A PORTRAIT OF OLIVIA Read Online Free
Author: J.P. Bowie
ladies near me were in tears when you talked about hearing Phillip’s voice at his grave-side. I think this will be one of her best shows ever.”
“Not that you’re at all biased,” Jeff chuckled.
“Of course I am,” Eve said, with a laugh. “But, Olivia seemed very pleased with it too.”
“That she did,” Jeff agreed. He looked at Peter. “Were you surprised when she asked you to paint her portrait?”
“Kind of. I thought she’d be way too busy for all that.”
“The producers were probably thinking it was a way to keep the audience’s interest,” Jeff suggested. “Future ratings, that kind of thing.”
Peter nodded. “Right. Still, it was good of her to want to be bothered, I think.”
It was the last time Peter would ever link the word ‘good’ with Olivia Winters. A few days after the taping, he spent an entire day fielding phone calls from her production office. Apparently, Olivia had decided the next show would be taped in Laguna, from Peter and Jeff ’s home. There, she felt, the viewers would get the atmosphere of where Peter lived and the studio in which he had created the ‘masterpieces’ that had been shown nationally. Also, Peter and Jeff would be filmed giving Olivia a guided tour of Laguna Beach. Her production crew had also contacted Laguna’s tourist office, and they were very quick to call Peter to encourage him in this endeavor—“Such good publicity for the town’s tourist industry, don’t you agree?”
Then there were the sessions to arrange for Olivia’s portrait sitting. No, she could not possibly come to his studio, he was told—her schedule just would not allow it. He must come to her home on the days specified. Much against his better judgment, Peter agreed, inconvenient for him as it was.
Peter’s fame, as an artist, had spread even before his association with Olivia.
When he had recovered from his coma, the attending publicity had thrown him, with some reluctance, into the public eye. Adding to the pressure was the fact that he had recently opened his own gallery in Laguna, and had set aside a section of it for a class to encourage ‘promising young local artists’—a venture that had fast become extremely time consuming—though greatly rewarding.
He had been aided in this, by the arrival of Nick and Eric. Nick Fallon, the detective they had met in New York, and who had helped them clear Andrew’s name, had accepted Jeff ’s offer to become his business partner. Eric, unable to find a job right away had jumped at the chance to manage Peter’s gallery. Peter J.P. Bowie
13
had been impressed by Eric’s quick learning curve, and felt very comfortable about leaving him in sole charge during the time he’d become involved with Olivia’s show.
A major concern for Peter, working outside his studio, had been the lighting, but on seeing the huge windows that lined one wall of Olivia’s spacious living room, he had deemed it adequate. He had quite enjoyed their first session.
Olivia had seemed pleased to see him, apologizing for her busy schedule and saying she hoped he was not too inconvenienced by the arrangement. Molli-fied, Peter had worked well as the cameramen and technicians Olivia had brought in to record the first sitting, hovered around and over his shoulder.
Peter had explained to her that he really only needed the one sitting, as his photographic memory would take care of the rest, but Olivia had insisted on more, ‘for the sake of continuity’.
“We have to show the portrait being created from the first few strokes to the finished product,” she’d told him. “That’s all part of the presentation.” Peter could sense in her tone that the lady was very used to getting her own way—in all things. Something he would become more and more aware of, as time went by.
Orange County Times
Report by Mark Forrest
Laguna Beach will be agog this Tuesday when famed day talk show host Olivia Winters brings her production crew to town to
“Not that you’re at all biased,” Jeff chuckled.
“Of course I am,” Eve said, with a laugh. “But, Olivia seemed very pleased with it too.”
“That she did,” Jeff agreed. He looked at Peter. “Were you surprised when she asked you to paint her portrait?”
“Kind of. I thought she’d be way too busy for all that.”
“The producers were probably thinking it was a way to keep the audience’s interest,” Jeff suggested. “Future ratings, that kind of thing.”
Peter nodded. “Right. Still, it was good of her to want to be bothered, I think.”
It was the last time Peter would ever link the word ‘good’ with Olivia Winters. A few days after the taping, he spent an entire day fielding phone calls from her production office. Apparently, Olivia had decided the next show would be taped in Laguna, from Peter and Jeff ’s home. There, she felt, the viewers would get the atmosphere of where Peter lived and the studio in which he had created the ‘masterpieces’ that had been shown nationally. Also, Peter and Jeff would be filmed giving Olivia a guided tour of Laguna Beach. Her production crew had also contacted Laguna’s tourist office, and they were very quick to call Peter to encourage him in this endeavor—“Such good publicity for the town’s tourist industry, don’t you agree?”
Then there were the sessions to arrange for Olivia’s portrait sitting. No, she could not possibly come to his studio, he was told—her schedule just would not allow it. He must come to her home on the days specified. Much against his better judgment, Peter agreed, inconvenient for him as it was.
Peter’s fame, as an artist, had spread even before his association with Olivia.
When he had recovered from his coma, the attending publicity had thrown him, with some reluctance, into the public eye. Adding to the pressure was the fact that he had recently opened his own gallery in Laguna, and had set aside a section of it for a class to encourage ‘promising young local artists’—a venture that had fast become extremely time consuming—though greatly rewarding.
He had been aided in this, by the arrival of Nick and Eric. Nick Fallon, the detective they had met in New York, and who had helped them clear Andrew’s name, had accepted Jeff ’s offer to become his business partner. Eric, unable to find a job right away had jumped at the chance to manage Peter’s gallery. Peter J.P. Bowie
13
had been impressed by Eric’s quick learning curve, and felt very comfortable about leaving him in sole charge during the time he’d become involved with Olivia’s show.
A major concern for Peter, working outside his studio, had been the lighting, but on seeing the huge windows that lined one wall of Olivia’s spacious living room, he had deemed it adequate. He had quite enjoyed their first session.
Olivia had seemed pleased to see him, apologizing for her busy schedule and saying she hoped he was not too inconvenienced by the arrangement. Molli-fied, Peter had worked well as the cameramen and technicians Olivia had brought in to record the first sitting, hovered around and over his shoulder.
Peter had explained to her that he really only needed the one sitting, as his photographic memory would take care of the rest, but Olivia had insisted on more, ‘for the sake of continuity’.
“We have to show the portrait being created from the first few strokes to the finished product,” she’d told him. “That’s all part of the presentation.” Peter could sense in her tone that the lady was very used to getting her own way—in all things. Something he would become more and more aware of, as time went by.
Orange County Times
Report by Mark Forrest
Laguna Beach will be agog this Tuesday when famed day talk show host Olivia Winters brings her production crew to town to
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