Inheritance (The Lost Bride Trilogy, #1)(112)

She took a careful photo, then sent the text.

I found this portrait. It’s Dad’s work. Have you seen it before?

The answer came in under a minute.

No. That’s his birth mother? I can see him in her face. Is Cleo there? Is everything all right?

Yes, it’s Clover. Cleo’s right here, and everything’s fine. We spent most of the evening hauling up her half ton of suitcases and unpacking her massive wardrobe. But when we found this, we thought we should ask. I think Dad must have dreamed her, and painted her. As a bride.

He often painted his dreams. She’s lovely, and there’s a sweetness. She looks kind.

Yes, she does. I know she was and is kind, so don’t worry. Cleo and I are going to have a glass of wine, then go to bed. We’re all good here.

Stay that way. Love to Cleo, love to you. Night.

After signing off with a heart emoji, she turned as Cleo came back into the room.

“She never saw it before.”

“You know, he might have painted it before they were married. Or he just had his reasons for not showing her. Let’s put her up, Sonya, then have this wine.”

They switched out the paintings, then stood back, arms around each other’s waists.

“She looks right there.”

“She does. And you know, Son, your father’s in there, too. Your dad and his brother are in that painting. It’s very special.”

In her pocket, Sonya’s phone played “Mother and Child Reunion.”

With a laugh, Cleo picked up the wine, handed Sonya hers, and clinked her glass to it. “To Clover, the music master.”

“Absolutely to Clover.”

“You know what else? Johanna would’ve been her daughter-in-law, your mother’s sister-in-law. Your aunt.”

“It’s just so weird.”

“I think it’s wonderful. To Johanna.”

“To Johanna. What a strange day. Just another day in the manor.”

“And my first official one.”

“And so we drink to that. Yoda needs to go out.”

“We’ll take care of that. Then I don’t mind calling it for the night. I want to get an early start on setting up my studio.

“You said Yoda was fostered with cats.”

“That’s right. You really want one?”

“When I find the right one. The thing I really disliked about my apartment was the no-pet clause.”

They grabbed jackets—and Cleo’s were, indeed, inside the coat closet.

“Oh God, the view. It’s just everything. Please tell me you don’t get used to it.”

“No.” With the last of their wine, they walked with the dog. “It still catches me. And it makes me wonder how I ever lived anywhere else. And I’m already wondering how I lived here all these weeks without you here.”

“Now you don’t have to.”

Later, when she slid into bed, Sonya thought again: a strange day. But a good one. Yoda curled on his bed, Cleo slept down the hall, and the sound of the sea against the rocks lulled like music.

Later yet, when the clock struck three, she muttered in her sleep. But she didn’t stir, and she didn’t rise.





Chapter Twenty-four



Bonus points came in the morning when Sonya walked into the kitchen to the scent of coffee and Cleo. A Cleo dressed in jeans, a sweatshirt, sneakers. She had her burnt-honey curls scooped back in a bouncy tail, and her day-at-home makeup on.

“You are up early. This is not usual.”

“I honestly can’t wait to start on the studio.” Her quick hip wiggle proved it. “Got your coffee covered. I’m having a Toaster Strudel. Want one?”

With a head shake, Sonya took out the second half of yesterday’s bagel before she let Yoda out the mudroom door.

“I find that sad. I put out fresh water and food for our boy.”

“We both appreciate it.”

Cleo propped on a stool while Sonya toasted her bagel. “Listen, if you want, when you take a break, come up and see how I’ve set things up. You’ve got a good, efficient eye.”

“I will. Basic routine for me? I’m trying to work out three days a week—I shoot for morning, mostly. Which is not this morning. Work until Yoda lets me know he has to go out, or I realize I need to get up and out. Walk around. Work. Toss something together for dinner, or if Trey’s coming over, he’ll bring takeout. I try to get into the village one day a week. Flower shop, maybe the bookstore, grocery.”

“Groceries are on me now.”

“And I’m happy to give that to you.”

“I know your rhythms, Son, and you know mine. We’ll find the new ones here. If I’m going out—I really want to explore the village, see that lighthouse, find some outdoor painting spots—I’ll text you if it’s during work hours. Let you know.”

“Same goes.”

“And we’re good. No, I’ve got him.” At Yoda’s let-me-in bark, Cleo rose. “There’s that boy, there’s that very good boy. Breakfast is ready.”

Yeah, Sonya thought, they’d find the new rhythm.

She worked straight through until noon, making progress on the Doyle job, designing three options for Anna’s needs. After she let a very anxious Yoda out the front door, she walked back for a Coke. Before she could grab a jacket and join him, he was barking at the mudroom door.