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“Well, consider me seduced.” She nods and threads one hand through her bag, the other into my arm.
The crisp air stings my cheeks as we make our way inside.
We walk through the stunning maze of stained glass windows, which cast a beautiful array of colors all over the floors. The main entrance is bare but in good condition.
“Electricity is a good sign.” I tip my head up to the chandelier above us. Molly nods with glee.
“There you are,” a voice booms from behind us. At the corner of the room, a woman with graying hair and a stout frame comes shuffling toward us. She’s wrapped up in a pink snowsuit that I’m pretty sure is sparkling.
Oh, Molly is going to love her.
“You must be Shauna.” I offer my hand. “I’m Matthew Hudson, and this is Molly Greene. Thank you so much for meeting us here.”
“Well, you wouldn’t stop pestering me.” She gives us a playful smile.
We exchange a quick round of introductions. Shauna’s family has owned this property for decades, but her sights are set on Europe now.
All the better for us.
Molly laughs, holding on to Shauna’s hands. “I have to say, I absolutely adore your snowsuit. I bought a purple Modena from Cordova, and it’s my favorite to this day.”
“You’ve got a brilliant eye, dear.” The woman shines. “Of course you do; you’re holding a Claire Tabouret Lady Dior.”
She blushes. “Don’t tell anyone. The world thinks there are only two of these out there, but this is number three.”
“A woman with resources.” Shauna claps her hands together. The cheerful sound bounces off the walls. “I like you already. Let’s discuss business, and then maybe we can see what I can offer you for the bag.”
Molly shoots me a quick glance, excitement glimmering in the amber of her eyes. I give her a nod, beckoning her to go on.
“I’ve been interested in your property for months,” she admits, following Shauna through the archway and down a long hall. I tag along behind them. “I grew up in the luxury hospitality industry, and I’m looking to turn this beauty into an inn where people can experience all of the wonders I grew up with, minus the resort price tag.”
Shauna eyes Molly up and down. My fiancée straightens her shoulders. Her expression is all business, and I have to be honest—Molly’s looking positively scrumptious right now.
“An inn? Most of the buyers I’ve met want to turn it into another vacation home, but I don’t want my property to sit empty. It needs repairs, maintenance, and care.”
“Yep.” She nods. “And that’s exactly why I want to discuss my offer.”
Molly pulls out her laptop and brings up the plans as we get a walk-through of the property.
Within the next three hours, Shauna’s lawyers send over the purchase contract and ownership paperwork.
“We’ll be in touch, dear.” Shauna smiles beneath the grand entrance.
“Enjoy the bag.” Molly hugs her new friend and hands the elderly woman her purse.
The moment we’re back in the car, Molly’s alight with joy. “Can you freaking believe it? I can’t even feel my hands or my face,” she laughs. Her shoulders shimmy as I pull out of the driveway. “Nine million dollars below the asking price. Is this real? Am I awake? Pinch me!”
“You killed it in there, baby. Offering Shauna a stake in The Griffin was a brilliant negotiation tactic.” I smile, admiring the pink blush stuck to Molly’s cheeks.
“Don’t forget the bag.” She winks. “Sure, the Lady Dior was priceless, but my inn matters so much more to me, and I have dozens of other limited-edition bags already.”
“I doubt anyone would’ve given Shauna a better offer.” There wasn’t a minute where I doubted my woman, but her savviness surprised even me today.
“Plus, did you see how happy Shauna was with the renovation plans and the concept?” Molly gasps. “And she even asked to be one of our first guests. I may actually cry from pure happiness.”
My heart is almost bursting with as much elation as hers. The blood traveling below my belt is also very eager for her news. “You’re so sexy when you go all Business Molly.”
“It wasn’t even a mask; it was all me.” She claps.
