Season to Shimmer Read online

  Byron swept her up in his arms for a kiss and then solemnly informed her, “I’m throwing you over for Tor. And it’s all Julia’s fault.”

  “Explain,” Jazz demanded, looking at Julia with a raised eyebrow.

  “Tor’s dad is being a piece of work and freaking out over Den bringing his boyfriend to the Christmas Ball. So Nolan said he’s bringing a guy, ’cause we all know he’s gay but he’s never pushed the issue with his stepdad. And I figured it would be cool if Tor were to bring Byron, you know, as a sign of support. So Daddy Dearest can’t point to Tor and tell the other two to be like him. Or blame Nolan and Den’s mom for being responsible for all the gay.”

  “All the gay?” Nolan laughed. “And I don’t think Dad will actually believe Tor is gay.”

  “He might not believe that, but he’ll sure be unhappy if Tor brings me with him,” Byron said, smirking.

  “Why?”

  “He’s tolerated me as Tor’s friend, but he really wishes I would just go away. My skin tone is a bit dark for him, and my parents far too blue collar.”

  Nolan gaped at Byron. “Seriously? You’ve been friends with Tor as long as I’ve been around him. And your parents are both teachers, and amazing people.”

  “Yeah, and none of that matters to dear old dad. Your mom is the one who’s always set up the play dates and then handled all the driving stuff for ball when we were in school. Your dad knew she wouldn’t stand him being a bigoted ass, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t. He just doesn’t want to look like it to the friends and neighbors.”

  Nolan looked at his brothers and realized that they had decided on a path that would change their family forever. Hopefully for the better, but there was no going back.

  “Okay, we’re all in on this thing. If Dad won’t support Den, then we will. I’ll talk to Mom at some point and give her a heads-up. I’ve never known where she stood on the gay thing, to be honest. Like I said, I was content to let that lie, because I never wanted to give Dad an excuse to cut me off from you guys. But now—”

  Den rammed into him and hugged him hard. “Seriously, bro?”

  “Seriously. If Dad goes all country club on us and kicks your ass out, you’ll come live with me. And we’ll figure out Tor’s tuition if it comes to that as well.”

  “I’ve got scholarships, and my mom pays for part of it. So that won’t be a big deal. I can always take out some loans myself if I need to,” Tor responded seriously.

  “All right, it’s good to know we have a plan, but hopefully we’re getting ahead of ourselves. I know your dad seriously loves you two, and I’m hoping he can get his head out of his ass. With Mom, I gotta hope she’ll have our back, but it’s hard to tell with her. She is so over the top in love with your father that it makes it easy for her to overlook his faults. I’m hoping she’ll make a stand, and not just a quiet one. But regardless, I’ve got your back. Both of you. You know the gallery is doing really well, and I have plenty of room at the house.”

  “So we taking some pictures or what? Because these two together will be hot,” Jazz said, and Nolan was relieved to see his brothers smile.

  Julia laughed. “That’s what I was saying. Can you imagine the traffic to our site?”

  “Down, girl, we’re not going to pretend to be gay. That’s just wrong. But we are going together to the ball. I like the idea of having Den’s back and making a point,” Tor told his girlfriend.

  “Yeah, and we’re going to record the bromance of hotness,” Julia retorted as Jazz giggled. The two young women did a complicated high five while the guys just groaned.

  “I’ll put up a statement with the pictures that while Tor and Byron aren’t actually dating, they are going out together as friends to formal events this Christmas to support those who are being told they can’t bring someone of the same gender or a different race,” Jazz said in an excited rush.

  “Okay, you guys work on the bromance of the century. I’ll see if I can get a date. In the meantime, I’m going to get to the gallery since Jasper is having his first showing and it’s going to be very busy tonight. Den, you okay here for now? Is there anything you need?” Nolan said before the girls could get really rolling. He was enjoying their excitement, but it was making him feel old. And the day had worn him out already. Luckily the gallery was only open for a few more hours tonight, but it would be crowded with the Christmas activities. The Night of Lights was a huge tourist draw in St. Augustine. And while people who lived there loved to ridicule the tourists, they were the underpinning of the city’s economy. So he would be polite and charming and make them all happy they had come to visit his regal lady.

