Tempting the Artist

by Sharon C. Cooper

  “Not much, but couldn’t you have left MJ wherever you found her?” Christina asked.

  “Nope. She was driving.”

  “Hey, Sis.” Peyton Jenkins stepped in with her hands full. She handed Christina a potted sunflower and carried the additional bags into the loft.

  “Ahh, thanks, PJ!”

  Before Christina could admire the plant in her hands, Jada “JJ” Jenkins-Anderson stepped into the doorway. Christina shook her head and grinned. Despite JJ’s frustrated pout and her hands on her hips, she looked as stylish as usual in a white halter dress and matching four-inch sandals. Only she would show up at a box-unpacking-party looking like she just walked off of the cover of Vogue magazine.

  “Remind me never to ride with them again,” she said hugging Christina.

  A month of not hanging out and seeing Jada was way too long. They had lived together for years, sharing tubs of ice cream on bad days, and whispering about their deep, dark secrets on other days. Christina couldn’t be happier for her cousin and her new life with Zack, but she missed their girl talks.

  “MJ must have been a NASCAR driver in another life,” Jada said. “She drives like a dang maniac.” Christina laughed, knowing that MJ broke every speed limit to get them there, which was why Christina never rode anywhere with her.

  Christina closed the door and carried her new plant over to a rod-iron plant stand that stood near one of the floor to ceiling windows.

  “I assume you know the plant is from mom. She said sunflowers are your favorite.”

  “They are.”

  Peyton frowned. “You two have to be the strangest women I know. Most people love roses or tulips, but no you guys have to be different. Oh, and she said that she’ll stop by tomorrow. She has her aerial yoga class tonight or was it her nude yoga class?” She threw her arms out, letting them fall against the side of her thighs. “I don’t know. I can’t keep up with all of her different activities. I don’t know how dad puts up with her.”

  Christina smiled and rearranged some of the plants. “Dad once told me that he fell in love with mom because of her style, uniqueness, and her inner freak. It turns him on the way she licks—”

  “Stop! Yuck.” Peyton covered her ears and shivered. “A visual suddenly popped into my head, and not one I want associated with my mother. I can’t even believe he told you that.”

  Christina laughed at her sister’s reaction. “Well, I was going to say a Popsicle. What were you thinking?”

  “Oh. Um … never mind.”

  Their mother might not have been born until after the hippie movement, but she loved everything about that generation and still held on to some of the subculture. Peyton was her opposite - prim and proper to the bone. Christina on the other hand, knew she had inherited her mother’s free-spirited attitude. For years, she had kept it concealed for fear of what people would say, but while dating Luke, a little of her real self had showed.

  Toni stood in the middle of the living room. “This place is gorgeous. I love the exposed duct work, the floor to ceiling windows, and I can’t believe I’m going to say this, but your vintage furniture looks perfect in here.”

  Christina ran her hand along the velvet, fuchsia sofa, a super find at her favorite consignment shop. Her design style, a combination of eclectic with a mixture of old and new styles, suited her personality perfect.

  Her cousins, except for Jada, roamed around the 1700 square foot loft. It was thanks to Jada and Zack that CJ was living her dream of owning a loft. Zack had purchased the space years ago in order to have a place close to the stadium.

  “I see you’ve painted,” Jada said when Christina walked up to her and draped her arm over Jada’s shoulders. “It looks good, but I’m surprised you left the living room white.”

  “I’m still debating the color I want in here. I’m thinking about pulling a color from one of the floral throw pillows. Maybe a bold gold tone. Or something in the green family.”

  “This place is nice.” Peyton stood near the large, bare windows that overlooked downtown Cincinnati, her arms folded across her chest. The building sat on a slight hill, allowing for a spectacular view of the city. “I just want to know how you were able to afford something like this on your salary,” her sister said over her shoulder.

  Christina felt more than saw Jada look at her, probably wondering if she was going to come clean about her other life. Maybe she would one day, but today wasn’t that day.

