Kate Sherwood - Dark Horse 02 - Out of the Darkness by Kate Sherwood Page B
Authors: Kate Sherwood
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wear?”
“Dude, it’s an art show. You should come naked, let them all see something really beautiful.”
“Yeah, okay, and what’s the next option?”
Jeff laughs. “Anything, really. Evan’s coming straight from work, so he’ll be dressed for business, and my agent has some sort of suit picked out for me. But, honestly, there’ll be people there in jeans too. And Evan’s gonna stay the whole time, but I know it’s not your thing. Most people will just pop in for maybe an hour? Visit a bit, have a look at the paintings, then head out.”
“Okay, yeah.” It still doesn’t sound like a good time, but Dan can manage it. “And, hey… I do really want to see your stuff, your paintings. I mean… it’s interesting. I’m interested. I just don’t think I’m gonna have anything intelligent to say about any of them.”
“Nah, it’s art. It’s not about intelligence—although if it was, you’d have no problem, Dan—but it’s more just about impressions, or feelings. Just look at them and let your mind go, see where it takes you.”
“So, art’s kind of like an acid trip?”
“ Good art is.” Jeff’s voice is warm and rumbling, and Dan really wants to haul his ass into the truck and drive them somewhere private. They have got to get the rules worked out! Even if it turns out that Dan isn’t allowed to be with them one at a time, it’ll still be better than not knowing, better than wondering if he’s letting opportunities pass him by for no reason. And if he is allowed… but he’d better not let his mind go there.
“Okay, then, you’ve convinced me. I’ll be there. Is any time better than another?”
“Not really, I don’t think. Just whenever’s good for you.” “Yeah, okay. You better get back up to the house now. If they’re all stoned before you get there, they’ll be even more annoying.”
Jeff winces. “Yeah, good point.” He calls Lou back from whatever she’s investigating in the forest and then leans in and gives Dan a quick kiss. “We’ll see you tomorrow night, then.”
“Yeah. And, you know, good luck, or break a leg, or… whatever it is for art.”
Jeff laughs gently and waves, and Dan heads home.
Not shockingly, there’s no food in the apartment, and Dan has a brief pang of regret for the dinner he might have had at Evan’s. But overall, he’s glad to have a little time for himself, so he calls for takeout before climbing into the shower, and by the time he’s out and dressed, the food has arrived. He ordered a lot so that he could have leftovers for a few days, and it’s a good thing, because it turns out he’s starving. He doesn’t have a scale, but his clothes are starting to fit a bit looser than usual, maybe. He needs to remember to eat.
He stuffs himself and then stumbles off to bed, and when he wakes up the next morning there’s a cold panini for breakfast and some actual pizza to take for lunch, so he won’t have to listen to Tat nag him about the frozen kind. Not bad.
He raids his bookshelf before heading to work and drives up to the house instead of parking at the barn. It’s still pretty early, he realizes, and he doesn’t want to wake up the whole house with the doorbell, so he skulks around a little, looking for any signs of life. He sees Tia, the housekeeper, through the kitchen window and climbs up on the deck to knock on the French doors in the breakfast nook. He wonders belatedly just how tight security on the house is, and whether he’s just given some poor guards a heart attack thinking that he was trying to break in.
Tia greets him with a smile. “Did you come for breakfast? The rest aren’t up yet, the lazy creatures, but you can keep me company while I cook.”
“Oh, no, ma’am, I already ate. I just wanted to drop some books off for Tat. She seemed to be feeling pretty good yesterday, but if she goes off the painkillers she might not want to move around a lot.” He holds out the grocery bag he’d filled
“Dude, it’s an art show. You should come naked, let them all see something really beautiful.”
“Yeah, okay, and what’s the next option?”
Jeff laughs. “Anything, really. Evan’s coming straight from work, so he’ll be dressed for business, and my agent has some sort of suit picked out for me. But, honestly, there’ll be people there in jeans too. And Evan’s gonna stay the whole time, but I know it’s not your thing. Most people will just pop in for maybe an hour? Visit a bit, have a look at the paintings, then head out.”
“Okay, yeah.” It still doesn’t sound like a good time, but Dan can manage it. “And, hey… I do really want to see your stuff, your paintings. I mean… it’s interesting. I’m interested. I just don’t think I’m gonna have anything intelligent to say about any of them.”
“Nah, it’s art. It’s not about intelligence—although if it was, you’d have no problem, Dan—but it’s more just about impressions, or feelings. Just look at them and let your mind go, see where it takes you.”
“So, art’s kind of like an acid trip?”
“ Good art is.” Jeff’s voice is warm and rumbling, and Dan really wants to haul his ass into the truck and drive them somewhere private. They have got to get the rules worked out! Even if it turns out that Dan isn’t allowed to be with them one at a time, it’ll still be better than not knowing, better than wondering if he’s letting opportunities pass him by for no reason. And if he is allowed… but he’d better not let his mind go there.
“Okay, then, you’ve convinced me. I’ll be there. Is any time better than another?”
“Not really, I don’t think. Just whenever’s good for you.” “Yeah, okay. You better get back up to the house now. If they’re all stoned before you get there, they’ll be even more annoying.”
Jeff winces. “Yeah, good point.” He calls Lou back from whatever she’s investigating in the forest and then leans in and gives Dan a quick kiss. “We’ll see you tomorrow night, then.”
“Yeah. And, you know, good luck, or break a leg, or… whatever it is for art.”
Jeff laughs gently and waves, and Dan heads home.
Not shockingly, there’s no food in the apartment, and Dan has a brief pang of regret for the dinner he might have had at Evan’s. But overall, he’s glad to have a little time for himself, so he calls for takeout before climbing into the shower, and by the time he’s out and dressed, the food has arrived. He ordered a lot so that he could have leftovers for a few days, and it’s a good thing, because it turns out he’s starving. He doesn’t have a scale, but his clothes are starting to fit a bit looser than usual, maybe. He needs to remember to eat.
He stuffs himself and then stumbles off to bed, and when he wakes up the next morning there’s a cold panini for breakfast and some actual pizza to take for lunch, so he won’t have to listen to Tat nag him about the frozen kind. Not bad.
He raids his bookshelf before heading to work and drives up to the house instead of parking at the barn. It’s still pretty early, he realizes, and he doesn’t want to wake up the whole house with the doorbell, so he skulks around a little, looking for any signs of life. He sees Tia, the housekeeper, through the kitchen window and climbs up on the deck to knock on the French doors in the breakfast nook. He wonders belatedly just how tight security on the house is, and whether he’s just given some poor guards a heart attack thinking that he was trying to break in.
Tia greets him with a smile. “Did you come for breakfast? The rest aren’t up yet, the lazy creatures, but you can keep me company while I cook.”
“Oh, no, ma’am, I already ate. I just wanted to drop some books off for Tat. She seemed to be feeling pretty good yesterday, but if she goes off the painkillers she might not want to move around a lot.” He holds out the grocery bag he’d filled
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