I waved my hand toward my living room. “Come on in then.”
Drew walked in and made his way to the couch. I shut the door and turned to see him sitting and staring. At me.
I walked over and sat next to him. “What are you doing here?”
“I'm here to check on you. I was worried about you today, you looked like you were having a tough time.”
Something about his words took my nervousness away-and replaced it with agitation. “You were worried about me?”
“Yeah. We're friends, right?”
I didn't bother to try and hide the edge in my tone, “I don't think so Drew.” I shook my head, certain about my feelings on the subject. “If I saw a friend of mine sitting on a curb with a gas can, I would ask them if they needed help.” I turned to face him. “And if I was with someone who laughed at that friend, I wouldn't just ignore it and walk away.”
“I know! I'm sorry. I didn't know what to do. Trina has been so angry since she overheard you at the salon place.” He ran a hand through his hair, a motion that I'd come to know meant he was stressed out. “She came home that day, furious at me because you and I had gone camping together, and that I'd shown you the cabin.”
I stood up from the couch, throwing my hands in the air. “So what? Drew, you and I were friends, we didn't do anything together!” I took a deep breath to calm myself, then sat back down on the couch. “Look, I never said anything, because it's not any of my business, but why can't you have a friend who's a girl? Why can't you hang out with me? Doesn't Trina trust you?” He went to speak but I kept talking before he had the chance, “Is this really the kind of relationship that makes you happy? Being with someone you have to lie to all the time?”
“Hey, Trina is a good person! You don't know her, she-”
I interrupted, unable to let that slide. “I don't know her? I guess that's true. Maybe that's because the first time I met her, she acted like I was invisible. And what about earlier today? When she laughed at me, then pulled you away.” I tapped my chin a few times, thinking it over. “You know, you're right Drew, she's a peach!”
He let out a frustrated sigh. “Look, she's pissed, alright? She feels bad for Mick, and she doesn't understand why would would tell a lie like that.”
And there it was, he'd finally brought up-yes, I was using Kami's catch phrase now-The Millionaire Myth. I'd been dreading this, but I was angry enough that my embarrassment wasn't an issue. “She doesn't need to understand why I would make that up.” I looked at Drew, willing him to understand. “I did lie, I pretended that I came into a lot of money. I was so sick of being treated like dirt at the office, I wanted to see what they'd do if they thought I had money.” I stood again and walked across the room. I turned back to look at him before I continued, “But what I don't get, is how this affects Trina at all.” I pointed at him. “Or, how it affects you. Drew, I've been nothing but honest with you since we met. I worked as a receptionist at a real estate company. I live in this apartment. I love dogs, I love looking at old homes. Okay, so I don't love camping, but I was being honest about loving the s'mores.” I moved back to the couch, pleading in my voice. “Please explain to me how this lie I told at work, has anything to do with you and me?”
He sat still for a minute, just looking me in the eye. Finally he answered, “It doesn't affect us. It just complicates things for me. I don't really care about the lie, I just care that Trina knows we've been spending time together.”
I leaned back against the couch, frustrated. “I don't get this! We already talked about this. You and I are friends, we've never-”
And then Drew was kissing me. Leaning against me, pushing me back into the couch. His hands were in my hair, pulling my face against his. The kiss was intense, and in the first second I was stunned. By the third second I was all in. I moaned, loving the feel of his lips against mine...of his body against mine.
When I moaned he kissed me deeper, moving his hands down to grip my waist, pulling me even tighter to him. He broke this kiss only to move down to my neck, kissing that spot just below my ear. It send chills through my entire body. I had my fingers in his hair, loving every second.
I heard Drew mumble between kisses, “God, you smell so good.”
I pulled his face up so I could kiss him again. We were in the middle of it when he suddenly broke away. He pushed himself off the couch and moved to the other side of the room. “I can't do this. I'm sorry-I can't.”
I stood up too, suddenly embarrassed. I tried to smooth my hair and straighten my clothes. “I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have...” I looked around the room, trying to focus on anything other than him.
“It's not your fault, Stella.” Drew moved toward me, grabbing my hand. “It's my fault. This is why I didn't want Trina to know about you. She trusts me, but I don't deserve that trust.” He looked into my eyes and took a deep breath. After he let it out he spoke again, “I've liked you since I first met you. You were so confident, so smart.” He traced his finger over the top of my hand. “The more I saw you, the more I liked you.”
“You did?” I couldn't believe it. I finally found someone who liked me as much as I liked him. It was perfect. You know, except for the girlfriend part.
He went on, “Of course I did. But I've been fighting it, because I'm with Trina. I'm not the kind of guy who cheats on his girlfriend.” He frowned. “Until today.”
I shook my head. “It's alright, Drew. We didn't do anything other than kiss, and you stopped it. I know you're not that type.”
He dropped my hand. “Look, I have to go. I can't be here right now.”
I watched him walk toward the door. “Wait! Are you going to talk to Trina?”
He turned back. “I don't know what I'm going to do. I love her.”
Wow. Knife to the gut.
He continued, “You get that right? I mean, I like you a lot, but I've been with her a long time. I don't want to break it off with her just because I met someone new.”
