AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“What you did back there was amazing,” I go on, wanting to keep the mood light. “Offering to have lunch with Romy at Calvetti’s meant a lot to her.”
“It means a lot to me, too,” she whispers.
Looking in her direction, I catch her smoothing her left hand over her wind-whipped hair. I don’t think I’ll ever forget what it felt like to slide the silver band around her finger that night in Las Vegas.
“Where are we going?” she finally asks, even though I told her I had a stop to make before we leave New Haven.
“I’m buying a condo from Kelly,” I answer honestly. “It’s not far from here. I want to check it out in person.”
“You’re buying a condo here? Why?”
“It’s a good investment.” I steal a glance at her. “I’ll rent it out most of the time. In ten years, it’ll pay for itself.”
“Then you’ll sell it and pocket the profit,” she assumes.
That’s not my plan. I want a property on the East Coast that I can escape to, and this condo fits the bill.
“Did you already put an offer on it?” she asks, sliding her sunglasses down her nose to peer at me. “Is that how you convinced Kelly to sign on with you? She seemed eager to get the documents signed before we left.”
I was grateful that she agreed to the terms I had sent her yesterday. Kelly’s portfolio is impressive, and I look forward to helping her grow it.
“I don’t buy real estate to bribe new clients.” I laugh. “When Paul was vetting her, he pointed out her available properties. I had a look and fell in love with the condo we’re about to see.”
Her head snaps to the right as we round the corner, headed toward the building I’ll call home a few weeks a year when I need a retreat. “Wait! Does this condo overlook Long Island Sound?”
I nod. “From the photos Kelly sent me, the view is spectacular.” I steer the car toward the designated parking spot for my soon-to-be-unit. “Let’s check it out.”
“All right,” she says hesitantly, placing her sunglasses on her lap. “This means you’re planning on coming back to New York to visit sometimes, right? Or will you bypass all of us and hide here when you’re on the East Coast?”
I park the car and turn off the engine before I face her. “I’d never miss an opportunity to see you, Gina.”
“Promise?” she whispers.
I slide off my sunglasses and look into her eyes. “It’s a promise you can bank on.”
“Let’s go see your new place.” She takes her seatbelt off. “Maybe one day, you’ll get a boat.”
I hold in a smile because my beautiful wife has no idea what I have planned for her before we head back to New York City, and she puts our marriage in her rearview mirror.
* * *
I punchin the code Kelly provided me on the keypad before I open the door to the unit. I motion for Gina to take the first step inside.
“Me?” Her hand jumps to the middle of her chest. “Are you sure?”
I’m sure I’d like to carry her over this threshold, but I doubt I’d fare better than the last time I asked, so I nod. “Please.”
I follow close behind her as she enters the unit. A sudden sigh escapes her, and I immediately know why.
I’m not a man who thrives on excess other than a good haircut and a great suit. My apartment in Los Angeles isn’t expansive by any means. The apartment I sold in Manhattan wasn’t either. This condo hits the bull’s eye of my target for real estate. It’s small enough to be manageable, but the details won me over.
The flooring is pine, and the fixtures are elegant and tasteful. I’m purchasing it furnished, so I make a mental note to tell Kelly that whoever handles that area of her business is brilliant.
The furniture is all light gray, save for a light blue chair placed in a corner near the showstopper. That’s a wall of windows that provides a view that rivals the one I had in the apartment I used to own in New York.
Water greets the eye along with a few scant boats on Long Island Sound.
Gina is drawn to the windows, her steps quickening as she crosses the condo to get to her destination.
