Color and movement, Sonya thought. And magic.
“You know I’m a fan of your work.”
“I do, and I hear a but coming.”
“You do. But I’ve never seen you do better work than these. Honestly, you’ve caught something here, Cleo.”
“Oh, thank God.” Sitting back, she pressed her hands to her face. “Because I really thought so, and I really respect your eye. I love this job.” She let out a breath. “I don’t want to miss with this job.”
“You should send these to the editor so they know they’ve got a winner. Oh, I love this one, in the mists, and the one cradling a merbaby. They’re so powerfully female.”
“You need to come up more often. I’m obsessed with this one, and that makes me worry I’m too close.”
“Let me turn that around on you and say being obsessed and close is inspiring your best work. And now, I need to let you get back to it.”
“You definitely have to come up regularly. I’m going to take your advice and send these to my editor.” Lifting both hands, she crossed her fingers. “I thought I’d make ham and potato soup for dinner. Do you want to ask Trey?”
“I’ll check with him. How come I didn’t know you could make ham and potato soup?”
“Because I couldn’t up till a few weeks ago. But it’s easier than you think.”
“I can make bread.”
“You cannot.”
“I can, and I can show you so you can take that over next time we want it. Meet you in the kitchen at, say, about five-thirty?”
“It’s a date.”
On the way back to work, she texted Trey. He responded he had a man date with Owen for burgers; would Friday night do? And to say hi to Cleo.
“I’ve got your rhythm, too. You’re giving me some time to settle in with Cleo. And that’s nice. Nice, sweet, and pretty damn intuitive.”
At just past five, Cleo stopped outside the library. “I’ll go away unless you’re about done for the day.”
“I’m about done for the day. It’s just you and me. Trey’s having burgers with Owen.”
“He could’ve brought Owen.”
“I think he wanted to give us a little girl time. He’s coming tomorrow.”
“Okay then. I showed you mine, let’s see yours.”
“I’m working on Doyle Law Offices. I told you Trey’s mom’s a photographer. I got great stuff to work with.”
As Sonya toggled back to the home page, Cleo came around the desk. “That’s their offices? You said it was a Victorian, but wow. It’s beautiful. It looks so not stuffy attorneys-at-law. I like your color palette, picking up the tones of the house, not overwhelming it. Nice clean font on the text, clear info.
“That has to be Ace!” Delighted, Cleo pressed her hands to her cheeks. “Talk about adorable. Natty! That’s the word. How often do you get to use natty in a sentence?”
Nodding, she scanned the bio. “Impressive. Harvard man, could’ve retired fifteen, twenty years ago, but there he is in his natty three-piece suit with the law books.
“And next?”
“Deuce.”
“Mmm. Handsome, kind eyes, tie loosened. Why is that so sexy?”
In full agreement, she slapped Cleo’s arm. “I know, right?”
“I like how she took him making notes on a legal pad. Handsome, kind-eyed man at work. Oh, well now, and here’s Mr. Third Generation. All long and lean and yummy. It’s a great shot. He’s relaxed, but he’s listening.”
She went through the staff.
“Mrs. Deuce is damn good, as is my BFF. I really like the way you’ve got this easy flow going, and— Oh Jesus, Sonya!”
She laughed and laughed.
“Mookie Doyle, Legal Consultant.”
“I don’t know if they’ll go for it, but I couldn’t resist when I saw she’d taken his picture, too. And the way he’s holding his head, that look in his eyes.
“I’m here for you. Trust me. Oh, they have to use it. It’s genius. If I needed a lawyer, I’d be at their door.”
“We’ll see. I’ve nearly got it to the point I can show them the layout. I’m shutting down. Workday is done.”
In the kitchen, Sonya watched in some amazement as Cleo chopped garlic, peeled and chopped potatoes, a carrot.
“This is serious cooking.”
“I’ve been practicing,” Cleo said. “Since I’m living the dream, my contribution will not suck. We’ll eat reasonably decent meals under my watch. Let me get this going, then I want to see you make bread. Doesn’t that take hours?”