“Why don’t we watch a movie while we eat?” Lizbet suggested.
“That sounds like a fine idea to me,” Lula said, already rising from her chair.
Once they were settled on the sofa, Lizbet scrolled through the movie thingamajig Lula could never learn how to use. She would have to try harder. Based on Phillip’s conversation with Gladys, she would be spending a lot of time in this room, lying in the hospital bed he planned to rent for her.
They decided on Bridget Jones’s Baby, and for the next two hours they laughed until their bellies ached. They were so engrossed in the movie, they failed to notice the storm moving in.
“Looks like we’re gonna have a storm,” Lula said, pointing to the window where streaks of lightning flashed in the dark sky.
Lizbet leapt to her feet. “I’ll make the popcorn!”
“And I’ll get the ginger ale.” Brooke gathered their lunch plates, and they walked to the kitchen together.
As little girls, Lizbet and Brooke had been terrified of thunderstorms. Lula would draw the drapes in the house to block out the storm and appease them with buttery popcorn and ginger ale while they watched reruns of The Andy Griffith Show.
The girls returned a few minutes later with their snack.
“I saw Georgia this morning at the store,” Lizbet said as they dug into the popcorn. “She insists you come to her house for tea tomorrow at four. She said it’ll be just like old times. Midge will be there, too. I told her I’d talk to you and let her know.” Lizbet held up her phone. “What should I tell her?”
“I already told them I’d go,” Lula said. She didn’t really feel up to it, but she knew she should go before her health declined even more. It might be their last opportunity to be together. She was sure Georgia and Midge were thinking the same thing, which would make it that much harder. “Tell her I’ll be there. Provided, of course, I’m not feeling poorly.”
Lizbet nodded as she thumbed the text.
They munched on popcorn and relived the stormy afternoons from their past—the power outages and downed trees, the time they’d witnessed a waterspout while out on their daysailer.
When they’d exhausted the subject of storms, Lula ventured, “While we have this time together, is there anything you girls would like to ask me, anything you’d like to know?”
“I want you to show me how to make piecrust from scratch,” Lizbet said without hesitation.
“That’s easy enough,” Lula said. “There’s not much to it, really. We have all the ingredients. Will you be around in the morning? I can show you then.”
“Yes, I’m working a party tomorrow night, but I’ll be here until three.”
“Great! We have a pie-making date. Any ideas on what you’d like to put in your piecrust?”
Lizbet thought about it for a minute. “Peaches. I want to make a peach pie. I need to go to the store later. I’ll pick up some peaches then.”
She could tell Brooke wanted to ask her something, but she wasn’t as forthcoming as her sister had been. Lula nudged her. “Come on. Don’t be shy.”
“I have a question for you.”
Lula nodded for her to continue.
“How do you know for sure when you’ve met the right person?” Brooke said in a quiet voice, almost a whisper.
“When you can’t imagine spending one second of forever without them. But keep in mind that forever is a big commitment. It takes more than love. Don’t get me wrong—love is the main ingredient. But respect runs a close second. Your life will be easier if you find someone who is compassionate and supportive and lets you have your way most of the time.” Lula smiled. “Do you think Sawyer might be the one?”
Gnawing on her lip, Brooke nodded.
“I’m not proud of the way I acted toward her. Do you think she might give me another chance? I’d like to get to know her.” In spite of the effort it took for her to say those words, Lula meant them, and Brooke rewarded her with a smile.
“She’ll give you another chance. I promise you’ll love her as much as I do. Just don’t love her more than me.”
Lizbet rolled her eyes. “As if that could happen. There’s nobody Mom loves more than you.”
“Except for you.” Lula placed one hand on Brooke’s thigh and one on Lizbet’s. “I love both my girls the same.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
Midge
Bennett lined up appointments to look at the three properties they’d identified as potential candidates for their real estate office. All had unique features, but the one with the most potential was surprisingly the most affordable. As far as asking price was concerned, anyway. They’d have to sink more into renovating it than the other two, but the finished product would better suit their needs.
“Where are we going?” Midge asked when Bennett headed toward the waterfront instead of home.
“I have one more place I want to show you.” He turned right onto East Bay and drove several blocks before taking a left and parking on the side street adjacent to a residential building.
“Isn’t this near where the Lelands live?” she asked.
“Sort of. They’re down that way a few blocks,” he said, pointing south.
Midge felt a fluttering in her belly. Would she ever stop anticipating the worst from him? “I don’t understand. Why are we looking for commercial space in a residential building?”
He shifted in his seat to face her. “There’s a condo for sale I really want to see.”
“But—”
He held his hand up to silence her. “Just listen for a minute before you say anything. I’ve had my eye out for a waterfront condo for several years, and this one meets the criteria. I’m not pressuring you to marry me. That’s not what this is about. I’m asking you to look at the place and tell me if you would consider living there when you finally decide to marry me.” He chucked her chin. “Because you’ll eventually succumb to my charms and agree to marry me, and we’ll need a place to live.”
“My house on Tradd Street is my home, Bennett. I’ve lived there all my adult life.”
