From the back of the gallery, Calista surveyed the room. A couple lingered beside Josh Patrick’s “Samantha.” Over the past ten years, she’d become more astute, knowing when to hang back, letting browsers explore, and when to approach potential collectors. The subtle task of selling. She took very little personally—except artists’ loyalty. Suddenly, she was about to lose one who mattered too much. And this, she was taking personally. Calista stood, thinking about how Josh did it, how he pulled people in with swirls of paint. She would close this deal. He’d stay. She approached the couple. “Wonderful, yes?”

-Sharon Rousseau