Walking into my foyer with the boys behind me, a feeling of calmness and peace washes over me. Almost like they're supposed to be here. It doesn't feel awkward or weird, it feels right, and that scares me more than anything. How could I possibly feel so comfortable around them when I barely know them. Some of them I only met just yesterday and have barely had a conversation with. There's gotta be something wrong with my brain, that's the only logical explanation.

Clearing my head, I step to the side to allow Silas, Nathan, and now North, to continue what they started yesterday. Kota and Owen walk into the living room to continue painting, while I give the rest of the boys a tour of the place. When we get to my room, Gabriel immediately heads straight to my closet.

"Tell me this isn't all you have?" he exclaims, eyeing my few meager possessions.

"I have enough to make a few different outfits," I defend. "I have what I need. Nothing more."

"Not for long," he grumbles back. "We're taking you shopping tomorrow so cancel your plans."

"Not happening," I grumble back.

"Actually, Gabe," Victor steps in. "She's right. Tomorrow's Saturday."

"So?" Gabriel sneers.

"So, it's Silas's birthday," Victor comments with a slight eyeroll.

"Wait," I interrupt. "Tomorrow's his birthday and he's spending the day fixing my house?"

"Yeah, so?" Luke asks from the back of my closet.

"You guys have seriously gotten your priorities messed up," I mumble.

"Maybe," Sean says happily from behind me. "Or maybe you seriously underestimate our willingness to help you Pumpkin."

Their willingness to help me. For some unknown reason and unknown motivation. People can't really be this nice, can they?

"Alright, enough pawing through my closets. There's more house to see."

After herding them out of my bedroom, I lead them down the hall, past Silas in the bathroom, and to the guest room. Here, Gabriel has many opinions on decorations and paint colors. After we finish in there, I lead them downstairs to the basement where North and Nathan are. Luke, Gabriel and Sean immediately navigate to the fire pit, discussing seating options and lighting. I stand by Victor at the base of the stairs with crossed arms, taking in everything. These boys are all so different, yet they all seem to want to help me.

"You not gonna give your opinion?" I ask Victor, with a chin lift to the others.

"I have no opinion," he says lowly. "This isn't my house and I haven't been asked to have one."

His words give me pause, causing me to direct my gaze over to him. He's looking down at me, a slight smile on his lips and a bright fire in his eyes.

"And if I were to ask your opinion?" I ask slowly.

He looks around the room thoughtfully before answering. "I'd say to put a wall up over there," he nods towards Nathan and North. "That way the laundry and the heating can be separated from the rest of this area. A sunken in couch around the fire pit would be nice, along with a flat screen on one of the walls and hidden surround sound."

"You have expensive tastes," I chuckle, looking back around the room to try and see what he described.

He shrugs before saying, "Not really. The guys can easily build a wall without too much fuss. Kota could help me figure out the surround sound. The only thing that would actually cost anything is the TV and the cushions for the couch. North and Silas can make the actual bench."

"And just where am I going to find the money for this flat screen and cushions?" I ask, playing along with his fantasy.

"From me of course," he replies with a twinkle in his eye. "Not sure if you noticed or not, but I did pay for Kota's books the other day. Money's not really a problem for me, Princess."

"Then I definitely won't be taking any," I tell him. "I don't want you around for your money, Victor."

"But you do want me around?"

My cheeks flame in response to his question. Do I want him around? About as much as I want the others around, I guess. Which is steadily increasing the more I'm around them. Even North's scowly disposition doesn't bug me as much anymore. And Gabriel and Luke are fun to be around.

I'm saved from answering when the three come back over from the pit.

"Ready to head back upstairs?" I ask them.

"You bet Trouble," Gabriel responds.

"Trouble?" I ask with a tilt of my head.

"Yeah, but only the good kind," he says with a wink.

My blush starts up again as I turn around and head back up the stairs. What on earth have I gotten myself into?

When we get back upstairs, I lead them through the kitchen and into the dining room, before meeting back up with Owen and Kota in the living room. They seem to be in the middle of a discussion when we walk in, causing them to stop. I narrow my eyes slightly as they look towards us, blank expression on their faces.

