She was curious about his comment, but she didn't have time to ask what he was referring to when Jeremy interrupted them.
"Barton, what the hell are you doing here? I thought it was the big birthday bash tonight," Jeremy said.
"It was, but Angel's Bay birthday bashes end by ten, especially with my mom's crowd. I'd ask you to hit a bar with me, but I have a feeling there's a kid nearby."
"Ashlyn is with Kara, and we're headed home, but you have fun," Jeremy said.
"I always do," Barton replied.
"Daddy, Daddy," Ashlyn interrupted, running over to them with excitement in her expression.
"What's up?" Jeremy asked.
"Faith's mom is going to have a sleepover at her house tomorrow night, and she said I can come and play with everyone. Can I go?"
"Sure, I guess so," Jeremy replied, looking as surprised as Mia was by Ashlyn's request to spend the night elsewhere. "That sounds like fun. We'll talk about it when we get home."
"I'll tell them I'm coming," she said, running back to the group.
"Looks like the kid is coming out of her shell," Barton commented.
"I can't believe it," Jeremy muttered. "I'm happy she wants to play with other kids. I'm not sure about a sleepover, though. Do you think she's ready to be away from me, Mia?"
"There's probably only one way to find out. You have to trust what she wants to do."
He nodded. "I'll talk to her more about it tomorrow."
"Hey," Barton said, a mischievous gleam in his eyes. "Maybe you and Mia should have a sleepover tomorrow night, too."
Jeremy shot his friend a dark look. "Not cool, Barton."
"I'm just joking. Mia knows that, don't you, Mia?"
She smiled and gave a nod, doubting that Barton ever thought before he spoke, but he had no malicious intent. "It's fine. But Jeremy and I don't need your help to plan a sleepover. We can do that ourselves."
He laughed. "I like your style, Mia. A straight shooter." He patted Jeremy's good shoulder. "Lucky guy. I'll see you later."
"Sorry about Barton," Jeremy said, as his friend left. "He doesn't know when to shut up."
"He's entertaining, that's for sure. Ready to go?"
"After you."
It was close to midnight by the time they got home. Ashlyn had once again fallen asleep in the car.
"Do you want help carrying things inside?" Mia asked.
"I can make a few trips."
"Are you sure?"
"Unless you want to bring some things inside and stay awhile—maybe all night?"
"I think I should stay at home tonight," she said, forcing the words out of her mouth, then regretting them immediately. But her practical side, the side that told her she better be careful or she was going to fall completely in love with this man, and he was going to break her heart, was making her cautious.
"Really?" he asked with disappointment.
"I could use some sleep, and we don't do much sleeping when we're together."
He smiled. "That's true. All right. Let's talk about tomorrow night. Since Ashlyn has plans for herself, what do you think about going on a date with me?"
"A date, huh?"
"Yes. I take you somewhere nicer than a pizza parlor or a diner, and we have an adult evening." He gave her a sparkling smile that sent butterflies dancing through her stomach. "Say yes."
"Yes," she said, realizing that once again she'd had another opportunity to say no to Jeremy and had chosen the affirmative instead. "I'd love to have dinner with you and have an adult evening."
"Good. I'm still going to miss you tonight, though."
"I'm going to miss you, too."
"You can change your mind."
"It's tempting, but I have a lot to do tomorrow."
"What's on the schedule?"
"More cleaning, and more research. I'm surprised Kate hasn't gotten back to me yet or my friend. I thought one or both of them would have contacted me by now. In the meantime, I'm going to move on with the gallery exhibition. I spoke to Didi Eckhart at the gallery earlier today, and she's going to come by tomorrow afternoon to see the paintings. I also told Kent and Christina they could come by and look for their art. I still need to contact one other woman. But it should be a busy day." It felt good to have a plan of things to do other than sleep with Jeremy.
"Sounds like it. I hope the artists let you keep their paintings. It seems wrong for them to take them back. I get that it's personal for them, but they still gave their art to your aunt, so it couldn't have been that personal."
"I feel the same way. I'm surprised by the negative reactions." She paused. "By the way, Christina was with Kent in the park after the movie. Kent told me that Eva had to leave to see a patient and that Christina was an old friend, but they didn't look too friendly. They were having a heated argument when I saw them. You said you didn't know her, right?"
"No, I don't know her, but Ken has been back here for over a year now. He knows lots of people I don't."
"I got the feeling their friendship went back longer than a year."
"Maybe. Kent has always had more friends than me. He was a lot more outgoing than I was when we were growing up. Barton was the same. I was the quiet one when I was with those two." He paused, giving her a thoughtful look. "It sounds like you think something strange was going on."
"I just had an odd feeling when I saw them arguing; I don't really know why."
"Do you want me to ask him?"
"Of course not. It's none of my business. Forget I said anything."
"You know, Mia, it occurs to me that some of the artists who stayed here might not be completely sane. It might not be safe for you to stay alone in the house."
She smiled at his latest attempt to convince her to stay with him. "I'm not worried about crazy artists, Jeremy. I think you just want to get me into your bed."
"Well, I do want that, but I'm also concerned about the vandalism and the odd reactions you're getting from the artists."
