Page 55 of Second Chance for the Single Mom

“I like the open, airy feel,” I said.

“Also at a premium. I don’t know what your price range is, so feel free to stop me if anything is outside your budget.”

I knew that she needed to know my income level to do her job, but I didn’t like talking about money. At least not with someone who wasn’t a close friend.

“I’ll let you know,” was all I said.

We walked around and examined the condo in silence for a bit.

“What kind of law do you practice?” she asked.

“I work for a nonprofit firm that focuses on exonerating wrongfully convicted individuals,” I said. “We also pick up the occasional pro-bono case when we have the time. That’s why I was in court last week. My client was a deaf woman who didn’t understand why she was being arrested.”

“Oh, wow! That’s incredible,” she said.

“You can ask the next question you’re wondering.”

“What do you mean?”

I narrowed my eyes at her. “How can I afford investment properties if I work for a nonprofit?”

“I really wasn’t wondering it,” she said with a laugh. “But now I am.”

“I started off in corporate litigation,” I explained. By now, I had my backstory down to a well-rehearsed speech. “Ihatedit, but our firm won a massive settlement two years after I started working. Like, so massive that I was able to hit the eject button and take a job working for an activist practice.”

“That’s great!” she said. She wasn’t exactlyswooning, but it was close. Most women did after hearing my career path. It was a nice validation that I was doing the right thing.

And of course, the female attention never hurt.

“What about you?” I asked, eager to learn more about this woman. “What made you want to become a real estate agent?”

“I was motivated by the simple fact that I didn’t need a college degree,” she said with a self-deprecating chuckle. “I got pregnant in college and had to drop out. Once my son was born, I needed to start a career quickly. My sister had a friend who helped me get my license, then a job at her agency. Not exactly an inspiring story, I know.”

“There are worse ways to choose a career,” I said.

She led me into the primary bedroom, gazing over her shoulder. “Want to hear something really ironic? I don’t even own a house. I stay in the apartment above my sister’s garage.”

“Thatisironic. Like a butcher who doesn’t eat meat.”

“Exactly. Fortunately, none of my clients ask where I live. Here’s that balcony extension,” Haley gestured. “Obviously the unit would look larger if it were staged, but you can imagine the layout. Bed against this wall, dresser and television over here.”

I opened the screen door and took a quick look outside. “Are you waiting until your son is older? I imagine school districts factor into where you want to buy a house. How old is he?”

I felt bad for asking her so casually, like she was a hostile witness I was cross-examining. Trying to catch in a trap. But there was one piece of information that had been bothering me since seeing Haley in court, a fact which didn’t line up with something else she’d said.

“Bran is… four,” she said while climbing the stairs. “But hopefully his school district will be irrelevant. I’ve applied for him to go to the Worthington Academy.”

In court, she’d told the judge that her son was five. But she’d told Lucas—and now me—that her son was four.

Hmm.

The spiral staircase was steep, and I wasextremelyaware that Haley’s ass—which looked perfect in her dress—was currently at face level. I had a momentary intrusive thought of grabbing her by the hips and burying my face in those round orbs.

Instead, I kept my eyes glued to the steps and said, “That’s a prestigious school. I hear they’re very selective with their admissions process.”

“Oh, they are,” she said wryly. “If I’m being totally honest with myself, there’s approximately a zero percent chance Bran will get in. But I have to try.” She reached the top of the steps and whirled around. “And if he doesn’t get in and has to go to public school? I’ll use the money I saved up for a down payment on a house.”

“Silver lining,” I said.The Worthington Academy. Like finding a break in a case, I tucked that information away to pursue later.

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