“Your parents sound amazing.” And so different from mine. After my childhood, children were never on my radar, but maybe I just needed different role models. Like Sophia’s parents, who adopted five children and knit them into a family.
For a split second, I have an image of Sophia holding a baby in her arms, Damien and I looking on proudly. I shake my head and dispel that fantasy. It’s too soon—we haven’t even gone out on a proper date yet. Sex after a day of hard labor doesn’t count, and neither does the hasty dinner we had before Club M. Plus, I don’t even know how Sophia feels about the threesome. She’s said she wants both of us, and I believe her, but does that translate into a relationship?
Simon kneels on the floor and places his hand on the concrete slab. “You have under-floor heating?”
I drag my attention back to the hothouse. “It's not working. The electrician says the boilers won’t be here until January.”
He looks up. “Who did you talk to?”
“Chris Quinn.”
His expression clears. “Ah, that makes sense. Chris only uses one supplier, and they’re often backed up. I'll talk to him and suggest some alternatives. When do you want the job started?”
Does this mean he has capacity? Does this mean he's going to do the work? Hope flickers in my chest. “As soon as possible. My sister wants to get married here on Christmas.”
“On Christmas Day? That’s romantic.”
“It’s also four months away.”
Simon looks unfazed. “So you're looking to be done about the start of December, more or less? That shouldn’t be a problem. We need to special order the glass panes for the roof and the walls, but I have a contact at a manufacturer in upstate New York. Do you need a bathroom renovated as well for the guests? And will they enter through the house or come in through the yard?”
Holy fuck, this is a miracle. If I wake up, if this turns out to be a dream, I'm going to be gutted.
I show him the bathroom closest to the greenhouse. He looks around. “New tiles, new toilet, new fixtures. Not a problem.”
A massive weight lifts from my shoulders. “When can you get started?”
“I just finished up a job. I’ve got nothing going on right now. Kevin and I can be here tomorrow morning if you'd like.”
“Fuck, yes.”
He bites back his smile. “Okay. I’ll go back to the office and work out a more detailed quote, but what you want done will cost anywhere from seventy to a hundred grand. Sorry about the cost. I know that's high, but the glass panes are custom orders, and they can get expensive.”
All things considered, his quote is extremely reasonable. I'm desperate and running out of time. Simon could have charged me double, and I wouldn’t have cared. I tell him that, and he laughs. “Sophia will kill me if I overcharge her friends. I need a check for ten percent to move forward. Seven thousand sound good to you?”
“It sounds great.”
We head back inside, and I write him a check. “I can't thank you enough,” I say. “I’ve been trying to hire a contractor for weeks, but I can’t even get someone to come out and look at the place.”
“It’s a busy time, that’s for sure,” he agrees. “But it’s not me you should be thanking. It’s Soph. I had thirty-seven messages on my phone, and the temptation to delete them all without listening to them was really strong.” He shakes my hand. “I love old houses. I’m going to enjoy working on this place. See you tomorrow. We’ll be here at seven.”
Sophia. The renovations have been such a source of stress, and just like that, it’s gone. And it's all because of Sophia. She had no reason to help me out, and she did anyway. Because that’s who she is. She’s kind and warm and truly lovely, and I’m crazy about her.
She said she likes roses. There are not enough flowers in the world to express my gratitude.