by Jenny Rabe
Cambria started to tear up as so many emotions hit her all at once. Brian eased over with Mrs. Walker, smiling broadly. “Sorry to break up your reunion, but it’s time to start.”
Cambria gulped. What did that mean?
The giant pair of scissors was set to the side and the red ribbon lifted before her.
One of the scissor carriers thumped a microphone softly and smiled at the gathering crowd. “Welcome, everyone. We’re so excited that Mr. Davidson and Ms. Henshaw have chosen to give back to the community, through their talents, their time, and their donations. This art gallery is free to enter and there is even class space available when Cambria wants to teach artists.”
Cambria wiped at her face, careful not to ruin her makeup. She whispered to Brian, “This is too much. I can’t believe you did this.”
He squeezed her hand once and then let go. The presenter spoke a little more about a soldier’s life and then turned to her. “We’re lucky to have the woman here who inspired this project. Would you like to say a few words?”
He handed her the mic before she could refuse. The red ribbon was lowered so the gathering crowd got a good view of her.
She swallowed the fear growing inside her throat and cutting off her airway. “Uh, I don’t know what to say. This is all so overwhelming. I never thought that one day I’d have anything close to my own art gallery, especially one dedicated to the many men and women serving our country. I see a lot of military families here tonight, some dressed in uniform, others in civilian clothes. Thank you for your service.”
A round of applause sounded before Cambria could say anymore. Then she added, “The paintings in the gallery were inspired by my husband, Shawn. He took his own life after a tour in Afghanistan, and more than anything, I would have loved to see him return to normal daily activities, like walking our dog, pushing our kids on a swing,” she looked at Brian as she finished, “or playing baseball. I guess I could have painted soldiers in their fatigues or their formal uniforms, but I wanted to show them in everyday life. Normal daily activities were hard for Shawn, and I know there are many military families that struggle with PTSD. I want to bring awareness to this topic, offer free painting classes to soldiers, and make it something that we do talk about.”
A murmur of approval broke out among the crowd as well as another round of applause. She took a deep breath and turned toward Brian. “Lastly, I want to thank this amazing man right here. He has been my rock since moving here and my biggest fan.” Her throat tightened and she struggled to finish. “Without his belief in me, this dream would not have become a reality.”
Brian didn’t meet her eyes as she turned to him, and even after the ribbon was cut and the crowds came filtering in, he avoided her. Cambria stayed near the back of the room, shaking hands and even taking pictures with guests. They showered her with questions and compliments, and by the end of the night, many paintings were requested for purchase.
Cambria didn’t know when she would sell these paintings, but she’d have to eventually pay her bills. She couldn’t live off of Brian’s charity forever, and if the entrance to the art gallery was free, she’d have to start selling her work soon.
A small group moved toward her toward the end of the night, and Cambria was relieved to see every friend from her grief group.
Sally was the first to speak. “This is amazing, Cambria.”
The rest of them nodded and added their congratulations. Her mom came over and joined them, meeting Jancy and the others for the first time. It made everything more special to have her friends and family there.
The night was magical, filling her with hope and happiness of her future as an artist. Many soldiers and their families thanked Cambria, but it was her that was grateful for an opportunity to give back.
After the last few lingering guests finally left, she sighed in relief. Her mom buzzed around the gallery, picking up trash, cleaning up the refreshment table, and sticking to Cambria’s side. Cambria was grateful to see her, but her mom’s nagging questions about Brian were never-ending.
“Are you dating him? He’s adorable. What does he do for a living?”
Cambria shrugged. “Mom, I don’t want to talk about him right now. We’re just friends. Are you staying for a while?”
“Oh, honey, I wish I could, but your grandmother is in poor health, and I need to get back.”
Cambria sighed in relief. She loved her mom, but had learned that small doses were better than long periods of time. “Want me to take you to the airport?”
Her mom smiled wickedly at her. “And miss getting an escort? No way. Brian ordered a car to pick me up in ten minutes. He’s the one who called me, arranged my trip, and even paid for it. He is something special.”
Cambria blew out a slow breath. “Yeah, I know.”
Brian came up to them then, dropping a set of keys in Cambria’s hands. “Congratulations on tonight. It’s all yours.”
Her mom hugged her. “I’ll let you two catch up. I’ll see you around the holidays, honey. Call me tomorrow.”
“Love you, Mom. It was great to see you.”
She kissed Cambria’s cheek. “Nice to meet you, Brian. Take care of my baby.”
Cambria winced and then smiled as her mom attacked him in a hug. Cambria waited until she was gone before turning to Brian with a list full of questions.
“First of all, thank you. For everything. I don’t know if I can say that enough, but I love the gallery. This is surreal that I have my own place now. A little intimidating, but exciting.”
Brian crossed his arms. “Like I said, I had to.”
Cambria sighed. This was the part that unsettled her the most. “So, what do I do now? I mean, do I sell the soldier gallery and start a new one? I have no capital, no way to pay the mortgage, the lights, the materials I will need.”