  “Saving,” Christina said without elaborating. “All right, I’m thinking that we should unpack a few of these boxes and then eat.” She had moved in almost a week ago, but hadn’t gotten around to unpacking much. When Toni had called to see if she was showing up for their weekly after work drink at their favorite bar and grill, Christina suggested they all meet at the loft.

  “You must be crazy in your head if you think I’m going to work before I eat. What’s wrong with you?” MJ asked from the kitchen. “Okay, plates? Where are the plates?”

  “In that box near the refrigerator marked, plates.” Christina rolled her eyes. She already knew it was going to be a long night. “So what’s for dinner?”

  “Hamburgers and fries.”

  “MJ, what the heck? You know I’m a vegetarian.”

  “Still? I thought you would’ve given that up by now.” Everyone but Christina laughed.

  “And why would you think that?”

  “Oh, come on CJ, like you don’t know.” Toni rinsed her hands in the kitchen sink and began pulling food out of the grease stained bags. “How many times have you started something and didn’t finish?”

  “More times than I can count,” Peyton muttered, sitting on one of the barstools at the kitchen counter. “Like piano lessons, sculpting class, and ice skating to name a few.”

  “Don’t forget guitar lessons,” MJ said pulling out several hamburgers. The divine smell of bacon and onions made Christina’s mouth water as she breathed in deep, tempted to fall victim to quitting yet another one of her goals.

  “Oh, and my personal favorite – word-a-day,” Jada said sarcastically and they all burst out laughing.

  “Now that one, I’m glad she quit because I was about ready to strangle her with all of her big words.” MJ stuck a fry in her mouth and grinned. “Who walks around using words like veneration in a simple sentence when she can use honoring?” They all pointed at Christina.

  “You know what? Forget every single one of you.” Christina pulled a leftover vegetable casserole from the refrigerator. “I can’t help it if you’re catachrestic and don’t know what sesquipedalian or prehensile means. You’re lucky I don’t go all bellicose on you simpletons. Maybe one of these days when you flibbertigibbets get off my back and learn some new words, you won’t look like the illiterates that you are.”

  They all stood opened mouth staring at her and then lost it. Pounding on the counter, Martina fell out laughing while Peyton and Toni held their stomachs cackling just as hard. Jada grinned trying to hold back but gave up and burst into a fit of giggles as well. Christina couldn’t help but join in. She had given up on learning a word a day, but now realized how much she missed the reaction the words evoked when she used so many of them in one conversation.

  The next forty-five minutes, they cracked jokes and talked. Christina’s heart warmed as they laughed and swiped away happy tears, their banter livelier than usual. For the last three or four weeks, they hadn’t been able to meet consistently. At work, she and MJ were on the same job, renovating a strip mall. Jada had left the company shortly after getting married and Toni, a master plumber, had cut her hours, only working part-time since giving birth to Craig Jr. five months earlier. She saw Peyton almost every day since her sister was the boss. Yet, Christina didn’t realize how much she missed having all of them together until now. Sure they got on each other’s nerves, but they were the best of friends and more importantly, family.

  “Okay, where do you want me to start?” Toni asked, crumbling the burger wrapper and to
ssing the remains in the trash. “Craig and the baby will be here to pick me up in a couple of hours.” Of course, after she mentioned the baby, she fielded questions about Craig Jr. and his latest accomplishments. They all stood around Toni’s cell phone, cooing and gushing over photos and short videos of him rolling over from his back to his tummy and trying to scoot around.

  Hearing Toni talk about Craig, and their little one, sent a bit of longing through Christina. Until recently, even at the age of twenty-nine, she hadn’t thought much about marriage and having a family. Not until Luke.

  Christina mentally shook herself. She wasn’t going to let thoughts of him invade her mind tonight. Not like the last two days. Awake or asleep, dreaming about Luke left her frustrated and horny. So many times, she had wondered what they would say or do if they ran into each other again. Somehow Christina had imagined their first run-in going differently. Very differently. They had only dated for a few months, but during that time, she found a connection and freedom she hadn’t known existed. Spending time with him made her want to live life on purpose and be who she really was, not what others expected her to be.

