Page 135 of Top Shelf

Lucian tilts his head, while Silas nods as though he can visualize it too.

“I think three tins should do the whole room,” Ronan muses aloud, glancing up and down the aisle as though looking for the tins.

“What are you doing?” I splutter.

Stopping his search, he turns to face me. I can feel the intensity of his stare pressing against my skin.

“Do youwantto paint your apartment?”

There’s nothing in his tone beyond simple curiosity. He’s merely asking the question.

I give it some serious thought. Do I?

I haven’t wanted to do anything with that apartment. It’s not mine. Has never felt like mine.

But something has changed these past few weeks. Valehurst has gone from feeling like a foreign entity to feeling strangely like somewhere I could call home.

And that feeling extends to my apartment.

“Yes,” I say so softly, it’s barely more than a whisper.

“Sorry, what was that?” Lucian asks with an overexaggerated gesture of cupping his hand around his ear. “I didn’t quite catch it.”

Rolling my eyes, I don’t bother to fight back my smile as I repeat louder, “Yes, I want to paint my apartment.”

Ronan flashes me a broad smile laden with pride.

“Alright, so the living room is green, what about the other rooms?”

Lips pursed in thought, I return my focus to the wall of color. Excitement thrums through me.I’m really doing this!

Reaching past me, Silas plucks a terracotta colored sample card from the range.

“Oh.” My eyes light up. “I like that.”

It’s got a cozy warmth to it, yet it’s bright and refreshing.

“What room are you thinking of?” I ask him.

Your bedroom.

I nod. I can totally picture it there, and the thought of drifting off to sleep and waking up to the relaxed, earthy hue instead of stark white walls sounds perfect.

“We could color-drench the entire room,” I muse aloud, visualizing it. Some sandstone bedding and little green plants dotted around the room. I’d feel like I’m in an oasis.

More paint colors are picked out, and Ronan goes in search of a cart to carry them all.

“We need brushes, rollers, tape, and drop cloths,” he begins listing off.

“Wait,” I call as they disperse to gather everything. “We’re not doing this today…are we?” I glance between the three of them.

“Why wouldn’t we?” Lucian asks with a quizzical expression, like my question confuses him.

“Uhh, because I’m sure you all have better things to do?”

“Ronan, do you have something better to do?” Lucian asks him.

“Nope.” He is quick to respond, arms folded over his chest. “Nothing I can think of.”