Page 18 of Dr. Stone
“Yeah?” I answered Ash’s usual morning call before work.
“How are you and my main man doing this morning?”
“Great, I’m finishing packing his stuff before I give him a bath,” I said, pulling Mr. Sticky Hands from his high chair, “so I’ve got about thirty minutes before we’re out of here, and I should be?—”
“Okay, stop,” she chuckled. “I wasn’t expecting you to give me a run-down of the morning, honey. I was calling to tell you that you’re going to have a lot of fun this morning with a client who’s interested in my work.”
She paused, and I could hear the mischievousness in her statement.
“You sound a little too excited about this,” I said, then sighed. “Ash, if this is who I’m starting to think it is, then?—”
“No, it’snotJace Stone,” she interrupted me with a laugh. “You and I already agreed that my husband is no longer allowed to pry about you two. But Idothink you made an impression on that guy from what I’m hearing.”
“There you go again,” I said. “I’m not saying anything other than it was a fun night, he’s a cool guy, and I’m glad that he kept his promise and has kept his mouth shut about it with Jake.”
“We’ve all moved on from the night you’re both so tight-lipped about,” she said, “but we know there was more, given how both of you are acting about it.”
“Mm-hm,” I said, rolling my eyes, knowing they would never stop prying. The suspense was killing them. “So, about this client?”
“Well, he has requested a private showing with my gallery director at nine this morning, and you’re about to fall in love,” she chuckled.
“Dear God, Ash,” I said, lathering shampoo through Brandon’s hair. “I already told you I’m not dating anyone.”
“I’m not saying you have to date the man,” Ash said, “but if he does ask you out, oh, honey, this is going to be a storyyou willhave to tell me about since my husband doesn’t work with him.”
“You’re too cute,” I said, laughing off the fact that all everyone seemed to want to do these days was get me matched up with a man. “Give me some details about who he is so I can at least be prepared when I meet him.”
“His name is Titus Hawk,” she said. “He and his two brothers are real estate tycoons who have basically merged their real estate interests with Mitchell and Associates’ for their developments out here on the West Coast.”
“Good to know,” I said, pulling Brandon out of the bath. “He knows Jim Mitchell and Spencer Monroe, then?”
“He’s good friends with all those guys,” she said.
“And you think it would be cute if he and I got together, right?”
She chuckled, “It really would be. But I’m not sure if he’s looking for commitment, so I’m pretty sure he’s safe in the no-strings-attached department.”
I could practically hear her squint through the phone. “Ash, just because I got a little wild and crazy with Jace Stone for one night, doesn’t mean I’m going to randomly hook up with another man, too. Sorry to kill your hopes and dreams, but seriously, I’m not dating or looking to date.”
“We’ll see about that,” she teased. “Okay, back on track. He’s coming in today to look for pieces for a Montecito estate he purchased with ocean views, sprawling grounds, and the works.”
“Okay,” I said, shifting gears and into work mode. “Do you think he’s looking for something from your studio collections, or perhaps a one-off canvas, something that will never be replicated, giving him a unique piece?” I questioned.
Most wealthy clients chose Ash’s work for her unique talents of bringing the ocean into your heart by just looking at one of her pieces, but the real thing they wanted was to have something others couldn’t have, and they paid a high price for that luxury.
“If you bring him upstairs where the signature pieces are, he’ll probably enjoy something from theCoastal Impressionismpaintings.”
“Ah, so he’s looking for more of a soft brushstroke and muted tones?”
“That’s what I presume. He mentioned he was looking for something that wouldn’t be very bold, but one that could bring the feel of the ocean from his balcony into the home?”
“I’ll show him that collection, and I’ll bring him to theOceanic Abstractsto get a feel for what will warm him up to spending some good coin in the gallery today,” I grinned, loving when I was able to upsell any wealthy person, especially one my boss was trying to set me up with.
I wasn’t upset with Ash for trying to set me up. I could tell she was just thankful I’d gotten back on track and was living again. I felt chipper, warm, and finally back among the land of the living.
Ash and her girlfriends had become a big part of my life when I didn’t have Brandon—spa days, brunches, and afternoons stretched out on the beach. It was as if everything had shifted overnight, and not just because of the one-night stand. It was me. My outlook. My choice to take responsibility for my own happiness.
Maybe that’s why I wasn’t into dating right now. I wanted to focus on myself and my son, without the highs and lows of having a boyfriend. I wasn’t ready for that kind of complication.
