Renting to Own

by Linda Rettstatt

  “There has to be. It’s got to be a typo or something.” Her hands shook, and she locked them together. She couldn’t deal with another move right now. Another loose brick slid from her foundation.

  “Let me go to my computer and pull up the info on the owner.” Rick rounded his desk and clicked a few times on the mouse, opening the file he wanted. “The owner’s name is Alan Sanders. Ring a bell?”

  Lily felt the blood drain from her face, and her stomach twisted. “That’s my landlord. How could he do this?” She jumped to her feet and began to pace. “I don’t understand. I have a lease. It says I’m renting the house and that my rent goes toward the purchase. That’s the deal.”

  “Do you have a copy of your lease?”

  She whirled at him. “Of course I have a copy. I’m not an idiot.”

  “No, and I’m not the enemy.” He stood and walked to her. “Lily, go home and get your lease. Bring it back here, and we’ll go over it. I’m sure it’s a simple mistake.”

  “It has to be. I won’t be gone long.”

  “Don’t speed. Take your time. I’ll cover the office.”

  Lily fought nausea as she started the car and backed from the parking lot. When she pulled into her driveway, she sat for a moment and looked at the house. It wasn’t all that much to look at—faded sky blue aluminum siding, a front porch that sagged just a little. She exited the car and walked to the back of the house—the garden she had slaved over and that would soon produce tomatoes and carrots, the storage shed she had repaired and repainted, the manicured lawn she had cut and trimmed last weekend. She slammed a hand on the porch railing. “Can I get just one freakin’ break? Just one?”

  Mrs. Glenn waved from her back porch when Lily turned the corner. Tears blurred Lily’s vision as she waved to her neighbor. She opened the back door and headed for her bedroom where she kept important papers in a fireproof metal box in the back of her closet. She removed the lease and backed out of the closet, unfolding the document.

  Lily read the agreement, including the fine print beneath her initials. This agreement will become effective with a down-payment of $2,500 made by lessee to lessor. Failure to make this payment within ninety (90) days of the date of this agreement will nullify the rent-to-own option and all fees collected will serve as rent only. The lessor/property owner reserves the right, under these circumstances, to place said property for sale and will give lessee thirty (30) days notification.

  “Oh, crap.”

  Lily sped back to the office and rushed through the door. Breathless, she dropped the lease onto Rick’s desk. “Here.” She pointed at the clause. “What does this mean?”

  She hovered over his shoulder. Rick shifted and looked up at her. “I can read this better if you sit over there.” He pointed to the sofa.

  “Oh. Sorry.” She sat on the edge of the sofa, leaning forward.

  Rick flipped through the lease agreement and then set it on the desk and looked up. “Did you pay that deposit?”

  “What deposit?” She leapt from the sofa and returned to his side. “No, but I didn’t see that clause. Look at the size of the print.”

  “It’s smaller print, but readable.”

  “Okay, so I missed it. But Mr. Sanders never asked me about it, either. Shouldn’t he have called to see about the money, since I initialed that block?”

  Rick shook his head. “That would have been a courtesy, but he’s not required to do so. A lot of people sign an agreement for rent-to-own, then decide to hold off and look for a different type of home.”

  Lily bit her lip. Tears she had been holding at bay spilled over.

  Rick looked up at her. “Oh, jeez. Don’t cry. Please, don’t cry.” He stood. “Here, sit down. I’ll get you a glass of water.”

  Sinking into the plush leather, Lily rested her elbows on the desk and put her head in her hands. “What am I going to do?”

  A glass of water appeared before her. Rick sat on the edge of the desk. “Legally, I’m not sure there’s much you can do. I know your landlord wants to make a quick sale, so I don’t think he’ll be open to a renewed agreement.”

  She gulped the water and hiccupped, accepting the tissues he offered. “I’m sorry. I…I guess I’ll just have to find another p-place. But I love my house.”

  Rick squeezed her shoulder. “I’ll help any way I can.”

