Chapter 10
Chapter Ten
Shep
I'd never taught anyone what to do on a construction site. It was my dad's job to guide my younger brothers, and he never involved my sister, much to her frustration.
So it was nice to show Maya how to demo a bathroom for the first time. It was different looking through her eyes.
I tried to ignore the phone on the stand that was recording our every move. Most of the footage wouldn't be aired. I doubted that anyone would want to watch me teach Maya how to wield a hammer. Surely, these videos were amateur at best.
The popular rehab shows on TV were probably scripted. The hosts swung the hammer once, and the viewers assumed they had a hand in every aspect of the renovation. But in reality, there was a skilled crew completing the work.
When Maya needed a break, I took over while she stood in the entryway, observing me. I was able to make quick work of the tub. Then I began peeling the tile off the wall.
It was tedious but satisfying work. I was clearing out the space for something better. It felt good.
When I lifted my goggles and wiped the sweat from my brow, I caught Kinsley's gaze lower to my stomach.
I slowly lowered my shirt, never taking my eyes from hers. Sure enough, her gaze shifted to mine, and her face flushed. She'd been checking me out. She wasn't as immune to my charms as I thought.
"That was so fun!" Maya exclaimed, practically bouncing on her toes.
She made everything fun. I enjoyed spending this time with her. I fist bumped her. "Good job."
She puffed up her chest. "Can I help clean up?"
"I'll get it since there's a lot of sharp edges." I didn't want her to get hurt, but at the same time, I didn't want her to be disappointed that she couldn't assist me. To distract her, I asked, "Why don't you grab a snack? We have more to demo."
Kinsley held out her hand to Maya. "Let's eat while Shep cleans up.
Maya pouted for a second before placing her hand in Kinsley's.
I blew out a breath. I was worried about Maya, that she would get hurt and that I would screw up on camera.
It was hard to be myself when I was conscious of the camera recording. It was easier when I could forget about it, but that was impossible.
I was positive that no one would be impressed with my work. How could they be when my dad had always been disappointed?
It would be evident for everyone watching that I wasn't organized or particularly skilled in directing a project. Whenever I gave into negative thoughts, I spiraled to a bad place. But with Kinsley and Maya here, I didn't have that luxury.
I had to act like it was no big deal to be on camera. The only consolation was that maybe no one would see the videos. The endeavor would be a huge flop, and I could move on with my life, camera-free.
I gathered the shards into a garbage bag and carried what was left of my bathtub to the trash outside. I'd rented a dumpster that my neighbors were not happy about. I needed to complete the demolition so I could get rid of it.
This neighborhood frowned on anything that marred the beautiful landscape. And my dumpster was an eyesore.
In the kitchen, I pulled off my gloves and goggles, then washed my hands.
Kinsley set half sandwiches on a platter on the countertop.
My stomach rumbled.
Kinsley pushed the plate toward me. "Eat."
I patted my stomach. "Hitting things sure works up an appetite."
Maya nodded in agreement as she chewed on her sandwich. Her plate included goldfish, and she was drinking a juice box.
I grabbed one for myself and drank it until it was empty.
Maya's eyes widened. "You drink juice?"
"I love these things." I lifted the box and threw it in the recycling container.
"You are a big kid," Kinsley said, and I immediately regretted my actions. I wanted her to see me as a man, not a grown child.
This time, I grabbed a water and drank my fill. I usually left demoing a house to my crew. It was hard physical work, even if it was satisfying to destroy things. But I wanted to be involved in every aspect of this demolition.
I ate a few more sandwiches before diving into a chip bag.
"Can we go for a swim?" Maya asked.
"I have more work to do before I can play. Do you want to do more demo first?"
Maya nodded. "It was fun."
"I'm glad you liked it." This was the only time she'd be able to participate in a demo. A construction site was too dangerous for her. But I could control things here.
After lunch, we demoed the vanity, and I took down the mirror. Kinsley and Maya went swimming while I tore up the tile floor and walls.
When I was done, the room was empty. I cleaned up the debris and dust, making sure to close the door so that dust wouldn't travel into Maya's room.
We needed to pick the new tub and vanity next. I jumped in the shower, washing off the dust and grime from the day. Then pulled on my swim trunks, wanting a quick swim myself.
