Chapter Twenty-Seven
Julien
Everything was not fine.
I returned at three PM to find chaos.
Not destructive chaos. Not dangerous chaos.
But chaos nonetheless.
The kitchen was half-demolished, which was according to plan. What was not according to plan was Athena sitting on the couch, laughing, while Clint told her a story about a previous renovation that had apparently involved a family of raccoons living in the walls.
“And then,” Clint was saying, “the mother raccoon just looked at me like, ‘This is MY house now.’”
Athena was laughing so hard she had tears in her eyes.
“What’s going on?” I asked.
“Clint’s telling me about the raccoon house,” she said, still giggling.
“Shouldn’t he be working?”
“I’m on break,” Clint said, checking his watch. “Fifteen minutes. We’re right on schedule.”
I looked around. The demolition was, in fact, progressing exactly as planned.
Fine. They’re on schedule.
That’s what matters.
“Julien!” Bo called from the kitchen. “Can you come look at something?”
I walked over to find him standing by the wall where we’d planned to install new cabinets, his expression thoughtful.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong. But I think we should move the cabinet placement slightly. See this beam?” He pointed to a support beam I’d somehow missed in my planning. “If we shift everything six inches to the right, we’ll have better structural support and more storage space.”
I studied the wall. He was right.
Again.
“That’s... a good idea,” I admitted.
“Yeah?” He smiled. “Great. I’ll update the plans.”
“I’ll update the plans,” I corrected. “I have a system.”
“Of course you do.”
By the time I left at six PM, the demolition was complete, the debris was cleared, and the contractors were cleaning up with an efficiency that would have impressed a military unit.
“See you tomorrow, Dr. Darcy,” Mason said as I headed for the door.
“Seven AM,” I confirmed.
“We’ll be here.”
And they were.
Every day.
Exactly on time.
Working efficiently, professionally, and most annoyingly—charmingly.
By the end of the first week, I had accepted several truths:
The contractors were excellent at their jobs.
They were also excellent at making everyone around them smile.
This combination was deeply irritating.
My eye twitch had become permanent.
“You need to relax,” Nathan said when he stopped by to check on the progress.
We were standing in what would eventually be the nursery, watching Jasper and Chase install new windows with a precision that even I had to admire.
“I am relaxed.”
“Your left eye is twitching.”
“That’s unrelated.”
“It’s absolutely related.” He paused. “They’re doing a great job, Julien.”
“I know.”
“Then why are you so tense?”
“Because—” I stopped. “I don’t know.”
That was a lie. I knew exactly why I was tense.
Because every time I came to the house, Athena was there, laughing with the contractors.
Vivian was there, flirting shamelessly. Winnie was there, bringing more baked goods.
And the contractors were always—always—charming, friendly, and genuinely kind to everyone.
Especially Athena.
“Dr. Darcy,” Jasper called from across the room. “Can you ask Athena if she prefers the windows to open inward or outward?”
“Why can’t you ask her?”
“Because you’re her husband. Seems more appropriate.”
At least someone remembers that.
I walked downstairs, where Athena was sitting on the couch with Vivian, both of them watching Clint and Bo work on the kitchen cabinets.
“Jasper wants to know about the windows,” I said.
“Outward,” Athena said immediately. “Better for airflow.”
“I’ll tell him.”
“Julien,” she said, catching my hand. “Sit with me for a minute.”
“I should supervise.”
“They don’t need supervision. Sit.”
I sat.
Vivian stood. “I’m going to check on the bathroom progress.”
“You just want to watch Gavin work,” I said.
“Obviously.” She walked away without shame.
Athena shifted closer, her hand still holding mine. “You’re stressed.”
“I’m fine.”
“You’re not fine. Your eye is twitching.”
“Everyone keeps mentioning that.”
“Because it’s very noticeable.” She squeezed my hand. “Talk to me.”
“There’s nothing to talk about.”
“Julien.”
I sighed. “They’re very... friendly.”
“The contractors?”
“Yes.”
“They are friendly. It’s nice.”
“It’s distracting.”
“From what?”
“From the work.”
“The work is progressing perfectly. We’re ahead of schedule.”
“I know.”
“Then what’s the problem?”
I didn’t answer.
She studied my face, and then her expression shifted to understanding. “Oh,” she said softly. “You’re jealous.”
“I’m not—”
“You are. You’re jealous because they’re friendly with me.”
“I’m not jealous. I’m just... concerned about appropriate boundaries.”
“Julien, they’re being kind. That’s all. They know I’m pregnant, uncomfortable, and probably anxious about the timeline. They’re trying to help.”
“By making you laugh?”
“Yes. By making me laugh. By being friendly and warm and making this whole process less stressful.” She cupped my face with her free hand. “But you know what?”
“What?”
“They could all look like Chris Hemsworth and it wouldn’t matter. Because I’m married to you. And I love you. And no amount of charming contractors is going to change that.”
“They do kind of look like Chris Hemsworth,” I muttered.
She laughed. “Maybe a little. But you’re the one I chose. You’re the one I married. You’re the father of my children. And you’re the one I want.”
Something in my chest loosened.
“I love you,” I said.
“I love you too.” She kissed me softly. “Now go tell Jasper about the windows. And try to relax. Everything is going to be fine.”
She was right.
Everything was fine.
Better than fine.
By the end of the second week, the house was transformed.
New kitchen. New bathrooms. New flooring. Fresh paint. The nursery was taking shape, with custom built-in storage that Chase had designed and that was, I had to admit, brilliant.
“This is incredible,” I said, standing in the nursery doorway.
“Thanks,” Chase said, stepping back to admire his work. “I figured, with three babies, you’d need maximum storage with minimum floor space.”
“It’s perfect.”
“Yeah?” He smiled. “Good. I’m glad.”
Mason appeared beside me. “We’re on track to finish by the end of next week.”
“Really?”
“Really. Barring any major surprises, we’ll be done with two days to spare.”
The second Mason said those words, I clearly heard the universe laugh.