Just One Look (Castleton Hearts)

“More boob is always the way to go,” she said.

When I’d agreed to come shadow, I didn’t know that we’d be hanging out in her house, which was an absolutely charming converted barn.

Her cats, Lucky and Pepper, chased each other around, but Hollis seemed to ignore them, even though they made a racket.

She’d immediately fed me a croissant and a plate of fruit and made me a latte when I arrived, and then gave me a chair to sit next to her at her impressive desktop with multiple monitors.

There were pictures of Hollis and her fiancée, Julia, everywhere. I’d met Julia once, and she’d given me the biggest smile and a hug, and I’d liked her instantly.

Hollis tossed her long dark hair over her shoulder and stared at the screen.

“This is for Alessi’s new book,” she said. “You’re getting an exclusive peek. Don’t tell her.”

“My lips are sealed,” I said, pretending to zip them.

The photoshoot was of two women in various amorous poses, including some where they were in bed.

“She’s doing a new steamier series this fall, so we’re pumping up the sex appeal for her covers,” Hollis explained.

“What’s her pen name?” I asked.

Hollis shook her head. “No way. I’m sworn to secrecy.”

Damn.

“You can ask her yourself. She’s really shy about it, I think. Even though she’s really successful, I think she still has moments where she’s not sure if people are going to take her seriously.”

“That’s too bad. If she’s successful, she should be proud.”

Hollis shrugged one shoulder. “Everyone is different.”

That was true.

I sat back and watched as Hollis made magic with the cover, transforming the image of two women about to kiss into a full cover of a book that I would definitely pull off the shelves if I saw it in a store.

“I love it when I have so many options for cover images. Finding stock for sapphic covers can be so hard. There are five million images on stock sites of ripped white guys with their shirts off.” She rolled her eyes and I had to agree.

“Not that I don’t do ripped guy covers because I like money, but it gets a little tired after a while.”

I could understand that.

“I had no idea how much went into a cover. Thanks so much for sharing your process with me,” I said.

“Hey, no problem,” Hollis said. “Do you want some more coffee?”

I nodded and she went to make another round.

Hollis’s fiancée, Julia, got home later that evening and Hollis’s mother, Amanda, insisted that I stay for dinner. I really had no choice in the matter, and Amanda reminded me a lot of my mom in that way.

“You’ll meet Ellie at some point,” Hollis said, speaking of her sister who had just moved out to live with her boyfriend.

“Ellie is busy,” Amanda said, setting a giant salad bowl on the side table in the dining room. It reminded me how excited I was to have my own dining set, and that made me think of Theo. So many of my thoughts strayed to her these days.

“She’s just your favorite now because you get to practice being a grandmother on Blake,” Hollis said.

“I’m not practicing anything. When Ellie and KJ get married, Blake will be my grandchild,” Amanda said. I shared a look with Julia and she shrugged.

Hollis opened her mouth to argue again and Julia squeezed her arm. “Let it go, love.”

Hollis looked at Julia and smiled.

“Listen to your fiancée,” Amanda said, pointing at Hollis.

Dinner was incredible: parmesan crusted steaks with tomato, basil, and feta pasta, and a beautiful cucumber and beet salad. Amanda was an absolutely fabulous cook and I decided that I would be visiting Hollis more often. It was obvious that Amanda loved cooking and caring for people, and it wouldn’t hurt to indulge her.

I thought I was too full and then she brought out a summer lemon and raspberry trifle and I found a way to rally.

Hollis and her mother had spent most of the meal arguing good-naturedly, with Julia acting as the referee.

“Now you let me know when you need some curtains and pillows for that house of yours,” Amanda told me. “You can pick out the fabric and I’ll run them up for you. There’s nothing like custom curtains.” I hadn’t even mentally gotten to the place where I was going to be picking out curtains, but the idea of being able to have someone make them for me was appealing.

“I’m happy to pay you for them,” I said, but she waved me off.

“You pay for the fabric and I’ll throw in the labor for free,” she said. “I always need a project, so really you’re doing me a favor.”

“You are. She’s bored,” Hollis said, and her mother shot her a look.

“Well, if I had some more grandchildren to play with, I might make fewer curtains,” she said, and Julia coughed on her dessert.