SEAL the Deal(83)
But no, not Mick. God forbid he try to balance anything else into his one-track life.
For a fleeting moment, he let himself wonder if it might be possible for him.
He sat down by Lacey’s side again, and flipped through the paper, careful not to rustle the pages too loudly. A flier from a jewelry store fell out from the coupon section, packed with dazzling photos of engagement rings. His eyes rested on it for a few seconds, and then he laughed quietly at himself for even considering the idea.
Lacey stirred, and Mick set the paper aside to rest his cool hand on her forehead.
“Mmm,” she murmured.
“Hey, baby.”
Lacey’s weak smile was dazed. “Mick? It’s dark.”
“Yeah, you slept the day away.”
“Feel hungry.”
“That’s a good sign then. I’ll bring you some soup.”
Lacey’s eyes flew open. “You’re supposed to be at your dinner with the Admiral.”
“I’m right where I’m supposed to be,” he responded easily, stroking her hair.
The realization struck him, and he heard himself repeat it as though for his own reassurance. “I’m right where I’m supposed to be.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
A 104 fever can’t be psychosomatic, can it? The thought drifted again into Lacey’s mind several days later sitting in the office, still consumed by guilt.
Mick had been looking forward to that dinner with the Admiral for weeks, and she had ruined it. He kept reminding her that it wasn’t her fault she got sick. But of course, he didn’t know the absurd fantasies she had about sabotaging the evening just so he’d stay in Annapolis.
Her shoulders slumped as she stared at the dull gray wall that divided her cubicle from the next. She knew she would never actually do anything to hurt his career. Oh, why hadn’t he just left her alone to fend for herself?
She jumped with a start at the sound of her cell, her daytime cold medicine putting her on edge. “Carolyn, I’m so glad to hear back from you,” she answered, recognizing the number.
The older woman sighed on the other end. “I’m sorry I was slow to call you back.”
“That’s all right, but we need to respond to the latest offer on your property before it expires. I know you haven’t lowered your price on the other two offers, but I strongly recommend you consider it.”
“My son thinks that I’ll get full price if I just hold out.”
“There’s always a remote chance. But the longer you have your house sit on the market, the lower the bids will be. I can draw up some recent examples, if you’d like.”
“I just don’t feel comfortable lowering my price.”
Lacey had to grip the arm of her office chair to keep from smacking her cell phone onto her desk. “Well, the choice is yours. You don’t want to counter their offer at all?”
The pause on the other end brought Lacey the faintest glimmer of hope. “I just don’t know. I can’t make any decisions right now.”
Lacey could hear the anxiety in her voice. “Is everything all right?”
“I’m just a bit shook up. My duplex was broken into last week, and I’m trying to switch to a two bedroom apartment in their main facility now, the one with the front desk and better security. I think I’d feel safer there. My son told me I was too old to be living on my own, and I’m starting to see he’s right.”
“Oh, Carolyn. I’m so sorry. Were you home?”
“No, I wasn’t, thank heaven. And they didn’t even steal anything, oddly enough. Just made a mess of the place.” She let out a little laugh. “I guess even my TV is too old for a thief to want.”
“I’m so glad you are all right. If you’d like, I can explain the situation to the buyer and they might give you a little more time to think things over.”
“Would you mind? I’m just so focused on trying to find a different home right now. They might have a vacancy coming up this week, and I’m on pins and needles.”
“Of course. I’ll contact the buyer’s agent and see what I can do.”
“Thank you, Lacey.”
Frowning, Lacey clicked off her phone. She knew Carolyn still wouldn’t counter the offer and was annoyed with herself that she even offered to buy her some time. Her first waterfront listing was slipping through her fingers. It was only a matter of weeks before her contract ran out on the property, and Carolyn’s son would convince his mother to try a different agent. All the work she put into having the place staged was going to be a loss.
It was just like Vi always said: Lacey let people walk all over her.