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“I was curious why you were looking at an office space!” Randy said. “If I had known the competition was coming to Everett, I might have said no to showing you the place.” He laughed then, and I was caught by how easy we fell into this playful conversation with one another.
“Don’t worry,” I said. “From what I hear you’ve pretty much clinched the market for single, middle-aged women. I don’t think Liz and I are going to interfere with that!”
“You underestimate yourself,” he smiled.
He began to show me the space which was one open room with a conference room off to one side and a kitchen on the other. The open space still held large metal desks lined up in rows that was weirdly reminiscent of a police station. The ceiling had old fluorescent lights that were flickering.
“I know it’s not much,” Randy said, following beside me as I toured the space. “But with a little work, it could be a comfortable space.”
I thought back to Anthony’s comments. If it would be difficult for me to scrape together the down payment for the place, it was unlikely I would have the money to renovate. As I listened to Randy explain the parking lot spaces and the rental potential in the space upstairs, I couldn’t help feeling discouraged. Liz and I were working so hard for a place like this and it could really expand our business. But without selling the hardware store it looked like it wasn’t an option.
“It might be bigger than what we need,” I told him.
“Sure, but you could partner with other real estate agents. You could rent out desk space.”
“That’s an interesting idea,” I said. I wondered what sort of income that could bring in, but I felt weird asking Randy about that. I didn’t want to seem too desperate.
“I’ve had a few other calls about it, but I’ll give you first refusal if you want. But I can’t let it sit too long or my partners will start to ask questions,” he joked.
“Thanks, Randy,” I said. “I’ll talk it over with Liz.”
“Absolutely.”
There was a pause then, now that the official real estate business was primarily concluded. I took another moment to stare back at the room, and I could feel the very palpable presence of Randy beside me.
“I was sorry to hear about what happened with your engagement,” Randy stated.
I blinked at him.
“Which part?” I asked. “The engagement or the breaking up?”
He chuckled at this.
“I meant the breaking up,” he said. “Though, maybe ‘sorry’ isn’t the right word. That guy must be an idiot to let you go.”
Suddenly the air between us felt tense, filled with unspoken questions.
“Maybe you’d like to have dinner sometime?” Randy asked. “If you’re ready to see other people, that is.”
My head spun with this question as I stared back at Randy’s strong jaw and his short, carefully styled hair. Liz hadn’t been wrong to think there might be something between us. And now that I had broken up with John, nothing was stopping me. Right?
I was surprised when Callum’s face floated into my brain. The radio interview earlier and his comments about the hardware store were still fresh in my thoughts and then there was dinner and everything else last night. I thought of the casual, easy conversation between us and the spark I felt anytime our eyes connected.
You kicked him out of the house this morning, I reminded myself. You were fuming mad at him! And now you’re going to let him be the reason you don’t go on a date with a handsome, successful man you are attracted to?
I knew I should say yes to Randy. I knew Callum Jones was too complicated and too famous for there to be something real between us. And yet, I couldn’t bring myself to go on a date with someone else. Everything inside of me was rejecting the idea.
“I don’t think I’m ready for that,” I told Randy, echoing his own words.
“No problem,” he said. “I totally get it.”
As Randy smiled at me, I wondered if I was missing out on some calm, predictable life where I would work alongside my real estate husband. We would join the business association and send our kids to private school.
“Let me show you out,” Randy said, pointing me back toward the door.
As he walked me back to my car, I knew it wasn’t the life for me. I didn’t know what was ahead of me, but I would take a life that was fun and unpredictable over one that was ordinary any day. As I said my goodbyes to Randy, I slipped back into my car and checked my phone. I had a text from Liz staring back at me:
911! Elementary School!
