Page 20 of Ten Beach Road

“Because . . . ?” Avery prompted, trying to hold on to her temper and knowing that Madeline and Nicole would need an explanation.

“Because it’s one of the finest examples of Mediterranean Revival you’re going to find here on the west coast of Florida. There’s one Addison Mizner up on Park Street, but it’s more Palladian villa than true Mediterranean Revival. Because there are a handful of Schooley’s in Pasadena and in the northeast section of St. Pete, but this house is fabulous. And its tie to the Don CeSar, the fact that it was built right around the same time, makes it even more important than it would be on its own.” He aimed all of this at her in the tone of a teacher speaking to a not particularly bright pupil.

Avery’s hands fisted on her hips just above her tool belt. He was lucky she wasn’t packing anything more deadly than a nail gun.

Jeff Hardin laid a hand on his son’s shoulder. “Everyone’s not out to save old houses like you are, Chase, and we promised to present both sides.”

“There is no other side. This house is way too beautiful to be torn down. Period.”

When no one immediately protested, Chase continued. “Right now the dirt and grime is covering up a lot of incredible workmanship. But the plumbing is in relatively good shape—Robby, our plumber, could take care of those leaks and go over it more thoroughly. The electrical has already been updated—probably in the seventies when the kitchen was redone. That’s probably when the central air went in, too. It’s going to need a full overhaul, but the original steam heat system is a really cool feature, though I don’t really have anyone down here with the experience to work on it. The roof needs work, but not a complete replacement.” The condescension he’d shown Avery had given way to a passion that lit his eyes in a way that his smile hadn’t. It was the same kind of passion her father had brought to the homes he built, the very same passion that had made Avery want to be an architect. “The wood is all Florida cypress, which was originally hugely expensive but was put in because bugs don’t like it and it lasts forever. Why, a little—”

“Promise me you arenotgoing to say ‘a little tender loving care,’ ” Nicole interrupted.

“No, it needs more than that,” he conceded. “But it’s not like you’d be starting from scratch. There’s just no question that this work can and should be done. What did the Realtor tell you—a couple million more if the renovation is complete?”

“Yes,” Avery said, drawn to his enthusiasm but still chafing at his air of superiority. “But completing the house would cost a lot more than the fifteen thousand it would cost to pull it down.”

Madeline nodded. The brunette had been worrying her lip between her teeth through most of Chase’s impassioned plea. “We came here to put this house on the market, not to sink a ton of money into remodeling it.”

“Damn straight,” Nicole said, her green eyes fierce.

Avery admired a lot of things about this house. If she’d had the money, she might have enjoyed nursing it back to life. She was even willing to concede that Chase Hardin seemed to know what he was talking about. But his complete dismissal of her made agreeing with him pretty much impossible. So did her lack of money.

“Look,” Avery said. “The house is great. I’ve always admired Mediterranean Revival style and thisisa fabulous example of it. But none of us live here or, as far as I know, have plans to. We just want to sell our communal asset as quickly as possible.” She kept her tone chilly, but Chase Hardin didn’t seem to notice.

“You don’t want to put this house on the market right now,” Chase said, his voice ringing with certainty. “Not in this economy and not at this time of year.” He didn’t even refer to the teardown as an option. “It’s already May. In another few weeks summer will be here full blast. You know, the hot, muggy, close-to-hundred-degree days when just moving requires maximum effort. That is not the time to try to get a wealthy northerner to invest in property here. Maybe in Maine. Or the North Carolina mountains. Not here.”

So far Chase Hardin and John Franklin were on the same page, but their agendas were not necessarily hers.

“What would it cost to get the house ready enough to put on the market for a high-end buyer?” Madeline asked softly.

“Well, it would depend,” he said.

“Here it comes,” Nicole said. “Brace yourselves, ladies.”

Avery braced; she sensed Madeline doing the same.

Chase Hardin turned to his father. “Well, first of all I assume we’re talking wholesale prices for materials and labor. New construction is a long way from anything resembling a full recovery, so our regular suppliers are hurting and ready to deal and our subs will kill to work at all.”

His father nodded agreement. “That’s true.”

Chase hesitated, still thinking, then said, “And I would be willing to waive any fees as contractor in return for a share of the profits when the house is sold.”

It was a bold offer. Avery sensed Nicole and Madeline trying to size him up as they weighed it. All three of them had lost more than they should have to a skilled swindler; no one wanted to travel that road again.

“You still haven’t told us how much we’d have to come up with to cover the out-of-pocket expenses,” Avery said. “No matter how bad the construction industry is, your suppliers and subs, not to mention the skilled artisans we’re going to have to call on occasion, aren’t going to give us materials or work for free.”

“Completely true,” Jeff Hardin agreed again.

“All right,” Chase said. “Let me think.”

They watched him for a few long moments, none of them talking as he studied the house, lost in thought. In the silence Avery told herself to just calm down and hear what the man had to say. However condescending and annoying he was, he was Jeff’s son and he was connected in the construction industry here in ways she wasn’t. He had experience they could benefit from.

An odd smile tugged at his lips and she was struck by how handsome he was when he wasn’t scowling. “Okay,” he finally said. “What if I cover those out-of-pocket expenses and keep receipts, and I get paid back at closing, right off the top?”

“So we’d have no up-front expense?” Nicole asked. “You’d serve as contractor for a percentage of the sale price and get reimbursed for documented hard costs out of the proceeds?”

“Yes.” He nodded. “It’s a clear win-win.”

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