Only Prompts - 27. Prompt 852: The Reno

Prompt 852 - Creative

Tag - First Line

"Oh, damn. Now what?" Ley nearly kicked his refrigerator in frustration. “Why does she always have to leave twice?” He stomped through the kitchen into the hall, turned right and stood panting in the vestibule. Stiff with anger he paused with his hand on the doorknob, closed his eyes and took several deep breaths. When the knock came again, Ley yanked open the door.

“Look, I already told you how I feel, why the f—?” It had taken a moment but in front of him Ley saw a man in coveralls, who held a clipboard in his left hand. Ley stood open-mouthed gawping at the man.

An easy grin slipped onto the stranger’s lips. “I take it you were expecting someone else?”

“Ah … well, yes. My mother … she um, always has to leave twice.”

The smile broadened.

Ley found himself staring at the sexy crinkles around the blue eyes of the stranger at his door.

“Your mother? Was that the brunette in the fur coat who passed me? She didn’t look happy.”

“No.” Ley blinked. “I’m sorry. How can I help you?”

“You’re …” The man glanced at his clipboard. “You’re Whitley Nolan?”

Ley tried to catch what was on the document. “Yeah, that’s me.” He looked at the worker’s name tag which was sewn on the chest of his overalls. “You’re Steve.”

“Yes.” Steve smiled once again and held up the clipboard. “It’s a work order. Your flat is scheduled for a replacement of the hot water heater and there’s a reno of the bathroom. I’m here to have a look.”

“Um, look right now … it’s not really, well, a good time.”

“Mr. Nolan, look, I get it. But I really need to look at the jobs and then I can get going.”

“Fine, come on in.” Ley stepped back out of the doorway.

“Thanks.” Steve stepped into the large, nicely appointed flat. “Great place. Um, which way?”

“Follow me.” After closing the front door, Ley lead the workman down the hall to the bathroom.

“Okay. I’m going to take some measurements. Have you decided what new fixtures and tiles you’d like, Mr. Nolan? There’s nothing noted here?” Steve glanced down at the workorder.

“I haven’t been asked.”

“Oh, that’s great. Look, I’ll run down to my truck and get the samples. I’ll be right back.” The workman started down the hall.

“Um, yeah, sure. Listen, would you like some coffee?”

Steve stopped at the end of the hall. “Do you have tea?

“Yes.”

“I could murder a cup of tea.”

“Okay, I’ll make some but you can drink it, not kill it.”

Ley could hear Steve’s chuckle as he left the apartment.

“He is a really handsome guy.” Ley thought as he filled and turned on the kettle.

A few minutes later the two men were seated at the small pine table in Ley’s kitchen. He was examining the sample book Steve had returned with.

After several minutes of looking at the four colour combinations available to him, Ley closed the book. “Honestly, you pick. I don’t care.”

Steve grinned. “Okay.” He flipped open the book and pointed at the set of black and white tiles, with black toilet and tub. “This one.”

Ley glanced down and then peered at the contractor. “You’re kidding right? You’d pick that?”

“Not for me. But you told me to choose for you.” Steve sat back and sipped from his mug of tea.

“Well, it’s a good thing we’re not married—” Ley slapped his hand over his mouth and closed his eyes. After a moment of silence Ley looked at Steve. “Sorry, just outed myself.”

“It’s okay, Mr. Nolan. You don’t need to be sorry, not for being who you are.”

“Thanks for that.” Ley smiled at the man who sat across from him. “You’d really pick that?”

“Hell no. For your bathroom, I’d pick the soft gray walls, with the darker shade in the toilet and the stand-alone tub.”

Ley looked at the new colour option again. “Okay. Let’s do that. The gray.”

Steve nodded. “I like that combo a lot better.”

Frowning but smiling also, Ley said, “Oh. I see. You picked the one you like least, to get me too ….”

“Caught me. Some people choose the black and white, but it’s not my top seller.”

“Yours?”

“Yeah, I’m a small contractor, but lately I’ve been able to land some decent sized jobs.” Steve ran his hands over the sample book. “I’ve had to hire my brother to help me with this one. He was supposed to make sure all the flat owners chose their colours ahead of time.”

“Oh, he may have. I’ve been out of town for a month. Just got back yesterday. Mother was here today to see if I lived, came back with some horrible disease, or a husband.”

Steve laughed. “Did you? Come back with either one, I mean.”

“No. Just a few headaches and mosquito bites.”

“What is it you do?”

“I’m an Assistant Director.”

Steve paused. “Aren’t they like in movies?”

“Yes. I was hired as first A.D. in a new film. We were on location in Italy. That’s why I wasn’t here.”

“Wow, that’s sounds interesting.” Steve drank the rest of his tea.

“It’s interesting, long hours, a lot of work, but yeah, I love it.”

The contractor gazed around the apartment. “Pays well too.”

“It does. I worked hard in the industry to get where I am but yeah, it pays well.”

“I better get back to work. Thanks for the tea and the talk.” Steve got to his feet and picked up his book. “Hey, are there jobs for carpenters where you work?”

“Well, yeah, there are lots of jobs like that. Are you looking?”

“No.” Steve smiled. “But maybe my brother, Charlie.”

“I’d be happy to talk to him, if he’s interested.” Ley walked Steve to the door.

“You’ll meet him when we come in to do the bathroom.” Steve gazed at his worksheet. “That will be on the twenty-fifth and sixth. Will you be home?”

“That I don’t know, depends on work.”

“I understand. How about a date? Dinner tonight?”

“Tonight!” Ley swallowed. “Are you Gay?”

“No, but Charlie is. He’s free, single and my twin.” Steve handed Ley a card. “It would make your mother happy.”

Ley laughed. “Yeah. Okay, it’s a date.”

The end (maybe)