My gaze lands on the cans of paint in the room. I crawl over to them, finding brushes and tape in a sack nearby. The pink color Rage picked out for her brings a smile to my face.
“Scary on the outside, gooey in the center. Just like you,” I tell Peanut.
“How ‘bout I let you outside for a few minutes and then we’ll get started,” I tell him, scratching behind his ear.
I change while the dog is out doing his business. I’m so excited to have something to do. Besides, it will help take my mind off my situation with the Scorpions.
The dog curls up right outside the door to Mila’s room while I paint. It’s nice. I feel like I can focus on my task. Maybe I should get a dog. I’ve never had one. One of my mom’s boyfriends had one. It was the sweetest pup. The man too, but of course the good ones never stayed long. I remember how sad I was when they both left.
It only takes two coats of paint, which makes things easy. I’m hoping the paint fumes have faded by the time Mila comes home. I’ve kept the windows partially open, so it shouldn’t take long.
After I finish painting, I decide to start putting things together. I walk out to the garage to look for a few tools, and when I flip the light on, I find Rage’s bike. It stirs something inside of me, and before I know what I’m doing I’m running my hand over his seat.
As much as I’d like to, I can’t deny how sexy he is when he’s on his bike. My fingers glide over the handlebars, and then I notice the corner of a photo tucked against the gauges. I tug it out.It’s him holding a baby. I’m assuming it’s Mila. She’s about six months old.
I saw a printer and computer inside. I wonder if I could enlarge it and put a copy in her room. Maybe it will help her make a connection between the two of them. It couldn’t hurt.
By the time I’ve copied the picture and put her little toddler bed together, the sun is breaking over the horizon. But I don’t stop. Once I have the furniture set up, I get to work on washing all of her clothes. They’re new, and I don’t want her to be itchy. She’s had enough to deal with.
After that, I begin putting toys together. I laugh because I find myself wanting to play with some of them. I think the club bought her every princess Barbie there is. And books. She has so many books! I decide to fashion a couple of bookshelves out of some regular shelving the club brought by to make her a little book nook.
I’m just setting the picture I printed of her and her brother on the bedside table when Peanut stands at attention. A few minutes later, Cole is hollering down the hall.
“You awake?” he asks, knocking on my bedroom door.
“I’m in here!” I yell.
A few seconds later, he’s filling the doorway. “Holy shit,” he says, stepping inside. “Did you do all this?”
“Peanut helped. I can’t take all the credit,” I tell him.
He walks around the room and then pauses behind me. “Serenity, this was very nice of you, but have you slept?”
“I’ll sleep when I’m done.”
“Have you eaten?”
I take a step back to admire my handiwork. “I ate a sandwich.”
His eyes widen. “Since I left yesterday?”
“Yeah,” I say, shrugging. I shoo him out of the way so I can put the clean bedding on the bed.
He sighs. “I’m going to go make you some supper.”
“Supper?” I ask, looking up from my task to peek out the window. “Where did the day go?”
“Where they all go. Anyway, my brother is on his way out with Cub, and I know the two of them will be hungry. They haven’t eaten either.”
I stumble back, suddenly feeling lightheaded at being bent over. He grabs me by the arm, and his brows pull together in concern. “When was the last time you slept?”
“Um, I don’t know. At the Inn?”
“Jesus, why are women so damn stubborn?”
He finishes making the bed for me while I let my eyes slide around the room. “Everything has to be perfect.” I grab the cutest stuffed giraffe out of her toybox and place it on the bed once it’s made.
“It looks great, Serenity, really. Now go shower while I get the grub on.”