Page 225 of The Girlfriend Clause
Eliza was eighteen when I’d painted it. She looked so young.
I couldn’t stand it when we fought. But she’d always been there for me, no matter what I did, or what happened. We’d been there for each other.
HeldBreath.
Was I talking about her, or me?
I reached out to touch the canvas.
If she left—went to India—how could I look out for her then? She was my little sister. She’d be miles away, and anything could happen at any time. Disasters didn’t consult youfirst.
Fish fingers, chips, and peas.
That was what I’dmade her the day Dad died.
She’d been a child. But so had I. Fifteen.
I hadn’t cried.
“You insist on doing everything, even when people don’t want you to. You always smooth it all over, like nothing can ever bemessy.”
Was that what she meant? That I looked for people’s pain and soothed it, so I could avoid looking at my own?
But she’d needed me to. I hadn’t had a choice.
“Provocative, isn’t it?”
I turned.
“Dex!”
What was he doing here?
“Just got back from my trip,” he said, before I asked. “Pieces look different hanging in the gallery, don’t they?”
“Yes,” I said. “Like… they mean more in here, somehow.”
I’d never looked at this piece this way before.Was that because of the gallery, or somethingelse?
“Exactly. And you? What brought you in?”
“I was walking past, and the doors were open,” I said.
“Of course, you’re an artist. I wanted to check this one out one last time, before they take it down. What do you think of it?” He thumbed at the painting.
He didn’tknow.
“Did you see it at the exhibition?” I asked.
“Opening night.” He put a hand behind his mouth and stage whispered. “The one where you broke in.”
“Oh. Right.”
“I actually asked Liam to get it for me.”
“You asked Liam… to get you this one?”
“Yes…” He paused. “Well… Bonnie handled it through Roth Holdings—they have an account with a dealer. They buy pieces all the time, and he owed me a favor.”
