tonight, we could take a drive around the island."
Smooth, Jake. The woman doesn't even want to talk to you.
Di hesitated for so long he was certain she'd refuse. "I'd love to get out of here, but I don't want to leave these paintings until the gallery is closed and the guards are in place."
"Guards? Here on the island? It's not like anyone could make a quick getaway."
Di looked in both directions, as though someone was about to make a move on her paintings at that very moment. "This makes me so nervous. These paintings haven't been out of the house since before my mother was born."
"So a drive is out of the question?"
"If you can wait until after closing, I’ll consider it."
"I'll wait." Last thing he wanted was to stand in the same room with a cock so hard he couldn't walk without drawing attention to it. "Over in the corner, behind the potted palm."
She quirked her brows into another frown, then nodded. "I need to be available for questions."
"Maybe I better leave the palm to some other poor jerk with a boner. I want to hear every word you have to say about these paintings. I have three by the artist. No, I mean I have four."
"You believe me now?"
"I never should've doubted you."
"Raul told me about your problems with Boyd. It seems I landed in the middle of a long time feud without prior knowledge. It's not fair. I don't have a clue what's going on, except my life has taken a turn for the worst. And I don't know what to do about it."
Jake could swear he saw tears glistening in her eyes. "You're right. My problems with you have nothing to do with Boyd. Do they?"
* * * * *
Di wanted to say no. The back of her throat started to constrict. Before she knew it, tears were pouring down her face. Probably black tears, since Raul had been heavy-handed with the makeup.
She turned and ran for the restroom.
"What? Is it something I said?" Jake said to her back.
What have I done? Di didn't know what to do. She locked the door behind her and grabbed a handful of tissues from the countertop.
"Let me in." Raul.
"This is a woman's bathroom," she called to the zany hairdresser. He'd brought her to the gallery and had been so solicitous she wanted to scream.
"If you're in there ruining all my hard work, I'll be annoyed. Jake Forman has rocks for brains if he turned you away again."
Raul was talking
"Are you talking about Di's Stowe's mother? She owns all these priceless paintings and more besides?
"Mrs. Rachel Stowe of New York City. No one can get her to say exactly how many she has stashed away. I'll see you again tomorrow then? I was certain this would be right up your alley." Sam clapped him on the back and headed off.
Jake was more in the dark than before, but of one thing he was certain. He was a complete fool. He'd kicked Di out of his house. What an idiot! "I'll be there."
Jake waded through the crowded room to get closer to Di. If he thought she looked like a million bucks in the dress he'd bought for her, then she looked like a billion tonight.
" Di," he said to her back and she turned to face him.
"Jake."
"I believe I owe you an apology."
For a second it seemed as if she would turn her back on him. Her face paled and she winced. Damn. Why had he been such a jerk?
Jake waited for a response, but she gave him nothing except a frown. It was clear she had no intention of making it easy on him, and he didn't blame her.
"I had no idea you were an expert on Raduski. I should've kept my big mouth shut."
Di opened her mouth, then snapped it closed again, her plush lips drawn into a tight line. “Theodore Raduski was my great-great grandfather. Why does it surprise you to learn I’m considered an expert?”
" I didn’t know. I guess I should have given you a chance to explain. And I didn’t realize you owned a collection of Rasuski’s. Since you don't have to lecture tonight, we could take a drive around the island."
Smooth, Jake. The woman doesn't even want to talk to you.
Di hesitated for so long he was certain she'd refuse. "I'd love to get out of here, but I don't want to leave these paintings until the gallery is closed and the guards are in place."
"Guards? Here on the island? It's not like anyone could make a quick getaway."
Di looked in both directions, as though someone was about to make a move on her paintings at that very moment. "This makes me so nervous. These paintings haven't been out of the house since before my mother was born."
"So a drive is out of the question?"
"If you can wait until after closing, I’ll consider it."
"I'll wait." Last thing he wanted was to stand in the same room with a cock so hard he couldn't walk without drawing attention to it. "Over in the corner, behind the potted palm."
She quirked her brows into another frown, then nodded. "I need to be available for questions."
"Maybe I better leave the palm to some other poor jerk with a boner. I want to hear every word you have to say about these paintings. I have three by the artist. No, I mean I have four."
"You believe me now?"
"I never should've doubted you."
"Raul told me about your problems with Boyd. It seems I landed in the middle of a long time feud without prior knowledge. It's not fair. I don't have a clue what's going on, except my life has taken a turn for the worst. And I don't know what to do about it."
Jake could swear he saw tears glistening in her eyes. "You're right. My problems with you have nothing to do with Boyd. Do they?"
* * * * *
Di wanted to say no. The back of her throat started to constrict. Before she knew it, tears were pouring down her face. Probably black tears, since Raul had been heavy-handed with the makeup.
She turned and ran for the restroom.
"What? Is it something I said?" Jake said to her back.
What have I done? Di didn't know what to do. She locked the door behind her and grabbed a handful of tissues from the countertop.
"Let me in." Raul.
"This is a woman's bathroom," she called to the zany hairdresser. He'd brought her to the gallery and had been so solicitous she wanted to scream.
"If you're in there ruining all my hard work, I'll be annoyed. Jake Forman has rocks for brains if he turned you away again."
Raul was talking
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