Page 25 of Dirty Money
Aullie led him inside, pointing to the thirteen paintings laid out on her couch, table, chairs, and counter. “So, these are the ones I picked,” then she pointed to the others that were scattered everywhere else, including the open closet. “Those are all the other ones. I haven’t been able to decide and I figured since you’re experienced and good at this stuff, that you could help me.”
Gerald put a hand over his mouth as he stalked back and forth, surveying her choices. “I like these,” he said. “I like these a lot. What kind of mood are you trying to set here?”
“I… I don’t know,” she admitted. “Not crippling nerves and overwhelming self-doubt?”
Thankfully, he got the dry joke and laughed. “That’s ok, it’s totally normal for your first few shows.”
He turned and considered the other paintings, scattered like new fallen snow, with the same scrutiny. Aullie waited impatiently as he paced. Gerald stepped carefully through the mess into the closet.
What could he want in the closet? She thought. It wasn’t like she kept anything good in there, it was a closet.
Oh!
Oh no!
He came back, fingers fatefully wrapped around the wooden frame of the painting she had kicked into the closet several days ago.Weston’s painting.
Dammit!
“This is sensational,” he said, genuinely. “How could you be hiding this in your closet? You have to take this, it’s so… Alive.”
The word punched Aullie in the gut. Alive was how she had felt that night, but it didn’t matter now. “You really think I should use that one?” she asked, unsure.
“Absolutely.” He nodded. “It’s beautiful.”
There was a space between two paintings that fit Weston’s perfectly. Aullie had to admit that it completed her colorful collection pretty perfectly.
It’s a sign, she told herself. A sign that she really did need to cut the cord, and put the painting up for sale.
She took a step back, admiring the collection as a whole. Gerald was right, it was a perfect fit. She turned to thank him, but suddenly his mouth was against hers.
Alarm bells sounded in her head, his mouth felt cold, awkward and wrong. None of the emotion, none of the passion she’d felt with Weston was present, plus the creepy, unwelcome surprise was rigid and off-putting. He practically slobbered on her, his hands locked on the sides of her head. Aullie stumbled backward, away from him, and broke from his grasp.
“Gerald!” she yelped, dragging the back of her hand across her mouth. “What the hell was that?”
“Aullie! I’m sorry,” he reached toward her until she batted his hands away. “I must’ve misread…”
“Misread what?” Aullie sputtered, steaming like a boiling kettle.
“Well you know, I hooked you up with this show, you invited me over…”
“You only hooked me up with this show because you thought I was going to sleep with you?!” Rage coursed through her veins.
How dare he! She should’ve known better, why else would he have been putting her up for a show outside the school like this?
Oh, how Aullie wanted to hit him. The pig!
“No!” he insisted. “No, no. I didn’t mean it that way at all. I’m sorry. I really am. You’re a great artist. I never meant to insinuate…”
“Insinuate that, oh, you just hoped I’d also screw you for the help?” She could feel the hot flush in her cheeks. Tears brimmed in her eyes, but she was determined not to release them.
“I’m sorry I made you think that. I’ve liked you for a long time. I looked too far into things and I really am sorry. Do you need help getting your work to the show? Let me help, make it up to you. I’m sorry.”
His pleading eyes begged for her forgiveness. All she saw in his pitiful little face was weakness and disgust boiled in her stomach. As surprisingly as his gesture and confession had been, they definitely weren’t feelings Aullie shared.
Plus, all his kiss had really done was rub salt in the tender wounds Weston had left in her heart. Kissing Weston had been… unreal.
The stark reminder that she couldn’t just find that passion with someone else was depressing and disheartening. Her silence, probably coupled with the despairing look on her face, had Gerald looking desperate.
