No One

The office was surprisingly empty this morning. My assistant, Renee, was off for the week - something about a family vacation. As such, I found yourself completely alone. I flipped the lights on and the small receptionist area illuminates. The windowless room, fitted with 80's shag carpet, wood-panel walls, and an old, hardwood desk wasn't the most welcoming nor the most professional, but I'd gotten this place for a pretty nice price. Rent was low, and no one really bothered me unless they were a client. My office was much the same, often leaving you feeling pretty cramped. I'd thought about doing some renovations. Maybe since Renee was gone and I had no upcoming appointments, I'd see if I could get someone down to look at the office and see what they could do for it.

I went online and Googled renovators in your area. There were the usual "Home Improvement" types who mostly middle-aged-or-older men wanting to get out and do something with their lives aside from a regular 9-5... but I couldn't really blame them. Then, there were the more "HGTV-esque" options. Husband-and-wife duos, very well-groomed guys, and then the TV personalities. The last option was not preferable. They would be women who would come in, act like they were going to take care of the whole project, smile for the camera, and then have a crew come in and take care of everything.

However, it was the last listing that caught my eye.

"Amanda Welling's Fix-It Service

• Just you and me renovating to your hearts' content. I'm a certified carpenter, welder, and much more. I'm a jack-of-all-trades.
• Apartments, condos, and small offices only."

That made sense. After all, how could two people completely fix up an entire house in a reasonable time? This could be fun, though. It would be exactly how I wanted it. The pricing and qualifications seemed a little too good to be true, but there was no harm in at least reaching out to her.