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CHAPTERTWENTY-NINE
Maxi had taken her latest painting home and set it on the easel next to the large picture window that overlooked the ocean. The cottage on the beach was her creative painting space, but she liked to take her finished work home to look at it in a different light.
James had a high-profile career at the bank, and they lived in an upscale home on the cliffs near the Marginal Way. Though she wasn’t right on the ocean, her view was outstanding. Sometimes she could even hear the waves crashing on the rocks from her deck on the side of the house.
Maxi stood back and admired the painting. Bunny was a good teacher, and her rendition of the cats had improved. In this painting, the two cats were curled up on a blue velvet pillow. She was especially proud of the area where their fur met. It had been difficult to show the individual black and white hairs overlapping without creating a big mess.
Their eyes looked luminescent and alive with just the right amount of mischief. They looked so sweet and innocent relaxing on their cushion. Nothing like the mischievous rascals they were being right now as they ran around the living room, batting a toy and clawing the rugs.
James came down the stairs. “That looks great. Is that today’s work?”
“Yes. I think my skills are improving.”
“I agree.”
A tinfoil ball skidded past them with Picasso right behind it. James intercepted him by picking him up and cradling him like a baby. Picasso let James cuddle him for about three seconds before trying to climb up onto James’s shoulder. It was a new trick James was attempting to teach the cats so that they would perch on his shoulder like parrots. Picasso got on his shoulder but only for a second before leaping off to the floor. He landed gracefully on all four paws with only a soft thud.
“It makes me so nervous when they jump that far! I always think they’re going to break a leg,” Maxi said.
“They’re made for it.” James turned his attention back to the painting. “So, do you feel satisfied with the progress you’re making and the lessons you took with Bunny Howard?”
“The lessons are great, and Bunny is nice.” Maxi tilted her head to see the painting from a different angle. “I guess it is an improvement, but it’s still not quite there yet.”
“Don’t worry, you’ll get there. Why don’t you take a break?”
It wasn’t a bad idea, and she was getting kind of hungry. Her stomach grumbled, and James looked down at it. “Seems like you need one. I have steaks ready to go on the grill and a salad in the fridge.”
“You do?” Was it dinnertime? Maxi had been so intent on the painting she’d lost track of time.
“I know it’s a little early, but I figured we could eat an early supper and snuggle up by the fire pit. We don’t have too many nights left to eat outside.”
They’d installed a large gas fire pit on the patio earlier in the summer so they could extend their outdoor season.
“Sounds like a good plan. I just need to get out of my painting clothes.”
Maxi ran upstairs and changed into her comfortable jeans and a pink sweatshirt with Lobster Bay written in white on the front. She grabbed a soft, thick, knee-length gray sweater from the closet and joined James on the patio. The sizzle of steaks and the smell of grilling meat made her mouth water. James had set plates out on the edge of the fire pit, which was wide enough to use as a table. A bowl of salad sat on the side table in between two cushioned patio chairs.
“It doesn’t get much better than this,” Maxi said. “Can I help with something?”
“I have this under control. Maybe you could get that bottle of wine and a couple of glasses.”
Maxi returned with the wine just as the steaks were coming off the grill.
They relaxed into their chairs around the fire pit. The steaks were grilled to a perfect medium rare with a little bit of char on the ends, just the way Maxi liked them. Her mouth watered as she cut off a piece.
“So, how was work today?” she asked James. Lately, their conversations had focused on her painting issues, and she didn’t want everything they talked about to be about her.
“Pretty good. Nothing too exciting ever happens at the bank.”
Maxi laughed. “Well, sometimes that’s good.”
“What did you do today? I hope you didn’t spend the whole day hunched over your easel at the cottage.”
Maxi told him about how she’d run into Liz and Andie. “The house is like a time capsule. I gave her some advice on staging the house.”
“Another thing that you’re excellent at.” James looked over at their house. “Our place could be in magazines thanks to all the great work you’ve done decorating it.”
Maxi had enjoyed decorating the house. The kitchen was a gorgeous light-gray with wide pine flooring and white quartz counters. The living room was white with blue and yellow accents. Their bedroom, in blues and yellows, was soothing. Maybe she should consider redoing the master bath, which hadn’t been redone since before she had the kids.
“I ran into Marie Lapino at the bank today. She was really grateful for the donations we’ve been collecting in the lobby.”
Marie ran the Lobster Bay animal shelter. Since bringing Picasso and Rembrandt home, James and Maxi had become somewhat active in trying to help her cause. The shelter always needed things like blankets, crates, food, and cleaning products. Maxi liked to scour yard sales for soft toys and cheap animal accessories and always bought pet food when it was on sale at the grocery store.
“That reminds me, I have a pile of stuff cluttering up the hall closet. I’ll bring that down to her tomorrow.”
“Good idea. It won’t be long before we are using the closet for our fall jackets.” James’s lips quirked in a teasing smile. “Just be careful you don’t come home with another cat.”
