Читать книгу Exclusively Yours - Nadine Gonzalez - Страница 19

Chapter 6

Every minute they spent together, Leila felt Nick circling around her, very strategically stripping her of her defenses. As of last night, he knew almost all her secrets and yet she still had questions. Where did he live? What did he do when he wasn’t working? Was he really single or just sleeping around? And, the next day, at their morning meeting, a new question popped up. What was the true purpose of all those trips to New York?

Greg had stopped by Nick’s office. He was the only other African American at the agency. Despite his frat boy ways, Leila liked him.

“Heard you had a great turnout last night,” he said. “I got a client who might be interested.”

Leila and Nick were on the couch, reviewing his calendar. Nick said, “Leila, please get Greg up to speed.”

Greg looked surprised. “So...what’s up, Leila?”

“As of nine o’clock this morning, the Bayshore property is in escrow.”

Greg whistled. “Good work, man. Congratulations.”

Nick threw up his hands with false modesty. “I try.”

“And that’s why she wants you back.”

Leila waited until Greg had left before asking what he’d meant.

“Who knows?” He turned his attention to the computer tablet resting on his lap.

Her chest tightened with anger. He was lying.

“Want to get out of here?” he asked.

“Oh, yes.”

That was all it took. He was forgiven.

* * *

Nick had a listing appointment with the owner of a condo on Collins Avenue. It wasn’t the sort of meeting he’d take his assistant to, but he’d grab any excuse to be alone with Leila. When he stopped in front of the building located directly across the street from the high-end mall where she used to work, she shook her head and murmured, “Of course.”

He pulled up to the valet and cut the engine. “What?”

She pointed to the sign. Bal Harbour Shops. The crisp white letters stood out against a black backdrop. “Maybe I should go say hello to my old boss. You never know. If this real estate thing doesn’t work out.”

“It’ll work out,” he said. “You’re learning from the best.”

He got out of the car and went around to open her door. She stepped out and said, “I thought Tony was the best.”

He tried to laugh at the joke, but couldn’t. “Now you’re trying to start something.”

Before they went inside, Nick took a look at the building. It was wide and flat and looked like every other building on the street. They rode an elevator that jerked to a stop on the fifth floor.

“Feels old,” he said.

“It’s not so bad. The elevator in my building doesn’t work half the time.”

“Not so bad is not enough,” he said. “We’re here to appraise the apartment but also the building, and so far I’m not sold.”

A few feet down the hall, a woman stepped through a door. “Hey. I thought you were lost.”

Nick walked over and shook her hand. Turning to Leila, he said, “Carrie Hill, this is my assistant, Leila Amis.”