"I appreciate that, but I'll be fine. I'll lock all the doors, and I'll put my phone by my bed. If I hear anything, you'll be my first call."
"I better be."
She leaned over and gave him a kiss. "Goodnight, Jeremy. I had a great time."
"So did I."
She got out of the car and forced herself to walk across the lawn. When she reached the porch, she waved to Jeremy, who was watching to make sure she got in okay. Then she locked the door behind her and mentally kicked herself for choosing a night alone instead of a night in bed with one of the sexiest men she'd ever been with. But it was the smart choice, wasn't it?
Her brain said yes; her body said hell, no.
But it was better this way. She needed to get some distance, some perspective, some plan for how she was ever going to say good-bye to him.
Eighteen
At ten o'clock, Christina Wykoff walked into Mia's backyard, once again choosing not to ring the bell.
Mia had anticipated her arrival and had spent the past hour cleaning up the patio and putting the entire group of paintings in one spot so that Christina could easily take her painting and go.
Christina was dressed more casually today in skinny white jeans and a sleeveless blouse. But there was still a cool air about her. Most of the people in Angel's Bay were warm and friendly, but not Christina.
"Hello, how are you this morning?" Mia asked.
"Fine. Are these all the paintings?"
"Yes. Is one of them yours?"
Christina looked at the paintings on display and frowned. "No, mine isn't here."
"Really? What did it look like?"
"An abstract maze. I drew squares and rectangles; it was a metaphor for my life at the time. Have you seen it?"
"I'm sorry, I haven't. It's possible my aunt did something with it or that it was unfortunately destroyed during some vandalism that occurred in the studio a few days ago."
"A few days ago?" Christina asked, raising an eyebrow. "Since I was last here?"
"Yes. So
me of the paintings were ripped apart."
"You couldn't salvage them?"
"No, I could only throw them away." She could see that Christina was not happy about her reply. "I will say, though, that the description of your painting doesn't ring a bell. I don't remember seeing anything that looked like an abstract maze."
"Well, what would your aunt have done with it?"
For a moment, she thought about the paintings she'd seen in her aunt's closet, but none of them fit Christina's description. "I have no idea. I'm sorry. If it comes to light, I'll contact you, but you can certainly be assured it won't be part of the show I'm putting together, so you don't have to worry about that."
Christina didn't look satisfied by her words. "Are there any paintings in the house?"
"No."
"Really? Not one painting? Your aunt was an art lover. I can't believe her walls are bare."
"Your painting isn't in the house," she said, lifting her chin as Christina sent her an angry look. "You're going to have to trust me on that. And, frankly, your painting was payment for your stay here. It belongs to my aunt's estate. However, I am trying to be sympathetic to your feelings. If I see anything that looks remotely like it, I will let you know, but I can tell you right now that I've been through everything, and I don't believe it is anywhere on this property."
Christina stared back at her through angry, frustrated eyes. "All right. I guess I'll have to live with that."
After Christina left, Mia blew out a breath, feeling unsettled by their conversation. She didn't like the interest Christina had expressed in getting into the house, but she reminded herself that the locksmith had changed the locks so the house should be secure. If someone wanted to come back here and steal everything in sight, she couldn't stop them. But she also couldn't worry about it anymore. There was nowhere else to put anything. Hopefully, once she spoke to Didi Eckhart, she could take the paintings to the gallery and move on with the showing.
"Hello? Hello? Anyone back here?" A woman's voice rang through the air. A moment later, Rita Phelps walked into the yard, wearing a flowing, colorful maxi dress and sandals. "Mia, there you are. I rang the bell."
"I didn't hear it; I'm sorry."
"I thought I might retrieve my painting."
"Of course. You were on my list to call. Here are the paintings I pulled out of the studio."
Rita made the same trip around the patio that Christina had taken. "It's this one," she said with relief, pointing to the oil painting of a seaside landscape. It wasn't the best painting in the group; in fact it might have been one of the worst, but Mia kept that opinion to herself.
"May I take it with me?" Rita asked.
"Yes, please. I'm glad you found it."
"I really feel that Carly would have wanted me to take it back and sell it myself, and then use the money to continue my art."
She nodded, not sure of any of that, but she wasn't up for arguing with any more possessive artists. "I'm sure you're right."
"What are you going to do with the studio, if you don't mind my asking? Will you open it up again to other artists?"
"I don't know if we'll keep the house or the studio. My mother will make that decision."
"It would be sad to see it go. This place has been an inspiring refuge for so many people."
Mia felt a little sad at the thought as well, but it wasn't realistic to think her parents would want to keep this property. It was far away, and they could probably use the money that would come from a sale.
She looked up as the gate opened once again, and Kent walked into the yard. Everyone was coming at the same time. It was just as well. She'd get through the three reluctant artists first.
"Thanks again," Rita said.
"You're welcome." She gave Kent a smile. "Good morning."
"How are you today?"
"Getting a lot done."
"That's always good. So are these all the paintings you could find? I don't see mine."
"Well, you know that some of them were destroyed the other day. Maybe yours was one of them."