Maya was laying on a lounger with Kinsley next to her. I dived into the deep end and did a few laps before treading water where Kinsley lounged.
"Are you done for the day?" she asked.
I moved my arms in the water, noting the soreness. "The room is empty, waiting for you to fill it."
"I have a few ideas if you have time to take a look." Kinsley grabbed her laptop from a side table.
I surged out of the pool, the water rolling off my skin. I walked toward them, and Kinsley threw a towel at me. It landed on my chest, so I wiped the front of my torso, then wrapped it around my waist.
I was tan from so much time in the sun and lifted weights religiously. I wondered if Kinsley appreciated how I looked.
I sat next to Kinsley, who moved so that there was room for me. She tipped her laptop so that I could see the screen. She'd used a design program to install a vanity, mirror, lighting, shower, and a standalone tub. "Is this what you were thinking?"
"I wanted something a little fancier." This was a bit too modern, white and dark wood with clean lines.
"I thought you might say that." She swiped to a second picture, and my heart picked up. "How about this?"
The tub was slightly fancier with elegant claw feet, and the vanity had a few ornate details that made you think of elegance. "This is perfect." It was still dark wood and white tile, but it spoke to the vision that I had of the bathroom.
"What do you think, Maya? Is it good enough for a princess?"
Maya moved closer so that she could see, crawling into my lap.
She grabbed the laptop and zoomed in on every detail so that she could get a better look. It was impressive how good kids were with technology these days.
She finally nodded. "Perfect for a princess."
"This is your new bathroom." I was pleased I could create this space for her that would also honor the history of the house. The only thing was that this wasn't her permanent residence. She'd move out, and I'd be alone with five empty bedrooms.
Kinsley took the computer from Maya, worrying her lip. "I need to order everything. Hopefully it's available and in stock."
This was the hardest part of renovations. When something wasn't in stock, the owner had to pick out a replacement, and it was a difficult process, leaving a lot of people frustrated.
I was glad that Kinsley handled this aspect of the project. I never liked coordinating the purchase and delivery of fixtures within the renovation timeline. I inevitably got something wrong. Or more often, procrastinated for so long that I missed a deadline.
Kinsley had stepped in a long time ago to handle that aspect of the projects for me. Normally I didn't like help, but it had made things easier for me. I was much better at focusing on the physical renovation than the other details.
"Are you ready to go swimming again?"
Kinsley sighed. "I just got her out of the pool."
Maya wiggled off my lap, jumping in. Then she turned to me and cried, "Come on!"
"I'll play with Maya while you order the stuff we'll need for the bathroom." I stood and dropped the towel, watching closely as Kinsley struggled to keep her gaze on my face.
She shot me a grateful smile. "That would be helpful. Thank you."
I flashed her a grin, and then said to Maya, "I'm going to get you."
I ran and jumped, tucking into a cannonball. Maya's squeals of delight urged me on, and when I hit the water with a splash, I couldn't remember a time when I'd been more content.
I surged to the surface, wiping my hair out of my face. I looked for Maya, who held onto the side of the pool. Then I dived under the surface, aiming for her legs. She darted away from me, swimming underneath the water to avoid me.
I gave her a head start before diving underneath the water again. When I finally caught her, I lifted her into the air, and she said, "Throw me!"
I glanced over at Kinsley, who nodded, and I threw her into the deep end, watching closely to ensure that she was able to swim to the surface and tread water.
I stayed close in case she needed a hand.
But it appeared that Maya was confident in the water.
She'd probably spent a lot of her childhood in the ocean or a pool.
Kinsley had done a good job training her for the realities of living on an island. Knowing how to swim was an important life skill.
My dad probably thought the ability to work with your hands, building things, was also a necessity. It certainly had been a passion of mine.
"Again!" Maya said from where she bobbed in the water.
I lifted her and threw her into the water over and over again until Kinsley said it was time to get out for dinner.
"What should we do for dinner? Should we grill or go out?" I kind of wanted to take my girls out for dinner. We'd worked hard today, and we deserved a little break.
"If you don't mind cooking again—"
"Actually, I do." I lifted myself out of the water and grabbed a dry towel. I rubbed the excess water off my skin. "I'm taking you out. Dress pretty. We're going somewhere fit for a princess."
Maya whooped, then ran into the house, presumably to commandeer the bathroom first.