  “Earth calling CJ. Come in CJ.” Jada waved her hand in front of Christina’s face. “Where’d you go? Toni wants to know where to start.”

  “Oh.” Christina glanced around at her cousins who were looking at her strangely. “How about in the kitchen?” Christina loved the kitchen. With the high-end stainless steel appliances, dark granite countertops, and maple custom-made cabinets, everything was top of the line.

  “Sounds good,” Toni said.

  “I’ll help in here too since there are tons of boxes marked kitchen, and I remember how you had the cabinets organized at the other house,” Jada said.

  “Why is this door locked?” MJ asked from across the room and down a short hallway that could still be seen from the kitchen. She stood at the door to the second bedroom.

  “Oh, I need to get the key from Zack,” Christina lied. She knew someone would ask about that room and had already planned her response.

  “Why the heck did he need a locked room? Did he have some sex apparatus or kinky toys in here?” MJ lifted a perfectly arched eyebrow, directing her question at Jada.

  “Yep,” Jada said, the lie rolling off her tongue. She knew Zack used the space as a guest room and she was the only person who knew what Christina had on the other side of the door.

  Christina would have to thank her cousin later.

  She walked into her bedroom and stopped short when her sister held a painting, her bulging eyes revealing her shock.

  “What is this?” Peyton turned the canvas around to Christina.

  “Art.”

  “Don’t get smart. You know what I mean. What’s gotten into you? Not even mom has naked people hanging on the walls.” The painting in question was a Sasha Knight original. One of the artist’s most provocative pieces and Christina’s favorite. “I can’t believe you bought something like this.”

  “It’s a work of art.” Christina took the painting, and leaned it against one of the bedroom walls then stepped back to peruse it. Tastefully done, the silhouette of a couple making love up against a wall with a streak of moonlight, from the window next to them, casting a glow over their sweat slicked bodies. Sexy without being vulgar. The contours of their joined bodies angled just right had no private parts exposed except for one of the man’s firm butt cheeks. The painting reminded her of her affair with Luke and the passion they once shared.

  “Surely you’re not planning to have some naked couple hanging on your walls.” Her sister’s incredulous tone was in line with her rigid, walk-a-straight-line attitude. “What will people think?”

  Christina turned to her sister. “I don’t care what people think. They don’t have to come over here if they have a problem with my art collection.” For the past few years, her collection had grown to over twenty pieces. She barely had enough wall space to hang half of the pieces.

  “So you don’t have a problem with Gramma or Grampa seeing that?” Peyton pointed to the picture.

  Christina narrowed her eyes at her sister and then returned her gaze to the piece of art. Okay maybe she did have a problem with them seeing a nude painting hanging on her wall, but they rarely stopped by for a visit.

  “You know what? I blame that guy, Luke, for this reckless attitude of yours. Maybe it’s good you two broke up. He might have been a big-time New York lawyer, but he was a bad influence on you. The piercings,” she said referring to the tiny diamond stud in Christina’s nose, “now paintings of naked people. Yeah, he was definitely a bad influence.”

  “No, he wasn’t!” Christina said. “You can talk about me all you want, but leave him out of this. That man was the best thing that ever happened to me.”

  “So what’s next tattoos?” Peyton’s tone was judgmental, but Christina had stopped caring that her sister didn’t approve of the way she lived her life. Especially lately.

  “Maybe.”

  “Are you kidding me?” She shook her head and folded her arms across her chest. “You know what, whatever. I’m just glad you came to your senses and broke up with Luke. Maybe now you’ll get back to normal instead of walking around looking like … like Lisa Bonet with the wild hair, Bohemian clothes and—”

  “Dang Peyton, can’t you give it a rest?” Jada asked from the doorway.

  “You need to stay out of this, Jada,” Peyton said.

