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“Exactly,” she said. “Go get food to feed your man and I’m going to have some fun with Josie.”
“I’ll be back in an hour.”
She watched Avery leave and then she went to the back, stopping to see Olivia before she left. She’d leave the door unlocked because she had a bell that went off when people came in.
Mary should have been working tonight but was on vacation and she said she had it covered for that extra hour. She closed at seven in the summer, later if there was a party being hosted, but the door would be locked.
“How are you doing in here?” she asked Josie. “Wow. That’s great.”
“We spent a lot of time talking about abstracts last week,” Josie said. “I know I should have done something more than paint Dopey again, but I can’t help it. I want to put funny shades on his eyes and a toy in his mouth.”
“Paint what you want,” she said. “Always. When you’re learning it’s best to stick with what you know. You’re already trying something new and broadening your talent. You won’t know what you like or could be great at if you don’t experience it.”
Which was why she had her list.
“A closed mouth doesn’t get fed,” Josie said, nodding her head.
“That’s right,” she said. Something she said often when she was trying to push her students. They seemed to understand in terms of food.
She looked at the bright neon colors coming together on Dopey. “When I’m done with this, can I do another one of Doc?”
“It’s only fair if you do, don’t you think?” she asked of Carter’s two St. Bernards. “What about Betty?”
“I want to do Betty in charcoal. Can I try that after Doc?”
Betty was Josie’s little white poodle. “Sweetie, you can do anything you want.”
“I love coming here, Laine. There is so much to see and touch and it makes me want to try more and more.”
“It’s giving you inspiration. That is what Avery wants you to have. I’ve got more than one studio I work in. You know that.”
“Can I paint with you in your other studio someday?”
Josie had spent the night at her house a few times when Avery and Carter had plans. But she realized she’d never painted with her.
“You can,” she said. “You just tell me when you want to and then we’ll let Avery know.”
“I want to stay with you when Avery and Carter get married. Then I can paint with you the whole time I’m there.”
She felt her eyes fill up a bit. “Come give me a hug.”
Josie gave the best hugs and put her brush down. “I love you, Laine. You’re like an aunt to me.”
“I love you too, Josie. I feel like you’re my niece too. And when Avery and Carter get married, you and I are going to have the best time ever.”
“We just have to make sure that we are both dancing in the center of the room,” Josie said and started to giggle.
Yep, the little girl had big ears. Good thing she lowered her voice when she was talking about Carson.
9
RUNNING AND PULLING
“Thanks for taking the time for dinner,” Carson said a few days later. He was back at work and on nights for the rest of this week. It’d be hard to make time to meet and he didn’t want to put this off.
“Not a problem,” Laine said. “I can make my own hours. I didn’t have any lessons today and Mary is working. She’ll cover for me for an hour or so.”
“Good,” he said. “I know we talked about our hours possibly being hard.”
