Cold Hearted Bachelor by Logan Chance
Seven
Paisley
“Whoa, you’re here early,”Chuck, my boss, says, over his black-rimmed glasses.
“I had a few things to look up today.” I smile at him and head to my little cubicle. The thing I love most about being a real estate agent is I don’t have to come into the office that much. In fact, I think it’s been a whole two weeks since I’ve been here last.
“Jackie stopped by here yesterday. She was looking for you so I gave her your number.” Chuck leans his arm over my cubicle wall, smiling his cheesy grin that has made him a household name in this city as the owner of one of the top real estate agencies.
“Thank you. I really appreciate that.” Jackie’s a gem. We met a few months back when I helped her find a new house to flip. The whole sale was a cinch, and I told her I’d help her find more. She started dabbling in real estate investing, and now she loves flipping houses.
“Sure thing. You see Colby?”
“Not lately.” Colby is another real estate agent that works in this office. I’d say we’re good friends. We hang out, and help each other as much as possible. At least, he’s the only one in this office I really connect with. Which is important. And fun fact, he loves peas too. “Why?”
“I think he was trying to steal Jackie from you.”
I know Chuck is joking, and that Colby and Jackie didn’t really get along when they first met. So, I’m not too worried and I laugh. “Sure he was.”
Chuck laughs like his joke was the funniest in all the land. “Pays to drop by more often.”
I beam up at him. “Sure thing. I’ll try to stop by more.”
He slaps his hands together in a clap. “No problem. Just as long as you keep bringing in the deals.”
“Sure thing.”
The front door opens and Colby walks into the office. Chuck smiles. “Speak of the devil.”
“You two talking about me?” Colby says with a huge smile.
“All good things.” Chuck laughs.
Colby raises an eyebrow. “Sure.” He laughs a little and Chuck shakes his hand before excusing himself back into his office.
Colby turns his attention to me. “He’s in a good mood.”
I shrug. “Why wouldn’t he be?” I know I don’t stop by too often, but every time I’ve seen Chuck he’s been happy.
“The Vanderbitch must be loosening the leash.”
“Vander who?”
“Rhonda Vanderweir.”
I’ve heard of the building tycoon Vanderweir, he pretty much owns this town. But I don’t know Rhonda. “Who?”
Colby leans himself back against my desk. “Chuck’s wife is a Vanderweir. Hugh Vanderweir’s daughter. She’s major high maintenance and they fight all the time.”
Hugh Vanderweir is big time. He’s the kind of guy who can put up a skyscraper overnight.
I stare off in the direction of Chuck’s office. “I’ve never seen her here before.”
Colby leans forward, holding his hand up to his mouth like he’s trying to shield the words from eavesdropping ears, even though no one is around. “If she’s here when you’re here, run.” He laughs at his own joke.
“Why doesn’t he just leave her?”
Colby shrugs. “Who knows? I’m guessing he likes being whipped at night by her.”
We both laugh, and my mind conjures up images of a woman in black leather and a whip. I laugh a little harder.
“Listen, I have to get this contract printed out and over to the buyer in like thirty minutes.” Colby steps away from my desk and rushes to his own little cubicle. “Drinks tonight?”
“Absolutely.” I fire up my computer, glancing at the time so I won’t be late to meet up with Vaughn. It’s still so unreal how I’ll be spending more time with him.
It’s been ten years. I shouldn’t be affected by silly things like the way he smells. Or how his blue eyes feel like they stare right through me. No, I should definitely not be affected by that.
I click on the Multiple Listing Service, MLS, browsing for properties I think Jackie will be interested in. After a few minutes of searching, I click over to my emails, checking them before I leave for the day.
There’s an email from an address I don’t recognize, the subject line is blank, and I click it open. The message reads simply, ‘Everyone loves you.’
I let out a little laugh. Is this a joke?
I glance around the office, wondering if anyone sent this to me. Chuck’s busy talking to another agent, Michael, in his office. Another woman, Debra, taps away busily on her computer and I don’t think she and I have ever even said more than two words to each other in the years I’ve worked here.
