Page 52 of In This Moment

A gentle smile, and Dorothy claimed the other chair.

Scarlett shuffled into the room, dressed in jeans and a white tee, sleek brown strands in a high ponytail. Rebecca swore she got out of bed looking like a Photoshopped version of a proper belle. Scarlett one-armed her in a hug and went straight for the coffeepot.

Mug in hand, she leaned her butt against the counter. “Second thoughts?”

Sighing, Rebecca shook her head. “Irrational guilt.”

“Just so long as you know it’s irrational.” Scarlett sipped from her mug. “Your grandmother’s death wasn’t your fault and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with making a few changes to the house.”

Nodding, Rebecca reached for her forgotten coffee. “I know. You’re right.” But feelings were feelings, and they weren’t always grounded in reality. “I think I’ll feel better once we get going or it’s done.”

“Okay.” Scarlett shoved off the counter. “I’ll head to the hardware store to get paint before the guys show up.” She glanced at her watch. “Aden said they’d be here in an hour.”

“Thank you.” Rebecca’s eyes watered again, the tears hot and cumbersome. “Both of you.” She didn’t have an inkling of how she would’ve navigated life, love, and loss without them. The unbearable loneliness was overwhelming as of late. If not for them, she’d have no one.

“No need for that.” Scarlett waved her hand. “Now, are you certain you’re good with me picking color schemes?”

Rebecca huffed a laugh. “Oh yeah. Go on with your bad self. I trust you.” Her bestie had an eye for decorating and making something from nothing. Rebecca would rather put such things in Scarlett’s capable hands. “Do you need my credit card?”

“Nope.” She set her cup in the sink. “Alrighty. See y’all in a bit.”

Once Scarlett was gone, Dorothy sighed. “We should probably get dressed and start taking pictures off the wall.”

“Adulting is dumb. Why did we ever want to be grown-ups?”

“Hell if I know, but we’re stuck with it now.”

Ninety minutes later, Graham was painting Rebecca’s old bedroom a lilac color, Forest was painting Gammy’s old bedroom light blue, and Aden was painting the living room buttercream yellow. The whole house’s interior had been ivory in tone before. Dorothy and Rebecca were doing the kitchen in a light gray, which she’d been a little concerned about until they’d gotten a good amount on the walls. It went well with the scarred blue cabinets and matched shades in the Formica.

Scarlett had promptly changed the shower curtain from a plain green pattern to one that had branches with leaves. Somehow, it changed the look of the whole room. Then, she’d taken off again for more “essentials.” What those essentials were, Rebecca had no clue.

By lunch, every room had two coats, and Rebecca ordered pizza, amazed at how fast they’d gotten stuff done. Had she attempted the feat herself, she’d barely be through one room, and she’d most likely have hated the colors she’d picked. They sat out on the back deck, all but Scarlett, who hadn’t returned, and ate straight from the box.

Rebecca watched the guys laughing, splatters of mismatched paint on their arms, and sighed. She’d spent so much time alone in Boston, in her shoebox apartment, that she’d forgotten how well her inner circle got along. Graham, being new to the group, had been accepted by the others and fit in as if he’d been here all along. It warmed her heart. After all he’d been through, he deserved comfort and camaraderie.

Such a handsome devil. Midnight strands. Emerald eyes. Strong jaw dusted with whiskers. Lean, corded body. His grin could level a city to ash. More than physical appearances, though, he was kind. Understanding in a way that most guys weren’t capable and with a bit of old-fashioned consideration she’d thought was long dead. Intelligent, too. Funny. If she weren’t careful, she’d wind up falling a bit too hard for her neighbor and boss.

Chewing the last bite of her pizza, she wondered if that would be such a bad thing. He seemed interested in her. She was definitely interested in return. There was chemistry. They worked well alongside each other. He fit in with her friends. Gammy had obviously liked him if she’d made him pie and had let him cut her grass.

Yet, and she couldn’t put her finger on what, but something kept nudging her to take heed. Not for the first time, she questioned what would happen if he were to be offered a position at a large syndicate again. If things blew over and the dust settled on his scandal, would a big city newspaper want him on staff? Moreover, would he accept the position? Just up and leave, Vallantine disappearing in his rearview?

Graham caught her staring at him, their gazes locking, and she shook her head to hide the embarrassment.

She thanked the group profusely for today again, but they brushed aside her appreciation. That’s what friends were for, she smiled. She’d missed it. Missed them. Having one another’s back and helping each other up when they’d been knocked down. Family, not by blood, but chosen instead. Gammy would say her ‘cup has runneth over.’

The back door slammed on its hinges, and Scarlett stood on the deck, blowing a strand of hair off her face. “I need some help.”

Aden grunted and leaned back in his seat, legs lazily stretched in front of him. “Darlin’, ain’t none of us equipped to handle the kinda help you require.”

Forest laughed, but Graham passed her the last slice of pizza. “Whatcha need?”

They followed her inside and to the living room, where shopping bags were piled on the floor.

Rebecca winced. Though grateful, she wondered how she was going to pay for this. The cost of the paint alone would stretch her savings to the brink. Her first paycheck from the Gazette had dropped in her account yesterday, but she had bills. Knowing Scarlett, she wouldn’t let her pay for any of it, and that didn’t sit right with Rebecca.

While she was lost in thought, Scarlett had directed the guys to move the China cabinet to a different wall. It had held mostly figurines that they’d packed away last night, but they’d kept the wine glasses and decanter set. Once in place, Scarlett gave Dorothy a bag containing liquor bottles and told her to put them in the cabinet.

Rebecca nodded. In honesty, the piece had been pretty useless once they’d removed the knickknacks. Turning it into a makeshift bar cabinet was a clever idea.

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