The Lonely Artist Read online

  “Well, we wouldn’t want that. It’s good that you’re responsible. Now, I need to find out if you’re efficient. I have a task for you. Consider it a test if you will.”

  “Okay, what would you like me to do for you, Ms McDowan?”

  “I believe I’ve already told you to call me Corrine.”

  “Yes, of course. What can I do for you, Corrine?”

  “I have a potential buy, a bronze vase from the Greek 600 B.C. period. I need it authenticated and assessed for value ASAP.”

  “No problem. Is it in archives? I can have them bring it up to my office.”

  “We might be getting a bit ahead of ourselves. We should discuss your salary.” She took a sip of wine and ran her tongue over her lips as her eyes bore into me, waiting for my reply.

  “I want the job. I’m sure whatever the pay is, it's fine,” I said.

  She leaned forward in her chair, an expression of conspiracy on her face as if she were about to tell me a secret, perhaps the secret to life. “You know, Katrina, this job requires strong negotiation skills. You’ll have to work on that. You’re poker face sucks.”

  “In this case, whatever you’re paying beats being unemployed, I’m sure.”

  “Yes, it does. The salary is one hundred thousand, plus traveling expenses and full benefits.”

  “Wow, Corrine, that sounds more than reasonable.”

  “You don’t want to ask for more?”

  “No, I’m satisfied.”

  “Hmm, maybe you should leave all negotiations done on behalf of the gallery to me.” She gave me a wink.

  “I see no need to negotiate in this instance. We both know I’m not going to get a better offer. I’d prefer to get down to work.” Anyway, I was fully aware that the average curator with my level of experience was lucky to make sixty grand a year. She was either overly generous, or not as skilled at negotiations as she was pretending to be.

  “That’s an impressive come back. I like that answer. We’ll start with you authenticating my vase and see how that goes. I hope you don’t let me down.”

  “No, I won’t.”

  “The seller is having a cocktail party tonight. He’s an old friend of mine. It’d be wise of you to come along with me. Networking is everything in this business, so you might as well get your feet wet. It’s a formal. Do you have anything to wear?”

  “I guess I could rummage through my closet and see what I can find.”

  “Don’t bother. You can take the rest of the day off and go shopping. I’ll reimburse you for whatever you spend. It’s a write off. I think blue is your color. Yes, you are definitely looking for something in blue.”

  So, I was going to spend my first day working for Ms. Corrine McDowan shopping. The job was looking pretty sweet so far, but I had no doubt that she would eventually make me earn every penny she gave me. Her reputation was already damaged by Mr. Greyson’s poor judgment and she’d made it very clear she wouldn’t be taken for a pushover a second time.

  We both ordered roasted duck served with an orange sauce for lunch at her suggestion. I tried not to crinkle my nose. It hadn’t initially sounded appetizing to me, but I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. As we ate we discussed the rest of her expectations. I loved the thought of a profession that involved frequent traveling and I couldn’t believe that just that morning I’d been on the verge of being fired. Life could change so fast. One minute you’re down and the next you’re on the fast track to more success than you’d ever dared to dream.

  “Corrine, forgive me, but I can’t help but wonder why you were so fast to hire me.” There I went again, talking myself down instead of up. What was it with me and self-sabotage?

  “I don’t have a lot of time to find another curator and since I’m taking over the duties of director at the gallery, I’ll be around to keep a close eye on my business. If you aren’t all you’re cracked up to be, it won’t take me long to see it, but I’ve said all this before,” she said.

  “I can handle the position.”

  “So, you’ve said. Now prove it.”

  “I’ll do my best. Will I need an escort to the dinner party tonight?”

  She shook her head and smiled. “No, I don’t have one either, so I thought for the sake of business you could be my plus one.”

  “It’s strictly a business affair then? I should put my most professional foot forward, I guess.”

