For Love of Livvy Read Online Free PDF Page A

magnificent technique Lanky had finished. The walls shown like buffed worn leather. Slowly, I whirled around in awe. The bittersweet tinted Venetian plaster had been worked to a glowing patina. The glorious warm hued room enveloped me as I stared in astonishment. I stepped toward Lanky, gave him a huge hug and planted a wet kiss on his round cheek.
    "It's beautiful, Larry, just beautiful. Thanks for doing this.” My spirits soared to think he'd been so conscientious over the job. I'd only needed a hand in painting the walls, but this was perfect.
    Pleasure covered his face as pride showed through. He said he was pleased to think I was happy and that alone made the sweat worthwhile.
    With a squeeze to his shoulder, we headed down the stairs into my apartment where I cracked open a couple of beers from the fridge. Handing one to Lanky, I leaned against the counter and took a hefty swig from the bottle.
    "Are you hungry? I can whip up some dinner if you want.” Now I'm not the best cook, but not the worst either. My mother cooked, but my father was the chef in the household and had taught me enough to get by.
    "No thanks, really, I need to get back to the city. I have a date tonight and want to get cleaned up. We're going clubbing."
    I smiled and nodded since I was low on groceries anyway. “Okay then, I'll finish upstairs and you'll call me tomorrow about the date, right?"
    "You betcha, I know this is the one for me. He's a real doll and dresses like Liz Taylor.” His eyebrows waggled, and I had all I could do not to laugh. Each to his own is my motto and I try to stick to it.
    He hustled back upstairs, gathered his tools and left. I followed with my beer in hand and stood in the open window watching him leave. Tired, but determined to finish the final wall if it killed me, I sipped the brew and peered at the Venetian plastered walls. Gorgeous, just gorgeous , I thought, with pleasure.
    In the unfinished room, I slopped paint into the roller pan and layered it onto the wall. The sun dipped slowly below the trees. Darkness had descended when I finished painting. Lights blazed as I went room to room turning them all on. The windows were open to help the paint dry, and I pulled the ladder to the center of the room.
    Halogen floor lamps shone bright as I gathered my supplies to replace the ceiling light with a new fixture from the box near the door. I grabbed a screwdriver from the pile of junk tools to pry the cruddy old lamp off the ceiling. It crashed to the floor before I could catch it, smashing when it landed on the drop cloths spread to catch paint splatters. Shit, I couldn't get a break today.
    Stepping off the ladder to clear the debris, I pulled the new fixture from the box. Mounting four steps, I swung a leg over the edge of the ladder and straddled the top step. My butt plunked in place, I held the light in one hand and juggled the screws with the other. A few colorful Italian curses rolled off my tongue in the interim. It would have been nice to have one more hand, but God only graced me with two.
    The downstairs door opened and footsteps shuffled up the first set of stairs. They stopped on the landing before continuing into the other room. I'd left the outer door unlocked and the apartment door open. As steps advanced, my breath caught. I froze in place waiting to see who came in since I hadn't expected guests.
    With bug eyes glued to the doorway, I breathed in relief as Marcus Richmond stood outside peering in. Man, was I jumpy or what? Releasing the pent up breath I'd held until I thought I'd faint, I glared at him.
    "Geez, you coulda knocked, you know."
    His brows rose and he smirked. “I did, but you were too busy swearing.” His eyes traveled the room and he said, “Looks good, but the other room is great. Did you do that?"
    "No, my friend Larry did it today. He faux finishes for a living and offered to give me a hand. What brings you here?” Dressed in uniform, I suspected his visit meant business and my