Every Night (Brush of Love 1)

“Thank you. Which means I don’t have to haul those boxes anywhere else,” I said.

“Works out for everyone then.”

“So,” I said as I turned around to face him, “how’s the rest of the place going?”

“Well, after today, all the sheetrock will be replaced. Then we’ll turn our attention to the outer part of the building while a few of the guys are laying down your black flooring.”

“Onyx,” I said.

“That too. Want to step outside with me so I can show you some of my ideas?”

“Sure.”

I followed him through the building and out front, all the while not being able to peel my eyes off him. He had to know what he looked like in that shirt and how distracting his body was right now. The sweat was still running down his neck as he craned his head back to take in the building, and I still felt the urge to run my fingers up underneath his shirt and wet my skin with his scent.

“Do you have a name for your gallery?” he asked.

“Yep. Misty Beauty Art Gallery,” I said.

“Misty Beauty Art Gallery,” he said.

“Don’t like it?” I asked.

“It suits you.”

“Why do I suspect that’s a bad thing?”

“Because you’re secretly insecure and want someone to approve of your choice,” he said, grinning.

“I’m the furthest thing from insecure, thank you very much,” I said.

“Whatever you say,” he said as his grin grew. “What I was thinking of was this. We have a sign protruding out front that rises up above the building. It’ll have the name of the gallery on it, and then one of those electronic signs where you can advertise stuff. If you have a specific artist you’re showcasing or a specific theme you’re going for. Maybe you could advertise a sales deal or a class you’re giving. It’ll be easier to toggle with than one of those signs you slide the letters into. You’d be able to alter what the sign says by simply using the downloaded application on your computer. You’ll have some sort of computer in the gallery with you, right?”

“Yep. It’ll make monetary transactions easier,” I said.

“You have a very eclectic taste but in a beautiful way. Since your message is to bring beauty to the darkness, I figured the backdrop of your sign could be black, the name of your shop could be cream-colored... the same color as the walls of your gallery... and it could have a few splashes or splotches of paint. Not bright, neon colors, but more matte and opaque. A deep blue here, a hunter green there. A pale yellow to bring contrast to the cream-colored letters without being tacky and too bold.”

“I actually like that idea,” I said. “And thank you for the compliment.”

“What?” he asked.

“You said my taste was eclectically beautiful. Thank you.”

“Oh. No, you’re welcome. Anyway, my only issue is painting the building black. Usually, signs and stores match. But I don’t like the idea of painting the entire building black and splotching it like that.”

“Me neither,” I said.

“So, I was thinking about painting the outside of the building cream-colored as well. Make the shutters on the windows black, then trim the doorway and make the door out of that bird’s-eye maple you want to mount the pictures on the wall inside with. Then, we could paint the door something bold. Like a strong crimson red or even the same pale yellow that’ll bring a nice contrast to the sign. We can decide that later. That’s just the basic idea. What do you think?” he asked.

I was absolutely stunned by his vision. Everything tied together without being too formal, and every single part of me could see it. I could see the bird’s-eye maple and the colorful sign. I could see the pale yellow door and the black shutters. I could see what the window into my shop would look like. The artist’s name that would be displayed on the electronic sign as their artwork was staged in the window.

I was shocked speechless at the way he painted that image for me. Just with his words.

“I love it,” I said breathlessly.

“You do?” he asked.

“I love everything about it, Bryan.”