“Credit cards? I have the credit card for my business, but I only have one personal credit card and the limit is one thousand dollars.”
Rose opened the file. “You have a MasterCard and two Visas totaling almost fifteen thousand dollars.”
The lump gave way to the bile that rose from her stomach. “Fifteen thousand dollars?” She slumped back, her shoulders dropping to accommodate the heavy load that had just dropped on her. “But I only have one credit card.”
Rose removed some papers and slid them toward her. “Here’s your Visa for nine hundred.” Her finger pointed to the correct figure. It was on the high side after her parents had charged some things for her sisters. “And here is a MasterCard for six thousand, and—”
“But I only have one credit card,” she repeated. She wavered in her chair, her vision blurred, as dizziness took over her body.
Fifteen thousand dollars. There were only two people who would spend that amount of money in such a short period of time…and on Sterling’s dime.
“I’m sorry, Sterling. It’s right here in black and white.” Rose pointed to the paper again. “The MasterCard was activated six months ago, on the same day as a second Visa in your name.”
When she had spoken to the bank on the phone about the irregular activity, they had only mentioned her original credit card. But she now realized she had more than one.
The room spun in too many directions. She’d been screwed again. Just after she’d finished paying off her parents’ debt not even a year ago. And she was here to pay off another one of their mistakes. But this time, they’d gone too far.
“If you didn’t sign up for them, should I be investigating?”
Sterling pressed her fingers against her temples, trying to stop the pounding in her head. “No, no investigation will be necessary.” She gripped the arms of the chair tighter, trying to stop from imagining it was her father’s neck between her fingers. “I’m sure the figures are right.”
“Sterling…we’ve been doing business for quite some time now. I can tell when something isn’t right.”
“Everything’s fine, Rose.” It wasn’t. Everything was so far from fine Sterling didn’t even know how or when things would return to normal.
“Sterling, please. If you didn’t sign up for these cards I’m obligated to investigate.”
It took everything she had to hold back the tears. All her life she’d wished for a normal life, with normal parents who worked and went grocery shopping. Not some washed-up hippies who’d never learned to grow up.
“The cards are mine. I just forgot.” Although anger seethed under the surface, at the end of the day, they were still her parents and bringing legal action against them wasn’t the best thing for her sisters. She’d call the companies and cancel the cards, change the billing address, and implement some kind of password protection.
“If I can pay off the debt, will I still lose the house?”
Even with Jack’s triple-her-fee check coming her way, she’d be short. But she’d do whatever she had to do.
“No, but it would make the process less contentious.”
“And if I can’t pay it off?” Sterling stared into Rose’s sympathetic eyes.
“Then I’m afraid if I can’t get approval for your mortgage, our business will be concluded.”
Tears stung her eyes. Life was spinning out of control and she couldn’t stop it.
“Sterling.” Rose reached across the desk and laid her hands on top. If Sterling hadn’t been so far away she was sure Rose would have grabbed her hands. “A bank just isn’t going to give you a mortgage. If selling isn’t an option, you may need to seek out other avenues.” She took a business card from the top drawer of her desk. “I have a friend, she’s a mortgage broker. Maybe she can help you secure a loan with a private lender. That may be your only option.”
Sterling took the card. “Thanks, Rose.”
“I’m so sorry.”
She attempted a smile. But she didn’t have the luxury of dwelling on the situation.
“Can I have a copy of that report?” she asked Rose.
She nodded. “I’ll go and make you a copy right now.”
Rose left the room, and the silence hung in the air.
At that moment, Sterling envied all the opportunities Jack Vaughn had at his fingertips. Last night, the sex had been mind-altering. The best she’d ever had. And his proposition had come at the perfect time. But now, this extra debt she had to pay off was more important than some stupid attempt to have some fun.