Heating Up

by Stacy Finz

  “Sounds good to me.”

  They drove back to town, and Dana joined the line of cars waiting to give their order at the drive-through.

  “Funny place,” Gia said, glancing out the window at the lawn, where wooden tables and benches were jammed with diners. “It seems to do a great business.”

  “Even in winter,” Dana said. “There’s no seating inside, so people either take the food home or eat inside their cars.”

  When they finally got to the speaker, Dana asked for two cheeseburgers with sides of curly fries and vanilla shakes.

  “I haven’t been this decadent in years.” Gia ducked down a little so no one at the window could make her out. “Pretty soon I won’t have to worry about the camera adding ten pounds.”

  “Even if you gained ten pounds you’d still look thin,” Dana said. Unexpectedly, she felt quite comfortable with Gia. Her client was turning out to be much more likable than she would’ve expected for a celebrity.

  Dana glanced at her watch. “We have an hour before our next appointment. On the way, there’s a good spot near the river where we can eat.”

  Nosing the car out of the square, she headed to the highway, knowing the area she had in mind would be quiet. Dana turned off on a paved road and instead of turning right to Lucky Rodriguez’s cowboy camp, she made a sharp left and then a right. Ten minutes later, she parked in a dirt turnout.

  “We just have to hike down a few feet to the river. If I remember correctly, there’s a picnic table there.”

  Gia got out of the car, stretched her legs, and took in the view. Dana grabbed their lunches and motioned for Gia to follow her. Just as she’d remembered, there was a weathered old table and two benches perched on a knoll above the water. She grabbed a couple of napkins from the sacks of burgers and wiped it down.

  “This work?”

  “It’s lovely. Is this the Feather River?”

  “It is. Usually, there’s more water from the snow runoff from the mountains. But we didn’t have much snow this winter.” Dana handed Gia her food, and both women started eating.

  “My God, this is good,” Gia said with a mouth full of burger.

  “The Ponderosa’s food is delicious too. When you’re ready to come out in public, I’ll take you there for dinner.”

  Gia nodded. “I’d like that. So is this a park or something?”

  “No, this is Rosser Ranch. Ordinarily, Ray Rosser would shoot us for trespassing, but he’s in jail.”

  Gia laughed. “You’re kidding, right?”

  “Nope. He killed a cattle rustler and is facing murder charges.”

  “You’ve got to be making this up.”

  “I swear on my real estate license. When we get back, you can read all about it in the Nugget Tribune.”

  “Did he kill the rustler here?”

  Dana shook her head. “Did you see the ranch we passed, the one with the big sign that said, ‘Lucky Rodriguez’s Cowboy Camp’? It happened there. But it was an anomaly. Nugget is about as safe as you can get.” Dana didn’t want Gia thinking the town was a hotbed of crime.

  Gia got up, walked down the trail to rinse her hands in the river, and stared out at the endless pastures and the mountains beyond. “It’s a spectacular place. Are those his cattle?”

  “Ray had to sell his herd to help pay for his defense. The land’s leased to another rancher who runs his cattle here, at least until Ray sells the ranch.”

  “It’s for sale?”

  When Dana nodded, Gia asked, “Can we make an appointment to look at it . . . officially?”

  “Yes, I’m the listing agent. But Gia, it’s over a thousand acres, and the asking price is more than your four-million-dollar Manhattan penthouse.”

  Gia’s eyes grew large. “How much more?”

  “Close to eleven.” Dana knew that number was negotiable. If Ray’s defense lawyers didn’t get paid soon, they’d turn his case over to the public defender or a court-appointed attorney and Ray wanted the dream team. But as the listing agent, it would be unethical for her to tell Gia how desperate the seller was. “It’s one of the largest and oldest cattle ranches in Northern California. The only one in the county larger is Clay McCreedy’s spread, which butts up to this property.”

  “Still,” Gia said. “Eleven million seems rather exorbitant.”

  “If you saw what kind of prime real estate we’re talking about here you’d understand why.” That was the truth, not Dana doing a sales job.

