Crystal undid the masking tape and started to pull the paper away. Rayne caught flashes of brilliant turquoise, red, and green and something that looked like a long swooping tail.
“They’re a little abstract, but this one is a quetzal bird and the other is a great green macaw,” Crystal said. “Both birds are in trouble in the wild.”
“Gorgeous!” Rayne said, then realized her co-worker Kyle had come up behind her and was staring at the paintings. Then he glanced shyly at Crystal.
“Hey, Kyle, meet Crystal, one of our artists,” Rayne said, stepping back to let Kyle get a better view of the paintings.
Kyle was CACC’s entire IT department, and he’d been working on an app that would make it easier for people to bid on the paintings at the gala or if they couldn’t attend in person. He always seemed to be wearing nice jeans and a button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up. He had an adorable baby face and was the sort of guy she pictured taking computers apart in his spare time, just for fun. Rayne didn’t know him all that well because he tended to keep to himself. But he was pleasant and friendly when she did interact with him, and she had yet to hear of an IT problem he couldn’t solve.
“Crystal, meet Kyle, our IT guy. He’s been working on an app that will let people bid on the paintings using their smart phones.”
“Oh wow, that’s so cool! Great to meet you!” Crystal said, holding out her hand to Kyle.
“Your paintings are beautiful,” Kyle said as he took her hand. “Not that I know anything about art.”
Crystal laughed. “You don’t need to know anything about art to say whether you like a painting or not. And thanks.”
“Listen, I need to get back to work,” Rayne said. “Sheila’s right inside that room over there, and she’s got some paperwork for you to fill out. Maybe Kyle can help you take the paintings into her office.”
Kyle looked a little flustered. “I need to talk to you about the app,” he said, pointing to the cell phone in his hand. “I had an idea about how to get all the paintings scanned in so people can bid even if they aren’t on site Saturday night.”
“That’s fantastic. Come up in about ten minutes and we’ll talk about it,” Rayne said then turned back to Crystal. “We’re all set on the desserts for Saturday, right?”
“Yes! Dozens of mini cupcakes and fruit tarts will be here that afternoon.”
Seeing the confused look on Kyle’s face, Crystal laughed and put her hand on his arm. “I’m a baker by trade—for now, at least—but art is my passion.” Then with another big smile, she turned to pick up a painting and headed toward Sheila’s office. Without a word, Kyle picked up the other one and followed her.
Rayne went upstairs and sat down behind her desk. She was feeling a little shaky and wanted to catch her breath. Between the blow-up with Chase, getting very little sleep, and the coffee she’d drunk to counteract the migraine, she was jittery. She turned the chair so she could see out the back window and was lost in thought when Jeremy knocked on the open door and walked in.
She was embarrassed to be caught doing nothing. “Sorry, just taking a breather before I meet with Kyle about the app.”
“I didn’t come here to check up on you.” He had his hand on the door as though he couldn’t make up his mind about closing it. Her heart, which was already unsteady, started beating hard.
He finally sat down in the chair on the other side of the desk with the door still ajar. “Sheila told me about Brandon Wallace’s offer. That’s very generous of him.”
“I thought so, too.”
He paused. “I’m more than a little surprised to hear from him though,” he finally said.
“Me, too.” She was feeling so awkward that she prayed Kyle would burst in now.
He glanced away from her, and she suddenly realized that he was as uncomfortable as she was. She had a brief fantasy of him saying, “Steer clear of Brandon so you can be with me.” That would show Chase, she thought and immediately felt silly. She really needed to stay away from coffee on days like this.
“I’m friends with Yvonne—his wife,” Jeremy said. “She moved out about a month ago. Which made me wonder about the timing of his offer.”
So Brandon hadn’t lied—at least, not about his wife leaving. But there was another question behind Jeremy’s statement.
“He got an invitation from Bea Allison,” she said, answering the obvious question.
“Ah, I see. Well, he would have been on our mailing list anyway.”
She knew he was trying to broach the subject of her and Brandon, but she wasn’t about to help him. Where the hell was Kyle?
Jeremy leaned forward. “I’m probably overstepping, but I wanted to say that I feel like I let you down a year ago. I could see how he looked at you, and he never wore his wedding ring so I wasn’t sure what exactly was going on—and I don’t need to know the details—but I should have talked to you then. And I should have kicked his ass off the board the minute I even suspected.”
Rayne laughed. God, it felt good to laugh. It felt even better to know how protective Jeremy was of her.
“I’ve never heard you swear before,” she said.
He smiled. “I’m glad you’re feeling better. Sheila’s worried about you. She said you looked like you’d been carrying water for the devil all night—her expression.”
It was nice to have so many people looking out for her, though if they kept warning her off men, she’d never be able to date again.
“I’m fine,” she said. “But I will let you deal with Brandon.”
“Good.” He stood up to go. “Oh, and let me know when you and Chase are planning to hang all the artwork. I’d be happy to help. I feel like I’ve barely done anything compared to all the hard work you two have done.”
Rayne’s smile faded, and she suddenly took a keen interest in the stack of papers on her desk. “Actually, he just left for a photo assignment in Nepal. He won’t be coming to the gala. But Sheila and I can handle the artwork.”
