Finding My Own

26. Warning!

I couldn't catch a break after I got back to the house I was showing. I wasn't halfway finished with my first Dr. Pepper when my phone rang again. It was the same number from earlier. I was tempted to block it, but why would someone continuously call a random number? I guess if they wanted to prank me, getting me to finally answer would satisfy their need.

"Hello?" I snapped. "I'm in the middle of something right now. It better be important."

"You wouldn't be speaking to me like that, if you knew what your knight in shining armor was doing behind your pretty little back."

What?

"What are you talking about? You must have the wrong number."

"Isn't this Roxanne Monroe? The best interior designer the United States has ever seen?"

They didn't have to go that far. I'm barely anyone's favorite here.

"I'm not the best, but I am Roxanne Monroe."

"Well, Ms. Monroe, you might want to take a seat for this. What I am about to tell you isn't for the faint of heart. Especially women who can't take bad news well."

What's that supposed to mean? They must not know who I am.

"Alright...I'm sitting down. What's so important you have to ruin my lunch to tell me?" I demanded.

"Check that boyfriend of yours, because I have a lot of dirt on him that will make you see him in a completely different way."

Stacey agreed to meet with me once she heard how hysterical I sounded. I tried my best to stay calm as I showed Sheila and her husband my plans for the rest of their house. I'm sure I looked happy to be of service, but I was dying on the inside. I couldn't stop thinking about the call I'd gotten earlier. My body was going berserk and there was nothing I could do about it.

"Yes, yes, I'll see you next week. The contractor will contact you and your husband to see about the shed. Everything is up to you." I grinned.

"This is like a dream come true," Sheila exclaimed. "I'm so glad we were able to work with you. I can't wait to see how everything turns out."

"Me, too. I'll schedule our meeting for Thursday," I said. "I'll text you the time and place."

"Thank you so much."

"It's my job."

"And...cut." The cameraman turned off his camera and grinned at us. I think this went well for our first take. "We will see you tomorrow, Ms. Monroe."

"Of course."

Sheila was still smiling after I'd watched the camera crew leave. Her husband was slowly making his way around the house again. I'm sure he had plans for what he wanted to see. He had a good eye for construction. It's a wonder he didn't take the job of rebuilding the shed himself.

"We'll talk about payments after everything is done," I said. "I don't want you to pay now and you have some concerns later."

"Trust me, we are happy with everything you have presented to us. You're the best interior designer we've seen since we've been married." Sheila laughed. "My husband owns a few other houses outside of the city. Other designers did whatever they wanted to without asking for our opinions."

"A lot of them do that, but I've noticed that people tend to live in a house longer when they've picked out the theme."

"And we owe you for that. I know everything is going to turn out better than we visualized it today."