'I promise you're going to enjoy this,' Rose said excitedly to her older brother. 'And one of my favourite artists has some stuff on display tonight.'
Derek Hudson was glad to be with his sister but he hated the art shows she kept dragging him to. He would have preferred sitting on the couch with a beer on a Saturday night.
'We're here!' Rose announced.
Derek reluctantly parked his white Range Rover in the lot.
'Can't I just stay here?' he whined.
'Stop being such a baby and just let yourself loose for once.' Rose said, practically dragging him out of the SUV.
Keri Martins sat alone at the mini bar, nervously eyeing anyone who took a look at her artwork. It was her strategy to stay away. Keri had always thought that a true artist should let the artwork do the talking. And besides, she was extremely shy and avoided "mingling". She looked at the empty seat next to hers and sighed. Normally, her best friend, Matt would be with her but he wasn't. He was on his honeymoon. The loneliness and sadness filled her again. She secretly wished for what he had...a soul-mate.
'Keri, there you are!' She was knocked out of her reverie by the sound of Rose's voice. 'Your stuff looks great tonight!'
'You're just saying that.'
'No, I'm serious.' Rose insisted. 'Even my brother is interested.'
Rose nodded towards the direction of Derek, who was a couple of feet away, intently staring at one of Keri's paintings.
Derek didn't know what it was but something about the painting caught his attention. It was like the image reminded him of something, someone. Something that brought back a pleasant memory, but he just couldn't put his finger on it. It was an impressionist painting; he knew that because of the three years he spent in a posh English boarding school.
'Oy, Derek, get over here!'
Rose's voice snapped him back to reality and he sauntered to the bar where she was sitting next to some other girl.
'Keri, this is my big bro, Derek. Derek, this is Keri Martins. The painter of the piece you were staring at right now.'
'I finally get meet the person my sister's always raving about.' Derek said casually.
She looked like such a typical artist in a gypsy skirt and sneakers. Her wild curly hair was tied up in a pony on the side of her head. Her deep brown eyes and pouty lips and smooth medium brown skin rated her "cute" on Derek's scale. Definitely nothing more.