  “Okay, show me.”

  “Let’s go. It’ll give me an opportunity to finally see what you do and don’t like.” Dana laughed because there was nothing not to like about the Rosser Ranch. “Let’s drive up to the house and then I’ll take you through some of the stables.”

  “I’m good to go.” Gia scrunched up her trash, packed it in one of the burger sacks, and carried it back to the car with her.

  When they pulled through the cobblestone circular driveway in front of the house, Gia’s mouth fell open.

  “This is what I’m talking about,” Dana said. “It’s eight bedrooms, all with en-suite baths, a billiards room, a wine cellar, a solarium, and a gourmet kitchen. There are guest quarters over the five-car garage, bunkhouses for the staff near the stables.”

  Gia unbuckled her seat belt and was out of the car before Dana could say more. She liked this enthusiastic side of Gia much more than the poker-faced Gia. Punching in the code to the lockbox, a key dropped out and Dana opened the door. Mrs. Rosser was in Colorado with her daughter, Raylene, indefinitely, so the house was vacant.

  “The furnishings are included in the price,” Dana said. “Or you could negotiate to buy the place without them.”

  Gia wandered through the grand foyer into the great room. “A lot of animal heads. Not really my thing.”

  “Ray is a big-game hunter.”

  “Yeah, apparently human too,” Gia said, and Dana quickly covered her mouth to keep from laughing. “Regardless of the heads, the place is stunning.”

  Over the next hour they went from room to room. The property was too big to see all of it by car, but Dana showed Gia the pool and cabana, the stables, the barns, the horse paddocks, and the lily pond. The more Gia saw, the more her eyes lit up.

  “Is the land dividable?” she asked.

  “It’s a little complicated. Based on the trust written up by Ray’s grandfather, no Rosser can subdivide the property. It was his way of keeping his heirs from developing the land or fighting over pieces of it after he died. However, it’s zoned agricultural, with a forty-acre minimum.”

  “I don’t get it.”

  “It means that if you bought the land, you could divide it. However, it would be difficult, if not impossible, to turn the land into a housing division or a shopping center.”

  “But I can use it for commercial use as long as the use is somehow agricultural?”

  “For the most part. It doesn’t necessarily mean you could put a processing plant on the property, or a slaughterhouse. But some of these ranches—Lucky’s, for example—goes under the header of agritourism, which means any kind of tourism that promotes agriculture.”

  Gia nodded, taking it all in. “You said someone is leasing the land for his cattle. If I owned the property, could I still lease it out while I lived here, and how much does a lease like that go for?”

  “You absolutely can do that. I’d have to check how much the current rancher is paying, but the price fluctuates based on demand and the beef market. Right now the demand for grazing land is high because of the drought. But the lease is only for the spring, summer, and early fall. When it starts getting cold, the cattle will be moved to warmer climates.”

  “Wow,” Gia said. “You know your stuff, don’t you?”

  “I try.”

  “I want it.” Gia gazed out over the land. “But not for eleven mil. That seems too high.”

  “You have nothing to lose by making an offer.” That was all Dana could really say, adding, “I can give you
comps as far as dollar per acre, but not all land is created equal. This has plenty of water, an amazing house, and you’re right on the river.”

  “How motivated is the seller?”

  “He’s sitting in a jail cell right now, fighting a first-degree murder charge.” Dana could at least say that since it was part of the public record. It was up to Gia to read between the lines. “But if Ray entertains offers that are much lower than the asking price, you’ll have some competition. Both neighbors, Clay McCreedy and Lucky Rodriguez, have shown interest in the property.”

  “Just not at that price,” Gia said.

  Dana nodded. “As your agent, I want to give you the best advice I can. But I’m also the seller’s agent, which ties my hands somewhat. I would completely understand if you want to make an offer through another agency.”

  Gia deliberated a few minutes. “Nope, I want to go through you. You’re knowledgeable, and I get the sense you’re ethical, which, given what I’ve been through, is a breath of fresh air. How tapped in are these neighbors to negotiations? You’re not representing them too?”

