Rhett

Iwatched Winnie walk by my house through the blinds in my living room this morning and some people, most people, would say that it's creepy. I would agree with them under different circumstances but it's actually romantic in this case. I'm painting her house today. She told me last night when I was over at her house, for the third time this week, that she would be busy all day today preparing for all her special orders this weekend. The team and I went with her to the berry patch yesterday to get all the strawberries she could possibly need.

They didn't complain once, but I did have to give a couple of them a look when they stared at Winnie just a little too long. I couldn't blame them. She had looked beautiful like always, but she had on these tiny little denim shorts that showed off her tan legs. She was wearing an adorable sunhat that I had to lift up every time I wanted to steal a kiss from her. It's hard to say I was stealing anything when she was all too willing.

The thought has me smiling as I grab the 5-gallon bucket of white paint I bought last night and all the tools the guy at the store told me I would need for the job I was taking on. I could have hired a company to do this but I just really wanted to do it for her. I wanted her to think of me when she looked at it. To be forever stamped on a piece of her life.

I set up my ladder and start using the metal paint scraper on the chipped spots. There are a lot. This is going to take a while. I put in my ear buds and start listening to the book I downloaded after I saw her reading it the other night when we were laying on her couch. She went hiking with me a couple days ago and has agreed to a paddleboard outing next week, so I want to do things she enjoys, too. I also just want to completely immerse myself in her world. I've never wanted to do that with anyone. Just Winnie.

I'm getting to a particularly steamy part of the book that has my ears turning red when I hear a bang. I look below me to see Colt staring up at me with a very confused expression. I take my ear bud out and stash it in my pocket.

"What are you doing to my sisters house?"

"At the moment, I am scraping the old chipped paint off of it."

"Why are you scraping the old paint off?"

"…because I'm going to paint it."

"Huh…okay." He scratches his head under his ball cap. "I'm wondering if you can guess my next question." I'm wondering how Winnie would want me to approach this. We haven't discussed us telling Colt we're together yet. I know she wants to be the one to do it, even though I would like it to be me. I don't think I want to tell him right now though, not while I'm up on a ladder.

"She mentioned wanting to do it and I thought I would be neighborly and do it for her."

"Neighborly." He's mulling over that flimsy excuse and he's smart enough to come to a better conclusion so I jump in hoping to sidetrack him.

"Are we getting out on Clear Creek next weekend?" I can tell by the smile that stretches across his face that I have successfully sidetracked him.

"Yeah! Let's do it, man!"

"Saturday morning? I gave the team next weekend off since they've been helping out with community outreach so often."

"Sounds good, I'll ask one of the other guides to cover me." His phone rings and he digs it out of his pants pocket and checks the name.

"Hey, I gotta get going. Can you tell Winnie I stopped by if you see her? I haven't gotten to see her much lately. She's been busy and I'm worried she may be hiding that she's dating someone again." I choke and try to turn it into a laugh.

"I'll tell her you came by!"

"Thanks man. Catch ya later."

"See ya." That didn't feel good. I wanted to tell him the truth. I want everyone to know that Winnie is with me. I just need to make sure she's on the same page…oh yeah, my book! It was just getting interesting. I had no idea her little cartoon covered books were filled with not so cartoon-ish things. I chuckle and pop the ear bud back in and find my place then get back to work. Her house isn't that big but this is still time consuming.

I'm done scraping and power washing, I have all the windows taped off. I'm ready to start painting. I follow all the instructions for the paint sprayer I bought just for this. I have it all hooked up and pull the trigger on the handle. To my satisfaction it works! This is actually kind of fun. That feeling lasts all of 30 minutes.

I no longer think it's fun, but I am done with the painting. I just uncovered all the windows and pulled the tape off. I step back to the black iron gate and admire it. She was right. It looks so much better with a new coat of paint. Here's one thing she can check off her to do list. I want to help with all the things on her list. She makes my life so much better just by being in it. I want to repay that in some small way.

I grab the string lights I bought for the wood slats over her small deck in her side yard. I need to get them strung up and the ferns I bought to hang done before I run home to shower. I also have to call Knox so he can walk me through how to make her dinner. I check my watch and it's just after 5. I need to get a move on if I want this to be finished when she gets home. I can't wait to see the look on her face, it will be 10x better knowing I helped put it there.