Page 11 of Seductive Nights

"Oh honey, why don't you just email it over? I think you have that e-sign thing. I can sign it that way, right?"

"Yes, I can send it over for an electronic signature. We can get it wrapped up right away, but you have twenty-four hours to accept if you want to think about it."

Lorraine laughed. "If I didn't know better, I would think you were trying to talk me out of this, Margo."

"No. No, no, I'm not trying to talk you out of it. I just don't want you to feel pressured."

She closed her eyes again. She had to stop trying to ruin this deal. It was a done deal. It was an easy commission. She should be happy with that. "Okay, I'll email it over as soon as we hang up, and if you have any questions about the offer at all, just give me a call or respond to the email. I'll wait to get your signature back."

"Thank you, dear. I sure do appreciate it. After all you've been through recently, I certainly didn't expect things to move this quickly."

Margo took a deep breath. "Well, as they say, life goes on, right? Logan died. I didn't, and I have a business to run so..."

"Oh, what a good positive attitude you have, Margo." If she only knew, she chuckled to herself. "When I lost my Jonny, I didn't know how I'd get out of bed in the morning, but we do. Mostly because we have to pee." She laughed. "Then we have to eat. There are things to take care of, and before you know it, a week has passed. Then two. Then a month. We go on."

Margo closed her eyes. Exactly all of that. So far, that had been her life. Lorraine didn't know about the late nights reading love texts her husband had sent to another woman, but that would be her burden to bear.

"Alright, I'll get this over to you. Give me five. It was good talking to you, Lorraine."

"It was good talking to you, too, dear. I'll watch for your email. Goodbye."

Margo listened to the line go quiet and waited a moment. She set her phone on the desk and opened her laptop. She immediately emailed the offer over and tried not to bristle.

Jace Marriot seemed like the kind of man who would get what he wanted anyway, so it's not like she was in the mood for a big fight. She sent the email and let out a sigh. Maybe she should just go home for the day. Her sisters were still here, at least Carley and Holly were. Josseline left this morning.

Margo had apologized to her now that she knew why Josseline's attitude was so cross toward Logan. Josseline said she wouldn't go looking for an acting job. She was clearly unable to hide her emotions, and she hated Logan for hurting her and lying to her.

She closed the lid on her laptop and packed it away in her bag. Picking up her purse and her computer bag, she strode out the door. "I'll see you in the morning, Addison. I'm going to go home and get some rest."

"You have a good night, Margo. I'll see you in the morning."

7

The next day, Jace was at his restaurant. The lunch crowd was filtering in, and the place was filling up. The weather was exceptionally hot outside, so most of his customers were inside. Once again, his mind ran to the offer on the building next door, which would help alleviate this predicament of people waiting in line. During the lunch hour, that was a killer. People had limited time to eat, and he needed to get them fed before they left for somewhere else.

Hopefully, his offer will be accepted today. For about the hundredth time, he glanced at his watch, hoping Margo would call to tell him his offer was accepted. It was a fantastic offer; he knew that. She knew that. Hopefully, the owner will be overjoyed.

Delivering a plate to a group of ladies from the bank, who came in for their lunch hour every Friday, he grinned as he set their food in front of them.

"Ladies, looking good. We have the best-looking bank employees in the world."

They giggled. One of them crossed her arms over her ample chest and said, "I'll have you know I have a brain."

He laughed. "I have no doubt you are smart as a tack." She smiled, and Jace continued to the table next to theirs.

He took a food order and then turned to walk back to the kitchen, but he froze. Margo was standing in the doorway watching him.

Even the hair on the back of his neck rose at the look she was giving him. He nodded to her, took the order he had just taken to the kitchen, and then exited the kitchen to come back out to talk to her.

"Hello there. It's nice to see you."

"Oh, I'll bet it's nice to see me. You know it's offensive to women when you flirt like that."

Jace turned and looked at the happy faces in the crowd. Everybody was talking and laughing and eating their food.

"No one looks irritated. Which one? Point out which one is irritated with me."

"I didn't say there was anyone in particular. I just said it was offensive."

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