  “No. It’s all been informal. Ray and Clay are friends, so they talk, even from jail. Ray hates Lucky, but in this town nothing remains secret.”

  Gia chuckled. “I’ve never been involved with something like this . . . cattle rustlers, jailhouse real estate deals.... It’s a little crazy here, isn’t it?”

  “A little bit. But it’s a good place. You want to go to the office, or we can do the paperwork in your hotel room?”

  “The office would probably be easier, right?”

  “We have a small conference room that’s private.” Dana couldn’t believe this was happening; even if Ray cut his price, it would be the most expensive property she’d ever sold.

  “That’ll work.”

  They hiked back to the car and Dana started for town, giving Gia a sideways glance. “Do you have to sell your penthouse first?”

  “That won’t be a problem. Though depending on the price we settle on, I may need a little time to gather up extra funds. You think we could do a sixty-day escrow?”

  “Ray would probably be okay with that.”

  For much of the afternoon, Gia examined the comps, and together they wrote up a clean offer. She explained to Gia that given Ray’s living situation, all communication had to go through his lawyers, and that it could take a little time to get an answer.

  “I’ll need it to pull together my own funding,” Gia said.

  After all the Ts were crossed, the Is dotted, and the paperwork signed, Dana ran Gia back to the inn.

  “You sure you don’t want me to bring you up dinner?” Dana asked as Gia got out of the car, searching the square like she expected a reporter to jump out of the bushes.

  “They have wine and afternoon snacks in the hotel. That’ll do me.”

  “You have my cell if you need anything. And I’ll call you as soon as I hear.”

  Gia crouched down in front of Dana’s window. “Remember, you’re bound by the nondisclosure contract. As far as anyone is to know, the offer is being made by the T Corporation.”

  “Your secret is safe with me.”

  * * *

  Gia would just have to trust her. Unfortunately, people had been known to walk right through confidentiality agreements into the pages of the National Enquirer. But somehow Dana Calloway seemed too honorable for that. Not to mention that if this deal went through, she stood to make a good chunk of change, more than any tabloid would pay her.

  Gia’s larger concern was coming up with the cash. Even though she’d offered a mil under asking, the idea of her taking on something like this with her job in jeopardy was insane. Delusional, really. No way would a bank carry her without a job and no prospect of one. While she did have the funds, liquidating them at a time like this . . . not prudent.

  But standing at the river’s edge, smelling the sage, staring out over the majestic mountains, she’d instantly fallen in love. She’d always invested with her head, never her heart. But the land had called to her, reminding her of that summer long ago when life had been filled with endless possibilities. Before everything had gone to shit.

  But once she was here, out of the spotlight and away from her detractors, she’d put her plan into motion and build up her fortune again. And if that failed, she’d always have the land to fall back on.

  Chapter 8

  “Just looking at the phone won’t make it ring,” Aidan said.

  Dana blew out a puff of air. “At this rate I won’t hear anything until after the Fourth.” The holiday fell smack in the middle of the week, which meant Ray’s lawyers were probably taking a five-day weekend.

  He smiled at her, and her stomach dipped like she was on a roller coaster. She supposed those pearly whites did that to a lot of women. But if she didn’t want to be another second placer, it would be best to ignore that heart-stopping grin of his. All day he’d been moping around over his ex’s wedding. Clearly he still pined for Sue—that was her name—even though it had been close to seven months.

  “Must be one hell of a deal,” he said.

  She’d told him that her client had made an offer on a piece of land outside of town, but that was it. Aidan didn’t know it was the Rosser Ranch, that it was a multimillion-dollar transaction, or that the buyer was Gia Treadwell.

  “I don’t like my clients getting nervous.”

  “You seem to be the one getting nervous,” he said, and sat next to her on the couch. “Come with me to Sloane’s. It’ll get your mind off that call you’re waiting for.”

