Page 149 of More than Friends

“What’s up?” I say.

He sits on the edge of the bed. “So you know Will and Olivia are coming over tonight so Will and I can set up all the nursery furniture?”

I nod.

“I had an idea that I wanted to run by you.”

“Okay.”

“The mural.”

I groan. I’ve tried not to think too much about it. I can’t work on it now, and I can’t imagine that I’ll have time after the baby is born. “Should we paint over all of it and just have plain walls? I can’t finish it.”

His eyes widen. “What? No. That’s not what I was going to suggest.”

“Okay. What did you have in mind?” I say.

“You know how they have those wine and paint places?”

I scrunch my brow. “Yeah.”

“Well, do you think you could do the mural on a canvas and show us where to paint? Step by step like those places. Maybe we could finish. Maybe all of our family could help when they come over.”

My heart swells, and I blink back tears. “I love that idea. I love the idea of everyone doing a little piece. Declan, that’s perfect.”

I lean forward and hug him.

“Really? You think we can do it? I know it won’t be as good as if you had done it, but...”

I cut him off. “It’s going to be even better this way. I’m so glad you thought about it.”

My mind is running through ideas, and I say, “I have a few canvases in the front closet. Could you grab them so I can start sketching?”

He smiles. “Of course.”

After a few hours, Declan helps me move into the nursery. He’s set up the glider in the corner so I can prop up my feet. After I’m all settled in with my supplies, I give him a little nod, “Let’s give this a shot.”

I mix some paint, and we both dip our brushes into it. I show him where to add a swipe of dark green in the forest scene. He copies my movements onto the wall and then comes back to the canvas and studies my next movement. We work for a few hours until Olivia and Will arrive.

“Who is watching Ansley tonight?” I ask as Will unloads the takeout containers.

“A sitter – a neighborhood teenager,” Olivia answers.

“Oh, that’s nice,” I say.

Will laughs. “Yeah. It’s nice. I swear she’s more responsible than we are.”

Olivia laughs. “It’s true.”

Will glances up at me and says, “Hungry?”

“Always,” I say with a laugh.

“Are you having any cravings?”

Declan laughs and I roll my eyes.

“Oh, is it something weird?” Olivia asks.

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