Free Then Kiss Me by Jade C. Jamison Page B

right, lovebirds, the food’s burning.  Can we get back to work, please?”
    Scott and I made eye contact again.  We were both smiling.  But that look was heavy.  We were acknowledging the significance of what had happened there, even though there had been no words pass between us.
    After the lunch rush, though, I started questioning if it had just been me, because we’d just kind of fallen back into business as usual .  But my high carried me through.  Even when Jim was being a dick, I was able to just blow him off.  Quitting time, though, everything felt normal.  I said goodbye and nothing special happened.
    But I was certain that moment had been special.  I had to go with it.  I had to believe it, because I planned to act on it if I ever had the opportunity.
     

 
     
    Chapter Six
     
    LESS THAN A week later, I got a call from Isabel.  It was rather unexpected, but I wasn’t complaining.  She said, “Casey, I just sold your painting.  Can you bring me more?”
    Inside, I was squealing with joy, but I kept my voice as calm as possible.  “I can bring some by today.”  And in less than two hours, I was back with eleven paintings.  They were the weirdest of my framed paintings.  See, that’s the thing.  I had lots of stuff…tons of canvases in the boxes I’d brought with me from Denver , but it cost money to frame them.  Now, with the money Isabel was paying me, I’d be able to put the money back into my art—not just for framing, but more supplies, paint, brushes, other things I’d need.  It wasn’t much (I’m sure she wanted to see how my art would sell and, since I was unknown, she couldn’t charge crazy prices), but I wasn’t complaining.  It was the first painting I’d sold since college, so I was thrilled.
    Again, Isabel took her time looking at my art, making me nervous, so I looked around again.  She’d apparently just reorganized the whole gallery, because there was lots of new stuff around, i ncluding some cool copper metal work.  Finally, though, she called me back and wanted to take two this time.  One was super weird…a cat’s head super imposed on a ballerina’s body , and she was sipping coffee on a white metal chair .  The other was a spider -like alien driving a tractor in a wheat field .  I don’t know why I painted some of these strange things, but I was glad she took them anyway.  She said, “You can also bri ng me your more traditional art .  I’m sure it will sell as well.”  Duly noted.   Sweet!
    As she wrote me a check for my commission, she said, “By the way, we have a show Friday night.  I have one twice a year where I don’t highlight any particular artist.  Anyway, since I’ll have these two paintings in the show, I’d like you to be here.”
    I wanted to ask if she was serious, but I knew she was.  I was thrilled.  “Yes, of course.”  So I got the details and called Ed.  I wasn’t going to be able to work my shift Friday night.  Ed grumbled and said David and Scott had already asked for that night off so he didn’t know if he could give it to me.  I told him how important it was, that it was my first art gallery showing ever .  He grumbled some more, but an hour later he called and told me he had it covered.  However, I’d have to work the day shift on Friday.  I promised I was thrilled to do it.
    The next day at work, David told me that he and Scott were going to have a housewarming party at their new place Friday night and they wanted me to come.  First off, I wondered if they were really inviting me or if it was just David.  But, more than that, I wasn’t going to miss my first art showing.  So I told David about it and said I didn’t know how late it would run.  “Please come by after, Case.”  Like I’d turn down a chance to see Scott?  No way in hel l.  I promised to stop by when the show was over.
    I bought a nice black cocktail dress to wear that night.  I hadn’t bought any new clothing for myself