Didn’t even have to think about it.
“Done,” I told him.
Automatic win in my book.
Kelly rolled her eyes when I said yes, but she agreed anyway.
Something about it being “too dark,” but when Evan looked at her with those big hopeful eyes she caved in about three seconds flat.
I offered to hire someone to do the painting.
She refused.
Said she didn’t want to wait.
So we did most of it together this morning—rolling paint, arguing about coverage, laughing when she got a streak across her cheek that made her look like a tiny woodland commando.
Now she’s finishing the edges with a brush while the rest of us move furniture.
It’ll need a day to dry before the bed goes in, but that worked itself out.
Thea and Marcus McCrae are settled in the cabin Kelly’s been renting.
Nice little place.Cozy.
They’re happy enough to keep Evan another night.
“Are you kidding?”Thea laughed earlier when Kelly asked.“I barely recognize this little scamp anymore.I’d love to have him tonight.”
Kelly looked at Evan.“Are you sure?”
“Yeah, Mom!Pop’s gonna play me in Battleship and I’m gonna kick his butt!”
Marcus snorted.“We’ll see about that.”
Then he ruffled Evan’s hair before pulling me aside a few steps away from the ladies.
“Well,” he said, folding his arms, looking me square in the eye, “you’re taking more than my best lumber now, J.T.You’re taking my family.I suppose you know what’ll happen if you don’t treat them right.”
I respect a man who stands guard over his people.
So I nodded like a good prospective son-in-law.
“Good,” he said.“Because there’re a lot of ways to make a man disappear at the mill.Mike’s lucky I wasn’t living here when he pulled that shit.”
There was a hint of regret in his voice when he said it.
I didn’t argue.
Truth is, I might’ve helped him.
We left Evan there for the night, and he promised to be ready bright and early tomorrow for his baseball game.
I’m actually looking forward to that.
The kid’s got spirit.And one hell of an arm.
Right now, though?
