“Oh, yes, can you ask him? Also, that leads me to the next item on my list. What about you? How long do I have you?”
Joe gave her a wicked look, and Goldie actually felt herself blush. She, the woman used to ignoring depraved producers flashing her from under their hotel robes, she actually blushed.
“I have blocked out the rest of the summer, maybe into fall, for this job. That was Libby’s deal anyway, same for you?”
“Do you think everything will be done by then?”
“Done? This place will never be done. You have a thirteen-bedroom monster on the lake. It will always need to be cared for, probably full time.”
“Is that something you do?”
“I do historic restoration. That’s my line. But Libby and Dean knew I was between jobs, so they locked me in for the time being. And I do love this old place.”
“I need you.” Goldie said it wrong. “I mean, I need you to help get this place in shape.”
Goldie’s weird declaration did not go unnoticed by Joe. He smirked at her, and she had the urge to punch him in the chest. But that wouldn’t be professional. She was already the diva from Hollywood.
“I can’t stay here forever, but I can get you on your feet. Until my next job comes around.”
“Great, Libby told me your rate. I’m going to double it.”
“What, you’re nuts!”
“No, I just want to hedge a little against that next job.”
Take that, Mr. Flirt,she thought. Goldie was not strapped for cash. She might be a fish out of water in the water. She might not be the same girl who didn’t flinch at a leech on her backside, but she wasn’t without resources. Financial and otherwise.
“I’ll give you until the end of the season.”
“Great. I’m probably going to have to leave before then, and I’ll want to know that we’re well at hand with repairs.”
“So, back to Hollywood?”
“I have a major career to tend to. Yes, back to Hollywood, but for now, let ‘em miss me.”
“Got it. So, today’s agenda, that raccoon trap.”
“We’re setting it up?”
“Ha, no, we’re letting little Ricky the Raccoon out. He’s up there. Didn’t you hear the squeaking?”
“No, I sleep with noise-canceling headphones.”
“Well, it’s attic time for me, you game?”
“I mean, yeah?”
Goldie was game. If nothing else, all this could serve as research if she ever booked a horror movie. Creeping around an old attic, she’d know exactly what emotions to summon.
Joe and Goldie traveled up the stairs to the massive attic.
“There it is. The trap did its job.”
“Is she okay?”
“Yes, but we’re going to need to restore this attic. It’s a mess.”
“Yeah, it is.”
