“Are you sure we can trust Serena?” Jesse paced the perimeter of the space.
“One hundred percent. She’s almost as excited as I am about revitalizing the store. She says you’re the best man for the job. I didn’t know you built her family’s front porch. It’s lovely.” The covered porch he’d added to the home ran the full length of the house and blended perfectly with the home’s style. It was stunning.
“I’ve done a lot of small jobs, probably hundreds. You might be surprised at how much work I’ve done.”
“Probably not, I’ve been talking to Beth. She sings your praises. You’ve got a fan there.” Her bestie was thrilled to learn Hailey had contracted Jesse. She’d positively gushed about his work. She really couldn’t say enough positive things, but Hailey got the distinct impression Beth hadn’t told her everything. She seemed to be hiding something, which made Hailey uneasy, but she let it slide. Beth had a way of revealing everything when the time was right and Hailey trusted her implicitly. If Beth said Jesse was all right, she’d take her at her word. For now.
“Let’s see those sketches.” Jesse stood beside the folding table turned workspace Hailey had dragged in earlier.
“The wall between the stores has a beam supported by tele posts.” She tapped a blueprint of the building. “I think we can cut three openings, between the posts, to open the two stores as much as possible. We’re lucky it’s just a firewall, not brick.”
He studied the blueprint so long she started to panic. Finally, he lifted his head to look at her, his blue eyes sparkled, drawing her in. “Doable. If there is no plumbing in there.”
“There shouldn’t be. Each unit is plumbed separately.” At least she hoped so. “I’ve gotten approval to remove the firewall.” Each suite in the long building was separated from its neighbors by a protective, fire-retardant barrier. “It’s legal since we’re turning the stores into one space.”
“Good work. We’re clear to take out the wall then. You’ll need to relocate everything on the other side. I’ll need a space three feet wide. Room enough to move about in. I’ll box in the area with plastic walls to reduce dust on the other side.”
She grinned. “I already have Serena clearing space. The shelves are nearly bare anyway. I guess Mom’s reluctance to buy stock is working in my favor.” She never thought she’d hear herself say that.
“Is your mom okay with the renovation disruption?” He seemed genuinely concerned. “Not many people are happy with the mess or the noise.”
Hailey laughed wryly. “Not really, but she’s going along to keep Dad happy. They leave for BC in four days. Mom is dying to see Elton John in concert. Dad got them tickets at Rogers Arena in Vancouver. Plus, tickets to Cirque du Soleil. She wouldn’t miss either for the world.”
“That’s a dirty trick.” He laughed.
“She’ll love it. Neither Dad nor I feel guilty about it either. They need the time together.” She waved toward the adjoining wall. “Let’s mark the wall where the openings will be.”
He pulled a stud finder and a tape measure from the tool belt slung low on his hips. Somehow, the multi-pocketed leather tool pouch suited him. They consulted the plans and started measuring. “I’m not sure about this point here, I’ll have to go carefully. I’m getting a beep, telling me there’s something behind the drywall. Might just be a glitch, but it could be serious.”
“I hoped it would go easy.” It would have been nice to smash the wall, then and there, but she knew better than to plow ahead without thought. “Can we knock it down now?” She asked hopefully.
Jesse’s laugh was infectious. They laughed until they were breathless. “Not until I build the dust frame on the other side. We need to keep the mess contained. Trust me on this.”
Dang. She really wanted to take out the wall with a big hammer. “How long does a frame take?”
“Let’s finish up here. We’ll get the wall marked and I’ll take another look at your concept and then hit the lumber yard. If you help, we can put it up tonight and start demolition first thing in the morning.”
She clapped her hands. “Excellent. I’ll show you my rough plans.”
They stood, side by side, at the small table, shoulders brushing. She pulled in a deep, quiet breath, enjoying his masculine scent. He always smelled deliciously like mint and cedar. She was becoming addicted to the combination. She flipped open a file folder to reveal a childishly drawn sketch.
“This is your design?” She pivoted to look at him. He grinned. “Not much of an artist, are you?”
His wink sent a thrill racing through her.
“What?” She feigned indignation. “This is a perfectly rendered, artist’s conception. Any carpenter worth his salt can turn my beautiful drawing into reality. Are you up for it? Are you capable?” she teased.
He bowed low. “Yes, boss lady. I am capable. I’m the best carpenter in town. Ask anyone. The sketch is rough, but I can see where you’re going.”
“Thank goodness.” She’d worried her crude drawing wouldn’t make sense to anyone but herself. Drawing was not a skill she’d ever mastered. “I’m thinking shelves all around. Rustic wood look, but smooth. Lots of wood. Some lighted glass, especially here, in the corners.” She pointed to the corners on the sketch. “I’d like rounded edge quarter circles with lights.”
“I can do that. It’ll be straight forward. I’ll work on the wood shelving while the drywall mud and paint dry to speed up completion time.”
They discussed details and with every moment, her excitement grew. He understood her vision perfectly. “I have an idea.” He flipped over one of her sketches. “What if we use custom shelving in the middle, like this?” He sketched quickly, a few strokes of his pencil revealing his idea. “We’d put glass, here and here to give us the tree shaped displays you mentioned. You could line up four of them in the middle aisle.”
“I love it.” His design was easy to envision. It was simple, elegant and effective, and shouldn’t be too difficult to create. She hoped.
“What’s your budget for all this work? Do you have one?”
