The Property Brokers by Sandi Lynn

Chapter 14

Bella

“You sit facing them. I can’t,” I said as I took the seat where my back was to them.

“He’s delicious. Who’s that sexy man he’s with?”

“I have no idea. What is he doing here?”

“I’m going to assume having dinner with his friend like we are. Did you really think you were never going to see him outside of the office?”

“Good evening, ladies. I’m Beth. The gentleman over at that table sent this bottle of Sauvignon Blanc for the two of you,” she said as she poured some in our wine glasses.

Turning around, I looked at Grant as I held up my glass and mouthed “thank you.”

He gave me a nod with a small smile.

“That was nice of him,” Ami said, and I looked away.

“Whatever,” I spoke.

“Okay, girl. Spill it so we can work through it.”

“I keep having these dreams about our time together in Hawaii. It’s as if I’m reliving that time all over again. I wake up in a sweat with my heart racing at the speed of light, and I can’t go back to sleep. I thought I was over all this.”

“Like I told you before, first loves never die and the memories never go away.”

“Well, this one needs to.” I ran my finger around the rim of my glass. “He asked me out.”

“Did he now? What did you say?”

“I said no and that any relationship we have is strictly professional and nothing else.”

“Is that how you really feel?” she asked.

“How could you ask me that? It doesn’t even seem to bother him that he broke his promise to me. The only thing he was after in Hawaii was getting in my pants. And like an idiot, I let him.”

“So basically, it all comes down to mistrust. Right?”

“Of course. I can never trust a word that comes out of his mouth again.”

Beth walked over and set our food down in front of us.

“Is there anything else I can get for you two?” she asked.

“I think we’re good.” Ami gave her a smile. “You can’t trust him, or you won’t let yourself? Because those are two different things.”

“Both.”

“Then why did you agree to work for him?” Her brow raised.

“Because it’s business. He’s very serious about his work and he wouldn’t fuck that up. Ami, he shows no remorse whatsoever. He’s just asking me out like nothing ever happened.”

“He’s a guy, Bella. You know they’re wired differently than us women. And I’m sure somewhere inside him he feels guilty. But you need to remember, sweetie, you two were teenagers. Listen, you need to tell him how his actions made you feel. You’ve been carrying around this anger and hurt for the past fourteen years, and the only way to set yourself free from it is to tell him how badly he hurt you.”

“I can’t.” I finished off my wine and grabbed the bottle.

“He’s walking over here,” Ami whispered.

“What?!”

“Hi, Bella.”

“Grant. Hi. What are you doing here?” I plastered on a fake smile.

“We just finished having dinner. This is Lamar Neil. Lamar, this is Bella Marcus.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Lamar.” I extended my hand.

“The pleasure is all mine, Bella.” He brought my hand up to his lips.

“This is my best friend, Ami Liu. Ami, this is Grant and his best friend, Lamar.”

“It’s nice to meet both of you.” She eyed Lamar up and down.

“Hey.” Lamar clasped his hands together. “Do you two beautiful ladies have plans after dinner? Grant and I are going to head to Pegu’s for a few drinks.”

“I don’t think—” I started to say.

“We’d love to.” Ami grinned.

“Excellent. We’ll see you there.” Lamar smiled.

“I’ll see you there, Bella,” Grant spoke before the two of them walked away.

“What the fuck are you doing?” I leaned across the table and lightly grabbed hold of Ami’s wrist.

“I think Lamar is hot and I want to have a drink with him.”

“Then have a drink with him when he’s not with Grant.”

“Bella, you work with Grant. You’re going to see him every day. It’s just one or two drinks. Come on,” she whined. “I haven’t met a hot guy like that in a long time. Are you really going to deny your best friend this opportunity?”

I stared at her as her eyes pleaded with me.

“Just one drink,” I sighed.

* * *

Grant

“Damn, man. You’ve been holding out on me,” Lamar said.

“What are you talking about?”

“Ami. You didn’t tell me Bella had a hot friend.”

“How the hell would I know that? I’ve never met her up until tonight.”

“And Bella.” He shook his head. “She’s gorgeous. I could tell by the look on her face when we walked up she isn’t happy with you.”

“Gee, you think?” I said as I opened the door to the bar, and we stepped inside.

“Let me ask you this. Have you apologized to her yet?”

“For what?” I asked as we found an empty table that sat four.

