“You think he knows?” Frankie asked.
“Definitely,” Harper answered. “You two have fun.”
“Thanks.” Frankie hooked on the leash and went downstairs with Archie. As they came out the door, Lucas approached from the end of the drive.
He waved, smiling. Scout’s tail wagged excitedly. “Hey, there. Perfect timing.”
“Morning. How are you?”
Lucas stopped. “Really good. You?”
She joined him, her hand through the leash’s loop, but also holding onto it. “Great. Looking forward to this walk.”
“I was thinking we could take them up to the dog park. You good with that?”
“Sure, yeah, sounds like just the place for them to run off some energy.”
“That’s what I was thinking.”
They started walking. He kept a pretty good pace. She adjusted her stride to keep up with him and was quickly reminded that she needed to walk more. She did her best not to huff and puff in front of him.
Then she suddenly remembered the business card in her pocket. She dug it out and handed it over. “Here, before I forget. You said you wanted some logo help. That’s got my cell and email on it.”
He looked at the card. “Thanks. So you mostly do children’s books?” He tucked it into his pocket.
“No, I do a variety of things but I’ve done a couple of children’s books now and I’m starting to get known for them. But I do all kinds of things. Whatever people want, really. I did a Christmas card for the local Chamber of Commerce. I’ve done illustrations for a greeting card company. Did a poster for a charity fundraiser event. Even did an album cover for a band in Raleigh. Oh, and Harper commissioned me to do a watercolor of a sailboat for Arlington Marsh when she worked for him. It was a scene from a movie he was in, actually.”
“That’s a pretty impressive resume. Have you ever done any logos?”
“I have to be honest, no. Unless you count the one I did for myself.” Did that mean he wouldn’t want to use her services? She couldn’t blame him if so. He’d probably go with one of those big media arts companies that specialized in snazzy, hip designs.
“Is it something you think you could do?”
“I could certainly take a crack at it. I do have a degree in design.” Which she’d gotten a thousand years ago. Why had she mentioned that? “Are you sure you want someone like me? I don’t have a lot of experience in what’s hip and hot right now.”
He looked over at her, meeting her gaze. “I think that’s what makes me want you the most.”
She swallowed. He had pretty eyes. “Really?”
He nodded. “I like the idea of a fresh, unbiased approach. In fact, I don’t even want you to see the samples I’ve already been sent. I want you to come at it in your own way. If you’re game, I am.”
She smiled. “I’ll get to work on some sketches right away. See if I can’t come up with a few ideas.”
“That would be fantastic.” He pointed ahead of them. “That’s the dog park up there. Looks like these hooligans will be the only two in there. Probably better that way. They might run over the little dogs.”
Frankie laughed. “They might.”
He went ahead of her and opened the gate. She went in. He closed it behind them and unclipped Scout’s leash, so she did the same with Archie.
Lucas clapped his hands. “Run free, Scout. Run free!”
Scout took off and Archie followed with such speed it was like they’d been shot out of a cannon.
Harper laughed. “It’s like they know it’s okay to run and get crazy.”
“Scout certainly does. I try to bring her up here a few times a week, just for a change of pace.” He tipped his head toward the bench by the fence. “Want to sit?”
“Sure.” She joined him, happy to catch her breath, but trying not to act like she needed to.