  “It’s business, but it’s also a party. We’re allowed to have fun. I’ll introduce you to some of the big players. You’ll be on first name basis with them by the end of the evening. As I’ve said, networking is key in the art world.”

  “I can’t wait,” I said.

  “That’s the attitude. I have a good feeling about you, Katrina. I hope you live up to it.”

  I hoped so, too, but that remained to be seen.

  Chapter Four

  Katrina

  Corrine had the limo drop me off at the Sundance Square Plaza, so I could begin my shopping spree. There was just one problem. I had no idea what sort of dress I was looking for other than she thought blue might be my color. I wasn’t that keen on fashion, especially formal wear, unless you counted my endless collection of charcoal, tan, and navy blue blazers I wore to the gallery with matching skirts, slacks, and heels. Dressing for the office was easy, but a dinner party? Until my sudden promotion, I’d had no idea I’d ever be attending such affairs. There was no reason I would have. I’d been hardly more than a glorified gopher to hear Mr. Greyson tell it. He rarely gave me credit for any of the work I did for him and he certainly didn’t make a habit of inviting me to fancy parties.

  I stood on the sidewalk and pulled my cell phone out of my bag. I hit my roommate Shelia’s number and prayed she’d answer. If anyone could bail me out of this mess, she could. She lived to shop.

  “Let me get this straight. This morning you left for work thinking you’d be home filing for unemployment by noon, and now you have your dream job and need to buy a dress, on the company’s dime no less?”

  “That about sums it up,” I confirmed.

  “Congratulations. I don’t see the problem. Pick out a black cocktail dress. You can never go wrong with that.”

  “Corrine suggested blue.”

  “Then, pick out a blue cocktail dress. The boss is always right.”

  “Would you get your ass down here and help me? This is Corrine McDowan I’m trying to impress. I can’t do it alone.”

  “I know that name should mean something to me, but it doesn’t. You’re the only artist I know by name.”

  Shelia and I were the exact opposite in a lot of ways. She was an accountant for a major advertising firm. She loved the art of creative number crunching. I did her portrait once as a birthday present for her boyfriend, Eric. She’d gushed over it, bragging to her guests that she lived with the artist whose paintings hung on the living room wall of our apartment, but that was as far as her knowledge of art went. She was my biggest and only fan.

  “I’ll buy you a coffee,” I bargained, doing my best to tempt her.

  “Make it a beer.”

  “Beer it is.” After all, my work day was over once I found this perfect dress I was on a quest for, right?

  “Fine, I’m on my way. Where do you want to meet?”

  “What’s the best shop in the square?”

  She rattled off the name of her favorite boutique.

  “Okay, I’ll find it and see you there.”

  I waited outside the shop until I saw her hop out of a cab and walk towards me. “There you are, looking like a lost child,” she said, throwing an arm over my shoulder.

  “More like a frantic child. Thank you so much for coming.”

  “I’m sure you could have managed this crisis on your own. Your fashion sense isn’t so bad.”

  “Really?”

  “No, not really. Your fashion sense is atrocious, but if dressing the part is a job requirement, you’ll have to learn sooner or later, won’t you?” she giggled
.

  “Very funny.”

  “It’s not like this is a hot date. All you need is a proper dress and some matching shoes. Still, it’s probably for the best that I’m here,” she mused, giving her blond locks a toss over her shoulders.

  “I love your dress, by the way. I wish I could just wear that,” I grumbled. She looked stylish, yet comfortable in a floral sundress and sandals.

  “This is perfect for a day of shopping and to grab a quick beer with a friend, but not for a dinner party. We have to find you something that will make you look smashing.”

  “Do you think it will take long?”

  “Yes, I'm afraid it will. You'll try on dozens of dresses and you won’t complain as if you’ve forgotten that I’m doing you a favor. Promise?”

  “I promise.”

  We stepped into the shop and I was immediately overwhelmed with the scent of mingling aromas, some light and some musky. I noticed that sitting off to the right of the entrance was a display of perfumes and body lotions.

