in.

  “Do I need anything else?” Sawyer held up her

  sketchbook.

  “That’s all Ellis was ever interested in bringing, so you’re

  set. Let’s go.”

  “Thank you,” Charlotte said, breathing easier now that

  Sawyer seemed calmer.

  “No need for that, darling girl. Sawyer will be fine, but

  Opal is waiting for you. The girls will be here tonight, and

  you’ll learn the next step after they do. If Ellis closes this

  deal, we’ll have to be ready to go the day after tomorrow.”

  Amis took Sawyer’s hand and kissed her forehead.

  “Be good, you two.”

  “Only a little good, Mama,” Amis said, and laughed.

  “Totally good girls never do come to rule the world, do

  they?”

  “Good to know.”

  * * *

  “I love this place,” Sawyer said when Amis pulled into a

  parking spot. “Ellis brought us here.”

  “I’m not surprised. When she was your age we came here

  all the time. Some of her first sketches were of this carousel.

  Later on, if we have time, I’ll take you to her other favorite

  spot.” Amis held Sawyer’s hand and walked around the ride

  to see where they could set up.

  “Mrs. Renois?” A young woman in khaki shorts and a blue

  shirt that screamed uniform waved from the opposite side

  they were on. “I’m Wendy, the assistant manager you spoke

  to on the phone.”

  “Please, it’s Amis, and this is Sawyer,” she said after

  Wendy made her way around.

  “Thanks for coming out, and I got all the stuff you asked

  for earlier.”

  “Think you can close with no problem?” The fence around

  the ride was fixed, but at the back they’d have enough room

  to set up chairs for Ellis and the anchor, as well as the

  camera people.

  “Our manager said whatever you need, since the

  coverage and the fee we agreed on would be great for

  business. All I need is a walk-through once we know it’s a

  go.”

  “Ellis is meeting with the producer now, so by this

  afternoon, if you’re available, I’ll come back and tell you

  what’ll need to go where.”

  She signed the contract Wendy had brought and handed

  over a check. Their site was set, but instead of heading

  back, she decided to do what Ellis would’ve wanted her to

  do. The drive wasn’t that far, so she headed to the other

  large park in the city.

  “We’re going to the zoo?” Sawyer asked, not sounding

  opposed to the idea.

  “Not quite.” She turned into the lot across from the zoo

  and parked at the end by the golf clubhouse. “When Ellis

  was your age, the golf course here wasn’t as nice, but we

  used to come because of the trees.” They headed to the

  back side of the restaurant to one tree in particular.

  The oak was spectacular in size, but the top had a

  multitude of offshoots that made it stand apart from the

  grove it stood in. “Thanks for showing it to me,” Sawyer

  said.

  “Do you know why I did that?” she asked, and smiled

  when Sawyer shook her head slowly as if she wasn’t sure

  she should. “I brought you here like I did with Ellis because

  you remind me of her. Actually, you even look a lot like her

  when she was your age.” Amis combed Sawyer’s hair back

  off her forehead, and the feel and color of it were just like

  Ellis’s.

  “I do?”

  “You do, so you have to believe that whatever you’re

  worried about will be okay. Ellis told me about you the first

  day she met you, and I could tell she liked you a lot. That’s

  become truer because of all the time you’ve spent together,

  so she’s going to help your mother with all this stuff that’s

  got you upset.”

  “I want to stay here with my mom and you guys,

  especially Ellis.”

  “I know, so look at that tree.” She pointed to the top.

  “Doesn’t that look like a bunch of arms waving in the air?”

  Sawyer finally smiled and nodded. “You think I should

  draw it?”

  “No. I want you to leave your worry here and let the tree

  carry it. You’ll be too busy having fun. This is Ellis’s worry

  tree, as she calls it, and I’m sure she won’t mind sharing it.

  It looks big enough to carry whatever’s bothering you both.”

  “Thank you.” Sawyer hugged her, and the gesture

  seemed somewhat awkward, as if it was something she

  didn’t do often.

  “No problem, and now that I’ve introduced you to this

  tree, let me know, and we’ll come back whenever you like.

  You’re way too young to be worried about so much, so just

  remember that you and your mom aren’t alone in this

  anymore.”

  * * *

  “Did some dog I don’t know you have get sick while I was

  gone?” Ellis asked, since Charlotte was waiting where she

  parked.

  “I need your help,” Charlotte said, her arms crossed as if

  hugging herself for comfort.

  “Does this have anything to do with why Sawyer looked

  so hangdog this morning?” She grabbed her jacket from the

  passenger seat and waved Charlotte into the house. Once

  they were there, she found Opal and Rueben waiting to talk

  to her, but she shook her head and kept walking.