“That’s the problem I have with it. It’s a charming house, don’t get me wrong. But it’s your house. I feel like a guest when I’m there with you. I want a place that belongs to both of us.” He opened his car door. “Let’s go look at it. If I like it, I’m going to make an offer.”
She had to jog to keep up with him as he entered the lobby. “How can you afford this? Are your parents lending you the money for a condo, too?”
He pressed the elevator button. “I can buy it on my own. I’m getting ready to close a huge deal,” he said with a sly grin.
When the elevator doors slid open, she grabbed his elbow, holding him back. “Wait a minute. What deal?”
“That deal I told you about—the one I’ve been working on for a long time,” he said, holding the elevator door open with his foot.
She eyed him suspiciously. “The deal that involves the redhead?”
“That’s the one. I’m finally in a position to tell you about it. But you’ll have to wait for the details. The realtor is expecting us. All you need to know for now is that I can afford the place.” He took her by the hand and pulled her inside the elevator. He drew her to him and pressed his lips against hers. “Don’t ask. I already know what you’re thinking. I have enough money to buy the condo with plenty left over for the business. My parents agreed to loan me the money in the event my deal didn’t go through before we made a down payment on an office building.”
She pushed away from him. “Sounds like a shady deal if ever I heard one. You’re about to make enough money to purchase a waterfront condo in downtown Charleston and put up equity in our partnership on a deal you’ve kept hidden from me. I wouldn’t have even known about it if I hadn’t seen you with the redhead. We’re about to be business partners, Bennett. How can I commit to that relationship if you’re going to keep secret deals from me?”
“Damn it, Midge.” He ran his hand through his wiry crop
of hair. “I promise you’ll understand when I explain everything later. Can you please stop talking long enough to give me your opinion on this condo? Pretend like you’re my realtor if that’s what it takes.”
She looked away from him, staring straight ahead at the crack in the elevator doors. “I guess I can do that, since I pride myself on being a professional.” The elevator doors opened, and she forced his shady deal from her mind.
They were greeted by a too-thin woman about their age. She held out a bony hand to them. “I’m Rebecca Schneider, listing agent with Waterfront Realty.”
Bennett introduced himself. “And this is my realtor, Midge Wilkins, with Calhoun Wilkins Properties.”
The lines in Rebecca’s forehead deepened. “I’ve never heard of it.”
“You will.” Bennett beamed. “It’s an up-and-coming boutique firm.”
Midge crossed the threshold into the condo. Paneless wall-size windows offered expansive views of the harbor from all the primary rooms—living room, eat-in kitchen, and master bedroom. Even the spa tub had a breathtaking view in the en suite bath.
“Since we don’t really need a guest bedroom, I figured we’d turn one into a study and one into a workout studio,” Bennett said of the three bedrooms.
His use of the word we irritated her, even more so because she could totally see the two of them being happy here, working in their new office space on Meeting Street during the day and coming home at night for candlelit dinners and lovemaking with the lights from the Cooper River Bridge twinkling in the background.
Don’t get ahead of yourself, Midge. He has a lot of explaining to do.
“Could you give us a minute, please, Rebecca?” Midge asked after they’d toured the condo.
“Of course. I’ll just step into the kitchen and make a phone call. Let me know if you have any questions.”
She left them standing by the window in the living room, the view made even more spectacular by the darkening clouds. “Just think what it’ll look like when it snows.”
Midge cut her eyes at him. “Because it snows in Charleston so often.”
He touched her elbow. “Come on, babe. Don’t be like this.”
“You asked for my opinion as a realtor, and that’s what you’re going to get. The views are stunning—I’ll give you that—and the location can’t be beat. The rooms are spacious, and the bathrooms and kitchen are up-to-date with top-of-the-line appliances and fixtures. I hope you’re prepared to make a full-price offer, because that’s what it’s going to take to get it. These properties are hot commodities, but I don’t need to tell you that. When did it go on the market?”
“This morning. Will you act as my realtor? I haven’t done any residential work in a long time.”
She sighed. “I’m happy to make the offer for you as long as you have the proper financing.”
“I’m good for it, Midge. I promise. I have the earnest money in my bank account. I’ll have the rest by the time I close.”
“Give me a minute, then.” She went into the kitchen to talk to Rebecca, realtor to realtor.
“My client seems genuinely interested in making an offer,” Midge said, keeping her tone nonchalant. “I understand the property went on the market this morning. Have you had many showings?”
“Back-to-back all day long. I’m expecting at least two contracts. Out of fairness to all interested parties, the owner will accept contracts until nine tonight. If your client is genuinely interested, I suggest he keep his offer clean. No contingencies, blah, blah. You know the drill.”
“All too well,” Midge said, accepting the business card the woman handed her.
They circled the condo once more before telling the realtor goodbye. Midge waited until they were on the way down in the elevator before she told Bennett she wasn’t writing the contract until he convinced her he was good for the money.
“Let’s get a drink first. I feel like celebrating.”
Midge needed liquid courage to face whatever line of garbage he was going to feed her. She’d been stupid to trust him again. She’d listened to his mother blab on about her poor, sweet, misunderstood youngest son.
