“What’s up, man?” he asks. “Do you need something?”
For that, I lean forward and kiss Madeleine on the cheek.
“You look great,” I say, letting my gaze rove down her body. She really does. Her dress is tight enough to show off her killer figure, and her heels only make it that much harder to pry my attention away from her legs.
She’s flushed from my compliment by the time I glance back up at her face. “Oh, thanks. Um, Carter, this is Adam. Adam, Carter.”
I extend my hand to Carter and he does the classic asshole move of gripping my fingers instead of my whole hand so I’m left looking like a dainty girl. I counter with a hard clap to his shoulders. “Good to meet you, man.”
It’s not good to meet him. Didn’t Lori say he and Madeleine used to date? Clearly the guy isn’t over her. I was wondering when this would happen; Madeleine’s too amazing to go unnoticed for long.
“Madeleine and I were just catching up on old times,” he volunteers, shooting her a wink. “I was telling her the only reason I let Lori talk me into attending tonight was because I knew Madeleine would be here.”
Madeleine smiles and shakes her head. “Oh c’mon, it’s fun to catch up, but I’m sure you know everyone here.”
He shrugs and takes a step closer. “I’d be lying if I said I didn’t miss you. What have you been up to lately?”
Before Olivia, I might have walked away, been the cool guy. Now, I stake my ground.
“She’s actually been seeing me,” I volunteer, reminding him I’m present. “Madeleine, can I talk to you for a second?”
Her gaze flickers back and forth between us. “Oh, of course.”
“I thought you were about to show me a few houses?” Carter asks, and like that, he plays the trump card.
Tonight is about business, and Madeleine is desperate to pick up new clients.
“No problem. Come find me after.” I shrug. “I’d like to put in an offer on that farmhouse.”
We all have a trump card, Carter.
Her mouth drops. “WHAT?! Adam, are you serious?”
I take her wine glass before she spills it. “Of course. It’s a great house and I’d be a fool to pass it up.”
She looks back at Carter, her hands pressed to her mouth in shock. “I can’t believe this.”
Neither can he. I don’t have to look at him to feel the disdain rolling off him. I shouldn’t be proud of my behavior—it’s juvenile and petty—but then, all is fair in love and war, and this feels like a little of both.
“I guess I’ll come find you later, Madeleine,” Carter says with a nod before backing away. The other guys flocking around her get the hint and disappear too. I take Carter’s spot at the bar and lean in to kiss her, but she turns her head at the last second. Rejection feels like a hard slap in the face.
“Adam. Not here,” she says, scanning the room from beneath her lashes. “You’re only the second client I’ve sold a home to since Daisy and Lucas. I don’t want Helen to get the wrong impression.”
“Oh? And what would that be?” I ask, helpless at fending off the repressed anger building up inside of me. “That we’re together?”
“That I had to spread my legs to get you to buy a house!” she hisses, stealing back her wine glass and downing the rest of it in one go.
“Is that what you really think?”
“Of course not!” She doesn’t meet my eyes. “But that’s what they would think.”
“Oh c’mon, Madeleine. You rejected me when I asked you to go out on a date and now this? I came to this mixer to spend time with you, and now I’m not allowed to act like we’re…”
My voice trails off as I realize I don’t have a label for us. Friends, lovers, significant others?
She uses my falter as ammunition. “Exactly. Considering we don’t even know what we are, it’s probably best not to make out in front of all of my coworkers.”
“Fine.” I straighten up, wave over the bartender, and ask for one of the beers on tap.
We stand silent for the next few minutes. I can tell she has a million words left to say, but it’s not the right time. I sip on my beer and peer over at her. She’s staring down at the bar, contemplating something serious from the looks of it.
“I wasn’t kidding about the house,” I add, knowing she needs confirmation. “Regardless of what’s going on with us, I still want to put in that offer.”
She presses her lips together to keep from smiling, but I know it won’t work for long.
“Do you think it’s still on the market?”
She nods gleefully. “I checked this morning. They’ve had offers, but the owners are waiting for the full ask.”
“Then let’s give it to them.”
Her eyes widen. “Are you serious?”
“Compared to the Chicago real estate market, that house is too good to be true. It costs a fifth of what my place sold for back in the city.”
She squeezes my arm and her gaze drops to my lips. I think for a second she’s going to break her own rule and kiss me right here, but then she shakes her head and turns to survey the crowd. “I have to go tell Helen. She’s not going to believe it.”
She’s right; Helen doesn’t believe it. In fact, she acts as if Madeleine is mistaken.
“And you showed him the house?”
“Just the other day!”
“Wow.” She glances between us. “And you’re the only agent he’s been working with?”
She beams. “Yes.”
Why is it so hard for Helen to believe?
“She’s been excellent,” I add, offering Helen a smile.
She nods. “Of course. I’ve always thought Madeleine had great potential with our company.”
When she strolls away a few minutes later, I turn and arch a brow. “That seemed weird, no?”
She frowns. “What? Helen? No. I mean, truthfully, she’s been on the verge of firing me for the last few months. I don’t think she thought I had it in me to sell a house.”
“But you sold one to Lucas and Daisy.”
“Yeah, months ago, and really, that doesn’t count.”
“You haven’t had clients since then? How is that possible? Carter was about to buy a house from you just a second ago.”
She stares down at her empty wine glass. “There have been a few—like Mr. Boggs. He’s here tonight and I’ve probably shown him a thousand houses, but he’s never going to buy anything.”
“Why do you continue entertaining him then? He’s probably just bored.”
Or worse, he wants to spend time with Madeleine any way he can. I wouldn’t put it past some men.
“Yeah, well, I feel bad.” Her finger traces the rim of her wine glass. “Maybe he does want to buy a house and he just hasn’t found the right one yet.”
Ah, I see her problem. When it comes to real estate, Lori is a snake and Madeleine might as well be a rabbit. A few things make sense now.
“That’s why you were so eager to talk to me about real estate at that first training class.”
She nods. “Helen put me on probation and I knew if I didn’t make something happen soon, she’d give me the axe.”
A waiter passes, and I take her empty glass and trade it for two fresh ones. “Well, here’s to proving them wrong.”
She beams and clinks her glass with mine. “And to buying the farmhouse of your dreams.”