Page 42 of Chaotic Curse
She looks up as I walk toward her.
“Hello,” I say.“I just want to tell you I love your work.”
“Thank you.I appreciate that.”Then she rises and walks away.
Okay.That was weird.I tell her I’m a fan, and she walks away.
But I’ll have time later to dwell on that.Daniela and Robin are inside the coffee shop.I walk in.
“Hey,” I say.“I just met an artist that I like outside.”
“Juno Reyes?”Robin says.“Yeah, we were interviewing her.”
I drop my jaw.“Interviewing her?”
“Yeah.”She gulps.“She might be connected to what’s going on.”
Why the hell would Juno Reyes be involved?—
Reyes.Same last name as the fucker from Daniela’s past.She mentioned it when I showed her the painting in my living room.
There’s no way.
I’m about to say as much to Daniela when I look at the way her eyes are narrowed at me.
Fuck.
Dani.
My God.
I haven’t apologized to her for how I acted yesterday.But I can’t do it in front of Vinnie and Robin.Later.She’ll understand.She has to.
I open the door to the shop.“Come on, let’s go outside where we won’t be overheard.”
I look around to make sure that Juno Reyes is now gone.
She is.
“So… Why the hell were you guys interviewing a local artist?”
“That’s it?”Daniela shakes her head.“No hi, how are you, Daniela?I’m sorry for being a dick, Daniela?”
She’s right.
“And more importantly than that,” she continues, “how is Eagle?How is your father?You really want to start with an interrogation?”
“I am sorry.I was…” I rake my fingers through my hair.“Forget it.There’s no excuse.It doesn’t matter what I was thinking, what I was going through.I shouldn’t have treated you badly.I shouldn’t treat anyone badly, but especially not you.”I pause a moment.“And Eagle and my dad are the same.No improvement.”
She steps toward me.“I’m sorry.”
I sigh.“Dani, I’m the one who’s sorry.Please.”
She nods.“I know.It’s okay.”
“It’s not okay, but thanks for saying it is.”I squeeze her hand.“I’ll do better.”
“I know,” she says softly.
