she told her friend liz sevilla all about it. >> reporter: was she like an hgtv type of girl? >> yes. oh, my gosh. hey, i'm going to home depot. she's workin' on the sprinkler system or she's deciding on materials for the floor. >> reporter: but the busy executive couldn't do everything herself, so in 2012, she hired a contractor, his name was lars itzo. but once work got underway, lars seemed in no rush to finish the job. >> she was getting very frustrated and she's just like, "i wish this person would finish." >> he'd stay late and work, and they'd talk. >> reporter: but lars' siblings ken and kristi, said he wasn't dragging things out for the money, he had an ulterior motive. >> he goes, yeah, she keeps flirting and talking and we're laughing and having a good time. >> reporter: lars liked debbie, and he thought it was mutual. >> and he goes, "can i ask her out?" and i went, yeah, why can't you. >> reporter: so began an unlikely courtship between debbie, the petite powerhouse and lars, the six foot two nordic he-man. >> they were cute. they were goofy. >> like teenagers. >>