He nodded. "I guess I should have looked more closely when I came in that day. But, whatever, it probably belonged in the trash anyway. Jeremy told me I was an idiot for caring about this."
"I understand that you painted from a very personal place."
"I did. I never stepped outside when I was here. I couldn’t face the sun or the beauty of the view. I painted in the dead of the night, sometimes by candlelight, and it was all just washes of color, darkness and evil, and the images that wouldn't leave my mind." He stopped talking abruptly, as if he'd just realized she was there. "Sorry, that was a little heavy, wasn't it?"
More than a little heavy for a guy who usually acted like he was the happiest man on earth. But there was obviously another side to him. "I'm sorry for what you went through, Kent."
"I signed up for it. I just didn't think the enemy would look the way it did."
"What do you mean?"
"My team was ambushed by a bunch of kids. They couldn't have been more than fourteen or fifteen. Children should be children, not pawns of war, but in other parts of the world, the indoctrination starts early." He drew in a breath. "Sorry again. I don't know what is wrong with me. I guess being back here makes me remember that time in my life. I'm proud of the service I did, but I'm happy to be living a normal life again."
"Do you think Jeremy could ever be happy away from the Army?" she impulsively asked.
Kent gave her a thoughtful look. "I know the answer you're looking for, but the truth is I don't know if I can say he would be happy. I don't think he would have ever quit if it had been left up to him, if he hadn't been injured, if he hadn't discovered he was a father. Those changes have turned his life upside down. You should have seen him when he first got here; he was a pale shadow of himself. He's come a long way in a few weeks, just like his daughter has." Kent smiled. "I have a feeling that has a little to do with you."
"Probably more to do with time," she said.
"You're being modest."
"I like Jeremy. I'm sure that's not a surprise to you. But we're both in a transitional period, and Jeremy has a lot of decisions to make that don't include me; and I do as well."
"Maybe you'll start factoring each other into those decisions."
"That seems like a crazy idea."
"Crazier than walking away from each other? It's so hard to find someone you really click with, Mia. Do you want to throw that away because of geography or career choices?"
It was a good question. Too bad she didn't have an answer.
"I think Jeremy should stay here," Kent continued. "Angel's Bay is a good place for him to start over. And Ashlyn would have a great childhood here. But I'm not sure this town has enough to offer him. Jeremy has lived on adrenaline for a long time. He's used to danger, excitement, and adventure."
"You were used to that, too."
"But I was ready to move on. Once I started sleeping through the night, I appreciated the fact that I could sleep without worrying about surviving until morning. There's something to be said for peace. Jeremy and I have been fighting for peace in the world, but at what point do you ask for some peace within yourself? For me, I reached that point. Jeremy's tipping point is still to be decided. He'll figure it out. And you'll figure things out, too. Angel's Bay is a good place for soul searching."
"It's funny, because coming to Angel's Bay for me was an exciting adventure. I got to step away from my real life and see what else is out there. Who knows what's next?"
"The sky's the limit, Mia."
"That's what Aunt Carly would have said."
"Good luck with the exhibition. Sorry for being a pain in the ass about my art."
"You've been nicer than some of the others."
"Did Christina find her picture?"
"No, she came by earlier. She was pissed off that it wasn't here. I wouldn't be surprised if she asked you to get her a search warrant for the house. She really wanted to go i
nside, but I have to draw the line somewhere. I'm trying to be understanding, but there's a point where people have to accept that if you give something away, it might not come back."
"Now, you're making me feel guilty for trying to get my painting back."
"Sorry, I was talking more about Christina, because she was really rude to me. I don't have the best impression of her."
"She has a hot temper," he conceded.
"It looked like the two of you were arguing last night in the park.
"That usually happens when we're together," he said. "She's just one of those people who pushes my buttons, and I push hers."
Mia nodded, thinking that he still hadn't said what they'd been arguing about.
"I'll see you later, Mia. And let me know if anyone else gives you any trouble. You don't have to let anyone into your house, and you shouldn't."
"Thanks."
After Kent left, Mia went back into the house. She still had some time before Didi Eckhart arrived, and she wanted to spend it looking into her mysterious painting.
She spent the next two hours on the computer. She'd studied Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec in school, but she hadn't had much to do with his artwork in recent years, so it was good to refresh her memory. She learned a lot about his life in Paris and his love of the Parisian nightlife. She thought many of his paintings were exquisite and several reminded her of the one on her kitchen table. She became more and more convinced that he was the artist or that someone had copied his style.
It wasn't unusual for artists to copy the works of the masters, sometimes as a method of studying and learning, other times as a way to pay homage to the classics. And, of course, there were forgers interested in passing off their work as the real thing for lots and lots of money.
While it was frustrating not to be able to find the exact painting online, she did enjoy the research, which took her back to her college days. She'd always loved to learn. It was when she'd graduated and started working that she'd stopped learning new things. That was going to change no matter what she decided to do.
Around one, she made a salad and ate her lunch in front of the computer. Her mind occasionally drifted to Jeremy. Since she'd arrived, they'd spent all their time together, and it felt strange when hours passed without him calling or coming by. But they had a date tonight, and that would be fun.
If I Didn't Know Better Page 21
