Obviously, he needed to pick another target. He had other choices, and selecting Boring Robin from them just hadn’t done the job.
Morgan would, no question of that.
But not yet, he thought as he walked back into his hotel.
Because when her turn came around again, he had to make it very, very special.
* * *
In the blooming time of May, Morgan’s budget spreadsheet looked more promising. Maybe, she thought, life in general looked more promising. A good job with good tips provided her with more free time than she’d enjoyed in the previous decade.
She put it to good use.
When she heard her ladies talk about updating the powder room, she took a look at it herself. Some measurements, a trip to the hardware store, and a few hours’ work would handle it.
She had nearly all the finishing touches in place when they got home.
“Morgan, we’re home! What a day,” Audrey continued. “A wine-with-dinner sort of day.”
Morgan stepped back from straightening out the prints she’d hung and picked up the garden tub she’d used as a makeshift toolbox.
“Do you have time to eat before you—” As she passed by the open powder room door, Audrey stopped, stared, and actually let out a little squeal. “What— How did you— Oh my God, Mom, come see this.”
“See what? I need to get these damn shoes off.”
Then she, too, stopped at the doorway. After a long blink, she folded her arms. “Well, well,” she said.
“Okay, I know you planned to call your handy guys, pick out a new sink, update the fixtures, paint, and so on, but it’s a really small job, and the sink’s great.”
She ran a hand over the old-fashioned white porcelain.
“The chrome legs were dated, and the fixtures. I thought painting the legs matte black, getting the new faucet in the same finish showed it off. And with the walls this fresh blush color, it’s like a little girly drama, especially with the bit of bling on the new light, and this old mirror I found in the attic. You’ve got a lot of great stuff up there.”
“I bought that mirror before Audrey was born,” Olivia murmured.
“And it’s great, just needed some cleaning up. And painting the frame black ties it in. A couple of new guest towels on the black bar for fresh. I stole one of your African violets for the windowsill, picked up a new shade for the light. The fringe is like bling. I got the pretty soaps and the two prints from the shop. The little rug’s from the flea market, but I thought the fact it’s faded some added character.”
Concerned she’d gone too far, Morgan shifted the garden tub. “Anyway, if it doesn’t work for you, you can still call the handy guys.”
“I love it. Mom, look how these sweet flower prints pick up the pink and black. It’s all adorable. Classy, just a little girly, and adorable. Where did you learn to install faucets?”
“I learned a lot at my day job in Maryland.”
“It was already in there.” Arms still folded, Olivia studied the walls. “Got it from your grandfather. It’s not what I imagined, and I thought that sink had seen its last days.”
“It’s a wonderful piece.”
“It is now. It’s not what I imagined. It’s better. Now, I want to know what you spent on all this.”
“I live here, too. I use this bathroom. And I enjoyed every minute of fixing it up.”
“It’s a gift, Mom.” Audrey put a hand on her mother’s shoulder. “Someone always told me to be gracious when offered a gift.”
“Bit in the butt by my own words. Thank you, Morgan. Your grandfather’s toolbox is up in the woodshop. You get that, and use it.”
“I will.”
“Next time we get ideas about buffing something up around here, we’re coming to you first. Now we need to see about making some food. And I’m with you, Audrey, on the wine.”
“I’ll skip the wine, but I’ll take the food. I’m starving. I just need to put the tools away and change for work.”
After Morgan dashed away, Audrey took one more look. “Like the garden, I had no idea she could do something like this.”
“But are you surprised?”
“No, I’m not. It made her so happy,” she continued as they walked to the kitchen. “Not just our reactions, but figuring it out, doing it. She needs to pay you back, Mom. You need to let her.”
“I know. It grates a bit, but I know. How about chicken and rice with a nice salad?”