  “Ellis, you can’t throw this at us and then waste time,”

  Rueben said, causing Opal to take a step away from him as

  if she wanted to be out of the line of fire.

  “I’m not throwing anything at anyone. In case you forgot,

  this is our job, so get it done. I’ll be with you in a minute.”

  “Good God. This year of all years, you can’t control

  yourself?”

  Ellis stopped and stared at him, getting him to break first

  when he dropped his head and gazed at the floor.

  “Charlotte, give me a minute, okay,” she said, briefly

  touching Charlotte’s shoulder.

  “Look,” Rueben said once the door to the study closed. “I

  come down this morning and find out you’re planning all

  this, and I’ve got no clue about it.”

  “Shut the fuck up,” she said, loud enough for him to snap

  his mouth closed. “If you ever disrespect anyone on the

  staff like that again, you’re on your way home.”

  What seemed to be a sudden rush of aggression he’d

  never displayed before erupted out of him, and he screamed

  back. “Wait a minute—you get to screw around, we clean up

  after you, and I’m getting called down for it?”

  “Do I need to explain consenting adults to you? And not

  that I have to explain myself to anyone, especially you, but

  don’t ever talk about Charlotte like that again.” She moved

  toward him, and he shrank away. “Do you understand me?

  Because if that’s not clear, you’re done here.”

  “Don’t threaten me, Ellis. I’m as important to the

  company and as much a part of it as you are.”

  “You haven’t been a part of anything except your affair

  with Grey Goose since you got here, so get back to work

  and keep your opinions and observations to yourself. If you

  don’t, I’ll personally stitch your mouth shut.”

  She opened the door and found a mortified-appearing

  Charlotte outside. Rueben glanced at Charlotte and paused,

  but kept going. The old house was solidly built, but Ellis

  could tell Charlotte had overheard their conversation—every

  word of it.

  “Are you sure this is a good time?” Charlotte asked, not

  moving from her spot outside.

  “It’s the perfect time,” she said, glancing at her watch.

  “Want to have lunch with me?”

  “Are you sure this is a good time?”

  “You asked that already. Come on.” She left the jacket

  and opened the door for Charlotte.

  She drove them out to the airport on Lake Pontchartrain.

  The restaurant that spilled out into the lobby of the Terminal

  Building had been there since the late thirties and was

  frequented by locals. Ellis enjoyed it for the atmosphere as

  well as the food. It was like a temple to the art-deco era,

  surrounded by murals of the great flights in history.

  “We’re eating at the airport?” Charlotte said, but she was

  smiling.

  “I picked this place especially for you, Miss Vintage.” She

  held her hand out, and Charlotte didn’t hesitate to take it.

  “It’s like a time capsule to the era of your favorite clothing.”

  They took a quick tour, and the manager set them up in

  their reception room so they’d have some privacy. The only

  view they had was of some parked planes and the runways,

  but their surroundings were so nice they could ignore the

  windows.

  “I’m sorry if you overheard me and Rueben.”

  Charlotte nodded and placed her hands flat on the table.

  “Can we agree that we’ve both made some mistakes in our

  pasts and leave it at that?”

  “We could, but I didn’t want you to think I’d let anyone on

  my crew disrespect you like that. I’ve had some fun with the

  interns before you, but my problems, the ones I had

  problems with, came because of the business side and not

  from anything else.”

  “Meaning they slept with you to become the next Vera

  Wang. Is that about it?”

  “Don’t insult Ms. Wang like that, but that’s close to the

  mark.” She exhaled heavily and ran her hands over her

  face. “Really, only two were a problem, but they made so

  much noise people think every single one was a pain in the

  neck, or a victim of my lechery. It’s all in how you see it, I

  guess.”

  “Can I admit something to you and not have you think

  I’m crazy?”

  “We’re here so you can tell me whatever you want, and

  to keep me from killing my best friend.”

  “I’m sure Rueben will be fine, or I guess he will be, but I

  can’t blame those women for being attracted to you.”

  She laughed out of nervousness, or what she thought

  was nerves. “You don’t have to be that nice, Charlotte. I, like

  you, read all the gossip from my screwups, so before we go

  down that curvy road, what happened today?”

  “Kyle called last night and demanded we go back, or he’s

  going to court to fight for custody.”

  “What’d you tell him?”

  Charlotte stared at her before turning and looking out the

  large window. “It just occurred to me that this isn’t your

  problem, and it’s not fair to dump it on you.”

  “You don’t want my help?”

  Charlotte wouldn’t look at her. “It’s not that, Ellis, and

  you know it. We’ve known each other a month, and you’re

  willing to fight for me. I’m telling you that you don’t have

  to.”

  She exhaled again, not because she was overwhelmed

  with all this and her business. “Can I admit something to

  you?” Charlotte nodded. “I never expected all this—this life

  I’ve made for myself. I worked hard, granted, but so do a lot

  of people, and they never climb this far up the ladder. I have

  everything, but last year I thought about letting it all go.”

