“As he should be if he wants to win,” Dad mutters.
“I’ve been kinda seeing someone but it doesn’t feel right. He’s just not my guy, you know?”
“Good,” Dad mutters. “There’s no rush.”
“I’m trying to talk to you about this.”
He stands up, shakes out his legs and walks over, taking a sandwich and locking eyes with me. “Emma, you can always come over here more. Join us for our movie nights.”
“It’s not the same, Dad.”
“I know, but we’re here for you.”
Sighing I run a hand through my hair. “My luck I’d show up and you guys would be doing something kinky.”
Dad chuckles, “Entirely possible. Probably should call first.”
Holding his look I tell him with as much raw honesty as I’m capable of, “See, I want that. Passion. Life is too short for less, right?”
He grimaces and turns on his heel, returning to his brother. “We need to change the subject. Talk about this stuff with your mother.”
Jeremy’s eyebrows are cocked as he mutters, “Why didn’t we have just boys?”
“Mom was lucky. Jaxson, too.”
“I know, right?”
“You gonna work or stuff your face?”
Jeremy grins, “What do you think?”
“Yeah right. Here’s a hammer. Not that you know how to use one.”
“I can use it on your head.”
“Try it,” Dad chuckles.
I duck out without saying goodbye. As I slide my shoes on I hear Dad call out, “You leavin’ Emm?”
“Yeah, Dad! I have to work, sorry!”
“Give us a call later!”
“Yep, bye!” I lock up, footsteps hurrying as I smooth down my dress. After Jeremy called attention to it, I’m trying not to become aware of the reason I bought it. Was it for the sale or for the man? But that’s ridiculous. Tanner is a terrible pain in the butt. I have no interest in him. None at all.
CHAPTER 6
EMMA
O ne week, four days, and twenty-two houses later, we’re still pushing each other’s buttons. When I’ve exhausted all aspects of the final showing of today I realize I don’t want to return to the office just yet.
“There is another house of ours up the road if you’d like to see it,” I offer. “It’s a little smaller, that’s why I didn’t think it would interest you.”
He’s come to trust that I’ve learnt his tastes, and have good instincts, so I expect him to turn me down.
He opens his palm. “We’ll take my car.”
“Afraid of walking?”
His eyebrows lift. “That close?”
“Three houses. We can drive if it’s too much for you.”
His lips twitch. “We’ll walk.”
Through the next mansion my tour plays out in exactly the same manner as all of the others. Mostly his jaw remains tight while mine won’t stop yapping. As usual I continuously catch him staring at me in a way that is unsettling. Not in the bad way, but in the good.
We run out of rooms—even the attic has been explored—and now that we have nothing left to look at, we’re standing on the front porch, staring out at the street, silent.
Neither of us is making a move to return to our cars.
Tanner coughs and looks up. “Nice day.”
“It is,” I reply. After more awkward silence I ask him, “Did you know that it rains more in Atlanta than in Seattle?”
He eyes me. “That true?”
“Yes, I dated a reporter at CNN briefly and he told me.”
“Why don’t they publicize that?”
“Maybe because it’s sunny here most of the time, and in Seattle it’s gloomy, so it feels worse. Here it’s more like Hawaiian weather, tropical. Not today, light humidity today. But when it is raining and warm, it’s very much like that, often the sun peeking out quickly afterward. Gorgeous. Not all shadows and darkness.”
Tanner eyes me then fixates on the sky, grabbing his wrist behind his back, both elbows bent in an L-shape. “You store a lot in that brain, Emma, don’t you?”
Descending the short row of steps I casually tease him, “That’s what it’s for, isn’t it?”
Behind me I hear him say, “I want to see that one.”
Following his pointed forefinger to a For Sale sign just up the street on the opposite side, I blurt, “That’s not one of ours,” before I realize that doesn’t make me look good. Glancing to him I stand straighter. “I’ll call the number and get the code from them.”
“Good girl.”
Rolling my eyes I unlock my phone. Giving my name wouldn’t impress the other agency, unfortunately. A fact which Tanner knows. He said it himself that I’m just her underling.
Cora has been very impressed that Mr. Hamilton is so interested in buying a home from us. Every time I tell her he’s scheduled more showings she smiles, “Good good.” Especially of this size and price, what’s not to be happy about?
He walks toward the other mansion, tilting his head as he appraises its value to him. I’ve seen this look repeatedly, but it’s what everyone does. You have to find the right home for you, and we all have specific details we won’t budge on, especially rich men like this jerk.
I narrow an annoyed look at him while telling our competitor, “Hi there, I’m with Cora Williamson Realty and I need the password or keypad code for one of your estates.”
Over his shoulder he glances back, smirking as he catches me checking out his ass. “See something you like, Emma?”
Sighing I ignore his question and give the other agency the new address, memorizing the password they give before I get an uninvited promise that if this sale goes through they’ll be generous with splitting the commission, but it won’t be 50-50.
“We’ll talk about financials if the need arises. Thank you. I’ll be in touch.” We say goodbye and hang up.
“Are they being fair?” he asks on our way to the property.
“They don’t have to be.”
He pauses.
Stopping, I wait for him. After a moment of silence we continue onward, but under his breath, almost to himself he says, “I’ll
