Petrichor ~ Lewis Hamilton

20

Early update because I am very excited about the upcoming chapters.

Don't forget to vote and comment and I might give you guys a double update this weekend :)
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September 27, 2021, Monaco

Elaine's POV

"Say something, you're killing me" Gina had been strolling in front of the canvases for the last few minutes without saying a single word.

"Here are" she scanned the works again, making sure her eyes weren't deceiving her "fourteen paintings Ela"

"I know" I couldn't stop a small smile from escaping. If in January you told me that I had managed to almost double the number of paintings I had planned, I wouldn't believe it.

"You only have a contract for eight" I nod, I had read the contract, I knew how many they were paying for.

"I'm missing one, it's almost done" she looked stunned at me, probably not quite believing the collection is not finished.

"One more?" I point to one of the corners where an easel is covered with a blanket, it is practically finished but it is not perfect yet.

"Not all of them are going to go to the gallery. We will sell eight. From here we will get seven" I see how she is doing numbers in her head.

"And the others?"

"Too special to sell" She sighs, knowing it's irrational. That we could probably sell almost all of them.

"Elaine"

"I said they are not for sale. We can display them, maybe a special capsule collection, we will give it a special name. But these come back here." I'm sure any gallery would accept it, an ephemeral collection, perfect to attract curious eyes.

"Can you explain any to me?" She likes to know what's behind each piece before selling it, and I've shown her enough to know that even though she's brutally honest at times, she would never judge them viciously.

"The ones we sell or the ones I keep?" She shrugged her shoulders and took a sit on a chair in the middle os the room.

"Any?" I looked at the canvases leaning on the wall in front of me, I didn't have to think much either, I knew which one was going to be first.

"Not a word to Lewis, okay? I still have to tell him" I knew the chance of her telling him something was slim but I didn't want to risk it.

"Any idea how to do it?" I put pressure on the back of my neck with my hand, trying to relieve the tension in my shoulders.

"If I send him an invitation to the exhibition at the gallery do you think he will take the hint?" Her shoulders slump and she gives me a disapproving look.

"Be for real Ela, it's been nine months" I sigh and look at the ceiling, I didn't want to have this conversation, I had already had it with myself in my head too many times in recent months.

"You were the one who told me it would be an interesting experience, I wasn't planning on falling in love with him, the hell!" I saw how her eyes widened slightly.