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“It won’t stay so organized, but it’s nice to start that way. I was thinking of getting a small dorm fridge for drinks.”
“Good idea.”
“The better one, I thought, since I don’t like structured cardio, is using the stairs when I’m thirsty. I am grateful there’s a bathroom down the hall. I put toilet paper, some soap and towels in there. I’ll fuss it up some, but I like having that close by.”
“Any problem with you-know-who?”
“Oh, she banged and bitched for a while.” Cleo shrugged that off like she might a cloud breezing over the sun. “I’ve got my labradorite and black tourmaline here, and Clarence.” She patted the dragon.
“Clarence, who’s new to me.”
“I just found him last week. Carnelian dragon. Courage and creativity. Plus, dragon.”
Sonya walked over for a closer look.
“Cleo! The mermaid book?”
“Yeah. I’m working with acrylics. I wanted hand drawn rather than using software for these. I’ve got a few scanned, but I’m not ready to send them on.”
Sonya studied the work in progress. “Can I see what you’ve already done?”
A mermaid swimming, long length, head lifted, eyes closed. Her gilded hair streaming back, and her tail a glittering symphony of color.
In another, a pair of them perched on rocks, facing each other, with the sea swirling under a full moon. Another speared out of the water, hands cupped, with water flying around her.
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.”
