Page 21

Brad

I haven’t been able to focus all day. Last night was better than I could’ve ever imagined. It’s like my dreams have become reality.

For the first time in years, I was able to really let loose. From the moment I picked Winny up at her house, I knew I’d made the right decision by insisting she come out with me. She’s smart, fun, kind, and oh-so-beautiful. She’s the entire package. Being with her brings out a side of me that has been hidden for a long time. With her, I can be carefree. I can be myself.

No other woman has been able to make me feel like that.

Every time I try to put her out of my thoughts, my mind returns to her. All I want to think of is seeing her again. And I will, as soon as I can.

This meeting with Monica is taking longer than I’d hoped. Gerald, the crazy old coot, is giving demand after demand. Just when I think he’s coming around and will agree to our terms and allow us to buy him out, he comes up with something new to throw at us.

It’s almost like he knows he has me by the balls. Usually, I’m just in charge of finding the deals and then coming up with financial projections for the purchase. This is the first time they’ve given me the job of negotiating the deal. My boss is trusting me to get this done, and fucking Gerald is dragging his feet. I’m never going to get promoted to the Acquisitions Manager position if I can’t close this deal.

Monica’s long, red nails tap against the table in an irritated manner. She purses her heavily coral-painted lips and takes a sip of her coffee. She sets the cup down and smooths her jacket down her sides. “Look, Gerald’s not going to budge on this request,” she says.

I sigh in irritation. “My company isn’t going to agree to this. The property is useless to them as a skating rink. Hell, it’s about to fall down as it is. Nobody will agree to keep it as a skating rink. Gerald knows this.”

Monica shrugs her bony shoulder. “I agree. But it’s not like he’s saying it needs to stay like that forever. He just wants you to agree to five years. Agree to keep it as a skating rink for five years, and he’ll sell it to you. I think he’s hoping the company will forget about it and leave it alone.”

“That’s just idiotic. No one is going to buy it and leave it the way it is. It’s a liability as it is and has no hope of ever being profitable. We’ve offered him two times the fair market value. Any reasonable person would take the offer.”

Monica laughs. “Well, we both know Gerald isn’t reasonable. He’s stubborn and doesn’t really want to sell to your company. I think he’s in a bind and needs the money,” she confides.

“Monica, you know you’re not supposed to say that, right? You’re supposed to keep your client’s secrets confidential.”

“Oh, honey. You’re right, but it’s not like it’s a big secret.” She laughs. “I’ve told him to take the deal, and I know he will. He just wants to piss you off first.”

“I have no doubt you’re right. It’s just that I have people breathing down my neck. Can you try again to get him to agree to the proposal I sent over?”

Monica looks at me through shrewd eyes. “I could,” she says slowly. “But, whatcha gonna do for me?”

Her eyes roam up and down my body suggestively. I suddenly feel like she’s the lioness, and I’m a pound of meat. I half expect her to lick her lips and salivate all over the table.

I cross my arms over my chest. “I’d think the hefty commission would be incentive enough.”

Her cackle-like laugh rings out. “We had some good times back in the day, so you can’t fault me for trying.” She winks as she takes a swig of her coffee. “Anyway, yeah, I’ll try to talk to Gerald. Unfortunately, I know why he’s having a hard time letting go, and it’s something that’s going to be a problem.”

I lean forward on the table. “Problem?”

She grimaces. “Yeah. He’s worried about his employees. That’s why he’s trying to get you to agree to keep the rink open for a few more years. He’s got a soft spot for a couple of them.”

“Oh. I could see that. But he’s always hired part-timers here and there. Shouldn’t be that big of a deal for them to find work elsewhere,” I say.

She shakes her head at me. “No, he’s got several full-time employees now. He even hired a full-time manager for the rink. She’s always there. She even gives lessons, and I’ve heard she’s taking on an Olympic hopeful. Supposed to start training her soon. That might be difficult for her, given your company plans to tear down the ice rink.”

As Monica is talking, a pit of ice begins to form throughout my body as awareness hits me. I have a bad, bad feeling I know who she’s talking about, but I’m too scared to voice my suspicions.

“They could always give lessons at the lake when it freezes over.” The excuse sounds lame even as it comes out of my mouth.

Monica’s grating laugh begins again. “Oh, sure, Brad. Sure. Winny is good, but even she can’t train someone for the Olympics using a lake two months out of the year.”

My throat is closing in on me, and I find it hard to squeak out, “Winny?”

Monica slaps her hand down on the table. “That’s right. You and Winny know each other. Didn’t you date for a while? Before you left town?”

She knows very well that Winny and I dated. The whole damn town knew. She probably name-dropped on purpose, just to see my reaction. Too bad I’m not giving it to her.

“Sure, we dated for a while. But, what do you mean about her training someone for the Olympics?” I ask.