“Playing while the cat’s away?” a male voice asked. She soon recognized it as Rick, mainly because of the rumbling chuckle that followed. “Dad’s doing well, so I’m coming back tonight. I’ll swing by the office before going home. Please leave any messages and important mail on my desk. No need to call me back. And, Lily, thanks for covering things while I’ve been gone. See you.”
The deep timbre sent a quiver down her spine. Lily replayed the message before erasing it. She smiled as she opened and sorted the mail. Rick had that effect on her. His cheerful voice and gratitude were much welcomed today. She felt emotionally hung over from the conversation with her father and saying goodbye to Chelsea. The smiled faded as her thoughts returned to the phone call and her father’s request to see her.
She shook her head. “Not now. I have enough going on, and things are starting to settle. I’m not opening that box to see what jumps out.” She realized she’d opened that box when she made the phone call. She believed she had secured the lid again when the call ended without her acquiescing to his request. He had been on her mind, she had done her daughterly duty. He was fine, and she could let it rest.
*
Lily sat at the computer late that night working on transcription. It took forever because her mind kept drifting back to lunch with Beau. She argued she didn’t have to show up at Malone’s again the next day. But it would be rude not to repay him and buy his lunch. Wouldn’t it?
The clock showed two fifteen when Lily shut down the computer. Exhaustion weighted her as she climbed the stairs. The emptiness of the house without Chelsea echoed inside her. She looked at her reflection while brushing her teeth—clear, brown eyes with flecks of gold, smooth, olive-toned skin, and light brown hair that curled softly around her face. Her image was only marred by the darkened circles beneath her eyes, evidence of worry and lack of sleep.
She spit, rinsed, and turned off the bathroom light. The soft mattress curled around her, and she sank into it as though it were a lover’s embrace.
*
Rick’s car was already in the lot when she arrived at the office the following morning. Lily rounded the building and went to get coffee for each of them.
“Good morning,” she called out as she entered the office.
“G’morning.”
She placed her coffee on her desk and stowed her purse. Rick’s desktop was a mass of papers. “I brought you coffee.”
“Oh, thanks. Set it down…uh…here.” He shoved some of the papers aside, clearing a small space. “I’m just getting caught up on messages.”
“Anything I can help with?”
“I’ll need sales agreements drawn up on two of these commercial properties. The forms are in your computer. You’ll just have to pull the files, fill in the blanks and add this information.” He picked up his notes and handed them to her. “I hope you can read my scribble.”
“If not, I’ll ask. So is your father okay?”
Rick removed the lid from his coffee and took a sip. “He is for now. He retired early because of his heart. He may need surgery, and he’s not a very good candidate because of other health issues. We just have to hope for the best. How was your weekend?”
Lily told him about the trip to the zoo and Chelsea’s brief disappearance.
“You must have been scared out of your mind.”
She nodded. “I was frantic. She’s never done anything like that, and well, you saw how friendly she is. I don’t know how to make her cautious without scaring her, but it worries me that she’s so trusting of strangers.”
He nodded. “You know the worst part? Apparently you don’t stop worrying once they’re adults. My mother was on my case all weekend about my lifestyle.”
“Your lifestyle?”
“You know—swinging bachelor.” He laughed. “I think she just wants more grandchildren. I’ll have to have a talk with my sister and her husband about that.” He took a sip of coffee. “Thanks for this. I need to return some calls, and I have meeting at ten. The afternoon’s packed as well, so I was wondering if we could meet over lunch to talk about the Ivy Cove showing you did with the Travers.’ I’d like to discuss it before I call them back.”
“Over lunch? Sure, that would be fine.” That precludes my meeting Beau at Malone’s. I have to work.
Lily prepared the sales agreements for Rick’s review. She opened files on the computer to locate the contract information.
Rick returned at noon. “I’ll be ready to go to lunch in ten minutes.”
“I have my lunch from yesterday still in the fridge. Do you want me to run out and pick something up for you? We can meet here.”
