“Job site again. The lady sold it to Kevin for ten dollars—it was broken, the top tier snapped clean off. So he fixed it—you can’t even tell it was broken. And I’m—”
“I want it. When you’ve refinished it, I’ll buy it.”
Thrown off rhythm, Jenny blinked. “You think fast.”
“It’s just the sort of thing I want. I’m looking to mix a lot of old pieces, character pieces, through the house. This is perfect.”
“I should have you over more often. Will you barter for it?”
“You’ve already got the torte.”
“I mean, would you trade me a picture for it and the work on the desk? You’ve got this one on your website, and I keep seeing it over our little fireplace in the living room in a white—shabby-chic white—frame. It’s sunset, and oh, the sky is just full of red and gold and going to indigo blue, and the trees are reflected on the water. And there’s a white boat—sailboat—in the sound. It makes me think that’s what heaven could be. Sailing in a white boat on the water into the red and golds.”
“I know the one you mean, but it doesn’t seem fair—two pieces for one.”
“I know what your work goes for. And I know what mine goes for. I’m getting the better deal.”
“Depends on where you’re standing. Done—but I frame it. Tell me what size you want.”
Jenny pointed toward a frame—shabby-chic white.
“About twenty-four by eighteen. I’ll take the frame with me.”
“Oh boy! And what I really wanted you to see was that bench. It just seems right for your bedroom deck.”
Following the direction, Naomi stepped around a couple of projects in progress and saw the high-backed wire bench, done in a distressed forest green.
“No pressure,” Jenny said quickly. “If you don’t like it—”
“I do. And it would work there. Better, if I ever get the grounds cleared and decently landscaped, it would be wonderful as a garden seat, wouldn’t it?”
“In a shady nook,” Jenny imagined. “Or in the sun, by a weeping cherry.”
“Absolutely. And it would make pretty seating on the bedroom deck in the meantime. Sold.”
“Will you trade me the water lily print for it?”
“You make it easy,” Naomi agreed.
“I have this frame—distressed silver—and I can just see that print in it, on my bedroom wall. It’s fun helping decorate each other’s houses.”
“Let’s see the frame.”
“Ah, it’s over . . . there.”
With Jenny, Naomi started toward it, then stopped. “Oh! My desk.”
At her tone, Tag stopped exploring and trotted over. Naomi all but cooed as she ran her hand over the smooth wood. “I know it’s just stripped and sanded, but it’s already beautiful. Look at the hues, the grain. It’s like somebody had dressed a gorgeous woman in a baggy black coat, and you took it off. I think we just made a hell of a good deal, both sides.”
“That’s what good friends should do.” Delighted, Jenny hugged an arm around Naomi’s waist. “I’m going to love seeing my work in your space, having your work in mine. And now, why don’t we go out the door here so we can walk around outside. I bet Tag wants to see Molly. They’re friends, too.”
“He decided she wouldn’t try to rip his throat out. Now he takes her the tug rope when he sees her. It’s sweet.”
They stepped out into the side yard.
“It’s awful quiet,” Jenny commented as she turned to secure the door. “Quiet worries me.”
She’d no more than said it before Naomi took a blast of cold water—heart-shot.
Xander swung around the corner, leading with a huge water rifle. Naomi held her hands out to the sides, looked down at her soaked shirt, and looked up.
“Really?”
“Hey, sorry. I thought you were Kevin.”
“Do I look like Kevin?”
“Can’t say you do, but I figured him to double back from this way. Kids broke the treaty, and the three of them are ganging up on me. This would be the fog-of-war sort of situation.”
“Fog of war, my ass.”
“It’s more your—” He broke off when he took a volley of shots in the back.
“Xander’s dead!” Tyler did a war dance. “Xander’s dead.” He wiggled his butt and shook his water gun at the sky.
“Traitors. You’re living with traitors and back-shooters,” Xander told Jenny.
“You shot an unarmed woman. I’ll get you a dry shirt, Naomi.”
“Thanks. And thank you for killing him,” Naomi said to Tyler. “He ambushed a noncombatant.”
“You’re welcome.”
“You’re a really good shot. Could I . . .” She took the gun and shot a stream into Xander’s face. “There. That’s what we call a coup de grace.”
Maddy giggled, then started climbing up her father’s leg. “Xander’s got cooties.”
“That’s right.” She gave Tyler back the gun, then narrowed her eyes at the gleam in Xander’s. “Don’t even think about it,” she said before walking away with Jenny.
She ate in one of Jenny’s T-shirts and enjoyed herself more than she’d thought possible. Good food and good company, two things she rarely took the time for or had the inclination for, proved the perfect end to the day—even when she found herself cornered into playing Xbox.
“You’ve got game,” Xander commented after she’d trounced everyone at the LEGO Movie game—twice.
“Everything is awesome when you have a brother who’s still a video game maniac. And now that I remain undefeated”—she added a finger in the belly for Tyler—“I really have to go.”
“Play one more!”
“Practice,” she advised, “and I’ll take you on next time. But Tag and I have to get home. Everything was great, Jenny, thanks for having me. I can take those frames with me if you want.”
“I really want.” In her easy way, Jenny stepped up and hugged Naomi. “Sunday dinner, open invitation. I mean it.”
“Thanks. And thanks, Kevin. See you tomorrow.”
“I’ll get the frames. Meet you out front with them,” Xander told her.
She hadn’t intended to stay so late. But the setting sun painted the sky in the west and the air had cooled enough that she could have used a sweater.
Still, she thought as she walked the dog to the car, she could get some work in, plan out her agenda for the week, and have time to read herself to sleep.
She opened the door to the back; the dog jumped agilely in. Then she sat on the back of the car, facing the water, and took pictures of the sunset over the inlet, the empty docks, the shimmering silence.
“Do you ever quit?” Xander asked as he carried the frames across the lawn.
“I get amazing sunrise shots from my place, but this little spit of water edges west, and that’s one champion sunset.”
“My place isn’t on the water, but I get some worthy sunsets through the trees. You might want to check it out.”
“I might.”
He propped the frames in the back, gave the dog a rub, and then managed to turn in a way that boxed her in.
“It’s still early.”
“That depends. Maddy was drooping.”
“Maddy’s four. Why don’t we go into Loo’s? I’ll buy you a drink.”
“I had several glasses of wine.”
“Over about four hours. Walk a straight line.”
She laughed, shook her head. “I can walk a straight line, and since I want to continue to be able to, I’ll pass on another drink. You have terrific friends, Xander.”
“Seems like they’re your friends, too.”
“Jenny won’t take no.”
“Why say no?”
She shrugged, looked back to the sunset. Going to gold now, she thought. Soft, shimmering gold. “General rule.”
“You make it hard not to ask questions.”
“I appreciate that you don’t. I really have to go.”
He ran a hand down her arm, but stepped back. Didn’t kiss her, Naomi realized, because she expected it.
He had game, too.
But he walked around, opened the door for her. “Do you like eggplant parm?”
“I do.”
“Come to my place Wednesday for dinner. We’ll have eggplant parm.”
Her eyebrows shot up. “You’re going to make eggplant parmesan?”
“Hell no. I’ll get takeout from Rinaldo’s. They make good eggplant parm.”
“Two social outings inside one week? I don’t know if I can handle it.”
“Try. Bring the dog.”
She blew out a breath as Tag shoved his face out her door and pushed his muzzle into Xander’s big, callused hand.
“Just dinner.”
“I can take no.”