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We went inside, and the smell of wet paint hit me as I looked around. While a working calving barn had lots of indoor fences set up for stalls, hay on the floor, and a few other things, it was currently empty. Posts were situated just off-center to support the structure. The walls were white, the floor swept, and a lone work light shone on West, who was standing on a ladder, doing something with the overhead light fixtures.
He wore jeans and a T-shirt, covered in dirt and dust, and yet he still looked sexy as hell with his broad shoulders and long legs. His arm muscles flexed as he finished attaching the light fixture and put it into place. His back was mostly toward us, and his jeans highlighted his curved, taut ass.
One I wondered what might feel like in my hands.
Oh, hell no. Not going to happen.
I cleared my throat, and West stopped working. He glanced over and frowned. “What are you doing here?”
“I might say the same of you.”
“Just a second.” He did something to finish securing the light and then descended the ladder. He went to the breaker box, switched something on, and then flicked on the lights.
In the dark I’d thought it was big, but now? With the lights and white walls, it was huge, nearly as big as the barn I used for my weddings. In fact, if I put in some flooring and a few things—such as a bathroom and kitchen space—it could be another event space.
And yet, the thought of converting the calving barn squeezed my heart. Did I really want strangers constantly coming and going, slowly erasing the memories I had of this place? Of my parents?
Part of me thought maybe I deserved that anyway. My parents would be alive if not for me, so I didn’t deserve the memories.
I hadn’t noticed West approach, so when he spoke, even softly, I jumped. “Do you hate it?”
Looking into his blue eyes, it was strange to see concern there. I was used to the grumpy asshole who mostly grunted and glared at me.
I could say yes, I hated it. He needed to stay off my land, away from me, and then I could go back to fuming at him. After all, he’d abandoned his family. In my books, that was one of the worst things you could do.
And yet, in the moment, I couldn’t hate him, and so I wouldn’t lie to him. “It’s amazing, West. But why did you restore it?”
He shrugged. “I had to do stuff like this back at my old job, and I’m good at it. That’s all.”
I searched his gaze, not quite believing him. Although I found it odd he called previously working for his in-laws as his “old job.”
Regardless, I wasn’t going to ask about it. I may not hate him, but we weren’t even friends. Instead, I focused on something that had slipped my mind at first. “This place was locked, so how did you get in?”
He grunted, and the concern in his eyes vanished. “Abby gave me a key.”
“Abby knew about all this and didn’t tell me?”
“I told her to wait before telling you. I wasn’t sure if I’d have time to do anything, and I don’t like to make promises I can’t keep.”
I’d be having words with Abby later, that was for sure.
From the corner of my eye, I saw the twins near the ladder. Wyatt and Avery were both looking at the tools lying inside the toolbox. Remembering the earlier conversation with Wyatt, I said, “You should teach them and let them help you.”
“They’re too young.”
“Most of the kids their age around here have probably helped out on the farms, vineyards, and dairies for years already.”
He set his jaw, and I thought he was going to shout at me again. Instead, he grunted, turned, and walked over to his kids. I was tempted to follow but reminded myself that they weren’t mine, and he should handle it as he saw fit.
Still, I listened as West crouched next to the toolbox and said, “If you two want to help me, you need to learn the name of some of the tools. And most importantly—you never touch these unless I’m here, until you know what you’re doing. Understand?”
Avery nodded. “Of course, Daddy. I’m not sure I want to get super dirty, but I want to learn how to paint walls and put up shelves and pictures. That way, whenever I get my own room someday, I can decorate it by myself!”
The twins currently shared a room. They wanted to, from what Avery said, because they didn’t have any good friends yet.
I inched forward to better hear them as Wyatt pointed toward an electric drill next to the toolbox. “I want to use that.”
West chuckled, and I blinked. I was pretty sure it was the first time I’d heard him laugh since his return to Starry Hills.
