”This is probably going to come out wrong,” I start, ”but how did you get interested in home renovations? You’re a refined businesswoman…” She snorts. ”I mean by appearances. Nobody would call your personality refined.”

She nods, tapping her fingers on the bar and looking impatient. ”I bought a shit hole house in a shit hole neighborhood to spite my parents and I made it nice to prove that I could.”

I nod. ...