Page 76 of The Darkest Chase
I guess the customer is always right, but that’s stretching it here.
“Show me,” Xavier says imperiously. “Adjust the sketches and let me see what you come up with. Add the extra costs into your estimate.” His gaze scans over two pages that he holds apart again. He frowns. “I see a few notes here about materials and costs, but not an overall quote for everything, including labor.”
I swallow hard. Talking money makes me nervous, and quoting this price tag feels like death.
“Well, with a few architects involved, it would probably put the estimate at about four million dollars—and that’s lowballing it.” Just saying that amount makes me dizzy. “Also, we’re looking at a minimum timeline of three years. Possibly longer. It all depends on changes through the process, the usual delays, material backorders, staff availability, and time needed to relocate people and functional areas temporarily while large sections of the house are being worked on.”
If anyone told me they were about to send me a bill for over four million dollars, I’d faint.
Xavier doesn’t even blink.
In fact, he smiles faintly, a strange ghostly curl that makes me uneasy.
“Let’s make it easy and round up to five million. Why skimp? I like round numbers and this is a big undertaking.”
I get dizzier. “Five million? But this—”
“It’s not charity,” he replies sharply. “Frankly, I’ll be rather demanding with this project. Consider this advance compensation.”
The way he says demanding feels so slimy that it’s a miracle I don’t grab my phone and hit that button right now.
Instead, I just nod slowly, feeling broken.
“All right. Five million. Very fair. I’ll get the contract drafted and sent over, along with scans of the revised sketches. Typically, for larger long-term projects like these, we break up the payments into a downpayment and then installments. Does every six months and project milestones work for you?”
“Yes. I’ll leave the logistics to you.” He narrows his eyes. “You look pale, Miss Grey. Are you—”
“I’m fine,” I lie.
“Are you about to have an asthma attack?”
I tense, recoiling. “How did you know about my asthma?”
“I’m as much a resident of Redhaven as you are. What ever stays secret in this town? Maybe I’m not as close to the daily gossip as the townsfolk.” His smile is self-deprecating. “I hear things more like a thief holding his ear to the door, yes. But I do hear them.” His brows lift mockingly. “Or did you think I was fishing for information about you?”
Of course I did.
I’m not sure I’m wrong, either, despite his explanation. I flush with mortification anyway and hold out my hand.
“If I can have those back, I’ll get out of your hair…”
“So hasty to get away from me?” he mocks softly as he slips the pages back into the folio and passes it to me before rising. “I’ll escort you out since Mr. Peters has disappeared.”
Ugh.
Xavier has this way of talking that makes everything sound ominously significant. I can’t tell if it’s just the way he is, if he overheard any of my conversation with Joseph, or even if he already suspects his money may not buy the loyalty he thinks from his underlings.
There’s a fresh chill in that green stone stare.
I feel numb as I back out into the hall, keeping precious space between us as he rounds the desk and approaches me.
That distance remains as he turns to lead me down the hall.
Xavier doesn’t comment on it, thankfully.
I hate how I feel like a servant shuffling along in his wake, a few steps behind and to his right, but I’m more interested in escaping without any more weird moments.
Can I really spend years working here?