Page 9 of If You Like It, I Love It

Some customers panic, and after her reaction to the cabinets not going in on the day she expected, I’d like to avoid panicking Joni.

We stand next to each other at the entrance to her kitchen, and I study her face for her true reaction. I need to see it in her expression. That’s where the truth is revealed.

She looks pleased, but I’m not positive. I can usually tell if a client is holding something back.

“Okay,” I say. “Break it to me gently. How much did today’s shopping spree affect the scope of your remodel?”

“Ummm . . .”

Oh, shit. She was definitely holding back. She might be about to put this project into a tailspin. I don’t do tailspins.

“Well, the good news is I found an island.”

“That is good news. Are the dimensions of this island going to be a problem?”

“Nope. It’ll be a perfect fit.”

“Okay. Is there anything else I need to know?”

“I also bought the lighting for over the sink and the island.”

“And?”

“And a vintage tile mosaic for the backsplash behind the stove. All the pieces are there and there’s not a single chip. I know that means the original tilework has to be reconfigured, but this mural is meant for my kitchen.”

My shoulders slide down in relief. “That’s not a huge deal. My main tile guy’s got skills. He can make adjustments for a mural behind the stove. Hell, if you want to choose new surrounding backsplash tile, that’s not the end of the world either. I won’t love it if it causes a delay, but it shouldn’t. He hasn’t picked up your backsplash tile yet, so that would be an easy change.”

“Oh, good. Because I do want to change that.”

“No problem. Just please try to stay away from anything that’s a special order. And keep your budget in mind.”

“Got it. I’m sure I can pick something from what they have in stock without a huge price variance.”

“Your words sound agreeable, but your face looks like you’re trying to avoid a confrontation. What is it?” The worst possible thought occurs to me. “Joni, trust me. We can make this floor tile work with whatever island or lighting you’ve chosen. It’ll work with any backsplash. It’s neutral. You do not want us to rip out this new floor and—”

“No. No, of course, not. It looks great. I might like it even more than when I picked it out. Love the floor, Enzo. I promise.”

“Uh-huh. Just say it and get it over with.”

“The island needs a tiny bit of refurbishing.”

“That’s fine. It can go in at the very end of the project.”

That’s when she reveals another twist, and this time, her words fire so fast I can hardly keep up.

“Plus, I want to use a different material for the countertop on the island. I know I swore I wanted soapstone on all the counters, but this island just begs for Carrera marble. I’ve always loved that look. I didn’t want it for the whole kitchen because I thought it would look too polished, just too much, you know? But on this island, it’s the only thing that’ll work. I love to bake homemade bread, and it would be the perfect surface to knead and roll dough. I have to have it.”

“Relax, Joni. You’ve sold me. We can make that happen. I know I can come across like a hard-ass sometimes, but I didn’t mean to make you think I couldn’t tolerate any changes. I need you to tell me as early as possible, though. These things are all fine.”

She speaks in triple time again as she adds, “And I want to bump out the breakfast nook to incorporate a bay window with a built-in bench.”

There it is! There’s the fucking grenade she’s been holding the pin on. My jaw tightens, but I retain my inside thoughts until I’ve taken a few cleansing breaths.

“New island choices, tile, lighting, none of that requires a new permit. A structural change does.”

She shrugs and smiles. “Good thing I mentioned it early, right?”

“Early would’ve been three months ago.”