Chapter 19

Chapter Nineteen

" Y ou are enjoying yourself, bella , yes?"

Ariel took a sip of her sparkling mineral water, not wanting to lie to Sofia, yet needing a few seconds to compose an honest but graceful answer.

"Everyone seems to be having a wonderful time," Ariel said, knowing it sounded lame and the astute Sofia would pick up on it in a second.

She did.

"I do not care for everyone else, bella . What about you? Are you all right?"

Ariel nodded and forced a smile, hoping it didn't look like a grimace. "I guess I'm just tired after rushing the portrait."

Sofia beamed. "Ah, yes, the portrait. It is magnificent. Maria loves it."

"And seems to be infatuated with the model."

Ariel inclined her head towards Sofia's sister, who for a woman of forty looked fifteen years younger in a siren red poured-on dress, luscious dark hair that hung in perfect waves to her shoulders, and huge, expressive brown eyes firmly fixed on Cooper, along with her talon-like hands gripping his arm as she smiled at him.

"So that's what is troubling you…" Sofia waved her hand towards Maria in an abrupt, dismissive gesture. "Don't be jealous, bella , she is no competition to you."

Ariel stiffened, not liking Sofia's implication. She'd have to care to be jealous and she didn't. Caring about Cooper would be akin to skipping into the dentist with a big, goofy grin on her face and clapping her hands with glee: pure and utter madness.

"I'm not interested in Cooper, so you can get that maniacal matchmaking gleam out of your eyes," Ariel said, her stern glare having little effect.

Predictably, Sofia ignored her. "How can you not be interested? The man is handsome, successful, charming, cultured—"

"And out to ruin me."

Ariel glared at Cooper through narrow eyes, wondering why he let himself be pawed. Didn't the guy have any dignity?

Considering how fast he'd whipped off his clothes to insinuate his way into her good graces, probably not.

"Maybe you should listen to him, see what he has to say about the gallery, before jumping to conclusions?"

Sofia's tone had softened and Ariel knew that while she meant well, her friend didn't have a clue.

"That so-called charming man probably wants to kick me out of the gallery, tear it down, and erect some awful monstrosity that won't fit in with Brunswick Street." She shook her head. "I've been fobbing off his kind ever since Aunt Barb died. He's not the first and he won't be the last but one thing I'm sure of, I'm not leaving. I promised Aunt Barb."

Sofia laid a comforting hand on her arm, patting it gently. "Babs would've wanted you to be happy. She was one of my closest friends and I know how much she loved you, how much joy you brought to her life. She would want the same for you."

Sofia paused, as if searching for the right words. "Instead, you're working too hard, battling to keep the gallery open. You won't accept help from anyone and you bristle like some feral cat whenever anyone offers. Perhaps it is time to reconsider?"

"No."

The concern in Sofia's dark eyes hardened Ariel's resolve. She didn't want to reconsider anything. She'd made a promise to Aunt Barb and she'd do her best to keep it. She had no other option.

Her promise was all she'd been able to offer Aunt Barb in return for years of unswerving love and support, and there was no way she would break it, even if it meant taking on ten extra jobs. Or doing ten more life portraits as much as she hated them.

Though if all the models looked like Cooper…

Mentally slapping herself for even going there, she enveloped Sofia in a hug. "I'm sorry for snapping at you. I know you mean well but I have to do this my way."

Sofia pulled back and patted her cheek. "In that case, why don't you go and mingle? Several people have expressed interest in getting portraits done by the fabulous artist who painted Maria's birthday present. And of course, the men are all dying to meet the gorgeous creature in the stunning green dress."

Ariel glanced down at the fitted bodice, spaghetti straps, and pointy panelled, flowing chiffon of her vintage dress. With all the couture in this room, they thought this dress is stunning? It proved her point about what a bunch of phoneys this rich crowd was.

However, obtaining a few more commissions could mean the difference between keeping the gallery open for another year or not, and though she hated the patronising, condescending atmosphere in the room, she'd swallow her pride and think of Colour by Dreams .

"You're not pushing them in my direction I hope?"

Sofia threw her hands up in theatrical despair. "How could you think such a thing?" She winked and gave Ariel a none-too-gentle shove towards the main throng gathered at the floor-to-ceiling French doors opening out onto a sandstone paved patio. "Now go."

"I'm going, I'm going," Ariel muttered, downing the rest of her sparkling water and wishing she liked the taste of champagne. A little false courage wouldn't go astray. She hated marketing, particularly self promotion.

Not surprising, considering she'd spent the first eight years of her life trying to fade into the background at the various orphanages, foster homes, and during that interminable week-long stint on the streets.

Falling asleep in an old canvas in Barb's backyard had been the luckiest break of her life. Now, if only her luck could hold…for the next twenty years or so.

"Going somewhere?"

A hand clamped on her arm out of nowhere and she stopped, shrugging off Cooper's grip before speaking.

"I'm off to do some networking, like some business guru advised me on the way over here."

Cooper grinned and she wished her heart wouldn't do that weird little tango whenever he did. "You mean you're actually listening to me? And better yet, taking my advice?"

"Yeah, go figure? I must be drunk."

"On that clear sparkling stuff you've been drinking for the last hour? I doubt it."

A small part of Ariel was flattered he'd managed to tear his gaze away from fawning Maria for more than a second to notice what she'd been drinking, while a larger part—the logical part—told her she was crazy for caring.

"Look, why don't you head back to your friends and let me continue doing what I have to do?" And the only reason why I came here in the first place. "In fact, once I finish chatting to a few people I'll never see again if I'm lucky, I'm heading home, so thanks for the ride."

His smile vanished and his eyes darkened to a stormy midnight. "Firstly, these people aren't my friends. They're acquaintances, and the main reason I'm here is to support you, not party with people I barely know. Secondly, I'm not some immature young man you can give the brush off to when it suits you. I brought you, I'll take you home." He glowered. "And lastly, in case you didn't know, this whole ‘woe-is-me' act of yours is wearing a little thin. You're out of your depth here? Well, listen up, sweetheart. Everyone gets that feeling, from the Prime Minister to garbage collectors. You're a big girl, deal with it. Now off you go, show these people half the spunk you show me and when you're ready, I'll meet you outside."

Ariel stared at Cooper in stunned disbelief as he strode through the open French doors without looking back, torn between wanting to run after him and give him a clip around the ears for speaking to her like that and doing exactly as he said; make this crowd notice her, make some contacts, promote her business, no matter how much she hated it and how far out of her depth she felt.

Woe-is-me act ?

"I'll show him," she muttered, glaring daggers in Cooper's direction and squaring her shoulders to shake up this crowd.