Page 82 of Negotiating Tactics

If nothing else, he had earned that level of grace.

I pushed my phone aside and considered whether I should eat the walnuts in my desk or order something.

I settled on a diet soda and walnuts, my stomach rejecting the idea of anything else.

And then I looked at my emails, trying to decide which project to tackle first.

I managed to concentrate for an hour before I leaned back and let the futility of all of this hit me.

I needed seven thousand dollars in two weeks, and even if I pushed to the max, there was no way I would hit the amount I needed.

That reality was crushing to even consider, but the sooner I accepted it, the sooner I’d be able to come up with a different plan.

I grabbed the phone before I could stop myself and dialed George’s number.

“Alex,” he said after he answered the phone.

“Hi, how are you?” I asked, smiling at how pleased he sounded to hear from me.

“I’m doing wonderful, chouchou. Do you want to schedule the closing?” he asked.

“Um…” I twisted in my chair, then settled my elbows on my desk. “About that… Do you think I could get an extension?”

I swallowed, took a deep breath, and then continued on. “I know it’s not fair to ask, and I know you’ve been more than accommodating, but I’ve had a family emergency come up, and it has taken me a little bit off track. But if you give me thirty more days, I can come to the table with our agreed-upon amount and maybe even a little more,” I said, trying to sound upbeat.

His deep breath of regret told me his answer before he spoke.

“I would love to, Alex, I really would, because I like you and believe in what you’re trying to do. But I’ve got an all-cash offer on the table. I’ve been holding them off for weeks waiting for you, but I’m afraid if I tried to hold them off longer that deal will go away. And I can’t risk it…”

He trailed off, and I could hear his angst and his honesty.

Just as clearly as I understood where he was coming from, even though my eyes started to tear up.

“I understand it, George. I genuinely do.”

He sounded sad, and I appreciated his sympathy, even as my heart shattered into a billion pieces.

I swallowed back the tears, refusing to put any more of a burden on George. “I’m glad you got the offer. Go ahead and take it. There’s no reason to waste more time,” I said.

Saying the words felt like ripping out my own heart, but I knew it had to be done.

“Are you sure?” George asked. “You still have a couple of weeks yet, and I’ll keep my word.”

I nodded and then remembered that he couldn’t see me.

“I am sure. I’m sorry it didn’t work out, but…thank you.”

“I’m sorry too,” he said. You are a wonderful girl, Alex, and I know you have good intentions. When it’s supposed to happen, it will,” he said.

“Thank you, George,” I said.

“Take care, Alex,” he said.

I hung up the phone, then swiped at the tear that hadn’t even fallen yet.

I was tempted to call Noah to gloat.

He’d been adamant that my father would pay me back.

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