Bennett navigated the rush hour traffic as he weaved his way up East Bay to the Market Pavilion Hotel, the same hotel where she’d spotted him with the redhead. “I see we’re returning to the scene of your crime. Do you bring all your women here?”
He parked on the curb in front of the hotel. “Yes. As a matter of fact, I bring lots of clients here for drinks. You can’t beat the convenience. The rooftop bar is probably not a good idea today, since we’re about to have a storm, but the lobby bar will do. Don’t forget to bring your computer with you.” They got out of the car, and he handed his key to the valet attendant.
They found a table by the window in the lobby bar and ordered two Nitrotinis, a cucumber-infused lemonade for him and sweet tea for her. Vacationers came and went through the revolving door, returning from a day of touring the streets of Charleston. Midge envied them their leisure.
“Just think, Midge. If they accept my offer, we’ll grow old looking out at the water every morning, noon, and night.”
Midge looked away from him and stared out the window as the first drops of rain began to fall. “Forgive me if I don’t share your enthusiasm.”
The waiter delivered their Nitrotinis, and they waited for the vapor to dissipate before taking a sip.
Midge glared at him. “Start talking.”
Bennett took another sip, smacking his lips together at the tartness. “My, you’re bossy.” He set down his glass. “For the past four years I’ve been quietly and discreetly buying up properties in a run-down block on the north end of King Street. I scrimped and saved every dime I made, and every time a new building came on the market, I snatched it up. In my whole life I’ve never made a success of anything. I know people laugh at me behind my back. And I deserve that reputation after some of the stunts I’ve pulled. With the exception of my parents, I never told anyone about my project, not only because I was terrified I’d fail and be the laughingstock of Charleston but also because I didn’t want anyone infringing on my territory. I’ve accumulated all the buildings in this one block and two in the next block up. My ultimate goal was to create a downtown mall.
“The woman you saw me with works with a nationally recognized industrial developer from the DC area. I’m selling all the properties to the developer, Midge. I’m earning three times my investment, and Calhoun Wilkins will conduct all future transactions for the project. The developer hopes to eventually acquire all the buildings in the second block as well. The best part is, I get to stay on as a consultant.” He moved to the edge of his seat, and Midge worried he might jump on the table and dance with excitement.
She sat back in her chair with her Nitrotini in hand. “Interesting.”
His mouth fell open. “I just told you I made a fortune on my real estate deal, and all you’ve got for me is interesting?”
“Very interesting?” she teased.
“Everyone always assumes the worst of me. But this time I get the last laugh.” He jabbed his thumb at his chest.
“And you’re sure this company is the right company to develop it?”
Bennett appeared wounded. “Of course I’m sure. I did my homework. They didn’t come looking for me. I reached out to them.”
Midge was beginning to think his deal legit. “I’m not familiar with the downtown mall concept. How does it work exactly?”
“It’s simple. You block off the street for pedestrian traffic only. The streets are cobblestone, worn smooth from use. You pretty up the area with new storefronts and landscaping and then lease the buildings to restaurants, art dealers, and merchants. Neiman Marcus has already committed to opening a boutique-style store.”
Midge’s electric-blue eyes grew large. “Neiman Marcus is big time. Will the city let you do this? The downtown area is already so congested.”
“Hell yes! This will be a gold mine for the city in
terms of commerce. They’ve already given us preliminary approval.”
“What about parking?”
“We’re planning a parking deck in the next block.”
“Sounds like you’ve thought of everything.”
His enthusiasm was visibly dampened by her skepticism. “I’ve been working on this a long time.”
They sat in silence as she absorbed everything he’d told her. Things began to make sense. How he never seemed to have any money despite the income she knew he must have from the properties he sold. Why he chose to live in a carriage house that was little more than a garage apartment. The way his parents were devoted to him despite his checkered past. The press his downtown mall project would bring to their new firm could launch Calhoun Wilkins into the next decade. She stared across the table at the little boy waiting eagerly for her approval. Her gut and her heart were finally in sync. She loved Bennett and therefore would take a risk on him. On their relationship. On their future together as business partners. If he failed, they would fail together. Life happened. What did she have to lose?
She removed her computer from her bag and opened it on the table. “Ask the waiter for a menu,” she said to Bennett. “Let’s order some food. We have a lot of work to do.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
Lizbet
Lizbet could hardly believe the change in her mother. The new mix of meds Dr. Dog had prescribed caused a drastic improvement overnight. Lizbet suspected the dosages Brooke doled out included an antidepressant and an antianxiety drug. Lula was more pleasant than she’d been in years. Maybe even more pleasant than she’d ever been.
Her father came home from the office with a new weekly At-A-Glance appointment book. The four of them gathered at the kitchen table and came up with a schedule for the coming week that included Gladys Guzman’s two-hour shifts every morning. They’d all begun to accept Lula’s prognosis and were committed to making her comfortable and to spending as much quality time together as possible. That included putting culinary school on hold for Lizbet and a delayed start date for Brooke’s new job.
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