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  “Oh, it took me a while to figure it out,” John answered with a grin.

  “Yeah, right,” she replied. “Why would I have thought the meeting was Tuesday?” she wondered aloud. “I’m usually more attentive to those kinds of details.”

  “You’ve got a lot on your plate,” he said.

  “I think, maybe, I locked onto the date. I had the tenth in my head, and today must be…”

  “The ninth.”

  “Right, well, I guess we should get started, but I’d like to get dressed, first.”

  “Probably a good idea,” John replied, half of his grin still evident.

  Maddy scowled and got up from the table. “I can’t believe I slept in today. I haven’t missed the sunrise since I moved here. I’m usually up way before this.” The coffee was definitely kicking in. “I’ll be back in a minute,” she said. “You and Burt can bond.”

  The grin left John’s face as Maddy walked to the door.

  “Burt, stay,” she said as he tried to follow her inside. She wanted John to be the uneasy one, and his discomfort with the dog helped. Burt sat down and regarded her sadly as she walked through the door and it banged! shut behind her.

  “I can fix that,” John called after her.

  “Don’t you dare! I like it that way.”

  

  It didn’t take Maddy long to get dressed, but it felt like forever to John, who refused to move as long as the dog sat staring at him.

  “So, you think you can run faster than me?”

  Burt understood this as an invitation to approach, and he lumbered over to John and slumped down in front of him. John shifted in his chair to accommodate the large animal at his feet.

  A few minutes later, Maddy appeared wearing jeans and a T-shirt, her hair pulled back in a pony tail.

  John forgot about the dog and smiled. “That was fast.”

  “I was motivated. I find that people don’t take me as seriously when I’m in my bathrobe.”

  “I imagine that’s true.”

  Maddy grimaced, and John continued. “So, why don’t you tell me what you’re thinking? I have a pretty good idea of what you need, but I’d like to get your take on things before we walk through.”

  Maddy’s head spun; she had hoped to be more prepared for this meeting. Sitting down across from him, she pulled her pad in front of her.

  “I hardly know where to begin.” She flipped through the pages. “I figure we should start upstairs. It’s a mess. One room needs … well, I call it the ‘hole-room.’ You’ll see what I mean. I think someone pushed a dresser through the wall, or something. All of the rooms need repair of some kind or other.” She sighed. “The wallpaper needs to be stripped. It seems to be hung indiscriminately throughout the house, and where there isn’t paper, the walls are pretty beat up. Then they’ll all need painting, of course.”

  She paused to catch her breath. “I would like all the carpet pulled and the floors refinished. There’s some beautiful wide-wood flooring. I’m not sure if that’s what you call it, but I like it, and I’d like to see if it’s worth restoring.”

  John nodded, grinning.

  “What?” She couldn’t possibly have displayed some amusing lack of knowledge about remodeling already.

  “Oh, nothing,” John chuckled. “It’s just that what you said rhymed; flooring and restoring. I just had this vision of you making your whole list rhyme.”

  Maddy regarded him, and then broke into a smile herself.

  John enjoyed the transformation. “I’m sorry. Most of my reading is at a four-year-old level right now, so a lot of it rhymes… Please, go ahead.”

  “I’m afraid the rest of the list isn’t so entertaining. The bathrooms are a mess, and I don’t have any hot water. I think something’s terribly wrong with the water heater in the cellar, but I haven’t hung out down there long enough to check it out.” She shuddered and sheepishly added, “That’s the one part of the house that kind of creeps me out.”

  John grinned. “We’ll take care of the water heater.”

  “Thanks.” Maddy was beginning to sense the lifting of a monumental burden. It was a more welcome feeling than she could have imagined. She looked back at her list.

  “Anyway, I figure if you get the bedrooms to the point where I can take over with decorating, then I’ll keep busy while you guys work on the lower level. This floor has its own challenges.” She took a deep breath. “All of the rooms need paint, and a lot of the woodwork needs to be stripped and refinished. You probably noticed the dining room on your way in; it looks like someone spray-painted with guacamole. I can’t imagine why they picked that color, or covered that beautiful woodwork.”

  “I’ve asked that same question many times.”

  Maddy continued. “I’d like to put up new wainscoting throughout the lower level, and again, I’d like to find the wooden floor under all the carpeting. The kitchen needs a whole lot of updating, but it’s functional.” She looked up. “How does that sound for starters?”

  “Sounds like fun,” John replied, pleased by Maddy’s energy and vision for the house. Many of the homeowners he worked with were difficult and often clueless about the demands they made.

  “I’m guessing this is going to take a while,” she said. “You mentioned having a three-month time frame with your crew, and I’d love to be open by Labor Day. Do you have any idea if that’s realistic?”

  “It’s hard to tell – it depends on the extent of the repairs, among many other things,” John answered. “I have a partner and two guys who work for me over the summer. My plumber comes and goes as the job dictates. I do have a few others that I use for work that may need to be contracted out, if we get in a pinch.” John glanced at her pad. “New roof – that’s a big job in itself.”

  “Yeah, I didn’t get to the outside list.”

