Page 2 of Ruby Red Sky

Someone tall reached over, shoving the glass door open, and I ducked under their arm when they stopped. A swath of long white-blond hair snagged against the stiff cardboard envelope protecting my drawings before the strands fell away and finally, I was outside.

The gallery I picked to visit was the one closest to home, so I headed south, stepping into the flow on the sidewalk. The unnerving sensation of being singled out and watched tingled down my spine. I glanced over my shoulder. Everyone was walking to work. Some were talking on their phones, others tapping away at their screens. A few were getting car service or flagging down a taxi. Everything was as it should be.

The art gallery was full of light, with soft violin music playing in the background. The current pieces being shown were thematically the same as the ones in my folder—stark landscapes.

My timing was perfect.

“Cassia!” Giovanni greeted me. He managed the studio and was the nicest guy, always gracious and friendly. “It’s been a hot minute. How have you been?”

He air-kissed my cheeks and his eyes lowered to the folder. “I just wanted to show you what I’ve been working on—if you have a minute?”

“Of course. Let’s see what you’ve been doing all this time.”

We walked over to a table, and I set my portfolio down. Giovanni was silent other than making an occasional cooing noise or grunt.

Instead of staring nervously, I decided to look around the room. Visualizing my own work gracing the walls or being displayed on one of the wooden easels was comforting. I knew I could get there, one day. What was it my dad used to always say?

Persist, persist, persist.

He straightened and looked at me. “Your boyfriend had a great idea,” he said, gently placing the sheets back inside the folder as I stopped breathing. “Why don’t you come work for me? We pay better and instead of making cartoons, you can help other artists and have a real job.”

My lips pressed together before I let the oxygen fill my lungs again. “How do you know Bryan?”

Giovanni looked surprised. “That night the two of you were here? He tried to bring us on as clients. He’s stayed in touch here and there, of course.”

“He failed to mention that to me.” Me and Bryan had attended the showing of a new, local artist months ago. I should have known Bryan would throw me under the bus like this. Cartoons.

“As you can see, cartoons are not my passion. That’s not what I want to do.”

He made a clicking sound with his tongue. “Of course. But by working here, maybe you’ll meet the right people.” He waved a dismissive hand at the current display. “As you can see, it has nothing to do with talent.”

Hot tears pressed at the back of my eyes. Common courtesy dictated I say, “Thank you so much, Giovanni. I’ll be in touch.”

By the time I got outside, a single tear drop spilled onto my cheek. I straightened my back and wiped it away.

CHAPTER 2

Cassia

A week later

His stuff was everywhere. It didn’t matter how many times I’d asked him to stop doing this; his dirty socks and t-shirts constantly littered the floor. He thought because I stayed home all day that I had nothing better to do than tidy up the house like I was some sort of hired help.

He needed a maid. Or perhaps to move back in with his mother. I didn’t care which one, I just knew I was done picking up after him. I’d leave his crap where he dropped it, but who wanted to step on dirty underwear all day?

After I slammed the clothes hamper shut, I returned to my laptop computer. My final draft was almost finished, and Rodeo Restaurant would either say their logo was perfect or send it back for more fine-tuning.

As a kid, I loved drawing fantasy landscapes. Unicorns, trolls, elves, and Fae dancing beneath flowering trees and a purple sky. Sometimes I drew darker scenes, my own immature depictions of worlds filled with monsters and fire that only existed in my imagination.

The problem was that type of art wasn’t my talent. Apparently, my gift had been meant for blocky, chunky, restaurant and retail brand logos as well as posters for fast food meal deals. But that was okay; I still got to draw and play with color palettes. At least, that’s what I told myself.

Working as a graphic designer hadn’t stopped me from doodling and just having fun. Our living room had one framed picture of my best work that hung prominently above the sofa. The oil painting displaying a dark sky and fluffy red blooms beneath twinkling stars didn't match the rest of the decor, but even Bryan had said it “wasn’t bad.”

The fact he’d said that meant the world to me. He mostly ignored my hobbies—just like he ignored his dirty clothes.

As a matter of fact, lately he’d been acting like I didn’t exist, so when he announced we’d be going out on a date, I was thrilled. It’d been months since we left the house as a unified couple.

He worked constantly, so that probably had a lot to do with his recent distance. I tried all the normal things people did to salvage a relationship. Talking to him, being extra attentive, suggesting extra spicy things in the bedroom, and even making his favorite meals.