Chapter 11
Kylie stepped into the antique shop, her gaze darting around the place.
The owner Liam Parker, a seasoned guy who’d seen it all, gave her a quick once–over and went back to his newspaper. He could tell at a glance that Kylie wasn’t there to buy.
“Hey, you
Liam looked up from his paper, a spark of curiosity in his eyes. “The Renaissance era, huh?”
into ancient art from the Renaissance era?” Kylie asked, her voice bouncing off the old bookshelves.
Kylie nodded, reaching into her bag and pulling out a painting. She unwrapped it smoothly, revealing a piece that looked like it had just left the artist’s studio.
Liam’s jaw practically hit the floor. He’d heard about some bigwig in Jardora who was on the hunt for the Renaissance era pieces. But this one… it was something else. The restoration was top–notch, the kind of work that was hard to find.
u
His excitement was palpable. “How much for this masterpiece? But first, you gotta tell me, who fixed it up so nice?”
He had a couple of paintings in the back that were in rough shape, bought cheaply. He’d been looking for someone to fix them
but no one had been up to the challenge. The damage was too much for most.
- up.
Liam wasn’t just worried about the money; he felt bad for the art. But today, Kylie might just be his lucky charm.
“I did the restoration,” Kylie said, grinning,
Liam’s eyebrows shot up. Kylie didn’t look like the type to mess with ancient art. He was skeptical. “You did this?”
Kylie nodded, her confidence shining through. “Yup, all me.”
Liam gave Kylie a once–over, thinking how the kids these days were all about the hype. But Kylie was cool as a cucumber, no sign of nerves. He knew he had to have that painting.
“Listen, I’ve got a couple of paintings that are in rough shape,” Liam said, his voice smooth as silk. “If they can be fixed up, I’m talking a sweet deal–150 thousand for each. If you’ve got any family who’s into art, it might be worth a mention.”
The offer was more than generous, especially since the paintings weren’t by any bigwigs, Kylie was strapped for cash, and the mention of money had her biting. “Let’s see what you’ve got,” she said, her interest piqued.
Liam, with a bit of a gambler’s spirit, showed Kylie the paintings that needed some serious love. They were in a bad state, just like the one she had brought in. But this time it wouldn’t take that long since she wasn’t that busy.
Tm in, Kylie said, her voice firm
Liam saw the resolve in her eyes and figured, why not? No one else was stepping up to the plate, so he might as well give her a shot. They shook hands, and the deal was done.
Liam bought Kylie’s painting for a solid 150 grand. She didn’t try to negotiate; the price was fair for a piece that was old but not by a famous hand.
Kylie left the Vintage Market at three in the afternoon.
She had a new gig lined up. Starting tomorrow, she’d be at the store from nine to three, working her magic on the old paintings.
She knew Liam was skeptical, but she had the chops to prove him wrong. After all, she’d been learning from Felicia for years she knew her stuff.
Arriving at the airport, Trevor slid into the backseat of the car that was waiting to take him to the Walters Group’s branch
office.
Zach was already on the job, his fingers dancing across his laptop keyboard. He was filtering through a stack of documents and contracts, keeping Trevor in the loop with what was what.
Chapter II
The quiet hum of the car was sliced through by the catchy tune of Trevor’s phone. He hit the answer button. “Hey, Grandma.
Noreen’s voice came at him like a freight train. “What’s this about you jetting off again? I thought you were going to have a nice dinner with Kylie, and get to know her better. What’s so all–fired important that it can’t wait until you’re back on your feet? Don’t we pay those guys at Walters Group for something?”
The car was gliding down the road, but it was as silent as a library inside. Zach could hear every word, but he was quick to look out the window, pretending he was a million miles away
Trevor gave Zach a look and then massaged his temple. “Grandma, Ms. Thompson’s got her own stuff going on too.”
“And I said to call her Kylie,” Noreen shot back. “You two are hitched now. Don’t be so formal. She was worried that Trevor’s cool attitude might push Kylie away
Noreen had seen her fair share of reality TV to know that playing it too cool could end up with Trevor regretting it when Kylie
was gone.
“You wrap things up and get back as soon as you can, Noreen said with a sigh. I’ve got a feeling Kylie’s carrying too much, and it’s breaking my heart to see her doing it all alone.”
Trevor said, “Fine, I’ll be back soon.”
Trevor’s mind kept replaying the scene at city hall. Kylie had been pretty clear about what she wanted before she signed anything. He had a feeling it was all tied up with the Lampard family.
After hanging up, Trevor shot a glance at Zach. “In your scoop on Kylie, did you find anything about how she’s linked to the Lampard family?”
Zach gave a quick shake of his head. “The Lampard family don’t seem to be her biggest cheerleaders. None of their usual crowd knows she’s in the picture.
Trevor thought about it. Kylie’s demands were probably just her way of giving the Lampard family a hard time–a little girl’s way of showing she was not to be messed with. But he’d said he’d do it, and he meant it.
Kylie breezed through the shopping mall with a mission: stock up on the basics and maybe score a new ride.
Her place at the Starlit Villa was a bit of a haul from the city’s action, and she was in the market for a set of wheels. She had her eye on one of those zippy electric numbers, something that wouldn’t cost her an arm and a leg–like, around thirty grand.
As she was checking out the cars, she spotted a couple through the dealership window.
It was Craig and Melanie, looking like they were straight out of a magazine spread. Craig was trying to smooth things over with Melanie, who was clearly still ticked off about something.
Kylie’s heart clenched. Seeing them together was like déjà vu, but not the good kind.
Memories of her and Craig flashed through her mind, but she quickly shut that door. Her hand, almost on autopilot, grabbed her phone. With a quick click, she captured the moment.
曲
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