“It’s easy-breezy. As long as you have a smooth, flat, and very clean surface.”
She pursed her lips. “And you really think I can do it?”
He appeared to size her up, then grinned. “You look fit to me. I’m sure you can handle it.”
She flushed slightly as she bent down to pick up a box of tiles. Was he flirting?
“Here,” he said quickly. “Let me get these for you. The boxes are heavier than they look.” He set a box of white tiles followed by a black one into her cart. “There you go.”
“Is that enough?”
His mouth twisted to one side. “Probably more than enough, but it’s better to have too many than not enough, and the store will let you return what you don’t use.”
“Thanks.” She smiled, trying to act perfectly natural. “You’ve been very helpful.”
“Glad to be of service. Anything else I can help you with? Need any towel racks or bathroom accessories while you’re in home-improvement mode?”
She considered this. If she wanted the cottage to show nicely, it might be wise to replace the flimsy old towel bars and hooks and things after all. “Come to think of it, that’s not a bad idea.”
“Right this way.” He led her down another aisle and then another. “I, uh, think we’re getting closer.”
Eventually they found a decent selection, but Wendy couldn’t decide on the finish. “I kind of like the bronze,” she said. “But I’m not sure that’s best.”
“What metal are your plumbing fixtures?”
“Chrome.”
“Maybe you should match them.”
She nodded. “Yes, you’re absolutely right.”
She loaded several pieces in her cart. Then feeling discombobulated, she aimed her cart for the front of the store. But the salesman stayed with her, chatting pleasantly all the way, then pausing by the paint section. “Need any paint?” he asked hopefully.
“As a matter of fact.” She glanced over the multitude of cans with uncertainty. “Can you help me with that too?”
“Sure. Is this for the bathroom as well?”
“Actually, I plan to paint just about everything in the cottage,” she told him. “I mean, as far as the interior goes. Hopefully the exterior is okay.”
“Do you have any specific colors in mind?”
“I should probably keep most of the walls neutral,” she said. “Something light and bright, but not too stark. Some pleasant shade of white.”
He went straight to the rack of paint samples like he knew what he was doing. “This has a nice selection of white shades.” He handed her a pamphlet. “And it’s a good-quality paint company.” He pointed to a shade called White Sand. “This one is nice.”
She studied the color, holding it up to the light coming in from the front door. “I like it,” she agreed. “Clean and fresh, but not too bright or stark. Kind of beachy too. Good choice.”
“Great.” He waved to another employee. “Hey, Allan,” he called out. “How about mixing us some paint over here?”
Allan asked Wendy a few questions, then went to work mixing a five-gallon bucket of White Sand paint.
She turned back to the original salesman, wondering why he wasn’t wearing a name badge like Allan. She was curious as to his name, but didn’t want to show her interest by asking. “I’d like to get a couple of colors,” she told him. “The bathroom could use something to perk it up. It’s got beadboard wainscot that I could paint the White Sand color, but it would be fun to have something different on the wall above. I’d like it to look beachy too. Maybe a blue or green shade, you know, like the sea. Do you think that would look nice with the checkerboard?”
“I can see that.” He led her over to a section of colors, then quickly selected a very pale turquoise blue, holding it up. “How about this? It’s called Sea Glass.”
She stared at the color, which really did remind her of sea glass, then looked up at him in wonder. “That’s perfect,” she admitted. “You’re really good at this.”
“Thanks.” He grinned. “Anything else I can help you with?”
