Page 35 of The Rebel

I pointed my thumb at Brady. “He’s on fire tonight. Don’t pay any attention to him.”

“We normally don’t,” Jo offered, laughing.

I got up and hugged Jo before I man-hugged Jenner. “Welcome, you guys. Thanks for coming over.”

Jo took a seat on the other side of Brooklyn and Jenner stood in front of the couch, addressing us all. “I’ve been on the phone with Walter—that’s why I was late. I wanted to speak to him before I talked to any of you.”

“I don’t like the sound of this,” Macon said.

Brady didn’t either by the looks of it, throwing back the rest of his drink.

Jenner’s hands went into his pockets. “Based on every number I pulled and the research I put into this purchase, I was positive our offer and the contingencies we laid out would send us straight into escrow.”

“Don’t even fucking tell me …” Brady fumed.

“That’s why I nurture my relationships with my network of realtors—so I can score us these pocket listings.” Jenner crossed his arms. “But, fuck me, the last couple of years, things haven’t gone as smoothly as I wanted, and it’s been one complication after another.”

“It’s the seller. He fucked us,” Macon said. “He went MIA on some holiday trip, which is the most bogus thing I’ve heard in my life. You don’t disappear when you’re selling land. You just fucking don’t.”

“It’s bullshit,” I snapped. “You can’t tell me that wasn’t intentional. I won’t believe it.”

“Agreed.” Jenner shifted his stance.

“I don’t know why … but something tells me that wasn’t a coincidence.” Brady moved his ass to the end of the couch cushion. “The seller’s agent—someone got to her, didn’t they?”

Jenner let out a long breath. “Well, she finally got back to me a few hours ago.”

“And?” I clasped my hands on my knees.

“And”—Jenner shook his head—“during the holiday, like I’m sure you’re all suspecting, the whole fucking environment changed.”

EIGHT

Rowan

“Ileft the fob in the center console,” I said to the valet attendant as I climbed out of the driver’s seat, standing in the parking garage attached to our office.

“Do you need your SUV parked or kept out front?”

Since I often came and went several times a day, it wasn’t an inappropriate question.

“Park it, please. I’ll be here until this evening.” I handed him a twenty-dollar bill. “Thank you so much.”

“Thank you,” he replied, climbing into the driver’s seat.

I headed for the back entrance of the building, waving my key card across the reader. When the lock clicked open, I let myself in, rounding the corner to the elevator. While I waited for it to open, I took out my phone, thumbing through the texts that had come in during my morning commute.

Sky

Tell me you’ve texted him.

I laughed as I read my best friend’s words.

Words that didn’t surprise me one bit.

Me

And say what? Hi, you’re gonna hate me, buuut …

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