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We pass a living room with a tall cathedral ceiling and a giant stone fireplace coated with soot. The wide-plank walnut floors are caked in a layer of dust and grime, and clothing is strewn all over the furniture. A plate of half-eaten food rests on the arm of the couch, and the antique end tables are littered with empty glasses and beer bottles.
“I apologize for the mess,” says Dimitri, his voice tight as he continues down the hallway. “I wasn’t expecting visitors.”
“A mess we can handle,” I say, grateful to be in my element. Filth and grime are where I thrive. I can make anything shine.
I walk slowly behind him, pausing to peer into a dining room that looks as though it’s never been used and a kitchen that’s an absolute disaster. Pots and pans are piled in the sink, and nearly every available surface is littered with dirty dishes, utensils, and empty food packaging.
Does this guy live here all alone? I wonder.
Does he really not know how to keep a reasonably tidy house, or does he simply not care?
Dimitri rounds the corner and stops outside a room at the very end of the hallway. Glancing up at his face, I brush past him through the doorway, and a little gasp escapes me when I step inside the study.
The room has perfect unobstructed views of a scene ripped straight from a storybook. Spruce and pine trees tower around a small frozen pond, and a family of deer stand stock-still among the shrubs, as though they know they’ve been caught. The snow-covered mountain rises sharply behind the house, glistening in the sunshine.
The inside of the room, however, looks like an active crime scene. A window in the corner has been boarded up, and the floor is scattered with broken glass. Books are heaped on the floor, and several look as though they’ve been torn apart by a wild animal. One of the couches is in shreds, and there are water stains on the floor.
“Uh . . .”
“We had a bear break in,” Dimitri stammers after only a moment’s hesitation. “He really did a number on the place.”
“Oh, geez. That must have been really scary.”
Dimitri shrugs, though his whole body looks stiff.
I raise my eyebrows and let out a sigh, still not quite able to believe it. Living in the mountains, I’ve heard stories of bears letting themselves into people’s kitchens, but I’ve never heard of one breaking a window and ransacking a study.
Suddenly, I wonder if I should charge Dimitri more than the rate I’d planned on charging. If this is what this guy’s main living areas look like, how filthy is his bathroom?
“Right,” I say, trying to gather my thoughts. “After our talk today, I’ll quote you a flat rate for a one-time deep clean, and then there will be a separate rate for weekly upkeep. Given the current state of things, the cost of that initial clean will be a bit steep.”
“Fine.”
Dimitri’s terse reply makes me turn to look at him. He looks angry and closed-off again, and something tells me the bear story is a lie.
I swallow and start back down the hallway, feeling Dimitri’s gaze on me with every step. I stop when I reach the filthy living room and turn slowly to face him.
“Would it be all right if we talk in here?”
“Fine with me.”
I nod and cross to the couch, discreetly moving an empty Doritos bag out of the way before sinking down onto the cushions.
“Is there . . . anything else I should know about you?” I ask as he takes the seat across from me.
Dimitri stiffens.
“About your schedule, I mean. Or any special preferences with regard to how you like things to be cleaned.”
Dimitri’s shoulders relax, but the rest of him remains tense and alert. I’m tense, too, if I’m being honest. There’s something about this man that puts me on edge, and yet my gaze is drawn to that rugged jawline and his big strong hands. I find myself wondering what they would feel like roving over my body . . .
“I work in the city, so I split my time between this house and my home in Denver,” he explains. “I do not like to be disturbed when I’m here, which is why I haven’t employed a housekeeper in quite some time.”
“I understand.”
“I keep unpredictable hours,” he says roughly. “You’d need to be able to accommodate that.”
“Of course. We’ll stay out of your way. A lot of our clients have fluctuating schedules.”
