Needs A Little TLC (Spinning Hills Romance 2) (3 page)

Sam looked up from under Johnny’s armpit and there she was. Her wavy hair was slicked back into a bun and she was wearing a pristine white business suit. The girl he’d loved had wild hair and couldn’t wear white without having streaks or smudges on it within minutes. She’d once looked like a child out of an Irish lore, with her blazing hair; sweet, gutsy smile; innocent blue eyes; and sprinkling of freckles across her cheeks that matched the color of her hair.

The woman who’d just entered looked like she could dominate a corporate boardroom.

Johnny raced to the door. “Cassie, is that really you?” Dan said, reaching for her as if he’d just seen her yesterday.

“It’s her, alright!” Johnny exclaimed.

Within seconds, Cassie was engulfed in a double bear hug as Sam looked on. Her arms, at first stiff and motionless, began creeping up their backs to hug them back in earnest. Johnny swept her off her feet and spun her in a circle. The tight lips loosened, she snorted, and Sam’s heart clenched hard. He missed his old friend, but he couldn’t hug her the way his brothers were hugging her, because he’d screwed up. Cassie had messed up too, but she hadn’t stuck around long enough to find out how. And though part of him wished she’d let him explain, in his heart he knew it didn’t matter.

He looked down at his desk, grabbed a pencil, and held it over a notebook, trying to get a grip on what would happen next. He’d prepared for the meeting by inwardly gloating over how he’d surprised her yesterday. Any time regret snuck up on him, he’d kept it at bay by planning out how the meeting would go.

Now, with Cassie not looking at him at all and his brothers shooting him looks that promised a crapload of ribbing later on, he didn’t know where to begin. Didn’t even know how to greet her.

Johnny’s head bobbed up and pale blond hair caught his eye. There was a woman standing just inside the door and she looked as unsure of her place as he did. Yesterday’s conversation came back to him. The woman must be Jessica Carter, Cassie’s associate. He sprang up out of his chair to greet the woman, deciding that playful was really the only way to go. Anything else would feel wrong and forced. Sam couldn’t work that way.

And he wanted this to work.

He swept past his brothers and Cassie, forced a smile, and stuck his hand out. “Jessica Carter?” he asked. “I’m Sam Amador. We spoke on the phone yesterday.”

“Yes.” Jessica took his hand and began to shake it, a little too vigorously, while she sized him up, a little too obviously.

He cleared his throat. “If my brothers put our old friend here down, I’ll introduce you to them.”

“Aren’t you going to say hi to Cassie first?” Dan turned to look at him, all innocence.

“If you guys let her go, I can say hi,” Sam returned, kicking himself for not trying harder to get rid of them.

“Why do we have to let her go? Are you planning on hugging her hello, too?” Johnny asked. They were like ticks, those two.

With a calmness he didn’t feel, Sam looked down at Cassie. “I don’t know. She’s an old friend, but a potential business partner.” Feeling like a dork, he squeezed her arm. “Welcome back, Cassie.”

 

Cassie’s mind was a dizzying whirlwind of thoughts, and her heart felt like it would burst at the amount of emotions it was holding. The old ribbing and teasing hadn’t changed a bit, making her feel as if no time had passed. But the moment Sam touched her and she looked into his eyes, she was brought back to the present.

The boy she’d once known and the man she didn’t know at all were wrapped up in one still-magnetic package. Long before she’d known what attraction was or what it felt like, it had been a simple, innocent fact: Sam Amador was nice to look at. Even when she was six and thought he was the boring brother because he didn’t talk much, she’d liked looking at him. She’d once shoved a green Monopoly house up his nose just so she could get a closer look at him.

He’d always drawn the eye and made one wonder what was beneath the warm, soulful brown eyes and unassuming, engaging smile. One thing had always been clear. There was a lot below the surface.

Jessica cleared her throat and the sound was like a beacon, reminding Cassie of her presence and their reason for being there. She pulled her shoulders back and Sam’s smile quirked, reminding her that he knew her old habits. She’d always straightened her shoulders when she was about to go to war.

