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Charlotte’s brow wrinkled. “Make what easier?”
“Maybe you wouldn’t have staged a protest if you knew I was coming and why.”
“Oh.” She cleared her throat. “That.”
“When you’re finally able to find your phone, you’ll probably find about four voice mails from the lawyer in charge of Chris and Amie’s estate.”
A pale pink flush tinged the tops of her cheeks. “What’s on the voice mails?”
“You may find that the handcuffs were overkill, because I’m not here to sell the Campbell House. They wanted it finished, so it’ll get finished. But I’ll have help.”
The pulse at the base of her throat fluttered wildly. “You’re not selling?”
I shook my head slowly.
“Who’s coming to help you?”
I set my jaw and refused to blink. “No one new is coming, because she’s already here. And is willing to lock herself to the premises in order to stay that way.”
Her mouth fell open. “Really? I’m not losing my job?”
I looked pointedly at the handcuffs. “Much to my dismay.”
Charlotte remained shockingly unruffled. “Then why did you tell my aunt and Richard you wanted to sell?”
“Blind optimism.”
“Are you always this friendly with strangers?”
“The sarcasm isn’t appreciated, especially considering I’m the one who’s supposed to pay you until the house is finished.”
She nodded, seemingly finding some nugget of information in my answer that was important.
“What?”
Charlotte sighed, settling back in her seat to study me. “I’d offer to give you a tour of the house. Tell you about how I knew Chris and Amie, why we love this house so much. But I don’t think I’ll waste my breath.”
“You’re not gonna bring out your PowerPoint?”
I wasn’t sure where this snappish, sarcastic version of me was coming from. I’d never spoken to a woman like this in my entire life, not one I’d immediately found attractive and certainly not one who was supposed to make this endeavor easier on me. But I couldn’t stop the words. Charlotte Cunningham, it seemed, was very skilled at igniting my temper. ProbablybecauseI found her attractive. Like Murphy’s Law.
“No way. Only nice people get to see that. Maybe the longer you’re here, you’ll earn the right.”
I whistled. “You’re getting feistier now that you’re unlocked.”
She held up her hands and jangled the metal. “Not exactly.”
“My path to PowerPoint redemption will have to wait,” I said. “I’m leaving first thing in the morning.”
At the abrupt change of subject, she dropped her hands. “What?”
“I have to be in Florida tomorrow. All I planned to do was sign paperwork at the bank, meet you, and make sure you weren’t doing anything too illegal ...” My eyebrows rose slowly. “Jury’s still out on that one.”
Unfortunately, Charlotte didn’t rise to the bait. “You just got here. We have to talk about the budget and a timeline. We have to find a new contractor.”
“You’re the project manager. I assume that’s well within your job description.”
“You just told me you wish you could fire me, and now you refuse to be involved at all?”
