Page 84 of The Retreat
Celeste nodded. ‘Wow, living honestly like this is quite horrid, isn’t it?’
Imogen and Talia laughed. ‘On occasion,’ Talia agreed.
Celeste touched Talia’s elbow with light affection. ‘Thanks for forcing it on me.’
Talia laughed awkwardly. ‘I’d love to say it was my master plan, but life happens in the chaos, more often than not.’
She glanced toward a striking abstract piece on the far wall. ‘Excuse me. I need to inspect that one.’ She turned back. ‘If I don’t see you after this, I’ll catch up with you Monday morning.’
Talia raised an eyebrow. ‘I’m not coming to that ten o’clock if you’re just going to hassle me.’
‘Hassling you to be a non-equity partner will only take up ten minutes of it. Less if you say yes,’ Celeste teased her warmly.
‘I’m good where I am,’ Talia told her.
Celeste sighed. ‘We’ll see.’ With that, she moved off gracefully, leaving Imogen and Talia standing close, the buzz of the gallery fading into a private, quiet moment between them.
‘What shall we do after this?’ Imogen asked.
‘I want to go to bed,’ Talia said.
‘Long day?’
‘That’s not what I meant,’ Talia said with a half-smile.
‘My god, you’re insatiable,’ Imogen laughed.
‘Of course I am. My girlfriend is a hot gallery owner,’ Talia laughed.
‘Is that sexier than a doctor?’ Imogen asked.
Talia laughed, her eyes sparkling. ‘Well, a doctor might save lives, but a hot gallery owner? She makes the world look a whole lot better.’
Imogen grinned, squeezing Talia’s hand. ‘Smooth talker.’
‘Only when it counts,’ Talia said, pulling her closer.
The intimate moment between them was suddenly pierced by a familiar, theatrical voice from the door that cut through like a poorly tuned violin.
‘Well, well, if it isn’t Imogen Lake, Queen of the Arts!’ said Flora, swaggering in wearing a white Chanel suit that looked like it cost more than the building.
Imogen gaped. ‘You’rekiddingme,’ she muttered under her breath.
Flora swaggered over. ‘Darling.’
She did the double-kiss thing to Imogen’s frozen cheeks. Imogen rolled her eyes. Of all the people to show up. How the hell had Flora even known about tonight?
‘Did you get lost on the way to The Vespar?’ Talia asked.
Flora had somehow not noticed Talia’s presence until that moment, and she turned, confused. ‘Talia?! What onearth—’ The confident grin faltered, replaced by a flicker of shock, maybe even horror. She blinked, struggling to process. ‘Since when are you… and when are you two... like this?’
Imogen gave a small, calm smile as she bumped arms gently with Talia. ‘Three years next week, if you must know.’
Flora’s forced smile twitched, her eyes briefly clouding with something she quickly hid. ‘Well, that’s... unexpected.’
‘How did you find out about this place?’ Imogen asked, not too interested in Flora’s take on her relationship.
Flora shook off her weirdness quickly, at least externally. ‘Oh, you know… word gets around.’
