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23
Carm
I’m sitting at the restaurant and it’s well past seven thirty. I pulled so many damn strings to get in here tonight. The waiter gives me a look as I order another scotch on the rocks.
“Sorry, she’s a realtor and you know how it is. Sometimes clients take a while to make up their mind.”
He nods with a “whatever, dude, you’re getting stood up” look. I think he might be right.
Me: Where are you? Still with the client?
It’s odd for me to be on the other side of this situation. Usually it’s my brothers or my parents or friends whining about me getting held up with a client.
Bella: Five minutes. Order me a red wine. After what you pulled, you’re lucky I’m coming at all.
The fact that she responded pulls a grin from me, but I know what I have coming when she gets here. I told Natasha Edens not to mention the fact that she came to me first. I might well get the wine I’m ordering for Bella as my appetizer after she tosses it in my face.
Her cheeks are flushed when the hostess brings her over to the table. I stand to welcome her and help her with her chair, but she shoos me away, sliding into the chair with grace.
“Long meeting?”
She picks up the menu. “I’m going to order the most expensive meal on here because if I don’t, I’m going to tell you off and stomp out of here like a thirteen-year-old girl.” Her tone displays nothing but sincerity.
The waiter comes over and places down her wine glass. I want to give him the finger and say here she is and yes, be jealous she’s mine because you could never land a woman like her. Then I realize I might lose her after this meal and my arrogant inner self quiets down.
“Would you like to order an appetizer?” He pulls out his tablet.
“Give us a minute, please,” I say, and he blows out a breath.
Bella must notice because she closes her menu. “I’m sorry about keeping you waiting. I had a meeting, and my client just went back and forth making a decision.” Her hand touches his forearm, and he inches toward her. “I do apologize, but I guarantee you Mr. Mancini”—she eyes me in case he can’t figure out that’s me—“and I will compensate you for the extra time. I’ll make sure of it.”
My teeth grind, but I force a smile. Yeah, damn Natasha Edens sold me down the river.
“Take your time. I’ll be back in a bit.” The smug early-twenty-something leaves the table with the first grin I’ve seen on his face all night.
Bella places her menu on the side of the table and grabs a piece of bread. “We need to be clear about a few things if we’re going to move forward.” She takes the butter knife and spreads some on her bread. “First off, there’s no giving me clients.”
“I was—”
She raises her hand with the butter knife in it. She looks angry enough that it could be a weapon of choice for her. “Nope. My turn to talk. You sit and listen.”
I lean back, my pants growing tight. I love when she’s angry and assertive like this. Total turn-on. I hold up my hands in a placating gesture.
“She went to you for the property. You should’ve sold it to her and gotten paid your commission. Just because I’m your bed buddy doesn’t mean you take pity on me and throw favors my way. I can sink or swim on my own.”
All I can think of is what’s going to happen tomorrow morning. She could fight Kevin Henderbrook on his contract, but it’d be wasted money. The problem I’ve debated since this afternoon rears its head—do I tell her or not? It’s not why I sent Natasha her way, but when Kevin called me, I was thankful I did. He didn’t even give her three weeks to accomplish the sale.
Screw it. I can’t let her be blindsided. “Okay, you stand on your own, but you need to know that Kevin Henderbrook is going to call you tomorrow and cancel his contract.”
Her face pales.
Unlike me, she gets paid up front, so it’s not about the money. It’s about her pride. Not to mention having a property like his sell FSBO would be a big feather in her cap when she’s courting other clients.
This isn’t what I wanted for our first dinner together. I wanted flirtatious banter. Maybe I’d get her to discreetly slide her foot up my leg. Not business talk.
“I’m sorry. He called me this afternoon. After I gave Natasha your information. I wasn’t expecting it, but he was my client and I can’t turn him down.”
“What did he say? Did he tell you that he got greedy and upped the price one hundred fifty grand when he was already saving money on realtor fees? I’m not sure what he expected by pricing himself out of the market.”
