Somebody's Knocking at My Door by Francis Ray

Author:Francis Ray
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: St. Martin's Press

seventeen

Kristen arrived at work with a smile Thursday morning. Angelique had been ecstatic when she’d come over for breakfast that morning. It looked as if she and Damien were going to be able to work out their problems. Kristen couldn’t be happier for her friend.

The bell jingled as she opened the front door. Jacques glanced up from dusting a mounted panel painting by Benson, a twentieth-century artist. “Good morning.”

Straightening, he returned her smile and greeting. “Thanks for your call last night. Damien called a little after I’d hung up from talking to you.”

Kristen put her purse away and crossed to him. “I thought he might, but I didn’t know how long it would take him to get out of the doghouse with Angelique. In the meantime, you’d worry.”

“You’re right. No matter how old, they’re still your children.”

She nodded. “So my mother and stepfather tell me all the time. You want me to finish that?”

“I can manage. You have enough to do.” He moved to a still life by Pippin, a gifted, self-taught artist who’d worked independent of the academy of art.

“I don’t mind.” She glanced around the gallery. “I love working here. Besides, I’d like to take off early tonight.”

“No problem. I can handle it.”

“Aren’t you going to ask me the reason?”

Jacques carefully ran the soft cloth around the original frame of the nineteen-by-nineteen-inch, oil-on-canvas painting, a still life of a bouquet of flowers. “My best guess would be that you’re seeing Rafe.”

“Right, and guess who I’m taking with me?”

“I don’t—” Jacques stopped finally and looked up, his eyes widening. “He’s going to work with the boys?”

Kristen smiled broadly. “Last night we picked up their safety equipment. If you can get permission from their parents, Rafe is expecting them tonight around seven.”

“That’s wonderful!” Jacques said and went to the phone. “I don’t think I’ll have any problems getting their parents’ consent. I’ll give you a check for their equipment.”

“Tell them that Rafe said they can’t wear loose-fitting clothes in the work area because it’s too dangerous, and no playing. The first infraction and they’re out. No second chance,” she said.

“I agree. Sometimes you get only one chance in life and it’s up to you to take advantage of it,” he said with meaning as he picked up the phone. “I’ll make sure they understand that. But I can take them to Rafe’s warehouse tonight.”

“I’d like to, if you don’t mind,” she said, lacing her fingers together.

Jacques stopped dialing and replaced the receiver. “They’re my responsibility. They can meet you here, but I don’t like the idea of you having to drop all three of them home.”

“Please. It’s important to me.”

He studied her closely. “Don’t tell me Rafe is as dense as Damien?”

She sighed. “Damien has at least shown an interest in Angelique. Rafe is still fighting.”

“You aren’t going to let that stop you, are you?”

“No,” she answered without the least hesitation.

“Good. You call me when you leave Rafe’s place and I’ll meet you at your apartment and take the boys home.

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