Page 79 of Definitely (Maybe) Dating
“You telling me you wouldn’t do the same for Darcy?” he asked.
Gage looked at the guys, then back to Josh, who felt like everyone was in on some big, cosmic joke. “Didn’t know you were that far. Everything makes sense now.”
“What makes sense?”
Gage laughed hysterically. “Bro, if you don’t know, you’re worse off than I thought. But a word of advice? You can’t fix everything for everyone. Sometimes you need to pick a side.”
22
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Piper wason the hunt for romance.
The lighting, the setting, the way the sun crested the horizon, shining down on Mt. Hood, casting a perfect golden glow for romance and ballgowns. All her planning, the bartering, the hustling. She’d cashed in every favor she had and paid it all forward. Clive was bringing the art scene. The Bid for the Cause would bring Portland’s upper crust, and even a boutique in town donated dresses for each girl to feel like the belle of the ball.
A month ago, she would have told Darcy she was the exact wrong person for the resident photographer job at a wedding venue, but lately she’d begun to wonder if Cupid was more than just a fat baby with a crossbow.
The auction was in a week, so she was making her trip count, doing double duty by testing lighting through The Cave for the auction and setting up the Urban Soul showcase. Darcy had track lighting installed and strung industrial cable against two of the exposed brick walls. All that was left was to arrange the photos in a way that told a unique part of a much larger story.
This was Piper’s strong suit. Telling a story with a single image. Today, she had three dozen images to work with, and the overall aesthetic was going to be breathtaking. The raw and timely take on Portland set against the backdrop of historic wealth. This was an experience most artists dream of but rarely achieve. She couldn’t have asked for a more perfect setting.
The only thing that would have made this more perfect was if Piper hadn’t volunteered to shoot the Bid for the Cause. It would be great exposure for her, but she wanted to be there for her girls, act as gallery manager. But Skye had offered to handle any and all sales from the event, even walk prospective buyers though the story behind each photo.
If they sold even half of the photos for the asking price, those girls would have enough for a year at the community college and Skye would have enough money to make a huge dent in her back property tax. Still, Piper wanted everything to be perfect, which was why it was critical that everything be situated ahead of time. With Belle Mont’s insane schedule, today was the only time Piper would have to test the layout.
She’d picked up the glass mounted photos on Saturday from a local framing company who had donated the cost of the frames. Then Clive Kessler and each of the well-known photographers had signed the bottom of each respective photo. Piper had a few last minute entries that she had to shoot which still needed her signature, then she could finalize the order.
“What are you doing here?” Jillian asked, confusion in both her voice and expression.
“Trying to get the overall aesthetic right and failing miserably.” She laughed. Jillian did not. “Why are you looking at me like I forgot to put pants on?”
Darcy and Jillian walked over to look at the photo Piper had strung, and their jaws went slack.
“It’s . . . wow,” Jillian said.
Darcy shook her head. “I had no idea they would be this stunning.”
Piper took a step back to absorb a photo taken by Clive Kessler of a three-dimensional chalk art of a waterfall streaming over a two-tower skyscraper, which were connected by a fifty-foot glass corridor and situated in the heart of downtown.
“The artist is fourteen and has been doing sidewalk art with her dad since she was seven.”
“That’s amazing,” Darcy said, then turned to Piper, her eyes full of pity. “Please tell me that Josh explained what happened.”
“What happened?” she asked, her windpipe struggling to open enough to pull in oxygen. This was it. The other shoe that had been dangling. After the call with Margo, she’d allowed herself to believe that she was on steady footing.
“The Ladies of Portland called this morning.” Darcy looked skyward. “I so did not want to be the one to tell you this. There was an article in the Portland Tribune.”
“What article? And who still reads the local paper?”
“The Tribune ran a piece about the auction and showcase, with a couple of the photos,” Jillian explained.
“I know. They called me to ask for some photos to accompany the article. It’s great exposure for those girls.” She’d hand selected them to showcase the different typed of art that would be displayed.
“There was a picture painted on the side of a silo.”
“Isn’t it beautiful?” Piper leaned in conspiratorially. “I’m not supposed to have favorites, but I think that one will be the belle of the ball.”
Her friends exchanged a look that rubbed Piper the wrong way. Pity. An emotion that Piper had long ago divorced herself from. “Just be straight with me.”
