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his forearm. “No use crying over spilled sangria. Things happen in life. You didn’t make your brother do anything.”
    “So why does it feel like I did?” Jesse said, more to himself than his mother. “No worries, I’m not racked with guilt. I’m just thinking about some of my past decisions.”
And future ones
, he added silently.
    “My sweet boy.” She patted his arm. Finishing off her beer, she grabbed a second one before she set down the first bottle.
    Jesse waved a waitress over and took the full bottle away from his mom, setting it back in the bucket. “After we get some food.”
    Jesse ordered his dinner, added a few items to Angie’s order, and asked the waitress to bring them a couple of iced teas as well. The two sat without talking for a few minutes after the waitress left.
    “I can’t believe I bought a gallery.” Jesse finally broke the silence.
    Angie took a sip of the iced tea that had just arrived. “I told you that Angelic says—”
    “Mom, don’t get me wrong, but I’m not backing out of this deal because some nutcase says my dead ancestors are unhappy with my decision.” Jesse twirled the straw in between two fingers. “I may have acted rashly; I’ll admit that. But who knows when this kind of opportunity will appear again. I had to act fast.”
    “And the fact that the gallery manager could be confused with a supermodel didn’t factor into your decision at all, right? That’s your story?”
    “I didn’t know she was the manager when I said yes to Rich. You know how important art is to me. I just wanted, I don’t know, to be something besides a bull rider?” Jesse took off his ball cap and ran his fingers through his hair. He saw Taylor laugh at something her date said, and instantly Jesse went back to that moment in the studio when their gazes had connected. He’d felt so drawn to her.
    A weekend out of town without risking the chance of running into Taylor DeMarco, that was what he needed. He’d have a clear head on Monday when he returned home.
    Angie leaned back as the waitress set her plate of chicken and mushrooms in front of her. She waited for the waitress to deliver Jesse’s T-bone, loaded baked, and side of Tex-Mex corn before she spoke again. “Angelic says the purchase will cause upheaval.”
    “I thought she drew the death card.” Jesse cut into his steak, perfectly cooked to medium rare. He took a bite, and the juice ran into his mouth. The sensation made him glance across the street to Taylor. He watched as she flipped her head back and smiled, really smiled. No, the woman needed out of his head sooner than later. Now that he knew she was involved, that just made the mental switch easier.
    “I’ve been thinking about that. The card doesn’t have to mean an actual death. It could be the ending of a lifestyle, or maybe just represent the changeover of the gallery from their family to ours. Of course, we’re not a rich, connected family like the Harrison/DeMarco group. Are you sure you’re going to be able to keep the place going?” Angie cut her chicken into pieces as she chatted. She looked down at the plate and laughed. “I’ve been hanging out with the little ones too long. Look at what I did to my meat. I swear, those boys are changing my life even when I’m not playing Grandma Angie.”
    Jesse chuckled. “Maybe that was the life-changing event your fortune teller saw? You turning into a normal grandmother type.”
    “When hell freezes over,” Angie said. “I hope I can represent you and the family appropriately tomorrow. You know, I tend to say what’s on my mind.”
    Jesse took his mother’s hand. “I wouldn’t have it any other way. I need to know what I’ve gotten myself into before the sale is finalized. They’ve allowed me a two-week grace period to have my advisors look over the investment. You can spot a fraud faster than most people, even if you don’t know a thing about art.”
    “Are you looking for a way out?” Angie