She turned to Johnny and Dan and said, “It’s great seeing you guys again and I’m hoping you’ll show me around and get me all caught up, but right now, Sam, Jessica, and I have business to discuss.”

Dan nodded and steered Johnny out. “We’ll be back in about a half an hour to take you around. Nice meeting you, Jessica.”

“Nice to meet you, too.”

“I promised I’d stop by the café, so meet me there instead,” Cassie called after them. Dan and Johnny each gave her one last, happy look before leaving. Johnny then cast his look toward Sam, as if he knew a lot was at stake.

Cassie vowed not to let it get awkward. She had to somehow strike a balance between old—but no longer close—friends, and potential business partners. She looked back at him as she walked toward the seats facing his desk and smiled brightly. “So, how’d you learn I was the owner of Red Realty?” But looking back and talking was a bad idea. She stubbed her foot on the chair and lost her balance for a moment.

Sam bit back a smile and motioned for her to have a seat as he walked around to sit at his old, worn leather chair. It was probably the same chair his father had used, and it reminded her that Sam had never been about showing off. He was about holding on to what was important.

Which meant that she hadn’t been important. Her smile threatened to collapse, but she held those corners of her mouth up.

“I’m guessing the same way you found out about the thirty-four houses.”

With that, Cassie’s smile became real. “How old are they? Seventy? And they still can’t keep a secret?”

Jessica leaned forward. “Who?”

“Ruby, Rosa, and Sherry. You’ll meet them next.” Cassie looked at her watch.

Sam caught the action and shot her a look. “So . . .” He leaned back expectantly.

Cassie took a piece of paper out of her briefcase and slid it across his desk. “This is where I usually make some small talk before I go into my spiel, but I know you’re not one for small talk and you’re definitely not one to enjoy a sales pitch, so I’ll just cut to the chase. This is our track record and, as you can see, it’s impressive. It’s all about matching the right home to the right buyer. We really care about what we do.” As professional as she was trying to be, she knew he saw past that when she spoke the last sentence. It was hard not to be completely open and earnest when saying she cared, because she really did.

“Do you really want to cut to the chase?” He glanced at her and Cassie nodded, focusing on his nose rather than his eyes. His eyes had always tested her melting point, and she’d hate herself if that were still true. As much as she’d changed and grown up, she shared a past with this man.

Sam leaned forward. “I’ve met with five firms, and two of them agreed to my terms.”

Cassie watched his Adam’s apple bob up and then down. His hands remained stiff. She schooled her features into a neutral look, not wanting him to see she’d noticed. Sam had never been the anxious type. “Nearly half the listings are yours if you agree to my terms. Like you said, I’m not just about the numbers and I already know yours are impressive. I also know no one will care about the town and the homes the way you will, and I appreciate that you’re the only one who specializes in historic homes. The other two firms will be getting ten listings each. You’d be getting fourteen. Four right away.”

Cassie and Jessica inadvertently exchanged a look. “What are your terms?” she asked, focusing on his nose again, even though it made her feel silly instead of professional.

“I’ll only support a business that supports this town. If you want the listings, you’ll have to open an office right here in Spinning Hills, and the person selling the properties will have to work full-time out of that office. It can’t just be a front, and I’d have to meet and approve of the person who’d be selling the properties.”

Cassie stared at him, at a loss for words. Not because of his terms, but because of how stupid she’d been not to anticipate them. His kind words were unexpected, too, but they shouldn’t have been. Of course Sam wouldn’t go with someone who didn’t have a local presence and of course he knew how much she’d care.

She looked over at Jessica, who rounded her eyes and shrugged one shoulder. Cassie knew exactly what her expression and gesture meant.
His terms make sense, but are you sure you want to do this?

Cassie swallowed. She always chose the right person for each market and she was the right person for this one. For the second time since walking in, she pulled back her shoulders. Sam caught the action once again.

Their eyes met and Cassie was unafraid this time because their looks held no warmth. They were hard and determined. She stood up and put one finger on his desk. A power move she’d learned from her dad. “I would be the one selling them. And I’ll agree to your terms, but I want them all, Sam. I want all thirty-four properties.”

