Jason turned away to study the house.
It was built in the style of a Mediterranean villa but with a heavy Moorish influence that indicated it had been constructed in the twenties.
The interior was dark and opulent. He could imagine one of the old silent-screen vamps at home with the narrow stained-glass windows, arched doorways, and wrought-iron grillwork. The living room had priceless Persian rugs on the floor, custom-made chairs with leather upholstery, and an antique samovar over the fireplace. It was a perfect place for a man with a Valentino complex. It was not his place to judge; he was making an observation. Lucius, the homeowner, had called the heating technician for home services. It would include boiler repair and duct sealing. During his career working on heating equipment in different places, Jason had seen a lot of homes, but this one was in its league. Lucius was not in, but the housekeeper led him to the heat pump installation. The electric heat pump looked fairly new. The ductwork, however, was a little older and needed some work. Jason worked on the heating device and also fine-tuned the wireless thermostat. Lucius had done an excellent job when it came to maintaining the electric heating system. Everything went smoothly with the electric HVAC, and he was on his way to another house where the caller said she needed an HVAC specialist for heater maintenance and a new HEPA filter. He automatically offered energy-saving tips out of habit and gave free advice on the different HVAC products for sale. Life as an HVAC serviceman had never been better. The workflow was great, and he had received a salary increase; maybe it was time he proposed to Layla. Still, what was the hurry? He was a young man, and contrary to what people said, at thirty-five he still had time to dally.