Page 67 of Heating Up (Nugget)
“At least a real estate agent’s job doesn’t wreak havoc on family life. We work crazy hours.”
“You’re doing important work, saving lives. Besides, you get extended days off, whereas my busiest days are weekends.”
“So being with a guy who had to live half the week at the firehouse wouldn’t bother you?”
“We’re talking hypothetically, right?”Of course they were. “Nope. Not if he loved the work and it made him happy . . . of course he’d have to pull his weight at home. Not sit around on his days off, watchingEllen.”
Aidan was quiet for a while, then asked, “Where is this Thai place?”
“Make a right up here.” She directed him to the restaurant, which matched Gaetano’s in its understatement. Just a stucco box with a faded sign off the main thoroughfare.
He parked and got to her door before she could get out, helping her down. “You look beautiful tonight, by the way.”
She rolled her eyes.
“Dana, can’t you ever take a compliment? Jesus, woman, spend some time looking in a mirror, would you?”
She knew she wasn’t as beautiful as Sue. Of course she’d snooped on Facebook and in some of the photo albums on his shelves that he was always looking at. His ex had those classic good looks that turned heads. Auburn hair and a curvaceous figure, like Geena Davis inThelma and Louise. At best, Dana could be called cute. Back before Paul had died, her father used to call her bug. Like cute as a bug in a rug. Now he didn’t call her much of anything.
Aidan put his hand at the small of her back and opened the restaurant door. It wasn’t as crowded as Gaetano’s but most of the tables were full. A young woman took them to a booth in the corner.
“Don’t worry,” Dana said. “What the place lacks in atmosphere it makes up for in food.”
It was even blander than Dana remembered. White walls with strategically placed flat-screen TVs and unappetizing pictures of the restaurant’s signature dishes on the wall. She hoped Aidan wasn’t getting the willies.
But when she gazed across the table at him, he seemed totally relaxed. Maybe he went to a lot of hole-in-the-wall divy-looking places in Chicago. A server came and took their drink orders, suggesting they get Thai mojitos.
“Sounds good,” Aidan said and nudged his head at Dana.
“Sure. Why not?”
They gave the waitress their food orders before she dashed off to another table.
“Cool place.” Aidan gazed around the dining room and she wondered if he was being facetious. “You come here with your family too?”
“No, they’ve never been.” They didn’t eat out anymore. “But it’s near where they live. Sometimes I eat here when I visit them.” She got takeout.
“What are you doing this weekend?” he asked.
“Working. I have a couple who’s interested in Sierra Heights but wants to see a few homes outside the planned community before they make a final decision. And someone wants to interview me about selling his cabin. Apparently, the owner is talking to a couple of other agents.”
“What will he ask you in this interview?”
“Most of the time, sellers want to know what price I’d list it for. Usually the agent who gives them the highest price wins. But in the long run it’s stupid because you can’t sell an overpriced piece of property.”
“So you’ll tell him the truth?” Aidan asked.
“I’ll just tell him what the comps are and let him decide for himself. It’s a sweet place, though. I’d like to have the listing.”
“What’s so great about it?”
“It’s on a beautiful piece of property, overlooking the river. The main level is an open floor plan. Upstairs, there’s a big loft. The kitchen was completely redone two years ago. The guy is pretty handy, so he did a lot of the work himself.”
“How much do you think he can get for it?”
“I’d say somewhere close to three hundred thousand dollars. It’s only about seventeen hundred square feet.”
He smiled at her.
