Page 110 of Save the Date
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She stalked back to the reception area, where Bert was wearing a telephone headset, typing away at the computer. He didn’t look up, although she knew he’d seen her coming.
She reached down and yanked off the headset. That got his attention.
“What now?”
“Answer me one question,” Cara said. Her voice quavered so much that she could barely trust herself to say more. “How did he know my building was on the market, when I didn’t even know?”
“Huh?”
“Don’t play dumb, Bert. I asked you how Cullen Kane knew that Sylvia Bradley might be interested in selling Jones Street. Did you tell him?”
“I don’t… what are you saying? Are you saying Cullen is the one who bought your building?”
“You know he bought it,” Cara said angrily. “And the only way he could have known it was available was from you. Pillow talk, huh?”
“No!” Bert protested. “I mean, he could have seen old Mrs. Bradley’s obituary. It was in the paper. That’s how we found out.”
“Yeah, but we knew who my landlady was. There was nothing in the obituary about that. So how would Cullen Kane figure out? You told him, right?”
Bert’s right eye twitched. “I told him the old bat died, and her daughter wouldn’t fix the air-conditioning, and the place was like a furnace. Yes! Okay? Big deal. I had no idea he’d go out and buy the place. I swear, I didn’t know he’d bought it until you just told me.”
“Did you also tell Cullen I owed my father a lot of money, and that he was bugging me to repay him? Did you tell your new boyfriend I was in dire straits—until Brooke Trapnell decided to hire me to plan her wedding?”
“He already knew you were broke,” Bert said. “He was at Breitmueller’s the day they put a hold on your credit, remember?”
“But you told him the other stuff, didn’t you?”
Bert looked down at his computer terminal, and then out the window, anywhere but at Cara. “I might have mentioned it. In passing.”
Cara grasped the edge of his desk with both hands. “How could you? I trusted you, Bert. I thought you were my friend. It’s bad enough that you snuck around behind my back, sleeping with somebody we both know wants to put me out of business. He’s kicking me out of my building in two weeks. Did he tell you that? Then you go blabbing my personal financial information to him. I just… I just can’t believe you’d betray me this way. And for what? A hookup? A job answering his phone? A free Cullen Kane T-shirt? That’s all this is, Bert, I guarantee it. He’s using you to destroy me. And when he’s done, he’ll toss you aside, the same way he mowed me down.”
Bert’s face hardened. “You don’t know what you’re talking about, Cara. Cullen and I… you don’t know anything about him. Or us.”
The front door opened then, and a young couple walked in, holding hands. “You need to go, Cara,” Bert said. He looked over her head, dismissing her the same way his lover had earlier.
“Hello! Welcome to Cullen Kane Floral Design Studio. You must be Kimberly and Stephen. Can I get you a Perrier? Some champagne?”
44
—I am very innerested in you job. I like flowers. Can start immediately. What is pay?
Cara stared down at the flood of responses to her Craigslist ad. She’d placed it six hours ago, and her inbox was jammed.
Dear Sir: I am the person for this situation. I don’t know much about flowers, but that’s cool. I learn fast and at the job I’m at now, people say I am an all-around awesome worker. Your ad said something about a driver’s license. The thing is, I should get mine back in three months. Is that cool?
She shook her head. Not cool.
Hello! I am currently working as a floral designer in Indiana, but am looking to relocate to your area. I have 28 years experience as a florist. Am seeking a top-notch opportunity with an industry leader. My salary requirements are as follows: $70K annual minimum salary with bonus incentives, and company vehicle. I would also expect to be reimbursed for moving expenses. When can I expect to hear from you?
“Never,” Cara muttered, hitting the Delete button.
She scrolled down the other responses and felt her spirits sink. She counted seventy-four emails. Two-thirds of the respondents either couldn’t spell or apparently did not actually speak English.
Hey my name is Tiki and I seen your ad on Craigslist and I am very interested in the job. I feel like I would be good at this job because I like to drive and talk on the phone. Please give me a call, okay?
Greetings! My name is Evangeline Brody! I am ready to become your new assistant! Everybody says I have a bubbly personality and I really like flowers! I know a lot about computers too, so you should definitely give me a call so we can talk about how I can be an asset to your company!
