This story is not like my other work, this chapter is basically character introduction, mostly because these characters you can’t just throw into bed together. Anyways, this isn’t a quick fix kind of thing; I’m going for something with a little more depth. (Even if this was inspired by the hot roofer that’s been working on my building all week.) Feedback and constructive criticism is always appreciated, thanks
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Conner Desway looked at the thermometer he kept hung on the rear view mirror of his old Chevy work truck. One hundred and nine degrees. Well, at least it wasn't as hot as last week, when the air conditioner in his vehicle had stopped working. He had been meaning to get it fixed, but lately he had no time for it, and if he did, he just didn't feel like it.
In the small Arizona community Conner was the well known 'Mr. Fix it.' He owned the local pool service business. At twenty-eight years old, it had been his life for the past nine years, after he had happened to stumble across the idea of opening his own business rather than going to college with everyone else. He had thought that high school had been school enough, and even without further education he had discovered he had quite the head for business, at least his business. It was quite successful, considering that just about every house in the neighborhood had a pool. It had started in his parent's garage, and nine years later he had his own small shop and four guys working for him. Of course, Conner was still working with the rest of them, however, not always servicing swimming pools and spas.
He had established a good reputation with many locals in the area, and soon after he had started his business he was also being called to do odd jobs, painting, yard work, and sometimes a few old women would even call him over to change out their old light bulbs. Conner never sent a bill for most of the smaller jobs, unless he detested the person he was working for, which was a rarity; he was well liked and often liked others. He was an outgoing man, although some of the gossipers would think he was too outgoing, considering a good portion of his business came from lonely housewives who saw him as a good looking man with a friendly smile and as the object of their fantasies. He was somewhat popular in his looks, he was tall, handsome, short dark hair and even darker eyes, and when he smiled it was very difficult to say no to him; not that Conner ever took advantage of his gifts.
He had been wanting a vacation for a long while now, not that he didn't like his work, he was simply craving some quiet time. Even as he stepped out of his truck with the paper bag full of groceries the women down the block were flaunting themselves from their yards, giving him small waves and calling out his name. He in turn, gave them his usual charming smile, that often could look sly or sexy even, and then preceded to walk towards the two-story house of the lot he had parked in front of.
This house was not Conner's. In fact, he had never even been here before. He had passed by it several times, it looked like every other brick house in the neighborhood, except the lawn was overgrown and the curtains were always drawn shut. He had heard rumors about a crazy cat woman who lived here, so he was somewhat relieved when there was no potent smell of cat flooding his nostrils.
The only reason he was here now was because his dentist had asked him an odd favor during his last cleaning. Apparently, the woman who lived here was unable to leave her home, and the dentist, Dr. Formike had been helping her out. The doctor would tend to her lawn once a month, not enough, Conner thought, even in this dry heat.
The doctor had also been doing the woman's grocery shopping for some time now, but apparently Conner's dentist was going to be getting a vacation before Conner, because during their conversation Dr. Formike had somehow managed to talk Conner into taking over the job while he was away in Barbados. The bastard. Anyways, it had been difficult for Conner to say no to the job, especially with the latex covered fingers in his mouth. Besides, there could be a possibility with these chores he had agreed to. The dentist was paying him, and apparently the woman Conner was catering to needed her house painted, so he felt less foolish after purchasing a bag of mixed fruit and vegetables, along with a lady shaver and tampons at the local market, knowing he was doing this for a potential job.
He had imagined the woman to be old and senile, especially after the rumors about the cats, but she couldn't be to old, he decided, if she required tampons and other items he had been somewhat uncomfortable about buying. And she seemed to be a healthy eater, no meat he noticed, except fish, but to Conner fish wasn't meat. Conner had added a carton of chocolate ice cream to the list on his own. Everyone needed ice cream; Conner didn't care who they were.
He came to the door and fished the key the dentist had given him from his pocket, but he knocked first, not wanting to take anyone by surprise. After an appropriate amount of waiting he slid the key into the door and opened it easily, taking a moment for his eyes to adjust to the darkness when he stepped in.
"Hello? Ms. Aarons?" He called; remembering the name the dentist had given him.
