absurdly handsome—a pair of dark blue eyes gleamed at her when their gazes met, and she had a stupid urge to run her hands through his curly brown hair.
“Hi,” she said a little breathlessly. Then, “What can I do for you?”
“I’m looking for a full floor-to-ceiling renovation.” He said it brusquely, without even bothering to return her greeting, and Ellie felt the beginnings of irritation.
“I’m sorry?”
“A full renovation. Furniture, carpet, appliances, paint—everything.”
“For what ?” She hadn’t meant to sound quite so confused, but this man clearly wasn’t a local, and she couldn’t think of anyone who needed a full remodel.
The man’s navy blue eyes went from looking distant to looking irritated. “A house. ” His voice had the edge of a regional accent that she couldn’t quite place.
She flushed. “I gathered that, yes. I was wondering which house.”
“Oh.” Silence reigned for a moment before he opened his full lips again. “Uh, up on the hill. My Great-Aunt Loretta’s old place. Big purple house.”
“You’re remodeling Miss Meyer’s old place?” For a moment, Ellie was excited, but then she remembered the resources at her disposal. She bit her lip anxiously, glancing around the small, familiar store. “Um, I’ll do whatever I can to help, but I have to be really honest with you: We’ve never done a full renovation before.”
Her mind was racing. It had seemed so exciting back in college, when the design degree was almost in her grasp and she had sweet-talked her dad into adding those services to their ad. Sure, she technically knew how to do it—in fact, Ellie had been hoping for years that someone would give her free reign with the design and furnishing of their house. She had years of experience with appliance and furniture sales, as well as carpet installation and that sort of thing (from working with her dad), plus a keen eye for design (honed by her college work). It was just that so far, she hadn’t actually had any big clients, and now that Dad was gone, the task seemed suddenly intimidating.
Calvin eyed the pretty girl before him in irritated surprise. Sure, the town had looked even tinier today than on the way through yesterday, and this home improvement store had seemed small. But he had just assumed that they had a big warehouse somewhere.
This shop girl was pretty enough—golden brown waves gathered up in a messy bun, big brown eyes, and a waist so tiny he thought he could close his hands around it. Unfortunately, he was pretty sure she was also dumb. At least, she was looking at him like she could barely comprehend what he was saying.
“You’ve got to be kidding. I checked the phone book. You’re the only place under interior design.”
She shifted before him, looking uncomfortable. “We do interior design and renovation! It’s just that we’ve never had anyone request such an extensive renovation before.” Ellie bit back the sassier remarks that wanted to come flying out of her mouth. Who did this guy think he was? Just because he was rich didn’t mean he was smarter than her. She wouldn’t have listed the services if she wasn’t qualified to provide them.
The man spoke again, looking irritated. “Can I speak to—” he turned to look back at the door “—Parker?”
Parker Home Design. Ellie recited the name, feeling a twinge of pain at the thought of her dad proudly hanging the sign twenty years ago. “That would be me. Elizabeth Parker. Everyone calls me Ellie,” she said, letting a slight edge creep into her tone.
She held out her hand, and at last the handsome-but-rude man seemed to remember his manners. “Calvin,” he said, shaking her hand with a firm, dry grip. She forgot her irritation in the frisson that sparked in her hand at the man’s touch.
As he gripped her delicate hand, Calvin found his eyes drawn back across Ellie’s heart-shaped
“Hi,” she said a little breathlessly. Then, “What can I do for you?”
“I’m looking for a full floor-to-ceiling renovation.” He said it brusquely, without even bothering to return her greeting, and Ellie felt the beginnings of irritation.
“I’m sorry?”
“A full renovation. Furniture, carpet, appliances, paint—everything.”
“For what ?” She hadn’t meant to sound quite so confused, but this man clearly wasn’t a local, and she couldn’t think of anyone who needed a full remodel.
The man’s navy blue eyes went from looking distant to looking irritated. “A house. ” His voice had the edge of a regional accent that she couldn’t quite place.
She flushed. “I gathered that, yes. I was wondering which house.”
“Oh.” Silence reigned for a moment before he opened his full lips again. “Uh, up on the hill. My Great-Aunt Loretta’s old place. Big purple house.”
“You’re remodeling Miss Meyer’s old place?” For a moment, Ellie was excited, but then she remembered the resources at her disposal. She bit her lip anxiously, glancing around the small, familiar store. “Um, I’ll do whatever I can to help, but I have to be really honest with you: We’ve never done a full renovation before.”
Her mind was racing. It had seemed so exciting back in college, when the design degree was almost in her grasp and she had sweet-talked her dad into adding those services to their ad. Sure, she technically knew how to do it—in fact, Ellie had been hoping for years that someone would give her free reign with the design and furnishing of their house. She had years of experience with appliance and furniture sales, as well as carpet installation and that sort of thing (from working with her dad), plus a keen eye for design (honed by her college work). It was just that so far, she hadn’t actually had any big clients, and now that Dad was gone, the task seemed suddenly intimidating.
Calvin eyed the pretty girl before him in irritated surprise. Sure, the town had looked even tinier today than on the way through yesterday, and this home improvement store had seemed small. But he had just assumed that they had a big warehouse somewhere.
This shop girl was pretty enough—golden brown waves gathered up in a messy bun, big brown eyes, and a waist so tiny he thought he could close his hands around it. Unfortunately, he was pretty sure she was also dumb. At least, she was looking at him like she could barely comprehend what he was saying.
“You’ve got to be kidding. I checked the phone book. You’re the only place under interior design.”
She shifted before him, looking uncomfortable. “We do interior design and renovation! It’s just that we’ve never had anyone request such an extensive renovation before.” Ellie bit back the sassier remarks that wanted to come flying out of her mouth. Who did this guy think he was? Just because he was rich didn’t mean he was smarter than her. She wouldn’t have listed the services if she wasn’t qualified to provide them.
The man spoke again, looking irritated. “Can I speak to—” he turned to look back at the door “—Parker?”
Parker Home Design. Ellie recited the name, feeling a twinge of pain at the thought of her dad proudly hanging the sign twenty years ago. “That would be me. Elizabeth Parker. Everyone calls me Ellie,” she said, letting a slight edge creep into her tone.
She held out her hand, and at last the handsome-but-rude man seemed to remember his manners. “Calvin,” he said, shaking her hand with a firm, dry grip. She forgot her irritation in the frisson that sparked in her hand at the man’s touch.
As he gripped her delicate hand, Calvin found his eyes drawn back across Ellie’s heart-shaped
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