"Finished with the tour?" Owen asks me.

"Yup," I reply. "Everything ok in here?"

"Perfect," Kota comments. "Tell us where you need us."

Shaking off the fact that he's probably lying, I decide to let it go. The sooner they feel like they've done something helpful, the faster they'll quit bugging me to let them help. And then they'll be gone. Somehow the knowledge of that hurts more this time around.

"Well, the only room I've actually gotten done is the library. I guess someone can do the dining room and the kitchen before moving on to the rest of the house."

"Great," Kota smiles. "Victor and I will stay in here to help you finish up. Luke, Gabe, you guys can go do the kitchen, and Doc, and Mr. B, you guys can do the dining room."

"Sounds like a plan," I nod.

With that, the four of them head out before coming back in shortly after.

"Where are all the brushes?" Gabriel asks in a huff.

"Shit, right," I groan. "I kind of only have two."

"Not for long," Owen mumbles.

"What?"

A few seconds later there's a knock on the front door. Narrowing my eyes at his millimeter smile, I exit the room and walk over to the front door. There's a guy standing on the other side when I open it. Large bags from the Home Depot in his hands.

"Are you Sang?" he asks me.

"Uh, yeah."

"Here ya go," he says, handing the bags to me. "Happy decorating."

Before I can ask him anything, he's turned around and heading back to his truck that's parked in my driveway. Shaking my head, I close the door with my foot before marching back into the living room.

I drop the bags at my feet before asking, "Who paid for these?"

"I'm innocent," Kota declares.

"Snitch," Owen mumbles, causing Luke and Gabriel's eyes to widen in shock before they burst out laughing.

Once their laughter has died down, they all walk over to me and root through the bags for brushes.

"Where's the paint Trouble?" Gabriel asks.

"In the library," I tell him, pointing across the hall.

He stands up from his crouched position and walks over into the other room

"What the hell is up with all the white!?" he shouts.

"It's just a base until I can figure out what colors I want," I tell him as he walks back in with two cans of white paint. "It's much easier to paint over white paint than it is with them the way they are now."

"Fine," he grumbles. "But just so you know, the only thing I'm allowing to stay white are the hallways. Maybe not even that."

Like he's got any say in it.

I roll my eyes before turning my back on him and grabbing the paint can in the corner. As I'm spilling paint into the tray, I hear their footsteps fade as my wayward thoughts take over.

Why is he acting like he's going to be here past today? I mean, yeah, we had that nice little bonding experience this morning, but it's going to take a lot more than one morning to change my opinions. While I appreciate their help, I still don't need it. Besides, once they've done their good dead they'll be gone. Everyone always leaves. I can't expect these boys to be any different. No matter how much I'm starting to want them to be.

Stopping the flow of paint, I move the tray into the center of the room and grab my roller. A high note playing from the piano has me stop in my tracks and look over by the window to where Victor is. He's standing in front of the old piano, the sheet cover folded back to reveal the black and white keys. His index finger keeping the key depressed as he stares down with a faraway look in his eyes.

"Everything ok?" I ask slowly.

This seems to snap him out of whatever daze he was in, and he looks up at me with a small smile on his face.

"Yeah, everything's fine Princess," he responds. "Do you play?"

"Uh, no. It came with the house." I tell him. "I always wanted to learn though. That and the violin."

The fire brightens in his eyes as he smiles at me. "You like classical music? I could always teach you, if you'd like. It needs to be tuned of course, but nothing too difficult."

"Uh, yeah," I say surprised, thinking of my conversation with Kota the day before. "Yeah, I love classical music. All music actually, and I'd like that."

"Great."

Henods slightly before lifting his finger and recovering the piano. Once we allhave a roller or a paintbrush in hand, we each go to a different wall and startpainting. A few minutes later, music blares from the somewhere else in thehouse. It's a pop song which Victor and Luke chuckle to before telling me thatthe music is most likely coming from Gabriel's phone. Smiling lightly tomyself, I nod before turning back to the wall and getting lost in the music.