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CHAPTERSIXTEEN
“Get back here, you little rascal!” James watched Rembrandt dive under the couch until only his black tail stuck out.
“Maybe it will be easier to catch Picasso,” Maxi suggested.
James had been trying to wrangle the two cats into submission for over an hour. Unfortunately, the two fur balls objected vehemently to doing anything Maxi and James wanted them to do. On any other day, they were happy to lounge around in one spot, soaking in the sun all day, and even happier if they could be on someone’s lap. But not now. They had an uncanny ability to sense that was exactly what James and Maxi wanted and were now determined to do the exact opposite.
James turned and eyed the white cat, who looked at him warily. He took a step. Picasso’s fluffy tail swished. He lunged and grabbed the cat.
Picasso wriggled in James’s arms. “Meow!”
“Want a treat?” Maxi rushed in, holding a piece of the cats’ favorite tuna-flavored treat.
That caught their attention. Picasso stopped wriggling and sniffed. Rembrandt poked his head out from under the couch.
“I guess we know how to control them.” James carefully sat down with Picasso in his lap, and Maxi handed him the bag of treats.
Not to be left out, Rembrandt jumped up onto the couch. James managed to arrange both cats in his lap and keep them there with the aid of the treats.
“We might have to put them on a diet after this,” Maxi joked as she got to work behind the easel. Pictures were great, but there was nothing like painting from real life. She could capture the shadows of light, the subtle change in colors. Soon she was lost in the art of painting.
After about an hour, Maxi stepped back from the painting. “There. I think I got enough for now. I can put the final details in later but won’t need you to sit with the cats.”
James got up from the chair and brushed the fur off. He stood beside her at the easel. “The fur is really good. You really captured it.”
“Thanks to you.” She kissed him on the cheek, happy she’d made progress. The painting of the two cats curled up together was good. The contrast of the white and black fur was striking.
She put the brush in the small glass jar of turpentine and stashed it in the cupboard so the cats couldn’t get into it. “I think it’s coming along. After I take a break, I’ll work on the eyes more, but I’m happy with the way they are coming out.”
“How about we go for a walk.” James looked toward the beach. It was a gorgeous sunny day and perfect weather for walking. Even better, the beach was empty. They would have it all to themselves.
“Great idea.” Maxi took off her painter’s smock and draped it over one of the kitchen chairs. A picture of Goblin caught her eye. Bert and Harry had given it to her for the painting. Their favorite picture of the dog, it featured Goblin looking up at the camera with her wrinkled fawn-and-brown face, pug nose, and expressive brown eyes.
Even through the photograph, Maxi could see the love in the dog’s eyes, and it made her heart melt. She justhadto get this painting right for Bert and Harry.
