Total pages in book: 57
Estimated words: 53717 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 269(@200wpm)___ 215(@250wpm)___ 179(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 53717 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 269(@200wpm)___ 215(@250wpm)___ 179(@300wpm)
Chapter Thirteen
It was Jared’s first time out alone with the twins. He’d volunteered to take them to the paint store to choose the color they wanted for their bedroom. He’d asked Charlotte to come but also explained he wanted to get to know the girls better. She was only too happy to let him and he promised to send a picture of the chosen color to her for approval before buying.
Then, she’d wished him luck.
He picked them up from Charlotte’s apartment and they headed out. They stopped for pizza and he was now sitting across from the girls, who were wearing different shades of pink, which he was sure didn’t bode well for agreeing on color. Especially since he’d ordered a pizza with half pepperoni and half plain after bickering over the toppings each girl wanted.
“So, are you girls excited to pick your room color?” he asked.
They nodded, eyes wide.
Dakota, her hair in a ponytail, put down her half-eaten slice. “Did you know Elvis Presley had a pink Cadillac?”
“What’s a Cadillac?” Dylan asked, wrinkling her nose in confusion.
He smiled. “It’s a type of car. Back when Elvis had it, the car was much bigger and longer than cars today.”
“I want Elvis car pink,” Dakota said.
He bit the inside of his cheek so he wouldn’t laugh. Not when she was so serious. “We’ll see what shades they have that you two agree on.”
He picked up a pepperoni-laden slice and took a bite just as Dakota asked, “Are you gonna marry our mom?”
He choked on his pizza and grabbed a sip of his soda to wash it down.
Dylan pushed her plate back and folded her arms on the table as she met his gaze, obviously also wanting an answer. Put on the spot by two ten-year-olds. “I think it’s a little soon for that conversation.”
“So you like her, not love her?” Dakota asked. As if that was the simple reason in her mind.
He met their serious gazes. “I like your mother a lot.” He was falling for her more every day, in fact. Not that these two needed to know that.
She nodded. “I saw you put your hand on her back like Daddy does with Fallon.”
Aah. That made more sense. He’d have to be even more discreet in the future so the girls didn’t get ideas Charlotte wasn’t ready for.
He debated on the best way to answer and finally decided. “Well, I want to get to know your mom and you girls even better. Is that okay with you?”
They tipped their heads to the side in the same manner. “I guess so,” Dylan said.
Dakota nodded.
As approval, he’d take it. “Let’s finish eating so we can go pick paint!” He deliberately changed the subject, not wanting to be interrogated further.
Once they arrived at the paint store, however, he almost wished he was back at the diner being grilled by them. The salesperson at the store had laid out a bunch of light pink swatches and the girls had narrowed their choices to four colors, which hadn’t been easy. Who knew there were so many shades of pink?
“Okay,” he said, glancing at the similar-looking samples. “We have Rose Silk, Pleasant Pink, and Touch of Pink for your light pinks.” He touched each as he spoke. “And then we have Damask Rose, which is a little deeper and has more color.”
“I don’t love the really light ones,” Dakota, who was known for liking brighter colors, said.
“Okay, but I love Touch of Pink.” Dylan pointed to her choice.
“I think I like the Damask Rose.”
He chuckled. “Those are both good colors.” And they were very different.
“If I may?” the salesperson asked.
He nodded. “Please. Any help would be welcome.”
“Girls, what if you do one wall with the Damask Rose? It’s a darker color and I think it would make the room feel too small. And the other three walls can be Touch of Pink? That way, both of your choices are included.”
He watched them closely. Dakota tapped one finger on her color but remained silent, obviously thinking. Since he’d been a kid once, he assumed she was adding up the three light pink walls to her one.
“You could ask your mom if you can buy sheets and pillow cases in your color, Dakota. That would give you more of it.”
She nodded. “It would! Good idea!” She smiled, beaming at him, and he felt ten feet tall.
“Dylan? Is that okay with you?” he asked.
She nodded with a smile. “I like the compromise. That’s what Mommy says we have to do. Compromise.”
“Your mommy’s very smart. And so are you two. Okay, let’s take pictures to show her, and can we take the color swatches with us?” he asked the saleswoman.
“Of course. I can also paint color samples on paper so you can hang them up on the walls to see how they look.”