Page 26 of Edged

“Why don’t you come with me, and we can have that coffee and chat afterward. I’ll be done by three.”

“Won’t I be in the way?”

“Nope. What do you say?”

Kaley was intrigued. “I’d like that.”

“Great.” The excitement in his voice made her smile. “I’ll pick you up in thirty minutes. Dress casual.”

The line went dead, and Kaley stared at her cell. Casual was about all she had.

* * * *

“Where are we going?” Kaley asked as Anthony drove away from her apartment.

“It’s a surprise.” He executed several turns and then pulled into the parking lot of the rec center.

“What’s here?” He helped her from the vehicle.

“My standing appointment.” Anthony took her hand and began walking.

Kaley saw there were a lot of cars in the lot, but again, it was a recreation center; they were probably playing basketball on a Sunday. She glanced at Anthony. If he was going to be playing, he wasn’t exactly dressed for it.

“Hi, Gladys,” he said, waving at the white-haired woman behind the counter.

“Anthony, everyone is waiting.”

“Great.” Anthony walked down the hallway and into a room. Kaley’s mouth dropped open. There had to be twenty kids waiting for him, and there were easels with canvasses all over the room, as well as art papers on a long table in front of the easels.

“Mr. Anthony,” yelled a boy Kaley guessed to be about ten.

The next thing she knew, she and Anthony were swarmed by the kids. Kaley couldn’t stop smiling. They were of varying ages, all talking at the same time. She felt a tug on her arm and glanced down to see a young girl with crazy blonde curls and an impish smile.

“Are you Mr. Anthony’s girlfriend?” Her voice was full of awe.

How did she answer that?

“Jazzy, this is my friend, Kaley.” Anthony clapped his hands. “Okay, everyone settle down and take your seats.” The kids moved to the tables or easels. “Let’s start with something easy today. I want you to draw a sunset at the ocean.”

Heads bent, the kids went to work. “You’re teaching them art?”

“Yes.” He guided her over to a chair. “Want your own easel?”

Kaley shook her head. Every time she’d tried freeform art, she’d failed. This was not her forte.

“Have a seat while I work.”

Kaley watched as Anthony made his way around the room. He stopped to talk to each student, giving hints and showing them techniques. When he arrived at the easels, he spent more time talking about blending colors.

She realized the students at the easels were more advanced than the ones at the table. But Anthony didn’t linger long. He made sure he divided his attention among all the kids. This was a different side of him. All she’d ever seen on TV or movies, and read portrayed most artists as moody and uncommunicative.

But not Anthony. He seemed in his element here. He stripped off his shirt to prevent paint from getting on it revealing a sleeveless t-shirt, and when he went to help one of the kids, she saw the tattoo on his upper arm. A pile of books with an artist’s palette on top. That made sense, since he was an artist. When he turned, she saw the tat on his other arm. A knife through a rose.

She wondered about that. Beautiful but deadly were the first words that came to mind. Her fingers itched to trace his ink. The designs revealed a lot about the man who was a mystery to her. When he walked over and handed her his shirt, he leaned down. “The kids are asking all sorts of questions about you.”

“Oh?” Why were they interested in her? “I’m not that interesting.”

“To them you are. I’ve never brought a woman with me to class.”

---