Chapter 4Paul showed up at Cass’ door promptly at seven with a bottle of red wine and a bouquet of red roses. He gave her a steamy look as he took in her curves in the tight blue dress she was wearing.
Cass opened the door and looked at the flowers. “What did you do so that you had to buy me roses?”
“I haven’t done it yet. Is that garlic bread I smell?” Paul handed her the roses and tried to look innocent. He walked in and took off his jacket before he sat down on the sofa. He looked at the coffee table set for two and smiled. “Bring me a corkscrew and I’ll open the wine.”
Cass put the roses on the counter then she went over to the oven to take out the garlic bread before she took a corkscrew out of the drawer and took them both over to where Paul was sitting. “I thought we should eat in here. That way if we get sleepy from the pasta and the wine we can just fall asleep on the sofa.”
Paul laughed. “Please tell me there’s a bed somewhere in this closet.”
“It’s not that small.” Cass went back in the kitchen and brought over two plates of pasta and put them on the coffee table. “I think it’s cozy.”
“You need to move in with me.” Paul handed her a glass of wine as she sat down. “I have a nice loft with lots of light to paint. I can even get Harry to find you a buyer for some of your pieces. Where are your pieces?”
“Storage.” Cass took a sip of the wine. “Mmm nice. They were at my parent’s house but they sold it when my sister moved out. They live in an artist community back in the woods somewhere now.”
“I always liked your parents.” Paul picked up his plate and took a bite of pasta.
“They hate you. Well, my dad hates you.” Cass smirked. She picked up her plate and grabbed a piece of garlic bread. “He said you were a bad influence on me.”
:How? I have always been a proper gentleman.” Paul winked at her. “In front of your parents but never with their daughter.”
“I don’t think my dad would like any man trying to have a relationship with his daughters.” Cass shrugged.
“How is your sister? Is she still seeing the felon?” Paul asked.
Cass sighed. “She’s a mess and yes, she is still seeing the felon. I think she said something he still has an ankle monitor. Lacy was complaining that they couldn’t go out and party until it comes off.”
“Well isn’t that just so…precious?” Paul took a sip of wine. “Have you tried to talk her out of him?”
“It won’t do any good. She’s just as suborn as I am. They were together a long time ago before he started his life of crime.” Cass put her plate on the table. “Are you going to explain the roses?”
Paul sat his plate on the table. “Don’t be mad.”
“What did you do?” Cass asked. “Paul, tell me or I’ll throw you out right now.”
Paul took a small blue box out of his jacket pocket and sat it on the table. “I’ve had this for a while. I want you to have it but don’t wear it until you can say ‘yes’.”
Cass picked up the box and looked inside. “Damn! Paul, this diamond is huge!”
“I bought it after I sold my first painting. I was going to go find you and … it doesn’t matter now.” Paul watched her to see if she was angry with him.
“How long ago was that?” Cass looked at him.
“You had only been overseas a few months.” Paul shook his head. “It was just a silly dream.”
Cass closed the box and sat it on the table. She reached out and hugged him then she kissed him softly. “I’m sorry that I hurt you back then.”
“I knew you had to go. I was just being a selfish ass.” Paul sighed and pulled her back in to a hug. “My heart went with you. It’s always been with you.”
Cass pulled back and looked into his eyes. “So here we are again.” She reached over and picked up the box and opened it. “When I’m ready, I want you to put this ring on my finger.”
Paul smiled. “Deal.”
Cass looked at the ring again. “Seriously, Paul. This thing is a boulder.”
“It’s only three carats.” Paul pulled her hand over to look in the box.
“Gee, only three?” Cass kissed Paul on the cheek. “We are not those kids anymore. We have to be more serious this time.”
“That’s why I said to only put it on if you’re ready to say ‘yes’.” Paul took the box and closed it before he put it back on the table. “So you never answered me, where is the bed in this closet?”
“Through that door. Did you bring your toothbrush?” Cass snuggled closer to him.
“Of course I did. I also brought a full box of condoms.” Paul chuckled. “I just brought you a huge diamond. I came prepared.”
Cass laughed. “Help me clean up this mess and I can show you how much I like it.”
“Anything you want Silver. Anything at all.” Paul kissed her.
Cass pulled away and grabbed his hand and pulled him up off the sofa. “We can clean up in the morning.”
“Wait.” Paul let go and grabbed the ring box and the condoms out of his jacket pocket. “Now I’m ready.”