He halted at his office door. “You mean the chicken salad sandwich?”
“Yes.”
“Oh. You don’t have that anymore. I got in late and came here right from the airport. I was starving so…anyway, lunch is on me. Give me a few minutes.”
He soon reappeared beside her desk. “Ready?”
“Yes.” She removed her purse from the bottom drawer and turned off the lights as she went ahead of Rick.
“Where are we going?”
“Let’s go to Malone’s. It’s close, and I love their burgers.”
Standing inside the bar, Lily looked around anxiously as Rick searched for a table. “There’s a spot. Go ahead and have a seat. I want to wash my hands.”
She perused the menu and didn’t look up when someone approached, assuming it was Rick.
“Hi.”
Lily jerked her head up from the menu. “Oh, Beau. Hi.”
Before she could say anything more, he dropped into a chair facing her. “Looks like it’s a good thing you got here when you did.”
“Um, Beau, I…”
Rick returned to the table, his eyebrows furrowed. “Lily?”
“Oh, Rick. This is Beau…uh, Beau…”
Beau stood and extended his hand. “Walker Beaumont.”
“You’re kidding. The Walker Beaumont. I thought you looked familiar. You were featured in Builder’s Weekly a few issues back. I’m Rick Gardner. I own Gardner Realty.” Rick sat between them, looking from Beau to Lily, and back again. “You know Lily?”
Beau smiled at Lily. “We’ve met.”
Lily leaned forward. “Beau, Rick and I are having a business lunch. Do you think I could meet you tomorrow or another day?”
Rick waved a hand. “Don’t worry about it. You and I can discuss our business later. It’s not every day you get to chat with Walker Beaumont.”
Lily sat back in her chair. Why is Rick so excited about having lunch with a construction worker?
The waitress took their orders and returned with their drinks. Lily observed the conversation between Beau and Rick as if watching a tennis match. She soon learned that Beau owned one of the largest commercial real estate development companies in the southwest.
Lily interrupted. “Wait a minute. You told me you were a construction worker.”
“No, I didn’t. I told you I liked to build things.”
Rick laughed. “A construction worker? That’s a good one. I can’t believe you don’t know who this guy is.”
“I don’t think Lily reads Builder’s Weekly. Looks more like a People magazine reader to me,” Beau teased and his eyes sparkled.
Lily stood, dropping her napkin onto the table. “If you gentlemen will excuse me.” She headed for the restroom.
She returned to the table in time to hear Rick say, “Here’s my card. I’d love to meet with you and talk about this project I have in mind for developing some land I acquired up along the lake. I’m thinking condos, entertainment complex, marina—the works.”
Both men stood. Lily stopped and stared at them. “Are we leaving?”
“We’re waiting for you to be seated,” Rick said. “This is what gentlemen do.”
“Oh.” She couldn’t resist comparing the two men—Rick, broad-shouldered, handsome in a thirty-something way, professionally dressed. Beau, a few inches taller a
nd more muscular, with a body that tapered at the waist and those jeans that hugged all the right spots.
“Lily, are you planning to sit down?” Rick asked.
“Sit? Oh, yes. Thank you.” She sat down and picked up her ice water. Her hand trembled.
At the end of the lunch, Lily reached for the bill. “I’ll get this. After all, I owe you a lunch, Beau.”
Rick pulled the paper from between her fingers. “I got it. This was a business lunch. You two can settle your debts another time.”
Beau grinned. “Sounds good to me.”
The two men stood up and Lily followed suit.
Rick clasped Beau’s hand. “It was a pleasure to meet you. Think about that development deal.”
“I’ll have my office call and set up a meeting. Perhaps over dinner next time? That is, if Lily can join us.”
“I don’t work nights,” Lily stammered.
“But she’ll make an exception, I’m sure, if she’s needed to take notes.” Rick smiled and winked at her.
They crossed the street and returned to the office. “I hope you don’t mind, but landing a face-to-face meeting with Walker Beaumont is no simple feat. I’ll pay you overtime, and you’ll get a nice dinner out of the deal.”
