“Well,” he said, as he took the keys from Patty. “I guess I need to go paint shopping.”
“I can already see you’ve got plans for the place,” Patty said with a grin. “Don’t get so wrapped up that you don’t get to know your neighbors. There’s a lot of opportunity there, I think.”
He nodded his head and said, “Definitely. I can give some sort of friendly neighbor discount.”
“Smart thinking,” Patty said. “I’m sorry to rush you out, but I’ve got a lunch meeting.”
Jamie smirked and said, “Donnie?”
Patty flushed slightly and said, “Maybe…”
“Well, I’ll let you get to that. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”
“Same goes, buddy.”
He gave her a quick salute and then walked out of the office and back through the main lobby. Keys in hand, he mentally went over the list of things he had wanted to accomplish today. Paint, furniture, cleaning supplies.
The first stop he made was through a drive-thru. He’d woken up late and skipped breakfast this morning. As he navigated through traffic back toward his new office, he ate and tried to figure out where the closest home improvement store was.
A few hours later, he drove back to his office, his car loaded with paint supplies. He had already spoken to the landlord, who was excited to get a legitimate business in the unit. He would paint tomorrow and Thursday, then the landlord would come in over the weekend and have the carpet replaced.
He’d have to edge up the paint when he was through but the landlord had been in full support of getting rid of the mint green. So much so that he was willing to knock some money off next month’s rent in order to make it happen.
When he pulled into the parking lot with his cans of paint and roller brushes, he dialed Evan. After a few rings, he picked up and Jamie said, “Remember how I helped you paint your store? Four coats of cream colored paint to cover that awful, awful blue? It’s payback time, buddy.”
“Oh Christ, what color is it?” Evan muttered over the line.
“Mint green. It’s awful. Not as bad as the blue though.”
“Well,” Evan said. “I guess that means you found a place?”
“I did. It’s in Los Feliz, off Hillhurst,” Jamie said.
There was a pause in conversation. A moment later Evan asked, “The big complex near the organic market?”
“You know it?” Jamie asked.
“Yep. I helped Cora paint her office. I’m pretty sure you’re in the same office complex as her,” Evan said as he chuckled.
Jamie squeezed his eyes closed and leaned his head on the steering wheel. That was why Patty had been acting so strangely this morning. God dammit.
“Shit,” he said, completely inelegantly. “Tell me you’re lying, Ev.”
Evan laughed again and said, “Wish I could.”
“Fucking Patty. Why would she do that? Go out of her way to make shit even more awkward? Cora is gonna think I’m stalking her. Clearly, I have to tell her, right? Before someone else does?”
“Hell yeah, you do. This makes you look creepy,”
“Fucking Patty,” he said again, his voice laced with frustration.
“So, mint green, huh?”
“Yeah. Really mint green. And fair warning, they’re tearing out the carpet to replace it. The last people in here were some medicinal marijuana folks and apparently they also used it for recreational purposes because it reeks.”
“No need for beer, then. We can just have pizza and get a contact high,” Evan joked. “When do you need me?”
“Tomorrow,” Jamie said. “Maybe Thursday evening too. You free?”