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He slurps his coffee and places it back down. “You know I’m a straight-shooter, so I’ll get to the point—you have the deal. Bond Street is yours.”
Instead of the elation I thought I’d feel, my stomach rolls over and I feel as though I might vomit. “But it’s only been six weeks. There are six weeks left, and I still have to sell one more unit.”
Truth is, I don’t even have anyone interested in the last unit. Justin has been on the phone with everyone we know and nothing. I told Greg I’d do it in two months but was worried I’d fall short. The fact that Bella is hot on my trail scared me, but I always thought I had it in the bag and wondered what things would be like between us when I won. Maybe that’s why I was okay with leaving that one property hanging until push came to shove.
“Between you and me, I did it as a favor to Linda. I’m not a FSBO kind of guy. I like my properties to be exclusively shown with an upscale brokerage with a great reputation, and I like the kind of elaborate ideas you pull off. But you know how it is.” He winks. “It made her happy, and when Linda’s happy, I’m happy.” He winks again and I feel as if he’s caked in slime right now.
He played Bella. She never really stood a chance.
“Are you and Linda still…?”
He shrugs.
I’ve been the man behind that shrug, so why is my hand curling into a fist in my lap? I shouldn’t care what he does to Linda. Except if Linda hurts, Bella will hurt, and that means what exactly?
“I’m sure you understand. She refuses to move up here even with her daughter in the city. I’ve been going back and forth, but Florida is ridiculously hot and humid.” The disgusted expression on his face makes me think it’s not only the weather. “How are you guys enjoying the house?”
The abrupt subject change takes me a second to respond. “It’s a great place. Thanks again for the discount.”
I’m one step behind in this conversation, and I need to pull myself up. Stop worrying about Bella and her mom. Take what’s mine. I’ve worked all these years for an opportunity like this. Any broker would give their right nut to work for a mogul like Greg Throttle.
“Happy to do it. Glad you two were able to work it out as easily as you did.” His eggs Benedict arrives, and the waitress slides the plate in front of him. He picks up his silverware and I watch the yolk ooze out of the over easy egg. “So what do you say?” I wince at the sound of his teeth scraping along the fork prongs. “You accept, right?”
I nod, sipping my coffee, my mind a world away from this conversation when it should really be the only thing I’m concerned about. “Of course I accept. Thank you for the opportunity. Are you going to have us finish selling the floors we were assigned first?”
At least if I sell that last unit, Bella doesn’t have to know that she was the underdog buried in the backyard before the competition was even over. Six weeks ago, I’d have been thrilled by this revelation. Now, not so much.
“Nah. I’ll call Bella after this. Honestly, Helena said she’s doing most of the selling. That the clients come in and she has to show them the place.”
“Well, that’s FSBO. But I know for a fact that Bella’s showed the building more than once when Helena didn’t respond.”
His fork pauses halfway to his mouth. “You and Bella are… close?”
I understand his implication. But it’s none of his business and I’m not going to talk to him about us. “She called me once to find out if I knew where Helena was since I was on the property a lot.”
He nods, eats a bite of breakfast, and wipes his mouth with his napkin before sliding it back onto his lap. “I don’t want this to be messy, so I hope it goes smoothly. I almost reconsidered after Linda told me what happened.”
I tilt my head, and he studies me.
“Oh, you don’t know. I guess that confirms you’re not close.” He laughs, shaking his coffee cup. Coffee splashes onto the table, staining the white tablecloth.
What is he talking about?
“Then again, I thought all you brokers traveled in the same gossip circles. That you’d have heard why she got out of the business.”
“You know rumors. You never know whether to believe them or not.” I pretend I’m in the know so maybe he’ll throw something my way. A puzzle piece I can fit into place.
I told her about Kami. That took a lot. Is there something big she’s hiding from me because… I realize we haven’t labeled what we are. She owes me nothing. She’s not my girlfriend, no matter how much it feels like she is.
“True, but in this case, it’s true. Sad really. Linda said she was doing really well and now she’s scraping by. That’s why I threw her the chance at the development. Even Linda thought it would make her change her mind and go back to what she used to do.”
I lean forward, ready to be direct, but his cell phone rings on the corner of the table. He puts his finger up, and I lean back in my seat. He’s talking to someone about a business deal, so I pull out my phone and hammer out a text message.
Me: I need to talk.
Three dots appear within seconds.
Enzo: Come down to my office.
