"You two can supervise us and make sure we don't slack off and that we do a really good job," Wyatt told them.
After they got to work with the kids watching them closely, Riley figured out what they were doing and he exclaimed, "You're coloring!"
"That kid knows coloring when he sees it," Wyatt said and grinned at Sam.
"We are coloring," Sam confirmed.
"Coloring is not for grown-ups," DJ pointed out and frowned at him.
"We wanna help," Riley insisted.
"You help by staying away from these paint buckets and keeping the dogs from knocking them over. I don't want paint flying everywhere," Wyatt told them.
The boys grumbled but stayed back.
"I'll let you use the brush when I'm doing the big middle part. But first I have to go around the edge," Sam said. He then held each of the boys' hands while they held the brush. "See, it's boring."
"It is boring," Riley agreed.
"Why don't you go play outside? Don't let the dogs eat anything weird," Wyatt told them. Once the kids were gone, he turned to Sam. "Maybe you want to hold my hand and show me how to paint. I'm having trouble with this part here."
Sam refused to even look at him. He knew how seductive his eyes were as well as the rest of him. "Is that why you sent the kids out of here?" he asked Wyatt in his most accusing tone.
"Like we can get up to anything serious in here," Wyatt said, making it clear that he would if only the kids weren't right outside. "Want to come over tonight? Or we can go out to that burger place then you can come over. What do you say?"
Sam felt crushed as he realized how hard it was to say no to Wyatt. "I'm working late to make up the time I'm losing on volunteering. Sorry."
"You can come over afterward. Any time," Wyatt said.
"I'll be tired. I'll just want to crash," Sam said, but he didn't dare even glance in Wyatt's direction or he wouldn't be able to hide from him that there was more to it than that.
Later, around midmorning, they took a break. Stepping through the big barn opening, they both stretched and took in the view. There was a small, overgrown field and some woods beyond it. The day was sunny and the kids and the dogs were running around chasing each other.
"We can sit on that log," Wyatt said and pointed it out. The log looked like it had been trimmed off and placed next to the barn for just that reason. As they went out there, Wyatt called out to DJ and Riley. "We're taking a break. Can you guys grab us all some drinks. The dogs too."
"The drinks are in the car," DJ told him as the boys ran over.
"Oh, right," Wyatt said. They had a lot to carry and had left the cooler to bring in later. "Then we better go get them. Volunteering is thirsty work."
"We forgot the dishes for Barney and Brownie in the car. They are volunteers too," Riley claimed.
"I can see them hard at work over there, sniffing things," Wyatt said then he and Riley went to the car to get the cooler with their drinks.
That left Sam and DJ to go and sit on the log and watch the dogs hard at work.
"It's a dog's job to sniff things, and bark at things, and sit next to you when you're sad," DJ said to Sam.
"That's right." Sam was kind of amazed at this little guy but a little worried too. "Do the dogs sit with you when you're sad?"
"Brownie did, and she leaned her head on my foot," DJ said and pointed at his foot.
"I'm sorry you were sad," Sam told him. "Whenever you're sad, you can always go and talk to your uncle and maybe get a hug from him."
DJ looked like he would consider it.
"Trust me. Wyatt would like that. He wants to be a good uncle to you and your brother," Sam assured him. "So make sure you talk to him any time something is bothering you."
"OK," DJ said. "He is a good uncle."
