Flawed Perfection (An Eve Sumptor Novel) (2 page)

“Yes?”

“Is everything alright?”

“Of course,” Lainey answered, a little too brightly.

Eve sighed and reached out to take Bella.

“Hey there, baby girl. You ready to go to work with your Momma?” She glanced at Lainey, again. “If you want to talk, I’m here.”

She didn’t wait for an answer from Lainey. She didn’t expect one since Lainey wasn’t being particularly forthcoming. Instead, she walked out the front door, waiting for Lainey to follow, then locked it behind her.

Eve settled Bella into her car seat in the back of her Lexus LX 570.

“I sometimes miss your Jag,” Lainey said softly.

“I still have it.”

“I know, but you rarely drive it.”

Somehow Eve didn’t think they were actually discussing her sleek Jaguar.

“Lainey, just because I don’t drive it as often, doesn’t mean I don’t think of it constantly.”

“Hmm.” It was Lainey’s only response before turning up the radio. She lost herself, listening to P!nk urging her to try, try, try.

“Oh thank God you’re here, Mrs. Riley!”

“Mikey? What’s wrong?”

Mikey has been with Eve since she reopened her gallery in New York. He began as her intern, but his extensive knowledge—and eagerness to learn more—prompted Eve to hire him on full time. She can’t remember ever seeing him this flustered before.

“They are delivering the paintings today, including the Van Gogh’s and Cezanne’s. But, I don’t think they’re all here.” He began going over the order form once more, hoping maybe he had just made a mistake.

“Give me Bella, Eve.” Lainey reached over, plucking Bella from Eve’s arms. “I’ll take her to the nursery while you take care of this.”

“Thank you.” Eve turned her attention back to Mikey and the delivery men. She walked up to the stack of paintings leaning against the wall. She didn’t need the order slip. Eve knew every painting, every print, every statue that goes in her gallery. This order was missing three.

“This is all you had in your warehouse?” She asked the deliverymen.

“Ma’am, we had everything, double checked. They were all there when we left the warehouse.”

“Are you saying
I
did something with them?” Mikey shrieked.

“They’re not saying that Mikey,” Eve soothed. “Something happened between here and there, gentlemen. I paid a lot of money. I want my paintings.” Her voice was gentle, but held undeniable power.

“Ma’am, we don’t know what happened.”

“Get your supervisor here. Let’s figure this out.”

She walked up to another stack of paintings laid out on the table as the men called their boss.

“Is everything okay?” Lainey stood next to Eve, watching her run her hands—and, oh, what expert hands they were—over the paintings.

“They’re fake.”

Eve’s voice was so soft, Lainey almost didn’t hear her. Even so, she couldn’t have heard correctly.

“I’m sorry?”

She was startled a bit by Lainey’s voice. She had been so focused on the paintings in front of her that she hadn’t heard Lainey come up.

“The paintings. They’re forgeries.”

Lainey looked at the paintings. With degrees in Art History and Fine Art, she was proud of her knowledge. But, as she studied the art in front of her, she couldn’t tell how Eve saw they were forgeries.

“How do you know?”

“The brushstrokes.” Eve took Lainey’s hand and gently guided her fingertips over the painting. “What do you feel?”

Besides you touching me?
Lainey thought. “Um. It’s smooth.”

“Exactly. It shouldn’t be. You should be able to feel each stroke, each line.”

Lainey’s hand burned where Eve touched her, but she refused to let it show.

Eve felt the heat radiating from Lainey and it confused her. She set that feeling aside for now, needing all of her focus to be on this screw up in front of her.

“Ms. Sumptor?”

“Mrs. Sumptor-Riley.” Eve corrected. The owner of the delivery company used to transport her paintings was a short, pudgy man with a round face, beady eyes and a razor thin mustache adorning thin lips. She felt an instant dislike towards him for some reason.

“Right. Well, let’s see what we can do about your situation.”

His condescending tone rubbed Eve the wrong way, but she held her anger in check.

“It isn’t my situation, Mr. Branson. It is your problem to fix.”

“Now, let’s just hold on one second, young …”

“Do not finish that sentence, Mr. Branson.” Her voice was cold, and the fury behind it was not subtle. “I paid millions of dollars for art. What you have brought me is not even worth the gas it took you to bring them here.”

“Only three paintings are missing, Ms …”

“
Mrs
. Sumptor-Riley. And, the others are fakes.”

“Impossible!” His indignant attitude and red face was almost enough to make Eve laugh.

“And, yet,” Eve spread her hands to the framed art in front of her, “here we are.”

“You must be mistaken. We’ll take them to someone who can determine …”

“How dare you!” Lainey could tell Eve was holding back her anger, but she would not stand there and let this man belittle Eve’s expertise. “Sumptor Galleries are the most prestigious galleries in the US. Eve is not only talented, but she is the most cultivated art dealer around.”

Lainey’s outburst didn’t surprise Eve. She knew Lainey would always have her back. But, the fierceness behind it made Eve more determined to find out what was going on with Lainey. For now, Eve touched Lainey lightly, just a small run of her fingertips down the back of her arm as a thank you.

Lainey could feel the goosebumps form where Eve touched her, and it took all of her strength not to shiver in front of her and everyone else. Damn it. She thought she had been in control of these feelings.

“I didn’t mean to insinuate …”

“Yes, you did, Mr. Branson.” Eve was growing tired of his excuses and arrogance. “I want you to find my paintings. And, in the meantime, I will take the money you charged me for delivery. With how much you charge, you should be more careful.”

“There is a strict no refund policy, Mrs. Sumptor-Riley.”

