A New Foundation Rochelle Alers (read aloud .txt) 📖

ships, bottles of spirits and fragile stemware. There were framed black-and-white photos of couples and groups of people from other centuries, and Taylor wondered if perhaps they were Dom’s relatives. He smiled seeing the billiard table in an area off the living room.

Dom, noting the direction of his gaze, asked, “Do you play?”

Taylor’s eyebrows lifted slightly. “Not in a long time.” Conrad had set up a pool table in the game room and had taught all his children to play. There was a chalkboard with a tally, and although he was good Taylor could never beat Joaquin, who demonstrated incredible eye-hand coordination.

“I know you’re busy, but you’re always welcome to come and test your skills.”

“Spoken like a true pool shark.”

A flush darkened Dom’s tanned face. “I’ve been known to make a few dollars to supplement my meager income.”

“Well, if I’m going to play, then it’s not going to be for money because I don’t like being hustled.”

Crossing his arms over his chest, Dom leaned back on the heels of his boots. “I wouldn’t mind playing for a bottle of premium scotch to add to my illustrious collection.”

Taylor pointed to the bottles lining the shelves. He’d noticed some were premium aged scotch. “You play for bottles?”

Dom nodded. “Not only am I connoisseur of scotch, but that’s the only liquor I drink. I have a few bottles that are at least thirty years old.”

“That must have cost the loser a pretty penny.”

“It did,” Dom said proudly. “But I always say if you can’t pay, then don’t play.”

“I didn’t say I can’t pay,” Taylor countered.

“When do you want to play?”

“Since you issued the challenge, you set the date and time, and I’ll let you know if I’m available.”

“Tonight?”

“It can’t be tonight because I have a prior engagement.” He had promised to cook for Sonja. “What about tomorrow night? Say, around eight.”

Dom nodded and extended his right hand. “Tomorrow it is. Shouldn’t we establish the wager beforehand?”

Taylor shook the proffered hand. “I don’t think that’s necessary. You want a bottle of aged scotch and I want to clean your clock.”

Dom’s expression shifted from smug to one exhibiting uncertainty. “Are you some kind of clandestine pool hustler?”

Taylor couldn’t help laughing. “No. I grew up with three brothers, and although we all managed to get along we also were very competitive. And it’s the same with my sister. It has been a while since I’ve played the game, but I’m warning you that I’m not an easy target. Now, I want to see what you’ve done to your kitchen and bathroom because I have to leave and get home.”

He’d scheduled the interviews for the morning because he needed time to shop for the ingredients for dinner. He’d sent Sonja a text earlier that morning asking if he could prepare dinner at her place. It would save him having to transport hot dishes from his mother’s condo to hers, and she’d quickly replied in the affirmative.

Taylor had to admit the changes Dom had made to the kitchen and bathrooms were remarkable. The sage-green kitchen cabinets, recessed lights, natural plank flooring and a granite-topped table mahogany doubling as an island combined the elements of modern and rustic with the stainless steel refrigerator and dishwasher.

He opened the door under the sink, lay on his back and examined the plumbing hookup. Dom had installed a garbage disposal sink. Taylor checked the strainer basket and the rubber gasket preventing leakage between the strainer body and the sink. Dom had also installed a locknut for tightening the joint between the draining circuit and the end piece. He got up and closed the door. He’d seen enough. The pipes for the cold and hot water supply line, spray hose and the shutoff valve had been expertly installed.

Wiping his hands on the front of his jeans, he nodded. “Very nice.”

“Do you want to see the bathrooms?”

Taylor shook his head. “That’s not necessary. I’d like to know if I hire a supervisory plumber, are you willing to work with him?”

Dom smiled, exhibiting a mouth of straight white teeth. “I’m your man.”

Taylor patted his shoulder. “That means I’ll have two plumbers.” He needed to interview one more with a license and extensive experience. “I’m telling you this in advance—once I have the entire restoration team, I will have an orientation session where everyone will be introduced to their supervisors. And if anyone has a problem, then the supervisor will handle it, and if they can’t then either I or my assistant will step in. At no time will I tolerate bullying or intimidation. And anyone caught or reported will be immediately dismissed and escorted off the property.”

“I suppose you mean we’ll have to work well with one another.”

“That’s exactly what I’m talking about, Dom. I will not tolerate a hostile work environment because I’m projecting a two-year timeline.”

A slight frown marred Dom’s smooth forehead. “Isn’t that a little long?”

Taylor shook his head. “No. Remember we’re not putting up a building, but restoring a structure to look the way it did one hundred forty years ago. All of the guest rooms will be replicas of that period but with modern amenities like heat, running water, air-conditioning and Wi-Fi. It will be the same with the bar and lounges and meeting rooms. It is much easier to gut a structure and renovate it than restoring it to appear the way it did during a particular era.”

“What about the cottages, Taylor?”

“The bedrooms, kitchens and bathrooms will still retain some of the charm of a late-nineteenth-century cottage but with updates that will include air-conditioning and Wi-Fi.” Taylor still hadn’t decided whether to keep or remove the wood-burning stoves that were used, along with fireplaces, to heat the structures.

“When do you expect to begin the restoration?”

Taylor mentally counted off the weeks. It was now the first week in May and he’d projected it would take him at least a month or maybe even six weeks to interview and hire his teams. “Hopefully before the end of June. I’d like to begin