I study the email address, and click on it, copying it to paste it into the Google bar. Nothing comes up on a search, so I delete the email. It’s obviously spam.
After work,I raced home to get ready for my not-a-date with Vaughn.
He convinced me to let him help pick out a few things for the kitchen. He’ll be here any minute for our countertop excursion, so I do a double check of my cream-colored sweater that hangs slightly off one shoulder and skinny jeans paired with brown boots.
I text Gwen, telling her my game plan for the day and see if she wants to meet up later for drinks with Colby, and then head downstairs.
“Is that Vaughn here to pick you up?” my mother asks, staring out the front window.
“Yeah, he’s taking me to pick out some things for the kitchen.”
My mother smiles. “Ok. Give him our best.”
“Will do,” I call from the door, and hustle toward Vaughn’s truck.
In jeans and a black hoodie, he looks even better than yesterday, as he stands by the open passenger door. “Ready?” he asks.
I nod and slide in, trying my best not to get sucked into his warm smile and gorgeous blue eyes.
I have to breathe in a deep breath since he’s gone and taken it away. His jet black hair is all tousled and messy, like he’s had a long day of running his fingers through it.
“You look tired,” I say, when he gets behind the wheel.
He smiles, putting the truck in gear. “Rough morning.”
I want to ask so many questions, but at the same time I don’t want to seem too eager for the information. “Hope everything is ok.” There. That is a nice general answer.
Ten minutes later, he pulls into the Harry’s Home parking lot, and I follow him inside. “Did you want to look at cabinets and hardware while we’re here?”
I nod. “Ok.”
We amble through the department, and I take my time, looking over each cabinet and how I envision my future kitchen.
“We can look at lighting. And tile, the world is your oyster.” He goes on to mention a plethora of things.
I bite my lower lip. “Right, ok.” Can I admit something here? I almost feel like Vaughn wanted to come here with me because he didn’t want me to be here with Colby. Is that all in my head?
Vaughn steps beside me. “Overwhelming, huh?”
“Very.” I glance over at more samples. “I’ve been thinking it over and I know what I want. I just need to find it.”
“Well, you know,” Vaughn smiles this mischievous grin at me, “I can always make anything you can’t find.” He tips my chin up with his finger.
I smile, trying my hardest not to let my mind run away with the fact he’s touching me.
“And besides, you don’t have to have all the answers right now.” His finger remains under my chin, his face mere inches from mine. “Close your eyes.”
I do exactly as he says, as quickly as I can. “Ok.”
“Now, picture your dream kitchen. I know you’ve got it all up here in your mind.” He taps my temple.
I do.
I’ve had the same ideas for a kitchen since I was a little girl. Cabinets the same color as Vaughn’s eyes. And when I was younger I always pictured him being there too.
But now I know he never will be. As soon as this renovation job is done I’ll probably go another ten years of rarely seeing him again.
He finds the attendant and pulls out his phone to get the exact measurements. “I think doing the cabinets will be the easiest part.” He smiles over his shoulder at me.
As I watch him talk with the associate of the store about everything he’ll need for the kitchen, I can’t help loving the feeling of being here with him. It’s nice and easy.
Not like last night where it was all stiff and distorted.
After I pay, we return to his truck. “You hungry?” he asks.
I hop into the passenger’s side of his truck. “I could eat.” I skipped lunch today since my stomach decided to become a rollercoaster because I was seeing him today.
“Let’s grab a quick bite then head over to your place.”
“Perfect. As long as we’re back in the city around eight.”
“Hot date?”
I laugh. “Yeah, with Gwen.”
“Yeah? How’s she doing?”
I fill him in on Gwen’s life since high school. How we were roommates in college. How she moved back here just like me and works for some advertising firm. She likes the hours but hates the job.
“What are you two getting into tonight?”
“We’re meeting my friend Colby later at the Groove.” Which is a snazzy little club that I love hanging out at.
He starts the engine, pulling out of the spot. “Colby, huh?”
“Yeah.”
Vaughn doesn’t say anymore about my plans tonight, but just asks me where I want to eat. We decide on a little cafe, and while we eat, Vaughn is not much company.
And then, we head to my house so Vaughn can get a little work done.
