Total pages in book: 37
Estimated words: 33979 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 170(@200wpm)___ 136(@250wpm)___ 113(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 33979 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 170(@200wpm)___ 136(@250wpm)___ 113(@300wpm)
“With any luck, I’ll be in the air by the end of tomorrow.” I’ve already been here for two days, and while the town of Whispering Oaks is a change of pace from the usual hustle and bustle of the city, Seattle is home.
“This is quicker than usual. Do tell more.” I hear the door to our small balcony opening with a noise that should be criminal at this time in the morning. Too bad the superintendent takes his sweet time getting to the problem; he’s also worthless and gets paid to sit on his ass.
“We both forgot to go to the hardware store.” We’ve cleaned the track, attempted to use olive oil, which helped for all of a minute, and now we’re back to square one.
“I know. Maybe if our other neighbors complain enough, Stan will actually do his job.” Alex makes a great point, one I doubt very seriously will come to fruition.
“Yeah, but then you might have to deal with him when I’m not there or when both of us aren’t there.” A shiver of revulsion slides down my back.
“You’re right. I’ll order what we need today. I like my panty drawer unpilfered and our apartment not to smell like stale grease or lingering farts.”
“My sentiments exactly.” I chew on my bottom lip as I make the turn back into the downtown area where I first saw the artist’s work at The Social.
“Anyway, tell me about the artist. What’s his name, why does Miranda want him so badly, and why do you think it won’t take too much to convince him?” I put my car in Park after securing my spot back at the inn I’m staying at. Since the address is only a few blocks away, I may as well walk.
“T.N is the name he goes by. He has some kind of sex appeal that Miranda is after. Apparently, he posts thirst traps on socials, but never his face. He’s all the rage right now and hasn’t been discovered in the gallery community yet. I’m expecting him to be some scrawny type of guy and using filters or AI to enhance his features. The one ace Miranda has up her sleeve is money. She’s leveraging a lot of cash and giving me a bonus to boot.” I pull the keys out of the ignition, drop them in my purse, then take a quick look in the mirror to make sure my makeup hasn’t dripped down my face.
Florida and Seattle may as well be on different continents. The Florida air wraps around you the moment you step outside; it’s warm, heavy, and humid. The heat presses it, relentlessly clinging to your skin. The only reprieve you receive is either a subtle breeze from being beneath the shade trees or stepping inside an air-conditioned building. The sunshine, though, you can’t beat it, especially in the early morning and early evening.
While I’m used to Seattle’s cool and soft air, the sky hangs low and gray. The rain usually falls quietly, so you can listen to the pitter-patter of water splashing on your windows and trace the drops with the tip of your finger as they slide down the glass. Seattle is quieter, steadier, and you always know what to expect.
“Wow, hold on. I’m going to put you on speaker phone. This I’ve got to see.” While my best friend does her due diligence, I open the door, grab the bottle of water I snagged on my way out of the inn, and take a healthy sip. “Holy shit, Indy. Please tell me you’ve looked this guy up. The drool that is forming a puddle is uncontrollable.”
“Oh, I’ve seen it. Miranda has shoved it in my face for the past two weeks. His website sales, his artwork, but contacting him via the site has given us no response, and there’s no phone number or address listed. Everything’s been a dead end, shell corporation or this, that, and the other. She even went to her husband to beg for more funding in order to scoop him up.” The money in the Ellery family runs deep, on both sides, but I guess it’s really deep with this new artist.
“Well, I’d say this is money well invested. Do me a favor and sneak a few pics for me. Also, I think it’s time I made an appearance at a showing, his in particular, so make sure you save one for me.” I laugh, and she does, too. Alex hasn’t attended a showing in forever because of her job. I don’t ever begrudge her. When her boss calls, she runs, and the same could be said for myself.
“There’s always a ticket for you waiting on the off chance your boss releases you from your shackles.” I say the last part with a snicker.
“God, don’t remind me. Speaking of the ball and chain, he’s on the other line as we speak. I’ve ignored him once. Think he’ll fire me if I do it again?”