Inheritance (The Lost Bride Trilogy, #1)(109)

“I thought about it for a second, since I heard those bells? The call bells downstairs?”

“I remember those, sure. They were actually ringing?”

“One was. I started down, and the door slammed behind me.”

Shaking back her hair, she lifted her glass.

“I admit, without shame, that scared the shit out of me. But the lights came on when I found the switch, so that was better. When I got down there, the bell for the Gold Room’s banging, doors are slamming. The TV in the media room came on, top volume. A lot of screaming seeing as it came on with the latest Halloween movie.

“I love Jamie Lee Curtis.”

“Jesus, Cleo.”

With a shrug, Cleo topped off her wine. “I wasn’t what you’d call sanguine about it at the time. Then everything stopped. The slamming, the banging, the screaming. And I felt this cold, a whoosh of it. Did you see my hair when I came out? It blew right through it.

“Then you texted. So either Grand-mère’s charm or you coming home, or both, shut her off.”

“I wish I could have some wine,” Anna murmured.

“I dedicate this glass to you and your adorable baby bump. I’m going to white sage down there,” Cleo decided. “I don’t think that’s nearly enough, but I’ll do it anyway.” Already at home, she put her feet up on the empty chair, turned to Anna. “So how many weeks along are you?”

“Almost twenty.”

“Halfway.” Cleo lifted her glass in toast. “Do you know the variety?”

With a laugh, Anna patted her baby belly. “We just found out yesterday. Think pink!”

As easy as that, Sonya thought, they transitioned from hauntings to babies. Engaging others stood as one of Cleo’s top skills.

“Who runs the world?” Cleo sang. “Got a name?”

“The middle name’s easy. My mother-in-law’s first name and my mom’s middle is Kate. For the first name, we’ve got our list down to, oh, about a dozen. We’re hoping to tighten that up before she starts preschool. But now that we know, decorating the nursery’s top of the list.

“And since I happen to know an artist or two, I may hit them up for advice.”

“I’m there!”

Now Sonya laughed. “Cleo’s a baby magnet, or babies are a magnet for Cleo. Was helping with nursery decor what you wanted to talk to me about?”

“Oh no, that one just came to me. It was some other things. One was about work. They can wait.”

“Now’s fine. Did you want something changed on the website?”

“Not a change. Bay Arts is having their May Day open house in a few weeks, and I’m one of the featured artists. I wondered if we could do something to promote it on my site.”

“Not only could but should.” Sonya took out her phone to take notes. “Dates, times?”

“Second weekend in May, ten to eight on Saturday, noon to six on Sunday.”

“It’s annual?”

“They do a weekend every year, second weekend in May, and for the holidays, the second weekend in December. Featured artists, some demonstrations, specials, refreshments, door prizes.”

Nodding, Sonya got it all down. “They’ll do their own promotions, flyers, but we can do a flash on your social media. Do they include online sales?”

“Absolutely.”

“Okay, we’ll do a card to include in the sales off your site, hyping it up.”

“That’s good. I wouldn’t have thought of that.”

“That’s my job. I can send you some options tomorrow.”

She set her phone aside. “What else is on your mind?”

“The other was … well, it’s personal.”

“I’ll just go haul another suitcase upstairs.”

“No, don’t leave,” Anna said as Cleo started to get up. “It’s clear the two of you are close, so you’d know Sonya and Trey are seeing each other.”

Cautious, Sonya trailed a finger around the rim of her glass. “He told you.”

“No, and he wouldn’t unless I asked directly. But you’ve had dinners together at the Lobster Cage, and he’s made the turn on Manor Road several times lately.”

She smiled, shrugged. “News doesn’t travel in Poole’s Bay. It sprints.”

“Do you have a problem with Trey and me?”

“Oh God, no.” In a pushback gesture, Anna lifted her hands. “The opposite. Polar opposite. I love my brother, even when I want to kick him in the balls. He’s so damn reasonable. You can’t win a fight against his unwavering reasonable. It’s frustrating. But I love him anyway.”

“Reasonable,” Sonya agreed. “And the calm. The absolute calm. It’s both annoying and admirable. It’s annoyingly admirable.”

“There, see? You get him.”

On the table, Sonya’s phone sang out: “Whatta Man.”

Easing back, Anna crossed her arms over her baby bump. “Do you ever get used to that?”

“Somehow, you do.”

“Not sure I would, and it makes me really miss wine. But in any case, I’m happy Trey’s with someone who gets him. I caught the carefully contained sparkage between you when we all had dinner, but I’m surprised he moved on that before Christmas.”