“I do mind. I have a child at home. I told you when you hired me that…”
Rick raised his palm. “Okay. But, what if I paid for the sitter? Or maybe your friend will still be here, and she can…”
“Rick, I said no.” Anxiety jolted through her. “This is exactly what happened in my last job. I agreed to certain hours and the next thing I knew, they were getting longer and longer.”
“Lily, I think Beau likes you. He just wants to spend time with you, and he’s afraid you won’t agree unless it’s work. At least, that’s what I would do. If I were interested, of course.”
“It doesn’t matter. I’m not interested in Mr. Beaumont.”
Rick half-sat, half-leaned on the edge of her desk. “Could’ve fooled me.”
“What does that mean?”
“If I didn’t know better, I’d say you undressed him with your eyes.”
Lily felt her face flame. “I did not.” Oh, God, I did. And I compared the two of them. So Rick noticed that I also gave him the once-over.
“Well, you stared at him long enough.”
“Does this qualify as sexual harassment? I think it just might.”
“I’m sorry. I’m teasing, but I realize you don’t know me very well yet.”
“And you don’t know me. I’m not looking for a date or…or…anything. And I’m not going to be manipulated by Beau or by you.”
Rick’s face sobered. “Understood. I apologize. I’ll tell Beau when he calls that it’s strictly business between him and me, and if he wants a date, he needs to ask you himself.”
“Thank you.” She turned, sat at her desk and wiggled the mouse to wake up the computer. She heard Rick walk into his office and close the door. Her concentration wavered as she reconsidered what Rick had said. Had she mentally undressed Beau? She closed her eyes, summoning Beau’s image. Omigod—did Beau know I was staring at him? Well, he shouldn’t look so damned good.
Chapter Nine
Lily noticed a shadow at the front door and looked up. The deliveryman from the floral shop next door balanced two flower arrangements as he entered the office.
“I have a delivery for—” He looked at the card. “Lily.”
“That’s me.” Lily stood and reached for the bouquet, an arrangement of pink roses with white mini carnations. “Thank you so much.” She set the vase on the counter and sniffed the roses, confused.
“These are for you, too.”
“Oh.” She accepted the silver-plated trumpet vase containing two dozen red roses with baby’s breath. “These are beautiful. Thank you—again. But, who are these from?”
“There’s a card on each one. Have a nice day.”
“Thanks. You, too.”
She placed the second floral arrangement on the counter and removed the card from each. The pink roses had been sent by Rick, with a note of apology for his behavior the previous day. The larger arrangement came from Beau, who said he was sorry for having interrupted her business lunch.
The dilemma—where to place which vase? She set the arrangement from Rick on the corner of the counter, within plain view. The roses from Beau, she placed on her desk beside her computer. Lily smiled, looking from one flower arrangement to the other. These were the first flowers she’d ever received, except for the ones sent by her brother after Chelsea’s birth. Their sweet scent wafted around her as she returned to her work.
Rick came through the back door later in the morning. “Hi, Lily. Any messages?”
“They’re on your desk.”
“Oh. Thanks. Anything else?”
“Just a few deliveries.” She grinned. “The flowers are lovely. Thank you. You didn’t have to do that.”
“I appreciate the way you’ve jumped into things here, and I do feel badly about my behavior yesterday. It’s just…you’re so easy to be with. I feel like I’ve known you for a lot longer than a week.” She followed his eyes as they shifted from the flowers on the counter to the larger bouquet on her desk. “Where’d those come from?”
“Oh, those. They’re from Beau. He felt badly about interrupting our meeting.”
“He did, huh? Didn’t send me roses or a note of apology.”
“Um, well…”
Rick laughed. “Any excuse is better than none, I suppose.”
“What do you mean?”
“He found a good excuse for sending you flowers.”
Lily paused and looked at the pink bouquet from Rick. “Really? So, what are your ulterior motives?”
“Me? I don’t have any. Trust me, if I wanted to date you, I’d do better than this.” He winked and walked into his office.
