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“I’ve called and left you three messages on your phone regarding the paint color for Liliana’s playhouse. Your mother keeps referring me to you, you keep ignoring me, so I had to make the time to come over and ask you in person. I wasn’t sure of your work schedule, and Ryan told me you’d be home shortly, so I waited.”
Saryn folded her arms over her chest and gave me an expression that said she was calling bullshit. “I sent you a text back, Truitt. You didn’t get it?”
Pulling out my phone, I brought up my text messages and scrolled. It could be possible it had come through and I’d forgotten about it. But I didn’t see anything from her.
“I don’t have a text from you.”
With a heavy sigh, Saryn pulled out her phone. “I sent it yesterday and I know…”
Her voice trailed off and her cheeks turned a bright red.
“Shoot,” she whispered as Ryan laughed, causing Liliana to laugh for no reason other than mimicking her uncle. He pulled her into his arms and tickled her.
When I looked back at Saryn, she was chewing on her lip. “I’m so sorry, Truitt. I never hit send. I don’t think I’ve ever done that before. I was at work and must have been distracted.”
My phone buzzed in my hand and I glanced down to see her reply.
It wasn’t like I had all the time in the world to be tracking down freaking paint colors, but it was hard to be annoyed with Saryn. She looked tired and slightly defeated by something. So I stood and gave her a smile.
“It’s not a worry at all. I brought the swatches with me, if you could pick the one you like, then I’ll get out of your hair and let you enjoy the rest of the evening with your daughter.”
A flash of something moved over her face before she replaced it with a smile and then a nod. I walked to my truck and Saryn followed.
“Mommy!” Liliana cried out as she ran over to Saryn who picked her up and hugged her.
“You can come, too, and help Mommy pick the color for your playhouse.”
A girlish giggle came from Liliana, and I glanced back over my shoulder at the two beautiful ladies following me.
With my eyes focused back on my truck, I pushed away the weird sensation in my chest and threw open the passenger-side door. These feelings I felt when I was around Saryn and her daughter annoyed me. As if a part of me was missing something. I was not missing anything. I was happy with my life, where it was going, and how I was living it.
Wasn’t I?
Ever since Saryn came back into town and all those old feelings started bubbling up again, I found myself second-guessing everything.
For fuck’s sake, get it out of your head, Carter.
I yanked the swatches out and handed them to Saryn. “Here you go. I narrowed the colors down to these six.” My voice was clipped and an edge of annoyance came through.
She looked at me with a surprised expression and took them out of my hand before setting Liliana down. She began showing her daughter each color.
“This one, pwease!” Liliana said, pointing to the Fun Yellow color. I couldn’t help but smile.
Saryn glanced up at me, a grin plastered on her face. “The girl knows how to pick out colors.”
I nodded and took the swatch back from Saryn.
“Where will this color go?” she asked, almost timidly.
“Most of the exterior is going to be rock, but there will be a few areas that we’ll need to paint. Since Liliana stated yellow was her favorite color, I figured we’d add that color to the exterior. The inside will be more princess-type colors.”
A smile slowly moved across her face. “More princess-type colors? Such as?”
I lifted my shoulder in a half shrug. “Pinks, greens, the usual.”
Saryn folded her arms across her chest and said, “You baffle me, Truitt Carter.”
I laughed. “Why is that?”
“It’s just surprising to see a man like you doing a job like this.”
One of my brows lifted. “A man like me? Should I take offense at that?”
Liliana was currently wrapping her arms around my legs and asking me to walk like a monster, so I did.
“Liliana, sweetheart, let go of Mr. Carter.”
I lifted my leg off the ground as Liliana squealed in delight. Saryn stared down at her daughter.
“I swear, she has never taken to anyone like this. I mean, anyone other than my brother and father. There’s something about you she adores.”
I glanced down at the little girl currently wrapped around my leg who was looking up at me with those blue eyes that would make anyone melt. I winked at her. “It was the little playground in my office that won her over.”
Saryn quickly averted her eyes and turned back to Ryan who was standing on her porch watching this whole scene play out.
