Free Through a Magnolia Filter by Nan Dixon

Bess chewed on her thumbnail.
    Dolley touched her hand. “Let’s find out if we have more metal or porcelain.”
    They spread everything on the floor, organizing the lamps by type.
    Crossing her arms, Dolley said, “Holy cow, that’s a lot of work.”
    â€œAbby’s just finishing up breakfast. She’ll be here soon.” Bess walked around the lamps and sconces laid out on the canvas. “I would like to have everything bright and shiny.”
    Dolley sighed. “Okay, we remove the patina just like Fitzgerald House.”
    â€œHow come you’re not working today?” Bess settled back into her folding chair.
    â€œI’ve cut back my hours.” She opened the bronze cleaner, the smell sharp and unpleasant. Pouring a small amount on a clean cloth, she gently rubbed the metal.
    Bess frowned. “I thought you planned to wait until January.”
    Dolley’s finger tapped the edge of the table. “I’m helping out Liam. Delaney,” she added in a rush. Just saying his name had her remembering the stroke of his fingers in her hair.
    â€œDelaney?” Bess’s reddish-blond eyebrows popped up. “Is he the long-term guest? The Irishman?”
    â€œYup.”
    â€œHow are you helping him out?”
    She focused on bringing the lamp back to its original gleam. “Research. And he agreed to take me on as an apprentice.” The words spilled out in a stream.
    â€œWait.” Bess laid her hand on Dolley’s arm. “Apprentice?”
    Abby walked in. “You’re taking on an apprentice, Bess?”
    Dolley rolled her eyes. Of course an apprenticeship wouldn’t be about her, right? She was void of creativity.
    â€œIt’s Dolley,” Bess explained.
    Abby pulled out a chair next to Dolley. “I didn’t know they used apprentices in website design. Is that a new thing?”
    â€œIt’s not for website design.” Dolley huffed out a breath. “Liam Delaney is mentoring me in photography.”
    Both sisters’ heads twisted, and they stared at her. Their eyes, variations of green and hazel, were wide with surprise.
    Their shock hurt.
    Abby placed a hand on her back. “You want to be his apprentice?”
    â€œI want to improve my photography,” she said.
    Bess rubbed Dolley’s arm. “Is this just for the website?”
    Her sisters, the two people she was closest to in the world, didn’t know she wanted to be a photographer. She swallowed. “I want to be...better.” I want to make it my career.
    â€œThen it’s good Liam is here.” Abby bumped her with her shoulder. “And he’s not bad on the eyes. Does he ever smile?”
    Dolley frowned. “Not often. Once? That I caught.” And she’d never heard him laugh.
    Did that make him romantically tragic, or just tragic?
    She took a deep breath. “And I added myself to the B and B’s health plan.”
    Abby grabbed a sconce. “Why?”
    Dolley shrugged. “Jackson made me an independent contractor.”
    â€œOh.” Abby’s eyebrow went up. Censure filled that single syllable.
    â€œCheryl raves about Liam’s accent.” Bess winked.
    Dolley pressed her chest. “I could listen to him for hours.”
    â€œOh. Ooooh.” Bess drew out the last word, pain twisting her face. “Be careful.”
    â€œIt’s not like that.” Dolley hated the sorrow in her sister’s eyes. Daniel Forester had done that. He and Bess had dated, but Daniel had pulled the plug and broken Bess’s heart.
    â€œThis is purely professional,” Dolley added. “Besides, I’m on a dating hiatus.”
    She should tell her sisters she wanted a new career. Dolley bit her lip. A career change that involved travel would affect the B and B and her family.
    Staying in Savannah wasn’t in her future, but she wasn’t ready to break that news to her sisters. “Liam’s