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HE’D FAILED HER.
That thought stayed stuck in Jake’s head throughout the remainder of the morning, distracting him from his work. He couldn’t concentrate on anything other than the sound of Annie’s voice as she’d confessed the truth of her relationship with Maxwell Fischer.
He wanted to kill that man, or at least do him grave bodily harm. Though he knew that was not a realistic or ethical solution, it still gave him some kind of comfort to think of all the ways he could make that man suffer.
Midday found him kneeling on the roof of one of the houses, taking out his aggression with a hammer, pounding nails into sheets of plywood with such force that the other guys working on the roof kept at a safe distance.
He’d failed her.
He should’ve realized two years ago that something wasn’t right with Annie. He’d flown to New York with the McAllister’s to attend her graduation. She’d seemed so happy. She’d sold one of her art pieces. She’d been offered a job as a sales associate at a prestigious gallery. It was just the foot in the door that she was hoping for, the perfect way to make the right connections while continuing to work on her craft. Six months at the gallery, a year at the most, she promised her family and Jake. Then she would come home for good. And she repeated that same promise when he went to see her six months later. He believed her. Reluctant as he was to return to California without her, he knew that Annie would only resist him more if he pressured her. So, he trusted her words, just as he’d always done.
In hindsight, he recalled the almost feverish brightness of her eyes, the fervency of her pleading voice as she begged him to be patient with her, to give her space and time. She’d lost weight, too, but not so much then to make him wonder and worry about it. He was too blind with his love for her. He was lost in the joy he felt whenever he was with her. He was entranced by her green eyes, her lush, wide mouth, her gorgeous smile. His head was filled with visions of their future, the house he was going to build for her, the babies they would make together.
At that time, he was only thinking about the day when she would finally return to King’s Valley. That was the day he would ask her to marry him. He had it all planned out. He was going to take her to their favorite place, the place where he’d first fallen in love with her. There, in the center of the footbridge, he would kneel down in front of her and take her hand...
“What a damn fool I was,” he mumbled between the nails in his mouth. He tugged one out, placed it on an edge of plywood and hammered it down with one furious blow.
“Uh, Boss?”
Jake glanced up to find Nick, Maud Vickery’s son, hovering cautiously nearby. Jake spit the nails into the palm of his glove before growling, “What?”
“There’s someone here to see you.”
“Who is it?” he snapped.
Nick pointed towards the trailer where Ethan stood at the bottom of the metal stairs, arms folded across his chest as he looked up to where Jake was kneeling.
“Okay. Thanks, Nick.”
Jake heaved an aggravated sigh before sliding the hammer into his toolbelt and climbing down the ladder. He tore off his leather gloves as he stalked towards his friend.
“Woah,” Ethan said, holding his hands up as Jake approached. “Whatever happened, it wasn’t me.”
Jake cracked a brief smile. “What’s up?”
“I’m playing the messenger boy today. My grandma’s throwing a barbecue on Memorial Day. Potluck. You’re invited. And Darlene too.”
“Okay. When’s that?”
Ethan’s eyebrows soared. “Uh, a week from today?”
“Wow. Already?” Jake scratched his jaw, his thoughts abstracted. “This month has been crazy.”
“Did you also forget that Matt and Gracie are back from their honeymoon this Friday?”
“Nope. I have that date circled in red on my calendar. I’m looking forward to not having to get up an hour earlier to help milk the cows.”
“How about the fishing trip this weekend? Still remember that?”
Jake scowled. “You’ve made your point.”
Ethan’s eyes narrowed in scrutiny on Jake’s face. “Excuse me for sounding like my grandma, but you still look like hell.” His eyes narrowed further. “Things going okay with my sister working for you?”
“Fine. She’s been doing a great job organizing my office.”
“Annie working in an office.” Ethan’s face relaxed into an amused smile. “For how much longer?”
“As long as it takes.”
“As long as what takes, exactly?”
“For her to figure herself out.” Jake hesitated. “She’s not able to paint, you know.”
“Yeah, I know. Jessica asked her to paint a mural in the baby’s room. She said she couldn’t.”
“When was this?”
“Saturday. Jessica invited her to the house for lunch. I was in the city helping Nate move.”
“Again?”
