The Reluctant Nude - Meg Maguire [11]
“Oh, whoa!”
“What?”
“Listen to this.” Rachel cleared her throat officiously. “Bear in mind this website looks a bit gossipy. ‘It is widely speculated that Emery faked a self-destructive addiction to heroin at the height of his commercial career in order to withdraw from the high-profile art scene. After leaving Manhattan, he gained further notoriety by abandoning his trademark sensual nudes in favor of an extensive foray sculpting subjects with serious physical deformities. The switch was called a gimmick by critics in the art world, though Emery never promoted the studies, sold the pieces, or granted interviews on the subject. He currently resides in Nova Scotia and has not spoken to any member of the press in over seven years.’ Whoa.”
“Indeed.”
“I’m not seeing anything about wives or children, Fal. Lucky, lucky you. How long are you stuck taking your clothes off for this controversial Frenchman?”
Fallon groaned again, tempted to smother herself with the pillow. “Three months.”
“Yikes. That’s okay for work?”
“It’ll have to be. Feel like watering my plants?”
Rachel laughed. “Three months? I’ll be renting your room and office out to transients by the end of the week.”
“Cute.”
“Only to supplement your lack of income. We’ve still got a mortgage to pay. Well, it’s good to hear you landed safe, anyhow. Even if you sound a bit miserable.”
“Sorry, I shouldn’t whine. This is worth it.” Fallon adopted it then as the mantra she’d need to keep her sanity intact for the next twelve weeks.
“Give it a chance, before you knock it,” Rachel said. “It might liberate you.”
“Oh, thanks.”
“Seriously. Intense or not, this experience could be really interesting. Give him a shot. You never give anyone a chance to stick around long enough to grow on you. Except me, and that’s only because you couldn’t get rid of me.”
“That’s an exaggeration,” Fallon said defensively.
“If you say so. This could be good, you being trapped with some freaky artist. It might get you out of your element, shake up those safe little routines you’re addicted to.”
“You think it’s a good thing that I have to get naked in order to keep my biggest rival from bulldozing Gloria’s house?”
“No, sweetie, I’m just looking for a silver lining. It’s hard not to, with a situation this weird.” Rachel sounded strained. “Damn it, I wish you could just sue him.”
“Even if he got put away for being a complete creep, that still wouldn’t save the property. Some other greedy old man could buy it and turn it into a strip mall. As disgusting as this deal is, it’s the only chance I have to ensure that the house can’t get knocked down.”
“You have his word on that?” Rachel asked.
“In writing. He gets the statue, I get the deed.”
“What sort of a rich douchebag can even afford to play such creepy games?”
“The same one who’s ruined half the wetlands I’ve fought to preserve, among other things.”
Rachel made an exasperated noise. “Is he actually hot for you, or is this like him being sick?”
“Who knows. Vindictive or perverted, does it even make a difference?”
“Well, it’s effed up. What have you ever done to him?”
“Ruined a few multi-million-dollar real estate deals.”
“True. Which you should be home doing now.”
“No shit,” Fallon said and instantly regretted it. “Sorry. I don’t mean to snap at you. It was just such a weird-ass day.”
“Be as snappy as you want. It sounds like you’re stuck between a perv and an eccentric place. But try and remember that Emery’s not Forrester. Try and at least enjoy getting nakers for him, just to spite the man you’re actually supposed to be creeped out by.”
Fallon took a deep breath. “I’ll try. Thanks for the perspective. My best to Josh, okay?”
“Indeed. Oh, and Fal?”
“Yeah?”
“Get laid, while you’re up there, won’t you?”
“Oh, God.”
“Seriously. Your hymen’s going to grow back, it’s been so long. Have a fling. It might lighten you up.”
“Goodbye, Rache.”
“Bye, sweetie. Call me tomorrow.”
Fallon flipped her phone closed, dreading the next call she had to make. She dug through her bag for the business card belonging