Olivia plays with the key chain around her neck, standing straight as a rod. “I appreciate all your effort, but this feels so out of the blue.”
“I know it’s short notice, and I’m sorry about it.”
“I hope you’ll be more considerate from now on. I see a bright future for you here at the gallery, and I’d hate for you to jeopardize that.”
I feel like a child being scolded in front of the entire classroom, and I won’t have it. Especially when I’m the main reason the gallery has a future.
“Don’t forget I brought in fifteen of the twenty collections this year. I’m certain my partners would follow me to whatever gallery has a bright future for me.”
My voice is as calm as I can muster, but Olivia’s eyes become glacial. She glances sideways at the rest of the team. Oh, now she cares that we aren’t alone.
“I’ll see you next Monday,” Olivia says before swirling on her heels and heading out. My colleagues give me a thumbs-up.
“You should run this place,” Diana says.
Jacob pipes in, “Or, if you decide to set up your own shop, I’ll apply for a job, just so you know.”
I smile. Maybe it is time to think about opening my own gallery again. I was young, dreamy, and foolish when I tried the first time. Now I have more experience. That I failed once doesn’t mean I’ll fail again.
Diana rubs her palms. “So, dish out. Why do you need time off? It must be pretty big.”
“It’s a secret,” I tease, already counting down the hours until I’ll see Alex.
***
The flight to LA seems endless, even though I have my hands full going through Preston’s security list. It’s exhaustive... and exhausting. I wrinkle my nose at the smell of food surrounding me. Alex offered to send me his private jet, but it felt excessive, so I declined.
I only ordered a glass of wine. Now I regret the wine, because it isn’t helping my concentration.
1. We will check you in under a different name. In case the media gets wind of the relationship, you’ll be safe from the paps. You need a room for yourself because Alex will be conducting two interviews from his room.
2. You will be staying on the same floor as Alex.
3. You are not to be seen together ANYWHERE. That means:
—you will not ride the elevator together
—you will not go to the hotel pool, spa, or any other amenities together
—you will not walk out of the hotel together
There are thirty-five “You will not” items on the list, and even as I work on memorizing them, I fear we’ll slip at some point. I tuck the list in my purse as the plane descends, and tell myself I shouldn’t fret so much. Alex has plenty of experience. I’ll trust him to guide me.
A driver waits for me at LAX, with a shield displaying my fake name, Tessa Cavanaugh.
I wish Preston had left the choice of fake name to me. I would have come up with something much cooler.
The driver rolls my enormous suitcase for me to the car, a black SUV with tinted windows. Between the fake name and the windows, this feels more like a mafia club than a James Bond mission.
When I climb in the car, I discover a takeout box in the back seat.
“Sir, there’s a takeout box back here.”
“I completely forgot. It’s for you, Ms. Cavanaugh.”
I catch myself j
ust in time. I almost asked him whom he meant. I’d better get used to answering to Cavanaugh, and get used to it fast.