King Perry (46 page)

Jason came to himself, frowned, and said, “Wait, didn’t you get
any
of the messages? I left you, like, two Friday and two yesterday. One this morning.”

“I was camping all weekend. Haven’t been home yet,” Perry said, grinning. “I know I look like hell.”

Jason blushed, realizing his scrutiny had not gone unnoticed. He turned and crossed to the desk. “Sir, you can’t buy it back.”

Perry followed him and said, “I’ll pay anything. Just let me ask. I know the purchaser demanded anonymity, but you could contact them….”

While he pleaded, Jason retrieved the paperwork from his special pile and presented it to Perry. He waited until Perry had glanced through the documents before he said, “You can’t buy it because you already own it.”

Perry held the cashier’s check for double the asking price and the bill of sale, which listed his own name as the seller and the new owner.

Jason said, “Everyone on Tuesday said Mr. Vanbly practically instigated the bidding war. Why would he do that if he intended to buy it and give it to you? We’ve been discussing it all week, but it doesn’t make any sense. And why did he forbid us from telling you who purchased it until Friday evening?”

Perry’s hands trembled as he confirmed the details.

“I’m sorry if I’m being nosy,” Jason said, trying hard to sound demure. “I know it’s not my business. But we’ve been talking about it all week. Mr. Vanbly left another note, this one couriered over with the full payment Friday at 6:00. I called you as soon as it arrived.”

Perry studied the second envelope addressed to “THE PAINTER’S SON,” running his index finger over the three words.

Jason watched impatiently as Perry slowly opened it, read it, and then turned to face
Siren Song
, still hanging in its original placement. Perry walked across the gallery to stand in front of it. The note fluttered to the floor as Perry sank to his knees, so Jason came around the desk and picked it up, eager to read the mystery revealed.

KING PERRY,

ENJOY THIS GIFT. THIS ARTIST’S CREATIONS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A PERSONAL FAVORITE OF MINE.

DAWN WAS SPECTACULAR THIS MORNING, DIDN’T YOU THINK?

INVITE ME ANYTIME, AND I WILL BRING KING RICHARD MANGIN, THE LIVING PAINTER.

ALL MY LOVE,

KING AABEE

A specialized M/M romance line
from Dreamspinner Press

Bittersweet Dreams, stories of M/M romance with nontraditional endings. It's an unfortunate truth: love doesn't always conquer all. Regardless of its strength, sometimes fate intervenes, tragedy strikes, or forces conspire against it. These stories of romance do not offer a traditional happy ending, but the strong and enduring love will still touch your heart and maybe move you to tears.

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com

About the Author

E
DMOND
M
ANNING
has always been fascinated by fiction: how ordinary words could be sculpted into heartfelt emotions, how heartfelt emotions could leave an imprint inside you stronger than the real world. Mr. Manning never felt worthy to seek publication until recently, when he accidentally stumbled into his own writer’s voice that fit perfectly, like his favorite skull-print, fuzzy jammies. He finally realized that he didn’t have to write like Charles Dickens or Armistead Maupin, two author heroes, and that perhaps his own fiction was juuuuuuust right, because it was his true voice, so he looked around the scrappy word kingdom that he created for himself and shouted, “I’M HOME!” He is now a writer.

In addition to fiction, Edmond enjoys writing nonfiction on his blog, http://www.edmondmanning.com. When not writing, he can be found either picking raspberries in the back yard or eating panang curry in an overstuffed chair upstairs, reading comic books.

Feel free to contact him at
[email protected]
.