  “We do roofs,” he assured her, standing up. “Okay. This is where you give me a little tour, and we decide what it’s going to take to get you up and running.”

  “Sounds good,” said Maddy, pushing away from the table. “Brace yourself, it’s not pretty.”

  

  They stood in the kitchen and looked from one end to the other. It was a large room, and it needed a lot of work. The floor needed replacing, and the cupboards were pretty beat up. The sink was original and had the accompanying charm and limited functionality. The appliances were dated, dented and ugly; replacing them would be a priority before Maddy opened for business.

  John jotted down notes as she made her observations about the room.

  “I don’t know if it’s practical, but I’d like to keep the sink the way it is, if we can just clean it up and check the plumbing. I like the idea of keeping as much of the original house as possible.”

  John nodded and wrote in his notebook.

  “Same thing with the cupboards,” she continued. “I know they aren’t very up-to-date, but the wood seems nice and solid, and I’d like to make them work.” She looked back at John and found his eyes were on her instead of the cupboards, a thoughtful look on his face. “Something wrong?”

  “Oh, no,” John smiled. “I’m just surprised; pleased, but surprised.”

  “About what?” What could possibly make him happy about her dirty old cupboards?

  John walked over, opened one of them and looked inside. “Most people just want to scrap the old stuff and put in new.” He ran his finger along one of the hinges and turned to her. “We do it all the time, and it’s really a shame. Like you, I prefer the idea of preserving the original as much as possible. It takes longer and it’s not always cheaper, but it’s what real restoring is about.”

  “Would this be a bad time to tell you that I want to change the color?”

  John chuckled. “Just don’t tell me you want them avocado green.”

  Maddy smiled. “I just want them lightened up. This dark wood makes the kitchen look smaller, and, I don’t know, less inviting. I think a light cream color would be nice.”
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br />   John looked around the room and nodded. “It will brighten the space considerably.”

  “I’d also like glass panels in some of these upper cupboards.”

  John agreed. “That will help open up the space, too. You might even consider leaving the doors off altogether here, and here.” He pointed along the wall and Maddy tried to visualize his suggestion.

  “There will be no hiding anything, will there?”

  John smiled. “We’ve done it in some of our restorations by necessity, but I’ve come to like the look of the open space.” He wrote something down, and looked up again. “You’ve got plenty of time to decide.”

  They went on to discuss the appliances and flooring, and then John gestured at the ceiling. “It will take some effort to restore the tin; what do you think?”

  Maddy followed his gaze. Tin ceiling? She hadn’t noticed the ceiling at all, and she didn’t have any idea if it was worth restoring. “I’ll have to give that some thought, too,” she stalled, determined to hide her ignorance about Victorian home restoration for as long as possible.

  They moved to the large living area that shared the ocean view with the kitchen. An enormous fireplace took up half of the interior wall. Windows made up most of the rest of the perimeter of the room, allowing for the breathtaking water view from just about any vantage point. Their footsteps echoed across the wooden floor as John checked windows and gave the fireplace an initial inspection. Maddy watched him and wondered what kinds of things made it onto his list.

  “This is a great fireplace,” he said.

  “Yeah, I thought so, too.” Maddy joined him in the middle of the room.

  “You’ll be glad you have it in the winter.”

  “I’ll be glad if I can build a fire by then.”

  John turned to look at her. “You don’t know how to make a fire?”

  Maddy shrugged. “No. But I’ll figure it out.”

  “You know it gets cold up here? Really cold?”

  “I believe it.”

  “I’ll show you how to make a fire.”

  Maddy smiled sweetly. “We’d better see if you want this job, first.”

  John shook his head as he followed her out of the room. Does she have any idea what she’s in for? Living on the coast of Maine was not just about sitting on the beach. He hoped she would make it through her first winter before hustling back to the West Coast.

  They crossed back to another room behind the kitchen, which Maddy figured would be her bedroom, eventually. The carpeting was old and worn and the walls reflected its shabby state. Still, the room had possibilities, and Maddy liked the fact that a door led out to the porch that wrapped around the beachside of the house.

  The tour continued through the rest of the lower level, which included a front hall, a large parlor and a smaller sitting room, the dining room, two bathrooms and a laundry room. John continued to write detailed notes, and Maddy made a few of her own.

  “Are you ready to go upstairs?” she asked hesitantly.

  “Sure.”

  They walked back through the kitchen to the rear staircase.

  “I’m only using the kitchen stairs right now,” Maddy explained as she opened the door. “You saw that I have the front staircase blocked off so that Burt won’t go upstairs while it’s under construction, so to speak.”

  John nodded, visibly relieved that he didn’t have to ask for that little perk.

  They walked through four of the five bedrooms that filled the second floor. These rooms shared a large bath, which needed a new tub, among other things. Maddy began to worry, again, about the size of the job that she had taken on.

  John gestured up to the third floor. “Attic?”

  “Yeah, we can take a look,” Maddy said, leading him up the steps.

  “You could easily finish this at some point,” John said, looking around. “The ceiling is high enough, and you’ve got plenty of windows.”

  “I was thinking the same thing,” Maddy replied. “It will have to wait a while, but I think this would be a great living space. I’d need a bathroom installed, and a porch,” she pointed to the ocean side.

