“And maybe it’s because you’re going back to something that can’t be had again. Maybe this new stuff is where you truly belong because it’s different and fresh.”
“That’s a possibility. I like that idea,” he said. “I think, when I was doing the stuff from before, I always felt like I was competing with you.”
She stared at him in shock. “Why would you feel that?” she asked. “And why would you want to do stuff like this? This is a nightmare.”
He looked at her in surprise.
She turned cross. “Do you know how much I have to work to get these massive paintings done? Look at the size of my canvas. Stay working on small ones. It’s so much easier on your stress level.”
He laughed. And he couldn’t stop.
She watched in amusement as he bent over, howling. She managed to get the champagne glass out of his hand. And another waiter came and took it away from her. She smiled.
When Frankie calmed down, she said, “Well, I don’t know what I said that was so funny but—”
He wiped the tears from his eyes. “You have no idea how much I needed to hear that.”
She smiled at him. “We’re our own worst enemy sometimes. You know that, right?”
He gave her a genuine smile, full of joy and buoyant laughter, and he nodded. “I think that’s exactly what I’ve been doing.” He turned to look at Bellamy, who was up against the mural wall, staring at the two of them. “And now I think my beloved girlfriend is wondering and worried about what’s going on.”
“Go,” Cayce said. “I think she at least deserves to know that she’s getting the Frankie she knows and loves back again.”
He leaned over, kissed her gently on the cheek, and said, “You are divine.” And, just like that, he was gone.
She chuckled. “I can’t say I’ve been called that before.”
A gentleman at her side said, “That was a lovely compliment.”
She nodded. “It absolutely was.” She took a sip of her champagne.
“I can’t imagine the scope of the work that went into this,” he said, “but I don’t see a signature anywhere. Did you sign it?”
“I absolutely did,” she said, “but the signature was never meant to be part of my design, so it’s up in the cloud.” She pointed at the top right corner.
He gasped and said, “I never even thought of that. Most artists are proud to put their signature on a piece of work.”
“And I am too,” she said with a bright smile. “But it’s never intended to detract from the art itself.” She turned and smiled up at him. Her gaze narrowed as she studied the man in front of her. “I’m sorry. Do I know you?” She held out her hand, even as she wondered at the flicker of recognition.
He shook it and smiled. “Absolutely you do.” He tucked her hand a bit under his arm, moving her farther away from the crowd.
She glanced around and said, “So who are you?”
He laughed and said, “A friend from your past.”
She stared at him. “I’m sorry. I don’t remember.”
“It’s not a problem,” he said. “It’s not a problem at all.”
When she ended up slightly away from where everybody else was, she stopped, looked around, and said, “I’m sorry. I need to rejoin the crowd and mingle with all the guests.”
“Just a moment,” he said. “I don’t think we want everybody to hear the details.”
She looked at him in surprise. “Details?”
He said quietly, “Do you really not remember me?” And his voice turned sorrowful. “I was there at a time when you desperately needed us.”
“Us?”
He nodded. “Elena and I.”
She stared at him in shock. “Kenneth?”
He beamed and opened his arms. She threw herself into them, and he hugged her tight. “I didn’t think you’d forget me,” he said, against her hair.
Tears were in her eyes when she stepped back and looked at him, holding him close. “Dear God,” she said. “I haven’t seen you in forever.”
“I know,” he said. “I just had to have a life of my own.”
“And how is that?” she asked. “It seems that you dated everybody I know.”
“That was a long time ago,” he said, “although I have reconnected with a few people since then.”
“Such as?”
“Just a few friends,” he said coyly.
She chuckled. “I see you’re still the same. Untamable, never one to have a relationship for long.”
“Is that wrong?” he asked. “I know it’s not fair to ask you to ditch all these people, but I was really hoping to spend some time with you before I leave tomorrow morning.”
“I can’t,” she said regretfully. “Are you really. Tomorrow? Where to?”
“Yes,” he said. “England.”
She took another step back, and a waiter stepped to her side, taking her empty glass and leaving. She smiled up at Kenneth and said, “Come join the party, if you want, Kenneth.”
He regretfully shook his head. “I can’t quite do that yet.”
“Okay,” she said.
As she turned to walk away to follow the waiter, Kenneth called out, “Oh, wait.”
She turned in surprise to look at him, unhappy to feel the room swaying. He laughed, then reached out, and grabbed her gently. “I think you’ve had a little too much champagne.”
“Oh, I don’t think so,” she said. “I never drink too much.”
He quickly helped her over to a bench off to the side. “Obviously tonight you did.”
She sat down with a hard thump as she stared up at him. “What did you give me?”
“Just something to help you relax,” he said. “Don’t you want to join Elena?”
And that was the last thing she heard.
*
Evil. Evil was stirring. He could feel it. See it. As if he had tuned in to it.
He watched the man’s huge shadow disappear across the street. Recognition hit him.
Evil.
He knew that face. Knew that smell. He’d lived with it for a long time.
He had to stop him. Help her.
Pretty lady. Painting. Evil painting. No, pretty painting. Evil woman. No. Pretty woman.
He struggled to his feet and took
