“I’m going to miss you, man. I’ll have to find a new gym partner.”
“I’m irreplaceable,” he says, giving me a playful shove. I stumble but catch my footing, laughing.
“You fucking wish,” I tease, my grin falling when I realize how much I’ll miss seeing him every day. He’s been one of the few people in my life. Adjusting to him living far away is going to take some time.
I pull into the nearby parking garage of Warne Gallery. After I park and push my door open, the low growl of an approaching engine catches my attention. My head snaps up, muscles tensing instinctively. A sleek red Lamborghini pulls into the spot beside me, the driver taking his sweet time shutting it off before stepping out like he owns the entire city.
Liam fucking Carter. Of course he stopped by to chat to Mr. Warne at the same time as me. Asshat.
That irritatingly self-satisfied smirk is plastered on his face like he was born with it.
“Oliver,” he says smoothly, adjusting his cufflinks. “I’m surprised you made it out of bed this morning. I thought you'd be lying in a pool of your own tears after a restless night of dreaming about your failures.”
I shut my car door and match his smirk. “It was hard to get out of bed, considering I was entertaining your ex-girlfriend. She kept going on and on about how she was glad to be finally dating someone successful.”
Liam lets out a low chuckle, shaking his head. “You almost had me there. But we both know you don’t have the time, or the money, to keep up with a woman like her.”
“That’s rich, coming from a guy who throws money at problems because he doesn’t have the brains to solve them.”
“Money wins in the end, Oliver. You’ll figure that out eventually.”
I step toward the gallery entrance, and he falls into stride beside me. This is how it always is. Business, life… hell, even women. If I want something, Liam Carterwants it too. It drives me fucking insane.
He gives me a sideways glance. “So, what is it this time? Looking to add a little class to your sad excuse of an office?”
I let out a dry laugh. “Please. Unlike you, I actually appreciate art beyond its price tag.”
“Oh, is that so? I just assumed you were here to beg the gallery for a payment plan.”
“Bold of you to assume I need one when you’re the one who thinks buying this place will finally make you interesting.”
Liam grins, pushing open the gallery door. “Guess we’ll see who walks out of here as the new owner.”
My heart hammers against my ribs. This isn’t just another business acquisition… It’s personal.
He pauses just inside, his grin sharpening. “Speaking of interesting,” he says, glancing over his shoulder. “Heard you’ve been on the hunt for that hidden artist everyone’s whispering about. Any luck?”
I keep my expression neutral, masking my surprise. “Didn’t realize you had an interest in them.”
“You know me, always curious about what keeps you up at night,” he replies smoothly.
I force another smirk, refusing to give him the satisfaction of a real reaction. “Sleep’s never been an issue. Maybe you should try worrying less about me and more about your own overrated collection.”
My jaw clenches. The fact that Liam is sniffing around the same anonymous artist only confirms what I already suspected. Whoever created those pieces is the real deal. Now, I’m not just determined to acquire the gallery for my mother; I need to find this artist before Liam does. His interest has just turned my curiosity into an obsession. Two battles on my hands, and I refuse to lose either one.
Right now, I want to talk to Mr. Warne about the gallery, and seeing Liam here makes my stomach uneasy. If Liam buys it, he’ll only ruin it like he’s done with the others by turning them into overpriced, soulless showrooms. He guts their originality, strips them of real artistry, and replaces it with whatever flashy, high-ticket pieces will sell the fastest. No loyalty to artists, noreal appreciation for the craft, just another playground for the wealthy to throw money around.
That’s not what I want for this place. This gallery has history; real character. The artists here deserve a space that respects their work, somewhere that fosters creativity instead of choking it with neon lights and overpriced champagne bars. If Liam gets his hands on it, all of that disappears.
Not happening. I won’t let it.
The sun beams down on me, heating up my suit as I walk toward the building, leaving him behind. I have a meeting to get to, and I won’t be late.
The tall brown brick gallery has a special charm, a mix of sophistication with neutral tones and gold accents, art on display with warm accent lighting, and the scent of fresh wood polish. It’s perfect. This place matters to me, and I know exactly what I’d do to make it even better. Incorporating my mom’s students’ art. I can already picture her face when she walks through these doors… That slight widening of her eyes she gets when she’s truly surprised, followed by that soft smile that crinkles the corners of her expression. She’d slowly walk the space, maybe even tear up a little, but try to hide it.
I stride straight to Mr. Warne’s office. I’ve been here countless times over the past few years, practically begging him to sell the gallery to me. This time, Trudy, his assistant, told me he was selling.
When I reach his assistant, she smiles, but she won’t be smiling for long. Once I buy this place, she’s out. Cora, my assistant, will be taking her position.
