I was going to call her, not because of my new success, but because I couldn't be without her anymore. I didn't know what she would say or how she would react, but I was ready to put my heart on the line. I just needed everything to be perfect.
As I put the first sketch on the easel, I laughed to myself thinking about how Becca would tease me for not using the technology of the overhead projector.
I spun my ring around my finger, then let my hands drop to my sides. With a confident smile, I met the eyes of each of those old money shareholders.
"Thank you for having me here today, ladies and gentlemen. I'm Gideon Kohl, and I'm going to take it back old school for you right now."
Chapter Eighteen
Gideon
The spotlights danced in the clear night sky. As I approached the Boone Art Gallery, the line of cars waiting for the valet didn't catch my eye. I didn't pay attention to anything because things were different for me this time.
In less than a year, I changed enough that the fancy cars and wealth that came to these fundraisers didn't matter to me. What mattered to me was getting inside and seeing Becca.
I slowed my Bugatti down and entered the parking garage. It had been a few days since I presented to the shareholders and while I had planned to call Becca afterwards, when I found out about the fundraiser for the South End, I realized that was the perfect place to tell her how I felt. It was where everything began.
Wearing my tuxedo with the bow tie Becca teased me about, I entered the exhibit hall and began looking for her. Even though we hadn't seen each other in months, and even though we hadn't spoken for longer than that, I knew that once we were together again everything would fall into place.
I spotted Becca standing in an alcove with several other people. She was talking to Eddie Salvador, her coworker, the same guy whose lights I wanted to punch out almost a year ago when he talked about how good Becca looked. I could only imagine what he was thinking tonight because she looked even better.
Becca wore a crimson-colored dress, and her shiny hair was loose around her shoulders. I felt the corners of my mouth tug up as I walked towards her.
"Becca!" A man's voice called out.
I stopped as she turned towards the voice. A tall, blond-haired man entered the alcove and kissed her cheek. It was Taylor, her blind date from the last night I saw her.
She slipped her arm through his and continued her conversation with Eddie.
My first reaction was rage, but that was quickly replaced by defeat. She wouldn't be with him if I had stayed. Had I told her how I felt to begin with, things would have been different.
That didn't mean I couldn't change things now though.
I stepped into the alcove, and Becca stopped talking in mid-sentence. Taylor leaned closer to her and whispered something she nodded her head to.
"We need to talk." I looked at Taylor and raised my brow. "Alone."
Becca's hands curled into fists, which she hid by folding her arms in front of her. She clenched her jaw as she stared at me, but her eyes held a softness.
"Anything you say to me, you can say in front of Taylor," she said.
"No, this is about us, Becca, you and me. I’m doing now what I should have done months ago, before you even had your blind date with this guy.”
I gritted my teeth as I forced the last word out. I was fighting with myself. I wanted to call him names, but he didn't do anything wrong. It was my fault she was with him.
"Yes, the blind date you invited yourself on and then didn't show up to," she said. "I'm sure you had a great time with…with…" She threw her hands up with frustration. "One of your damn bimbos. What did you say her name was? You probably don't even remember."
"Alyssa. But she isn't a bimbo," I said.
Becca shot an angry look at me. I didn't understand why she was acting like this. Sure, I had been an ass and left Canyon Cove without telling her anything, but this didn't seem to be about that. If she was anyone else, I would have thought she was jealous.
"And her name isn't Alyssa either, it's Alicia. My sister," Eddie said. "She told me all about that night."
"Oh?" Becca said, tilting her head with interest. "Tell me what she said. I'd like to hear all about it. Although I'm sure I can guess. What did you do with her, Gideon? Maybe play a game of checkers?"
Becca's voice dripped with sarcasm. I stared at Eddie, who looked at me expectantly, but I didn't know what to say. I thought about the few things Alicia and I talked about. They weren't things I wanted Becca to hear from him. If anyone was going to tell Becca I was in love with her, it should be me.
"Becca, please. Can't we talk in private? Just give me five minutes," I said.