check out these prints I found on Art.com.”
“Interesting mix of abstract and art deco,” he said. “Nice.”
“Sure. If McGraw’s was in a cosmopolitan hotspot,” said Faye. “But it’s in Eden .”
“Please don’t mention cosmopolitans,” Kylie said, massaging the dull pulse at her temples. “Anyway,” she pressed on, “I was thinking about painting the walls this color with these accents. Maybe something similar for the exterior? And wall-to-wall carpet. I like this color. Or maybe this.”
Travis nodded. “Bold.”
Faye looked around his shoulder. “Disastrous.”
“I get what you’re going for,” he said.
“Yeah,” Faye said. “Spenser’s boot up her butt.”
Kylie smirked. “Ha.”
“Do I look like I’m kidding?” Faye asked. “Spenser will have a cow. And what about your mom and grandma? What about tradition?”
“The only tradition I care about is Kabuki Theater and zongzi .”
“I’ll bite,” said Faye. “What’s zongzi? ”
“A glutinous rice dumpling wrapped in bamboo leaves.”
“I take it back. I won’t bite. Sounds disgusting.”
“It’s the food of honor at the Dragon Boat Festival.”
“Still disgusting.”
“You don’t know that. Maybe it’s orgasmic. Not that I’ll ever know,” Kylie muttered. The way things were going, she’d never make it to Japan or China, let alone both. She’d be lucky if she ever made it across state lines. She glanced at Travis, who was still studying her photos. “Since you get what I’m going for, would you please box up everything I need?”
Travis raised a brow. “Everything?”
Kylie nodded.
Faye nudged her. “Don’t you think you should get an estimate?”
“If you’re talking an extensive renovation,” Travis said as he moved to his work station, “it could get expensive. Especially when you factor in labor.”
Kylie scrunched her nose. “Hadn’t thought about hiring help.”
“Don’t tell me you planned on handling everything yourself,” Faye asked.
“Not all by myself.”
Faye’s eyebrows rose to her bleached hairline. “ Me? You expect me to help? I’m not good with simple home repairs, let alone an entire renovation.”
“You renovated the Orchard House.”
“I picked out colors and furniture. Stan renovated the building.” Faye blinked, smirked. “Oh. You expect me to rope Stan into helping.”
Kylie smiled. “Free shoes for the family for a year?”
“As tempting as that sounds…”
“In addition to some sort of cash fee, of course,” Kylie added. Maybe that’s why Stan and Faye were fighting. Money troubles. “I wouldn’t dream of taking advantage of anyone, especially your husband. You guys are like family.”
“Stan won’t take money from you. Same reasoning. Family.”
“What about the shoes?”
“What about the B and B? We have a business to run and I can’t do it alone. Not with two kids in the mix. Besides, we’re knee-deep in our own spiffing-up. The Apple Festival is next week. Starting midweek we’re booked solid and…” Faye broke off and looked away.
“What?”
“Never mind.”
“But—”
“Just when did you plan to start your renovations?” Faye asked, swinging the subject back around.
Kylie’s head spun. “Today.”
“Naturally.”
“I know it’ll be hard work,” Kylie babbled, flustered by Faye’s ongoing sarcasm, “but, I want to reopen McGraw’s on opening day of the festival. I ordered a special line of stock. Shoes that’ll appeal to the tourists and…” She flushed when she noted her friend gaping at her like a widemouthed bass. “You’re right. What was I thinking? I can’t expect you and Stan to…never mind.”
“We would if we could, Kylie.”
“I know. It’s okay. I didn’t think things through. Drunken stupor and all that. Obviously, I’m going to have to hire a crew or at least one very productive man.”
“I have an estimate,” Travis said.
Kylie and Faye moved to the counter. They looked
“Interesting mix of abstract and art deco,” he said. “Nice.”
“Sure. If McGraw’s was in a cosmopolitan hotspot,” said Faye. “But it’s in Eden .”
“Please don’t mention cosmopolitans,” Kylie said, massaging the dull pulse at her temples. “Anyway,” she pressed on, “I was thinking about painting the walls this color with these accents. Maybe something similar for the exterior? And wall-to-wall carpet. I like this color. Or maybe this.”
Travis nodded. “Bold.”
Faye looked around his shoulder. “Disastrous.”
“I get what you’re going for,” he said.
“Yeah,” Faye said. “Spenser’s boot up her butt.”
Kylie smirked. “Ha.”
“Do I look like I’m kidding?” Faye asked. “Spenser will have a cow. And what about your mom and grandma? What about tradition?”
“The only tradition I care about is Kabuki Theater and zongzi .”
“I’ll bite,” said Faye. “What’s zongzi? ”
“A glutinous rice dumpling wrapped in bamboo leaves.”
“I take it back. I won’t bite. Sounds disgusting.”
“It’s the food of honor at the Dragon Boat Festival.”
“Still disgusting.”
“You don’t know that. Maybe it’s orgasmic. Not that I’ll ever know,” Kylie muttered. The way things were going, she’d never make it to Japan or China, let alone both. She’d be lucky if she ever made it across state lines. She glanced at Travis, who was still studying her photos. “Since you get what I’m going for, would you please box up everything I need?”
Travis raised a brow. “Everything?”
Kylie nodded.
Faye nudged her. “Don’t you think you should get an estimate?”
“If you’re talking an extensive renovation,” Travis said as he moved to his work station, “it could get expensive. Especially when you factor in labor.”
Kylie scrunched her nose. “Hadn’t thought about hiring help.”
“Don’t tell me you planned on handling everything yourself,” Faye asked.
“Not all by myself.”
Faye’s eyebrows rose to her bleached hairline. “ Me? You expect me to help? I’m not good with simple home repairs, let alone an entire renovation.”
“You renovated the Orchard House.”
“I picked out colors and furniture. Stan renovated the building.” Faye blinked, smirked. “Oh. You expect me to rope Stan into helping.”
Kylie smiled. “Free shoes for the family for a year?”
“As tempting as that sounds…”
“In addition to some sort of cash fee, of course,” Kylie added. Maybe that’s why Stan and Faye were fighting. Money troubles. “I wouldn’t dream of taking advantage of anyone, especially your husband. You guys are like family.”
“Stan won’t take money from you. Same reasoning. Family.”
“What about the shoes?”
“What about the B and B? We have a business to run and I can’t do it alone. Not with two kids in the mix. Besides, we’re knee-deep in our own spiffing-up. The Apple Festival is next week. Starting midweek we’re booked solid and…” Faye broke off and looked away.
“What?”
“Never mind.”
“But—”
“Just when did you plan to start your renovations?” Faye asked, swinging the subject back around.
Kylie’s head spun. “Today.”
“Naturally.”
“I know it’ll be hard work,” Kylie babbled, flustered by Faye’s ongoing sarcasm, “but, I want to reopen McGraw’s on opening day of the festival. I ordered a special line of stock. Shoes that’ll appeal to the tourists and…” She flushed when she noted her friend gaping at her like a widemouthed bass. “You’re right. What was I thinking? I can’t expect you and Stan to…never mind.”
“We would if we could, Kylie.”
“I know. It’s okay. I didn’t think things through. Drunken stupor and all that. Obviously, I’m going to have to hire a crew or at least one very productive man.”
“I have an estimate,” Travis said.
Kylie and Faye moved to the counter. They looked
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