I nodded. “We’ll be right across the hall if you need anything.”

Mia waved a hand, not stopping her bold strokes on the wall. Ava sent a small smile my way. “Thanks, Griffin. This is really cool.”

Why did that simple statement make me feel as if I’d won the damn lottery? These kids were worming their way into my heart one day at a time. I shoved down that faint voice that said it was a risk to let them into my life, to let myself care for them. Because I knew just how easy it was to lose it all.

“So, what’s on the agenda for today?” Will asked, shaking me out of my spiraling thoughts.

“Paint, paint, and more paint.”

Will let out a groan. “Why do I feel like we do more of that than anything else?”

The kid wasn’t wrong. “It’s paint and hauling shit.” I froze, meeting Will’s gaze. “Don’t tell your sister I swore.”

Will barked out a laugh. “She’s got you running scared, huh?”

“She does have some epic punishments. And I’m worried she’s going to start doubling my vegetable intake as one of them.”

Will grinned and headed for the rollers against the far wall. He bent, examining the can of paint. “Pink? Kind of a surprising color choice.”

I looked around the room that no longer looked quite as familiar. The rose wallpaper had been stripped, and the warped floorboards replaced. But I still somehow wanted to pay homage to the girl whose room this had once been. “This used to be my sister’s room. Her favorite color was pink, and this somehow just feels right.”

Will was quiet for a moment. “I’m really sorry about what happened to your family.”

We hadn’t ever talked about it, he and I. But I knew he had to know some of the broad strokes. It would be impossible to live on this island and not know. “Thanks. I am, too.”

Will was silent as he mixed the paint and poured it into the pans. I’d already taped off the crown molding, doors, and newly placed windows. Before long, we were working in an easy rhythm.

“So, how’s spring conditioning for football?” I asked. Caelyn had shared that Will was one of the top players on our islands’ team. And they took it seriously. That meant a year-round program to make sure team members stayed in shape.

“It’s fine. Boring as hell mostly.”

I studied him from across the room. In the hours we had worked together, Will hadn’t shared anything about football. He talked endlessly about his sisters. All the ridiculousness they got up to. The funny stories and adventures they went on. He talked a lot about music—bands he’d recently discovered or songs he was learning on the piano or guitar. But never football.