“Come on, man. You lied to her and totally ditched her after Hawaii. I think that warrants an apology. Especially if you’re working together now. I could feel the tension between the two of you in just the few moments we were standing there. An apology can go a long way.”

“Maybe you’re right.”

“I am right. Maybe you haven’t had to apologize to women before, but I have.”

“Yeah, because the women you dated were unhinged.” I chuckled.

“Ami doesn’t look unhinged, right?”

“I don’t know, man. I guess you’ll find out.” I smiled.

I looked over at the door and saw Bella and Ami step inside.

“They’re here,” I said to Lamar.

He looked over and held his hand up, waving them over.

“You came,” Lamar said with a wide grin.

“I told you we would.” Ami flirtatiously smiled as she took the seat next to him.

Bella looked at me first before sitting down next to me. I held my hand up to get the attention of our waitress.

“Welcome, ladies. What can I get you?”

“I’ll have a cosmopolitan,” Ami spoke.

“I’ll have a Gin and Tonic. Light on the tonic,” she said.

I was surprised by her choice of drink for I never would have taken her for a gin girl.

“Gin, eh?” I asked.

“Yeah. Is something wrong with gin?”

“No. Not at all. I just never would have taken you for a gin girl.”

“You don’t even know me so how could you even make that assumption? You knew the sixteen-year-old version of me, Grant.”

“Yeah. I guess you’re right.” I picked up my scotch and threw it down the back of my throat. I was tired of her throwing that in my face.

Her phone rang and when she pulled it from her purse, I glanced over and saw that guy, Ian, was calling again. She quickly declined the call and threw her phone back in her purse.

“I need to use the ladies’ room,” Ami said.

“And I need to use the men’s room,” Lamar spoke as he stood up from his seat and they both headed towards the restrooms.

“I have three people coming in tomorrow afternoon for your assistant position, so I need you to be at the office. And I’ve already hired you a driver. His name is Samuel and he’ll be picking you up at seven-thirty.”

“How did you get all that done so soon?” she asked.

“Once word gets out that The Roman Group is hiring, people flock.” He smirked.

Rolling her eyes, she picked up her drink and took a sip.

“I’m going to see what’s taking Ami so long. I’ll be right back,” she spoke.

Just as she walked away, Lamar came back to the table.

“Listen, bro. Ami and I are going to go somewhere quiet to talk and get to know each other better.” He gave me a wink. “I hope you don’t mind.”

“Not at all. Have fun.” I grinned.

“That’s my plan. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.” He held out his fist and I bumped mine against it.

I looked over and saw Ami and Bella walking back to the table. The look on Bella’s face told me she wasn’t too happy. Bella sat down and Ami said her goodbyes.

“Are you mad?” I asked Bella.

“No,” she sighed as she got the attention of our waitress and ordered another gin and tonic.

“I’ll have another scotch,” I spoke to the waitress. “What does Ami do for a living?” I asked Bella to strike up a conversation.

“She’s a therapist.”

“Wow. Nice. How did the two of you meet?”

“She slept with my boyfriend.”

“What?” I chuckled.

“We were eighteen and my boyfriend at the time didn’t tell her he had a girlfriend. I caught them in bed together. After screaming a few obscenities, I left, and she followed me. We ended up at an all-night diner and talked.”

“She seems like a great woman,” I spoke.

“She is, and she’s always there when I need her. Lamar seems great too.”

“He is.” I smiled.

Her phone that was sitting on the table rang and Ian’s name appeared again.

“What the fuck. Does this idiot not know what time it is here in New York?” she spoke with irritation as she declined his call.

“Why don’t you just block his number?”

“It’s complicated,” she spoke as she grabbed the glass of gin and tonic before the waitress had a chance to set it down.

“There’s nothing complicated about it. He obviously needs to talk to you. Maybe you should just answer it and get it over with.”

“Maybe you should mind your own business.”

I’d had it with her attitude towards me and I couldn’t take it anymore.

“You know what, Bella. I’m done.” I stood up from my seat. “I’m tired of your attitude towards me and I’m not putting up with it anymore.”

I threw some cash on the table to cover the bill, grabbed my suitcoat, and stormed out of the bar. While I was waiting for Mateo to pull the car around, Bella stepped out the door of the bar.

“What do want from me, Grant?”

With my hands tucked tightly in my pants pockets, I stared at her.

“I don’t know, Bella. Maybe for you to stop having an attitude with me and treating me like I’m the enemy.”