“Deal.”

Pausing with the door open and one foot past the threshold, Evette added, “A friendly hint. If you want peace and quiet, you’d be smart to go see Olga sometime this morning.” She dipped her head toward the granola bar pinched between Cassie’s fingers. “Maybe grab a real breakfast. I heard her grumbling something about bringing you a food care package if she didn’t see you before noon.”

More proof she was part of a family now. A real one that operated on caring rather than an outlet for educational advancement. “Duly noted.”

She got back to work, sorting through her equipment and making note of the things she might need depending on the direction she took things. Stills and landscapes were her comfort zone, but if she truly wanted to make a go of things, she’d need to stretch herself more. Consider live work and candid opportunities like the one Lizzy had offered her.

Snatching her most recent portfolio, she settled onto the middle of the cozy couch, crossed her legs and rested the heavy album on her thighs.

Frieda’s steps sounded on the stairs behind her. “One definite benefit to you being home is the smell of coffee being the first thing that greats me in the mo—”

At the sharp cutoff of Frieda’s words, Cassie twisted to see what was wrong.

Frieda stood two steps from the bottom of the staircase, her hands braced on the thick railing and her mouth ajar. “What’s going on?”

Cassie scanned her things stacked this way and that. “I’m working on a plan.”

“As in a plan for a fire sale?”

Turning once more, Cassie frowned up at her aunt. “Why does everyone keep asking me that?”

“Because you’re too stubborn to consider things that are good for you, and you never ever take out more than the absolute essentials when you go out for a shoot.” With that, she took the final two steps down the stairs.

Cassie shifted her attention back to her album. “Well, I took ’em all out today. And not for a fire sale.” She flipped the page and considered the work she’d saved.

“So, what kind of plan are we talking about?” Frieda said as she started her own morning brew.

Hmm. Where should she start? With just the professional stuff, or the whole kahuna?

Cassie worried her finger on the edge of one page. “Well, I’m out of a job, and everyone keeps telling me I should give the whole photography thing a try, so I’m trying to figure out how to do that.” She cleared her throat and added, “And it looks like Kir and I are in it for the long haul.”

The sputtering hiss of the coffee machine matched the sounds coming out of Frieda’s mouth. “What?”

Resting her head on the back of the couch, Cassie rolled her head toward her aunt. “Which part?”

“Both,” she said, marching toward the living room with coffee in hand. “With a lot more details.” She settled right next to Cassie, drew her knees in close to her chest and cradled her mug in both hands as though ready for a juicy story. “Start with the long-haul part and work your way up from there.”