Ella was swamped. As the only remaining Realtor left in town when this began, she had more business than she could keep up with. She found herself working sixty hour weeks and could have worked round the clock if she had the energy, which she didn't.
When she heard the office door open, Ella looked up to see a very handsome fifty year old man with the most beautiful eyes transfixed on hers. A George Clooney look-alike. She was so mesmerized by his good looks that it took a moment to collect herself and act professionally. She smiled, “Good afternoon, sir How can I help you today?”
He extended his hand and returned the smile. “Well, I'm hoping we can help each other. My name is Alex Kepler” He looked around the front office approvingly and then out the street facing window. “I've been staying at Ethel's Bed & Breakfast for the last couple of days. She's an old friend of mine and she's the one who suggested I come to see you.”
Ella stood, smiled and offered her hand. He had a strong handshake. Maybe it was her imagination, but did he hold onto her hand a tad longer than normal? Please want a home, please want a home, please want a home, her mind chanted over and over.
“Ethel had told me years ago that Prosperity was a nice town. I'm sorry it took me so long to visit it because I agree. I especially like the lake area. It's very peaceful. After Vegas, it'd be good to have some quiet again.”
Inwardly thanking her lucky stars, Ella confirmed that thought, “Yes, Prosperity has the best of everything. It's a great investment and it’s growing by the day. I'd be very happy to sell you a home. Would you like to look at some properties today, or is tomorrow better for you?”
“Actually, I've got bigger plans than that. But you're right, I am definitely thinking of moving here to Prosperity and want to find the right property.” Then he dropped the bombshell, “I'm a Realtor myself, based out of Las Vegas. As you know, the Vegas area is in a financial downturn. It'll be years before we see a turn-around. I'd eventually like to set up a business here. I'd rather not compete with you, especially if you've already thought of taking on a partner?”
Ella in fact, had recently considered that specific possibility as more and more business piled up on her desk. She had run a one woman outfit for so long, there was no way around it; with all the increased business, she'd have to hire an office manager sooner than later, so why not another Realtor as well? Then this handsome, experienced (supposedly) stranger arrives out of the blue answering her prayers. What a godsend!
“Well, it's awfully sudden;” she hedged, hoping her body language didn't look too eager.” You’ve taken me completely off guard. And there's a lot to consider; like what company did you work for in Las Vegas? Do you have a track record of success? Did you bring references with you?”
“I'm sure Ethel will be honored to be one of my references, since I've known her for forty years but of course you'd need business ones as well.” He smiled that disarming smile and went on, “Since you seem not be too adverse to the idea, I'll get everything in order and bring the paperwork in . . . shall we say, next Monday?”
Ella nodded, and as he departed her front office, turned around and commented, “It's a pleasure to meet you, Ella. I sincerely hope you'll consider it, because I know we'd make a wonderful team.”
As the door closed and Ella exhaled and sighed, “Oh my.”
As it turned out, Alex had impeccable references, his track record for selling was amazing and he wasn't bad to look at either. “What else could I want?” Ella asked herself. “The fact that he's great looking wallpaper is a bonus.”
So it was agreed. Alex purchased one of the larger homes along the lake shore, moved himself in and then started working at the end of the month. Ella had her lawyer draw up a mutually agreed upon contract, Alex invested a monetary sum in her company and they became partners. He specialized in business development and she handled the home and rental part of the company. Now Ella couldn't wait to come into work each morning to see his charming smile and hear his upbeat, encouraging report of the daily progress.
Last Tuesday he told her; “I've contacted my boating buddy who handled most of Jet Ski and boat rentals on Lake Mead. I talked him into bringing another franchise here.” Or the following week, when he announced his latest coup, “I called my friend Marnie who ran a hiking tour company around Mt. Charleston and Harris Peak. She's excited about the possibility of setting up another shop here.”
This morning brought yet another surprise. She walked in as Alex was just hanging up the phone. “Well guess what? That was Sedona Jeep Excursions on the line. They want to meet with me about establishing an off-road adventure trade, targeted toward tourists. They're the ones remember, with the camouflaged jeeps that are so famous for climbing difficult mountain terrain?”
Ella brightened and offered this additional suggestion, “Do you think you could convince them to join forces with the Double R Ranch? Incorporate a drive up to the Ranch for their famous weekly BBQ?”
“Great idea El! I'll definitely approach them on that. With my connections and your ideas, didn't I tell you we'd make a great team?”
The business potential was incredible! Ella couldn't believe her luck. How had she been so fortunate to find this perfect partner who not only added onto her business, but contributed to the entire town's welfare as well?!
Travis seemed to be the only one who objected to this arrangement. Over the months as their “Prosperity Plan” progressed, Travis had grown extremely close to Ella. He was none too happy that this handsome intruder was encroaching on his personal territory. As much as Ella protested that there was nothing going on, it was tough to smother the green eyed monster that was brewing under his skin.
