All Chapters of His sisters boyfriend : Chapter 161 - Chapter 170

Jay didn't sleep that night.He lay in bed staring at the ceiling. New York. The biggest stage in the country. His work on those walls. The thought was too big. Too heavy. He couldn't hold it in his head.Cole was asleep next to him. His breathing was steady. His arm was draped across Jay's chest. Jay didn't move. He didn't want to wake him.He stared at the ceiling until the sky outside the window turned from black to gray. Then he got up.He walked to the kitchen. He made coffee. He sat at the table. He stared at the wall.Cole found him an hour later."Jay," Cole said. His voice was rough with sleep."I'm here.""You're up early.""Couldn't sleep."Cole sat next to him. "Thinking about New York?""Thinking about everything."Cole reached for his hand. "You don't have to decide today.""I know.""But you're going to think about it anyway."Jay nodded. "I'm going to think about it anyway."Jay went to the studio that morning.The room was empty. The walls were bare. He stood in the m

The flight to New York was long.Jay sat by the window. Cole sat next to him. The plane lifted off. The city shrank below them. Jay pressed his face to the glass. He watched until the buildings disappeared. Then he watched the clouds. Then he watched nothing at all."You're quiet," Cole said."I'm thinking.""About the show?""About everything."Cole reached over. He took Jay's hand. "We're going to be okay.""We?""Us. Together. Always."Jay squeezed his hand. "I love you."Cole squeezed back. "I know."The hotel was in Manhattan.Tall building. Small room. A view of the skyline. Jay stood by the window. The city was sprawling below him. Millions of people. Millions of faces. And soon, they would all be looking at his work.Cole came up behind him. He put his arms around Jay's waist."What are you thinking?""That I'm here. New York. The gallery. It's real.""It's real.""I don't know if I'm ready."Cole turned him around. "You're ready.""What if I'm not?""Then you fake it."Jay la

The hotel in London was small and old.Cracked walls. Creaky floors. A window that looked out onto a narrow street. Jay stood by the window and watched the rain fall. The sky was gray. The buildings were wet. The city was quiet. He didn't know what he was feeling. Excitement. Fear. Something in between.Cole came up behind him. He put his arms around Jay's waist."What are you thinking?""That I'm here. London. The gallery. It's real.""It's real.""I don't know if I'm ready."Cole turned him around. "You're ready.""What if I'm not?""Then you fake it."Jay laughed. "That's not helpful.""It's not supposed to be helpful. It's supposed to be true."The gallery was in South Kensington.White walls. High ceilings. Track lighting. Jay's paintings were already on the walls. Thirty-five pieces. Figures in fields. Men on hills. Women by the water. People standing in the light. The man on the bridge. The woman in the crowded street. The man in the dark room with the window.Jay walked throug

Jay woke up the morning before Paris and couldn't move.His body was heavy. His mind was blank. He lay in bed staring at the ceiling. The sun was coming through the curtains. Cole was still asleep next to him. His breathing was steady. His arm was draped across Jay's chest.Jay didn't move. He didn't want to wake him. He just lay there. Thinking about nothing. Thinking about everything.He must have fallen asleep again. When he opened his eyes, Cole was sitting up. He was looking at Jay with worried eyes."Jay," Cole said. "You okay?""I'm fine.""You're not fine.""I'm tired."Cole leaned closer. "You've been tired for months.""I know.""Maybe you need to rest.""I've been resting.""No. You've been working. That's not the same thing."Jay was quiet. He didn't have an argument.Jay went to the studio that afternoon.The room was empty. The walls were bare. The paintings were already on their way to Paris. He stood in the middle of it and turned in a circle. He had nothing left to do

The phone rang at 7am.Jay was still asleep. The sound cut through his dreams. He reached for it blindly. His hand knocked over a glass of water. It spilled across the nightstand. He cursed under his breath.Cole stirred next to him."Who is it?" Cole mumbled."I don't know."Jay squinted at the screen. Unknown number. He almost ignored it. Something made him answer."Hello?""Jay." It was Elena. Her voice was tight. "I have news."Jay sat up. "What kind of news?""The kind you've been waiting for. The Paris museum called. They want to feature your work in their main gallery. A retrospective. Your entire body of work."Jay blinked. "The main gallery?""The main gallery. They want to do a full retrospective. All your pieces. From the beginning to now."Jay swung his legs over the side of the bed. "I don't have that many pieces.""Then paint more.""I only have a few months.""Then make them count."Jay was quiet. His mind was racing. The main gallery. The main room. The museum. It was