“Never in there,” Wrench added.
“I’ll lead,” Travis said, and they shushed Ally as they passed above the bar to the spa.
She squeaked and then covered her mouth as they walked into Lydia’s courtyard. “It’s so pretty,” she whispered.
“Did you do this?” Travis asked in amazement.
“Had a few hours,” Wrench said, disproportionately pleased by their reactions. “Not done yet.”
The mosaic had grown. He had returned to the spot of his picnic with Lydia and gathered up the broken shells and rocks that had been collected and abandoned to add to his materials.
The first few butterflies were still awkward, but as the image moved from lower right to upper left, they had improved, and the addition of shimmering mother-of-pearl and dark lava rock had given Wrench the extra colors he’d wished for. He’d begun experimenting with size and rotation, and the effect, as he’d hoped, was that they gained life and motion as they spilled out of the original corner.
“Can I do some?” Ally asked eagerly, eyeing the bucket and the bag of thinset.
“Sure, kid,” Wrench said.
“It’s a good way to keep her busy while she’s lying low,” Travis said with approval. He was still appraising the mosaic. “Can you do one of these on that wall on the restaurant deck? That one that’s just painted cement? I’ve been thinking I’d tile it one of these days, but this would be better.
Wrench shrugged. “Sure.”
“Oh, maybe we could wrap a couple of columns with this stuff,” Travis suggested gleefully.
But the lynx shifter’s opinion had ceased to matter, because the one person he really wanted approval from came out of the spa drying her hands on her apron.
“You must be Ally,” Lydia said to the girl, then she looked up at the mosaic and her jaw fell open. “Oh, Wrench! It’s gorgeous!”
“Are you my uncle’s girlfriend?” Ally asked suspiciously.
Lydia looked at Wrench like a drowning woman. “I, ah…”
“She’s my mate,” Wrench said, in what he hoped was a squashing voice.
It was usually effective on grown men, but less so on little girls.
“Oh, are you an Australian?” Ally asked with interest.
Lydia smothered a laugh. “No, dear, I’m from Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.”
Ally looked disappointed. “Well, I’ve always wanted to meet someone from Australia. Do I have to live with you?”
“I hope it won’t be as bad as all that,” Lydia said tolerantly. “Let me show you your room.”
Ally perked up at that. “I get my own room?”
“It’s technically my closet,” Lydia admitted. “But it’s big enough for a cot, and I’ve moved most of my clothes out so we can make it yours.” She offered Ally a hand, which was accepted after just a moment.
“It’s a good thing you’re doing,” Travis said, when the two had slipped into Lydia’s room.
“Not much else I could do,” Wrench grumbled.
“We’d better get cracking on those roof repairs,” Travis said. “After that big deal we made about getting the supplies in.”
Wrench grunted, and was kind enough not to point out the big deal had been all Travis.
Chapter 24
Lydia was relieved by Ally’s impression of her new bedroom. “It’s CUTE!” she said in glee. “Like a fort!”