“It depends. I’m working another project, but I can squeeze in a few hours a day. The cabinets will take a week; the countertops can be done in a day or two. We can’t start on the floors until those are done, but we can put up the shiplap and paint.”

Quinn sighed. There was no way he’d finish before she had to leave.

“Can you give me an estimate on the cost?” she asked.

“Let me check some costs on the materials, and I’ll get it to you tomorrow afternoon.”

“Don’t forget the family discount,” Maria said.

Liam laughed, and Pali joined him.

“I thought you were only friends?” Quinn said, thinking she’d been had. She looked from Maria to Kupuna.

“We are friends. And family,” Kupuna said. “In Hawaii, family comes first. We all help feed each other. He will be honest, and he will do the best job for the lowest price he can give and still make a profit.”

Quinn didn’t have an answer for that. As for family coming first, she could’ve pointed out that they were all sitting there together because Maria’s husband, Jaime, had abandoned ship. But she couldn’t bring herself to cause Maria any more pain. And it wasn’t as though Quinn had much experience with family, other than her mother. She only hoped that she really was getting a good deal on the work and would end up with stellar results and not shoddy workmanship.

Liam flipped his notebook shut and pushed it back into his shirt pocket.

“Are you at least licensed?” Quinn asked, thinking that would be the very first question that Ethan would belt out.

All eyes were suddenly on her, and they weren’t friendly.

Liam nodded. “Yes, I’m bonded and licensed. Now, if you’re satisfied with that and don’t require references or a criminal background screening, we can get this going. Tomorrow we’ll look at the rest of the house and see if we need to address anything else,” he said.

Getting references probably wouldn’t be a bad thing, Quinn thought, but she held her tongue.

Maria clapped her hands together. “Great. Now it’s time for lunch. Sit down, Liam, and let me fill your tank before you go. You too, Quinn,” Maria said.

“I’m not arguing,” Liam said. “But I’ll need to eat and run. I got another job to bid on over in Kihei.” He slid into the chair across from Kupuna. Gone was the businesslike persona, and in its place, he looked comfortable and at home. He turned his attention to the old man.

“Kupuna, do I have a story for you. You missed it Friday night at the poké shack.”