Last Chance Motel 1 (Last Chance Romance Series) (3 page)

“This is Mr. Burton. His parents owned the Last Chance Motel. You are . . . ?”

“My name is Eva . . . Hanover.”

“Eva, my name is Muriel Pruitt. I’m the realtor for the Last Chance Motel. Glad to meet you.” Muriel put out her hand.

Eva shyly shook hands with both Muriel and Mr. Burton.

They stood politely waiting for Eva to explain what she wanted.

“I’ve been told by the locals that this property has been vacant for several years.”

“Four to be exact,” stated Mr. Burton. “My parents built it in 1948, after the war. My father had been in the European Theater and wanted nothing to remind him of the horrors of combat, so he packed up my mother and three kids from New England and moved here.”

“It must have been a culture shock,” said Eva.

“They loved it as did we three kids. They never left Florida for fifty years after that, except for one trip to Italy and another to the Southwest,” Mr. Burton reminisced. “After they passed, my sister ran it until she got sick with cancer. It’s been sitting empty ever since. I have my own business and don’t have time for it. My other brother, who was going take it over, passed away. A drunk driver hit him.”

“I’m so sorry,” Eva sincerely murmured.

“So am I,” replied Mr. Burton sadly. “He was a hell of a fellow.”

Muriel interrupted, “May I ask what is your interest?”

“I’m from up North. I was a design architect but retired now. My job was to turn large industrial spaces into living and working areas with all the modern comforts without compromising the integrity of the building. This place interests me. I’d like to restore it.”

Mr. Burton and Muriel looked at each other.

“Gee honey, you’re so young to be retired,” commented Muriel.

“I’ve come into some money lately and want to make a change in my life.”

Mr. Burton shook his head. “As much as I want to see this motel restored to its original glory, this is too big a project for just one person. I take it that you are single,” he questioned while glancing at her left hand.

Eva smiled, realizing that Mr. Burton was old school. “I’m very good at restoring things, Mr. Burton, but if I need help I can always hire experts. And surely I could call on you for advice. You have pictures of the motel in her glory days, I assume.”

Mr. Burton puffed up. It had been a long time since a woman asked for his help. It was welcoming. He nodded to Muriel.

“The auction will be next month. We can contact you then.”

Eva shook her head. “Give me a figure now.”

Mr. Burton took off his Captain’s cap and scratched his bald head. “Well, my sister and I want two million for the place.”

Eva tried not to scoff out loud. “Is the plumbing and wiring updated and up to code?”

Mr. Burton shook his head.

“And have the buildings ever been flooded?”

Mr. Burton shifted his feet before answering. “To be honest . . . several times during the last fifteen years.”

“I thought so. The bungalows should really be lifted up several feet. Were the floors replaced after the flooding?”

“I don’t think so,” Muriel murmured.

“So there is probably a mold problem with the buildings as well.” Eva started walking toward the dock. “I’m sure the property will be purchased for the purpose of tearing down the Last Chance Motel to build a soulless condominium community.”

“I sure would hate that,” growled Mr. Burton. “This was my parents’ dream. People still call and ask if we have reopened. They want to come back.”

Muriel interjected, “Be that as it may be, the land is everything here in the Keys. Precious and hard to come by.”

“Maybe on the ocean side, but this is the bay side of Key Largo. Less desirable,” stated Eva.

Muriel countered, “More protected from the storms.” She wanted to earn her commission.

“I’ve checked with the PVA office. There are unpaid taxes on this property,” Eva replied.

She felt like her old self, as negotiating was one of her strengths. She had gotten the brownstone for a song, but Eva shook that memory out of her head. She didn’t want to remember those days.

“We’re in a sorry state, that’s for sure,” announced Mr. Burton. “I’ve got bill collectors nipping at my heels. My parents would roll over in their graves if they could see what has happened to their dream, but I’ll be honest with you. We just couldn’t compete with the big hotels in the area. During the last five years before we closed, we were lucky if the motel was filled fifty percent and that was during the busy season. Times just changed with what people expected in the conveniences.”

Eva picked up a stick and scratched a figure in the sand.

