Small-Town Moms by Janet Tronstad Page B

crying, are you? We could handle getting Lilly back any way you want. I swear, we’ll do it all your way.”
    There was more silence and then he heard Maegan say, “I thought maybe I could come out and help youpaint your house. Remember, you wanted to paint it for Lilly.”
    â€œI don’t think painting the house is going to make any difference to her.”
    â€œI have to do something.”
    Clint nodded, even though Maegan couldn’t see him. “You’re right. Maybe we’ll both feel better if we do something. I need to go into Miles City to get groceries this morning. Why don’t you come with me and we can pick up some paint.”
    â€œWhat color?” Maegan asked.
    He could hear the hope in her voice. “I’m open to suggestions,” he said.
    â€œMaybe we should get some color charts and let Lilly chose. I think she’s got quite an eye for color. Remember the work she did on Solomon’s crown in Sunday school? It was lovely.”
    â€œShe’ll probably pick gold,” Clint said, but the thought didn’t bother him. He’d paint the whole house bubblegum-pink if it would make her stay. Suddenly, he wondered if she would have felt more at home with him if he’d painted her bedroom some girl color. And put up some ruffled white curtains. Instead, she’d stayed in Joe’s old room with its tan walls and burlap curtains.
    Maegan seemed to feel better by the time they hung up from their phone conversation, Clint thought. He knew he felt more hopeful. He might even get pink paint. What little girl could resist a princess bedroom? He wasn’t going to just put up new curtains and paint. He was going to buy a new bedspread and rug and maybe even one of those sparkly rainbow makers that people put in windows. He should have realized when Lillybecame so intent on beading that bridle that she liked pretty things.
    He looked around at the kitchen after he hung up the phone. There would have to be changes here, too. He’d have to get out the tape measure before he headed into Dry Creek to pick up Maegan. If he could get curtains today, he would need to know the sizes of the windows in his house.
    It wasn’t until he was measuring his second window that he realized he would be reminded of Lilly every day from now on. Every wall would remind him of her. If she chose to leave anyway, that would be a whole lot of reminders of what he was missing.
    It was too late though. Before Lilly, he had tried to protect himself by not being involved with people. But once he opened his heart to his niece, there was no going back.
    The same was true with Maegan. Even though he had feelings for her, she would likely be leaving once she met Joe and assured herself that Lilly would be well-cared for by him. Oh, she’d be polite when she left. He’d say he’d miss her. And she’d say they should keep in touch and he might even get a Christmas card from her. But his heart would never be the same. It wasn’t just his house that would be changed forever; it would be him. He wasn’t sure his solitude would be enough for him anymore.

Chapter Seven
    I t took three days for the paint to be delivered to the store in Miles City so it wasn’t until Friday that Clint and Maegan started taking the lids off the cans in the upstairs of his house and flexing their brushes. The days had been blessedly dry so they could leave the windows at half-mast without worrying about rain. Still, even with the fresh air, the smell of paint was everywhere.
    They had decided to start in Lilly’s room.
    â€œWhat’s that?” Maegan said as she wrinkled her nose and pointed to something Clint had pushed out from under the bed as he swept.
    He couldn’t believe she could smell anything with the open cans of paint around, but then he looked closer at what he’d found. Maybe she couldn’t exactly smell it, but she was anticipating the