Page 23 of Running Risk

RYLEE: NOW

Me:

I need to go look at tiles today, so I can put the finishing touches on the pitch for the clients.

Filling my to-go mug with coffee, I grab a protein bar for breakfast as my phone vibrates on the counter.

My knee has made a tremendous recovery, but it’s still sore when I stand for too long.

I’m going to need all the energy to get through today because picking out tile requires a lot of walking, and I’m finally able to without the crutches.

Clayton:

I’ll come with you. Pick you up in ten.

My hand holding my phone drops to my side as I groan toward the ceiling.

He’s been breathing down my neck this whole project, and it’s like he doesn’t trust me to do a good job.

I know he’s nervous about pleasing the clients, and he’s made it clear he can’t not land this account.

I just wish he trusted me, but then I don’t trust him, so I guess it goes both ways.

Clayton:

I have donuts.

After consuming an exorbitant amount of donuts, I walk through the many different aisles of tile while Clayton closely follows.

He picked me up, donuts in hand, but the ride was quiet, even when I would try to start a conversation.

It didn’t matter if it was about work, it felt like each new topic sank faster than the Titanic.

The building has every type of flooring you can imagine, as well as stone for walls.

There are a variety of shapes, colors, and sizes, and I can’t help but examine each one closely.

“Okay, do we like the large terracotta hexagon tiles or the small square ones?” I point to each tile, trying to imagine the bathroom I have designed for them.

The customer wants colored tile on the shower walls and a more basic neutral color on the floor.

That was their only request when picking tiles.

I’m a sucker for a good terracotta tile.

“Remember, this cream cross and star tile is going on the floor.” I’ve been working with Clayton for a full week.

Today is the final day for me to nail down specific details.

I’ve made all the decisions about the project except the flooring.

“Isn’t this why I hired you, so I don’t have to make these decisions?” Clayton’s forearms rest on the buggy as his body slumps over the cart.

“I think aloud.” I wave him off. “Since the cross and stars on the floor is a statement piece enough, we need something more basic on the walls in the shower. So I’m picking the terracotta squares.” I tap my lips with my nails while my eyes bounce between the tiles.

“Great. So we can finish everything with the presentation now?” Clayton pushes the cart closer.

“Nope.” I grab his shoulders and nudge him toward another aisle. “Now . . . we need the tile for the guest bathroom. ”

Clayton quietly groans as he keeps moving.

“Don’t you know the job? Why’s this surprising?” I say over my shoulder, talking faster than his sluggish feet. I scan my options. I don’t want wooden tile since the rest of the house will be wooden vinyl planks, but they do look pretty.

“I guess I thought you had picked everything out before today.”

I shake my head. “Not when it’s tile. I like to look at them in person, but I do know I’m picking another cream tile for the floor.

I just need to figure out the shower walls first.” I gasp as I walk through the next aisle.

“This is perfect.” I snap a picture of the sage green rectangle tile.

I can picture the shower with a black showerhead and these green tiles stacked vertically, and the cream star and cross tile continued on the floor so that bathrooms can have matching floor tiles. It’ll be amazing and cohesive.

Clayton walks closer, his face scrunched into disapproval. “Green? I can’t pitch green tile to the clients.”

I gasp. “Are you kidding? This is perfect. They wanted color for the wall tiles, and this gives them that.”

“So do a tan or something basic.”

Now, it’s my turn to look disgusted. “No. I’m putting this perfect green tile into my moodboard with the white oak vanity and black fixtures.

The cream cross and star tile will pop without being competing since the grout will be cream, and the white shiplap will cover the walls so they have dimension without being loud, letting this shower tile speak for itself behind the glass shower door. ”

Clayton sighs, and I square my shoulders, knowing he wants to disagree with me again.

“This will work, Clay. You have to trust me.” My hand lies on his forearm and squeezes before I grab a sample of each tile to show the clients in person, and start walking again .

“Grab a tan tile that will work too,” he says, as I put the green tile in the cart, and I pause before whirling around.

“What?”

“Ry, I know you’re good at this, but I want to make sure I have another option for the clients just in case they don’t like the green. It’s too bold. I need something to fall back on.”

My spine stiffens. “The green is perfect, and they will love it.”

“Just pick out a tan one too.”

“Tan won’t look as good.” I nearly growl through my teeth.

He rakes his finger through his hair. “Just grab one, and let’s move on.”

Unbelievable. Why did he even come if he’s going to question my every decision? Or maybe that’s why he said he was coming, because he didn’t trust I would make the right choice. He wanted to choose. I thought I was the designer, but he’s not letting me make the decisions.

“This is what you hired me for, Clayton.” I square my shoulders.

“Yes, but there’s nothing wrong with giving the customer options. Rylee, I’ve been doing all of this without help, so it’s hard for me to just trust your judgement, especially when I see it’s a bold risk.”

“Fine.” I cross my arms over my chest. “Then you pick out the option you want. I already have my tiles.”

His eyes narrow before walking away, leaving me with the cart. After a few minutes, he comes back with a plain, small, square beige tile. It would be pretty, but since the flooring and walls are basic, it would make the bathroom not have a statement piece to draw your eyes to.

He lays the tile in the cart, grabbing the handle to get ready to push again. “What now?” He sounds like a guy who’s being dragged through the mall .

“Now, I have to nail down the flooring for the rest of the house. They told me they want wooden luxury vinyl.” I spin around and hobble away as angrily as I can toward that section of the store.

I’m not wanting to dance through the store like I was because I’m frustrated, hungry, and want to leave. But I refuse to do this another day.

He sighs as his boots scuff the ground with each step, pushing the cart behind me.

I walk up and down the aisles with all the flooring options.

This is the same store where I purchased my flooring, so I’m familiar with what they have.

The clients want something different than what I chose for my house.

I take a picture of three options and quietly scrutinize each.

The large samples are above my head, and I like to be able to look at the details up close.

Other than opening a box of each one, this is my best option.

Clayton walks closer, looking over my shoulder as I flip through the pictures. “Those are the options?”

I stiffen. “Is there a problem?”

“Nope.”

The client wants a light beige flooring with obvious wood grain throughout. I delete one of the pictures.

“Why didn’t that one work?” He steps a little closer, and I can feel the heat of his body radiating off him even though he’s not touching me. I straighten my spine. No matter how familiar he is, I can’t let my guard down. Everything about him is comforting, but I can’t go there.

“There wasn’t enough character in the wood like the wood grain and knots.”

I flip back and forth between the last two options, zooming in on each picture before walking toward the flooring that I decide on.

It has character, the right color, and it’s also more affordable than the other.

I grab a box of the planks, placing it in the cart.

I’ll be able to lay it out for the client to look at in person so they can make a decision.

“That's it?”

I nod as I massage my knee through my jeans.

“Okay, let’s get some lunch. I’ll purchase this stuff while you go sit on the bench by the front door.”

I go to shake my head, but he gives me a deadpan look before walking toward the checkout counter.

I know he’s right that I should sit down, but I don’t want to do anything to make him feel better about himself for not trusting my judgement for the tiles.

The green is the perfect option, but I guess I’ll have to prove it to him.

I don’t have a doubt the customers will choose it, and I can’t wait to hear him say I was right.