  “No, I’m good. Thank you so much, Nolan. Really. Oh, and give Jasper my best wishes. It’s so much fun to see all of his new creations every time I come to visit. He’s gonna do awesome, I just know it!”

  “I’ll let him know but you guys should stop by to see his full exhibit. It truly is amazing. Our clients are going to love everything he has on display. Okay, I’m going. Call if you need me.”

  Ninja Hippos

  Skylar

  SKYLAR LISTENED to his mom bubble with excitement and was glad he had indulged them both by taking this trip downtown to see the holiday lights. He had always considered it a tourist thing and avoided it like the plague, but he hadn’t realized how truly beautiful the Night of Lights would be. St. Augustine was an amazing city, and the heart of it was on display tonight.

  They had reached Cordova Street, and the gallery address Nolan had mentioned was just up the block. Since he was obviously busy with family tonight, this was a good chance to check out his business without any awkward meetings. The lights were strung up in an overwhelming display, framing the stately old buildings and circling the palm trees. Each storefront and business was worth a second glance.

  “Oh, look at that, Sky!” Mom exclaimed at the lights ringing the gallery and the showpieces standing on display outside.

  “It’s amazing, Mom. Let’s go inside,” he said, as he guided her through the door. When he walked in, he was assailed with the enticing scents of cinnamon and apple, and the sounds of softly played Christmas carols.

  A young woman walked over to them and Skylar took a minute to admire her ensemble. She had on close-fitting pants covered by a long jacket with ruffs and a flapper style hat. The material was darkly rich and was complemented by her long, wavy chestnut hair.

  “Welcome! Please feel free to look around. There are some refreshments under that window over there, and the hot cider is extra yummy tonight. If you have any questions, just let me know. My name is Lisa. Otherwise, enjoy!”

  “Oh, thank you, dear. It’s amazing in here! I just want to look at all the wonderfully pretty things!” his mother declared, and Skylar was thrilled to hear the delight and excitement in her voice. Sometimes he worried that she had gotten too quiet. She had been a well of strength for so long. Recently he had felt helpless when her ever-present joy in life had seemingly vanished.

  She’d lost the job she loved so much when 789 Dance, the nonprofit she had been working with, had cut back on staff. He had noticed his normally vibrant and beautiful mother turn uncertain as she worked through her grief. She had loved her job and everyone at the studio. He knew that she would have been willing to volunteer there if she had been asked, but no one had reached out to her. “Sky, I must take a look at this amazing creature. Come, come,” his mother declared, dragging him in tow. The delight in her voice was a balm to his heart.

  As they drew closer, Skylar could see why his mom was so entranced. The sculpture was large, almost five feet. The piece was positioned at the central point to the main area, and was obviously meant to be a statement piece. The colors were dazzling and the creature was posed mid-leap with a look of joy on its face. Skylar itched to touch, but he managed to keep his hands rigidly at his sides while he walked around to the other side of the display, caught up in the intricacy of the work.

  “This piece is simply called Joy,” said a familiar voice, startling him. “Jasper outdid himself with this one, and it throws out lures to the passerby. Just like a certain beautiful man….”

  And with that Nolan’s lips brushed Skylar’s cheek.

  Skylar was momentarily overwhelmed by the proximity of the other man, but quickly lost that thought when he turned his face and Nolan kissed him sweetly then nibbled for a moment on his lower lip.

  He looked up and saw his mother staring at them from the other side of the statue, her mouth open and her eyes wide in astonishment. As his face flushed red, she gave him a knowing smirk, then walked over to them.

  “Sky, dear, I take it you know this gentleman? Or was this a piece of performance art?”

  “Of course I know him, Mother! This is Nolan Donovan. He owns this gallery, and is a sculptor as well. Nolan, this is my mother, Cordelia Lopez.” Skylar was proud of his ability to get out a complete sentence as he felt his skin flush from embarrassment. At least he knew Nolan’s name thanks to their second round of exertions that morning.

