Page 7 of Fierce-Gabe

Rather than go in and meet with his father, whose SUV he’d just parked next to, he decided to walk around the building some. He had time yet; he was fifteen minutes early and there were only two other cars here. He was guessing the realtor and maybe one of the Fierces.

This building was much bigger than the other one about a mile away. The parking lot needed to be redone and he was positive the one in the back had the same issues. He’d looked up everything he could find before he got here. Even on Google Maps for a satellite view.

He had his iPad out and was making notes on the outside of the foundation that was exposed. Definitely needed to be reinforced in some parts.

He made his way back to the front as Elise Kennedy was getting out of a truck with her father.

Damn, it was going to be his lucky day. It’d been a while since he’d seen her and rarely at something like this.

“Richard,” he said. “Elise. Good to see you. Got one for me?”

She stopped licking the ice cream cone in her hand. “Sorry. It’s only for good girls. I’m here so I got one.”

He loved the sarcasm in her voice and wasn’t put off by it. “I’m a good guy,” he said.

“You are,” Richard said. “Maybe we should have brought some for everyone. I told Elise to eat it faster so she wasn’t eating in front of everyone.”

“If you eat it too fast you get brain freeze,” he said, grinning.

“That’s what I said,” she said.

“Guess you two have that in common,” Richard said.

Elise snorted. He didn’t expect any differently.

He enjoyed it. Maybe there was something perverse about him, but he found that he looked forward to her snarky smart ass replies and responses.

“I’m sure Elise would say that isn’t the case even though it was just shown to her otherwise.”

“You seem to know my daughter pretty well,” Richard said.

He looked at Elise. Her face flushed. His might have too, but he kept his grin in place. “We’ve had our moments.”

When her face got even redder, he laughed and they went into the building. He had to admit he loved one-upping her.

Elise started to finish the cone now that the ice cream was gone. When she pinched the bridge of her nose he held back a laugh. “Damn it,” she said.

He moved closer. “Press your thumb to the roof of your mouth. Right now, fast. It works.”

He blocked her so no one could see. Richard had moved ahead to talk to Gabe’s father and the realtor.

“Phew,” she said. “That worked.”

“I’m good for a few things,” he said quietly by her ear.

He heard the growl but didn’t get a chance to say anything before Grant and Garrett came in. “Gentlemen and Elise. We are just waiting for Robert or Walker to come in. Not sure which one is coming or both,” Garrett said.

Olsen Law firm. Normally Robert depending on who was in court.

“We’ve got time yet,” the realtor said. “I’m Abigail Brownwell. I can answer any questions you’ve got on the building while we wait.”

“I’ve got all the public documents on it,” Gabe said. “I was walking around checking out the foundation. I’ll need to see the basement because I noticed repairs have to be done. Not sure if they are structural or cosmetic just yet.”

“I can bring you down there,” Abigail said. “Anyone else want to go with us right now?”

“I’ll go down with Gabe and Jim,” Grant said. “Garrett can stay here and wait for the others if he wants.”

Grant was a civil engineer just like Gabe. Garrett was mechanical so this would be more of Grant’s domain. Gabe and his father would be dealing with this and everyone else would just take their word on it.

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