That would be a bit odd, especially since I knew Frieda generally insisted on handling everything herself. She was a hard ass who drove a hard bargain and got the hard stuff done, all of which was to say that she didn’t usually shy away from the challenge of doing things herself.
“No, not for me. I want you to talk to her foryou.” She opened her office door and strode inside, waving a hand toward her desk.
I stopped short when I saw the fabric books and paint samples on it, squinting as I tried to make out what was underneath it all. “Is that amood board?”
“Yes, but it’s a useless fucking tool. I have no idea how it’s supposed to help.” She walked around her desk and dropped into her chair, leaned back and looked directly at me. “How much would it cost for you to repaint and redesign every room in this motel from top to bottom? I’m talking from the ground up.”
I stared at her for several long seconds, my head spinning and my ears turning warm. I would’ve been less shocked if she’d made a pass at me. This was…
Shit, I don’t even have a word for it.“What are you even talking about?”
“You’ve been in Theo’s room recently, and there’s no need for blushing or denying it. I know you saw my dilemma firsthand, which means you already know that this old place needs a complete makeover.”
Heat flooded my cheeks and I blinked rapidly. “I mean, yeah. The rooms are probably a little dated.”
She arched a perfectly manicured eyebrow at me. “Probably? This ain’t going to work if you’re not honest with me, honey.”
“Okay, fine. They’re fully dated, but I’m not a contractor.”
She shrugged. “Neither are half the people on those home renovations shows, and I’ve seen what they can do.”
“I’d be more than happy to help you.”
“That’s exactly what I’m asking you to do,” she said. “So, how much?”
“No, that’s not what I meant. I could just help you pick out some things.”
“You are aterriblebusinesswoman.” She sighed as she grabbed her cigarette pack and started tapping it on the desk, almost like it was as much of a habit as the smoking itself. “Don’t worry about that, though. We’ll work on it. Can you give me a ballpark figure?”
My brain started doing the math of its own accord. Since I’d been so busy with my house recently, I had a general idea of the prices of things like paint, flooring, fixtures, furniture, and window treatments. It would be a lot just for all that, even without accounting for labor, materials, or time.
“I don’t know.” I lifted a hand to pinch the bridge of my nose. “I really would be happy to just give you some advice, but even then, it wouldn’t be cheap.”
She folded her arms on the desk, exasperation shining in her eyes. “You’re not hearing me, Raquel. I don’t only want your advice. I want you to do it for me. If I thought I could do it myself, I would have done it years ago, but I don’t have the eye, the patience, or the inclination to learn how to do it properly. Would fifty thousand suffice?”
The number ricocheted through my mind. Fifty thousand dollars, the exact amount missing from the shop. The exact amount Avery had been desperately trying to replace.
Very slowly, I narrowed my eyes, not missing the sneaky gleam sparkling in hers. “What are you up to, Frieda?”
She shrugged. “You’ll probably need to call Theo.”
I folded my arms across my chest. “Why? We’re not talking anymore, if that’s what you’re thinking.”
“You’ll have to get a list of everything he did around here and what he was working on before Avery ran him out of town.”
I winced. “Theodecidedto leave. He wasn’t run out of town.”
She looked up at me again, the expression on her face quite clearly suggesting she thought I was an idiot. “Of course, but the fact remains that you’re going to have to give him a call. Unless you want to skimp on your very first contracting job, that is.”
“No, but Theo and I are done and one phone call isn’t going to change that.”
Frieda laughed, finally rising out of her chair again and grabbing another cigarette from her pack. I frowned as I watched her move back toward the door. “What’s so funny?”
“You.”
I groaned. “Well, I’m glad I could entertain you, but I should be getting back to the shop.”
“In a minute,” she said happily, shuffling toward the door and lighting the cigarette as soon as she hit the porch.
