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“My artist brain thinks in colors and shapes, not . . . whatever this is.”

He gestured at the room. “That’s really all this is—colors and shapes. I mean, sure it’s also weights and wiring and plumbing too, but a house is colors and shapes.”

Unexpectedly, the idea of looking at the renovations started to make sense to her. She didn’t think she would ever be an architectural genius or anything, but it did help. “I guess you’re right when you put it that way.”

Aiden put his hands on his hips. “Exactly. Now, if you could tell Vini that, my dreams will have come true. I’m still trying to get her to put a TV in the shop.”

Janae snorted and shook her head. “I’ll see what I can do.”

She did her best to pay attention to Aiden’s words and ignore the way her lips twitched with the desire to smile each time he asked her opinion. It was something small, and yet she couldn’t help the way it lit her up inside a little more each time.

“So, you want to come into the kitchen and instantly feel happy. Is that right?” Aiden asked, and this, Janae felt totally comfortable answering.

“Exactly,” she replied with a nod. She thought about the kitchen in the place she had shared with her ex. The kitchen had been stark whites and muted grays, and she’d never felt inspired when she stepped inside. She wanted the complete opposite of that. “I want something bright that would just instantly put me in a good mood and make me want to cook. But also, still homey. Sorry if I’m not making a lot of sense.”

Aiden shook his head with a smile. “You’re making perfect sense. It’s not just colors and fixtures, it’s the entire feeling of the space. You want to feel welcomed in.”

“Right,” she exclaimed as warmth flooded her at how quickly he seemed to understand her. She’d tried to explain that once upon a time, but in the end, she’d just conceded that maybe she didn’t know what she wanted. Hearing someone get what she meant so easily had her wondering if maybe she hadn’t been confused then at all.

“We can definitely do that,” Aiden said with an easy smile. “Just sit back and watch me work. I promise you won’t be disappointed.”

Janae couldn’t help but grin. “I can’t wait.”

Chapter 8

It had been almost a week since Aiden moved into Janae’s fixer-upper, but somehow it had felt like longer. That wasn’t a bad thing. They had fallen so easily into a quiet rhythm, one that seemed like it had always existed.

Just this morning, he had been brushing his teeth when the scent of coffee reached him, and he’d found himself smiling at the knowledge that he wasn’t alone. He hadn’t realized how lonely it had been in his apartment by himself. Sure, he had friends in town, but most of them had partners or demanding jobs that didn’t leave a whole lot of time for hanging out. Plus, dates had been few and far between. He’d gone on a couple over the year, but none had panned out for more than a couple weeks. Knowing that someone was asleep down the hall was comforting.

Janae had gone back to work, waking nearly before him. Aiden had taken to doing some work in the mornings, before the sun had risen too high in the sky. Vini had told him to work fewer hours at the same pay, knowing Janae’s house had pressing tasks, namely finishing the windows to keep the cold air at bay. The Georgia weather had given them a bit of a reprieve, with warm spells during the day, but the temperatures at night still dropped, making the heating system work harder to keep the place comfortable. Janae was still wearing her cardigan most of the time, but occasionally she was only clad in a T-shirt and loose loungewear that made her look comfortably cozy.

The first time he had seen her curled up in the living room, on the couch that was no longer shrouded in plastic, he thought she looked amazingly approachable. If they had been friends under any other circumstances, he might have said something or expressed interest. But with the reason for their cohabitation always lingering in the back of his mind, he had only given her a smile and a warm hello before going back to work on the kitchen.

It was slowly starting to look less like a war zone and more like a place where homey meals could be made. Just that morning, he had finished the cabinet doors, sanding them smooth before painting them a soft pale yellow Janae had insisted would make the kitchen look even brighter once attached. He’d left the doors propped against the wall to dry, and he planned to check on them once he got back that evening.

It wasn’t simple work, but it was satisfying in a way he tried not to look too closely at. The main thing was that it kept his mind off matters he shouldn’t be concerning himself with. Mainly, Janae.

The way she smiled at him each morning when she sipped her coffee made his cheeks heat. The fact that she still insisted on thanking him after every small project he completed had him spending more time on his deep breathing techniques than was probably healthy. The other day, he had put in a couple new light bulbs in the bathroom they shared, and she had given him a thumbs-up that nearly had him skipping through lunchtime. It was becoming a problem, mostly because of how addicted he was to hearing her praise him. If she ever graduated to calling him a good boy, he’d probably spontaneously sprout a tail just to start wagging it.

The shop bell above the door pulled Aiden from his thoughts. Vini walked in, smiling when she saw him.

“Well, don’t you look chipper today. Janae must have smiled in your direction,” she said, eyeing him up and down. If not for being in such a pleasant mood, he would have told her to shut the hell up. As it was, he just flipped her off with a grin, making her laugh. “I was wondering if I was going to catch a real glimpse of you today. I feel like, if you’re not under a hood, you’re at the house. Pops has missed having you over for dinner.”

Aiden felt a sliver of guilt at that. It had been a few days since he’d gone to the Williams house. “Sorry about that,” he replied. “I’ve just been super busy.”

“Busy fixing up the house, you mean,” she teased. She put her hands on her hips and tsked at him like a chastising mother. “You can’t go ignoring your old friends just because you got a new one. Hell, we’ll invite her over too. You know Pops loves to collect strays.”

He knew it well. It was exactly how he had gotten brought into the fold and he appreciated it every damn day.

“I heard from Ava that you’ve turned into a regular Mr. Fix-It, even more than you were before. I’m kind of impressed.”

Aiden snorted and shook his head. “I don’t know about all that, but the kitchen is coming along well. I should be able to finish the cabinets, so we can finally start putting away the dishes Janae has been storing in the dining room.”

“I see,” she said, her tone turning sly and immediately putting him on edge. Aiden knew nothing good was coming when Vini started sounding like that. “And how is it going, living with Janae?”

“It’s going fine,” he replied, keeping his answer short on purpose. He didn’t want to run the risk of divulging too much too soon, otherwise she would never let him hear the end of it.

“Is that so?” she asked with a raised brow. “Just fine? That’s really your final answer?”