“That’s about it though. So what do you think?”
“Mr. Harlow, I think…”
“Bret. Call me Bret.”
“Bret, I think you have a wonderful piece of property but because of its price tag your possible clients are numbered. Don’t fear though, I’m sure someone will want it.”
“Have you sold many homes such as this before?”
None. Of course my inexperience had come up.
“Plenty. Don’t you worry Bret. You’re in good hands.”
I’d heard Mary tell a thousand small lies and more. To clients, and potential buyers. I felt like this was akin to padding your resume.
Chapter Two
I left Bret’s place to go fetch my camera. Cell phone pictures wouldn’t do it justice. Plus, I wanted to gloat back at the office before returning. Bret had made it pretty clear that he trusted me, so there was no going back for Mary.
When I got inside the office building, a few other agents had returned and were pecking away on their computers or on the phone. Dan was the only one that waved. He had a receding hairline and had recently been divorced, he’d been hinting at asking me out a few times but luckily I’d been able to divert him.
Mary’s voice echoed down the hallway in the back. A shrill tone that sounded as if she was getting her fingernails ripped out one by one.
“Scott, she forced my hand! That little witch practically took this sale from me and you aren’t going to do anything. You’re not even going to try and put her in her place?”
“Look, Mary. If you needed an assistant then you should have gotten an assistant, not lured someone in here under the pretense that they would eventually be selling homes alongside you. We here in the office have kept quiet about it because her pay comes out of your pocket, but I’m officially going to give her the position. If you can’t handle the work on your own then so be it. Find someone else or learn the tools of the trade on your own.”
Scott was the big boss, an older man now, but he’d been in the business for more years than I’d been alive. He hired and fired people, the other agents paid him a small fee for each sale and he kept the business up and running and he paid on just that. He wasn’t out in the field anymore, but he still knew his way around.
Instead of feeling overjoyed, I felt pity. I knew Mary wouldn’t be able to hack it without an assistant. She just couldn’t handle technology like she should. And nowadays, that’s how things got sold.
I didn’t wait for Scott or Mary to find me. I could accept the new job offer later. It wasn’t the time for gloating. As I left the office and walked back to my car, Dan looking dismayed as I left, a buzz in my pocket stopped me.
Would you like to meet me for lunch? We can finish up after.
Bret. It was nearing afternoon and I was starving. I replied that I’d be happy to and suggested the Italian place that was closer to his side of town.
When I showed up expecting to go inside and wait on him, he was already out front and looking at his watch.
“Hey, that was fast.”
“Bri, Look, I need a favor from you and I would’ve explained but I figured it would be easier in person. I’ve got called out to join an associate of mine to discuss a fundraiser that’s happening tonight. I really don’t want to go, and I this happens every time I’m in town. Go with me and help me get out of this. Please?”
He needed some sort of alibi. Which I didn’t have a problem with but I still think it was crossing the client line and heading towards something else.
“How am I going to be able to help with that?”
Bret looked around, searching for inspiration I suppose. Nothing in the parking lot other than cars and people. Man, was he good looking though. With the sun glinting in his eyes and that serious look on his face. Forget everything about him only being a customer, I’d do what he wanted.
He must have spotted the same people that I had, a couple holding hands as they walked towards the entrance of the restaurant.
“Pretend to be my girlfriend. When Collins starts talking about me attending, act like I promised to take you somewhere. Make it a big deal.”
“Like where?’
“Anywhere. Uh, we’ve got a couple’s massage or some such shit. Ya know, one of those annoying woman things.”
“If you say so. For the record though, I probably wouldn’t book couple’s massage. And that was kind of sexist.”
He blinked at me in surprise and then laughed. “Sorry, it’s just the sort of thing my ex would ask for at any given time. I didn’t mean to offend.”
Ex was a lovely word. I’m glad I wasn’t encroaching on anyone’s territory. The sound of his laugh sent flutters rippling through my body. Like a fizzy drink dribbling down my throat, the feeling was intoxicating. I hope I could make him laugh some more.