The Dance

Chapter 71 Negotiation

Without a kitchen of their own, Bam and Lila still joined the family for meals. One day, it would be nice to just be the two of them eating together but in the meantime family meals were a requirement. After dinner and with the table cleared, Bam rolled out his design for the house. It was an open concept floor plan, all one level with a bank of windows facing the beach. His original designs for a loft were scratched as Lila deemed them to impractical if she ever became pregnant. Managing stairs much less a ladder wouldn't be a good idea for small children either. Bam conceded and adjusted his plans accordingly. He, Matt and Billy calculated lumber needs.

Their land was almost cleared and setting the foundation posts would be the next major task on the list. The logs they needed for the foundation posts would have to come from the sawmill in town. Billy and Bam discussed what they could barter when Lila interrupted their discussions. "Bam, can I see you outside for a moment?"

Bam followed Lila outside to the porch. "Bam, let me pay for the foundation posts. I draw a check from the magazine."

"Absolutely not!" Bam started for the door. "Mr. Brown, walk in that door and you'll be sleeping in the tire shack with Matt."

Bam stopped cold at the door and turned around with a look of surprise on his face. Lila had never threatened to put him out of his own bed before much less spend the night away from her on purpose. "Before you speak again, you might want to select your words carefully Joshua."

Lila was also surprised that he refused the money. She knew he was prideful but they were married. What was his was hers and hers his. "I'll not take your money Lila. It's my job to provide."

"And it's my job to help. Last time I checked, we were married. A partnership, remember?" Lila stared at him crossly. He didn't fancy the idea of sleeping with Matt.

"If you won't take the money, I have another idea. Let me do the barter." Lila asked.

"What do you have to barter?" Bam was skeptical at first but he should have never doubted his wife's talents.

"Well, I am a photographer just like you so I'm going to barter the owner some of our photography skills...family portraits, head shots, advertising photos...whatever he needs equal to the value of the wood we need."

Lila smiled as she knew she had already won the battle. He couldn't argue with her and found her solution more to his liking.

He reached for her and pulled her close to him. "I should never doubt your mad skills."

Lila laughed back. "Lesson learned."

Bam and Lila walked back into the cabin and announced they had a plan for the barter.

The next day, the Brown men set sail for the saw mill with Lila in tow. Once at the mill, she worked her magic leaving the Brown men outside while she negotiated with the owner. Lila held firm to her offer and after about a half hour, she and the owner emerged from his office laughing and joking. The owner, a crusty bit of a salt, looked at Bam and said, "That's one hell of a bargain she just negotiated. I'll give you some advice. Don't ever bet against her."

Lila was particularly pleased with the deal. Her timing couldn't have been more perfect as he needed a photographer for his daughter's wedding and Lila needed the foundation posts for her home.

Giddy with her win, the Brown men headed for their favorite hangout in town to consume a few pizzas. Lila asked Bam to save her a seat as she slipped to the drugstore.