few feet and observed.
“Gabriel, I’m fine.” Sebastian seemed flustered at their arrival. “What are you doing here?”
“We talked yesterday. I was bringing Bella to see the gallery and talk to you when we saw all the police tape.” He gestured to the front of the building.
Glancing my direction, Sebastian mouthed an apology before responding to them. “I’m fine. Obviously now is not the time to discuss business.”
The woman started to wander around the gallery. She paused beside me a moment and smiled. After a slight struggle, I smiled back. Based on her attire and jewelry, this woman obviously had money, which made me uncomfortable. Unconsciously, I pulled my sweater tighter around me to hide my worn t-shirt. “Hi, I’m Isabella. Do you work here?” The woman extended her hand.
“I’m Marisa.” Hesitantly, I shook. “I’ll be making some repairs.”
Isabella looked me over and sighed. “I’m so jealous. Gabriel insisted I wear business attire today. I prefer my leggings and t-shirts. You look way more comfortable than I feel.”
A genuine smile spread on my face. This woman was nothing like I expected and I started to tell her so. “Huh. I guess I thought…”
Isabella waved her hand. Her diamond rings caught the light. “Gabriel has money. I’m a photographer.” She grinned. “What do you do?”
“Well…the repairs…”
Shaking her head, Isabella pressed harder. “I know what you said, but I think there’s more to it than that. I know an artist when I see one.”
Raising my hands to object, I explained. “I’m more crafty than artistic.” My phone caught Isabella’s eye.
“Oh, do you have pictures on there?” She reached for my phone.
Sighing, I nodded. “Actually, I do.” Slowly, I pulled up the albums on my phone. This would definitely clear things up. “It’s nothing, really.” Feeling incredibly self-conscious, I passed the phone.
Isabella began scrolling, pausing on some, moving faster on others. She stopped altogether on a redesigned dresser. “I love this one. You’re really good. You have a great eye for colors and style.” She shook her head. “The only difference between an art and a craft is merely location.”
“Location?” I frowned in confusion.
“Yeah. If you displayed them here, they’re suddenly art.” She nodded knowingly.
“Bella, my love.” Gabriel waltzed over to his wife. “Sebastian insists now is a terrible time to talk.”
“No worries. Will he call when he has time for us?” She smiled lovingly at her husband while he wrapped an arm around her waist.
“Absolutely. You know how much he wants to display your work.” He kissed her temple.
I didn’t realize how much I was staring, until Gabriel acknowledged me. I was completely mesmerized by their interactions. My hand clutched at my heart as I imagined what it would be like to have someone love me like that. That kind of love would be worth marrying for.
Suddenly, his hand was stretched out in front of my face. “I’m Gabriel. I seem to have forgotten my manners.” He laughed. “Bella has that effect on me, I’m afraid.” He winked at his wife.
“Marisa.” I shook his hand. “Nice to meet you.”
Isabella made a much better introduction. “Marisa is incredibly talented. I saw a dresser I might like for Rebecca’s room.” She eyed her husband.
Gabriel smiled at Marisa. “Do you accept credit cards? Otherwise, I’ll need to go to an ATM.”
The dresser in question currently stood in my room and held all of my clothes. I hesitated for a moment as I mulled over the idea. I could find a new dresser. What I had trouble finding was money. “I’ll need help moving it. And it’s one hundred dollars.”
“What?” Isabella frowned and reached for the phone.
Nervously, I bit my lip. Maybe I was too greedy. After all, the dresser had been free, found on the side of the road in a nice neighborhood. All I supplied was the elbow grease and know how.
Staring at
“Gabriel, I’m fine.” Sebastian seemed flustered at their arrival. “What are you doing here?”
“We talked yesterday. I was bringing Bella to see the gallery and talk to you when we saw all the police tape.” He gestured to the front of the building.
Glancing my direction, Sebastian mouthed an apology before responding to them. “I’m fine. Obviously now is not the time to discuss business.”
The woman started to wander around the gallery. She paused beside me a moment and smiled. After a slight struggle, I smiled back. Based on her attire and jewelry, this woman obviously had money, which made me uncomfortable. Unconsciously, I pulled my sweater tighter around me to hide my worn t-shirt. “Hi, I’m Isabella. Do you work here?” The woman extended her hand.
“I’m Marisa.” Hesitantly, I shook. “I’ll be making some repairs.”
Isabella looked me over and sighed. “I’m so jealous. Gabriel insisted I wear business attire today. I prefer my leggings and t-shirts. You look way more comfortable than I feel.”
A genuine smile spread on my face. This woman was nothing like I expected and I started to tell her so. “Huh. I guess I thought…”
Isabella waved her hand. Her diamond rings caught the light. “Gabriel has money. I’m a photographer.” She grinned. “What do you do?”
“Well…the repairs…”
Shaking her head, Isabella pressed harder. “I know what you said, but I think there’s more to it than that. I know an artist when I see one.”
Raising my hands to object, I explained. “I’m more crafty than artistic.” My phone caught Isabella’s eye.
“Oh, do you have pictures on there?” She reached for my phone.
Sighing, I nodded. “Actually, I do.” Slowly, I pulled up the albums on my phone. This would definitely clear things up. “It’s nothing, really.” Feeling incredibly self-conscious, I passed the phone.
Isabella began scrolling, pausing on some, moving faster on others. She stopped altogether on a redesigned dresser. “I love this one. You’re really good. You have a great eye for colors and style.” She shook her head. “The only difference between an art and a craft is merely location.”
“Location?” I frowned in confusion.
“Yeah. If you displayed them here, they’re suddenly art.” She nodded knowingly.
“Bella, my love.” Gabriel waltzed over to his wife. “Sebastian insists now is a terrible time to talk.”
“No worries. Will he call when he has time for us?” She smiled lovingly at her husband while he wrapped an arm around her waist.
“Absolutely. You know how much he wants to display your work.” He kissed her temple.
I didn’t realize how much I was staring, until Gabriel acknowledged me. I was completely mesmerized by their interactions. My hand clutched at my heart as I imagined what it would be like to have someone love me like that. That kind of love would be worth marrying for.
Suddenly, his hand was stretched out in front of my face. “I’m Gabriel. I seem to have forgotten my manners.” He laughed. “Bella has that effect on me, I’m afraid.” He winked at his wife.
“Marisa.” I shook his hand. “Nice to meet you.”
Isabella made a much better introduction. “Marisa is incredibly talented. I saw a dresser I might like for Rebecca’s room.” She eyed her husband.
Gabriel smiled at Marisa. “Do you accept credit cards? Otherwise, I’ll need to go to an ATM.”
The dresser in question currently stood in my room and held all of my clothes. I hesitated for a moment as I mulled over the idea. I could find a new dresser. What I had trouble finding was money. “I’ll need help moving it. And it’s one hundred dollars.”
“What?” Isabella frowned and reached for the phone.
Nervously, I bit my lip. Maybe I was too greedy. After all, the dresser had been free, found on the side of the road in a nice neighborhood. All I supplied was the elbow grease and know how.
Staring at
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