Page 40 of A Mother’s Love

“Can we try?” Sophia asked, eyeing some red paint and a brush with a big smile. Olivia glanced at Peter and he shrugged.

“Sure, why not?”

“Mom will get mad if we come home all covered with paint,” Savannah warned.

“Okay, then we’ll be careful,” Olivia said, pulling two garbage bags out of a box.

She cut a hole at the top and two holes for their arms, and slipped them over their heads to cover their pink jeans and sweaters so only their pink sneakers showed.

She told them to take their shoes off, and a minute later they were standing barefoot in front of an easel, looking like elves in garbage bags.

She set two small canvases down on the easel, side by side, gave them each three colors of paint and some brushes, and told them to paint whatever they wanted.

They squealed with delight, and started painting right away.

Sophia swished the brushes across the canvas, and Savannah was carefully trying to paint a tree and a dog, and Olivia helped her, standing right behind her.

She glanced over at Peter, who was enjoying the scene and took a video of them.

They painted for almost an hour and then they went back to the kitchen table and had the cupcakes and cookies and pink lemonade.

They made a bigger mess with the cupcakes than the paint and had cake all over their faces.

When they finished, she washed their hands at the sink and took the garbage bags off, and they looked as pristine as when they arrived.

Olivia had them sign their paintings, and she had used acrylic paints so they were dry by the time the girls left. They took their paintings with them and the cupcakes and cookies and the balloons.

Olivia helped them into the car and Savannah looked at her with a toothless smile.

“Can we come back and paint with you again?”

“Of course!” Peter had told them that Olivia was their new aunt Valerie’s identical twin sister, which they found fascinating.

They waved as they drove away, and Peter gave her a longing look and thanked her profusely before he left.

They had a date the following night and were starving for each other.

They had talked every night and texted all day.

He took his paternal duties seriously, and had spent a good week with his girls, but he had missed Olivia fiercely.

He called her when they got home to thank her again.

“That was amazing. You said you weren’t good with kids.”

“As long as they like to paint, that I can do. They’re so sweet, and so polite.”

“They liked you too. They think it’s funny that you and Val are identical, and they said you’re more fun, and I agree, and I’m definitely more fun than Seth,” he teased.

“I can’t wait till tomorrow,” he whispered.

“I love having them here, but I missed you all week.” He was very circumspect with his girls around.

She was the first of his dates they had ever met.

And it had gone perfectly. Olivia couldn’t remember the last time she was as nervous, but it had definitely been a hit, with the painting and the garbage bags and the cupcakes.

She smiled as she put things away and loaded the plates in the dishwasher. She couldn’t see herself with children yet, and not for many years, but doing things with Peter and his might be fun. It had all gone better than she’d expected.

Valerie called her later to check. “How did it go with Peter’s kids?” she asked her casually. She’d been wondering all afternoon, but didn’t want to call until after they left.

“Really well. They painted and we had a cupcake party with balloons and lemonade,” Olivia said proudly.

“Wow, that’s new for you.” Valerie was impressed. “Maybe you don’t hate kids as much as you think.”

“Yes, I do,” Olivia said with a grin, “but Peter’s are really cute. They invited me for a sleepover at their mom’s house. I’ll bet she’d be thrilled.” They both laughed.

“So do you have a boyfriend?” Valerie asked her, desperate to know.

“Wait a minute, I haven’t even seen him since the boat. We each have a life, you know.”

“His is all smoke and mirrors with a lot of girls he doesn’t care about, and you don’t even see who’s in the room unless it’s on an easel. He’s a good guy, Ollie.”

“Yes, he is.” Olivia sat down at the kitchen table with a sigh, and picked up a little pink sock someone had forgotten.

It looked like Sophia’s. It was tiny, and Olivia held it, wondering where her life was going.

She didn’t want to be a soccer mom when she grew up, or live in the suburbs, and she wasn’t sure if she wanted kids of her own.

But a guy with two very sweet little girls might actually work.

She was willing to check it out, keep an open mind, see how it felt.

And if it didn’t work out, she was going to run like hell, just as she always did.

—

Savannah and Sophia asked for her when Peter tucked them in that night. They shared a room at his house, and their paintings were propped up on the dresser.

“Can we go back and visit Olivia again?” Savannah asked him.

“I think that can be arranged,” he said noncommittally.

“I want to do a BIG painting next time,” Sophia said, stretching her arms wide.

“Me too,” Savannah added. “I love her,” she announced to the room at large.

“So do I,” Sophia said with a grin.

Peter was dying to say he loved her too, but he couldn’t. It was too soon to share it with the kids, and even too soon to know, as Olivia said too. But that ship had already set sail, and it was picking up speed.