Chapter 26 Be Seen And Heard
BE SEEN AND HEARD
“I’m all for celebrating like that every time you make a sale or I win a case.”
They sat at her table, eating their cold dinner.
More like room temperature lobster roll and cold fish and chips. Still tasted good to him after the calories the two of them burned.
“I can get on board for that,” she said. “Though I’m not sure that chair could take another beating. I thought for sure it was going to give out on us.”
He turned his head. “Your couch looks pretty sturdy.”
“Or we could try the bed.”
“Boring,” he said. “That’s not you. Remember, you gave me shit over it.”
She crossed her eyes and snagged a fry. They’d cut the lobster roll in half, then each took half the fish on their plates and kept the fries in the container between them.
“I didn’t give you shit over it,” she said. “I just said I wanted some fun in my life.”
“I think I’m doing a good job giving it to you, right?”
He hoped that didn’t sound as insecure as it felt in his mind.
“You are. You’re giving me encouragement too. And you told me to trust you and I am. It’s working out well, don’t you think?”
Could be some insecurity there for her too.
Neither one of them was ready for him to voice his feelings.
“We are in a good spot a little over a month in. At least I feel that way. With the way you were purring a few minutes ago, you have to be. Just like a cat.”
Her hand landed on his thigh under the table and gave him a sweet rub, then pinched him.
“Purring!”
“Yep. I’m going to call you Kitty.”
She laughed. “Don’t you dare. Not unless you want to hear me purring again.”
He sent her a wink. “Tell me about your visit with your mom,” he said. If they didn’t talk about something else, he was going to end up throwing her over his shoulder and taking her to her room or declaring his love for her.
Earning her trust had been the first step and now that he knew he had it, the rest of him was ready to open up.
“It went well. My father was a little confused over the sale of the business. We reminded him what was going on and he got it or said he did. The papers were all signed and sent back. It kills me to have to share the commission with Calvin.”
“Your mother told you to take it, didn’t she?”
Anya sighed. “She did. I’m grateful. It’s my biggest commission check. I don’t get the full percentage, obviously. A tiny part goes to the firm, but they are making out. Since Calvin and I work for the same firm, they get that from both of us.”
“Good for them,” he said. “But sucks that it’s coming out of yours.”
“It’s part of the business. This check is almost as high as all of my commissions in the past year. It’s sad but nice. I understand why everyone is fighting for those big listings now. But I know this was given to me. I would have never had a shot at it if my parents didn’t own the building.”
“Rather than look at it as it was given to you, take it as a learning experience. It gets your name out there. It sounds like Sally and Paula found you impressive. I bet they spread your name around over Calvin’s to any clients or friends.”
She pursed her lips. “I didn’t think of that.”
“You should. I think you could have a great career if you cut yourself some slack and focused on your strengths.”
“I’m not asking this to boost my ego, but what do you see as my strengths?”
“I told you before that you are open and available for clients. It sounds as if you can relate more with first-time buyers. You give them attention and space to find what they are looking for when others are clamoring to get those higher listings.”
“I do,” she said. “But that is how I make less too. I have to work twice as hard to get less money. It’s fine starting out.”
“The more you sell, the more your name is out there. You’ve been doing this for over two years now, right?”
“Yes,” she said.
“And in the short time we’ve been dating, you’ve had one closing, another is in escrow that should close in a few weeks. Then your parents’ building. That sounds successful to me. You aren’t working forty hours a week at that job either, are you?”
She frowned. “No. Not even close. But I am working nights and weekends.”
“And you’re able to give your mother a hand in a trying time in their life. You’re working a second job where you’re meeting people also. I don’t suppose you network there, do you?”
“I wouldn’t dream of it,” she said. “That would be crude.”
“Not to customers at Fierce,” he said, laughing over her appalled face. “Other employees. Do they know you’re a realtor? Talk to people more. Be seen and heard.”
The woman in front of him wasn’t someone to do that in her youth.
“That’s hard for me,” she said.