“Now that he’s completed his residency at UCSF, he’s bought a condo in Corte Madera. He’s joined a medical group there until he can start his own practice.”
“Good for Doctor Nate. Is he still seeing that redhead?”
“Mimi. Yeah. He’s bringing her to the barbecue.”
“Huh. Sounds like things are getting serious.”
“He says she might be the one.”
Jake smirked. “And did his big brother give him any advice about not rushing into things?”
Ethan waved a dismissive hand. “Nope. I like Mimi. She’s a smart gal. Seems like it’ll be a good fit. And Jessica likes her too,” he added with a dry smile. “So that settles it.”
Jake lowered his head, his gut clenching with bitterness. If he hadn’t failed Annie, she’d be his wife by now and they’d be having the same kinds of conversations that Ethan and Jessica shared.
Ethan cleared his throat. “So, now that the chitchat is out of the way, why don’t you tell me what’s going on? Why were you up on that roof using a hammer instead of a nail gun?”
Jake met Ethan’s intense stare. “Found out some things this morning that made me want to hop on a plane to New York and tear someone to shreds.”
“Maxwell Fischer.” Ethan glowered. “How bad was it? Jessica says Annie shared a few things with her, but she was made to promise not to tell me.”
Jake had made no such promise to Annie. And he wanted to save her the agony of having to repeat the story to her family. Besides, talking with Ethan might help to calm him down. It’d been a long time since he’d confided in his friend. “Have you had lunch?” he asked.
“Nope. Let’s go.”
***
ANNIE TOOK A LAST GLANCE around Jake’s office before switching off the light and closing the door behind her. It’d been a busy day, and she’d been glad of it. Sorting through Jake’s mail, entering data on the computer, filing things away, it had all taken her mind off the expression on Jake’s face when he told her he thought they could be friends again. His eyes had been kind, his smile casual. Just like a friend would look.
Was she hoping for too much? Was it wrong for her to wish for more than friendship? Maybe he was right. Maybe they should never have taken their relationship to a deeper level. Besides, he had Darlene now.
Tom Lancaster hailed a greeting as she exited the carriage house. He was standing just inside the hay barn, hands planted on his hips. From a distance, he looked just like Jake. Annie’s heart did a funny little flip. Her smile trembled a bit as she walked towards him.
“Good day?” Jake’s father asked.
“Busy. But I’m almost caught up with the filing.”
“You’ve been a big help to Jake. He’s really pleased with the work you’ve done so far.”
She felt her face glowing. “He is?”
“Yep. He was getting worried when Lindy told him she couldn’t help anymore. Not easy to find someone willing to spend their day on a smelly dairy ranch.”
She laughed. “I don’t smell a thing.”
Tom’s smile grew bigger. “That’s because you’re a true country girl at heart, Annie. It’s really good to have you back. Really good.”
“Thanks, Tom.” She felt her eyes tearing up a little. She looked away, blinking rapidly.
“Jake tells me his guys are almost done fixing up that chicken house,” Tom said. “Have you seen it yet?”
“Not yet.”
“Well, stop and take a look at it on your way home. It might be to the point where you’d want to paint the walls.”
She met the older man’s knowing eyes. They weren’t the same color as Jake’s but they carried the same intensity. Right now, they were twinkling. “I hadn’t... I didn’t think about that. Painting the inside walls, I mean.”
“I always liked painting myself. It relaxes me. This old barn is due for a fresh coat. Maybe you can help me? Sure would be nice to have a real pro alongside me. Maybe you could give me some pointers.”
She was on to his ploy, but she smiled agreeably. “Sure. When?”
“How about next week? We’ll work in the early evening when it’s cooler.”
“Okay.”
“Got a call from your grandmother about an hour ago. She tell you about the barbecue on Monday?”
“No.”
“It’s Memorial Day. Can’t believe it’s here already. I’ll be coming over in the afternoon. But I’ll be going to the cemetery with your grandmother in the morning for the military ceremony, and then we’re going to visit the family gravesites. Would you like to come with us?”
“Oh. I don’t know.” She frowned. She hadn’t been to the cemetery since—
“Just a thought,” Tom said, his voice casual. “Think about it.” He glanced over her shoulder. “Here’s Jake. Good. It’s time to do the milking.”
