Page 38 of Caper Crush
He’s surer of him and Annabelle this time.
“I’d do that for free.”
Vinnie picks up my portfolio and starts to look through it. “Which one was Jade excited about?”
I flip through my portfolio to one of my favorites but hesitate. I don’t want to be humiliated in front of Edmund. Still, once Vinnie sees my work, I think he’ll be impressed.
Vinnie carefully studies the photos of my paintings. He takes his time. I shift in my chair, waiting. My stomach clenches. William looks at them too.
Maybe William should try to see the last room, but it’d be harder with Edmund here. I telepath to William by staring at him, but it is not working. I bump him with my elbow. He shakes his head.
“You’ve gotten better.” Vinnie closes my portfolio folder. “But I can’t think of any dealers who would be willing to risk a show with you right now. Not immediately anyway.”
Edmund smiles. “I’m sure you’ll get there eventually.”
Some art school classmates were already represented by galleries and supporting themselves as full-time artists. I had been one of the stars at school, but I couldn’t seem to make it in the real world.
Vinnie opens up Edmund’s gift. “A fountain pen. This is beautiful.”
“I found it in a secondhand store near me that often stocks treasures,” Edmund says.
“I can’t believe you remembered how much I love fountain pens,” Vinnie says. “Let me try it out.” He pulls over a pad and writes with the pen. “Smooth.”
“I myself also prefer using fountain pens,” Edmund says.
“Try this one.” Vinnie strolls over to the sideboard where a long rack of fountain pens stands. Edmund joins him and tries out various pens on a pad on the sideboard. They have their backs to us.
My phone beeps.
William:And you call yourself Sherlock? You could have distracted him for hours if you’d brought some fountain pens.
Me:I can’t believe I missed the memo on the fountain pen fraternity.
“Where’s the Versal?” Edmund asks. “Miranda, have you seen it?”
“It’s in the study,” Vinnie says.
“Can I show Miranda the Versal?” Edmund asks Vinnie.
“Sure.”
Edmund tilts his head, indicating that I should follow him into the other room.
Hello, yes, we’re going into the study.
I glance at William and then chastise myself. I shouldn’t appear so thrilled to be accompanying Edmund into the study.
William nods and asks, “Do you need some help with the dishes, Vinnie?” He piles up the plates and heads into the kitchen.
Vinnie takes Edmund and me into the study. More mid-century modern than marine, a gold bar cart sits in one corner. A cool, teak Jetson desk is in the center of the room, facing the window, with a fountain pen rack that runs practically the length of the desk. Vinnie didn’t have this obsession when I worked for him. He leaves us to help William in the kitchen.
Me:Vinnie to kitchen.
Behind the desk, on either side of the window, are two mid-century-modern graphic abstract prints.
William:No paintings in kitchen.
“Here’s the Versal.” Edmund is mesmerized by the painting behind the desk.