“Change is hard. But anything that is worth it in life is. Unless this isn’t what you want? You asked for your strengths, and there I gave you a weakness, but it’s not really. You’re great with people. You’ve got such an ease with them at the bar, but yet other employees you can’t. Why?”
She shoved two more fries in her mouth and chewed. He wasn’t going to talk again until she answered him.
Twenty seconds went by. “It’s easier when they are strangers.”
“Did you hear what you just said? Isn’t that part of sales? It’s easier when it’s strangers, yet you don’t like putting yourself out there. You’re a wild contradiction.”
Her shoulders dropped. “Not a strength there either, huh? I think I’m afraid of failure. Of putting so much of myself into something and then not being successful. I’ve spent so much of my life comparing myself to everyone else and trying to be more like them.”
He loved she was so honest with him about that now.
“Stop looking for roadblocks or worrying if you keep up with the Joneses or do it the way they do. You’re doing great in your career and your personal life.”
She grinned. “Am I?”
“We just talked about your work. You’ve got a great boyfriend too.”
“I do,” she said, poking him in the arm. “I even told my mother that today.”
It was like pulling teeth to get her to talk about this.
It was more of what he wanted to know than her job, but he didn’t want to put the pressure on her if she hadn’t told her mother.
He wouldn’t force her if she wasn’t ready.
Just because she said she was going to do it yesterday, didn’t mean it happened.
He hadn’t talked to his parents until today about her either. She hadn’t asked once.
“What did she say?” he asked.
“Look at you all cool and collected. It’s not even bothering you.”
He was doing a much better job than he thought, but sweat formed on the back of his neck when she said that. “Should I be bothered? I thought your mother liked me.”
“She does,” she said, poking him again. Like a nervous gesture. “She was happy. Reminded me about the crush I had on you years ago.”
“And we know it was mutual,” he said. “I told my parents this morning. I caught them in the office together.”
“What did they say? We know they like me.”
“And there is the confidence you need to show with everything in your life,” he said. “Right there. That smirk, the look in your eyes, the tone of your voice. All of it.”
“I think I’m getting there.”
“You’re welcome,” he said, tilting his head.
“You’re so full of yourself,” she said, throwing a fry at him.
“You like that about me too,” he said. He picked the fry up off the table and ate it.
“And my parents were thrilled. They’d figured it out.
Remember, we’ve got the whole Jolene Fierce thing going on.
My mother didn’t admit that she’d been talking to Jolene, but I know it.
I accused her of setting me up and my father said she gave in faster than he expected. ”
“Your mother set you up with me? How?”
“Not exactly you. I believe she’s talked to Jolene and anything Jolene touches works out. I’m not sure how Jolene figured we’d be good together.”
Unless it was the sparks flying at the wedding? He didn’t care all that much at this point.
Anya shrugged. “I don’t know. What do I say to Jolene if she asks me? Do you think your mother will tell her?”
“I don’t know. I want to let Ben know. My luck, Jolene will be there. I have no intention of lying but I might play with her some.”
“Please don’t,” she said. “It’s my job and I’m relying on the income. I don’t want any more attention on me than there is.”
He hadn’t thought of that and didn’t want to burst her bubble and say it was over with.
It wasn’t over with in Jolene’s eyes until rings were on fingers and vows were exchanged.
“I’ll keep you posted how it goes,” he said. “I’ll try to see Ben this week. What days are you working?”
“Tomorrow,” she said. “The early shift. I’ll be done at four. In the morning I’ve got to help my mother. She’s got an early appointment and I’m going to sit with my father.”
“Anya, things in life happen for reasons. Whether they are convenient or you like them, they are there. This time in your life, you need the freedom you’ve got. Stop looking for signs of failure and look for the ones that help you succeed.”
She blinked her eyes. He thought a tear would fall, but it didn’t. Thankfully. He wasn’t good with tears.
But she got up and moved over to sit in his lap. “Like having you back in my life,” she whispered.
He could say he loved her now.
He wanted to desperately, but learned when you were desperate was when all the mistakes happened.