Page 70 of Unspoken Hearts
“You’re moving in real soon, aren’t you?” she asks, even though we spoke about it briefly the other day.
I nod. “Yeah, it’ll be finished in a few weeks. I still need to pick what paint colours I want, and I have to start buying furniture to fill this place, but I want to be settled in once Dad retires.”
Her gaze flickers back onto mine as she continues to look around at the empty shell of the house. “Has he told you when that’ll be?” Macie asks curiously, running her hand along the top of the mantel above the fireplace.
“About two months. I think he wants it to be a birthday present for himself.”
Smiling, she tucks copper hair behind her ear. I watch her, unable to tear my eyes away from her beauty as she giggles and keeps roaming around.
“What are you thinking about?” she questions, voice low as she strolls back into the kitchen area.
Throat working, I grin down at her, absorbing the tingling prickling at my entire body. “Just that I’m going to be busy over the next few weeks getting this ready.” I pause as she gazes between my longing eyes. My hand rubs at my jaw. “I don’t really know where to start.”
“If you want help, I’ve been told that I have good taste,” Macie says, unable to control her grin.
Her words set off fireworks in the deep pit of my stomach. I lean closer. “I will definitely take you up on that, because I’m afraid that I suck in that area.”
“I highly doubt that,” she says, coming to a stop beside me.
“Maybe I’m just saying that so you’ll help me, Mae.”
The effervescent feeling stirs once more as she sniffs a laugh, taking the squares of colours into her hands. I watch her sift through the bundle, carefully considering each of the tones of white, grey, blue and black. I don’t understand how some people can see the difference in most of these shades, but here she is, laying them out slowly, like her decision is crucial.
Which it is.
Whatever she decides, I’m going to paint the house with those colours.
Macie’s colours.
“This one!” she squeaks. I blink down at her as she hands it to me. It looks like every other shade of white.
“Okay.”
Peering up, Macie bites her bottom lip, making my chest thump loudly. She gives a soft chuckle. “That’s for your walls inside. It’s called Pure Cottontail.”
I place it against the plasterboard, and agree with her sense of colouring. It’s slightly off white, I suppose, with a hint of warmth that goes with the flooring. “I like it.”
She giggles, going back to look at the rest of the colours.
I lean against the bench, watching her with a wide grin as she sorts through the grey stack and blue, trying to find the best combination. She’s in her element here, designing and creating. It’s her passion, and I can tell with the way she talks about her writing that this is something that’s deeply rooted in her blood.
She selects a charcoal shade for outside, then a light blue for the eaves, handing each colour swatch to me to hold on to. I can see her creation coming together in my mind, hoping it will look the way she’s envisioning it once it’s done. She’ll look at the house and know that she chose those final touches, and I’m praying that she’ll come to realise that I want this place not only for me, but for her as well.
“That one for the porch,” she adds. I place it on the smaller pile of selected colours. “What do you think?”
My throat bobs as I smile faintly. “It’ll look great.”
“I think so. Blue is my favourite.”
Gaze settling on hers, my smile broadens because I know she likes blue, which is why I told Bennett to get me every blue colour for her to choose from.
“Thank you for letting me see it before it’s finished,” Macie murmurs, turning to stare up into my eyes.
I’m suddenly very aware of how close we are standing. She’s half a foot away, the heat from her body mixing with mine. I realise how quiet and secluded this place is.
Gaze boring down into hers, my fingers tingle as her hands move to touch my stomach. Following her movements, her eyes flitter down to my mouth, and I swallow.
“Reid…”