He nearly tripped over the stand in the dark entryway; catching the falling vase before it broke on the floor, and deciding no one was there, he searched out the kitchen as he had been instructed to do. He found it fairly easily, the house was very simple. He couldn't see much of the furniture, but the air smelled like flowers, and it was quite cool. When he found the kitchen he was able to flick on a light, revealing a kitchen that was too clean to be used, the walls a grayish color that matched the table and chairs. It seemed sanitary yet gloomy, and he could see why someone might want it repainted.
Conner felt somewhat anomalous opening someone else's refrigerator. The dentist had suggested Ms. Aarons was unable to leave her home, yet she wasn't there. Oh well, maybe she had a doctor's appointment or something.
He reached into the bag to put away the groceries, but when the first thing that he picked up was the box of tampons, he hastily dropped it back into the bag and shoved the entire bag into the refrigerator, of course after removing the ice cream and placing it in the freezer. It wasn't that Conner was a prude, but his father and older brothers had instilled their family's male pride into him while growing up, and he had never in his life purchased woman's products at the store, not even when he had been married.
He shook his keys at his side as he made his way back through the house, opening the door and squinting against the sun, ready to get out of the unfamiliar house. He felt something shift above his work boot as he stepped outside and when he saw it was an envelope, 'Mr. Desway' written on it, he picked it up and placed it in his shirt pocket. It must have fallen from the stand when he had run into it.
He closed the door and used the key to lock it. He had just started to walk towards his truck when a sound caught his ear and he looked back. The sound came from the other side of the door as someone secured at least three deadbolts, and then a chain. Conner was curious. Part of him wanted to go back and knock again, see who was on the other side of the door, but he was on a schedule, he still had pools to service for the day, and Conner was never one to let down his customers.
............
That night Conner was exhausted when he came home. He collapsed on his couch, hardly able to close the door after entering his house. It was a nice place, much like the other homes in the area, but a bachelors home no less. The house was just about all he had left from his divorce a few years earlier, the ex wife had taken most of the furniture and he hadn't bothered to replace much of it. So he had a couch, his big screen television, and the cactus in the corner that he usually forgot to water, but hell, it was a cactus.
He knew he needed to shower and get the chemicals he had used that day off his skin, and the heat had caused him to sweat, so he swore that there was just as much sweat as shirt on his back, but he needed to rest first. Thank god the air conditioning in his home worked. He let himself cool off as he pulled off his shirt first, the envelope from the strange house dropping at his feet.
He forced himself to pick it up and tear it open. Likely it was the money for the groceries, and he was right, cash payment, and a tip. Nice. He shoved the cash into his dirty jeans and pulled out the rest of the contents. A work order, it seemed the homeowner needed her house painted after all, the entire first floor. She had even included paint samples and directions, and a check.
Conner lifted the check and his eyes widened. He hadn't seen the house very well in the dark, so he wasn't sure what he was dealing with, but the check was for double what he usually charged, and even after supplies he was going to make quite a bit off the job. Maybe he could have his vacation after all.
He almost immediately decided to take the job; after all, he'd been paid up front. He spent the next hour working out a schedule. Apparently Ms. Aarons wanted the job done quickly as stated in the work order, and if he was going to do it alone, he would have to turn over his business to his employees for a while, not something he would normally do, but painting a house in an air conditioned environment sounded like vacation enough, at least for the moment.
Conner had no way to reach Ms. Aarons, but she had been good enough to leave instructions. She wanted him to start almost right away, so he made the proper arrangements and the day he was going to start the job he drove away from his house with a truck full of paint supplies rather than his usual pool equipment.
He was half way to the house when his cell phone rang and he tiredly lifted it from the passenger side seat, it was early, and he never liked early calls, but he answered as politely as always.
"Conner Desway."
"Conner, it's doctor Formike." The dentist said cheerily, he was obviously enjoying his vacation, and Conner wanted to be happy for him, but crap, he was not a morning person, and he would have rather been the one on vacation.
"What can I do for you?" Conner asked.
"Tessa tells me she's decided to hire you." Dr. Formike replied.
"Tessa?"
"Ms. Aarons."
"Right." Conner shook his head; he hadn't even bothered to get her first name. "I haven't been able to get a hold of her, but I've got the supplies, I'm supposed to start today, so if all goes well the job should only take a few days."