  An electric current shot through every nerve in her body. “Th-Thanks.”

  “Let me call your landlord about the listing and see where he stands. I’ll explain your confusion about the lease…”

  “But…you can’t tell him I work here. Isn’t that a conflict of interest for you?”

  “I’ll tell him I contacted the renter to look at the house, and she was surprised to learn the house was for sale. Don’t worry.”

  “Okay.” Lily stood. “Should I wait in here?”

  He chuckled. “Why don’t you wait at your desk? Who knows, we just may get a phone call.”

  “Oh. I’m sorry. Honestly, my life is not always this dramatic.”

  “Hard to imagine.”

  The kindness in his eyes warmed her. She resisted the urge to walk over and kiss his cheek. “Okay. So, I’ll be right out here.” She sat at her desk and watched line one on the phone console light up.

  Rick emerged from his office a few minutes later. “I have bad news and good news. Which do you want first?”

  “Bad news.” She intertwined her fingers in her lap to still their trembling.

  “He’s not willing to renew the rent-to-own option. He needs to sell the place as soon as possible.”

  “Oh. And there’s good news?”

  “He’s willing to apply everything you’ve already paid toward the purchase price, if you can come up with the rest of the money in sixty days. That shouldn’t be too difficult. I know one of the loan officers at the bank. I can introduce you.”

  Lily shook her head. “There is no way they’ll give me a loan to buy a house. I’m only twenty-three, a single parent with no collateral and, well, you saw my résumé. I have virtually no credit history.”

  “Hmmm. Good point. Do you have anyone who can help? Co-sign, perhaps?”

  “No. I won’t ask that of Helen, and she’s the only person I could ever rely on.” She swallowed hard.

  He perched on the edge of the counter beside her desk. “I’m so sorry, Lily. I wish there were something more I could do. I know some realtors who handle rentals. I’ll make a few calls.”

  “I appreciate it. God, I hate this. Chelsea finally feels at home, and she loves Mrs. Glenn, our next-door neighbor.”

  “You know, it’s possible someone will buy the house with the intention of renting it.”

  “Really? You think that’ll happen?”

  “It could. I don’t have anyone interested in the house yet, but it’s just going on the market. Don’t worry. I’ll make sure you’re not homeless.” He started toward his office, but stopped and turned. “Why don’t you take the rest of the afternoon off? You look exhausted.”

  “I’m fine. Really. I—I need to stay busy.”

  “Okay, but at least take a break and let me buy you lunch. If it makes you feel any better, we’ll call it a business lunch. I’m sure there’s something business-like we can talk about.”

  “Don’t you have a meeting with Dave Anderson?”

  “We rescheduled. I’m all yours.”

  Heat crept up her neck at that thought. Don’t blur the boundaries. He’s your boss.

  The lunch crowd at Malone’s had already thinned. The waitress seated them and took their orders. Lily requested a salad with grilled salmon.

  “Do you ever eat real food?” Rick asked.

  “All the time. That’s why I lighten up on lunch.”

  “I guess I’ll have to take you to dinner sometime and see for myself.”

  Lily smoothed the napkin in her lap, ignoring the rush that suggestion brought. “So, um, your dad’s doing better?”

  “He is.
I’m flying down there in a few weeks. Even though he’s retired, he likes to have a quarterly report on the business.”

  “Don’t tell him about the new receptionist and the drama she’s brought along.”

  Rick laughed. “Drama? You haven’t met my family. You’re an amateur at drama.” He steadied his eyes on hers. “Lily, you’re the best thing that’s happened to…to the office since I took over. Don’t worry so much. Things have a way of working out.”

  “I hope you’re right. And, thank you.”

  “You must be worrying a lot.” He sipped his iced tea.

  “What makes you think that?”

  “Oh, I don’t know—the circles under your eyes, those lines on your forehead, the fact that you fell asleep in my office at ten in the morning.”