Brian handed her a credit card. “An endowment is set up in your name, so interest will take care of most of our bills. And as much as I can, I’m trying to keep these paintings together in the same exhibit. All I want you to do is show up and create. You let me deal with the technical, financial side of things.”
“Where does that leave us?”
Brian shrugged. “Not sure. The last time I checked, you wanted nothing to do with me.”
Cambria winced. “Well, I’m happy to say I was wrong about a lot of things and am open to new possibilities.” Her heart thumped as she considered telling him the truth.
He stepped forward, his eyes eagerly searching hers. “What is it?”
She decided to test the waters. “I’m just really sorry how I treated you. You’ve only done what’s best for me, and I wanted to thank you. You’re a really great friend, and I miss having you around.”
He nodded. “Friends. Of course, we’re great friends. I would have done the same for anyone.”
She swallowed the disappointment, trying to remember all he’d done for her. “Should we go somewhere and celebrate together?”
Brian took a step back. “Raincheck? I finally figured out who’s been following me. Violet showed up at the gallery tonight, full of demands. I’m meeting with her, but I have found the perfect lawyer to bring along with me.”
Cambria smiled. “Rob? You two are friends again.”
Brian nodded. “Turns out, I’ve been wrong about a lot of things. Anyway, take your time and check out your space. I have a car waiting for you to take you home when you’re ready. Another day when things have calmed down, we can talk about . . . other things.”
Other things? More disappointment flooded through her. She was considered an ‘other thing’?
“Sure, yeah. I’ll see you around, I’m sure. I mean this is your studio after all.”
Brian smiled. “No it’s yours. And I’ll be around while you’re getting set up.”
And then what? Would he abandon her, staying away once things were running smoothly? Cambria wasn’t sure she wanted that at all.
Chapter Thirty
Brian
The next few days were torture for Brian. Things were finally fixed with Violet. A good legal threat was all Rob had to do to scare her away for good. Brian stopped by the gallery regularly, happy to see she was there every possible moment.
Mrs. Walker and Mr. Walker volunteered to help her with receptionist duties, and Cambria occasionally made an appearance to visitors, but usually holed herself in the loft, painting away for the release of a new exhibit.
He found her there late one afternoon, a streak of paint in her hair, her clothes splattered with it. “I hope you leave your paint-splattered clothes here. That’s why I installed a bathroom in your loft.”
Cambria looked up with a shy smile. The evening sun filtering through the window cast her in a beautiful light. His heart raced as he held her gaze a second too long. They hadn’t touched since the night of her gallery opening. At the time, he wanted to react. He wanted to gather her in his arms and tell her he loved her. But that moment was hers, and just in case she no longer returned his affection, he didn’t want her memories stained with his feelings. Which was why he was here.
“Do you have plans tonight?” he asked. “I have a few papers for you to sign but they won’t be ready until later.”
Her smile wavered a little. “Not really. I plan on staying here for a while. Inspiration has struck. This room is magic.”
Brian smiled. “I’m glad. But I need to meet you at the field. I have a game at 6:00, and I want to take care of this today since this guy is picking the papers up tonight.”
Cambria shrugged. “It just seems a little fast to be signing my life away. I have a hard time knowing what it all means.”
Brian stepped closer, wanting so badly to tuck a piece of hair back into her ponytail. Instead, he touched the wall behind her, feeling it for imperfections. She stared up at him, so close she was only a reach away from him.
“These are pretty explanatory,” he said, trying to focus. “You gotta help me now that I’ve got real deadlines.”
She laughed it off, but he could see the disappointment in her face. “Okay, I’ll be there.”
Only a few more hours. He backed away, never breaking their eye contact.
“Also I thought you should know the truth about me . . . before you decide anything. Jean wrote her own blog about what happened from my perspective, but if you just google Brian Davidson, you’ll find a wealth of information. Just read Jean’s article last. That’s the honest truth, and the one I wished everyone believed.”
He heard her sigh as he made his way down the stairs, the gallery light already shut off. He hated to leave her without knowing how she felt, but the ball was in her field now.
Chapter Thirty One
Cambria
Cambria’s heart thumped as she waited to hear the gallery door swing open and then closed, indicating Brian was gone. Then she moved her supplies away from her and rushed to her desk where a laptop was set up. She found a search engine and typed in Brian Davidson.
Then she started to read.
She couldn’t believe how much was out there about Brian, most of it angry, negative comments. Cambria didn’t even have to read them all to know they weren’t written with good intent. Instead she bypassed everything and searched directly for Jean’s blog.
She smiled as the blog showed the most recent article. A professional picture of Brian dressed in a suit took up most of the left column. Oh man, he was handsome. Cambria settled against the back of her chair and read.
The Truth about Brian Davidson
By Jean Brigham
Almost a year and a half ago, Brian Davidson, CEO of Websites International, went through a family crisis. His father’s cancer had progressed rapidly, and surgery was needed to help him on the road back to full health.
In the past, Davidson used Grayson Hospital and felt its ratings and reputation spoke volumes in assuring him it was the right place to perform the procedure on his father.
