CHAPTER 23

Samaire felt her nostrils flare with aggravation as he bragged.

“That’s wonderful, Brian.”

“‘You should come to my workshop, Samaire.’”

She had no interest in paying to hear the man talk for hours about himself and his accomplishments.

“Trust me, Brian, it’s okay to have a few empty seats.”

“‘It’ll be standing room only,’” he said with indignation. “‘I’m inviting you because you might learn a few things, Samaire. Things you can use for sure in your future projects.’”

Samaire squeezed her eyes shut. His words no longer wounded, but they still had the power to sting.

“Thank you for your concern, Brian, but I keep up-to-date on what’s new and cutting-edge. But I’m sure there are a lot of your… followers out there who might need this workshop more than I do.”

“‘I disagree, Samaire,’” Brian said. “‘I’ve looked at your website and portfolio. The work you do is basic and outdated. You haven’t come up with any fresh ideas in a very long time…’”

“That’s not true.”