Well, at least he got my name right
.

“Mr. Branson, you
will
return my money. And, in light of what has happened here, I don’t expect to be writing you any more checks.” The statement was said with such finality that there would be no argument.

“I will get our investigators on it immediately,” Mr. Branson grumbled.

“As will I.”

“I don’t think that will be necessary.”

“You’ll forgive my concern for your competency, Mr. Branson.” Eve raised a brow, just waiting for a retort of any kind. When she received none, she went on. “I’ll feel much better knowing my people are on it, as well.”

Eve waited until they left before turning to Lainey. “Can I see you in my office, please?”

“I have things I need to take care …”

“In my office. Now.”

Eve turned on her heel and started up the stairs. She heard Mikey clear his throat and mumble something about sweeping the floor before the gallery opens.

“I don’t appreciate you talking to me like that in front of Mikey.” Lainey closed the door with an aggravated thud, standing just inside it with her hands on her hips.

“And, I don’t appreciate you trying to avoid me,” Eve shot back. “Something is wrong with you, and I want to know what it is.”

“You have more important things to worry about, Eve.”

Eve took two quick steps towards Lainey, effectively boxing her in with nowhere to go.

“
You
are important to me,” she whispered harshly. “I don’t like not knowing what’s bothering you.”

Lainey could feel her heart beating faster. “Give me some space. Please, Eve,” she whispered when Eve didn’t move.

Reluctantly, Eve backed away. “Are you and Jack having problems?”

Lainey sighed. “Jack and I are fine, Eve.”

Eve searched Lainey’s face for any indication of truth in the statement.

“Oh my God, Eve. I said we were fine. Do you think that’s the only time I want
you
? When I’m having problems with my husband?”

“
You want me?
”

“Shit,” Lainey muttered. She sure as hell didn’t mean to say that out loud. Honesty is the best policy. Isn’t that what they always say? “Yes. Does that really surprise you?”

“A little, yes. It’s been almost two years and you’ve said nothing to me.”

“I was trying to be a good friend. To you
and
Adam. But, I’m not like you, Eve. I’m sorry.”

“What does that mean?” Even with the blood pounding in her ears, Eve heard the bite in Lainey’s voice.

“It means I can’t turn my feelings on and off like you.”

“That’s not fair, Lainey,” Eve said, softly. “Do you think I don’t think about you
every day
? About how it felt being with you?” Eve closed in again. “About how much guilt you felt, and the pain you felt? You couldn’t even make love to your
husband
, which should have been easy and good for you, without feeling ashamed about it! We both made our choice that night I was shot. It was the right choice. I didn’t turn off my feelings, Lainey.”

The rational side of Lainey knew what Eve said was right. It was the damn irrational side that just didn’t give a damn. She wanted Eve to feel what she was feeling. Maybe she just wanted to know that she wasn’t going crazy.

“What do you want from me, Lainey?” Eve touched Lainey’s cheek with a soft caress, and bent her head close. “Is it this?”

Eve’s lips were a breath away from Lainey’s. The anticipation spiked Lainey’s adrenaline and her skin flushed. But, before they touched, Eve eased back with a frown.

“Can’t do it, can you?” Lainey smiled mirthlessly.

“Don’t dare me, Lainey.”

“I’m not trying to dare you. I’m just saying the guilt isn’t so easy.”

Eve frowned again. “I was with Adam when we were together, Lainey. I know what guilt feels like.”

“But, you weren’t married to him. In fact, you broke up with him.” Lainey reminded her.

“That doesn’t mean I wasn’t in love with him.”

The words stung, but Lainey had always known Eve’s true feelings for Adam. Even if Eve didn’t.

Eve let out a frustrated grunt. “Tell me what to do, Lainey! What do you want?”

“I don’t know!”

“What’s going on with you and Jack?”

“Nothing! I told you we’re fine! In fact, we’re more than fine.” Especially after I’ve dreamt of you, Lainey added silently.

“Then why?”

“It’s this time of the year, Eve. This is when we …”

Eve’s eyes fluttered closed. “
I know
.”

“You remember?”

“I remember everything, Lainey.” She pulled Lainey into her arms and just held her. “But, there has to be more. Tell me.”

“I saw you,” she confessed. “You told me you were working in your studio last night, so I thought I’d come by with a bottle of wine and talk.”

“Oh, Lainey.” Eve thought about the night before. It was Adam who surprised her in her studio. He made love to her, quite passionately, there amongst the art Eve created. It had been erotic and beautiful. She wondered—for a brief, inexplicable moment—how she would have felt knowing Lainey was there.

“I couldn’t stop watching.” Lainey lowered her eyes with shame. “I wanted to, my God I wanted to stop. But, watching you with Adam, all I could do was stand there and remember what it was like being the one with you. I’m sorry.”

Lainey hiccupped a sob, and Eve tightened her arms around her. Eve pulled back, grasping Lainey’s face in her hands. “Honey…”

“I should have called.”

Eve knew firsthand how painful it was to watch. “I can’t apologize for it happening, but I can be sorry that you saw that.” Eve wiped a tear from Lainey’s cheek. “You’re wrong about me, Lainey. I can’t turn my feelings off, but I can bury them deep enough to where they won’t hurt anyone. I’ve had a lot of practice at that. But, I love you, Lainey. I will always love you,” she admitted, softly.

The desire to kiss Lainey hit Eve hard, and the tremendous guilt she felt for that almost brought her to her knees. Before she could do either, her cell rang, shattering the moment to pieces. Recognizing the ringtone, she stepped back.