Hometown Love (Love on the North Shore #2)(16)

“Really?” Grace’s voice perked up at the news. “I guess it will be okay.”

This time Jessie grinned. “Come on.” Jessie stood. “Let’s have Brian get that mixed for you.” She came around the desk and headed out with Grace joining her.

Forgotten for the moment, Mack followed behind, his eyes drawn to the petite woman in front of him. She wore a pair of jean shorts and a fitted t-shirt. The outfit once again drove home the physical changes in her, and he found it hard to look away from her cute backside.

Back in high school when she’d played soccer with his sister, she’d been a skinny little thing. The type that could blow away if it got too windy. Then in college, she’d gone the opposite direction and gained more than the traditional freshman fifteen. Now though, she’d reached a happy medium and he could see why Tony was interested. Not that he thought Tony should take her out. Sean was right when he’d said Jessie wasn’t Tony’s type. Nicole from the restaurant was better suited to Tony.

“How many cans do you want?” Jessie asked when they stopped next to the paint station where the same teenager he’d seen on his last visit stood.

“How many does it usually take?” He’d never painted inside before. In fact, he’d only painted once before and that had been a clubhouse his dad built him.

“Depends on the size of the room,” Jessie answered as she handed a color card to Brian. “I’d start with three or four cans and go from there. If the walls are a dark color you should use a primer first. If you don’t mind spending a little more per gallon, you can have this made using a base that has a primer in it.”

If it meant saving some time, he’d spend the extra money. “Give me four cans with the primer to be on the safe side. I’d like to finish this up this weekend.”

Jessie passed the instructions on to Brian. “Anything else you need?”

“Can you tell me how to make the walls look like this?” Mack pulled up the photo his sister had sent him and handed the phone over. Each wall in the room had been divided into two parts with the top half painted a solid pink. The lower half had a design to it.

“You can divide the wall in half by using painters’ tape. The rest they did using a combination of brushes and sponges.” She handed him the phone and pulled a discarded shopping cart closer to them. “Everything you need is down aisle seven. If I were you, I would also grab a paint edger for between the wall and ceiling. I always use one, and I always put painters’ tape around the trim.”

He considered Jessie’s answers. He’d assumed paint went on with a simple roller. He’d never heard of using a sponge for anything other than cleaning dishes or his car. “Tell me what I need and I’ll get it.”

“You’ve never done this before, have you?” Jessie asked as the swirl of the paint-mixing machine filled the background.

Mack shook his head while Grace skipped from one tile to the next beside him. “Never where it had to look nice.”

“If you want, I’ll put together everything you’ll need.” She reached for the shopping cart. “It’ll take me a minute.”

Jessie disappeared down an aisle in search of supplies. “How’s this?” Brian asked from behind the counter.

The color in the can appeared darker than it had on paper but it was still better than Grace’s original choice. “Fine, thanks.”

“I’ll get the others ready then.” Brian pounded the cover onto the can and then started on the next one.

“Can we go?” Grace asked, her excitement over getting the paint now replaced with excitement to get to her grandmother’s house.

“Soon.” He should have taken her straight to his mother’s and then came here regardless of what she had said. There was no place she liked better than her grandparents’ house especially if her cousin was going to be there.

“Here you go.” Jessie reappeared with various objects in the cart. “I added some plastic floor covering too just in case. But if you don’t want it, leave it here and I’ll put it back later.”


Mack eyed the items. “You’ve done this a lot I take it? Don’t suppose you want to come over and help me tomorrow?”

He was joking, though, with Jessie around, Grace’s room might actually come out looking like Brianna’s. But while he knew he wasn’t serious, Jessie didn’t. At least her expression suggested she didn’t.

“I can come by tomorrow around ten.”

Although he hadn’t expected that response, he wasn’t about to turn down the offer either. “If you’re serious, that would be great.”

“I’ll be by right after the gym.”

After the hardware store, Mack drove to his parents’ house where he found his younger sister and mother deep in conversation. Judging by the way they both clammed up the moment he walked in, they’d been talking about him. Although why he’d be the topic of their conversation escaped him.

“Grace forgot I existed the minute she saw Brianna.” Mack stopped at the kitchen table.

“Get used to it. It only gets worse as they get older,” his mother replied. “By the time she’s a teenager, she’ll only want you when she needs a ride somewhere.”

The idea of his little girl being a teenager downright scared him.