know a great artist who has lots of space.”
“That sounds like fun.” I agree. It’s much better than the romantic gondola ride I had scheduled and then the picnic in the park under the stars. “I can do painting.”
“Great.” She claps her hands. “He’s waiting for us. He is going to have to charge double since it’s last minute.”
“That’s fine,” I say, agreeing as she types and then gives me the address. The driver looks at me through his rearview mirror and nods as he makes his way there.
“I shall finish this champagne,” she says, grabbing the bottle and filling her glass and then downing it. “It really goes down smooth, doesn’t it?”
“It should; it’s the best,” I tell her. “But I don’t think it’s good if you finish the whole thing. I mean …” I try not to bring up her age. “Are you on any medications?” I try to find the right words.
“Nope,” she says. “I’m as healthy as can be.” I smile at her, and she winks. “They call me the Energizer Bunny.”
“Is that so?” I nod again, and thankfully, the car comes to a stop.
She looks out the window at the white building. “Oh, good, we’re here.” She grabs her purse and is about to get out of the car when the door opens, and she stops to look at me. “Listen, before we get out, I should tell you that Luigi and I.” She starts and then looks out the front. “We’re friends.”
“That’s good to know,” I tell her.
“With certain benefits,” she says, and my mouth hangs open. “Sexual benefits.” She gets out of the limo, leaving me here in shock. But nothing could prepare me for the man who comes out of the door to greet her. He looks like he is in his early thirties. His long hair flows in the breeze. “Luigi,” she says, and he holds out his hand for her.
“Nancy.” He says her name in his thick accent. “This is a wonderful surprise.” He kisses her on both cheeks, and I get out of the limo. He looks over at me, and you can see he is checking me out up and down.
“Luigi,” she says. “This is hotcakes.” She smiles at him.
“Miller,” I say, holding out my hand, and he shakes it. “Thank you for squeezing us in.”
“For Nancy,” he says, bringing her hand to his mouth. “Anything. Shall we?” He turns and walks back into the house, and I look at the limo guy.
“If you hear screaming, you come and get me,” I tell him, and he shakes his head and laughs. I walk into the house, and I’m surprised by the huge open concept room. A white sheet is in the middle of the room. Canvases are all around the room. Paintbrushes are in buckets everywhere. “Do you do classes?”
“Yes,” Luigi says, going over to the paint in the corner, coming back with the two huge bottles. “It’s where I met Nancy.”
“Is there a bathroom I can use?” I ask him, and he points at the bathroom in the corner.
“You better hurry back,” Nancy says, twirling. I walk into the bathroom, locking the door. I put my hands on the sink and let out a huge breath.
I’m in the bathroom for no more than a minute and then go back out. There is soft music playing now, and I look around and then stop in my tracks when Nancy stands in front of me naked. “What is going on?” I ask her. She winks at me, and I swear I don’t think I’ve ever been so scared in my life.
“It’s time to get you naked,” she says, coming to me, and if I thought that this night had started off insane, nothing could have prepared me for Luigi coming back in the room naked also.
“Shall we start?” He claps his hands together. “Let’s make art.”
Chapter 9
Layla
I sit on the couch to watch television, but I can’t focus on it at all. I don’t even know what’s going on. I keep looking down at my phone to make sure I don’t miss a text or a picture or anything and even keep checking his Instagram for a picture, but it’s been radio silent for over two hours. I even texted Grandma, but she has yet to answer me.
Maybe pushing Grandma to go out with him was a bad idea. Maybe I should have just bitten the bullet and gone on the date with him. Fuck, it would have been