Warmth flooded Lily’s face. She wondered what “better” he would do.
*
At the end of the week, Lily picked up her first paycheck from Trans-Scribe. She thanked Michelle and, once she was outside, opened the envelope with trembling fingers: four hundred dollars. Omigod! A slip of paper verified the audio hours she had transcribed and included a reminder that she was responsible for taxes.
Lily had worked until two in the morning and, upon arriving at Gardner Realty, already felt as though she had put in a full day of work. Her eyelids fluttered in her efforts to keep them open. At ten-fifteen, she gave in and went into Rick’s office and settled on the sofa. He wasn’t due in until eleven. Just five minutes.
“Lily?” A voice pierced the fog in her head. A vaguely familiar voice, but one that did not fit with her sleep.
“Hmm?” she moaned. When a warm hand cupped her shoulder, Lily opened her eyes and jumped. “What?” She blinked and looked up.
Rick stood over her, a concerned look on his face. “Are you okay?”
“Oh. I’m sorry. I just…” She sat up, straightening her blouse. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to fall asleep.”
He grinned. “Happens to me every time I lie down on that sofa.” His gaze fixed on one side of her face.
She put a hand to her cheek. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.”
Lily stood and walked to a mirror that hung on the opposite wall. She observed the crease that ran across her cheek and hair standing out wildly on one side. “Oh, jeez.”
At that moment, the front door opened. Lily rubbed her face as if to erase the evidence of her nap.
Rick laughed. “Stay here. I’ll see who it is.”
Her hair refused to cooperate with her attempts to smooth it back into place. She heard a second male voice and laughter from the front office. Curiosity got the best of her, and she edged toward the door to peek out. Beau leaned on the counter, smiling and talking with Rick. His eyes shifted in her direction and, before she could move from his line of vision, he grinned and waved. “Hi, Lily.”
She continued
to peek from behind the door, returning the wave. “Thank you for the roses. They’re beautiful.”
“So I’m forgiven?”
Lily nodded, still half-hidden by the door.
“Let’s talk out here, Beau. My office is a mess right now. Stuff lying all over the place,” Rick said with a grin directed toward Lily.
Lily wandered around Rick’s office, waiting for evidence of her longer-than-anticipated nap to evaporate. She sat in the leather executive chair behind his desk. Her eyes scanned the papers spread across the desktop and fell upon a sheet bearing New Listings for Sale. Rick must have prepared the list, because she couldn’t recall having seen it before.
Lily picked up the paper, mindlessly reading through the addresses. Until she got halfway down the page: 3 bedroom, 1&1/2 bath on small fenced lot. 627 Harrington Avenue. Her breath caught and she went cold. I live at 627 Harrington Avenue. What the…?
Intense heat soon replaced the icy cold that gripped her. Lily stuck her head out of the office. “Excuse me. Rick, could you come here please?
“Now?”
“Yes. Please?”
Rick excused himself and stepped into his office.
“What is this?” Lily thrust the paper in Rick’s face.
Startled, he took the list and looked at it. “They’re our new listings for sale. Why?”
Her hand shook as she pointed to the center of the page. “That’s my house.”
“Your house?” He looked at the crumpled paper, following her finger. “You own this house?”
“I’m renting this house—to own. I have a lease agreement,” she shouted.
In the waiting area, Beau cleared his throat.
Rick asked, “Can we check into this a little later, after Beau leaves?”
Beau appeared in the doorway. “Sounds like you need to tend to this matter now.” Beau focused on Lily. “Nice to see you again. Rick, let’s finish this over lunch on Tuesday, shall we?”
Rick nodded. “Thanks, Beau. I’ll see you at Malone’s on Tuesday at noon.”
The phone rang and Lily started for her desk.
“Let it go to voicemail. We need to get this resolved.” Rick directed her to sit on the sofa. He sat beside her, the list in his hand. “I’m sure there’s a logical explanation for this.”
Renting to Own Page 8
