Timing (131 page)

I squinted at him. “What I get is that your seller, Grace Freeman,

is the lone holdout in this whole mess. Everyone else on all four sides

of her has sold their ranches. She’s hedging and you don’t know why.

You don’t know if she wants more money or if it’s the idea of selling

the ranch that’s freaking her out.”

“Which is why I need you to––”

“You know, my friend Charlotte’s brother has a ranch, and he

would never sell for anything, so how in the hell do you expect me to

get this woman to say yes?”

“Stef––”

“You need a salesman to go talk her into it, not me.”

“But do you get the––”

“I get that someone promised Armor South that land six months

ago based on how fast the other ranchers were selling. So we took an

advance, which we’ve probably already allocated to different projects,

and now Armor South wants their land so they can build another one of

those megastores. I get it. I get that we’re in the hot seat because if we

can’t secure the deal for the land then we need to reimburse Armor

South for, I’m guessing, millions of dollars?”

“Something like that.” He smiled at me.

“Then I suggest you send the top sales guy out there to––”

“We did that already,” Knox sighed deeply. “Mrs. Freeman threw

him off her land.”

Timing

5

I arched an eyebrow.

“Yeah, I know.”

“That seems pretty clear to me,” I chuckled. “The deal is off.

Give Armor South their money back or start looking for a new––”

“There is no other place.”

“Then just––”

“Stef––”

“Here’s the thing, Knox. I may go there and she may throw me

off her land too.”

“And if she does, we’ll pay back Armor South, but I’ll bet she

sells to you.”

“This is a job for the money guys. Go throw cash at her and see

what happens.”

“We did that. It didn’t work.”

“Knox.” I sighed, deflating. He wasn’t going to stop. “What do

you expect me to say that this woman has not already heard to get her

to sell?”

“I think you should explain the benefits of a Green Light

Megastore to the community.”

I groaned. “We don’t have any in Chicago, I’ve never even been

in one, and, furthermore, I don’t work for Armor South or Green Light;

I work for Chaney and Putnam Acquisitions, just like you do.”

“I know, Stef, but it has to be you.”

I let out another deeply annoyed sigh.

“You’re not always going to like all your assignments. There’s

bound to be some you hate.”

“Like this one.”

“Stef.”

“I’m going to a wedding and you want me to work in a meeting

while I’m there. That doesn’t sound cheesy to you?”

6

Mary Calmes

“This is really a tremendous opportunity for you to prove

yourself.”

To whom did I need to prove myself? “I don’t
prove
myself. I

work off of sound––”

“I know, Stef. God, I know. Everybody knows.” Knox rolled his

eyes, obviously done with me. “They want you there, Stef––you’re

going, end of story.”

“You want me to go. Don’t blame anyone else.”

“Fine, whatever, I want you to go.”

“You don’t need me, you need a salesman.”

“You’re who I need, and you’re only missing the point because

you don’t want to do it and you’re fighting me so hard. If you just think

about it for a minute, you’ll get the logic.”

“No, I won’t.”

“Stef, no one can get things done like you can. Getting buy-ins

from all parties is your strong suit. You close like nothing I’ve ever

seen.”

“I don’t close; it’s not closing. It’s getting signatures.”

I would have had to be stupid not to realize that I had a way with

people, but still, I had no idea what that had to do with what we were

talking about. I had not done any research, so I had no way of knowing

what was best for the community, and I didn’t want to lie and act like I

did. I always operated from the premise that what I was doing was

actually in the buyers’ and sellers’ best interest, but in this case, I

couldn’t honestly make that claim.

“Stef.”

“I really don’t think this is a good idea.”

Knox’s smile was wide as he sighed heavily. “I promise you that

it’s possibly the best idea I’ve ever had.”

I stared at him.

He waggled his eyebrows at me.

“I really hate you.”

Timing

7

“No,” he said, leaning back in the chair to look at me. “You’d

take a bullet for me if it came down to it. You’re the most loyal person

I’ve ever met in my life.”

I groaned, letting my head fall back, raking my fingers through

my hair. “You don’t think sending a gay man to Texas is suicide?”

“You were going already, which is why I thought of you. It was

like the answer to my prayers.”

“I’m going for a wedding, not to talk to ranchers.”

“You said your friend’s brother was a rancher.”

“Yeah, and we don’t talk. In fact, he hates me, and I hate him

right back.”

“Well, un-hate him, because you might need his help,” Knox

suggested.

I groaned loudly. “That’s not even possible.”

Knox grinned at me. “Sounds like maybe you like him.”

“That’s it, I’m not going. Fire me, but I’m not going.”

“You people are so dramatic.”

“‘You people’?” I repeated, aghast.

He groaned loudly.

I gave him a look, and he snorted out a laugh.

“Gay in Texas is an oxymoron.”

“Just don’t have a pride parade or anything.”

“Oh God.”

“And make sure you don’t take your rainbow flag.”

“I don’t own a rainbow flag,” I growled at him.

Knox started laughing.

“Shit, don’t they have the Klan there or something?”

More laughter that was harder and louder.

“I don’t have the wardrobe for the country.”

8

Mary Calmes

Knox’s head fell back, and he laughed so hard he could barely

breathe. At least one of us thought it was funny. I was not amused at

all.