Annie turned to see Jake’s red truck coming up the gravel drive. “Well, nice talking with you, Tom. I’d better get back to help my grandmother with dinner.”
“The house still full of guests?”
“All week,” Annie replied distractedly. “She just hired another girl to help with the cooking and cleaning.”
“That Zelda sure is a go-getter,” Tom remarked.
Annie didn’t hear him. She watched as Jake parked the truck alongside the carriage house and switched off the engine. He stared at her through the windshield for a few moments before opening the driver’s door and stepping out. His expression was placid as he walked towards them.
“You’re still here,” he observed as he stopped a couple of feet away.
“I was just leaving,” she said hurriedly.
“We were having a chat,” his father remarked. “Busy day?”
“Always,” Jake replied, his eyes locked on Annie’s. “But it was a good day. All in all.”
Tom cleared his throat. “Time for the milking. See you tomorrow, Annie.”
“’Bye, Tom,” she said, not glancing away from Jake’s intent gaze. She swallowed. “There were a couple of bills I wasn’t sure about,” she said. “I left them on your desk.”
“Thanks. I’ll take a look at them later.” He stepped closer. “You doing okay?”
Her heart fluttered. “Yes.” She glanced down at her sandaled feet, then towards the hayfield. “I’m going to stop by the chicken house on the way home. Is that all right?”
“Sure. Actually, I thought you would’ve looked at it before now.”
She returned her gaze to his. “I guess I’ve been a little afraid. Of the pressure, you know?”
“That blank canvas staring you in the face?”
“Exactly.”
They shared a smile.
A bubble of happiness rose in her chest. “I’ve missed this,” she confessed before she could stop the words.
“This?”
She felt heat rising to her face, but she bravely went on. “The way we used to read each other so well. I usually didn’t have to explain things to you. You got me. And I got you. Since I’ve come back, I’ve felt like we’ve both been enclosed in bubbled glass, you know, the kind you can’t see through clearly?”
His smile deepened. “I know what you mean.”
They stared at each other for a while. From the milking barn came the occasional moo of a cow, the sound of buckets scraping across the cement floor, Tom Lancaster’s soothing voice intermingling with that of one of the hired hands who helped around the ranch.
Jake gave a sudden shake of his head as if awakening from a dream. “I need to go help with the milking.”
“Okay. Well. I guess I’ll see you tomorrow morning.”
“Yes. Seven-thirty.” His voice was soft. “Have a good night, Annie.”
She walked along the footpath without looking back, but she felt certain he was still standing in the same spot, watching her.
Maybe there was hope after all.
This happy thought propelled her to the door of the chicken house. The ground directly outside was sprinkled with sawdust, but, other than that, there wasn’t any evidence that a construction crew had been there. Jake was strict about keeping his job sites clean. At the end of each day, all the clutter, right down to the smallest nail, was cleared out and hauled away. He’d shared that detail with her in an email once when he was still working for that commercial construction firm. He’d told her that his co-workers had made fun of his fastidious ways, but they’d stopped joking around when the boss had praised him and given him a promotion. Hard work always pays off in the end, Annie, he’d written.
Every email he’d written to her had carried some word of advice or encouragement, she reflected now. Had she become so inured to his words over the years that they’d stopped sinking in? Or, had she become resentful of the fact that he was achieving his ambitions and she wasn’t? That he was moving forward and she was standing still?
“Things don’t always have to be a competition, Annie,” he’d chided her once during a long-ago game of flag football when she overreacted to a bad play she’d made. “Just have fun.”
Regret was one of the saddest words. She should never have stopped listening to Jake’s voice.
She took a deep breath as she opened the door to the chicken house and stepped inside.
“Oh, wow,” she whispered, taking it in.
Sheetrock, taped and ready for primer and paint, covered every wall. Windows, trimmed with pine, had replaced the chicken wire. The ceiling still opened to the rafters, but now the spaces in between the beams were insulated and covered with sheetrock. Two skylights had been added. Wiring dangled from open sockets where the light fixtures would go. The floor had been sanded down, gaps filled in.
To her right, a new wall had been constructed, its doorway framed in. As if in a dream, she walked towards the wall and stepped over the threshold into a spacious room. There was a skylight here as well. Circles, cut into the floor in the far corner, indicated where a small bathroom would go. Against another wall, someone had taped out a kitchen on the floor and what she assumed would be a small dining area. Tape also marked the section where a bed could go. It looked like a queen size. And there was still plenty of room for a nightstand and a dresser or armoire.
