Chapter 14

Brett was a whopping forty-nine minutes late for our meeting.

"Hey, doll," he greeted me when he finally strolled into my office.

"So nice of you to finally show up," I said.

I was delighted that he hadn't brought Angelica with him. There was nothing inherently wrong with her, but I could do without being around the two of them. It was sickening to watch him belittle her when I knew perfectly well that I used to be in her shoes.

"Oh, don't be a bitch," he said.

"Excuse me?" I looked him dead in the eye. "You will treat me with respect. If you want to move forward, you will treat me as a professional."

"Got it, boss. Where do I sign?"

"Don't be such a callous man," I told him.

"Someone's feeling feisty today," he said. "Is it that time of the month?"

"Really, Brett?"

"What? It's a valid question. I know you can be a real bitch when Aunt Flo is in town."

"You can go," I told him. "I'm not doing this."

"Ken, I'm just fucking around," Brett whined. "We're cool."

"Do not call me Ken," I reminded him for the millionth time.

"Okay, Kenna," he said, raising his hands in surrender. "Let's just chill out and get this paperwork done."

I ushered him into my miniature conference room, where a plethora of paperwork awaited him.

"I already went through it all and placed sticky tabs where your signature is needed," I explained. "If I were you, I'd take the time to comb through everything, though."

He sat down and skimmed over the first page. Two seconds later, he scribbled his signature on the line next to the sticky, green tab.

After his third signature, he said, "Tell me all about your life."

"No, thanks," I laughed.

"I'll be here a while, so I might as well be entertained."

"I'm not here for your entertainment," I told him. "You can't just tell me to dance, thinking I'll dance for you. That's not how this works."

"You know, I'm perfectly aware of the check you'll be receiving from the sale of this house."

"Okay? And I'm working for that check."

"I'm just saying," he said. "Don't get too aggressive with that attitude. Plenty of other agents would love to sell me a pad."

"Good, go see them then," I told him. "You're the one who insisted on using me as your agent."

"Ken, I'm trying to help you," he cooed.

"Help me with what exactly?" I asked.

"Your career," he explained. "I'm supporting you. Can't you see that?"

"I don't need your help or support, Brett," I clarified. "I've been plenty successful on my own."

A smirk appeared on his thin lips, "I'm sure."

"Are you reading anything that you're signing?" I asked while he scribbled down yet another signature.

"I am skimming it," he said.

I always encouraged my clients to read through the fine print. However, there was no use in trying to convince someone as stubborn as Brett. If he didn't want to do it, suggesting he do it would encourage him to forgo it.

"And done," he announced as if he had just ended world hunger. "Is there anything else you need from me?"

It was the fastest paperwork signing I had ever participated in, and I couldn't have been more relieved. I was practically pushing Brett out the door.

"That's it!" I said. "Since you're offering cash and the owner doesn't live there, we're looking at a quick, seamless process."

"I would expect nothing less," he said condescendingly. "Or is that not how you always operate?"

"The world of real estate can be tricky," I said. "You never know. Some deals even fall through if the owner gets word that the potential buyer collects dolls that remind him of his mom or has sixteen pet snakes."

"What the fuck are you babbling on about?" he asked.

"Nothing, Brett," I said. "I'll contact you about the closing day."

"I'll be out of town a lot over the next few weeks, so I'll need you to accommodate my schedule."

"Of course," I rolled my eyes, "I can work around your schedule, Brett."

"You're the best, Ken," he said, completely disregarding my request not to use the nickname once again.

"I'll be in touch," I said, ushering him out the front door.

∞∞∞

"Kenna Porter!" Danielle screamed through the phone. "Why are you helping that dipshit?" Danielle and Jeremy were on their annual European vacation. It was the first time I"d talked to Danielle in days, and I felt I had so much to tell her.

"Because I'm a moron," I admitted to my best friend. "A total and complete moron."

"Brett does not deserve your help," she reminded me.

"No shit," I told her.

"I'm so sorry," she said. "I wish I could hug you."

"I wish you could, too," I sniffled.

"Any sparkles?"

Since middle school, Danielle and I referred to happy moments or positive experiences as sparkles. It was a way for us to make the ordinary extraordinary and to notice the little things.

"Hmm, a sparkle," I considered for a moment. "I think I made a new friend."

She gasped, "Am I being replaced?"

"Never!" I laughed.

"Oh, what a relief!"

"I meant a friend of the opposite sex," I explained.

"Tell me more!"

I recounted to my best friend how I met Mason, not leaving out a single detail.

"He went to a boutique with you and replaced your sunglasses?" Danielle asked, clearly shocked.

"Yep," I laughed. "I was surprised, too."

"A skater boy, huh?" she asked. "Are you turning into me?"

Jeremy wasn't a skateboarder, but he was a surfer. Danielle had always been into guys who did extreme or non-traditional sports. Football and basketball didn't impress her, but riding a wave or snowboarding on a mountain did.

"Oh, no. We're just friends," I explained.

"You do collect those like they're key chains."

"Hey! You can never have too many friends," I told her.

"I pretty much only have you," she said, "and that's plenty for me."

"That's because I'm amazing."

"My thoughts exactly."

"Are you getting homesick yet?" I asked.

"I'm starting to," she admitted. "It always happens after the first week. I'll be over it by the time we make it to Spain."

"Home will always be here," I reminded her. "Enjoy the unknown!"

"Why don't you take your own advice?" she asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Enjoy the unknown," she said. "Jeremy is motioning to me to hang up. It's time to board our flight."

"Y'all have so much fun!" I said. "And be safe. Love y'all!"

"Love you!" Danielle said before hanging up.

∞∞∞

"You're here, you're here, you're here!" I squealed when I walked into my office and saw the most handsome face I'd ever seen.

"Someone missed me," Noah gloated while I squeezed him.

"I missed you so much," I told him. "You're never allowed a day off again. In fact, you have to live in the office from now on. You're never leaving."

"That bad, huh?" he asked.

"No, it wasn't overall," I said. "Brett was really bad—like, on another level. But let's not get into that yet. I want to hear about your trip!"

"It was everything and more," he gushed. "It was so perfect. Todd planned the most romantic evening the second night we were there. We took a helicopter ride over Honolulu! I felt like I was in a dream as we soared above the valleys and coastlines, taking in the majestic beauty of Hawaii. It was unreal, Kenna. Unreal."

"That sounds magical!"

"Oh, that's not all," he smiled. "After the helicopter ride, a gourmet dinner awaited us back on shore. We ate on the beach, during sunset, Kenna. In Hawaii!"

"Who knew Todd could be so romantic?" I asked.

"Right?" Noah laughed. "I was shocked."

"I'm so glad you had a good time!"

"I have to make it up to you, though," he said. "I'm sorry that you had to deal with Brett."

"It was more than worth the sacrifice," I told him. "I'd do it again in a heartbeat."

"You're the best boss ever," he said.

"And don't you forget it!"

We settled into our respective desks, and I began scrolling through a long list of emails.

"Stop grinning at me like that," he said from across the room, his eyes on his computer screen.

"I'm not grinning," I said with an unmistakable, wide grin. "I'm just really, really happy to have you back."