  “Thanks, Aidan, but I just want to relax at home. Yesterday was a long day.”

  “Ah, come on. Be my date; otherwise I’ll feel like a third wheel.” The man was pulling out all the stops.

  His date. Righhhht.

  “Uh-uh,” she said. “I have my heart set on a Downton Abbey marathon.”

  “You can do that any time. Brady’s cooking.”

  “I don’t have anything to wear.” She reached for the remote control and he got up. “Where are you going?”

  “To look through your color-coded clothes to find you something to wear.”

  She shot up and chased after him. “Don’t you dare go in my closet!”

  “Why not? I built the damn thing.” He opened her bifold doors and started pulling out stuff and holding up hangers. “This looks good.”

  It was one of the sundresses in Grace’s package. It showed off too much boob and thigh as far as Dana was concerned.

  “Uh-uh,” she repeated.

  “Why not?”

  “It’s too slutty.”

  “Slutty’s good; put it on. Let me have a look.” He winked, and again her stomach did a series of acrobatics.

  “Aidan, get out of my room.” She tried to push him, but he wouldn’t budge.

  “If I leave, will you go with me?”

  He sure was insistent, and the truth was, she was curious about his sister and Brady. She didn’t know either of them very well and yet they’d given her that gift card. And everyone went on and on about Brady’s cooking. Other than one breakfast at the Lumber Baron, she’d never been to any of the weddings or parties he’d catered.

  “Fine. But I want to be home at a reasonable hour.”

  “Why, you turn into a pumpkin?” He tossed her the dress and started to leave. “I’ve got work tomorrow, so we can’t be out too late.”

  After he shut the door, she considered the dress, stripped, changed her bra and panties, and slipped it over her head. For a long time, she stood in front of the full-length mirror on the back of her door, assessing herself. Yep, boob central.

  Aidan banged on the door. “You dressed?”

  “Yes, but I’m—”

  He didn’t let her finish, just barged in.

  “For goodness’ sake, Aidan.”

  “Whoa.” He just stared at her, his eyes bugging out of his head, making her feel even more self-conscious. “That’ll work. Let’s go or w
e’ll be late for dinner.” Aidan started to drag her out of the room.

  “Stop, I want to put something else on.”

  He gave her a wolfish grin and threw her over his shoulder in a fireman’s hold as if she weighed nothing. “No time.”

  She struggled to hold her dress down. “Shouldn’t we at least bring something?”

  “Like what?”

  “Wine, flowers, I don’t know.” She pounded on his back until he put her down and ran into the kitchen.

  She searched the fridge for wine and remembered she’d polished off her last bottle of chardonnay the night before. That was when she saw the Calloway candy and swiped a few tins.

  “Hey, those are mine. What are you doing?”

  “I’ll get you more,” she told him, and they headed to Aidan’s SUV. “Just a couple of hours; then you have to take me home.”

  He looked over at her. “You know, it wouldn’t kill you to be more social.”

  “I’m plenty social.”

  “Not from what I can tell.”

  “And I guess you would know my whole life story after being my roommate for all of a week.”

  He laughed. “I know enough.”

  “Really? Like what?” she challenged.

  “Like if you wore that dress more often your social life would vastly improve.”

  She hiked up the neck. “You ever think that maybe I’m happy with my social life just the way it is?”

  “Nah, you’re too pretty to sit home every night organizing your underwear drawer.” He winked at her again and she rolled her eyes.

  “Is that the best line you have? You’re too pretty to sit home every night,” she mimicked. “Lame, Aidan.”

  He turned off the highway into Sierra Heights and whizzed past the empty guard station. In Brady and Sloane’s driveway he pulled behind a RAV4.

  “You ever been here?”

  “Of course. It used to be one of the models I showed to perspective buyers. It’s gorgeous.”

  Aidan came around to her side to help her out. For a smartass, he was the consummate gentleman.

  “You have anything to put this in, a basket or something?” She held up the candy. “It seems sort of tacky to just hand them random boxes of chocolates.”