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“He’d never get away with that today, that’s for sure,” Gaines said.
“You ain’t kiddin’. I was on the cusp of the sexual revolution. And it’s still revolting. Women have to work much harder than men and get paid eighty percent of what they are for doing the same job, only better. But don’t get me started.” She laughed.
“I totally get it. I am glad I don’t have to raise a daughter. Although I’m sure she would be a daddy’s girl, but a son just seems much easier.”
“Tell that to a mother chasing after a three-year-old boy!”
“Good point. I think that was one of the many arguments my ex and I had. She would be exhausted by the end of the day. And not in a terrific mood either.”
Luna realized that was one of the very few times he had mentioned his ex-wife. “So now you’re dealing with an adolescent.”
Gaines chuckled. “Yeah. Lucky me. But he’s really a good kid. As far as I know anyway.” He slowly disengaged himself from his position and stood up. Luna thought she was going to faint. There was an obvious level of intimacy between the two of them. The question was who was going to make the first move? Or had they already? Maybe it was time for the second move. But who was going to be the one to do it?
She made a rough sketch of the existing kitchen floor plan. “Gas or electric?” She nodded at the old avocado-colored stove.
“Gas.”
“OK. Basement?”
“Full size.”
“Great. We’ll remove the broom closet and move the fridge there. That will give you more counter space between the stove and refrigerator. You won’t lose any cabinet space once you install the island. And we can put a pantry cabinet at the end of this wall.” She pointed to the wall that separated the kitchen from the living room. “It will be a functional L-shape work space with the island in the middle.” She scribbled her idea on the pad. “You’ll have more counter space and room for a dishwasher.” She showed him her idea.
“I hear the sound of a cash register.” Gaines moaned.
“Look. You already took down the Sheetrock. Yes, appliances are expensive, but you don’t have to go all Viking or Sub-Zero. There are very good moderately priced appliances that are available, unless you’re planning on doing a Martha Stewart cooking demo in here.” She looked up at him and smiled.
“So, what do you think this production is going to cost?”
She took out her tape measure and nodded to him.
“Let’s take some measurements.”
When they were done, she did a few calculations. The area was twelve-by-twelve. She was talking out loud. “Allowing thirty-six inches for the refrigerator, thirty inches for the stove, twenty-four inches for the return cabinets, you can put a thirty-inch base between the stove and fridge, and either a twenty-four-inch drawer cabinet or doors. On the sink side, you’ll have a pantry cabinet at the end, and there should be enough counter space if you want to make it a dry bar or wet bar. The island would be one solid piece. I think the biggest job will be the load bearing wall.”
Gaines took a big deep breath. “I’m planning on doing a lot of the work myself, with the exception of plumbing and electrical work.”
“Did you have a budget in mind?”
“Yes, but I think I was being delusional.”
“For example?”
“I was thinking twenty grand?”
“If you don’t use slate or granite, you might be able to bring it in under thirty.”
“But isn’t granite the big thing now?”
“There are a lot of options that are half the price. Trust me. You get light-colored cabinets, stainless appliances, good lighting, the countertop will not be the focal point. The island will be. You can use granite there if you want. But honestly, with a kid and his friends, granite can chip, and it’s way expensive to fix. I’ll go with you to pick stuff out when you’re ready. And I bet Cullen can find you a really cool light fixture for the island. A few high-hat floods on dimmers. It will look great.”
“You sure you want to take it on?”
Luna was imagining herself in the finished product. “Yes. It will be fun. Especially since I won’t be paying for it!” She hooted. “Now, about all this brown.” She stood and twirled her finger around the room.
“I get a headache thinking about removing it. Lord knows what’s underneath. If anything.” Gaines sighed again.
“What I suggest is a chair railing. You can cover the bottom section with a light-colored fabric and paint the top section white or light gray. Do it all the way around. It will make the place feel bigger, too.” Luna looked down. “At least the floors look good.”