I stood in the middle of my living room, looking at Drew. I was so done with this whole thing. “Drew, go back to Trina and be happy with her.” I moved past him and opened my door. “I don't want you to leave her for me. I want you to leave her because you're not happy in the relationship.”
“I am happy, but I'm happy when I'm around you too.”
I held up my hand. “Stop right there. I have dealt with men who lied to me, cheated on me. Used me. I know you have good intentions here, but I'm not an option for you. I have no interest in stealing someone's boyfriend. And you're Trina's boyfriend. I'm sorry about that kiss, it shouldn't have happened.”
“I'm sorry too.” He tried to take my hand again, but I put it behind my back.
I shook my head. “No. Drew, you need to leave now. Please. I'm not angry, I understand where you're coming from, I just refuse to be a part of it. I hope you and Trina can work all this out. I really am sorry that I complicated things. You can tell her that I'm not working at Lawson & Stone anymore, so she won't have to worry about seeing me. And she doesn't need to worry about me seeing you.”
With no other option, Drew walked out the door. He tried to say something, but I wouldn't let him. “Have a good night.” I said, as I shut the door.
Chapter 34
“Okay, Stella. This guy out front wants to get a plate compactor. Can you call Joe and have him bring the forklift over? That thing is too heavy to lift.”
I looked up from the stack of papers I was studying to look at my new boss, Stan. He was tall, about fifty, but looked younger because he was in great shape. Not gym shape either, he had a farm that kept him busy with manual labor. He also had a wife who was so sweet, she welcomed me to the company with a basket of home made muffins. They had both made the whole process of starting a new job not only easy, but enjoyable.
I loved the new job, and I wished it had a chance of being permanent. But Stan's daughter, Jamie was only on maternity leave. In a few months, she was coming back, and I was headed out. I smi
led at Stan. “No problem.” I got on the radio and told Joe to bring the forklift.
Stan headed toward the back door that lead out to the equipment lot. He turned back to add, “And tell that guy that he better have a couple friends to help unload that compactor. He won't be able to do it himself.”
“Okay.” I got off the metal stool and walked around the long counter that was littered with papers, tools, and pens. In fact, the whole store was a little cluttered, but not disorganized. Stan seemed to know exactly where everything was, and in the three months that I'd been working there, I'd managed to pick up the system too. I walked out the front door and looked around the small parking lot. I spotted a young guy leaning into the passenger window of a truck. When I got closer I could see that he was leaning in to kiss a woman. “Um, excuse me?”
They broke the kiss and looked at me, both a little embarrassed, judging from their faces. The woman was to first to speak, “Hi! Sorry about that, we're just celebrating while we wait.”
I shook my head and waved a dismissive hand. “Don't worry about it. Are you guys getting the compactor?”
The man nodded. “Yeah.”
“Okay. Well Joe is bringing the forklift over, it'll be a few more minutes because he's loading something for another customer. But if you drive around the back,” I pointed around the building. “You can park in any of the green spots, and they'll load it up.”
The man nodded and turned to look at the woman. “This is going to be a lot of work. You know that right, Babe? You sure you want to do this?”
She rolled her eyes and squeezed his forearm that was still propped up on the open window. “Of course! Besides, we already got the sand and the stones. There's no getting out of this, Pal.” She looked up at me and explained, “We just bought our first house. We love it, but hate the yard. My handy husband here,” She nudged him. “Is going to put in some stone so that we can have a little patio.”
“I still think that for the price we paid, it should already have a patio, but whatever.”
“Paul, knock it off. The place is perfect!” She turned back to me. “I love it!”
The man who I now knew was Paul chuckled. “If you ask me, you loved that agent a little too much. He's the one who sold you on the place.”
Don't even tell me.
The wife continued, “He did not. Mick was wonderful and you know it. If it weren't for him, we might have lost out on the place.”
“I still think we could have waited a day or two, and we could have offered a little below asking.”
By now they had forgotten all about me, and were deep into their own argument. I was already feeling sick at the thought of Slick, and I wanted to get away from them as quickly as I could. I was going to interrupt them to tell him that he'd need a couple people to help unload the compactor, but I didn't bother. Joe would tell him. Besides, they'd figure it out eventually on their own, and sometimes that was the best way to learn.
I went back inside the cluttered old shop and started in on the pile of paperwork waiting for me. I tried to concentrate on the order numbers but I couldn't get him out of my mind. I didn't care about Slick anymore, or Lawson & Stone, but every time I thought about them I thought about Drew. Ever since that night I made him leave my apartment I hadn't seen him.
Don't get me wrong, I wanted to see him. At first, I was constantly tracking the grocery store, hoping I'd see him again. I drove by his apartment, and would see his truck, but there was never any sight of him.
After a couple weeks, I declared myself officially pathetic (and so did Kami). Desperate to gain back a little self-respect, I stopped driving by his complex, I stopped searching for him at the store. I even stopped going to the gas station where I embarrassed myself, just in case I ran into him there.
Now that I had given up on seeing him, I had calmed down. But I still missed him. I knew he was with Trina, and I knew that he and I together just wasn't in the cards. But, I missed him.