Mr. Burton and Muriel leaned over to see it.

Muriel had to get her glasses out of her huge purse to see the markings clearly.

They reared back and looked questioningly at each other.

Eva continued with her pitch. “With an auction, you always take a risk that it will be rigged by the big boys in the audience and you might get much less than what you’re asking plus you have to pay thirty percent in auction fees.” Eva faced them. “I can have a certified check for you tomorrow if you have the papers ready to sign. You will know exactly how much you are getting. No risk with auction, plus cash money in your hands. I’m sure you have already had the land surveyed and the inspection done. A good lawyer can pull the title in the morning.”

“Well, I don’t know,” sputtered Mr. Burton. “This is so sudden. A total change of plans.”

Eva wrote a phone number in the sand along with her hotel’s name. “This is my lawyer’s number in New York. He can verify any information that you might need. I’m staying at this hotel. Call me tonight if you’re interested.”

“I’m interested all right,” declared Mr. Burton, “but why do you want this old motel? I don’t want to dump something on you that you might regret.”

“I need to make a change in my life. A new project. And this motel is the right size for me. Really, I know what I’m doing. I look forward to hearing from you.”

“It’s been nice talking to you, Miss Hanover. I’ll think on it.”

Eva gave Mr. Burton a big smile. “You do that, Mr. Burton. Goodbye.”

For the first time in months, Eva felt good. In fact, she felt so good that she walked over to a local salon and had her hair done. A new hairdo to go with a new life.

E
va didn’t hear anything for the next several days. She thought Mr. Burton had decided to pass and go with the land auction. Although she had lowballed the offer, it was a good one, considering the work that needed to be done to restore the Last Chance Motel. Still, that didn’t dampen her spirits. Every day Eva felt lighter, less depressed. Sooner or later a project would happen along that she could sink her teeth into. She hoped it would be as fulfilling as restoring a Mom and Pop iconic motel. Those motels were almost a thing of the past, and the past was Eva’s specialty. But Eva was sure something else would come along if the deal with the Last Chance Motel fell through.

So she was surprised when she walked into the hotel lobby and saw Muriel waiting for her.

“You’ve cut your hair!” exclaimed Muriel. “I almost didn’t recognize you. It’s so different.”

“Thank you,” replied Eva, not really knowing if Muriel’s compliment was sincere.

“Can we talk somewhere private?” asked Muriel, looking around.

“Sure,” answered Eva, pointing to the outdoor café.

They settled on a table by the pool and Eva ordered raspberry iced tea for the both of them.

“I hope you have some good news for me,” prompted Eva.

“Mr. Burton has decided to go with your offer. He heard a rumor that a developer in town was going to get his buddies to come to the auction . . . bidding even lower than what you offered.”

“You could do a reserve auction.”

Muriel shook her head. “I thought of that, but the bank said no. Too much is owed on it plus the taxes. They want to get rid of it regardless. Of course, I can’t blame them. They want their money like everyone else.”

“I saw that there was a lien on the property.”

“It’s a shame that Mr. Burton and his sister are not going to make a fortune off this sale. I’ve known them since childhood and the entire Burton family worked their butts off their entire lives.”

Eva shrugged. “Life can be a bitch at times. I know what it is like to work hard on something and then lose it, but fortunately there will still be a profit for the Burton family after the sale is completed.”

Muriel took a sip of the tea and then rose. “Can we expect you at the bank tomorrow at 2 p.m. with a certified check?”

Eva sensed hostility in Muriel’s voice. She wondered if she had spoiled Muriel’s plans for the property. Maybe Muriel had her hand in the cookie jar with the developer. Eva rose and shook hands with Muriel. “I will be there. Rest assured.”

“I’ll tell Mr. Burton. He’ll be thrilled. He didn’t want the motel torn down anyway . . . if what you said is true about restoring it.”

Refusing the bait, Eva smiled and said, “We’ll just have to wait and see, won’t we.”

