Mr. Big Shot: An Enemies To Lovers Romance (Kinda Cocky Book 1), стр. 3
I submitted my first resume. “I’ve unpacked and gotten myself organized, yes.”
I placed the two of them on speakerphone and sat my phone off to the side.
“So, Roxy and I were thinking. If you’re free tonight, we can finally take you out and show you how those who live in Vegas like to live it up.”
Roxy giggled. “There’s this bar we love to go to. Reasonably-priced drinks for the area, lots of hot guys, and outstanding music to dance to. You're going to love it.”
I submitted another application. “You know I don’t do clubs and stuff like that.”
Kelly barked with laughter. “Then, why move to Vegas?”
Roxy sighed. “Technically, she’s in Henderson. The boring, old person part of town.”
I shook my head. “There’s nothing wrong with old or boring.”
Kelly giggled. “Girl, there is if you’re only twenty-five.”
Roxy’s voice mounted. “And at twenty-five and single? You should be livin’ it up, girl. Yes!”
Yet another application was sent off. “I don’t know, you guys. Why don’t you two come over, and we can order some pizza?”
Kelly scoffed. “You hear that, Rox?”
Roxy grumbled. “Yeah, I did.”
“Bitch wants us to order pizza.”
“Want us to bring our footie pajamas, too?” She sighed unimpressed
Kelly added her two cents. “I could get us some juice boxes.”
“We could put on a nice Disney movie.”
Another application done. “I mean, that sounds like a fun night to me.”
Kelly groaned. “Yeah, you’d think that, wouldn't you?”
Roxy stole the phone from her. “Girl, this is what’s happening. You’re gonna do you all day, right? Then, we’re going to come pick you up at eight.”
My eyes widened. “Eight? Like, at night?”
“Who are you!? Mrs. Doubtfire! Shit, that woman knew how to party better than you do.”
I paused. “Wasn’t Mrs. Doubtfire a--?”
Kelly stole the phone back. “Semantics. We’re picking you up at eight and taking you out. End of story. Be ready, be dressed for a night out, and bring your I.D. You need to start making some friends and becoming comfortable with people your age. The club scene is the thing out here, girl! And you’re gonna be part of it, for once.”
I submitted another application. “Okay. Yes. I’ll be ready at eight.”
Roxy yelped. “Yes! Okay. Great. We’ll pick you up at eight on the dot.”
“Have fun with those applications,” Kelly sing-songed.
And as I submitted my fifth application of the morning, the phone call ended, leaving me to anticipate what might come my way that night.
“I’m gonna need a nap,” I murmured.
2
Zane
“Mr. Hearthstone, I’m telling you this from the bottom of my heart. The deal isn’t going to stand.”
I folded my hands in my lap. “And why do you feel you have the authority to tell me that?”
He cleared his throat. “Because I just do, okay?”
My eyes whipped over to my office speakerphone. “You know that isn’t going to fly with me. Why won’t you let me speak with my client?”
“I am your client, Zane.”
“Mr. Hearthstone. You had it right the first time. And no, you’re not my client. You are my client’s realtor. There’s a difference.”
He sighed. “Sir, I have my client’s best interests at heart. And your deal definitely doesn’t fall into that category.”
“Why? Because you don’t like the offer? I can certainly raise it.”
He sounded exhausted. “It isn’t about the money, Zane.”
“Mr. Hearthstone.”
He paused. “Mr. Hearthstone.”
I nodded. “Good. I’m glad we’re finally on the same page with that. Now, as to my offer...”
“It’s a ‘no.’”
My jaw clenched. “I wish to speak with my client.”
“Well, that’s not happening.”
I slowly stood from my seat. “You have two choices. You can either let me speak to my client, or I purchase the property right beside your clients and push them out. Either way works fine with me.”
“You won’t smoke us out.”
I spoke slowly. “Listen very carefully, Mr. Walsh. There is no ‘us.’ This deal is between myself and Mrs. Daily. Now, you can either put Mrs. Daily on the phone, or I can pay her a personal visit. Whichever works fine with me.”
“That won’t be necessary. Mrs. Daily doesn’t enjoy visitors.”
My voice fell flat. “Neither do I. So, we either negotiate, or we end this phone call. Understood?”
My pearl-laden cufflink glared at me as the harsh fluorescent lights of my office dinged off their shining top. I heard my watch ticking as the transparent face revealed to me the gears turning behind it. That’s how I viewed my clients. People with transparent faces and gears I could read like an open book. I loved knowing how people ticked. What made them upset. Their inner desires. What made them smile. It helped me in negotiations.
Unless I was dealing with another realtor.
“Don’t you think you own enough of Las Vegas, Mr. Hearthstone?”
I paused. “At least we’ve finally gotten to the root of the issue.”
“There is no issue. I’m simply trying t--.”
I rose up. “Let me tell you what you’re trying to do. You’re attempting to establish yourself as the new and premier real estate agent in Vegas. A bold goal, but one I took on myself at one point in time. And now that you think I own enough, I should somehow back down and give you a little slice of the pie. Correct?”
The man didn’t answer, so I continued. “Well, you’d be wrong, Mr. Walsh. And if you wish to do this the hard way, that’s exactly how we can do this.”
“Mr. Hearthstone, all I’m asking is--.”
“I’ll be contacting the realtor dealing with the property next door. We’ll see how Mrs. Daily feels about your services when she realizes I’ve passed her over for something else.”
“Zane, would you stop it!?”
“And when you can get my name right, Gary, we can do business.”
I picked up my office phone and let it drop back down into its holster. Ending the uneventful call that had interrupted my day. I eased myself back down into my leather chair, listening to the air as it quickly hissed out into the room. I leaned back and closed my eyes. And I drew in a deep