How to Love Your Neighbour(59)

Rosie nodded, smiling at him like he’d said the right thing. “We want to create a space Grace will love. Let’s figure out color and design. Then we can split up. I need a pencil and some paper.”

He’d watched Grace enough over the last couple of weeks to know that designers’ minds worked differently than his own. It was fascinating to watch how Grace could make subtle changes—move furniture, switch colors, or add an accessory—that pulled her ideas together. Rosie’s design was excellent. Worth the delayed start time.

They split up, Everly painting with Noah while the others assembled the furniture and shelving. Nothing was cut-and-dried with Grace. He should have expected that. She’d left two blues, a gray, and a soft yellow for paint, like she was silently testing him. How well do you know me? When Rosie and Everly suggested gray with an accent wall of yellow, he didn’t share his agreement. But it felt like a victory to have thought it before they voiced their opinions.

As he set up the rollers, trays, and brushes, Everly tied her hair back and up.

“Sorry to rope you into this,” Noah said, swiping the dripping paint off the side of the can. It was fun and exciting to him but maybe not how others wanted to spend their night.

“What? This is what friends and family do. Have you never had friends over to paint? Stacey helped me paint my whole place when I moved in,” Everly said.

Noah thought about the places he’d lived in. He’d grown up in a penthouse condo in Manhattan. When his parents divorced, he’d stayed with his mom for part of the time in a luxury hotel. He’d gone to college but lived off campus in a high-rise apartment. After that, he’d bought a condo overlooking Central Park. It’d come fully furnished.

Everly picked up a brush and the tray of yellow paint. “I forget sometimes that you guys are rich. Well, I’ve helped others paint and asked the same of friends. No need to apologize. We’re happy to be part of it.”

He nodded, a little surprised at his own recap of his living situations. He’d really never done any of this until he met Grace.

“Plus,” she said, “I like your friend.”

He rolled his eyes. “Thank you, Everly. I hear that tone in your voice but that’s all we are, friends.”

“Because you’re the charming, funny, hard-to-tie-down one.”

His bobbed his brows at her, making her laugh. When he saw his brother in the hallway, he called out, “Chris, your girl wants to tie me up.”

Chris stuck his head in the room. “Do what you have to, baby. He’s expendable.”

Everly’s chuckle was much like her, sweet and quiet.

“Jackasses.”

“I’m surprised there’s no twist,” Chris said. He passed them both waters.

“You should be working or the twist will be that we lose.” Noah took the water, unscrewed the cap, and took a drink.

“Pretty good deal. Even if you lose, the rooms are getting painted.” Chris walked over to Everly, gave her a kiss on the cheek, and whispered something in her ear that made her cheeks rosy.

“I’d say get a room but I’m scared you might and I need the help,” Noah said. “Get to work. Please. Everly says this is what family and friends do. Go do.”

“On it.” He winked at Everly, punched Noah on his way by.

“You guys are so funny with each other,” Everly said, carefully edging the wall that met up with the windowed one.

“You think? Because we beat on and razz each other?”

She nodded, dipped the brush. “Yup.”

“Again, I think you have a weird idea of funny. What’d he mean by twist?”

He started rolling the gray, little splatters coming off the new roller. Good thing he put down a tarp.

“On a lot of those shows, they’ll add a twist, like you have to do a feature wall, add a bonus piece of furniture, or they try to surprise someone with something unexpected.”

“It’s unexpected that we’re doing Grace’s house, too.” Noah liked the fact that she took what she needed while she was doing her job at the same time. That kind of creative energy was what he craved in the final months working for his father. That kind of vision to see things and implement ideas differently.

“This is an adorable house.”

It was. A little small for his tastes but she fit there. He figured Grace would fit anywhere. She adapted so well, whether she was chatting with him about design or directing all their friends and family.

He wondered how she was doing. He’d seen a new side of her through designing. She was confident in most situations but her passion for her job lit her up like a beacon. He pulled his phone out to send her a text.

Noah

Just checking in. You like the color orange, right?



He grinned, thinking of her reading it. He loved teasing her, making her laugh. The little dots popped up but he told himself the way his smile widened had nothing to do with the woman. Just having some fun.

Grace

For sure. While we’re checking in with each other, you a fan of birds?



His smile fled. She’s just messing with you now.

Noah

Not particularly.



No response. He waited, glanced at Everly, who continued to paint.

Noah

Grace?