Page 38 of Her Patron
The love of her life.
She thought those words as she gazed upon her standing in front of the audience. “I’ve been playing at being an artist for years now,” she told the crowd, “but nothing I painted wastruly good enough for the world. I hid those paintings away or simply wrote them off as a learning experience. Once I met June, though, everything changed. I had that artistic epiphany you always hear snots going on about. I truly realized why I had chosen this kind of life for myself. Never before had I been so happy to lock myself in my studio and paint whole nights away. Every time I sat down to sketch this gorgeous woman, I considered myself one of the luckiest lesbians alive.”
Some members of the audience chuckled. They must have seen the pictures… Luckily, there were no indecent ones of Sette as there had been of Miquela. That didn’t mean people couldn’t add.
“I welcome anyone to indulge in my slice of paradise here. Thank you for your support, and I hope to see you again.” Sette held up her glass in salutations. The first person to hold one up in return was June, smiling as if she were truly happy to be there as well.
Maybe she is.Sette reminded herself that it was a part of her illusion… even if June claimed to love her as well. I can bear it.
What she couldn’t bear was the face she saw far, far back in the crowd.
Chapter 12
Miquela
Miquela had tried to talk herself out of coming multiple times. She had no other reason to be in New York. There was work to do at home. American Independence Day didn’t mean anything to her. Netflix called and said she had yet to watch the final season of her favorite show. Yet no matter how many excuses she came up with to stay where she belonged in America, she still booked the first flight to JFK she could find.
She had to know.
For the past week, Miquela had been driving herself crazy, not only with thoughts of June and where she stood with her, but also with what she really wanted from her. Of course, she wanted the sex and fun and passion. Of course, she claimed that she loved her more than she had loved any other woman – even more than Rosa! Yet there was no denying that she spent much of her time sitting with a bottle of whatever, playing whateverstreaming deemed good enough while she stared at her ceiling and wondered what she should do about June… and Sette.
I never expected a woman like that to throw the first punch.
Right after Sette finished her speech of gratitude, she met Miquela’s eyes in the back row of the crowd. Miquela turned away and pretended to be fascinated with a woman’s intricate French twist laden with a thin veil of sapphires. What she really wanted to do was stare at June. Then again, that’s what everyone there wanted to do. Nobody could take their eyes off her once it was revealed she was the model in these paintings.
The damned paintings. Miquela had only glanced at them on her way in. Once she spotted June hanging around Sette, she couldn’t look at anything else.
They looked good together. They were even somewhat coordinated, and people commented on this as if they had planned it. The way June brushed her hand against the painter’s arm was not the practiced movement of a professional trying to squeeze more money out of her. It was a genuine touch of affection.
Fuck off with that.
“Oh, my God,” June gasped ten minutes later, when she was sent to mingle with the crowd. Sette was in another corner with another woman.Probably her agent. They were shaking hands with an older man and his younger wife. “Miquela? What are you doing here?”
She forced a smile. Well, “forced” wasn’t how she would put it. I can’t force anything around her. She’s the light of my life. How corny. Yet it didn’t sound corny at all in her head. “How could I miss this? Don’t worry. I won’t bother the woman you are with. I wanted to see how it was going.”
June, torn between glaring and smiling, gave Miquela’s arm the same touch she bestowed upon Sette earlier. “Thank you. That’s sweet of you.”
“That said…” Miquela sent a warning glare to a man trying to approach June. The guy shuffled off. “Could we speak in private for a moment? There’s something I want to ask you.”
When June was satisfied that nobody else wanted her attention – least of all Sette – she finally agreed to go with Miquela. As long as she made it quick. There was only one place for them to talk privately in that large, broad room. Although partitioned off with many cream-colored walls, there were not many nooks and crannies not already occupied by someone. This left a small alcove in the far back of the gallery, beyond the paintings, the lights, and even the closets. Miquela kept an eye out for anyone following them. So far, so good.
“What is this about?” June stood up straight against a dark wall. It didn’t matter how little light there was in there. Miquela could still see the warm dark gray of her sweater dress and every golden part of her illuminated in the shadows. I love this woman so much, all I want to do is… No. She wouldn’t. First things were first. Besides, did she really want to pull what Sette did when June was supposed to be on a date with Miquela? “It must be important if you can’t wait another week.”
Her words were harsh, but her tone was soft. Miquela didn’t mind if she was brusque with her as long as she used that tone. True definition of love.
At any rate, next weekend was when they were supposed to formally start their new business relationship. Monique would send over Miquela’s copy of the contract as soon as the holiday weekend finished. That wasn’t what Miquela wanted to talk about.
“As I said, I wanted to come see what kind of paintings this woman has done of you. The one in your bedroom isn’t good enough, mi amour. I wanted to see if she really loves you as much as I do.”
“Well?” June put both hands on her hips. “Does she?”
“It certainly seems like she cares for you.”
“Hmph.” Now her arms crossed. “You do love to say how much you love me, Miquela. Yet so does she. You get used to such things in this business.”
Miquela finally said what she intended all along. “Do you love me, June? Will you really tell me that after everything… you don’t love me back?” She had heard her at the wedding, but who knew what she meant by that. Besides, she was in a bit of a daze from Sette’s fierce right swing. The woman works out more than it looks.
For the first time since she met her, June looked… scared. Frightened.Maligned. She refused to meet Miquela’s eyes as she bit her lip and stared at the floor. “I care for you very much,” she finally relented. “You’re one of the best clients I’ve ever had. I think you’re going to be the best patron a girl like me could ever ask for.”
