Perfectly Unpredictable by Linda O'Connor Read Free Book Online

She’s sittin’ low.”
    “I know. I’ve heard that one, too. And I
didn’t have any morning sickness to speak of.”
    “There you go. Girl.”
    Kalia shrugged and smiled. “I’ve got girl
names all picked out.”
    Chloe nodded. “Well, at least you won’t
have to worry about the color of the walls. Off-white with a hint o’ mint will
work both ways.”
    Kalia laughed. “Exactly. And I don’t really
care if it’s a girl or boy as long as it’s healthy.”
    “That’s how I felt, too.”
    “Did you have a girl or a boy?”
    “Two boys and a girl. I had triplets.”
    “Oh, wow. They must be a handful. I can
barely imagine raising one.”
    “They are, but we have a system. And my
hubby, Rip, is amazing with them. Hard to believe they’re just over two years
old now. We’ve managed to keep them alive.” Chloe’s eyes went wide. “When they
started to motor, I had my doubts we could,” she said with a chuckle. “They’re
fast. Luckily, Rip’s faster. He’s a great dad.”
    Kalia felt a pang. “Oh. Sounds wonderful.”
    “We have a lot of fun.” Chloe adjusted the
tote on her shoulder. “Well, I’d better get those walls done. It looks like you
could pop that bambino out any day now. We’ll see how many coats of primer it
takes to cover the black.”
    “Before you paint the accent wall, could I
see the green?”
    “Sure thing. Once I prime her up, I’ll
paint a swatch for you.”
    Kalia nodded. “Thank you. Can I do anything
to help?”
    Chloe smiled. “Sit and relax.” She winked.
“Trust me. Do it while you can.” She carried her equipment upstairs.
    Kalia heard Chloe go back outside one more
time and then it was quiet. She sat at her computer and worked on the article
she was translating. At lunchtime, she went up to check on the progress.
    All the walls in the nursery were white.
    “Oh, Chloe. That looks fantastic.”
    “Only primer so far, but it’s like night
and day.” She grinned. “Literally.”
    “Oh, even with primer, the room looks so
much bigger and brighter. What a transformation.”
    Chloe stepped back and nodded. “I’ve seen
black on an accent wall in a study. But the cabinets were all white, and there
was a ton of light from a big picture window. Stunning-o-rama. This space is a
tad small to have all four walls painted black.”
    “I love the white. It’s a hundred percent
better.”
    “Glad you like it.” Chloe pointed to a
square on the wall. “There’s your Meadow Green. Whattaya think?”
    Kalia turned and looked. “Love it. That is
exactly what I wanted. Good eye.”
    Chloe flashed a smile. “Thanks. I’ve picked
a lot of color in my day. I think it’ll look great.”
    “So do I.” Kalia rubbed her belly. “I was
going to make lunch. Would you like a cup of tea? A sandwich or a salad –
something to eat?”
    Chloe wrapped her brush in plastic wrap. “Ah,
that’s sweet of you. But I thought I’d scoot home for lunch. Rip’s looking
after the triplets today. He’ll appreciate another set of hands and eyes at
lunchtime. I live close by – one of the reasons today worked.”
    “Thanks again for fitting this in, Chloe. It
sounds like you’re really busy.”
    “I am, and I love it.” Chloe slipped the
roller brush in a plastic bag and smoothed it closed. “Bennett Homes have a new
subdivision going in on the west side of Rivermede. And they’re just about
ready to have the painting started.” She tapped the lid of the paint can with a
mallet. “And when that’s done, we’ll be updating the penthouse floor at Bennett
Suites on the Water.”
    “Oh, that’s a spectacular place. I’ve
wondered what the rooms look like. I’ve been to the restaurant, once. The food
was delicious and the décor very elegant.”
    Chloe nodded. “The suites are like that,
too. If there’s one thing those Bennett men are famous for, it’s their good
taste,” she said with a laugh. She picked up her keys. “I won’t be long. I’ll give
the primer an