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Hopping out, she ran up the walkway to the set of steps. Reaching the door, she bypassed the doorbell in favor of the octopus shaped brass door knocker. She waited, enjoying the sound of the wind chimes and bells as she rocked back and forth on her heels until the door opened. Her breath caught. Charlotte’s hair tumbled in a river of dark curls around her. Makeup done to perfection, as usual. She looked enticing dressed in dark wash high waisted jeans, a loose fitting silky maroon top, and dark brown booties. Something about seeing Charlotte in more relaxed clothing had her heart skipping a beat.

“You look great!” Ali exclaimed, thankful she retained her ability to speak.

Charlotte took her in, smiling at the sight of Ali’s paint covered overalls.

“Thank you. You look rather adorable. Am I overdressed?”

Devastating blue eyes lingered for a moment where the visible elegant vine inked around Ali’s upper arm. It swirled around her shoulder before reaching beneath her clothes toward her collarbone. Ali had a habit of forgetting all about her tattoos until other people noticed them.

“Absolutely not, don’t you dare change a thing. I’m just not used to doing anything on Fridays and I usually spend the whole day in my little studio. I ate breakfast, started painting, and before I knew it, I looked at the clock and it was 5:55PM and I bolted out the door,” Ali rambled, shrugging because it was an unavoidable hazard of being an artist.

Peering over Charlotte’s shoulder, Ali caught a glimpse of the long narrow hallway, the elegant staircase, and walls lined with artwork.

“I’m gonna need a tour eventually. But first, we feast! You ready?”

“Lead the way,” Charlotte said.

As she stepped out and closed the door, Charlotte hit a button on the keypad under the handle, initiating the sound of the lock sliding into place.

“Tell me, is your house filled with all the techy things?”

“A few. I’ll show you all my gadgets someday.”

Ali opened the passenger door, ushering Charlotte in. “Madam.”

Ali could hear the amusement in Charlotte’s voice clear as day.

“How dashing of you.”

“Just treating my lady as she deserves.”

Ali drawled, shutting the door behind her. Wondering where her nerves got off to as she hurried around her car to the driver’s side, sliding into her own seat.

“What music do you like?”

“A little bit of everything.”

“Excellent, Wren and I have been working on the perfect playlist,” Ali responded, hitting the play button and filling the car with music.

“The little blonde from the B&B?”

“The B&B. I like that,” Ali mused, wondering how she never thought of it before. “And yes, that’s the one.”

“Are you two…?” Charlotte asked, voice trailing off in question.

“What, like together?”

Charlotte nodded and Ali gagged before bursting into laughter as she put the car in drive, heading back down the driveway.

“Oh—oh no! I love her very much and she’s the closest thing I have to a best friend. But nope. No, we’re not together. Though she has vowed if we weren’t like sisters, she would shoot her shot.”

Ali’s stomach performed a little somersault at the slight upturn of Charlotte’s lips. As she studied the contours of her face, she imagined—not for the first time—what it would be like to play with light and shadow and put it all on paper or canvas.

Charlotte must have spied the tiny field guide sketchbook tucked in the cubby above the glove compartment because she reached out, giving Ali a questioning look. Her gaze bounced back and forth between the road and Charlotte who flipped through the pages. They were nothing more than half-assed sketches, gesture drawings, or the occasional thumbnail if she happened to get an idea for a piece.

“What made you become an artist?” Charlotte asked.

Ali hummed, rubbing a smudge of dried paint from her forearm. “I don’t know if anyone becomes an artist. I think a need to create is in all humans. It just manifests differently. I like the different processes. I like how freeing it can be. I love that I can be messy and not feel bad about it. But most of all I love how my brain goes all quiet.”