Chapter 2 #2
Gibson meant everything he said. His sister Katherine was a genius, but she acted just like anyone else.
She could sit back on his couch and have a beer.
Put her feet up on his coffee table even though it drove him up a damn wall and yell at the TV during horror films because people acted like 'fucking idiots. '
Kay was real, too. But there was something different about her.
She was petite, yes, but there was also a strength inside of her that he thought everyone could see.
But if guys at the store were acting like they were, then they needed to open their eyes.
Kay was much more approachable than he'd thought. Of course he'd startled her by just speaking out of turn but seeing her at Home Mart had been a little like spotting an oasis in the desert. He'd been thinking about her so much that he wasn't half surprised seeing her in the store.
But finding out that she was actually there?
If he believed in signs, this would have been one.
"So how big is the hole?"
One brow rose and her mouth pressed into a slanted line. "I forgot to answer that, didn't I?"
He shrugged. "You were thinking about something else."
She blushed and he wished he could find out what had been on her mind.
It certainly looked like it had been a fun thought.
"I... uh..." She bit into her bottom lip and in his head, he imagined if she'd done that since she was a little girl.
"I was," she lowered her gaze for a moment, "but you asked about the hole in my wall.
It's," she lifted her hands and curved her splayed fingers to make a shape the size of a large grapefruit before meeting his gaze again, "about this big. "
"That's not all that bad."
She looked up at him, unsure. "If it wasn't in my wall, I'd feel better about it."
He nodded, agreeing. "Well, the good thing is that you don't need any supplies from here to fill it.
I have some materials in my truck that could easily cover something of that size.
" He gestured at the wall of paint colors.
"All you need to do now is pick the color you want to paint it after we're done. "
Her brows raised. "After we're done?"
Gibson nodded. "Of course. I'm going to have you help me."
Her shoulders tightened up and her feet shuffled a little. "I'd probably make it worse instead. I am the reason why the hole is there. You know?"
He nodded. "True. Maybe it's best if you just left it to me. You can step in and help if you want to."
"Or maybe I can take you to dinner after I pay you for fixing the hole." She held out her hand for a handshake to settle the deal. He took it without a second thought. A chance to touch her? He wasn't about to give that up without a fight.
"Sounds like a deal."
Color climbed into her cheeks, and he wondered if he'd overstepped somehow.
He let go of her hand and lowered his to his side. "So I guess now you have to decide on a color for your bedroom."
He gestured at the massive wall. "Are you looking for pink?"
She looked back at the paint chip in her hand and shook her head. "I admit it drew my eye, but no. I couldn't look at it for long and I while I'll be in the room the most when it's dark, I do want my room to be... a refuge, not a punishment."
He nodded.
"The name is kind of funny, though."
He had an idea. "You like funny names?" He pulled his phone out of his pocket and opened it up. He went to a browser and typed out a search. "I remember seeing this awhile back. There's an online article on funny paint names. Just a second... Here."
He stepped to Kay's side and held the phone down where he thought it would be a comfortable height for her.
She read the first color aloud and laughed. "Arsenic." She stopped laughing quickly and brought the phone closer to her face. "It's actually a nice color. Almost a sea green."
He nodded. He could see that. "The color is nice, but I don't know what they were thinking, naming it after a poison."
She stroked her finger up along the screen to scroll through the article and he was struck by how delicate her fingers were.
No, not delicate. Elegant?
"Careless Whispers." Her voice had softened. "That's WHAM, right?"
"I think so," he held his breath as she moved closer, almost standing right in front of him. It made it easier for her to see it, but he could also smell her hair. It was a clean scent, with a hint of something like spice. He could breathe her in forever.
"Snugglepuss?" She sounded like she sighed out the word and it did something to his insides. "Oh," her voice lifted, "I think they meant Mister Snuffleupagus from Sesame Street?” She shook her head. "Nope. He was brown, I think. But this is a nice purple."
"Purple for your bedroom? I've never done purple before."
She leaned to the side and look back over her shoulder at him. "How many bedrooms have you painted?"
"Painted?" He made sure to clarify. "A few. But that's all I did."
She blushed and turned away. She continued to scroll and only slowed slightly at, "Dead Salmon? Ewww."
He agreed. "I think I wouldn't choose that just on the title alone."
"I agree... But what is a Disco Nap? Never mind," she continued to scroll. "Hyperlink isn't half bad, but it's a little dark for me."
The next color was called Marry Me, but Gibson was glad she passed over that one.
His mind was whirling already, having her near, he didn't need his head mulling over that phrase.
Marry Me.
"Hmm?" She looked up at him. "What did you say?"
"I don't think I said anything."
"Oh," she looked a little shaken, "I thought I heard... never mind. You know. I kind of want to look at Arsenic. Maybe it's just a morbid doctor thing, but I think it might be a nice accent wall thing. I saw that in Pinterest. Where you make one wall a color and the others a different color."
"So you get this color you like but you don't have to have too much of it."
She nodded and looked back up at him. "Too weird?"
Gibson shook his head. "Nope, not weird at all.
If you like the color, then use it. We could find you something a little softer or have them mix some of the paint with a more neutral color for the rest of the walls.
Do you know the height and width of the walls so we can figure out how much paint to get. "
He wondered if she always bit the inside of her cheek when she was mulling over something like this. Or maybe she did it when she felt uncomfortable.
Either way, she looked adorable.
"No?"
"Well, what we can do is ask them for a small sample can and try it out on your wall before I fix the drywall. Since we'll have to paint it over again after the fix."
"Lieutenant?"
He lifted a brow at that. "You don't want me to call you doctor, I think you can call me Gibson."
"Gibson." She said the word softly as if she was testing it on her tongue and that thought sent blood rushing south of his belt. He'd give anything to have her take a taste of him. "Not Braun?"
Her smile was a little impish as if she was trying it on for size but also wanted to see what effect it had on him.
"I wouldn't mind," he smiled at her. "Whatever you want to call me... go ahead."
She lowered her chin slowly and he could see her mind working behind her eyes. That amazing brain of hers.
"Let's start with Gibson and go from there."
He couldn't help but smile and swell up at her words. 'Start with' meant that this wasn't just a moment. This was a beginning.
"Okay, Kay."
She rolled her eyes at that, but her smile didn't dim. "Let's see about this paint and then..."
He nodded. "I have the rest of today open if you want me to come over and get that drywall fixed."
Kay drew in a deep breath and let it out. "I can't believe how amazing it's been already. I came in here feeling like I was heading to the firing squad of mansplaining. I'm so lucky that you were here, Gibson."
Yeah, he liked her saying his name. A lot.
"I think I'm the one who's lucky, Kay. I was just looking to kill some time before I headed home. Now I have something to do and a wonderful woman to spend some time with."
She took a step to the side and turned to face him, holding out his phone. "Maybe we're both lucky. I don't have to sacrifice my sanity trying to do it myself and I get to know you a little better."
He lifted his chin at his phone. "Why don't you put your information in my phone and then I can follow you home."
She looked down to do just that and maybe it was just wishful thinking on his part, but he hoped that the blush he saw on her cheeks was for him.
He could dream.
Right?