Cass laughed and winked at him. “So am I, Gold.”
Monday morning, the assistant curator, Marie Benning came down to the restoration room. The tall thin blonde in stilettos was very excited and a little flustered. “Miss Sterling! I need you to fix one of the frames upstairs.”
“Which one?” Cass stopped doing her paperwork and looked up.
“The Serene by Morgan. There’s a scratch near one of the corners.” Miss Benning looked around. She squinted at a canvas on the other side of the room. It was a bird on a window sill with pine branches behind it. “I don’t know that. Who is the artist?”
“Oh! That’s just something I’ve been working on during my lunch breaks. I did a lot of sketching at the beach.” Cass looked down at the desk to find her frame quick fix kit.
“It’s really…” Miss Benning hesitated. “Nice.”
Cass let it go. Marie Benning was a great administrator but she knew virtually nothing about art. “You seem excited about something. Did you get a raise?”
“No.” Miss Benning glared at her. “We’ve started to set up a new exhibit. The artist is Paul Golden. Are you familiar with his work?”
Cass nodded. She wasn’t about to let the woman know just how familiar she was with Paul or his work. “Show me the scratch on the frame. We wouldn’t want people to see it when they come for the exhibit.”
“Definitely not!” Miss Benning turned and led the way to the second floor gallery.
They had to pass through the area where Paul’s work was going up. There was an older man standing near the workers as they opened the crates. When he saw them, he took a few steps forward.
“Miss Benning! I was wondering if I could speak with you.” The man smiled at them both.
“Of course.” Miss Benning stopped. She looked at Cass. “This is Roderick Harris. He’s Mr. Golden’s business manager and agent. Roderick Harris, this is our art restorer, Cassandra Sterling.”
“It’s nice to meet you. You look very familiar. Have we met before?” Mr. Harris looked Cass up and down.
“No. We’ve never met. I think I would remember you.” Cass shook his outstretched hand. She wondered if Paul had shown him photos of her or the painting before he gave it to her.
Mr. Harris smiled. “You really seem so familiar.”
Miss Benning looked bored at the whole conversation. “You wanted to speak to me Mr. Harris?”
“Yes. I need to remind you that one of the ‘Currency’ Series is not available for viewing.” Mr. Harris looked apologetic. “I wasn’t aware of that when I was making the arrangements for the exhibit.”
“I thought that the complete series would be on display.” Miss Benning glanced at Cass. She hadn’t realized that Cass was still standing there. “Miss Sterling, the Morgan is in there.”
“Right.” Cass smiled and left them to talk but she knew she would be able to hear every word they said in the empty gallery.
“I apologize but Mr. Golden has given the first in the series to the woman as a gift.” Mr. Harris seemed a little frustrated as he spoke. Paul could frustrate a saint sometimes. “He didn’t tell me until this morning. It’s never been an issue before.”
“I have to say that I am very disappointed. Can’t you ask the woman if she would let it be displayed with the others?” Miss Benning sounded really annoyed.
“Miss Benning, I would if I knew who she was and how to contact her. Mr. Golden is very tight lipped on the matter.” Mr. Harris motioned to a crate near them. “You will have the other three to display.”
“Three? I didn’t know there was a fourth painting.” Miss Benning frowned. It made her look even more severe than usual.
“Yes. It seems the affair isn’t over. He is still in contact with her.” Mr. Harris chuckled. “I believe Mr. Golden is planning on bringing her to the opening night. I can’t say that for certain, however.”
“He won’t tell you a name or ask her himself?” Miss Benning pursed her lips. “That seems strange. Maybe I can speak to her if she attends.
“Possibly. He tells me that she is his soulmate and he won’t betray her privacy. The first painting is the only one where her face is visible.” Mr. Harris shrugged. “I don’t know if she will be with him so this may be a moot point.”
“I though Mr. Golden was gay. He certainly seemed so when we had the meeting to set up the details of the exhibit.”
Cass had to bite her lip to keep from laughing. She rubbed the wax crayon over the scratch the rubbed it with a polishing cloth. It was one of the more tedious repairs she did for the museum. She glanced back at Miss Benning and Mr. Harris and she saw them looking at her. Cass put her things back in the kit and walked toward them.
“All fixed.” Cass smiled as she walked up.
