Page 32 of Safer Alone
Hopefully you have good news for us.
Thank you
Michael, Kimberley and Mia Thompson
Well it wasn’t the email that I was secretly hoping it would be. However, at least they have confirmed that they will be able to talk soon. My email to them was just as open to interpretation, asking them to contact me when they were free. They have done just that.
I will need to go over the offer with them. The owner wasn’t going to accept the $320,000, but they had provided a counter. They will consider offers of $335,000 and above. It’s my job as the sellers’ agent to get the most for their property that I possibly can.
Looking at my watch I could see that Sandra’s weekly sales meeting would be starting soon. As always, I make a cup of tea before entering the conference room. Flicking my eyes around the room, I could see that James wasn’t here yet, so I took up a spot with a spare seat on either side.
Murmuring a few hellos to the other office staff while I’m settling into my seat. Just as I take my first sip of hot tea, James slips in the door, a cup of coffee in hand and decides to occupy the seat to my right. “Morning, Ange. You still heading out of town at lunchtime?” he asks.
“Morning James, Yep, I fly out just after one,” we both sip at our hot drinks.
“Where are you heading?”
“New York” He raises his eyebrows. He knows a little about my past, just enough to know that I don’t go back to New York unless I have to visit my parents, and yet I had told him just recently that they were here seeing me. So it’s no wonder he is surprised.
I can see he wants to ask me something else, however Sandra walks in and the room quiets down, “Happy Friday, everyone. You all know why you’re here. We need to go over figures. Also, I need to know who will be attending the awards dinner.”
James nudges me and whispers right next to my ear. “Are you going?”
I shrug, “I haven’t really thought about it. How about you?”
He snickers “Yeah right, I know you’re thinking along the same lines as me. As if I want to spend any more time with the hot shots then I already do.”
I almost choke on my sip of tea that I was trying to drink. Seeing Sandra look my way, I quickly try to cover it up by pretending to sneeze, “Sorry, I felt a sneeze coming on.” She gives me a sympathetic look and then continues with the meeting.
The meeting goes fairly quickly, the information presented isn’t anything we didn’t already know. The remainder of the meeting was about our goals for the upcoming Christmas period. I had forgotten we were getting close to my all-time favorite time of the year. It’s the eighth of December today. The office is closing down for two weeks, from the twenty-third of December, and will reopen on the sixth of January. We are, however, able to make appointments with clients during this time if we want to.
Sandra’s personal assistant Suzy then advised that the office Christmas party will be the evening of the twenty-second of December and partners were welcome. It will be held at a local restaurant named ‘The Sizzling Steak House’ in their function room.
James’s hot breath catches my ear as he whispers from beside me. “Want to go to the Christmas party together?” I knew he wasn’t exactly meaning ‘together, together.’ He hated turning up at functions alone like I did. He was a good friend that way. However, he also had asked me out on more dates then I had fingers.
“Quite possibly. I’ll let you know, okay?” I don’t know why I didn’t just say yes right away. It would be good to go with someone. But deep down, I knew why. I just didn’t want to admit the reason. Maybe, just maybe Elliot would be in town that weekend to check the property. Hell, if this weekend goes well, he might be here to see me? I shake my head subtly to clear the thought from my mind. I wouldn’t even ask him, I tell myself.
Luckily the meeting ends shortly after our conversation, :All right guys, thanks for your attendance. Let’s make this next month even better. Have a great weekend.” I stand up and take this chance to make a quick getaway, back to my office.
I wander down to my office and I can feel James is following me, “Would you mind doing me a favor, while you’re back in Manhattan, Angie?”
I turn around and smile, I’m not going to just say yes. “Depends. What exactly did you have in mind?” I give him a coy smile.
“Nothing interesting, or hard to do, I just thought, if you get a chance, maybe you could pick me up a postcard or two, you know, to add to my collection?” His hand moves to his back pocket and retrieves his leather wallet. He pulls a $10.00 bill out of his wallet, and extends his hand to me.
I reach out and pluck the bill from his between his fingers. “I think I can manage that for you, J.”
He smiles at my answer, “Thanks, Angie. Have a good weekend.” He steps towards me and gives me a quick one-armed hug and a peck on the cheek. When he pulls away, his smile is fading. He turns around after a few seconds and closes my office door as he exits.
I don’t know how long I stand there, staring at my now-closed office door. That was odd, the way James gave me a hug. It’s not the first time he has done so, but the way his lips felt on my cheek surprised me. I felt something, nowhere near as powerful as the electrical current I feel all over with Elliot, but there was something. A flutter in my heart almost. Had Elliot’s kiss unlocked something inside of me? Or, was I now feeling these emotions because I was ready to?
From behind me I hear the familiar ping of my email program, reminding me that now wasn’t the time to contemplate feelings, it was time to get some work done. It was now showing 11:00 am when I take a seat at my desk. Scanning over my emails I see that it is just another advertisement.
Instead, I decide to try to call the Thompson Family. It couldn’t hurt to try their number. If they don’t answer, I can always leave a voicemail. Picking up the telephone, I dial the phone number on file for the Thompsons. To my surprise it starts ringing and after the second ring I am met with a male voice booming back through the phone.
“Hello, Michael Thompson speaking”
“Hi Michael, it’s Angela White. How are you?”
