Ellie had picked those out, too, but I didn’t like those either. Not really. “Show me what you have.”
He gestured over to a large book, flipping through the pages until he landed on something I really liked. “These are the finest cordless blackout shades they make. Popular with a lot of offices.”
“I like it,” I said, making a command decision. “Let’s do it.”
“Did you pick out your accessories yet?”
“What do you mean?”
“Door knobs and such.”
Yeah, Ellie had picked those out as well. “Nope. Don’t have any of those.”
“Well, we have some nice selections over here,” he said, guiding me to yet another part of the store. I looked over the selection and picked out the first one that caught my eye.
“This one.”
“Nice choice.”
I took a deep breath, then exhaled, feeling lighter than I had all day. These were all my decisions, and I liked them. This was gonna be good. Ellie wouldn’t be happy, and she might even withhold sex for a few days, but it was worth it.
“I’ll take it all.”
“Alrighty. Let’s head to the register and I’ll ring you up.”
He started writing up the ticket, grabbing the numbers from the paint, the window treatments, and the knobs. “And I’ll just need to see a signed note from your wife.”
“Excuse me?” I asked, sure I had heard him wrong.
“For all these purchases. I need a signed note, stating you’re allowed to buy them.”
I gritted my teeth in irritation. “I’m not married. I don’t have a wife.”
“You also don’t have approval.”
“Have approval for what? It’s my stuff!”
He slid his glasses on his face as he picked up a piece of paper. “I have a note here from my wife,” he said, glancing at me pointedly. “She wrote down a list sent over by Ellie this morning. It states exactly what you’re supposed to get today, and that I’m not to deviate without her written approval.”
He set down the paper and took off his glasses, shoving them in his shirt pocket. “So, do you have approval?”
I gritted my teeth, slamming my fist down on the counter. “Look, Dick, this is for my office. If I want gray for my walls, I’ll get gray. If I want puke green, I’ll get puke green. And you’ll sell it to me. Do you know why?”
He grinned at me.
“Because it’s my office. I don’t have a wife. I don’t need approval. And most of all, it’s my money! Are we clear?”
“Crystal.”
“Thank you.”
“But I still can’t sell you any of this without a note.”
“Dick,” I said, pinching the bridge of my nose. “We’ve been through this.”
“Yes, we have. But Idohave a wife, and I have explicit instructions,” he said, picking up the paper again. “No approval, no sale.”
“Dick. Work with me, here.”