  “It smells so good in here.”

  “We should definitely not leave without finding a good perfume for you. A bright smile and a sexy scent is all a woman really needs to leave a lasting impression, and you did say your new boss seems hard to impress.

  “I’m not sure, actually. I can’t figure her out. She goes on and on about how much she’ll expect of me, and what a close eye she’ll be keeping on me, but it took her all of five minutes to offer me the job and invite me to lunch. Somehow she manages to come off as both grumpy and flighty. It's a weird combination.”

  “Maybe she has a good gut feeling about you. Maybe she likes you.”

  “She smells nice, like this place,” I said, thinking out loud.

  Shelia fell into a fit of laughter. “Does she? That’s an odd thing to say about your boss.”

  “I mean she smells expensive, like this place.”

  “Well, then, we’ll definitely have to find you your own unique, titillating scent. She’s paying anyway, right?”

  “Yeah, absolutely. It’s a fringe benefit.”

  “Then let’s have some fun. You're very lucky. The only fringe benefit my job offers is to have my taxes done for free.”

  “But you love numbers and tax codes. That probably gets your panties wet,” I whispered.

  “Hey, that sounds like some tacky remark I would make.”

  “You're rubbing off on me,” I said with a wicked grin.

  As she warned, Shelia picked out over a dozen dresses for me to try on and parade in front of her. Most were too tight, or too short, or the cut wasn’t flattering enough for my curvy figure, but finally she settled on a calf length royal blue number with a layer of chiffon and a V-neck.

  “That’s it. That’s our dress,” she announced almost the second I stepped out of the changing area.

  “You’re sure?”

  “I’m Positive. Your boss was right. Blue is a great color for you. We’ll find you a pair of matching heels and, of course, a bottle of the finest perfume, and you’re all set.”

  The shoes and perfume didn’t take nearly as long to choose, but by the time we checked out I was craving that beer. We walked to a bar and grill not far from the shop and sat at the bar. Shelia had suggested the place. It was apparent she was familiar with it. She ordered a burger with fries to go along with her drink without glancing at the menu, asking if I wanted anything.

  “Just the beer,” I replied, the roasted duck I’d had for lunch still lying heavy on my stomach.

  “Tell me more about this lady boss of yours,” she said before biting into the huge burger.

  “Like I said, there isn’t much to tell because I don’t know much about Corrine. I only met her this morning.”

  “But you like her.”

  “Why do you say that?”

  “Your face lights up when you say her name.”

  “Don’t be asinine. It does not. I mean, I don’t dislike her, but she’s my boss, so that’s the most I can hope for. Besides, did I mention she's kind of grumpy?”

  “So, you would hope for more if she wasn’t your boss, huh, Katrina?”

  “That isn’t what I said at all.”

  “More or less, it is, and that means you like her,” Shelia said in a teasing voice, sounding like someone mimicking a third grader. “Maybe she wants you and she's grumpy because she can't control the effect you have on her.”

  “Where is this coming from?”

  “You even like the way she smells.”

  “Seriously?”

  “Yes, seriously, you like this woman. It’s painfully obvious. When’s the last time you had a real date, anyway?”

  “It’s been a while,” I confessed.

  “You see, it’s only natural you would have a crush on your boss. To hear you tell it, she’s a breathtakingly beautiful creature, and you’re horny.”

  “You’re terrible,” I admonished her.

  “You did say she was gorgeous.”

  “She is, but she’s also very worldly, and I think she might have a drinking problem to boot.”

  “Or, you’re just the same old uptight Katrina, as usual. I wish my boss drank a little more. He has a stick up his ass the size of Texas.”

  “Whatever. The point is that I don’t like Corrine in the way you’re insinuating. I aspire to be more like her is all. She’s the epitome of success in the art world.”

  “Didn’t you say she inherited the business?”

  “Yes, but her father made her learn it from the ground up.”

