Page 19 of Up All Night
“You draw up the papers right now if you can, and I’ll sign them.And if Lucy asks, that’s what we were doing, if you feel like what we did back there is going to be such a fucking problem."
The software is on my phone.Admittedly, this would be the first in-car offer I’ve created, but it wouldn’t be the first time I’ve prepared a draft on the run.I do it up quickly, entering the offer price, and we volley back and forth with his closing stipulations, which are nothing aside from a quick closing, and as soon as I ask for his email address, I send it to him.By the time we’re back at the office, he’s applied his electronic signature to it, and we’re good to go.It’s impressive.
“You let me know how that goes.And thanks for the afternoon."He says as we pull up to the office.
“You’re not coming in to see Lucy?"
“No.That site is useless to me right now, not until we get clearance, anyway.If Lucy’s got any updates for me, she knows how to get in touch."He gives me his cell number, and I exit his truck.
As I watch him pull out of the parking lot, I try to ignore the signals my body is giving off.It’s still humming from his touch.The confusion weighs in heavily.He mentioned helping me out before our tryst.But then he just signed a contract.Was the sex that good?Was that just a contract?Just to pay me lip service?Did I just sign myself up for trouble?Delicious trouble, sure, but do I know what I’m signing myself up for here?I am not in a place right now to become involved with anyone.The topic wasn’t discussed, granted, but I can’t help the thoughts that are circulating in my mind, thinking about all the possibilities that I may just have opened up the door for.
Those worries get shoved aside, as I realize that the only priority here is Lucy, and making sure that I haven’t just muddied my chances of staying here long-term.Although there are no policies that state that realtor – client relations are prohibited, I feel like there is a chance that there is a silent commitment here.What I did was unprofessional, and there is no doubt in my mind that Lucy will see it that way, too.
Avoidance is beneath me, so I head straight to her office, where she sits in front of her laptop, with her reading glasses perched on the bridge of her nose.I mention nothing about her lunch date, but I dive right in to the subject at hand.“I took him to the site, but in his eyes, it was a waste of time."
Her eyes don’t leave her laptop screen.“I figured as much."
I figure transparency is best here, at least professionally speaking.“I took him to see one of my houses on his request.He put in a lowball offer."
She is indifferent.“He is looking for housing out this way.Why did he lowball?"Her eyes still haven’t left her laptop so she isn’t that concerned, thankfully.
“He feels that the owner is asking for too much.He made an offer within his own budget, smartly."
“That makes sense."
“If he does accept the offer, I’ll give you your rightful cut."
This is where she removes her eyes from the screen and looks at me.“If I am not involved in this, you are not obligated to do that, Lark.You know that.”
“But I want to.If this property gets sold, it’s doing me a huge favor.And if it weren’t for you offering up your client, we wouldn’t be having this conversation."
I hold my breath, hoping to God that she doesn’t smell a rat, hoping to God that she doesn’t feel like this is some sort of a bribe, some way to butter her up for the mistake that I made.
She shrugs and exhales.“If that's what will help you sleep at night."
“It’s the right thing to do."I drive home, hoping that I haven’t gone a step too far.
"I would have done the same."She says with a gentle nod.
I can't help but notice her melancholy."Is everything okay?You were so excited to see your friend earlier."
She removes her glasses and sets them on the desk."Close the door."
My skin starts to pucker.She's never asked me to close her door before, at least not with just me in here.I do as I'm told and sit in the guest chair in front of her desk.I wait and say nothing.She licks her lips and then chuckles mirthlessly."You may be too young to understand this."
Lucy, I'm guessing, is about ten years my senior, but she's still very spry and beautiful."You're not that much older than me, Lucy."I say gently.
"Oh, I am plenty older than you, Lark.Trust me."She touches my hand, marking the first physical interaction we've ever had."While I have no business telling you how to run your life, I will tell you this unsolicited, to do with it what you please."
I smile warmly.Her eyes are sincere, motherly, even."Don't pass up opportunities because of your job, Lark.I did, and it just came back to bite me in the ass."
"What do you mean?"
She gestures towards the door."Clark?The gentleman that was here earlier?"
I nod.
"You ever hear the saying, 'the one that got away'?"