It was perfect.
Annie’s eyes filled with tears as she surveyed every detail a second time. Her happiness was mixed with sadness. This would be a sweet little home for her. She’d be close to her grandmother, to Ethan and Jessica, but far enough away that she could focus on her art in peace. She wouldn’t have to worry about getting in the way of the bed and breakfast guests either. Not that her grandmother had said anything about that, but Annie felt a little awkward bumping into strangers on the way to her attic room.
The sadness came from the knowledge that she would be living here alone.
Although Jake had never asked her to marry him, it’d been a given. He’d spoken with great confidence about the house he’d wanted to build for them. They’d discussed how many bedrooms it would have, whether it would be a single level or have two stories. They’d never reached a decision as to whether it would be on the McAllister property or the Lancaster’s. His father had given both him and Matt a few acres of their own to do with as they wished. Jake’s land was on the far end of the ranch, a hillier terrain that was a mixture of field, rocks and trees. Annie remembered teasing him about its distance from their favorite places, the creek, the footbridge, the tree fort. The last time they’d ever spoken about it in depth, he’d seemed inclined to build on her little plot of land instead.
Had that conversation taken place only two years ago?
“I am such an idiot,” she muttered, standing in the center of the studio space.
“Why?”
She spun around, heart in her throat. Her older brother was standing in the open doorway. “Ethan!” She stomped her foot. “You big brat. You scared me.”
He grinned. “Oops.”
“What are you doing here? Where’s Jessica?”
“On her way to Grandma’s with Brutus. We’ve been invited for dinner. I thought I heard a noise in here and came to investigate.” He looked around. “This looks great. Do you like it?”
She smiled. “I love it.”
He stepped into the room. “Jake said they’ll start working on connecting the plumbing and electricity next week. Should be ready for you to move in within the next couple of weeks.”
“Oh? You spoke to him recently?”
“We had lunch together today.”
Something in his voice made her frown. She folded her arms across her chest. “Let me guess. You guys talked about me.”
He shrugged one shoulder. “Among other things. Yeah.”
“And what did you talk about exactly?”
Her brother’s face creased in a pleased smile. “There she is. There’s my ferocious little sister. You gonna beat me up if I don’t tell you?”
“Maybe.”
He held up his hands in a placating gesture. “Okay, okay. Don’t be mad. We talked about how your new job is going, and we talked about this place.”
“And?”
“And he told me about what Maxwell did to you.” Seeing the storm clouds in her eyes, he quickly added, “Don’t get mad at Jake for telling me. He was saving you the pain of having to tell me yourself. Because I would’ve dragged it out of you eventually, you know. I’ve just been waiting until you were a little stronger.”
She knew he was right. But it still bothered her that he and Jake had been talking about her behind her back. “Always the big brother,” she accused, her voice gruff.
“That’s never going to change.” He threw her a level look. “I’m sorry, Annie. About what happened. If I’d known—”
“I know,” she interjected softly. “You don’t need to say any more about it.” She unfolded her arms as she stepped closer to him. “I’m sorry for the way I acted at your wedding. Forgive me?”
He tugged her into his arms and gave her a fierce hug. “There’s nothing to forgive. You just got a little lost, that’s all.”
She squeezed him tight, her thoughts a little jumbled. “Is that the way you see it?”
“Yep.” He gave her one more squeeze before releasing her and stepping back. He smiled down at her puzzled face. “I went through something similar, you know.”
“What do you mean?”
“You remember Angelica Wade?”
Annie considered for a moment. “Was that the snooty blonde who was with you at Grandpa’s funeral? That day’s a blur, but I think you told me she was your fiancée?”
His expression turned cynical. “Yeah. That’s the one. I broke up with her just a few days after that for reasons I won’t get into right now. She was my boss’s daughter. I was really close to being named a partner in his law firm. I had a nice place in the city, a fancy car, custom suits, the whole bit. That was back when all I thought about was success, making a name for myself, making Grandpa proud of me.”
She tossed her hands in the air. “You too? Why? Why were we so stuck on making him proud? He was already proud of us.”
