Page 42 of Her Silver Fox Mountain Men

17

Elise

“Ican’t wait for Halloween!” Ainsley exclaims. It’s Saturday afternoon and she’s halfway through finger painting a jack-o’-lantern on canvas paper.

“One week left!” Janice says.

We’re in the living room having tea and pumpkin spice cookies while the twins enjoy a little bit of art. Mini easels are set up with canvases while cartoons play on the TV above the fireplace. With the guys out running their errands, it’s just the four of us girls, and I am loving every second of it.

“Your pumpkin looks scary,” Tricia says, looking at her sister’s ongoing creation.

“Yours looks way too pretty for Halloween,” Ainsley retorts with a critical eyebrow. “It’s supposed to be scary.”

I hold back a giggle as I look at both paintings. Tricia’s jack-o’-lantern is more on the friendlier side, with a bright smile and shades of warm orange and deep green, the colors aptly streaked across her sweater and cheeks as well as on the paper. Ainsley went for a dramatic contrast between black and orange, addingyellow eyes and a scary grin. Her face, arms, hands, and shirt are covered in paint.

“Both of you are really talented,” I declare. “Once you’re finished, we’ll hang them up right here in the living room.”

“I’ll help you clean the girls up,” Janice says. “Ainsley got it the worst.”

“Thanks. She loves black, maybe a little too much.”

“And black clearly loves her.”

We share a laugh as the girls get dirtier while they continue finger painting. It’s a messy operation, but I laid out plenty of painter’s plastic on the floor for them to sit and work on. So far, aside from the canvases, the paint has only gotten on their hands, arms, clothes, and freckled cheeks, none on the carpet or furniture, thankfully.

“How’ve you been?” Janice asks as she refills my teacup. “You’ve been staying here now for, what, almost two months?”

“Yes, about that. Time flies when you’re having fun, right?”

“What about your cabin? Any news on how the repairs are coming along?”

I shrug and take a sip of hot, lemony ginger tea, deciding that it needs more honey. “Honestly, I don’t know what to think, Janice. Mr. Ronald keeps saying he’s got a crew working on the place. But I don’t think they’re there as often as they should be. I went by the other day, and the flimsy tarps were still on the windows.”

“It looks like they at least installed a new door,” Janice replies. “I took the twins out for a walk last week and we noticed that muchhad been done.”

“Yes, they changed out the door. But they’re not even halfway done with what Mr. Ronald promised.” I exhale sharply. “Don’t get me wrong; I enjoy every moment that I spend here with the guys and the twins but—”

“You need your own home. I understand.”

“Can I have some black, please?” Tricia asks Ainsley.

“What for?”

Tricia points at her painting.

“Ainsley, come on, Tricia needs a little bit of black on her painting, too,” I say. “There’s enough in that tub for the both of you.”

“And the living room floor, if we’re not careful,” Janice mumbles, then shifts her focus back on me. “How are you, really? Aside from the practically nonexistent cabin repairs.”

I lean back into the sofa, wrapping myself in one of the fluffy throw blankets. Glancing out the window, I notice the golden sunlight pouring through the trees, casting a breathtaking shimmer upon the orange, yellow, and red foliage. It’s a breathtaking sight, one I may never get tired of.

“I’m okay, Janice. Keeping my head down and working my ass off, much like the rest of us. By the way, I’ve been meaning to ask you…”

Always a good way to change the subject.

“Ask away, hon; I’m an open book,” she replies. I wasn’t sure if it was a dig, but if it was, I chose to ignore it. I know she means well.

“How long have you been on your own?”

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