Page 16 of A Place to Call Home
She met Craig’s gaze, then pointed to her phone and shook her head. Still talking to whoever was on the other line, she said, “Having an agent who fits you is almost as important as finding a property that suits you. So if you feel you’d rather work with someone else, I won’t try to talk you out of it.”
She was about to get fired by a client. From the look of things, she wasn’t broken up about it.
“Best of luck to you. I hope your new agent is the miracle worker you are looking for. Okay. Bye.” She clicked off her phone and slid it in her back pocket. “Why in the world do I do this for a living?”
“Because you’re good at it.”
She tipped him a half-smile. “I’m good at vacuuming, too, but you don’t see me working as a janitor.”
“You would hate being a janitor. But I’ve seen your face when you find someone the perfect home. You love that moment, admit it.”
Her eyes instantly regained their sparkle. “Man, I love that moment. I’m helping someone shape the next few years of their lives, possibly therestof their lives. Knowing I’ve been a part of making that future better. . . I love that.”
“Drama and shenanigans aside, that’s why you do this for a living.” He narrowed his eyes as if contemplating something more dastardly. “Of course, if you need me to go bust a couple of heads, I’d be happy to do it.”
She reached out and took his hand. “I’m glad you’re here. This day has been horrible.”
“Italian food makes everything better,” he said. “What do you say?”
“Sounds perfect.” She grabbed her bag from its hook near the door and her keys from a bowl on a side table. “Ready when you are.”
Outside her door, he slipped his hand around hers once more. A lot of time had passed since a woman had been affectionate with him. Her touch was magical in a way that had very little to do with his own loneliness. There was something about her.
“What do you think of my swanky digs?” Ada asked with a grin. “Fancy, right?”
“You’re living the high life.”
She laughed, swinging their hands between them. “I don’t know why, but people always expect me to live someplace really amazing.”
He’dexpected that very thing. “Maybe because you’re so good at finding other people exactly what they want. We all figure you’d be living somewhere mind-blowing.”
“Not yet. I know what I want. I’ve seen enough properties to know where to find it and how much it’ll cost. I’ve been saving for almost a decade, a little at a time. A little longer, and I’ll have a really good down payment.”
Now that sounded like the Ada he was coming to know: practical, determined, forward-thinking. “A super-spacious beachfront for under a million, right?”
She bumped him with her shoulder. “I told Vincent that if I ever found that, I’d buy it myself. I meant it.”
“Barring that miraculous discovery, what kind of property are you saving up for?”
“A bungalow at a walkable distance from the beach. At least three bedrooms. Open floor plan. Room in the back for a hoop.”
She really did sound like a baller.
“Updated kitchen,” she continued. “Spacious en suite. Low-maintenance landscaping.”
“You really do have it all figured out.”
“I’ve seen enough properties over the last ten years to have figured out what I do and don’t like.”
He nodded. “And youarethe best.”
“I never should have put that on my business cards.”
Conversation continued easily between them all the way to the restaurant. They kept it up over calamari, minestrone, penne and pesto, and tiramisu. She had a degree in finance and could keep up with accountant talk. He didn’t know much about real estate, but managed to hold his own. They delved into plenty of other topics too— childhood adventures, favorite subjects in school, favorite basketball teams and dream vacation spots.
By the time they walked to the door of her condo, he was almost speechless with amazement. “This is by far the least awkward, least disastrous date I’ve been on in— well, ever.”
“Too bad. I was hoping to meet the Awkward Avenger.” She leaned her back against her closed front door. “Promise I’ll get to eventually?”
