“Thankfully Great-Aunt Gertie stayed with Antique White and we’re not trying to cover up navy blue or puce,” Iris said.
Eli laughed. “God, yes. We’d need three cans of paint plus primer.”
He felt a little proud of that knowledge, as he’d studied painting the way he did everything, reading all the hints and how-tos and watching endless tutorials. Now he might even be qualified to make his own guides. Iris seemed to make a decision, even nodding to herself with her eyes slightly narrowed.
“Okay. Clearly it’s a sign from the universe if the paint is even on sale.”
Why is it so cute that she believes in signs from the universe?
Frankly, it didn’t surprise him, given the things he’d seen her post on social media over the years, but he still found it adorable. Soon, his vague interest might ripen into an embarrassing crush. But that was a problem for later.
“Tomorrow at ten? We can get to work as soon as we get home.”
When Iris smiled, stars might as well be twinkling in her gray eyes. He lost his breath a bit. “Seriously, you’re the answer to my prayers.”
“Hardly,” he mumbled, conscious that his face felt hot. “Have you thought about what color you want to use?”
“Should I stick with one?”
“Well, it’ll be faster. Because otherwise, we’ll need to clean the brushes, rollers, and trays. If you pick one shade for all three rooms, we can cover the floor in plastic, tape off the edges, and sweep through.”
“You think we could do more than one room tomorrow?”
“Depends how long we work, how many coats are needed, and how fast we are. But by myself, I can do a room in four hours. So I suspect we can do two rooms tomorrow.”
“Wow, you really know your stuff. I’m not that experienced, so I probably won’t be fast.” She bit her lip. “I hope I don’t get in your way.”
“That won’t happen. Tomorrow at ten, okay?” He needed to get her confirmation, then dodge out before she could change her mind.
She nodded, seeming cautiously enthusiastic about the plan. “See you then.”
Eli took that as his cue to finish drying the dishes and make himself scarce. He retreated to his room, which was sparsely furnished with a full-size bed, a night table, and a dresser, while the walls were painted a surprisingly restful sage green. There were no paintings or pictures. Iris had said he could hang some, but she’d prefer if he used putty or sticky tape hooks to avoid putting holes in the walls. His other residences didn’t display much of his taste either, but here, for some reason, he wanted to leave his mark. Maybe he’d print out pictures of him and Gamma or something else to personalize the space.
I have plans with Iris tomorrow.
He tried not to feel absurdly gleeful over that, but it was impossible. The little kid he’d been did a victory dance over finally having her attention. He threw himself on the bed, cozy with floral sheets, a fuzzy blanket, and what seemed like a handmade quilt. Iris had done a fantastic job of appointing the rooms with her aunt’s belongings without overwhelming the spaces with that certain old lady aspect. There were also homemade cushions, sewn in a variety of vintage fabrics. It felt…homey here in a way that nowhere else ever had, at least not since he’d left Gamma’s house.
He set his laptop on his legs and opened the chat app in the browser so he could see her store on a bigger screen. First off, her banner needed improvement, and so did the shop icon. He wasn’t amazing at design, but he didn’t need to be. He had a subscription to a service that let him do high-quality drag-and-drop graphics that would serve her purposes.
Eli created three different branding sets using the colors she clearly preferred. The shop could also benefit from collages and carousels to draw the eye. Iris must not be paying for plus features, as she wasn’t using any of the advanced site design options. Or maybe she didn’t know how?
I can teach her.
With that enticing thought, he handled some issues related to his two apps and noted that the Chinese conglomerate had set a deadline. He had to respond in seventy-two hours or the offer would be withdrawn. Since he’d be busy helping Iris, it made sense to divest at this point. I’ll sell What’s Cooking and keep Task Wizard. By halving his workload, he could focus more on the house and Iris’s shop.
He enjoyed knowing that he could be useful and that she’d appreciate his time. It clearly hadn’t made an impression on her, but he carried a sense of debt for the way she’d stood up for him back in the day. Paying her back made him happy, even if she never knew the details. Once the house was in good shape, he might move on without even telling her truth, if that seemed like the best option.
What she doesn’t know won’t hurt her, right?
He was acutely aware that he might come off as a stalker or a creep if he explained things wrong, as he often did. Frequently, words were his enemy, and the last thing he wanted was to upset or frighten her. Hell, I’d be alarmed if someone told me they’d been reading my socials for that long.
And then I moved in with her…
Yeah, there probably wasn’t a way for him to explain that wouldn’t end with her calling the police. Just…help her for now. Return the favor. And move on.
Quickly, he checked the time in Shanghai. It was morning there already, so he typed out his response.
I’m pleased to say I’m considering your offer. Send all related paperwork to my attorney, Liz Fielding; I’m copying her on this email. Once she’s reviewed the contract and given me the green light, we can proceed. I can’t guarantee she will be able to fully assess the offer in less than 72 hours, but I hope we can come to a tentative agreement nonetheless.
Eli thought they’d just wanted to get an answer from him, one way or another, so hopefully, asking for a formal contract would satisfy them without the deal breaking down. More to the point, it was best to have an expert review the fine print and make sure there wasn’t anything that could land him in hot water later.
Within fifteen minutes, he had affirmation from the rep who was handling the matter for WeiZhen International. Liu Han-Shou promised they’d send the contract before close of business. Eli sent a brief email acknowledging that. Then he stretched, rolling his neck. Time to kick back.
He was reading a web comic on his laptop when Liz messaged an hour later.
Working this late? Wait, what time is it where you are?
He checked the time.
Eli: Almost ten. I don’t keep normal hours anyway.
Liz: No kidding. I’ll let you know when I get the contract.
Eli: Just ping me if you find anything sus hidden in the legal-speak.
Liz: You play too much Among Us.
Eli: Or maybe you don’t play enough.
Liz: Are you really arguing with your own lawyer?
Eli: …I’m going to bed.
Liz: Before you do, I’m forwarding a proposal. And don’t say no immediately! I know you prefer lone wolf dev life, but this opportunity could be life-changing. For both of us.
That was enough to pique his interest, so he opened his laptop and skimmed through the documents.
Dear Ms. Fielding,
As Mr. Reese’s legal representative, we hope you’ll facilitate a meeting between us. We’re looking to enter the social media market, and to that end, we’ve researched the best possible candidates to head up this project. We love what we see in What’s Cooking and feel that Mr. Reese could provide exactly what we’re looking for. I have attached a project overview and look forward to discussing the matter further.