Chapter 39
Nova
Lori Arthur is something of a renegade in the industry.
She has a reputation for hiring the very best artists and taking on projects that no one else would touch. Profitability takes second place to innovation and even still, CXT’s profits are through the roof.
I know—I’ve done my research.
And right now, I’m having lunch with her at one of uptown Manhattan’s classiest lunch spots.
Most of the office staff couldn’t believe that she’d take me out to eat. Some of them have been there for years and she doesn’t even know their names. So for her to take me to lunch in my second week, it’s kind of mind-boggling for them. Apparently this is a big deal. I’d be excited if I weren’t a lovesick fool right now.
Nadia has spent the past few days trying to convince me to talk to Charlie. She says that we can make a relationship work, even if we’re long distance. I don’t see how that would happen. We couldn’t make it work when we lived in the same town. How are we going to do it when we’re not even in the same state? My sister’s optimism gives me hope but I’m still not fully convinced that what she’s saying is practical, realistic. Anyway, I’ve been longing for Charlie so much that I think that tonight after work, I’m just gonna pick up the phone and call him, let the chips fall where they may.
With a dainty movement, Lori lifts her wine goblet off the table. Her matte burgundy lips curl around the rim as she takes a small sip and her eyes tilt up to the ceiling as she swishes it around in her mouth like snobby people do in movies.
Oh jeez…
“This is absolutely divine,” she coos as she holds the glass up to the light to admire its rich color. When she’s done worshipping the overpriced vintage, she lays the glass down on the pristine white tablecloth. “So, Jessie is very impressed with your work,” she tells me. “She had some very flattering things to say about you.”
Jessie? Who the hell is Jess—? Oh, Jaimie, my supervisor.
I briefly consider correcting her but then the magnitude of what she’s saying hits me. My heart pumps just a little faster. “Really?”
She chuckles tightly. “Of course. Would Jessie lie for you?” A perfectly-penciled in eyebrow inches toward her hairline. Despite her smile, I can’t fight the feeling that this woman is laying a trap for me, trying to trip me up. She doesn’t like me. One of the skills I quickly developed in high school was how to discern whether someone is being sincere or whether they’re playing an angle. Lori’s playing an angle.
“No! No!” I say, quickly. “She wouldn’t. She has no reason to. She doesn’t even know me.” My alarm bells are warning me to be careful with her. I haven’t figured out her game yet, but I know not to let my guard down.
Lori gives me a dry smile and pulls her linen napkin into her lap, carefully spreading it across the skirt of an exquisite shift dress that obviously costs more than all my earthly possessions combined. Her tone goes solemn. “Honestly, Nora. I knew from the very first time I saw your work that I had to have you on my team. At all costs. You have a unique kind of talent. A special way of looking at the world.”
“I’m really flattered. Thank you.” I try to mimic her grace as I take a taste of my wine. The only thing I’m used to gargling is Listerine so I’m not quite sure I pull it off. “There’s so much great art on the internet. It’s sort of serendipitous that you happened to stumble across mine in that sea of talent.”
Her stiff brow makes an attempt a furrowing but it seems to freeze halfway. “I didn’t find your work on the internet,” she says matter-of-factly.
My surprise bleeds onto my face. “I’m sorry, I—”
“Oh, I thought you knew. Charlie Hartley introduced me to your work.”
I drop my glass to the table so fast that the wine sloshes over the side and pools on the tablecloth.
“Charlie introduced you to my work?!” I blurt it out like a parrot before I can manage to censor myself.
“Yes, he did. Although I have to say that it was inadvertent. He was at my house with your sketchpad. I snuck a little peek. I couldn’t help it.” Her smile is completely insincere and she eyes me closely as if trying to gauge my reaction. “I won’t apologize because I immediately fell in love with your work.”
A flood of betrayal nearly knocks me out of my chair. I try to piece the timeline together. Was Charlie seeing this woman while I was busy falling for him?
And even more importantly, did I get this job based on my talent? Or was it just a part of this rich woman’s scheme to rip me away from him?