  “No, you’re the one who needs to stay out of it. You know how much CJ cared for Luke, and you’re in here talking bad about him? What’s that all about? Maybe if you found your own man, you could stay out of everyone else’s love life.”

  Christina knew Jada regretted the words the moment they left her mouth. Peyton, divorced for several years, hadn’t dated since then. Her whole life was Jenkins & Sons Construction. They all wanted her to get back out there and find love, but her failed marriage or any reference to a social life, was a sore spot with her.

  “PJ, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that,” Jada apologized.

  “No, you’re right. What CJ does or who she does it with is none of my business.” Peyton stormed passed Jada.

  “That went well …or not.” Christina dropped down on the corner of the bed and shook her head. Just once, it would be nice for them to get together without someone getting mad or getting their feelings hurt. Normally it was Martina getting on someone’s nerve, but lately, Peyton seemed to be taking her unhappiness out on everyone.

  “Me and my big mouth. I should’ve minded my own business and let you handle your sister.” Jada walked farther into the room and sat next to Christina. “I just can’t stand to hear her giving you a hard time about Luke, especially since I know he’s a good guy.”

  Yeah, he was a good guy, Christina thought. Until she let him walk out of her life. If she could just get a do over, she would do things differently.

  “Don’t worry about it. I’m not sure what her problem is these days.”

  “I know.” Jada crossed her leg and leaned back on her elbows. “Toni told me that she’s been a pain at work too. What she needs is a warm body to curl up with and maybe expend some of that pent up anger doing the horizontal tango.”

  Christina threw back her head and laughed. “Oh, so you get some on the regular now and think that’s the answer to all problems?”

  “Hey, I’m just sayin’.” They giggled and slapped high five.

  It had been awhile since Christina had done anything horizontal, but she had to admit. A couple of rounds of some good lovin’ always made everything feel right in the world.

  “I’m glad you’re back,” she said to Jada. “See what you’ve been missing around here. You go off and get married and miss out on all the fun.”

  After marrying Zack, Jada had quit her job as a sheet metal worker. No one was really surprised. Jada was allergic to manual labor.

  Christina glanced over her shoulder at Jada and smiled. “You look good … happy. Marriage is ag
reeing with you.”

  Jada sat forward and held her small hand out, the cluster of diamonds on her ring finger sparkling. “Marriage is unbelievable.” She lowered her hand. “You know I get on Zack’s nerve, but that man has to be the sweetest person that ever walked the face of the earth. He puts up with my nonsense, but he’s like a boulder when he doesn’t want to do something or doesn’t approve of something. Even my pouts can’t move him. And I can pout.” Jada pursed her lips and folded her arms. Her lips curled into a pout, and they both laughed. Christina knew all too well how Jada used to get what she wanted from whomever she wanted. Including Zack.

  The family had been shocked to find out the couple had eloped to Las Vegas, especially since Jada had always talked about having a wedding fit for a princess. When Christina had asked why she forewent a wedding, Jada told her that she didn’t need all the hoopla that went with a large wedding when she had the man of her dreams. Her once self-centered cousin was a different person, proving that falling in love could change anyone. Now, she was married, volunteering at non-profit organizations and taking college classes in fashion.

  “So have you talked to him since he’s been in Cincinnati?” Jada asked, cutting into Christina’s thoughts.

  Christina knew the him was Luke. Jada was the only one of her cousins who knew Luke fairly well since he and Zack were good friends. But since her cousin had been traveling over the last few months, they hadn’t had a chance to discuss the break up in detail.

  “I saw him.”

  “What? And you didn’t tell me?”

  “Nothing to tell. I saw him the other night when I was walking home.” She filled her cousin in on the encounter and included how he turned her down when she invited him into her place. “I don’t know what I expected. That last night in New York, he was pretty mad.”

  “I don’t blame him.”

  “What? How can you say that?” Christina knew she could have and should have handled things differently with Luke, but she couldn’t believe Jada condoned his behavior.