Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 83368 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 417(@200wpm)___ 333(@250wpm)___ 278(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83368 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 417(@200wpm)___ 333(@250wpm)___ 278(@300wpm)
Dan’s red cheeks faded to a color that made him look slightly less in danger of his blood reaching boiling point, and his eyes widened. “You serious?”
“I’m serious.”
Looking a little unconvinced, he scratched his graying head and said, “My clients really wanted a quick sale. I don’t want to waste time.”
Mila felt her lips twitch into the beginnings of a smile. “What if I told you that you could give your clients exactly that? My guy is after a quick buy. Please, don’t relist it until tomorrow. Can you give me this afternoon?”
Dan still looked skeptical, but Mila could tell he was hoping she held the answers to his bind. He let out a breath and said, “I’m going to go home, open a beer, throw something on the barbecue, and spend an evening with my wife.”
She smiled at him. “And can I show my client that house?”
“Knock yourself out, kid. The sellers don’t live here, and I’ve got the key.”
With less than half an hour before she had to head back to teach surfing, she called Herschel. She found herself feeling a bit like a teenager again as she waited for him to pick up but tried to shake off the sensation—this call was purely professional. She was about to give up when Hersch finally answered, sounding a little out of breath.
“Are you okay?” she asked.
“Yeah, I was just running.” She heard him come to a stop. “What’s up?”
Unable to hide her pleasure, she said, “I told you I work fast. I may have pulled off a miracle. I’d like to show you a couple of houses today. Are you available later this evening?”
He chuckled. “I’m living in a hotel room and don’t currently know anybody in town. You bet I’m available.”
Mila said she’d pick him up at his hotel after her class finished at five thirty. After they hung up, she quickly made appointments to see the other two houses that she didn’t think would be right for Hersch but would be good to show him as a prelude to The One. As a seasoned salesperson, she knew darn well that everybody wanted a choice. If she showed him only that one house, even though it might be perfect, he might be convinced there was a better one out there. The trick was to show him two or three that were okay but not great and then a winner, and he’d make a decision that day.
Of course, that only worked if she’d gotten it right, and the house was his perfect match. But she had a good feeling.
She put her real estate persona away with her heels and briefcase, snugged herself back into her wetsuit, and was off.
* * *
By three o’clock, Mila was back on the beach with the newbies. Saturday afternoons were some of the best hours of her week. She’d caught the teaching bug early in her career when she’d helped Damien, Erin, and their cousins—when they’d come into town—to surf when they were younger. She still loved helping children, and every once in a while, when a kid caught that first wave and she saw the pure joy blossom on their face, she wondered whether she was helping to create a champion, somebody who might one day become the surfing superstar she’d once been. And even if that never happened, even if she just gave that child a few blissful hours on the waves, maybe a little more confidence, maybe just some fun and belly laughs, then it was all worth it.
A preteen named Tabitha, who had been dropping by for a few weeks now, managed a short run. She had the biggest grin on her freckled face. When she jumped off her board, Mila paddled over to her, and the two of them high-fived.
The two hours flew by, and then she was packing up. Already, her thoughts were moving ahead to showing Herschel the recently available house. It was something special—she just knew it.
The students had all dispersed and she was hanging up the last wetsuit when somebody called her name. She turned to find Arch standing there in a ball cap and sunglasses, about as much of a disguise as he bothered with when he was in Carmel.
She was always pleased to see her big brother and gave him a hug, but when she drew back, he removed his sunglasses, and she saw his expression was serious.
“What’s going on?” she asked. “Has something happened?”
“I’m worried about Tessa.”
Alarm sluiced through her. She adored her soon-to-be sister-in-law and already felt protective of her, as if they had actually grown up together. “What is it?” she asked. “Is she sick?”
Arch quickly reassured her that Tessa was fine. Then he slumped against the van. “The thing is, she’s insisting on getting her wedding dress from a thrift store.”