the drive in from the airport. Not surprisingly, her entire family had come to the airport in Albuquerque to see her off. There had been no further mention of Blade since the day she’d received the invitation, but the fierce hugs and admonishments told her they still worried.
“Manhunters.”
Smiling at the sound of Luke’s voice, Sierra climbed up on the high, plush bed. “I’m here, safe and sound in a wonderful suite.”
“Mama called earlier.”
“I know; I just wanted to tell you not to worry. I know what I’m doing.” They all took their cue from Luke.
“Can’t. It’s written someplace in the big brothers’ handbook,” he told her. “I wish you were here, but I understand you have to do this. Despite everything, we’re all pulling for you.”
No matter what, family stuck together. A lump formed in her throat. “Thank you.”
“You met your competition yet?”
“We’re all going out to eat at seven. I’ll meet everyone then.”
“Including Blade?”
Her hand clenched on the phone. “I’m not sure.”
“If not tonight, he’ll show up eventually, and when he does, if he gets out of line, remember the left hook I taught you.”
“I can handle myself,” Sierra insisted.
“With any man except Blade Navarone I might agree. He’s gone to a lot of trouble to get you where he is. I might admire his tenacity if the woman he was after wasn’t my little sister.”
Sierra moistened her lips. “Blade might pull certain strings, but he won’t leave me without a choice.”
“What if your choice is the one he wants to hear?”
There was a long silence. She always knew her big brother was smart. Could she be just as smart? “Then I’ll call my big brother to come get me.”
“And I’ll be there.”
She didn’t have a doubt. “I’d better get dressed. Tell the others I’ll call when I get back tonight. We can do a conference call.”
“Will do. Now go and do what you do best. Charm the socks off the competition.”
A l Biernat’s was a wonderful restaurant with flagstone flooring, aged beams, an impressive wine list, delicious food, and superb service. Two of the realtors, a man and a woman, were from San Francisco. Another man was from Palm Springs. The fourth realtor was a woman from Tucson. Sierra was the youngest and the least experienced.
All of the other brokers had been in the business at least fifteen years and had sold multiple properties listing for over $5 million. Although all were cordial, they all wanted to grab the job of being the exclusive broker for Navarone Place. Sierra had expected the competition to be tough. Blade might give her a chance, but she had to prove herself.
By the time she arrived back at her hotel, she planned to do just that. She was so involved in her plan that she hadn’t thought about what the other realtors would think when she didn’t get off on their floor.
“Sierra, this is our floor.” Mel was in his mid-forties, handsome, trim, and suntanned from Palm Springs. He was also a bit of a flirt.
“There was a mix-up and Sierra is on another floor,” Delores put in smoothly. “We’ll meet in the morning at nine in the lobby and then go to the sales office of Navarone Place. Good night, Sierra.”
“Good night.” The door closed on Mel’s speculative expression. Sierra simply smiled and waved.
Perhaps it was a good thing Blade hadn’t attended the dinner. She didn’t want any doubt that she had won fairly. She might be the youngest, but she was also the hungriest.
In her room, she called her family, then afterwards spent the next hour going through her client list. As soon as she saw the models, she planned on making phone calls and e-mailing photos of what she was sure would be magnificent. If humanly possible, she was going to win.
T he four model estates, ranging from twenty-two hundred square feet, two bedrooms, to over eight hundred square feet, two bedrooms, to over eight thousand square feet, four
“Manhunters.”
Smiling at the sound of Luke’s voice, Sierra climbed up on the high, plush bed. “I’m here, safe and sound in a wonderful suite.”
“Mama called earlier.”
“I know; I just wanted to tell you not to worry. I know what I’m doing.” They all took their cue from Luke.
“Can’t. It’s written someplace in the big brothers’ handbook,” he told her. “I wish you were here, but I understand you have to do this. Despite everything, we’re all pulling for you.”
No matter what, family stuck together. A lump formed in her throat. “Thank you.”
“You met your competition yet?”
“We’re all going out to eat at seven. I’ll meet everyone then.”
“Including Blade?”
Her hand clenched on the phone. “I’m not sure.”
“If not tonight, he’ll show up eventually, and when he does, if he gets out of line, remember the left hook I taught you.”
“I can handle myself,” Sierra insisted.
“With any man except Blade Navarone I might agree. He’s gone to a lot of trouble to get you where he is. I might admire his tenacity if the woman he was after wasn’t my little sister.”
Sierra moistened her lips. “Blade might pull certain strings, but he won’t leave me without a choice.”
“What if your choice is the one he wants to hear?”
There was a long silence. She always knew her big brother was smart. Could she be just as smart? “Then I’ll call my big brother to come get me.”
“And I’ll be there.”
She didn’t have a doubt. “I’d better get dressed. Tell the others I’ll call when I get back tonight. We can do a conference call.”
“Will do. Now go and do what you do best. Charm the socks off the competition.”
A l Biernat’s was a wonderful restaurant with flagstone flooring, aged beams, an impressive wine list, delicious food, and superb service. Two of the realtors, a man and a woman, were from San Francisco. Another man was from Palm Springs. The fourth realtor was a woman from Tucson. Sierra was the youngest and the least experienced.
All of the other brokers had been in the business at least fifteen years and had sold multiple properties listing for over $5 million. Although all were cordial, they all wanted to grab the job of being the exclusive broker for Navarone Place. Sierra had expected the competition to be tough. Blade might give her a chance, but she had to prove herself.
By the time she arrived back at her hotel, she planned to do just that. She was so involved in her plan that she hadn’t thought about what the other realtors would think when she didn’t get off on their floor.
“Sierra, this is our floor.” Mel was in his mid-forties, handsome, trim, and suntanned from Palm Springs. He was also a bit of a flirt.
“There was a mix-up and Sierra is on another floor,” Delores put in smoothly. “We’ll meet in the morning at nine in the lobby and then go to the sales office of Navarone Place. Good night, Sierra.”
“Good night.” The door closed on Mel’s speculative expression. Sierra simply smiled and waved.
Perhaps it was a good thing Blade hadn’t attended the dinner. She didn’t want any doubt that she had won fairly. She might be the youngest, but she was also the hungriest.
In her room, she called her family, then afterwards spent the next hour going through her client list. As soon as she saw the models, she planned on making phone calls and e-mailing photos of what she was sure would be magnificent. If humanly possible, she was going to win.
T he four model estates, ranging from twenty-two hundred square feet, two bedrooms, to over eight hundred square feet, two bedrooms, to over eight thousand square feet, four
Similar Books