“Exactly. I’m glad you realize that.” Ethan went over to the window and gazed out, presenting a contemplative profile to her. “I think we wanted to make him even more proud,” he observed in a quiet voice. “We wanted to succeed in ways that he never had, to pay him back for everything he’d taught us. Law for me. Art for you. We just went about it the wrong way. We forgot about the very first lessons he taught us.”
“Faith and family,” she said quietly.
He angled a smile in her direction. “And the value of true friends, and love and trust.”
“You’ve found those things with Jessica.”
“Yes. But I had to find them inside myself again first. Angelica—along with some things that happened at that law firm—did some pretty heavy damage to my ability to trust people.”
She lowered her head and stared blindly at the sanded floor. After a while, she asked, “How long did it take you?”
“To realize I’d gone about things in the wrong way?”
“No. How long did it take you to trust people again?”
Ethan’s sigh drew her head up. He was leaning against the windowsill, arms folded across his chest as he studied her. “A while,” he admitted. “About eight months after coming here to stay with Grandma, I thought I was getting better. And then I met Jessica and realized I still had a lot of issues to resolve. So, almost a full year.”
“Oh.” She glanced away from his probing gaze, her smile forced. “Well, I’m glad everything worked out for you. I think you have a lot more patience than I do.”
“You’re probably right about that.”
“It’s just...” She exhaled sharply. “I’ve always wanted things now, you know? And I don’t like the not knowing what’s going to happen next.”
“What do you want to happen?”
“Jake.
I want him back. Not as just my friend.” She shook her head in a helpless motion. “And I know that’s probably not going to happen. I don’t deserve to get him back. And he’s with Darlene now.”
Her brother’s eyelids lowered over a gleaming expression. He rubbed his jaw. “Yeah,” he said slowly. “He does see a lot of her.”
“Aren’t they, um, Matt said they were practically engaged?”
“Not true. But things were getting serious for a while.”
She swallowed. “Were? You mean, they’re not anymore? Serious, I mean?”
“I feel like I’m back in high school.” Ethan laughed lightly. “This reminds me of when you were a freshman and guys started asking you out on dates. Do you know that Jake made me and Nate swear to keep an eye on you and to screen all of your dates? He told us that if anything bad happened to you, he’d tear us from limb to limb.”
“Don’t change the subject.”
“Okay, okay. The truth is, I don’t know where things stand with him and Darlene. Jake’s been keeping his feelings very close to the vest this past year. He doesn’t confide in me or Nate like he used to. I’ve been relying on my eyes. And what I see is that he still loves you.”
Her heart turned over. “Do you really think so?”
“I know so. He never stopped. Only a love that strong can hurt so deeply, you know. He’s been buried in his hurt. It might take him a while to dig himself out. But he will.” His expression turned sheepish. “Listen to me. I’ve gotten mushy since I found out I’m going to be a dad.”
Annie’s laugh was shaky. “I kind of like it. I think you’ll be a great dad.”
“Aw, thanks, sis.”
“So... I should just be patient and wait. That’s what you’re saying.”
He nodded.
She nodded back. “You’re right. I know I need to get myself put back together too. I shouldn’t even be thinking of Jake right now anyway. Not in that way.”
“Just give it time.” Ethan’s smile was encouraging. “What is it that Grandma says? Time is the greatest healer?” He pushed away from the window ledge. “I’m hungry. Aren’t you? Let’s get on over to the house.”
***
TIME IS THE GREATEST healer. Annie took those words to heart for the rest of that week, placing her focus on getting better in mind, spirit and body. She ate every morsel of food put in front of her. She was in bed each night by nine o’clock and up with the sunrise. She still couldn’t sleep the night through, but she was at least getting about six solid hours. Her clothes weren’t hanging so loosely on her anymore. The shadows that still lurked beneath her eyes were getting lighter. Her hair seemed to be regaining its former luster.
During the drive to work on Tuesday morning, she mentioned to Jake that she wanted to start painting the inside of the chicken house, and did he have some equipment she could borrow? A ladder, buckets, paint tray, etcetera? To her secret relief, he didn’t question her about her plans or make a big deal about the fact she was going to start painting again, even if it was just drywall. He merely nodded his head and then reminded her that the end of the month was approaching and could she finish up the accounting entries by Friday?
