Chapter 19
The morning of December 05th there was a knock at the door. "Coming!" Cheryl hurried to the door. "Okay, I'm here.” Swift and decisive she unlocked the deadbolt, pushed down on the door handle and pulled with all her strength. Grunting in frustration, she struggled with the sticky front door finally succeeding in opening it. With a smile and a polite welcome Cheryl invited Hervé Lavalle inside.
After a bit of introduction Jason arrived. Jason explained to Hervé that Cheryl would oversee the project. She had already been briefed by Jason and Jerome. They all went to the living room, complete with a fireplace and elegant French windows. Hervé made a circle of the room, looking at the crown moldings and window casings, the hardwood floors, bookshelves and furniture. It appeared that nothing escaped his notice.
After sitting they got right to business. Jason wanted to refurbish an older townhouse. This would be his and Raquel’s marital home. He explained that he wanted specific and timely refurbishing of the property a few houses away. The structure was more than fifteen years old so it was still relatively new. The property was on two acres of land. There was more than enough room for all that he wanted.
The bulging muscles and tight jeans waiting on the other side of the door were an ample reward for Marie- Rosalie and Renée. This time Jason was not about to be so generous. If this hunk of a man was the new contractor then everything that Cheryl had mentioned about him was right on. At least as far as the sexy-and-hot-eye-candy part went.
After the conversation was finished, Marie-Rosalie and Renée appeared from nowhere. They were shocked to see Hervé Lavalle inside. Trying to look sorry they continued to the door. In their futile attempts to open it they gave up. Of course Hervé graciously offered to assist. He waved them aside, and eased it open with no visible effort at all. A little sigh escaped Rosalie and Renée as those imposing muscles rippled underneath Hervé’s t-shirt. Gosh they thought. Could he be any more handsome and teasing? He smiled as they exited.
"There are windows to be repaired and some walls which will need repainting," he told him. "There’s also the fireplace that needs repairing. Every time I try to light a fire it fills the house with smoke. Redoing the floors in a maple finish will be your biggest assignment. At least in the main room."
Taking out a notebook and pencil, Hervé scribbled some notes. They then exited the house and walked over to the project. Once there Hervé walked to the windows inspecting the casings. He scribbled some more before taking some measurements. He surveyed all of the refurbishing which was requested. After taking all of his notes he politely offered a question. "I presume you want your front door over at the other house adjusted as well?"
"Oh, Gosh, yes please. If you could do that also I'd be eternally grateful," said Cheryl.
“I'll require a key to get entry in and out of the house. Oh, and I'll begin to toil early in the morning.” Hervé had said early of course? Early was maybe six thirty a.m. Not five thirty in the morning. No problem for Jason. Five forty-five wasn't too early. It was cool and outside was bright. Most people work better and like to get an early start.
The hammering was bad enough. When someone started sawing wood with a power saw it made matters worse. Over and over again it went on like a production factory. Fifteen minutes after being rudely awakened, Rosalie and Renée were done—their patience worn thin, their thoughts edging toward hysteria. Slipping on a thin robe, and shorty pajamas they hurried out of their bedroom and over to the house next door.
"Hey chap, what are you doing here at this time of…" Her words trailed off. Four pairs of the most virile-male eyes they had ever seen gaped in their direction. Of course by this time all of the work had stopped. They realized that they were practically close to naked. Silk shorty pajamas were under an ultra-sheer robe which was hiding next to nothing. Hervé stepped forward trying to block their view from the other men with his broad back.
"Ma'am I’m suggesting that maybe you and your sister would like to get dressed."
"Get dressed? Is that what you’d like? No, I wouldn't like to get dressed," they chorused angrily. "What we would like is to have some slumber for about another two hours!"
"I express my profound regret, but this is a big job. These guys are exceptional carpenters and they're only available to work with me for the next four mornings. They work only from five thirty until eleven." With a smirk he stroked his moustache as his eyes wandered down their bodies. "In that case I think you may wish to consider going to bed a little earlier each night."
Rosalie clenched her teeth to hold back a cussing which Mr. Mainty had stimulated. Doing a one hundred and eighty degree about-face she and Renée stormed out devoid of another word.
Cheryl saw them and briefly she inquired what was that exchange all about. “Nothing much really,” said the sisters. “We just thought that they started too early.”
“These guys are good, so bear with them. They should l be finished in no time. And please next time if you won’t mind wear something a little less informative. You can always choose to flirt later.”
"We'll be working on other areas tomorrow," Hervé announced. "It'll get much louder." Loud was an exaggeration. Hervé came over to apologize for the loss of the water. Both houses were connected to the same hot water plumbing. Rosalie appeared swiftly her hair wrapped in a towel and her body in a warm fluffy robe which she hoped would help her to regain some warmth.
"There's no warm water," she accused.
"Absolutely. Pierre closed it." Hervé tossed her a teasing grin. “I believe the problem may be the pilot. No worries. We should be done later. If we can get it done it will be back on tonight. Since Pierre is the only one who knows about the plumbing we had to get started. We will try to get the pipe repair done by the time he leaves today. Failing that you may have to heat some on the stove,” he gestured toward her range.
Rosalie exited his presence seething as though she’d seen a ghost. A tight ass, however excellent, did not make up for the suffering Mr. Mainty was causing. Was she paying for this torment? She rippled a hilarious laugh.
"He's disgusting and outrageous," Rosalie told Renee. In such a fit of rage Rosalie could have pulled out some of her hair. Instead she threw a crudely drawn cartoon on the table.
"What's this?" said Renee smoothing out the crumpled drawing.
"Is that you?"
" Unquestionably it looks like it Cheryl.” She grinned at her sister. "The artwork's not bad at all. I’m impressed. Whoever did it has drawn what looks like a fair rendition of her face when she's at her worst."
Looking from one to the other, Rosalie sighed. If she hadn't wanted an honest opinion then she should've taken this conversation elsewhere.
"I found a complete cluster of them in a sketchbook the next to crown moldings close to the coffee table," she said. "I find them to be entirely flattering."
"You mean the others are inferior?" Renee picked up the cartoon examining it from another angle, trying to make it seem as though there was more to interpret. Cheryl offered a comforting pat on Rosalie’s shoulder. "Well, at least we all agree its quality artwork."
"That's true, Rosalie," Renee agreed. Rosalie snatched the paper out of Renee hands and crunched it into a ball. It had