“That would mean putting all my eggs in one basket and it’s a risk I won’t take. Dan, Johnny, and I have worked too hard. We’ve got twelve properties ready to go. I need more than one person on them, Cass.”

“It wouldn’t be a risk. You’re not putting them all up for sale at the same time. I can handle them all.”

He shook his head and she could tell he was trying to keep his famous cool temper in check. “I’d rather see how those first four properties go. You should know it won’t just be these thirty-four anyway. People here trust me, and they give me leads and call me first when they have a fixer-upper they want to sell fast. They know I’ll be fair and they know that I’ll take care of the homes they’ve loved. Sell the ones I’m giving you, fast, and you’ll be my go-to Realtor. And one of my properties is actually a four-in-one. I’m turning one house into four condos. It’s a trickier project and it’ll take a while, but—”

“Four condos?”

“The English Tudor on the corner of Manor Row and West Main,” he said, hesitantly, and Cassie knew why. Renovating any one of those mansions would cost more than it could ever be sold for. People had probably told him he was crazy for buying it.

But Cassie’s mind was whirling with the possibilities. Turning that particular mansion into condos was a genius plan that could potentially lead to a turnaround for the entire street. A whole new level of excitement began to build inside her. Their locked gazes took on a heightened intensity.

She wanted that listing. She wanted it bad. “It’s on the corner, so people will be less likely to mind the condition of the rest of the street, it faces the river and the bike path that leads to downtown Dayton . . .”

“It’s a five-minute walk from downtown Spinning Hills,” Sam added, eyes as ablaze as she felt.

“And it’s on the third most haunted street in Ohio,” she finished, out of breath over how much she wanted it. Sam looked spent, too.

“We have clients who put
haunted
at the top of their list!” Jessica exclaimed.

Cassie blinked. She’d forgotten Jessica was there. “That’s right,” she said, before clearing her throat. “You need to take a serious look at my numbers, Sam. I can and will deliver. I will be solely devoted to the Dayton market until your properties are all sold. In fact, I won’t even begin looking for other houses to list in the Dayton area until I’ve sold all of yours.”

“Sorry, but no. I have a son to think about and provide for, Cass. I can’t risk it.”

Cassie looked away. She knew he’d gotten married, had a son, and recently gotten divorced. She even knew he was still on friendly terms with his ex. The three elderly ladies at the Gypsy Fortune Café had never held back, knowing it would always be easier to hear it from them.

There was a time when it had all meant he’d moved on quickly. Another dagger to her battered heart. Years later, she’d grown used to it, and the only thing that stirred the long-ago sadness was that she still hadn’t been able to move on. Not because she was carrying a torch for him, but because she’d let him and her parents hurt her
that
badly. Because she’d once loved them all and been devoted to them
that
wholeheartedly. How could she ever love like that again when all thoughts of love were tied to pain and resentment? Sam had thrown her love away. Her dad had trampled all over it. Her mom had used and abused it.

But she was stronger for it and now had the chance to prove it. “Give me sixteen listings, six right away, plus the Tudor on Manor Row when it’s done, and I’ll lease an office today and get started on marketing tomorrow. I passed my competitors on the way here and they’re still dillydallying with signs and furniture. Your listings will be on my website by tonight. Their websites don’t get the targeted visitors and e-mail addresses I collect on mine. We have an extremely popular blog that draws a constant stream of visitors who are interested in the revitalization of older homes, towns, and cities.”

A long beat. “Why do you want this so badly?” he asked.

“No one else can give me sixteen listings. Selling them will take me to the top and keep me there with a strong lead. I want to be number one, Sam. Badly. Are any of the other Realtors as hungry as that?”

Sam stared at her, and she knew the wheels in his head were turning. Hard. He stood up, towering over her, his eyes never leaving hers. “Move your headquarters here, permanently, and you have a deal. I’ve read your blog and seen your ads. They’re good. They’re targeted. And Spinning Hills would show up in your marketing efforts all over the state. If you reach your goal, it means the town would be home to the premier historic realty firm in the state of Ohio. It’s a risk and potential payoff I could live with. You’re a smaller operation, I’m thinking you can handle the move.”