If I Didn't Know Better (The Callaways #9)(38)

His thin lips tightened. "Who shall I say is asking?"

"Mia Callaway. Tell her I'm Carly's niece."

His expression softened at the mention of her aunt. "Of course. Excuse me."

He walked down a hallway into what she presumed was the gallery office. While he was gone, she took Ashlyn around the main room, noting that there were several rooms off the central gallery with exhibitions by visiting artists.

"That's pretty," Ashlyn said, pointing to an oil painting of a wild garden next to a small farmhouse. The painting was by the Italian artist Pietro Muscolini.

Mia had always enjoyed his work and knew the painting was quite valuable. The fact that it was here spoke well for the reputation of the gallery.

She turned around at the sound of heels on the slick floor. A curvy, short woman in her sixties, with white hair and bright blue eyes, gave her a warm, welcoming smile. "You're Carly's niece?"

"Yes, Mia Callaway."

"I'm Didi Eckhart. I enjoyed your aunt's company so much. I was devastated by her death," she added, compassion filling her gaze. "She was too young to die and always so full of life. She cared a great deal for people. When my husband died several months ago, she was very, very kind to me."

Mia wasn't surprised. She had yet to meet anyone who hadn't loved her aunt. "That's nice to know. I'm sorry about your husband."

"Thank you." She looked at Ashlyn. "Is this your little girl?"

"No, Ashlyn belongs to a friend of mine. She's a little shy," she added as Ashlyn moved behind her.

"I was like that when I was a little girl. I couldn't understand why strangers wanted to talk to me," Didi said. "Did you just come by to say hello or were you looking for some art?"

"Actually, I wanted to run an idea by you. I'm cleaning out my aunt's studio, and I've found at least a dozen really good paintings that I'd like to put together into a collection and put them on display. As you know, Carly loved to encourage new artists, and I thought the collection would be a wonderful homage to her and also give the artists who used the studio a public display. I thought of calling the exhibition Freedom."

"That's a wonderful idea. I know Carly received many beautiful paintings by the artists who used her studio. I told her once she should bring some down here to the gallery."

"Was she interested in that?" Mia wanted to get a clearer picture of what her aunt had thought of doing with all the art that had been left to her.

"She was very interested, but at the time we spoke my late husband had complete control of the gallery, and he didn't like the art that she showed him. He thought it was terribly amateurish. My husband, God bless him, could be very arrogant when it came to art. But now that I'm in charge and feeling better about life, I want to change things up around here, and I think your idea is wonderful."

"I'm so glad. I just can't bring myself to stick the paintings into storage. Art should be appreciated."

"I agree. However, I would like to see the paintings before making a final decision."

"I'll need a few days to pull everything out and see what I have. Then I can bring the paintings by, or if you'd like to come to the house, you can do that, too."

"Why don't you give me a call when you're ready?" Didi handed her a business card. "Make sure you speak directly with me." She dropped her voice as the snobby man moved past them and entered an adjoining room. "Mr. Raleigh was hired by my husband, and he doesn't share my new vision."

"That might make life difficult."

"Yes. I'd like to be loyal, but this gallery is all I have left, and I want it to be good and to be mine."

"I completely understand."

Didi gave her a thoughtful look. "Your aunt said you worked in a museum. Or is that one of your sisters?"

"No, that would be me. I was recently an assistant curator at the Kelleher Museum in San Francisco."

Didi laughed. "Well, then, you know all about snobs."

She grinned. "I do."

"What are you doing now?"

"Considering my options while I clean out my aunt's house."

"I'm sure a smart young woman like yourself has plenty of options."

"I hope so. Thanks so much for your time."

"Of course. I look forward to hearing from you."

As they left the gallery, she squeezed Ashlyn's hand and said happily, "That went well. I think we just found a place to display Aunt Carly's paintings. Let's go home. We'll make lunch and get back to work."

"Can I put on my new clothes?"

"Yes." She smiled at Ashlyn's hopeful expression. "You can show your father what we bought." Hopefully, Jeremy would consider their outing as successful as Mia did.

When they arrived home a little after one, Mia headed straight to the kitchen to make some lunch while Ashlyn ran upstairs to try on her new clothes. She'd just finished putting together turkey sandwiches and a bowl of fruit when the bell rang.

She wiped her hands on a towel and walked down the hall. Jeremy stood on the porch, looking as handsome and as sexy as ever in jeans and a T-shirt, his hair damp from what appeared to be a recent shower. Her heart did a little flip-flop when he gave her a slow smile, and, instantly, she was taken back to the kiss they'd shared earlier that morning. Her idea to keep things at the friendship level didn't seem quite that good anymore. It was all she could do not to walk into his arms and take the kiss she wanted.