Change of Heart (The Flanagan Sisters, #2) by Claire Boston

gave an apologetic smile. “What time is it? Wasn’t I supposed to pick you up?”
    “Bridget dropped me off. It’s about half past four. Am I too early?” Perhaps she should have called.
    “No, no. I lost track of time.” He put down his brush.
    She hated to interrupt him. “If you need to finish something, go ahead. I can find myself a drink and a seat.”
    He glanced at the canvas and then her. “Would you mind?” he asked, his eyes hopeful. “It’s coming through clearly.”
    She shook her head, surprised by the fact he wasn’t pandering to her. It was a nice change. “Not at all. Just tell me where your kitchen is.”
    “Through the back door, on your right. I won’t be long.” Before she could respond, he’d returned to his painting.
    She smiled. She’d never seen him this intense before, but she totally understood the focus. She hated being disturbed in the middle of programming.
    Wandering back to the house, she admired the long lap pool, and the comfortable outdoor sofa on the veranda. She grabbed her bag from the front door and went into the kitchen. There were dishes in the sink, but aside from that, it was clean. She put the snacks on the table and after a quick search, she found a glass, and poured herself some soda.
    She was tempted to have a look around his house, but she resisted, instead taking her drink outside. Evan was still painting. Taking a seat, she settled in to wait.
    It wasn’t long before McClane joined her, resting his chin against her leg and looking up at her with hope. She chuckled. “Are you after a bit of attention?” She scratched behind his ears and he panted happily.
    The block was as big as her mother’s, but there wasn’t much on it. The yard stretched out toward the back with only a few trees and bushes to break up the grass. Evan had set himself up under one of the trees. He obviously wanted to work outdoors in the shade, because there was no other reason for him to be out there. He wasn’t painting anything he was looking at.
    Carly would have liked to watch him closer, but didn’t want to disturb him. His hand was moving deftly over the canvas and he never hesitated. This was the master at work.
    She took a deep breath, enjoying the peace and quiet, and let it out again. It was so lovely out here. She wanted to just sit there and enjoy the afternoon, but if Evan was working, she probably should too. Carly took out her phone and began reading through her emails.
    ***
    M cClane got bored before she did. He moved over to his food bowl and pushed it toward her. She checked the time. It was almost five-thirty and there was no sign Evan was close to stopping. Carly didn’t mind. She had plenty to do.
    Still, she got to her feet and picked up the bowl. She had no idea what the dog ate, but McClane went to the door and when she opened it, he moved straight to the pantry. Inside was a bag of dog kibble and a scoop. Carly filled it up and poured the food into McClane’s bowl before placing it on the floor.
    The dog gulped it down in seconds. He then sat down and stared hopefully at her. “That’s all you’re getting from me,” she told him. She didn’t want to risk overfeeding him.
    Though now she was in the kitchen, she was a little hungry herself. She opened the bag of candy she’d brought with her and ate a handful.
    How much longer would Evan be painting? Should she call herself a cab, or should she disturb him again? She didn’t want to do either, but she could hardly do nothing.
    Wandering back outside, she took a seat. She’d go through the rest of her emails and if he hadn’t finished by then, she’d catch a cab home. She settled down and closed her eyes for a moment. As she relaxed, she fell asleep.
    ***
    E van placed the final flourish on the painting and stepped back. He nodded. It was exactly what he’d pictured. He signed his name in the bottom right corner and sighed. It hadn’t taken him long to complete it. Carly hadn’t even called