Hearing yet another snide remark from him that afternoon set Ella off, “Knock it off, Travis! Alex has done a lot for this town, you ought to be grateful and instead you're acting like a spoiled brat!”
“I just don't like the way he looks at you, Ella. He's already acting so protective of you. In fact, the other day when I came in to take you to lunch, he almost glared at me when I asked him where you were.”
“Oh Travis, he did not. You're exaggerating!”
“It's like he owns you. It was your business long before he came, and I don't want him scamming it away from you!”
“Is that what you're really afraid of or is it because you think I'm interested in him? Honestly, we have a business relationship and that's all.”
“I know you think it's a business relationship, but I'm not sure he does!”
“It's totally a fragment of your imagination and if you think this relationship of ours is going to fail, then it'll be through your doing not his!”
Travis grabbed his hat and started for the door, “I'm just saying that we both know it wouldn't work out with him, because I'm the guy for you, that's all.”
“Oh!! You are the most conceited man I have ever met, Travis Cutler! You were the same way in college and if possible, even more so now. Why do you think I broke up with you? You think you're the only guy for me? Well you have another thing coming, bucko . . .”
At that, Travis opened the door to leave and turning chuckled, “Yup, you're one in a million sweetheart, that's why I love you,” and with a grin, shut the door and whistled off.
Ella sat down at her desk and began going through file after file, not able to concentrate on anything. Finally she tossed the papers aside and looked up to see her friend approaching.
When the Chevrolet dealership reopened its doors, Beth bought one of those fancy hybrid models and rode down Main Street today, to show it off.
“I got a raise,” Beth told Ella, as she walked through the Realtor's doors carrying two Starbucks Mocha Frappacinos and a pastry to split. Motioning toward her new car, she asked, “How do you like it?”
“Whew, I should say you got a raise! That's a beauty!”
Beth offered a coffee to Ella, “Here, I wanted to celebrate.”
Ella grinned. “I knew we wer
e friends for a reason. Thanks,” she said, taking her iced drink from Beth's hands. “Hey, do you have time to sit and chat for awhile?”
“For you, anytime friend. So what's up?” Beth asked, settling herself into a comfortable chair in front of Ella's desk.
“What do you think of Alex so far?”
Beth shrugged, “Other than he's charming, not so bad to look at, has a great sense of humor and seems to be a whiz at business recruiting . . .” shaking her head, “I don't think he's working out at all, is he?” Seeing that Ella didn't even break a smile, added, “Hey, what's the problem?”
“Travis thinks I'm interested in him.”
“Well falling for a guy that looks like George Clooney could be a real drag, yeah I can see that.”
“Oh, you too?! I thought he looked like Clooney since the day he walked in, but I didn't know you did too.”
“Well, if you're really not interested, I'd love to date him. Can you put a good word in for me?”
“I'll see what I can do. Meanwhile, what's the scoop around the Mayor's office? Are they happy about the way the town is growing?”
“You have to ask? They're ecstatic, El. I think Pete and Rosie are planning their first vacation in years, thanks to the windfall they've received. Jim's adding more reporters onto his staff and school enrollment is terrific with all the new families moving into town, we'll be hiring back more teachers, so I repeat, what's the problem?”
Ella sighed. “I'm beginning to get a little nervous that's all. We're growing so fast. I have this feeling and I can't shake it. I just feel like we'll be found out, somebody will talk and blow everything. Sometimes good things don't last and it scares me. Don't ask me why I feel this way, I don't know. It's like when I was a little girl, safe in my pretty room, I'd still have nightmares. My mother would come in and rock me to sleep and tell me there were no boogie men and everything was going to be okay.”
“Really? What did you have nightmares about?”
“Usually it was a recurring dream, having something to do with falling, tumbling down, over and over again . . . like being in a washing machine. I would scream and my mom would wake me up. She'd soothe me to sleep by telling me it was just a bad dream.”
Beth leaned toward the desk. “Well, I'm telling you, you're dreaming now. Listen to me El, you're worried about nothing. No one will talk because the plan's working out beautifully. We all have too much at stake for it to crumble apart now. Besides, how would they find out? That unexpected crash a few weeks ago was the icing on the cake. It was far better than what we had planned.”
“My gosh that was incredible, wasn't it?” Ella agreed. “I don't know why or how, but it struck me as too much of a coincidence and maybe that's what's scaring me. Of all the places in the west, it 'happened' to crash about twelve miles from Prosperity? Come on, that's just too hard to believe.”
Beth took another sip of coffee, “I thank the heavenly hosts that Prosperity was lucky enough to finally be the recipient of good fortune. Heaven knows, we needed it. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth.”
“Or pastry either,” Ella smirked, as she took another bite of pastry.
Chapter Six
The Curious Proposal for Prosperity, Nevada Page 5