Apartment 3B
Page 49
Imagine having a celebrity like that for a neighbour. It was almost as good as having Gay Byrne living next door to you. They had liked the look of the dark-haired woman who had come alone. But the sharp-faced blonde woman in those dreadful culotte things had not appealed to them at all. Neither had the sight of Dominic Kent with his arm around his much younger woman. Such a carry-on in public! Maud and Muriel were in perfect agreement for once. They wanted Hugh Cassidy to buy Apartment 3B. It would raise the value enormously.
*
Derek Sinclair had not had the best of days. Old Horton had eaten the face off him for being late. His VDU had had a nervous breakdown and expired at a crucial moment, causing the rest of the computers to go down. And when he had finally got away from the place to come home, his blasted tyre had gone flat again. What a life! As he drove into Mountain View he saw Dominic and Lainey driving out. What a beauty she was. And he had heard a rumour that she was interested in buying 3B. He wondered if the place had been sold. The idea of Lainey buying it cheered Derek up immensely. If she bought it, old Kenty had better watch out. All was fair in love and war! Whatever beautiful woman bought Apartment 3B, Derek would be the first to welcome her. And all the better if it was Lainey Conroy!
THE DECISION
Well, it had been an extremely interesting sale, she could not deny it. They had only had the one viewing and every single one of those clients had wanted to buy Apartment 3B. It must be really something, Hilary reflected, as she surveyed the four submitted tenders. Ferret-face O’Malley had nearly been wetting himself with excitement when he had returned to the office the afternoon of the viewing.
‘I felt like holding an auction there and then. They would have killed each other for that apartment,’ he declared dramatically.
Pity they didn’t kill you! Hilary reflected uncharitably.
‘We are going to tender,’ her boss had proclaimed with the air of one heading for the first exploration of the North Pole. More bloody work, Hilary had thought, untouched by her superior’s excitement. But as the tenders were returned with the varying offers, it did get exciting, she had to admit. And today the last one had arrived. Mrs Cecily Clarke-Conroy’s offering.
There was going to be one very happy person today. And Hilary would be the bearer of the glad tidings. But there were going to be some mighty disappointed ones too. What a shame. But that was the way of it. Bringer of joy, heartbreak, all part of a day’s work for Hilary. It was a tough old life. Picking up the phone she dialled the number and heard it ring. A voice answered, a voice she recognized from previous dealings. ‘Good afternoon,’ she said sweetly. ‘This is Hilary Purcell of O’Malley, Costello and Ryan. I’m ringing in connection with the apartment you put in an offer for.’ Hilary paused for dramatic effect before adding, ‘Your tender has been accepted. If you’d like to make an appointment to come in and sign the papers for Apartment 3B . . .’
At the other end of the phone, Cecily smiled beatifically.
THE END
Patricia Scanlan
A Time for Friends
When are the boundaries of friendship pushed too far, and when is it time to stop flying over oceans for someone who wouldn’t jump over a puddle for you? There comes a time when Hilary Hammond has to make that call.
Hilary and Colette O’Mahony have been friends since childhood, but when irrepressible Jonathan Harpur breezes into Hilary’s life and goes into business with her, Colette is not best pleased.
After their first encounter Colette thinks he’s a ‘pushy upstart’ while he thinks she’s ‘a snobby little diva’. And so the battle lines are drawn and Hilary is bang in the middle.
But as the years roll by and each of them is faced with difficult times and tough decisions, one thing is clear ... to have a friend you must be a friend.
And that’s when Hilary discovers that sometimes your best friend can be your greatest enemy . . .