  “Oh, how lovely! Is this your piece then, Mr. Donovan? It’s just charming.”

  “No, ma’m. Right now we are featuring the works of one of our up-and-coming artists. His name is Jasper, and I’d be happy to introduce him to you. As you can see, he’s extremely talented. If you’ll come with me, I’ll take you to meet him and see more of his work.” With that Nolan held out his hand for Skylar’s mother.

  Skylar trailed as Nolan held tight to his mother’s hand and led her into the second gallery room. And then Skylar just gaped. While the sculpture in the first room had been impressive, it was amazing to see this many creatures in this space. The room’s tall ceilings and spacious layout easily housed the large sculptures. Colorful monsters and creatures with a hint
of darkness were captured in whimsical and striking poses. It was like wandering into a garden of metal fantasy.

  “Wow, these are amazing, Nolan,” Skylar said as he looked around. “How did he ever come up with these?”

  “Hey, Jasper, come on over here. These folks have questions on your pieces,” Nolan called out, and almost immediately a nervous-looking young man approached. In the garden of colorful monsters, he was a fey creature, all sharp-edged feral beauty that could disappear at any second.

  “Hi, I’m Jasper. I hope you are enjoying the show.” Jasper looked around him with a fond smile for his creations, then returned his gaze to Skylar, biting his lip.

  “Oh, hon, these are wonderful. When did you start making these?” Skylar’s mom gushed at Jasper.

  “A few years ago. I came across some stuff in a place I was staying. There were a lot of old industrial bits. And it kept reminding me of these creatures that were in my dreams as a kid. So I started putting the bits together. It didn’t hold together very well, ’cause I didn’t know really what I was doing, but I felt compelled to put it together,” Jasper replied.

  “And how did you learn to make them so intricate like this? These are just amazing, and your skill is impressive.”

  “I was trying to sell some small pieces down by the Castillo on the street, and Mr. Donovan saw them. He offered me a long-term contract with the gallery that included training, and that’s been really helpful. Now that I really know how to weld and put things together, my creatures are so much closer to those in my imagination now. This past year he said they were perfect for the holiday show, so I worked hard on the ten pieces that are here.”

  Skylar noticed that Jasper got more confident as he continued to talk with his mother. He stepped back to give them some space and realized that Nolan had followed him. The two of them wandered out of earshot among the fantasy garden animals.

  “I’m so sorry, Skylar. I didn’t realize you were here with anyone. I never would have kissed you like that. I shouldn’t have anyway, because I have no idea how you feel about PDA,” Nolan said, with a sad face. “I hope I didn’t ruin anything.”

  Skylar laughed. “It’s okay. My mom knows very well that I’m gay, and PDAs are fine. I have nothing to hide. I just didn’t expect you here, as I thought you had a date with your brothers tonight.”

  “We did, and we worked out our game plan over pizza. I really wanted to be here for the first night of Jasper’s show, so I came as soon as I could.”

  They looked at each other, then Skylar began to chuckle. “Okay, so mutual awkwardness out of the way,” he said to Nolan’s quick grin.

  “Your mom is amazing by the way. From what I can hear, she has Jasper entranced. Usually he’s much more formal and reserved.”

  “How old is he anyway? He looks very young, but acts much older.”

  “He just turned twenty-one. He and I have been working together for about three years now. Since he’s also a sculptor, I’ve had the pleasure of being able to personally mentor him, and I’m extremely proud of how well he’s done. His natural talent is amazing.”

  “So is this a business or nonprofit? I’m a bit confused,” Skylar asked, looking around at the beautiful space.

  “Oh, it’s a business. But… I inherited the gallery from my paternal grandmother. She had a fairly traditional selection of art when she was running it, but was always supporting local artists in other ways. I just kinda took that idea and expanded it. There’s studio space and apartments around back, because sometimes people need a safe place to live and work to truly flourish. When the artists reach a point where the work they do is selected to be shown, they get the normal gallery rates and learn the business side too,” Nolan said.

