Page 58 of Love in Mission City

Honestly, I’d thought of everything.

“And you want six separate color designs?”

I cocked my head.

“Well, generally Simone would do a dark theme and a light one. Occasionally she might do a bit of color—in the kitchen and bathrooms—but that was it. Neutral décor where homeowners could bring their own flare.”

“Right.”

“But your notes say you want six different themes.”

“Uh…” I tried to think back to the plans I’d designed not long after Simone had left on maternity leave and Orlando had arrived. I hadn’t been convinced of his ability at that point, so I hadn’t brought him in. “Right. Because some of the townhouses are more expensive. By a lot—”

“Because they’re bigger.”

“True. But if someone is putting out as much for a townhouse as they might for a freestanding older house, I think they shouldbe offered something…unique. With an upsell, of course. Jacqui will be thrilled.”

“Like quartz or marble countertops? High end finishes? Expensive cabinets?”

“Right. Top of the line. No expense spared. Showpieces.”

His brow knit. “These are homes, Knight. If people want showpieces, they can buy a house and decorate in fanciness. I mean, I’m all for expensive high-end things, but that will create a disparity within the community. The people who can afford luxury and those who can’t.”

In turn, I frowned. “I don’t see it that way. If everyone has a different interior—even if price is a determining factor—then that creates unique.”

“You keep saying unique.” He indicated a sweep of his hand that encompassed his entire body.

Yummy.

“And I’m a firm believer in unique.”

“Right.” I nodded. “What’s your point?”

“Just that some units will have better resale value.”

“If the owner paid for expensive upgrades, they deserve to make back that money.”

“Not everyone can afford the expensive stuff. Real estate is already exorbitant. Adding to that burden is…unfair.”

I couldn’t believe an interior decorator was arguing about the request to design high-end units. Something wasn’t computing. Unless… “Did this happen with your family?”

He shifted from foot to foot. “When everyone in the neighborhood knows your house is the cheapest, it’s tough.” He bit his lower lip. “My parents tried really hard, but we werethatfamily. My dad was leveraged in tech stocks when they purchased the pre-build. The market tanked as they completed the sale. In order to keep the house, my parents had to go forbare bones. We never got a finished basement. We had a cheesy shag carpet. The cheapest appliances possible.”

“Ah.” I considered. “Well, we can try to blend. Yes, use high-end materials. But make them less showy. Although I’d say we have to have one design that’s almost over the top. If only to please Jacqui.”

“Yes, she’s all about the glitz.”

I cocked my head.

He rolled his eyes. “I’ve spent several months looking at her former properties as they’ve come on the market. She…has a distinctive style.”

“And we’re going to do our best to meld that style with our own. Something…unique. Something that saysKnightwhile also mixing in a bit of theFriar.”

“I think you’re asking the impossible.”

“Well, we have four days to make this work. So we’d better get started.”

He offered the first genuine smile in a while. “Yeah. Let’s do this.”