* * *
“Of course you don't miss him. Why would you miss any of those ass holes?” Gina asked, as she started on her second martini. “I couldn't be happier to be out of there.”
I smiled as I watched Gina sip her drink and scan the room. In the past month three months her life had gotten better. As promised, she had kicked Steven out of her house, and was in the process of divorcing him. She'd hired a lawyer that was very aggressive. Gina had told me more than once that this lawyer wants to screw Steven to the wall, but Gina doesn't want to make him suffer (she's a better woman that me) she just want to be free of him.
After scanning the room Gina looked back at me. “Have you figured out what your plan is after Stan's daughter comes back to her job?”
I'd told Gina all about the rental place, and how I loved it there. “Not really. I've got the temp agency looking for something that can turn into permanent. But I will be bummed to leave this one.
She tiled her head, considering something. “Maybe you wouldn't be so bummed if your were excited about your next job.”
I nodded. “I know. I think I'm getting tired of being a receptionist. But, loser that I am, I have no idea what I want to do with my life.” Gina's eyes lit up with excitement. It made me a little nervous. “What?” I asked, leaning back a little in my chair.
“I have a proposition for you.”
“Do tell.”
“I haven't said anything because I didn't want to make a big deal, but I just got my broker's license.”
I was shocked. “You did?”
She nodded, smiling. “I did! I've been thinking about it for a while, and after everything at Lawson & Stone, I couldn't stand the idea of going back to another office. I decided I wanted to run the show.”
I held my hand to my chest, like I'd just accepted an Oscar. “Gina, are you asking me to be your receptionist?”
She smiled. “Nope.”
I dropped my hand. “Oh, well thanks for nothing.”
“I want you to be an agent.”
“Huh?”
She slapped my arm. “C'mon Stella! Don't act so shocked! You love looking at houses and all that. You're honest and dependable, and I think you'd be a fantastic agent.”
I eyed her, trying to decide if she was serious.
She rolled her eyes. “Stop looking at me like I'm nuts, because I'm not. Listen, you can get your license while you're still working at the rental place, and in three months, when Jamie's back, you could be finished with it! Besides, after all your time at Lawson & Stone, the classes and test would be a breeze, because you already know half the stuff.”
“I don't want this to sound rude, but do you really need me? I mean, do you have enough clients?”
“I think you just called me a crappy agent.”
I laughed. “No I didn't! I know how good you are at your job. I just mean, you know, that you just started out and I just hope this isn't...” I looked directly at her. “Is this a pity thing? Because I don't need that. I'm fine.”
“This is not a 'pity thing'” There were those air quotes again. “Even though I left Lawson & Stone, I still have a lot of clients. I've been working for years, and I've created a loyal customer base. Most of the people I work with always come back to me. And believe it or not, having Steven cheat on me has really improved my business.”
I rolled my eyes. “Is this one of those, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger moments?”
She rolled her eyes right back. “Uh-no. It's one of those, my new lawyer is looking to upgrade, and also referred me to her friends, moments. She's passed my name around to to her lawyer friends and clients. I've been getting a lot of calls from people getting divorced that either need to sell their old home, or find a new place. Or both!” Her eyes danced with excitement.
“Way to see the glass half full.”
“Oh please. These people are better off. You should hear some of the stories. Most of them are relieved to finally have their lives back. So you see,” She continued, “I needs me
some help.”
Chapter 35
It had been four months since Gina had asked me to get my real estate license, and here I was, still staring at a cluttered counter. Of course, this counter was granite, not that you could tell. It was covered with so many files, notebooks and other random things you could only see glimpses of the shiny black surface.
I was standing in Gina's home office. It had been about a month since I'd passed my real estate exam. Gina had been right; the classes and test were a breeze. Partly because of my experience at Lawson & Stone, and I think partly because I find the whole process fascinating.
Fascinating and overwhelming. Currently I was more on the overwhelmed side of things, as I searched through the piles of paperwork for a missing lock box
“Did you find it?” I heard Gina ask from behind me.
I saw a lump under a small bundle of printer paper. I reached under and pulled out the lock box “Jackpot!” I said, as I held it out to her.
“I have got to get into an office, like yesterday!” She groaned, as she took the lock box and stuffed it into her bag.
“It'll be fine. I'll get this stuff organized in no time.”
“Oh I believe it. You've already saved me a million times Stella. But we're getting busier, and running Warren Properties out of this place just isn't going to cut it.”
Gina had dropped Matthews and gone back to her maiden name after she divorced Steven. I had asked her if she was sure she wanted to name the company Warren, after all, what is she got re-married? She'd rolled her eyes said, “I highly doubt I'll ever re-marry. But, if I do, I know for certain I'll be keeping my name.” And so, Warren Properties was born.
And now, Warren Properties was threatening to bury us. Literally. In piles of paper. I picked up the nearest pile and started sorting. “You'll find a place.”
“I know. I'm looking at a couple places today that have potential.” She snapped her fingers. “Oh! I almost forgot! Can you do me a favor and check out the open houses today? There's just a few, but I am going to be tied up with the commercial buildings.”
The Millionaire Myth Page 17