Page 111 of Possession

My heart stops. “You did?”

She nods. “That’s how much I believe in your talent. I just hope you believe in it as much as I do.”

A lump forms in my throat. Shit.

I swallow a gulp of my iced tea, trying to figure out what to say next. I’m grateful—so fucking grateful—but also terrified.

My piece isn’t anywhere close to done. And now, the pressure is on to finish it—and not just finish it, but make it a damn masterpiece.

Still, I force a smile. “Thank you, Linda. I do believe in it.”

She reaches into her nylon black messenger bag and pulls out a manila envelope with the Starlight Foundation branding on the front.

“Here’s the official contract.”

My fingers tremble as I take it from her.

“There’s an expectation sheet, a timeline, and a contract for you to review, initial, and sign. You have five business days to go over it with your lawyer. As long as your piece is done by next month, we’re good to go.”

I nod, the weight of the moment settling over me.

One of my paintings—on display at a Starlight exhibit.

This is the kind of exposure most new artists dream about.

But as usual, I can’t help but question my good fortune.

Why me? There are so many better artists.

Is there a catch?

Did Hunter pull some strings behind the scenes to make this happen?

I don’t know why it’s so hard for me to just accept good things without assuming there’s an ulterior motive but it is.

“Thank you, Linda,” I say. “I’ll review this with my husband and our lawyer and get back to you.”

She pauses, tilting her head. “Did you get married recently?”

“That was a slip of the tongue.” I shake my head, blushing slightly. “We’re getting married in a few months.”

Her lips curve. “Nice. If you’re planning on changing your name, let me know when you submit your final piece. We’ll need to have it listed correct on all the promotional materials.”

Change my last name?

I hadn’t even thought about that.

Megan Middleton.

It does have a nice ring to it.

“I’ll let you know.”

Linda stands, grabbing her bag. “I have another meeting across town, but stay and have lunch on me. Then, go home and get to work. I want to be able to tell people that I discovered our next great homegrown artist.”

I grin. “Thank you, Linda. I appreciate you not giving up on me.”

She winks. “Oh, I’m not a quitter, Megan. And I’d bet the farm that you aren’t either.”

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