NOVEL NEXT Chapter 13: Business Plans
Cora Hayes sat at the kitchen island, poking at the remains of her breakfast with a fork. Across from her, Jace Hart was scrolling through emails on his tablet, his expression focused and unreadable.
The silence between them was comfortable, but Cora couldn't shake the nagging feeling that she needed to talk to him about her gallery. She'd been working on it for months, but now that it was getting closer to opening, she was starting to feel overwhelmed.
"Jace," Cora said finally, breaking the silence.
Jace looked up, his eyebrows raised. "Yeah?"
"I need your help," Cora said, her tone hesitant.
Jace set his tablet down, his expression curious. "With what?"
"The gallery," Cora said, sighing. "I've got the space, I've got the artists, but… I don't know how to get people to take me seriously. Everyone just sees me as a billionaire's daughter playing at business."
Jace studied her for a moment, his expression thoughtful. "What do you need?"
Cora hesitated, then took a deep breath. "I need to know who to talk to. Which influencers, which critics, which collectors. And I need to figure out which artists to feature in the first exhibition. I want this to be perfect, but I don't even know where to start."
Jace nodded, his expression serious. "Okay. Let's make a plan."
They moved to the living room, where Jace spread out a stack of papers and notebooks on the coffee table. Cora sat cross-legged on the floor, her laptop balanced on her knees, while Jace leaned back on the couch, his tablet in hand.
"First," Jace said, his tone businesslike, "we need to identify the key players in the art world. Who are the critics, the collectors, the influencers?"
Cora nodded, typing furiously on her laptop. "Okay. So, critics… there's Miranda Langston. She's the most respected art critic in the city."
"Good," Jace said, nodding. "Who else?"
"Um… there's also James Carter," Cora said, scrolling through her notes. "He's a big deal in the contemporary art scene."
Jace made a note on his tablet. "Okay. What about collectors?"
Cora hesitated, then sighed. "I don't know. I mean, I know a few, but… I don't know how to approach them."
Jace smiled, his tone reassuring. "Don't worry. We'll figure it out."
They spent the next few hours going over names, making lists, and brainstorming ideas. By the time they were done, Cora felt like she had a solid plan in place.
"This is amazing," Cora said, looking over the notes they'd made. "Thank you, Jace. I don't know what I'd do without you."
Jace smiled, his tone soft. "You'd figure it out. You're smarter than you think, Cora."
Cora felt a warmth spread through her chest at his words, but before she could respond, Jace's phone buzzed.
"Sorry," Jace said, glancing at the screen. "I need to take this."
Cora nodded, watching as he walked out of the room.
As Cora sat there, her mind started to wander. She couldn't help but think about how much Jace had changed since they'd first met. He was still rigid and controlling, but there was a softer side to him that she was starting to see more and more.
"Get it together, Cora," she muttered, running a hand through her hair.
But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't stop thinking about him. The way he'd looked at her during their planning session, the way his hand had brushed against hers when he handed her a pen…
When Jace came back, Cora was sitting on the couch, flipping through a magazine.
"Everything okay?" she asked, looking up at him.
Jace nodded, his expression unreadable. "Just work stuff. What are you reading?"
Cora held up the magazine, showing him the cover. "It's an art magazine. I was just… you know, doing some research."
Jace smiled, sitting down next to her. "You're really passionate about this, aren't you?"
Cora nodded, her expression serious. "I am. This gallery… it's everything to me. I just want to make it perfect."
Jace studied her for a moment, his expression thoughtful. "You will. I know you will."
And instantly she believed him.