E
va unlocked the gate and walked onto the motel compound with her small bag of toiletries and clothes. She had checked out of the hotel and was determined to live on the property. But as she looked at the dilapidated buildings, she wondered if she had made the right decision. Not only did the compound look and smell horrible, Eva began to worry about the safety of the buildings. Hopefully she would find a building where she could at least lay her head that night.

The entire morning was spent having the electricity and the water turned on plus getting needed construction permits. Dumpsters were to be delivered that afternoon and tomorrow a landscaping crew was scheduled to come. But first she needed to inspect the buildings.

With a legal pad in hand and wearing safety glasses and a hardhat, Eva unlocked the door to the office and living quarters for the owner.

The strong mustiness caused Eva to sneeze. “Lots of mold in here,” she mumbled. “Dear, oh dear.” But as she looked around, Eva liked what she saw. The office walls were covered in knotty pine. The paneling looked in very good condition. Even the counter was of knotty pine with an old rotary phone on it.

Eva tried it. It worked. YEAH!

The floor was old linoleum, which could be easily covered in bamboo flooring or maybe one of those nifty new linoleum designs. Eva salivated at the thought of picking out new flooring. That was her idea of fun.

Going into the living quarters, Eva was surprised at the good condition of the building. The roof seemed intact and the windows were useable.

The stove and oven in the kitchenette needed to be replaced, but Eva thought she would keep the old fridge. It seemed to be working fine and was clean. She would have an electrician check it and if he gave the okay, Eva would refurbish it, as she loved its mid-century look. Plus she would keep the old-fashioned stainless steel sink.

Unfortunately, all the walls of the bungalow were covered in the same knotty pine. Eva thought the knotty pine paneling and cabinets could be salvaged for another building. She liked the retro look, but a little here and there was plenty. An entire building of knotty pine paneling was too much for her tastes.

Giving the kitchenette one last look, Eva marked down “dishwasher.” She refused to live without one.

Now for the bedrooms and bath.

Not so good.

The floor was buckling in one bedroom, paint was peeling off the walls in strips and the only bathroom was covered in garish pink tiles.

Eva released a big sigh.

A forties-era bathroom. That was good and bad.

The sink was in good condition, but didn’t have a countertop. The old metal medicine cabinet was rusting and would have to be replaced. Eva hated the cast iron tub and decided right then and there to replace it with a glassed-in shower complete with a seat.

The toilet was too low for her height and she would replace it with both a new comfort toilet and bidet.

The pink tiles were chipped and some of the tile border was missing. Eva thought this would be the perfect time to update the walls with new stylish glass ones. The bathroom was going to be the most expensive room in the building to renovate.

Eva would have to do most of the work herself to keep costs down. She sat on an old recliner in the living room and added up costs. Not too bad for the first building.

It was time to inspect the ten bungalows. The outsides of the bungalows were in dire need of paint, many of the windows were broken, and most of the wooden decks were rotting. All of them had spiders and other creepy crawly critters, which caused Eva to run outdoors screaming more than once.

The last two bungalows closest to the bay were the worst. Eva thought she might have to scrap them.

Regardless, all the bathrooms needed major upgrading, as did the kitchenettes. Also some of the rentals would have to provide handicapped facilities, which none possessed at the moment.

The dock was listing sideways and half of it had fallen into the bay. It would have to be rebuilt from scratch. That would be a small fortune. Last but not least, Eva went over to inspect the pool.

“Golly, this takes the cake,” said Eva. The pool was full of nasty green water. Already she could see places where tiles had popped out.

Eva sat in one of the old pool chairs. It was the only one that still had all four legs intact. After reviewing her rough cost estimates on the legal pad, Eva almost broke out into tears. “What have I done?”

The confidence that Eva had once had as a designer was gone. She was not sure of her plans or if the money would hold out. The last thing she needed was to go broke.

“Why did I buy this place? I could have gotten a job with a firm in Miami. This is the stupidest thing I have ever done!”

“Having buyer’s remorse?”

Eva swiveled around in the pool chair to see a man standing behind her wearing aviator sunglasses, shorts, a tight green T-shirt, and tennis shoes with holes in the sides. He was tall, tan, and obviously hit the gym a lot by the guns he was packing. He was also wearing a sloppy grin.