  Her fingers smoothed the space between her eyebrows. “I am so sorry and so embarrassed. I…I’ve been doing some extra work from home. Legal transcription. The pay’s amazing, but I’ve gotten carried away, I think.”

  “None of my business, but is money that tight?”

  “Tight enough. And Chelsea starts school in a month. That means new clothes. And, God, if we have to move…you don’t need to hear this.”

  He cocked his head and looked at her. “Have you ever thought about selling real estate?”

  “After my fiasco with the Traverses, you’d ask me that?”

  “You don’t give yourself enough credit. You did something right, because they’re buying the house. You’d make a decent commission and, with Gardner Realty branching out more into commercial real estate, I could use the help. Besides, you know what a woman looks for in a house. And, face it, when you’re selling a new house to a couple, she’s the one who makes the decision.”

  “Don’t I have to get a license or something?”

  “Yes, but you’d breeze through the coursework. I’m sure of it.”

  “Just what I need—one more thing on my plate.”

  The waitress slid their lunches in front of them as Lily spoke. “Will there be anything else?”

  “No. Thank you.” Rick turned his focus back to Lily. “Think about it. I’d cover the cost for the courses and licensing. We could work out a way for you to pay me back from your sales. It would be a loan.”

  “I don’t know. I can’t give up the other part-time work.” She had finally become self-reliant. Well, until she had to have Helen bail her out between jobs. But, now, she couldn’t rely on her new boss for financial help.

  “Will you just think about it? If you want to do it, there’s a way. I’m sure of it.” He picked up his burger and took a huge bite.

  Lily watched the movement of his mouth as he chewed, and the bob of his Adam’s apple when he swallowed. Her internal temperature raised at least ten degrees.

  He wrinkled his eyebrows. “Are you okay? You look flushed.”

  “I’m f-fine.” She gulped her ice water and prayed he’d look somewhere—anywhere—else. “I did enjoy showing that house.”

  “See?”

  “I’ll think about it.”

  “Good. Want to think it about on Lake Erie this Saturday afternoon?”

  “Excuse me?”

  “I’m driving up to the lake to go for a sail, just for the day. Chelsea’s still with Helen, right?”

  “Uh-huh, for another week.”

  “Then come with me. You do like sailing, don’t you?”

  “Don’t know. Never been.”

  “You grew up near the lake, and you’ve never been sailing? Impossible. We have to fix that.” He stared at her plate, at the untouched breadstick. “You gonna eat that?”

  When she shook her head, he picked up the bread and bit into it. “What do you say?”

  “I don’t know.” Her hesitation was not only because he was her boss, but also because he was her very attractive boss who made her feel things she shouldn’t feel about a boss.

  “Do you have other plans?”

  “No, I don’t have plans for Saturday after work.”

  “It’s a date. Let’s take the whole day off. We don’t have any showings scheduled yet for Saturday. I’ll pick you up at eight.”

  A date?

  When they had both finished, he dropped a twenty on the table with the check. “Well, back to work.”

  Lily replayed the conversation all afternoon in her head. Was this a date? Was he just being friendly, trying to distract her from her worries about the house? Was she going to fall into that dimple in his right cheek and come out alive?

  Chapter Ten

  The following morning, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the office. Lily set the newspaper on the center of Rick’s desk. She watered the plants and paced from the front window to the back door, glancing at her watch every five minutes.

  She jumped at the sound of the door closing. Rick dashed through to his office, shouting a “good morning” on the way past. He closed the door behind him. Lily saw line one on the phone console light up. She went to the supply room and prepared a cup of coffee the way Rick liked it. Hesitating, she tapped on his door.

  “Yes?”

  “I have your coffee.”

  “Come in.”

  She opened the door and carried the mug to his desk. Rick sat with his hand over the mouthpiece of the phone. “Thanks. Would you close the door again, please?”

  “Oh. Sure.” She hurried out, pulling the door shut behind her.

