Chapter 17 #3
“They did, but they had to postpone a few months. Something about a burst water line in the fall.” She waited a moment before continuing.
“Anyway, they are kind of artsy and fun, and I thought they might like doing something a little different.” She pulled up their logo on her phone.
“See.” She held up the picture of an adorable West Highland white terrier in a polka-dot bow tie and a top hat so Drea could see.
“Their mission is to bring classy pet toys and pet wear to people on every budget.”
“All pets or just dogs?” The twinkle in Drea’s eye returned. “I’d hate to think of all the cats and ferrets making it through this world without a top hat.”
Cassie giggled. “All pets. Though I don’t know that a snake would appreciate a top hat. The lack of external ears and all. And the bow tie would probably snag every stick and rock.”
“Well, at least now I have a muse.”
She could feel Drea’s usual charm peeking through whatever had been on her mind all day and wished she could show Drea what was in her heart.
Cassie reached across the table and took her hand. “I think you’re incredible.”
Drea’s shoulders relaxed and Cassie felt like they were finally connecting again.
“I just want others to see it too.” She ran her thumb along Drea’s hand.
Drea seemed to warm to the touch, but there was still something distant in her eyes.
And no matter what Cassie did, she felt like she was on the outside looking in.
The distance stirred an uneasiness in the pit of her stomach that wouldn’t go away.
“Yeah, I don’t know about the style.” Max, the coowner of Pawper’s Pups, handed the mock-up Drea had sketched that morning to his wife and business partner, Amanda, and perused the watercolor from The Well campaign.
They sat at the conference table across from Drea and Cassie, and despite all of Cassie’s encouragement about today, Drea had guessed it might go something like this.
Amanda pointed at the smiling dog clad in upscale clothing that Drea had sketched.
“Oh come on, that would look so great,” she said.
Though Max probably had some personality somewhere deep down, Amanda was clearly the bubbly and more optimistic of the two.
“I can already picture Wiley . . .” She turned to Drea and Cassie.
“That’s our dog who inspired the company logo.
” They nodded as she turned back to her husband.
“I can already picture him like this.” She ran her finger along the image. “It’s perfect.”
Max stared at the mock-up in his wife’s hands and then at the one he was holding. “I think we might have to chat about it and get back to you.”
Drea knew what that meant. She had had many conversations like this before and while she appreciated Cassie setting this up, she wished she hadn’t gotten her hopes up.
They said their goodbyes, and Drea went to get some coffee as Cassie walked them to the door.
“Hey,” Cassie said as she joined her by the coffee maker and placed a hand on her back. “You okay?”
She sipped her coffee, letting it warm both the chill in the air and the one in her chest from the response to her work. “It’s pretty much what I anticipated.”
Cassie dropped her hand, taking a moment to brush the flop of lilac hair out of her eye. It was such a small gesture, but one Drea found ridiculously sexy—usually. “We don’t know what they’ll decide. Amanda loved it.”
As much as Drea appreciated Cassie’s positivity, she couldn’t bring herself to match it.
Another thing that swirled doubts in her mind.
She wanted to tell her to just forget it and stick to the normal stuff people expected from their company, from every company.
But she didn’t want to hurt Cassie’s feelings or seem ungrateful.
Cassie hadn’t done anything wrong. It just hadn’t worked out, again.
Max’s lackluster response reminded her of all the rejection she’d experienced after art school and how at some point, she decided to let that dream go.
She painted for herself now and tried to let it be enough.
“Drea, that was no reflection on you or your work. Seemed like a marital issue to me.” A sly grin tugged at Cassie’s lips. She placed her hand on Drea’s arm, the steady pressure calming as Drea sorted through her feelings. “And whatever they decide doesn’t mean we stop trying.”
And there it was. The thing that had been percolating at the recesses of her mind, growing stronger each day.
Cassie was so focused on getting her work out there that she wondered at the intention behind it.
What if she continued as she was? Keeping her art for herself.
Was that giving up to Cassie? Would it disappoint her?
Was it not enough? Was she not enough? Now every time Cassie mentioned getting her work out there, it felt as if she was trying to fix something.
But Drea would never be fixed. And the more she felt like that’s what Cassie needed from her, the more she doubted whether this would ever work.