On Wednesday, during lunch, she borrowed Zelda’s car and drove into town to purchase primer and paint at Wakefield Hardware. She selected a basic white paint to start, envisioning the freshly-coated walls adorned with some of her artwork. That evening, she used a wheelbarrow to lug the six gallons of paint to the chicken house. When she walked into the building, she found everything she’d requested of Jake and then some. Drop cloths already covered the floor.
She spent a couple of hours taping off all of the wood trim and masking the windows. She didn’t think about Jake enjoying his Wednesday night dance lesson with Darlene over at the Stumble Inn. Well, just once. Then she shoved that thought aside and started to whistle. The whistle changed to a laugh when Brutus poked his head through the front doorway and gave her an inquiring woof.
She returned to the chicken house right after dinner on Thursday, poured some primer into the paint tray and picked up the brush. She approached the first wall like a child called into the principal’s office, her gut churning with a mixture of trepidation and bravado. Holding her breath, she set the brush to the wall and began to paint.
There. That was easy. She exhaled and then dipped the brush into the paint tray again. Simple, clean white primer. No colors. No distraction. Up. Down. Dip again. Brush. Brush. Soon she was lost in the purity of the rhythm, the sound of the wet bristles, the smell of paint and freshly sanded wood, warm spring air and fruit trees.
It was a while before she realized that her cheeks were damp with tears.
That night, she slept like a baby.
When Jake picked her up for work on Friday morning, he reminded her that Matt and Gracie would be coming home that afternoon. “I’ll be picking them up at the depot around six o’clock.”
“In this truck?”
“No. I’ll take Matt’s SUV.”
“Oh.” She waited for him to say more, but he kept silent, his profile stoic. Her temper stirred. Aside from the brief conversation they shared each morning when he picked her up, she hadn’t spent any time with him that week. Just like the week before, he was at the job site all day. She had a feeling that he’d been purposely avoiding her. And he could’ve asked her if she wanted to ride along to the depot!
She turned her face away from him and stared out the passenger window, her patience on a fine thread. “Well, tell them I said hello,” she said, trying and failing to keep the sarcasm out of her voice.
“I will,” he answered cheerfully. “I’ll tell them you want to finish painting the chicken house by Sunday. That is what you told me, right?”
She gritted her teeth. “Yes.”
“Well, all right then. You can go ahead and knock off work at three. Get an early start.”
It wasn’t until an hour or so and several slammed file and desk drawers later that she realized she was mad at Jake in a way that the old Annie would’ve been. It was a healthy kind of mad. It had nothing to do with New York or what had happened in the last two years. She was simply mad that her friend hadn’t had the courtesy to ask her if she wanted to come with him to pick up Matt and Gracie.
It was refreshing.
That feeling made her smile. She spent the remainder of the workday alternating between smiling and off-key outbursts of song. If anyone had walked into the office, they probably would’ve turned around and run right back out.
At three o’clock on the dot, she shut down the computer, turned off the lights, closed the office door and headed straight for the chicken house.
All of the walls had been primed. Now it was time for the first coat of paint. The most time-consuming task was doing the cutting-in around the windows and doors. If she could finish that tonight, she could roll on the paint tomorrow morning, give it a few hours to dry and then start on the second coat.
She didn’t realize how much time had gone by until she suddenly heard footsteps and muted voices. There was a thud as if someone had dropped something, then a hushed burst of laughter. Putting down her brush, she turned towards the front door. Her heart jumped into her throat when she heard a loud “Surprise!” as Gracie burst into the room.
“Annie!” her cousin shrieked and swept forward, arms outspread. She pulled Annie in for a hug, talking effusively all the while. “I didn’t know until just a half hour ago that you were still here! This is the best news ever! I’ve been feeling kind of sad that the honeymoon is over. Hawaii was so gorgeous. But this cheered me right up again! And you’re going to live in here? You’re not going back to San Diego? We’ll be neighbors for the first time ever! I’m so excited!”
“I think she can see that, Gracie,” Jake observed dryly. He was standing next to Matt just inside the door. He caught Annie’s eye over Gracie’s shoulder and winked.
Gracie released Annie at last and looked around the room. “This is so cool! You did all of this in just two weeks, Jake?”
“A couple of my guys did.”
