Chapter Twenty-Four
MONDAY MORNING KURT accepted Blue’s proposal for the studio renovation. Blue was set to begin working in the evenings after wrapping up his day in Hyannis, and he’d work full-time over the weekends until the renovation was complete. With Kurt leaving on Thursday for Colorado, they were safe from Leanna finding out about the work being done as long as he stayed at her house, and with her friends leaving to go back home soon, he thought she’d enjoy spending more time with them.
Leanna was out with Amy taking the documents to a print shop in Hyannis, which gave Kurt the morning to write without distractions—only he sat staring at his computer screen like it was a foreign object. There was so much to do to prepare for Leanna to move in with him, and he began making a mental list: Clear space in the closet, the dresser, the bathroom. When Jackie called, he was thankful for the distraction.
“Hi, Jackie.”
“Hi, Kurt. Are we going to make our deadline?”
“Yes. Didn’t you get my confirmation email?” He knew she had.
“And are you on target for our meeting Monday?”
“We’re still on. Jack’s wedding is Friday, and I fly back into town Sunday. I plan on emailing the manuscript Thursday evening, which will give you the weekend to review and prepare to harangue me.” He clicked on his manuscript. Definitely doable. With only the final scenes left to write, he should have it done and ready to go before Thursday evening, but he knew better than to shorten a deadline.
“If all my clients were as easy as you, I wouldn’t have gray hair.”
“You don’t have gray hair now.”
“And that’s the beauty of a good colorist. Can’t wait to read your latest.”
He ended the call, and when his mind drifted back to house preparations, he gave Leanna’s laid-back attitude a test ride as his own. Don’t stress over it. I’ll clean out the drawers and stuff when I get home and it’ll all be fine. Kurt repositioned himself in the chair. Sweat beaded his upper lip, and he gazed up at the sky, wondering why it suddenly felt ten degrees hotter.
The heck with it. He felt like he was wearing a sweater two sizes too small and realized—accepted—that there were some things he couldn’t adapt as his own. The idea of Leanna walking into his house and not feeling at home made him worry, and worrying would hinder his creative ability. He glanced at his manuscript on the computer screen. He needed to get back to it.
Baby steps. Moderation.
He called Siena. “Hey, I need a favor.”
“Sure.”
“Leanna is moving in with me when I get back home, and—”
“Moving in? So you didn’t break up? Good. I was worried. Not that I know her or anything, but you sounded happy, and…Oh, Kurt I’m so happy for you.”
“You two will get along great.” He smiled at the thought of them spending time together. He was excited for his family to meet Leanna and even more excited to build a life with her.
“Is she coming to the wedding?”
“No. She can’t reschedule her meeting, but I won’t get back into New York until late Sunday night, and she’s coming in Monday. Would you mind helping me to rearrange some things so she has room?”
“You really trust me to go through your drawers and stuff?” Siena asked.
He pictured her thinly manicured brows raised. “I trust you, Siena, and don’t worry; you can snoop all you want. I’m an open book.”
She sighed. “Like I don’t know that already? Geez, Kurt. I’m not going to snoop. I was just teasing you. Okay. Tell me what you want me to do and I’ll do it.”
“You’re a lifesaver. Mom has an extra key to my house, so you can get that from her.”
“Kurt, I’ve had your key for two years.”
He could practically hear her rolling her eyes. “Right. Sorry. I’m a little sidetracked.”
“Do you mind if Mom comes with me? She’d love to help get your house ready for a woman.”
“Of course she would.” The thought of the two of them working side by side to prepare for Leanna was an amusing one. He pictured them passing comments about how it was about time he found a real girlfriend.
“That’s fine. Just don’t go overboard. I was thinking about making room in the closet, the bathroom, the dresser. You know what to do.”
“Yeah, yeah. It’ll be fun. Can we get extra stuff? Do you care if we put some things she might want, like scented soaps, body wash, that kind of stuff?”
He sat back and looked out at the water as the tide rolled back in. “She probably has her own stuff that she’ll bring with her, but sure, go for it. Whatever you want. Just don’t turn my house into a pink, fluffy chick’s place.”
“Don’t worry. I know you like things a certain way. I’m so excited to finally meet her.”
“She’s pretty great.”
“Can you text me a picture of you guys?”
This gave him pause. He hadn’t had a real girlfriend in forever, and he rarely used his cell phone. He felt a step behind in the boyfriend category. He should have thought about pictures before Siena did. “I don’t have one, believe it or not, but I’ll take one tonight and send it over.”
“Good. I can’t wait to see it. What’s she like? Is she methodical and quiet like you? Does she organize her sock drawer by color?” Siena laughed.
“I don’t do that.”
“I know, but it’s funny.”
“Ha-ha. No, she’s not methodical. In fact, she’s just the opposite. She’s a free spirit. She isn’t a planner.”
“She’s a pantser? Wow. How does she feel about Mr. Plan Ahead?”
“She loves me, Siena, and yes, we’re a little different, but we’re happy.” He wasn’t sure they were really all that different. Underneath her disorganization and beneath his scheduled lifestyle, they were very much alike.
He and Siena caught up for a few more minutes, and by the time they ended their call, Kurt’s mind was ready to focus. He set his fingers on the keyboard and disappeared into the final chapters of Dark Times.