INTRODUCTION
Public accountant Louie King looked through the Yellow Pages under the heading of Tradesmen and one caught his eye because two things interested him: Dave Duncan described himself as 'an all-round renovator and building tradesman' who offered 'top quality work at very competitive pricing'.
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CHAPTER 1
Louie King took Dave Duncan into the drab kitchen of his expensive home.
"This is it, I want it remodeled for a totally modern look. This kitchen is, I believe, 36 years old. We purchased the property three months ago. How much?"
"Excuse me?"
"How much to modernize it so it is great to work in and looks great to people when they enter it?"
Dave scratched his nuts thinking this guy was open to extortion.
"Forty-seven thousand dollars plus the cost of new appliances."
Louie patted his bald spot and gave the impression he was thinking.
"Forty-five and not a dollar more."
"Okay," Dave said, looking calmly at the fifty-year old businessman, "What kind of finished kitchen do you want?"
"Anything actually but you best ask my wife. Also we'll want to use the kitchen while you are renovating."
"Okay so when do I get to meet your wife?"
"Wednesday next week when she returns from France. She went home to see her parents. She's half French you know."
"No I didn't know that."
"Oh."
"Tell her I'll call next Friday next week at 10:00 for coffee and the discussion."
Louie looked at his watch. "And what discussion is that?"
"The type of kitchen she wants and her thoughts about what you want."
"Yes of course."
"Thank you Mr King. I will mail you two copies of a contract tomorrow to approve and then sign. You keep a copy and send the other signed copy to me."
"That's fine. As a professional I expect you to conduct yourself professionally. Thank you."
Dave went off to finish a job thinking what a dope Louie was but because he ripped off his clients in turn he expected a builder would rip him off and was comfortable about that. He dreaded the thought of dealing with the wife without Louie being present. Louie was bad enough but women never could make up their minds what they really wanted. He decided to work all weekend to finish the only other big job had had lined up to enable him to start ripping the shit out of that drab kitchen on Saturday week. Oh damn, he could only do that in stages because Louie wanted it kept as a working kitchen.
Louie' daughter, tying a white robe and her hair undone and wearing no make-up, answered the front door of the substantial suburban home and said yes?
"I'm the kitchen renovator. I'm here to see your mother."
The 30-year-old said, "My mother is in France."
France was said with a trace of accent.
Dave's mouth dropped opened and he managed, "Are you Mrs King?"
"Oui I mean yes. Mr King remarried earlier this year to replace his dead wife."
"Wow Mrs King, you sure are a great looker. In fact you are beautiful even without make-up."
"Thank you. Are you aware you are twenty minutes early?"
"Tardiness is an unknown concept to me."
She smiled and invited Dave in. "Is it acceptable I remain dressed like this?"
"Yes sure, I'd not expect you to strip at 10:00."
"It is but 9:40," she smiled. "You are a bright and lively young man. I like it. Come through and I'll make coffee and you can tell me why you over-charged my husband so much."
Jesus, Dave thought. He was in the crap with her already.
"Mrs King..."
"Call me Eden."
"Only if you call me Dave."
"Yes Dave. I'm waiting for your inadequate explanation."
"I visualized what I could do to transform this kitchen and priced it accordingly. Louie didn't appear to know what he wanted."
"He's an accountant Dave. How do you say it? Give him a break. Do you have drawings?"
"Yeah I've done some sketches."
"Well get them out of your folder while I go off and dress."
"Please Eden, stay as you are."
"But I wear no bra or panties. This is not correct."
"Please Eden I have no woman to look at without makeup and who's just thrown on a robe over her sleep-warmed body."
"Oooh, her sleep-warmed body. You must think greatly about women and see images?"
"Yeah a bit."
Dave tell me this, "Am I safe with you in my home? You are, how shall we say, a big husky man."
"You want me to shave off my moustache?"
"Oh no. My favorite man who is my father has a moustache."
Dave thought about how best to answer her question.
"Eden you will be safe with me even if you walk around me nude. I promise not to touch you unless you are provocative."
"Oooh you suggest I am capable of being a provocateur. How very interesting Dave but this is not getting our kitchen remodeled. Prepare your drawings for viewing while I get coffee. Louie has made it."
Eden's mouth fell open when viewed the sketches.
"These sketches. These are your work?"
"Yes my degree is in interior design but I found the clients so difficult to work with and the workmen engaged generally didn't care enough about what they were doing. And so I worked with an interior renovator for just over a year to learn the trade skills and now I offer a comprehensive service although I will renovate to the client's own designs."
"That is very interesting. What I meant could you sketch me if I paid you?"
"Only as a full nude."
Eden blushed and said naughty boy.
As she studied the sketches Dave thought she was probably no more than thirty-five. God he would like to get into her panties.
Without looking up Eden said, "Are you thinking naughty thoughts staring at me like that?"
"Yes."
"You sound honest and that means I can trust you. Now am I allowed to make suggested changes?"
"Of course, that is the purpose of the sketches. Have your changes ready for me when I arrive on Saturday week to begin ripping your kitchen apart, er but leaving it as a working kitchen."
"So I have to work amid dust and mess?"
"Yes Eden, just as I have to do."
"You are a very honest man Dave um?"
"Duncan."