  “Makes sense. And these pieces are amazing. But this one really calls to me. It reminds me of a ninja hippopotamus,” Skylar said, stopping in front of a loudly purple creature that was captured in a leaping pose. “I think I may have to get it for the gym.”

  Nolan just laughed. “A ninja hippopotamus? Oh, Jasper will love that. And yeah, it would be perfect for a space like that. But are you sure? There’s no obligation to buy anything, you know. Jasper’s show will do well, and I am confident that his pieces will sell quickly.”

  “Of course I’m sure! Don’t you dare sell it to anyone else. I want that hippo!” Skylar laughed as they walked back to his mother and the artist, who were chatting animatedly.

  “I love seeing him so comfortable. This show is a major step in his career, and he’s been extremely nervous. Heck, I’ve been nervous for him. But it’s wonderful to see him put himself out there as an artist,” Nolan said in an excited whisper as they drew closer, then raised his voice. “Hey, Jasper, Sky here wants your ninja hippo.”

  Nolan

  “MY HIPPO? Really?” Jasper whispered, looking shocked.

  “You better believe it. We’ll just put a sold sign up on it for tonight,” Nolan said, then turned to Skylar. “Would it be okay if we leave it as part of the collection until after the holiday?”

  “Yeah, that’s fine. I will need to arrange to have it put in place properly in the gym. I assume that’s something you can help me with?” Skylar asked, looking archly at Nolan.

  “Yes, indeed. That will take a little time anyway, so I’m glad we can continue to show the piece. We’ll set something up, most likely at the end of January.”

  Jasper just stood there looking slightly stunned until Nolan caught him up in a hug. “Congratulations. I told you that you’d sell pieces during the holiday show. This is just the first of many.”

  “Oh, it’s so exciting! A new artist! I’m so glad we came in tonight,” Skylar’s mother enthused, reaching over to hug Jasper as well, who looked at her with a shy smile. Nolan just closed his eyes and breathed in, letting the happiness wash over him. This was exactly what he was in business to do. Why he had taken over the gallery and put so much time and effort into it. While he loved when every new artist had that first success, it was just a little more special with Jasper. The young man had such raw talent, and the determination to learn his craft.

  “I’m glad you were here as well. Jasper is a talented artist, and everyone here is so proud of him,” Nolan said.

  “Of course. Now come, Jasper, can you show me the rest of your pieces? I’d love to hear what inspired you for these wonderful creations.”

  As Jasper wandered off, speaking excitedly to Skylar’s mother, Nolan smiled. “Your mom is so sweet. And she’s amazing at drawing him out of his shell.”

  “Yeah, she has a lot of experience working with young artists. She worked for 789 Dance for five years. They cut back on staff just last year, so I know she’s loving the opportunity to talk with Jasper.”

  “Really? What kinds of things did she do there?”

  “She worked there as a life skills coach. A lot of what she did was basic mentoring and encouragement. She worked as a real estate agent the entire time I was growing up and had a really successful career, so she could support me in my schooling and the time I took with training. But her educational background was in counseling. After I started the studio she retired from real estate and took up the part-time job that she always wanted. Unfortunately, that experience ended badly.”

  “Look, I’ll be up-front and say while this is a business, obviously a large part of what I am trying to do is provide a strong foundation for young artists. I can pick talent, provide them with professional training and mentorship, but I don’t have the time or ability to really provide them with all the skills they need to succeed in this field. Do you think your mom would be interested in a part-time job here?”

  Skylar looked at Nolan, eyes wide. “Seriously? You would be willing to hire her to do that? Don’t you need more time to think about it?”

  “This is what I do, Skylar. I sign artists on the streets because of the talent that I see. It’s the same with this. I’ll need to talk to her about it after the holiday rush, but I think it makes sense for me to hire a part-time life coach for my artists. Some of them haven’t had great role models, and need to learn some basic life skills like banking and finance. Others need help learning how to market both themselves and their art. It will help me out a great deal, since it frees me up from things I’m really not all that good at.”