The day of the surgery, the doctor who was performing the surgery came out to see if there were any questions he could answer before his dad was put under general anesthesia. Right away, Davidson knew something wasn’t right. The doctor wouldn’t meet his eyes, and his lips never moved from the coffee in his hands.
Davidson had suspicions the surgeon was intoxicated but had no proof. He inquired of some of the other surgical staff but they assured him everything was okay.
After the surgery, the attending surgeon was unavailable for comment. Instead, another attendee reported his father’s death, telling him there was an incident during the surgery. When Brian pressed further, the attendee pulled him into the back room and skirted around the issue.
Davidson was not satisfied with the hospital’s stories and took legal measures necessary to find out everything about the incident. As the trial commenced, it was revealed that the surgeon in question had indeed had an alcohol level of 2.0 and had a few incidents previously, resulting in other surgical complications with other patients.
When Davidson chose to sue the hospital administration, he received negative reviews for taking legal action against the hospital, claiming he was money hungry. Davidson denies all claims, stating, “I didn’t want any other family to be punished for the negligence of the hospital in reporting and taking necessary disciplinary action against their employees.”
He even went as far as making a large donation to Grayson Hospital once the new administration was in place. After all this time, Davidson would like to put all rumors to rest.
Cambria stopped reading. So this is what he was keeping from her? He thought she would judge him for suing the hospital’s administration? Cambria would have taken the same action if it had been her mother or father.
She skimmed the rest of the article, which claimed Brian had personal attacks on his business and people following him on a regular basis. The article ended with his decision to move away and put it all behind him.
Cambria closed her laptop and ran for the door, knowing all she needed to know. There was no way she was going to let that man walk away from her again.
* * *
Cambria walked out to the field at quarter to seven. She’d gone home immediately, showered and dressed in a simple but cute pair of shorts, only slightly paint-splattered, and a new, lacy shirt she’d probably never wear to work.
“Hey, there you are,” Brian said when she peeked into the dugout.
His smile was bright, and Cambria felt the chemistry between them once again. “I read Jean’s blog. It really helps me understand you a bit more.”
He nodded. “Good. I didn’t want you to think I was putting you off for no good reason. It was more that I didn’t want you involved in any bad press I would have after the release.”
He turned and dug in his bag and produced a stack of papers. “Time to officially turn things over in your name. I highlighted the spots you need to sign in yellow.”
“Whoa, that’s a lot of signatures. Are you sure I need to sign all of these? Can’t I take them home?”
Brian shook his head. “If you want your gallery to stay yours, then yes you need to stay here and sign them.”
Cambria huffed and stared longingly toward the bleachers. She’d been hoping to watch the game, not sign her life away. “But I’ll be here till the end of the game and still won’t be done.”
“That’s the point. Now you have to stay and watch me play.” His smile made her think he had something else planned but she pushed that thought away.
Even if she did sign them all, she wasn’t going anywhere. “Okay, well, good luck.”
She picked a spot on the bench where she’d have room to prop up her legs. She started reading them, seeing too much legal jargon, and eventually ignored it all and started signing on each highlighted line.
She looked to see if Brian had left a little of himself in certain spots. He’d signed his signature on some of the papers, and she smiled when she saw his name every time.
When the game started,
Cambria divided her attention between the game and her own signatures. His team started in the outfield first. He was so much closer to her when he stood on first base. Occasionally, he glanced in her direction, but when their eyes never locked together, she counted it as a coincidence.
After the first two innings, Cambria laid down her pen and took a break. If he expected her to sign everything by the end of the night, he’d better think again. She had a hand cramp and two paper cuts.
She pulled out a water bottle from her bag and took a long drink, then settled in to watch more of the game. He caught almost every ball that came to him at first base, but his team was still behind by two runs and the bases were loaded. In frustration, she looked away from the game and started signing again, keeping one eye on the field. As they approached the last two innings of the game, he caught the ball, causing the other team’s third out.
It was a tense last inning for Brian’s team as they desperately tried to catch up. In the last few minutes of the inning, Cambria laid the papers to the side and cheered with the crowd. Then she prepared for Brian’s turn at bat. She knew by now that he was the first hitter and sometimes the fifth, but with only a minute and fifty eight seconds remaining, this could be the last run of the night.
As the team prepared for the final inning, an announcer came to the pitcher’s mound with a mic. He wore pressed pants and a button up shirt.
“Folks,” he said, “we have kind of a special announcement. As you know, one of the home team’s best players is up to bat, Mr. Brian Davidson.”
Cambria perked up, watching Brian walk out of the dugout and glance her way. He waved, and she looked around to make sure the gesture was for her before waving back. He pointed to her stack of papers and smiled, knowing she wasn’t done.
She picked up the stack and frowned at him. Fine! She’d go back to work.
“Come join me up here, Brian,” the announcer said. “I hear you’ve got something to say.”
Cambria’s nerves tingled in anticipation. What was he going to announce? She felt stupid for wishing he’d say anything about her. Maybe he’d announce the news of the art gallery. That seemed like something he would do. She started signing page after page as she listened to every word he said.
