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“You don’t want to be seen with me. It’s not a date, just a business dinner.”
“That’s not what people would think if they saw us. I don’t need rumors going around that we’re seeing each other. That the only reason I got your deal was because you wanted to get with me.”
He laughed. “Well, I do want to take you out, but that’s not why I hired you. Why do you care so much what people think anyway?”
“It’s my professional reputation. I don’t want to be seen as some bimbo that gets her deals because of her daddy or because she puts out.”
“I feel like this isn’t all about me,” he said and sat back to let her explain.
“It’s not.” She sighed. “When I first started in real estate, a lot of my clients were friends of my dad. I’m sure he didn’t strong-arm anyone into hiring me, but I’m equally sure he probably nudged them in my direction. I’m not ungrateful, don’t get me wrong. Those first deals are the hardest, but I’ve always been insecure about it.”
“You have a ton of experience, and everyone I spoke to said you were the best. Your reputation now has nothing to do with your father. Certainly, not all your deals came through him?”
“No, of course not. After the first few months, word-of-mouth spread, and I was doing okay on my own, but I just always feel like I have to prove myself.”
“Hey, they say it’s all in who you know. There’s nothing wrong with helping your dad’s friends. If you’d have sucked or done an awful job, they wouldn’t have spread the word about how great you are. Even if he did help you get started, you have to take credit for what you’ve done since.”
“I suppose.”
“As long as he’s not doing anything illegal or using his position as mayor to give you an unfair advantage…” He dropped it as a subtle invitation for her to confirm or deny if she knew her dad was involved in anything illegal, but she skipped right over that part of his comment. Intentionally or not, he couldn’t be sure.
“That’s not the only reason dating would be a bad idea. It’s also totally unprofessional, and I don’t need my competitors or colleagues to think you hired me because you were getting something more than real estate advice from me, if you know what I mean.”
“We could just make out then,” he said. She rolled her eyes.
“If it makes you feel any better, I didn’t even really like you when I hired you. And, it had nothing to do with the fact that you’re smoking hot.”
“Didn’t like me?” She frowned.
“Well, it can’t be a surprise to hear that your interview didn’t go so well,” he said. “Like I said, it was your presentation, your reputation, and the fact that you kept your cool during the interview that made me want to hire you. You were also the only one to bring up a 1031 exchange, which proved to me you cared about more than just your commission—that you were looking out for my best interests. I decided to look past all the annoying stuff that bugged the crap out of me.”
“That’s so sweet of you to say,” she said with complete sincerity. “But you get where I’m coming from? Why we can’t date?”
“Honestly, I don’t see a problem with having a personal and a business relationship, but if you say so. I’ll wait until after the deals are done and then try again.”
“If you’re still interested, we’ll go from there,” she said. “Moving on, the first of our meetings with the REIT representatives is next week. I’ll have everything ready. I just need you to show up. Preferably in a suit.”
“Ugh,” he groaned.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Adam and Kate were waiting to start the first of three meetings Kate had set up with the real estate investment trusts’ representatives. The presentation packets were done. All the information was accounted for, perfectly organized, and easy to understand. Kate and her team had done a fantastic job. Now they just had to sell it.
As much as he hated dressing up, he’d donned a suit. And looked pretty dapper, even if he did say so himself, which he didn’t have to.
“Damn, man, you clean up nice,” Kate said.
“Once a year won’t kill me, I suppose,” he said.
“We have two more of these, so maybe three times this year?”
“We’ll see. Don’t push your luck.”
The rep for the first organization was due any minute. Adam hoped for his sake that he arrived on time. Kate disliked tardiness.
Almost fifteen minutes after their scheduled meeting time, Mr. Zach Greene sauntered in. He was one of those good-looking guys who knew it and thought it excused him from having good manners.
“I’m sorry I’m late,” he said without an ounce of sincerity. “I’m training for this Ironman race and was only supposed to run ten miles today, but I was in the zone, so I just kept going. You feel me, man?” he said to Adam, all but ignoring Kate.