  Rick emerged fifteen minutes later to refill his coffee mug. “Sorry about that. I talked to Sanders again last night about your lease. He’s willing to apply all of your rent toward the purchase, if you want to buy the house, but he won’t budge on the rent-to-own agreement.”

  “I already told you…”

  Rick held up a hand, palm out. “I know. You can’t afford it. You know, there’s no guarantee he’ll get a buyer. It’s an older home and too small for most families. He may have to reconsider and give you a second chance.”

  “I’ve about had my quota on those, I think.” She sighed. “I guess I’d better start looking for another place.”

  “Promise me you won’t sign a lease before talking to me.”

  Lily raised an eyebrow. “Why?”

  “I may have something for you, but I need to check a few things out first. Just, please, don’t rush into something right away. You have plenty of time, even if Sanders gets a buyer. I’ve got to run. I have a commercial showing across town in ten minutes. We’ll talk later.” He took the coffee mug with him and headed out the back door.

  *

  Rick had returned and busied himself at his desk. Lily delivered five sales agreements to him. “You must be doing something right. You’re selling houses like crazy.”

  “Everyone wants to move to the country. Business is good right now. That’s why I could use an assistant who can show and sell properties.”

  “I’m thinking about it. I need to get settled with this job and Chelsea being in school first.” She sighed. “I can’t believe she’ll be starting school.”

  “About that. Doesn’t school dismiss around three o’clock?”

  Lily nodded. “I’m hoping she can go home with her friend, Amy, and I can pick her up there. If not…”

  “You could bring her to the office in the afternoon. It’s only for an hour or so. Although that won’t be much fun for her.”

  “Oh, don’t count on it. She loves coming in to work with me. Rather, she loves coming to see you.”

  His grin broadened. “Really?”

  “She adores you. I think she misses having a man in her life.” Don’t we all? The thought brought heat to her face.

  “I like her, too. She’s a great kid. And, if she needs a nap, there’s always the sofa in my office. I hear it’s quite comfortable.”

  “I’m never going to live that down, am I?”

  “Nope.”

  “I have some messages for you. I’ll get them.”

  He followed her from his office. At the doorway, they collided. L
ily bounced off him, and he grabbed her shoulders to steady her. “Oops. You okay?”

  “Fine. Sorry. I should’ve watched where I was going.” The heat from his hands radiated down her back. She stepped away, holding out the messages. “These are for you.”

  “Thanks.”

  They did a sidestepping dance, finally rotating in the doorway. Lily realized she no longer needed to be in his office. As she turned, they narrowly missed another collision. “Sorry.”

  “If we keep up this dance, one of us is going to get hurt. After you.” He stepped aside and waved his hand for her to proceed back to her desk.

  “Thanks.” She lowered her head, certain her face was the color of a stoplight.

  Her hand trembled atop the mouse as she opened the document she’d been working on. Their brief body contact had unleashed a flurry of feelings inside her.

  *

  Lily struggled with the urge to call Rick and cancel the plans for sailing. Everything rational in her mind encouraged her to do so. Her traitorous heart, however, urged her to go with him. You deserve some adult play time. It’s just sailing, and probably lunch—and dinner. Besides, Rick’s made it clear he doesn’t want to settle down with a family, and you and Chelsea come as a package. Besides, you really don’t want to spend your birthday alone.

  She changed clothes four times, finally choosing khaki shorts, a striped tee shirt and matching over-blouse. She fussed with make-up, trying to achieve that no makeup appearance, but covering any and every flaw—like the teenage zit that had made its appearance on her chin the previous night.

  A horn honked, and she glanced out the window to see Rick heading for the front door. She raced down the stairs and opened the door, breathless. “Hi.”

  “Ready to go?”

  “I am. Let me grab my purse.”

  The sun warmed her through the car window and she adjusted the air vent. “It’s a beautiful day.”

  “It’s a perfect day for sailing. I checked the reports for the lake. You’re going to love this.”

  “Where are we going, exactly?”

  “Port Clinton. That’s where I dock the Serenity.”