Maya could barely believe that she was standing in a gallery full of people here to look at her art. It was strange to see people jostling for spots in front of canvases that she’d put her heart and soul into.
Felix was glued to her side, exactly as she’d instructed him to be on pain of death. He squeezed her arm so hard that she was sure she’d have bruises the next day. “Chica, this is so bomb. You’re going to sell the fuck out.”
She rolled her eyes. “Please, people are probably here for the free food.” She still had to do that thing where she tempered her hope with sarcasm so she wouldn’t be disappointed. She still half expected to wake up from a dream and find herself back in her bedroom in Harlem.
Her time with Javi seemed so far away right now, even though it had only been a week since she’d last seen him. His touch felt so remote that she could barely call it up in her memory. Everything had changed, and her insides felt like they had been emptied out and reconfigured into something only half as full.
She hated feeling like that. It reminded her too much of the way her mother had depended on a man to feel good. She shook her head to empty it of her depressed fucking thoughts. And she would not spoil the night by thinking about her dumbass parents and her stupid childhood.
Her mother never followed her dreams and went to culinary school; Maya had chased down what she wanted in her career and held it in both hands. Even though she didn’t have the guy, she had done something to make her life better. And, for a few weeks, she’d seen what life could be like with the guy and the career.
“I need more champagne before I start crying about Javi.”
“Coming right up.” Her brother moved to find one of the cater waiters he’d hired for the event. They’d made an agreement that he would keep her intoxicated enough to make small talk with gallery patrons and forget Javi for a few minutes at a time, but sober enough not to fall all over Javi if he did show up.
Felix returned with her drink as she saw the Hernandezes walk into the gallery. She wondered why they were there, and she couldn’t help the bite of disappointment that speared through her when Javi didn’t follow them in.
Javi’s mom smiled and hugged her before she could step out of the way. Since she was probably staying in Miami for a while, she decided to be polite. Maybe his father wasn’t here only because his wife made him come. Maybe Javi’s mother was really interested in her art. She didn’t know, but she decided to play it safe. “Thank you for coming, Mr. and Mrs. Hernandez.”
“Call me Molly.” Molly motioned at the painting Maya stood next to. “Shit. This is the one I wanted for the family room. And it’s sold.” She turned to her husband. “I told you we needed to get here right when it started.”
Hearing Javi’s mother curse surprised her, and then Hector Hernandez shocked the shit out of Maya by leaning down and kissing her on each cheek. She didn’t have the presence of mind to push him away and tell him to go fuck himself. Perhaps she really had grown from her relationship with Javi.
“I’m sorry.” The resemblance between Javi and his father was stronger when the older man smiled.
“I’m sorry?” Maya didn’t understand what he was apologizing for. He was a dick sometimes, but that was his personality, according to his kids. Nothing really to apologize for there.
“No, I’m sorry that I wasn’t more welcoming towards you.” He put an arm around Molly. “My children keep reminding me that I’m an old man, a traditional man. I took my disappointment in Javi’s recent behavior out on you. That was unfair.”
Maya’s mouth hung open. That was the last thing she ever expected out of Mr. Hernandez. Only the fact that Felix was holding her arm kept her from walking away—this was too weird. Why were her ex-boyfriend’s parents at her gallery opening? Apologizing to her?
“Thank you?” She shook her head. “I guess I’m not clear on why you’re here. Javi and I broke up.” Hector held up one finger and reached into his jacket. He handed her an envelope with her name on it in Javi’s handwriting. “What’s this?”
Hector shrugged. “I’m just the messenger. Javier asked me to give it to you and tell you not to open it until the end of the night. He didn’t come tonight because he didn’t want to draw attention from your talent. He did tell me to tell you that he’s proud of you, for what that’s worth.”
Disappointment and curiosity warred inside Maya’s head. The Hernandezes wandered off, leaving her with Felix and the envelope.
Her brother snatched it out of her hands after she played with the flap for a few seconds. “I know you won’t be able to help yourself.”
“You’re right. The dick is that good. I’m powerless in the face of more of that dick.”
“I thought we couldn’t talk about dicks around fancy people?” Felix laughed. “More champagne?”
She looked down at her empty glass. “No. I think I’ll need to be sober for whatever’s in that envelope.”
Felix nodded. “Let’s go get some rich people drunk and drive some prices up.”