  “She sounds fascinating. You should think about having an affair with her. That might make her less grumpy.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “Be smart. Sleep your way to the top. It’s a much faster route.”

  I thought she might be only half joking. Sometimes, it was hard to tell with Shelia. “You truly are terrible.”

  “But you like her and you said she likes women. You're a woman and you've got great tits,” she gave me another dig.

  “Shut up and drink your beer. I need to get home. I have a party to get ready for,” I said, rolling my eyes at her.

  One thing about Shelia, she called it like she saw it. Maybe I did have the slightest crush on my new boss and I was in denial. Who could blame me? Corrine Fitzgerald was an enchanting woman, to say the least, but she was also a lot further out of my league than I cared to admit. Trying to have more than a working relationship with her could, and probably would, land me standing in line at the unemployment office. That was a chance I couldn’t take, even if it was tempting. And I had to confess, even if only to myself, that it was very tempting.

  Chapter Five

  Katrina

  I was ready by seven and standing on the curb outside our apartment waiting for Corrine to pick me up. I had to admit the blue dress I’d chosen showed off my ample curves to just the right degree, stopping just short of making me look cheap, and Shelia had braided my hair into a stylish twist she’d pinned up over my shoulders. I looked about as put together as I was going to get when the limousine pulled up alongside me.

  Corrine opened the door and waved me inside.

  “Are you ready for this?” she asked.

  “I think so. Do I look all right?”

  “Yes, you look fine. That dress is exquisite.”

  “So, this night is all about networking?”

  “Don’t say it like that.”

  “Like what.”

  She sighed. “As if networking is a piece of cake. It’s one of the most valuable and hardest skills you’ll ever learn. I thought we already talked about this.”

  “Yes, I didn’t mean to downplay this opportunity.”

  “Don’t be nervous. If it makes you feel better, they’ll all be drunk and welcoming you into their circle with open arms and hour or two from now. The elite aren’t nearly as intimidating once you’ve seen them standing on the lawn puking into the bushes,” she said with a chuckle.

  “I’m not intimida
ted. They’re just people, right?”

  “Rich, powerful, arrogant people, for the most part, but yes, most of them are human.”

  “Most of them?”

  “Some of them are rumored to have sold their soul to Satan,” she shrugged.

  “I’ll assume you’re joking, though if you keep it up I might have nightmares.”

  “Assume all you wish. When you meet them you might not be so sure.”

  “All kidding aside, I should thank you again for this job. This is happening so fast. My head is spinning.”

  “Don’t thank me. It’s early. You haven’t proven a damned thing to me yet. You might be out of a job by next Friday.”

  My eyes widened.

  “Oh, for Pete’s sake, I’m joking again, sort of.”

  She did love to keep me off balance. I didn’t know if I’d ever get used to her sense of humor. I wondered if she wanted me to get too comfortable with her. She seemed to enjoy watching me squirm.

  The limo drove us North of Forth Worth towards the Plano district. It was almost an hour’s drive to Plano from my apartment if you took traffic into consideration. The houses grew larger and grander the closer we got to the affluent area. I’d never actually had any reason to go to Plano before, as it was a whole other world I’d always considered reserved for those wealthier than I ever expected to be. We passed through downtown Dallas in silence. Corrine didn’t appear to see the need to brief me on what might lie ahead this evening. I was almost grateful. Talking about it would probably have only made me more skittish than I already was. Once we entered Plano and the limo turned onto a side street lined with perfect lawns, she spoke.

  “Do you see how these homes manage to pull off a casual domesticity and an elegance all at once?”

  “Yes,” I answered, my eyes scanning the two-story houses, many made of brick and stone.

  “That’s all you have to do. Be casual, but elegant, and you’ll fit right in. You’ll be a member of the club in no time.”

  “I was never much for joining clubs.”

  “Trust me, you want to belong to this one if you have any ambitions at all. These people can freeze you right of business. They don’t think too highly of me, honestly. They only keep me around out of respect for my father.”