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Authors: Molly Harper
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knock out one of the walls between guest rooms to create storage and display space for your collectibles.”
“Collectibles?” Nina whispered.
“I’ve seen the sketches,” Anthony whispered back. “The guy’s a big fan of those weird sci-fi/fantasy movies. Flash Gordon . Krull . Tron . Ladyhawke. Did you know they made Krull action figures? Because I sure didn’t. I’ve never even heard of that movie.”
Nina shook her head. “I did not know that. But now that I know that there’s a tiny posable Liam Neeson out there, I sort of want one.” The look Anthony gave her was equal parts confusion and speculation. She just shrugged. “Don’t judge me.”
Deacon asked. “Jake, didn’t we have this conversation about the storage rooms last week?”
“Yeah, but I didn’t think you were serious!” Jake exclaimed.
“Why not?” Deacon asked.
“Because when you told me about those plans, I said, ‘That’s fine, as long as you’re OK with two of the guest rooms collapsing on themselves, because you’re removing a load-bearing wall.’ Remember?”
Deacon frowned. “No, I’m pretty sure I tuned you out after you said, ‘That’s fine.’ ”
“ Gah! ” Jake threw his arms skyward. At Nina’s snicker, he turned on her. “Quiet, you.”
Nina mimed zipping her lips and tossing the key to Anthony, who “caught” it.
“I was up to my ears in code!” Deacon exclaimed. “You know we have that new EyeChat feature launching—”
“I knew you weren’t listening!” Jake cried, scraping his fingers through his thick sandy hair, making it stand up.
“Can’t you make up some sort of hand signal or something so I know when a conversation is important and I need to pay attention?”
“Most people don’t need hand signals to listen when their best friend is speaking, they just pay attention, whether it’s critical or not,” Jake grumped.
Deacon sighed and turned. “Cindy, I’m sorry. It seems that our plans for expanding the guest room into a collectibles room are not possible due to a structural issue. Would you mind looking into an alternative space in the family wing? Maybe the bedroom on the southwest corner of the third floor?”
Cindy nodded and gave Deacon a sunny smile. “Absolutely. That’s no problem.”
Jake sputtered indignantly, “Wha—Why does he get ‘That’s no problem’ and a smile? I asked you to do the same thing, and you threated to grout my face.”
“Because he explained it to me in a rational, polite fashion,” she said. “And he signs my checks. Also, I like him better than you.”
Dotty by Nature
JAKE AND CINDY eventually calmed down because Deacon offered to share some of his ill-gotten cookies from Marie. Delicious baked goods were the great workplace hostility equalizer, no matter how unorthodox the workplace.
The days that followed were strained, with Cindy and Jake pointedly avoiding each other in the house and ignoring each other completely at dinner unless asked a direct work-related question. Deacon and Nina had to find something to talk about, or meals would have been completely silent, convent-like affairs. So they talked about their mutual love of Flash Gordon , which led to an in-depth discussion of 1980s cartoons and Nina’s inappropriate attachment to Popples. Nothing, including baiting Jake about the size of his Garbage Pail Kids card collection, could draw the other two into the conversation. Nina was grateful that Deacon waswilling to return to the servants’ quarters at a decent hour each night; otherwise, she would have been better off having dinner with the garden statuary.
When Jake wasn’t around, Cindy became her usual talkative and cheerful self. Without a TV to keep them entertained, the ladies usually retreated into the female staff quarters each night to watch DVDs on Cindy’s laptop while snacking on popcorn and sodas liberated from Deacon’s stash. Cindy had a weakness for old black-and-white movies, anything
“Collectibles?” Nina whispered.
“I’ve seen the sketches,” Anthony whispered back. “The guy’s a big fan of those weird sci-fi/fantasy movies. Flash Gordon . Krull . Tron . Ladyhawke. Did you know they made Krull action figures? Because I sure didn’t. I’ve never even heard of that movie.”
Nina shook her head. “I did not know that. But now that I know that there’s a tiny posable Liam Neeson out there, I sort of want one.” The look Anthony gave her was equal parts confusion and speculation. She just shrugged. “Don’t judge me.”
Deacon asked. “Jake, didn’t we have this conversation about the storage rooms last week?”
“Yeah, but I didn’t think you were serious!” Jake exclaimed.
“Why not?” Deacon asked.
“Because when you told me about those plans, I said, ‘That’s fine, as long as you’re OK with two of the guest rooms collapsing on themselves, because you’re removing a load-bearing wall.’ Remember?”
Deacon frowned. “No, I’m pretty sure I tuned you out after you said, ‘That’s fine.’ ”
“ Gah! ” Jake threw his arms skyward. At Nina’s snicker, he turned on her. “Quiet, you.”
Nina mimed zipping her lips and tossing the key to Anthony, who “caught” it.
“I was up to my ears in code!” Deacon exclaimed. “You know we have that new EyeChat feature launching—”
“I knew you weren’t listening!” Jake cried, scraping his fingers through his thick sandy hair, making it stand up.
“Can’t you make up some sort of hand signal or something so I know when a conversation is important and I need to pay attention?”
“Most people don’t need hand signals to listen when their best friend is speaking, they just pay attention, whether it’s critical or not,” Jake grumped.
Deacon sighed and turned. “Cindy, I’m sorry. It seems that our plans for expanding the guest room into a collectibles room are not possible due to a structural issue. Would you mind looking into an alternative space in the family wing? Maybe the bedroom on the southwest corner of the third floor?”
Cindy nodded and gave Deacon a sunny smile. “Absolutely. That’s no problem.”
Jake sputtered indignantly, “Wha—Why does he get ‘That’s no problem’ and a smile? I asked you to do the same thing, and you threated to grout my face.”
“Because he explained it to me in a rational, polite fashion,” she said. “And he signs my checks. Also, I like him better than you.”
Dotty by Nature
JAKE AND CINDY eventually calmed down because Deacon offered to share some of his ill-gotten cookies from Marie. Delicious baked goods were the great workplace hostility equalizer, no matter how unorthodox the workplace.
The days that followed were strained, with Cindy and Jake pointedly avoiding each other in the house and ignoring each other completely at dinner unless asked a direct work-related question. Deacon and Nina had to find something to talk about, or meals would have been completely silent, convent-like affairs. So they talked about their mutual love of Flash Gordon , which led to an in-depth discussion of 1980s cartoons and Nina’s inappropriate attachment to Popples. Nothing, including baiting Jake about the size of his Garbage Pail Kids card collection, could draw the other two into the conversation. Nina was grateful that Deacon waswilling to return to the servants’ quarters at a decent hour each night; otherwise, she would have been better off having dinner with the garden statuary.
When Jake wasn’t around, Cindy became her usual talkative and cheerful self. Without a TV to keep them entertained, the ladies usually retreated into the female staff quarters each night to watch DVDs on Cindy’s laptop while snacking on popcorn and sodas liberated from Deacon’s stash. Cindy had a weakness for old black-and-white movies, anything
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