“Same thing. Wow. Look at the skylights. Annie, this will be a perfect place for you to paint.”
“Speaking of painting,” Matt said, “We’re here to help.”
Caught up in Gracie’s greeting, Annie hadn’t noticed that Matt was holding a couple of paint rollers with extension handles. Jake was holding a tapered paint brush. They were both dressed in old jeans and tee shirts. So was Gracie.
“But you just got back from your honeymoon,” Annie protested.
“We’ve just spent five hours on a plane and two hours on a bus,” Matt replied. “It’ll be good to move around. Besides,” he added with a naughty grin. “It’s still three hours until bedtime.”
“Matt!” Gracie smacked him on the arm, her cheeks turning beet red.
Annie looked at all three of them, her face beaming with pleasure. “This is really nice of you guys. It’s taking longer than I thought.”
“Fresh drywall always does,” Jake said. He nodded at Gracie and Matt. “Why don’t you two tackle that wall over there since it’s already been cut in. I’ll help Annie finish cutting in this one.”
“That bossy tone reminds me of when we were all building the tree fort,” Ethan said from the doorway, Jessica peeking over his shoulder. They were both dressed in scruffy clothes.
“Ethan! Jessica!” Gracie screeched, skipping across the room to hug them both.
“Aw, you guys,” Annie said, half laughing, half wailing. “This is too much.” She turned to Jake, lowering her voice to say, “This was all your idea, wasn’t it.”
He shrugged. There was a twinkle in his eye.
“You made me think you didn’t want me to come with you to the depot,” she accused.
“Were you mad?”
“Yes.”
“Did it make the day go by faster?”
She gave him a speaking look.
Ethan had finally disentangled himself from Gracie’s hugs. He poked his head into the living space before saying, “Jessica and I can tackle this room. Did you bring another paint tray and bucket, Jake?”
“Outside, just around the corner. Gracie dropped the bucket when we were trying to sneak in.”
“Only because my husband tickled me,” Gracie pointed out. “Hey, stop it,” she told her husband between giggles. “That wasn’t an invitation.”
“Ah, newlyweds,” Jessica said in an aside to Annie. “So silly and sweet.”
“Gracie was always silly and sweet,” Annie replied with a grin. “Now it’s multiplied by two. I’d be cringing right now if I didn’t love her so much.”
Jessica laughed. “Ditto.”
Ethan returned from outside, bucket and tray in hand. Zelda was right behind him, carrying a wicker basket.
“Grandma!” Gracie shrieked.
“I heard we’re having a painting party,” Zelda said after the fresh commotion had died down. “I’ve brought sustenance.”
For the next three hours, the chicken house was filled with laughter, good-natured teasing, reminiscences of childhood, and talk of honeymoon excursions. Breaks were taken to gobble down sandwiches and chips and drink lemonade or beer.
At one point, as she painted alongside Jake, Annie was so overcome with emotion that she pretended she had paint in her eye to explain her sudden tears. Jake went along with her ruse, tugging a clean handkerchief out of his pocket to dry her eyes while remarking that she shouldn’t put so much paint on the roller if she didn’t want it to splatter. His smile was tender as he gazed down at her.
“We’ll have to come up with a new name for this place,” Zelda remarked loudly, calling everyone’s attention to where she was sitting on a sawhorse observing the work. “We can’t call it the chicken house anymore. That sounds a little funny.”
“Like a restaurant,” Matt joked.
“Annie’s Place?” Gracie proposed.
“The Chicken Studio?” Matt suggested, only half teasing.
“It could simply be called Annie’s House,” Jessica offered.
“No,” Jake cut in, his voice determined. “Not Annie’s house. This is a retreat. A place for her to get away from everyone when she needs to be alone and focus on her art.”
Annie stared at him.
“Like a haven,” Ethan mused.
“Annie’s Haven?” Gracie wondered.
“Orchard Retreat,” Zelda stated.
“Oh, I like that, Grandma,” Annie said, still staring up at Jake.
“Then that’s what it will be,” Jake said softly.
Ethan, Jessica and Gracie agreed.
“I still think it should have chicken in it somewhere,” Matt grumbled.
But no one was paying attention to him. Jake and Annie were staring at each other, and everyone else was staring at Jake and Annie and grinning from ear to ear.