“Yeah.I could get started right away.Gotta earn my keep somehow.”He sets the page on the kitchen table, then fishes his glasses from his shirt pocket to examine my drawings more in depth.
I can’t believe he seems to be taking this seriously.When he offered to paint the house, it was an off-hand remark.He’s actually settling down at the kitchen table, still poring over my drawing.
“Are you sure it wouldn’t be too much trouble?”I ask, wanting to give him an easy out just in case.
“Not at all.”
Warmth spreads through my chest.“Thanks, Rick.”All going well, he might even have it finished by Memorial Day.This is bound to be the best season yet.
“You’re welcome, sweetheart.”
I step to stand behind him, watching as he scribbles a list on the corner of the page.Screws.Braces.8x8 posts.Ready-mix concrete.
“You need picnic tables too, right?”he murmurs, still jotting things down.
“Yeah.Just a few to start.I can always add more later.”Especially if they’re expensive.
“Are you going to want them painted?”
“Sure.I think that’d be nice.”
He nods in agreement.“Let me guess: Yellow?”
“Is there any other color?”
“Not in your world.”Chuckling, he adds yellow paint to the list along with brushes and paint thinner.
Making this list is further than he’s ever gotten on any of our projects.My mom is going to keel over when she finds out.
“How much do you think you’ll need for all of this?”I ask.I could get a loan from the bank, but would really rather not.
The pencil rolls across the table, landing on the linoleum floor.“Let me bring my truck down to the hardware store and get some prices,” he replies.“Maybe we can talk about it over dinner tonight?I can pick up Grandma’s Crabs?”
He’sgoing to pick up dinner?
Rick hasn’t paid for dinner in years.“That sounds amazing.”
With a smile and a nod, he pushes back from the table, folds up the list, and stuffs it into his pocket.I watch in complete shock as he snags his keys from the hook along with his worn-out baseball cap, and heads out into the sunny day.
My whole body feels lighter.I swear the sun is brighter too.And the water?It’s not completely freezing.
This is going to be a good day.
With my hair plastered to my face and salt coating my skin, I trudge through the sand on my way back home.
When I see Ethan sitting on my stairs, my stomach dips, but I quickly tamp down the little thrill of excitement.
He stands, adjusts the top of his low-slung jeans, and gives me a downright friendly, “Hey.”
“Um… hi?”Not sure why he’s here.Doesn’t he have more important things to do?
I prop my board against the railing and notice three new stairs in place of the broken, grayed ones.
Did Ethan replace them… or did Rick?
Last night, my dad said ten thousand should cover the cost of the renovations, which is kismet because after the cost of the espresso machine, that’s exactly what I have left.Today he’s securing the permits, so by the end of the week, he should be ready to start.
“You need something?”I ask Ethan, dragging down the zipper on my wetsuit.The breeze paints my skin in goosebumps.