“Miss Sterling says she is familiar with Mr. Golden’s work.” Miss Benning glanced at Cass then looked back to Mr. Harris. “We were discussing his ‘Currency’ series. Have you seen any of those works?”
“Yes. I’ve seen all four.” Cass looked at Mr. Harris. As Cass expected, he was surprised by what she said.
“How did you see all four?” Miss Benning was startled. “I’ve only seen two. There was one on display at the Mason and the other one I saw at a gallery in Cape Stone. I’ve never seen all of them and definitely never together. I didn’t think they had ever been displayed together.”
“They haven’t.” Mr. Harris confirmed. He squinted at Cass as if he were trying to decide something.
“Paul Golden and I went to the same art school. I saw the first three there and I saw the fourth several months ago.” Cass shrugged. “I hear there may be another soon.”
“Miss Sterling, do you know who the woman is in the paintings?” Miss Benning asked as a way to take a jab at Cass.
“Yes but I won’t say who she is.” Cass enjoyed the look of shock on Miss Benning’s face. “If you’ll excuse me, I need to go finish some paperwork. It was nice to meet you, Mr. Harris.”
“Yes. It was nice to meet you, Miss Sterling.” Mr. Harris smiled at her like he finally realized where he had seen her before. “Miss Benning, we should go over security before Mr. Golden gets here.”
“Huh?” Miss Benning watched Cass walk away then looked back at the man .”Yes. What about the security?”
Cass had almost finished her paperwork when there was a knock on the door to the restoration room.
Cass stacked up the last of the files and called out. “Come in!”
The door opened and Paul walked in. He wrinkled his nose when he saw the small cluttered room. “This is where you work?”
“Yes. What are you doing down here? Someone is going to see you.” Cass got up and shut the door.
“It doesn’t matter. That assistant curator nearly threw herself at me again. She did that the last time I met her too. Such a lovely woman.” Paul walked over to the easel in the corner. “This is yours. I would know you brush strokes anywhere.”
“Yes. That one is mine.” Cass came over and looked at the painting with him. “I’m horrible.”
“You’re better than I am. He looks real. I could never do that.” Paul shrugged. “I have to get Harry to sell something of yours so that you can see that you aren’t as horrible as you think.”
“I think Mr. Harris has figured it out that I’m your soulmate.” Cass poked him in the arm. “I can’t believe you told him that.”
“You are my soulmate.” Paul laughed. “You know that because I’m yours. Are you ready to go? I thought we could have dinner at my place tonight. How does Chinese sound?”
“I’ll follow you but we can’t leave together.” Cass went over to the worktable and picked up her bag.
“Silver, please stop the hiding. We are together and I don’t care who knows it.” Paul opened the door and Mr. Harris was standing there with his hand ready to knock. “Hey Harry.”
“Paul, why did you leave me with that woman?” Mr. Harris looked at Cass. “So you’re her. You know, he’s been pining for you for years.”
“Come here and look at this.” Paul grabbed the older man by the arm and led him over to the easel. “What do you think?”
“It has a unique style. The focal point is sharp and clear but the background has dimension.” Mr. Harris looked over at Cass. “Is this one of yours?”
“Yes.” Cass was a little flustered. “It’s not quiet finished.”
“She’s good.” Mr. Harris gave Paul a smile. “She’s better than you.”
“She’s always been better than me.” Paul waved his hands but this is where she ended up. “You and I need to help her escape this dungeon.”
Mr. Harris looked over at Cass. “Do you have some other pieces that I can look at?”
“Yes. Everything is in storage. I can meet you there and you can look through them.” Cass glanced at Paul. “You’re trouble. Do you know that?”
“Always!” Paul laughed. “Harry regrets the day he met me until he gets his cut.”
“We better get out of here before that woman comes down here looking for me.” Mr. Harris looked at them. “You two better get going first. I’ll cover your escape.”
“You’re the best, Harry. Come on Silver.” Paul reached out for Cass’ hand.
Cass waved at Mr. Harris and grabbed Paul’s hand. She pulled him out the basement exit that led straight to the parking structure next to the museum.
Cass stopped at her car. “Where did you park?”
“Harry sent a driver so I’m carless.” Paul looked at the car she was standing next too. “That’s the same car you had in art school.”
“It runs fine.” Cass unlocked the door. “Get in before someone sees us.”
“Yes dear.” Paul laughed as he got in on the passenger side.
(Chapter 5) ![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