Jeremy frowned. “I’m surprised to hear that. I just assumed he’d be around for the event.”
You’re not the only one, she thought bitterly.
Kyle walked into the office before he realized Rayne wasn’t alone.
“Oh, sorry, I’ll come back—”
Jeremy waved a hand. “No worries. I was just leaving.” To Rayne, he said, “How about first thing Saturday for hanging the artwork? I can bring some tools. And maybe Kyle here can help out.”
Kyle looked a little flustered, but he nodded. “I can do that.”
“And let me know if you need help with anything else in Chase’s absence,” Jeremy said.
“Sure thing,” Rayne said and resisted the urge to ask if he could fix a broken heart.
Chase slept more soundly than he’d expected, especially with the window open and the rumble of diesel engines and the constant clamor of people talking on the street below. He’d forgotten about the pollution in Kathmandu, the pall that often hung over the town and irritated the throat and lungs and stung the eyes.
But he wouldn’t be staying more than a couple days. He and Roy would soon take off for the villages. Chase was looking forward to the rugged outdoors.
When he woke up, the sky was already turning to twilight and streetlights were coming on. He looked at his watch, but he’d forgotten to set it to local time and there was no clock in his room. He washed his face and brushed his teeth and went downstairs to meet up with Roy.
Maya wasn’t behind the counter, but her mother was. She greeted Chase warmly.
“What time is it?” he asked, watch in hand.
“Nearly 7:00.”
He glanced up at her. “Could you be a little more specific?”
She laughed. “You Americans and your fancy watches.” She consulted a clock on th
e counter and said, “6:47.”
He set his watch and then checked his phone. No message from Roy, even though they’d agreed to meet at 6:30.
“Has anyone left a message for me?” he asked, but she said no.
So he sat down in a chair by the door and waited. He flipped through the travel brochures and spent some time reading the one about a bus tour to Chitwan National Park. Around 7:30, he finally got an email from Roy: Stuck in Delhi. Will be in Kath day after tomorrow.
Chase sent a short message back saying he’d see him in two days. Then he stuck the brochure in his pocket and wandered outside to find something to eat. The trip to Chitwan was about five hours by bus. He could leave in the morning, spend the day taking photos of the wildlife, crash at a cheap hotel, and return to Kathmandu by the time Roy hit town. That’s the beauty of traveling alone, he thought. You can change plans on a dime and you don’t have to negotiate with anyone else.
After a dinner of vegetable-stuffed dumplings and a pot of smoky Darjeeling tea, he went back to his room and put his camera and a few essentials in his shoulder bag. But he couldn’t find his antimalarial pills, which he technically should have started taking before he even left D.C. He dumped the contents of his suitcase out on the bed and pawed through everything, but they weren’t there. He closed his eyes and tried to picture himself packing—and he could clearly see the medicine sitting on his nightstand.
“Shit,” he said out loud.
He’d had malaria once before, a couple years ago, but it hadn’t hit him until he’d gotten back to D.C. Colin had taken him to the doctor right away so Chase had only muddled through a few days of body-rattling chills and vomiting before the meds kicked in. The disease was rampant—and deadly—in many parts of the world, and though Kathmandu was relatively safe, once he ventured away from the city, he’d be vulnerable. It was the tail end of monsoon season, so it wasn’t peak malaria time, but the mosquitoes that carried the disease might still be active.
“Goddamn idiot,” he said, running a hand through his hair in exasperation.
If he hadn’t been thinking about Rayne, he would have done his traditional final sweep of the room and seen the medicine. Maybe he could borrow some bug spray from someone on the bus. But that stuff only lasted a couple hours, and in Chase’s experience, nothing totally protected you from bugs. They seemed to be getting tougher and more aggressive, and he briefly wondered if climate change had anything to do with it. But that was Rayne’s domain, and he wasn’t thinking about her now. At least, not if he could help it.
He decided he’d go on the bus trip anyway because he didn’t want to just hang around in Kathmandu until Roy got there. He’d be careful, and as soon as he got back to town, he’d find a doctor who could give him the pills.
He got into bed and tossed and turned for a long time. It wasn’t like him to forget something like that. It made him realize that he’d lost his head a little over Rayne. He’d been so worried about upsetting her that he hadn’t had his mind properly focused on his trip.
That shit ends now, he decided.
Chapter 15
When Chase got off the bus in Chitwan, he was swarmed by locals wanting to offer him a ride, a tour of the park, and god knows what else. But he shrugged them off with a smile and headed down the road for the fifteen-minute walk to the park. He had a slight headache, and it felt good to walk. Plus, he could stop along the way and snap photos of the goats and stray dogs and children darting about.
Once at the park, he approached one of the drivers of a jeep tour who wasn’t much older than him and had an easy smile. Chase figured they’d get along well. He explained that he was a professional photographer and he’d like a private tour. He haggled with the guy—who introduced himself as Tenzin—for a while until they agreed on a price. Chase climbed into the jeep, and they took off into the park.