  “Quitting, you mean?” Charlotte’s expression was pure

  surprise.

  “The money, the fame, and everything else gets to be

  the last things that are important when your soul isn’t in it

  anymore. I worked on the show for this year’s fall season,

  and like I said, I was proud of it and convinced myself it was

  good enough for my finale. You know, something I’d be

  remembered for, and then I could retreat here and enjoy the

  rest of my life in peace.” She stopped when a server came

  in with their lunch.

  “Wow,” Charlotte said, but took her fork when she

  handed it over. “You were going to just walk away?”

  “Not exactly.” She squeezed lemon into her iced tea as

  an excuse to try to gather her thoughts. “I was going to sell

  —emphasis on going to, so don’t peddle that story to the

  National Enquirer because I’ve changed my mind.”

  “You can trust me. You know that.”

  “I’m not worried about that, since this is my summer of

  enlightenment when it comes to more than work. You never

  know why or from where you find that spark, or where you’ll

  find someone you know will be a good friend. You know it

  because it comes from here,” she placed her hand over her

  gut, “and from here.” She moved her hand over her heart.

  “I understand that last part because you’re, in a way, too

  good to be true,” Charlotte reached across to her and

  grabbed her hand. “Even if you don’t help me, I’m tired of

  being alone.”

  “Not exactly a ringing endorsement for why you want

  someone in your life, but I’m getting used to how you put

  things.”

  Charlotte laughed before pinching the top of her hand. “I

  couldn’t let anyone in if it was purely for companionship,

  you idiot, because I have Sawyer to think about.”

  “Ah, there’s the Charlotte I know.” She pulled her hands

  back before Charlotte could pinch her again. “I know what

  you meant, so let me finish. Getting robbed changed my

  mind about walking away, but you and Sawyer focused my

  mind to a way back. I’ve never offered anyone a job this

  quick, and it has nothing to do with my libido, so I’m sorry if

  what Rueben said hurt you.”

  “I’m not going anywhere, if that’s what you’re worried

  about.”

  “Good, so tell me about Kyle and what makes this guy

  tick.”

  Charlotte leaned back and crossed her arms, appearing

  as if all the good feeling from their talk had bled out of her.

  “That’s easy—money. It certainly isn’t me, and it especially

  isn’t Sawyer.”

  “There’s no accounting for stupidity, so let’s see if we

  can’t get rid of this guy. Only think it through first.”

  Charlotte gazed at her as if she’d grown horns. “If I had

  the power to snap my fingers and make Kyle disappear, I’d

  have developed a snapping tic by now. Why say that?”

  “Because he did one good thing in his life, even if he

  doesn’t see it that way. He made Sawyer possible, and she

  might be too young to understand why she might need him

  in her life.”

  “And if she’s old enough to decide?”

  “Then one snap is all it’ll take. I’m not one for repetitive

  noises.”

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  Charlotte got out of the car, but Ellis left it running when

  they got back and saw Sawyer waiting outside. When

  Sawyer got in, she asked to go to the big tree Amis had

  shown her, and that’s all the talking they did until they were

  standing in front of it.

  “My dad wants to make us leave here,” she said after

  Ellis had found them a place to sit among the roots.

  “Your mom told me.”

  “I don’t want to leave here. I want to stay with you.”

  Sawyer fell against her in tears, and Ellis wanted to join her

  because she understood the pain the kid was in. She also

  understood that seeing either Sawyer or Charlotte in pain

  was unacceptable at a gut level, so she’d move mountains

  to help them.

  “Listen to me, okay? No one can guarantee much in life. I

  can’t promise we can make a judge do something, because

  they make decisions without really knowing you.”

  “Am I going to have to go live with my dad and my

  grandparents?” Sawyer asked, now crying harder.

  “No. It means that I’ll keep fighting along with your mom

  until we find a judge who knows you like I do. You’re my

  friend, Sawyer, and I want you to stay too.” She hugged

  Sawyer, and she practically crawled into her lap.

  “You mean it?”

  “I do, and now that you know about my favorite tree, you

  should know everything about it.”

  “What?” Sawyer wasn’t sobbing anymore, but she didn’t

  move from lying across her lap.

  “It’s a wishing tree, and it’s had a great record over the

  years.” She ran her hand along Sawyer’s back, trying to

  calm her. “Give it a shot before we have to head back to our

  bevy of beauties.”

  “You sure say funny stuff, Ellis.” Sawyer sat up and

  closed her eyes so tight she looked comical, but Ellis waited

  by making her own wish.

  “I read too much, according to my mother,” she said as

  they stood. “You want to talk some more?”