  “Some interesting possibilities,” John agreed. “What’s next?”

  Maddy led him down the steps and on to the master bedroom. John walked in and whistled.

  “Well, you certainly have the view.” He took in the simply decorated but orderly room and the incredible seascape just beyond the windows. “This is very nice.”

  The large room was sparse, but warmed up by the bedding, curtains and floor rugs Maddy had chosen. There was a massive four-poster bed against the wall opposite the windows, which seemed to fit the house but looked out of place with the rest of the furnishings. Other than the small bedside table, there was an antique dresser that needed refinishing, an old rocker and a floor lamp next to the window. A hope chest, equally old, lined the wall further down. Neatly labeled boxes stood in the corner to his right, and to the left a wall of built-in bookshelves and cupboards needed serious attention.

  “So, I can’t help but notice that you have almost no furniture in the house, and yet you have this huge bed,” John observed. “I don’t suppose you moved that across the country?”

  “Oh, no. I found this beautiful thing at an estate sale the day after I arrived.” Maddy ran her hand along the smooth wooden post. “I wasn’t really expecting to start shopping so early, but the sale was in the neighborhood, so I thought I’d check it out. I got my kitchen table and chairs there, too.”

  “That’s convenient.”

  “Yeah. The guy had his sons deliver the furniture and set up the bed for me. It was nice.”

  John walked to the bathroom door. “Mind if I go in here?”

  “Go ahead.” Maddy crossed the room to join him. “Isn’t it beautiful?” She gestured at the claw-foot tub. “If the view hadn’t sold me, I think the tub would have,” she mused aloud.

  John grinned. “It’s a great bathtub.” He looked up in the corner and pointed with his pencil. “You’re going to need that leak repaired; no telling what’s behind that stain.”

  “I’m afraid to find out,” Maddy replied, following his gaze. “I have a feeling I’ll be saying that a lot.”

  “The sink will need to be replaced,” John continued. “But you probably knew that.”

  “The big crack in the basin was a pretty good clue.”

  John walked out into the bedroom, taking in the ocean view. “You’d make good money on this room.”

  “Oh, I know I’ll have to give it up,” she agreed. “I’ll use that room off the kitchen downstairs. I just figured I’d take advantage of this one while I’m restoring the place.”

  “I’d do the same thing. Do they work okay?” He nodded at the double doors leading onto the balcony.

  “They stick a little, but I’ve used them every day, until this morning, that is. We can go out if you like.”

  Maddy opened one of the doors and stepped onto the balcony. It was roomy enough for the table and chairs she envisioned for the space. For now, it just held two plastic lawn chairs; all that she really needed to enjoy the exquisite view.

  “This is my favorite part of the house,” she said, leaning out over the railing and relishing the sea breeze on her face.

  John resisted the urge to pull her back. “It is beautiful, but it’s just as nice from back here.”

  “You’re not afraid of heights, too?” she teased.

  “No, I’m just used to protecting little bodies from leaning, jumping and even just standing where they shouldn’t.” He grinned. “Sorry about that. I guess you can handle yourself.”

  Maddy turned back to the railing with a smile. “I figure I can sand and paint these rails and the deck area up here.”

  “Every bit that you can do will help.” John closed his notebook. He didn’t say that to every homeowner, but Maddy seemed up for the challenge. Looking out over the water, he said, “You have a beautiful spot here.”

  “Oh, I
know, this is absolutely a dream.” Maddy hesitated. “Think you can help me out?”

  John looked at her for a moment. “I’m sure we can help, but I’ll need to give you a more detailed bid and see if you’re still interested in working with me.”

  He gave her a half smile, which Maddy found almost as unnerving as ‘the look.’ “Is there anything else you need from me before you can do that?”

  John flipped through his pad. “I should probably have a look at your water heater in the cellar. Are you game?”

  “Absolutely. I’ll follow you.”

  

  Maddy walked Burt slowly through the center of town, noting the various stores that she would visit later. She was happy to see at least two antique places, some interesting gift shops and a used book store.

  As she walked, she replayed the morning and her meeting with Mr. Fordham. As intriguing as he was, she wasn’t sure it was particularly wise to have someone like him under her roof all summer long. She knew of several other contractors, but they all worked individually on smaller jobs. Fordham-Davidson Renovations at least had a crew, and she had a feeling it would take a small army to get her home ready for guests by the end of the summer.

  She was, admittedly, pleased with his approach so far. He had asked a lot of questions and taken as many notes. He didn’t seem put off when she didn’t have answers, and wasn’t condescending or patronizing. Deep down, she hoped that his bid would be reasonable. She checked her watch again. He had said he’d be back with the contract before five. A few more hours, and she’d have a pretty good idea how she’d be spending the rest of her summer.

  

  Unfortunately, Maddy wasn’t ready for John the second time he stopped by, either. She’d decided to start sanding the rails on her porch, a fairly demanding task that she figured would effectively employ the energy she would otherwise have spent pacing while she waited for him to return. She completely lost track of time, and it wasn’t until John appeared on the beach that she realized how consumed she’d become with her project.