It was like entering another world. The park was miles of grasslands and forest, and the animals looked right at home. He saw single-horned rhinos, sloth bears, and golden jackals as readily as he would see pigeons or squirrels in D.C. He was grateful that the days of having to load rolls of film were gone. He took so many photos, though, that he had to switch out the memory card for a new one.
At one stop, Tenzin waved his hat in front of his face to chase away the bugs and said, “You’re lucky. It’s the first day we’ve had no rain in a week.”
“Oh? Isn’t it late a little late for the rainy season?” Chase asked as he lined up a shot of an antelope herd in the grass up ahead.
“It seems to start earlier and last longer every year,” Tenzin said. “But then it’s so hot and dry in the summer it’s like it never rained.”
Chase took a series of photos then turned to look at him. “Climate change, do you think?”
Tenzin nodded. “Something is changing. During the monsoons, my village has landslides and floods like we’ve have never seen before.”
Even in Nepal, he couldn’t get away from Rayne. The photos he was taking would be perfectly suited to the gala. Maybe the organization could use them some other way. He thought about sending her a couple of the shots, but that seemed like pouring salt in the wound. Like a postcard that says: Having a great time without you. Glad I’m here.
“And the glaciers,” Tenzin said, putting his hat back on. “If you go trekking up in the Himalayas, you’ll see what I mean. They’re shrinking. Drying up.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Chase said. Trekking in the Himalayas was an interesting idea, though. More photos, more time away from D.C.
They stayed out until dusk, and Tenzin dropped him at a restaurant in town. Chase drank a beer and ate a delicious bowl of rice and lentils then went in search of a cheap room, which he found at the edge of town. He drifted off to sleep to the sound of snoring on the other side of the thin wall. Ah, the romance of foreign travel, he thought.
The morning of the gala, Rayne walked into the office at 7 a.m. after another restless night, wearing jeans and a T-shirt. She was carrying a makeup case and her new dress in a garment bag. Sheila was already there, dressed like Rayne but still managing to look stylish. She had her hair pulled back in a ponytail and was ready for business.
With Kyle’s help, they had spent the afternoon and evening before photographing all the images and making color printouts. Now they spread the printouts on the floor at the foot of the stairs and grouped the images together by subject matter, color, and framing style and rearranged them into different combinations.
When they were satisfied, they lightly taped the images on the walls of the entryway, dining room (which served as their conference room), hallways, and various offices. Jeremy showed up at 10 with a couple hammers and a picture-hanging kit. As he walked around and looked at the images tacked to the walls, Rayne took in his casual dress of jeans, sneakers, and a University of Virginia T-shirt. She’d never seen him so casual, and she had to admit it was a good look for him.
He suggested some changes to the order of the artwork, specifically the fact that Rayne had put Chase’s photos in a dark corner beside the stairs—except for the one of the house itself, which Sheila had placed beside her office door where everyone would see it when they walked in.
“I think these would do better over here,” Jeremy said, taking the printouts of Chase’s Borneo photos and moving them to the opposite wall, next to the photo of the house. The location was bigger and brighter, but now Rayne would have to see the images and think of Chase every time she walked through.
“Don’t you think?” Jeremy said, looking at her over his shoulder.
“Yes, of course,” Rayne said.
“I might just have to buy a couple of these myself,” Jeremy said. And Rayne prayed he’d hang them at home and not in his office.
Kyle showed up just before lunchtime, excited to show them the page he’d creat
ed on their website with the scans of all the artwork and directions for how to bid using the app. Rayne rushed to her office to send the link out over their social media accounts and email list. Then they ordered pizza and ate as they hung the artwork and handled other last-minute tasks. Rayne was starting to feel a little less down. She was grateful she wasn’t alone. Whenever her gaze fell on Chase’s photos, she quickly looked at Sheila and Kyle and Jeremy talking or arguing or laughing and felt happy to be part of something so special. And pitied Chase for holding himself apart from it.
Chase woke up the next morning with the same headache and a soreness in his limbs that he blamed on the bouncy jeep ride. He had some tea and toast at the hotel and then headed outside, where Tenzin was already waiting to take him back to the park until it was time for Chase to catch the bus to Kathmandu.
His headache started to clear as soon as he began taking photos. Or maybe he just didn’t notice it anymore. They roamed around the park for hours, sharing Tenzin’s thermos of tea and snacking on Chase’s stash of chocolate and power bars. It was afternoon when Tenzin dropped him off near the bus stop. Chase got out of the jeep and handed him a generous tip.
“Thanks, man,” he said. “I really appreciate the private tour. Namaste.”
Tenzin smiled, bowed his head slightly, and sped off.
Chase was feeling fine at that moment. And then he walked across the road to the bus stop and everything changed.
It came on suddenly, like the flu, but it felt like something much worse. For once, he was thinking that his cavalier attitude toward sleep might be his undoing. That and all the stress before he left town could be enough to make him sick.
He hadn’t been bitten by a mosquito, he was sure of it, and besides, it took at least a week for symptoms of malaria to show up. It could be a relapse from his earlier bout. Was that better or worse than getting the disease again?
The Pursuit (Capitol Love Series Book 2) Page 14
