of expertise. Expertise, hell . Mega real estate deals were like
talking a foreign language!
Five hundred thousand dollars was a lot
of money. Twice what Cal was talking and Annie didn’t want to walk
away from a potential sale. She wanted to think about it. She
needed to research, consult with an attorney. Time. It was logical.
It was reasonable. No one could fault her for taking the time to
consider her options. But if this woman wanted to buy another
property, there was nothing stopping her. “Is there any way you can
give me a few days?”
A glimmer of victory lit up
her cat eyes. “If you assure me there is a possibility we have a
deal, then yes, I think I can convince my impatient investors to wait a few
days,” she said, suddenly inflecting a tone of camaraderie with
Annie.
“ Thank you.” Annie exhaled
against a knot forming in her chest. Selling hundreds of acres of
wilderness in Tennessee couldn’t be an easy prospect. It wasn’t
like there were people lined up to buy a piece of land that size,
let alone lined up with that kind of money. As it was, most people
around here could hardly afford a fifty thousand dollar mortgage.
Five hundred thousand dollars for nothing but rocks and trees was
for developers or the super-rich. And the
taxes ? Annie didn’t even want to think
about the tax bill that would arrive in the mail next
month.
Nerves skirted through her pulse as she
glimpsed Malcolm and Lacy strolling past the front window. Annie
leapt up from the table, catching her thigh on a corner. Biting
back a moan, she said, “I’ll call you when I have an answer, but
right now—I have a lunch date.” All she needed was her sister and
husband to walk in and see the two of them together and Annie would
have to explain why she was cavorting with the enemy!
Jillian replied genially in her
extravagant accent, “Of course.”
Good God, the woman
even sounded rich,
Annie thought, and hurried to the lunch counter. Five hundred
thousand dollars cash. Annie clutched the worn Formica edge, still
trying to wrap her brain around that angle. What did one do with
five hundred thousand dollars cash? Open a bank account? Investment
account?
Checking for signs of Fran, Annie
wondered if her aunt had witnessed her meeting with Jillian Devane.
Fran kept an eye on everything and everyone. Didn’t seem possible
she could have missed Annie’s meeting with Jillian, but she seemed
consumed with her growing lunch crowd, chattering away with the
large party from church.
Bells jangled again and
Annie turned in time to see Malcolm and Lacy stroll in. They caught
sight of her instantly. Lacy waved. Annie waved back, darting a
glance toward Jillian who was looking at Malcolm and Lacy. Annie
gulped. Would she say
anything ?
Nearing, Lacy smiled, her lips colored
a bright pink, her dress a thin fuchsia woolen material. She wore
black leather knee-high boots, sleek and expensive. “Hi,
Annie!”
Behind her Malcolm sported black
slacks, gray cardigan and a white turtleneck. Annie was still
getting used to his shock of white hair. Cut in fine layers against
his tanned skin, it gave him a “celebrity” look. Together, the
couple appeared as if they had just strolled off the pages of a
glamour magazine. Two pairs of brilliant blue eyes zeroed in on
her, trapping Annie in place. If Jillian wanted to sashay over here
and tell the two of them what they’d been discussing, Annie had no
power to stop her.
“ Are you here for supper?”
Lacy inquired.
“ No, I er—of course,” Annie
said quickly, realizing her error. “Why else would I be
here?”
“ Oh, good.” Lacy glanced
around them. “Where’s Cal?”
Annie released her breath. “I don’t
know. Haven’t talked to him today.”
Lacy appeared confused. “Well, he’ll be
joining you, right?”
Annie shook her head. It wasn’t a good
time. Too much going on.
“ How’s the logging deal
coming along?” Malcolm asked. “Cal told Delaney you were
considering
talking a foreign language!
Five hundred thousand dollars was a lot
of money. Twice what Cal was talking and Annie didn’t want to walk
away from a potential sale. She wanted to think about it. She
needed to research, consult with an attorney. Time. It was logical.
It was reasonable. No one could fault her for taking the time to
consider her options. But if this woman wanted to buy another
property, there was nothing stopping her. “Is there any way you can
give me a few days?”
A glimmer of victory lit up
her cat eyes. “If you assure me there is a possibility we have a
deal, then yes, I think I can convince my impatient investors to wait a few
days,” she said, suddenly inflecting a tone of camaraderie with
Annie.
“ Thank you.” Annie exhaled
against a knot forming in her chest. Selling hundreds of acres of
wilderness in Tennessee couldn’t be an easy prospect. It wasn’t
like there were people lined up to buy a piece of land that size,
let alone lined up with that kind of money. As it was, most people
around here could hardly afford a fifty thousand dollar mortgage.
Five hundred thousand dollars for nothing but rocks and trees was
for developers or the super-rich. And the
taxes ? Annie didn’t even want to think
about the tax bill that would arrive in the mail next
month.
Nerves skirted through her pulse as she
glimpsed Malcolm and Lacy strolling past the front window. Annie
leapt up from the table, catching her thigh on a corner. Biting
back a moan, she said, “I’ll call you when I have an answer, but
right now—I have a lunch date.” All she needed was her sister and
husband to walk in and see the two of them together and Annie would
have to explain why she was cavorting with the enemy!
Jillian replied genially in her
extravagant accent, “Of course.”
Good God, the woman
even sounded rich,
Annie thought, and hurried to the lunch counter. Five hundred
thousand dollars cash. Annie clutched the worn Formica edge, still
trying to wrap her brain around that angle. What did one do with
five hundred thousand dollars cash? Open a bank account? Investment
account?
Checking for signs of Fran, Annie
wondered if her aunt had witnessed her meeting with Jillian Devane.
Fran kept an eye on everything and everyone. Didn’t seem possible
she could have missed Annie’s meeting with Jillian, but she seemed
consumed with her growing lunch crowd, chattering away with the
large party from church.
Bells jangled again and
Annie turned in time to see Malcolm and Lacy stroll in. They caught
sight of her instantly. Lacy waved. Annie waved back, darting a
glance toward Jillian who was looking at Malcolm and Lacy. Annie
gulped. Would she say
anything ?
Nearing, Lacy smiled, her lips colored
a bright pink, her dress a thin fuchsia woolen material. She wore
black leather knee-high boots, sleek and expensive. “Hi,
Annie!”
Behind her Malcolm sported black
slacks, gray cardigan and a white turtleneck. Annie was still
getting used to his shock of white hair. Cut in fine layers against
his tanned skin, it gave him a “celebrity” look. Together, the
couple appeared as if they had just strolled off the pages of a
glamour magazine. Two pairs of brilliant blue eyes zeroed in on
her, trapping Annie in place. If Jillian wanted to sashay over here
and tell the two of them what they’d been discussing, Annie had no
power to stop her.
“ Are you here for supper?”
Lacy inquired.
“ No, I er—of course,” Annie
said quickly, realizing her error. “Why else would I be
here?”
“ Oh, good.” Lacy glanced
around them. “Where’s Cal?”
Annie released her breath. “I don’t
know. Haven’t talked to him today.”
Lacy appeared confused. “Well, he’ll be
joining you, right?”
Annie shook her head. It wasn’t a good
time. Too much going on.
“ How’s the logging deal
coming along?” Malcolm asked. “Cal told Delaney you were
considering
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