“So, what brings you by, Kaelynn?” Tucker asked, interrupting both of us.
She glanced at Charlie then to me before her gaze went back to Tucker. “I called to see how Charlie and the baby were, and she told me today was decorating the nursery day. I offered to help, so here I am.”
“Here you are,” Tucker said, peeking over to me and winking. “You are hereby dubbed the decorating princess. Charlie here is the queen. She drew up a photo of where she wanted each picture, each toy, every little thing in the spare room that I cannot believe a few-weeks-old baby needs.”
“Well, she is a woman, so you have to cater to their every whim, right?” Kaelynn threw out with a giggle, and it sent a shiver through my entire body. I turned away and got back to work putting the crib together. Blake gave me a curious look, but I ignored him.
“Nash, who are you running the background check on?” Charlie asked, taking Hannah from Kaelynn.
“Oh, just someone I need to have checked out who wants a job with Barrett.”
Tucker shot me a look, then raised his eyebrow. I narrowed my gaze at him when he shook his head. He was one to judge.
“Oh, good idea then. You can give me the information. I’ll have our security department run it,” Charlie offered.
“No!”
Both Kaelynn and Charlie jumped. Even little Hannah let out a small cry from the sudden outburst.
“Geesh, fine. Use Blake’s brother. My gosh, y’all.”
Kaelynn grinned. “Why don’t you go put Hannah down for her nap and take one yourself while I supervise these men . . . and I’ll try to keep them quiet for you and for Hannah.”
“That sounds like an amazing idea.” Charlie walked up to Tucker. “You okay? Do you need a break?”
He smiled and both me and Blake groaned. “Dude, seriously, you are not allowed to have sex with your wife while we’re all here.”
Charlie winked. “I wish. I’m not cleared for fun times yet.”
Kaelynn’s face turned pink as she looked from Charlie down to the paper Tucker had handed her.
“Go lay down with Hannah; we’ve got this,” Tucker said to Charlie.
“If you need any direction on anything, let me know,” Charlie stated.
Holding up what looked like a detailed plan, drawings and all, Kaelynn smiled. “I think you have it all laid out pretty well.”
Tucker left with Charlie, and the three of us got back to work. It wasn’t until Blake and I had the crib put together, had helped Kaelynn hang six pictures on the wall, and carried in a box of decorations that we noticed Tucker had never come back.
“Has anyone seen Tucker since he left with Charlie?”
Blake and Kaelynn glanced my way, both shaking their heads.
Kaelynn grabbed a baby blanket and draped it over the back of the rocking chair and said, “I’m sure he probably laid down with Charlie and they both fell asleep.”
Blake left the room and came back, a huge smile on his face. “All three of them are crashed together sleeping. Poor Tucker is going to have a stiff neck with the way he is sitting up straight and his head is dropped to the side.”
The three of us chuckled. Then, with a sigh, I scanned the finished nursery. “I like it.”
“Me too,” Blake and Kaelynn said at the same time.
Charlie and Tucker had wanted to wait on the nursery until they found out if the baby was a boy or girl. It was painted a soft sage green and the rest of the décor was forest-themed. Sprinkles of pink were scattered around the room, so you knew it was a little girl’s room.
“I have one finishing touch to add,” Kaelynn said, making her way over to her purse that was on the floor. She pulled out a picture frame and set it on the dresser. Blake and I walked up and smiled when we saw it.
“Kaelynn, this is great. Really great,” Blake said, his voice cracking.
“Dude, are you going to cry?”