Page 96 of A Dream for Daphne

“I’m sticking to it,” Raine said. “He might not want to hear it, but he’s sounding like Brooks.”

“Don’t insult me,” Aster said. “I’m not that grouchy.”

“You’re not grouchy at all,” Raine said. “Just frustrated over having that sling on your arm and worrying about me and your sister. Nothing is going to happen to us if you can’t use one arm. Don’t worry.”

“I’ll step in and take care of anything you need,” Abe said. “No worries. Daphne knows how to reach me. I know you’re good at fixing things and like your plants and flowers, but I think I might have an upper hand, no pun intended, on you in some areas.”

Aster finally laughed.

32

TALKS ABOUT YOU

“Thanks for coming so quickly,” Brittany Brennan said to Abe five days later. “I know that there is no way I’ll get this project done this year, but I’m curious about the cost and when you could do it.”

“Not a problem,” he said. His phone had been ringing off the hook for quotes. Not all panned out, but he wasn’t going to be slow getting to people either. “Tell me exactly what it is you’re looking for.”

“Why don’t you come around back,” Brittany said. “My husband is working late tonight, but he said this was my thing anyway, so I can give you an idea. I can change it though before it’s done, right?”

“Sure,” he said. “It might change the quote, depending on what it is you’re going to adjust.”

Brittany laughed. “I know. I think what I’d change is the materials not what I want built.”

“Then yes, that is what would affect the quote more than anything,” he said, following her around back.

It’d been a long day for him and this was on his way home. It was easier for most people for him to come after hours so theydidn’t have to take time off of work. He just hated that he looked as if he’d worked a full day.

But he knew he didn’t stink. He’d checked and reapplied deodorant that he kept in his truck. He even had Handi Wipes for his face and hands. One thing he couldn’t stand was dirt under his nails if he wasn’t actually at the site working.

If he’d been at the McGill Estate today, he would have showered quickly at Daphne’s, but he wasn’t. Mac was there watching the crew and Abe was getting Travis set up for a two-day job that he trusted Travis could handle once he’d done a bit of work himself.

“As you can see, the yard is plain. I hate it. We like to sit back here on the deck, but I hate the grill here too. I’d like to move the grill down and build an outdoor kitchen of sorts. So we’d need a patio to have it all on. It’d be nice to have a built-in fire pit with it.”

He was writing it all on his pad. It was quicker for him to do that than type on a laptop. He’d do that later tonight when he was putting a quote together. He actually spent some more time plugging it all into software, generating a draft with measurements and 3D pictures.

Abe didn’t care if it took more time. It looked more professional. If he wanted to grow, he had to show he played with the big boys.

He pulled out a tape measure. “How far out do you want to go?” he asked.

Brittany walked several feet. “I’d say to about here, give or take.”

He measured the distance out. “And wide?”

He did the same once she moved. “This is so exciting.”

He smiled. He loved when people got as giddy over projects as he did. “What kind of materials are you thinking for the patio?Concrete or stone? We can pour concrete and make it look like stone too. It’s a new method we’ve been using.”

He was pretty proud of the few he’d done. He’d tested it at his house first. Then did another run of it at Mac’s. So far he hadn’t been able to get a client to grab it, but understood the reluctance too. Concrete could shift and crack in the range of temperatures they had in the Northeast.

“I’ve found some stone I like,” Brittany said. “Can I show it to you?”

“Please do,” he said. She pulled her phone out, showed him the pictures and he took note of what they were. “I can get that. You want the different sizes and a pattern like that?” It was more labor intensive so he’d factor that in.

“Yes. That’s part of the appeal,” Brittany said.

“For the kitchen, are you putting in appliances here and just want me to build it out or install them also?”

“Install them. The same with the fire pit. This is what I want,” Brittany said.

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