can do that but you should understand the amounts involved are considerable. In cash. As I said I’ve barely touched on the information and haven’t even looked in the other boxes, but those two bank accounts total close to three hundred thousand dollars.’
Miles jaw went weak and his mouth dropped open in astonishment. ‘What did you say? Three hundred thousand?’ He spun around to find her watching him with an expression of reserved, professional blankness.
She nodded. ‘And that’s just in the bank. I’m fairly sure there are properties and stock holdings as well. You father was very wealthy. He just didn’t live expensively.’
‘He was a bloody miser, just as you said.’ The ugly words blurted from him in the shock of the moment but deep down a small venal voice crowed. Three hundred thousand dollars. Mine.
She wouldn’t think three hundred thousand dollars was anything to get excited about — she probably dealt in millions — but to him...he could pay off the loan in one clean stroke. Both loans — the shop and the mortgage on the house, which he’d taken out to pay for his mother’s care. He could be debt-free. The bloody man owed him that much. Repayment for the suffering of his abandoned wife. He’d given them nothing else, why not take this?
Tiffany said nothing. She watched the emotions dance across his face. Was she witnessing the beginning of the end of the laid back, casual man she was half in love with? The fantasy man who’d haunted her dreams since high school. Had she found him and destroyed him in the space of three days?
Money exerted strange and strong effects on people. No-one knew how they’d react in a given situation. They could speculate about winning the lottery and how it wouldn’t change them, but it did. Large amounts of money always did. She’d seen it happen to clients who came for help with their affairs, wanting a financial plan after a redundancy or superannuation fund lump sum payout. More money in one place than they’d ever seen in their lives. Some kept their heads, others blew it in one big, exhilarating, mad splurge. Which would Miles be? Or would he stick to his guns and insist it be given to charity?
‘What should I do?’ he asked in a subdued voice.
‘I think you should think very carefully before you make any decisions. There’s probably more capital tied up in property and investment. I don’t know yet.’ She studied his face. What was he thinking? That he’d be a rich man all of a sudden?
‘I don’t know what your personal financial situation is,’ she said delicately, ‘But it’s a good idea to reduce your debt if you have money owing, on loans, for example. Interest rates are high at the moment. Profits can be swallowed up very quickly.’
‘What profits?’ He laughed. ‘I make do. Just.’
Tiffany nodded. ‘With proper management and a business plan that shop could do very well.’
‘I’m not interested in making vast amounts of money,’ he said, obviously stung by her oblique aspersion on his managerial abilities.
She folded her arms against his dismissal. ‘Well, it’s my job to tell you what you’ve inherited and its value. How you run your business is not my concern. I’ll be starting work tomorrow at nine. Will you be there?’
‘Sure. I’ll make coffee and toast.’
Tiffany eyed him coolly. ‘That won’t be necessary, thanks, I’ll have had breakfast. There is one thing though, a favour, if you don’t mind.’ She unfolded her arms and rubbed one palm against her shorts.
‘Ask away.’
This was extremely unprofessional but she wasn’t brave enough to face Kevin. ‘Could I bring some washing and use your machine, please?’
Miles laughed and his eyes sparkled again. ‘Of course. If you hang it out first thing it’ll dry by midday.’
‘Would it be all right if I arrived at eight forty-five and started my washing so as not to intrude on work time?’
‘Whenever you like. I’ll be back from my
Miles jaw went weak and his mouth dropped open in astonishment. ‘What did you say? Three hundred thousand?’ He spun around to find her watching him with an expression of reserved, professional blankness.
She nodded. ‘And that’s just in the bank. I’m fairly sure there are properties and stock holdings as well. You father was very wealthy. He just didn’t live expensively.’
‘He was a bloody miser, just as you said.’ The ugly words blurted from him in the shock of the moment but deep down a small venal voice crowed. Three hundred thousand dollars. Mine.
She wouldn’t think three hundred thousand dollars was anything to get excited about — she probably dealt in millions — but to him...he could pay off the loan in one clean stroke. Both loans — the shop and the mortgage on the house, which he’d taken out to pay for his mother’s care. He could be debt-free. The bloody man owed him that much. Repayment for the suffering of his abandoned wife. He’d given them nothing else, why not take this?
Tiffany said nothing. She watched the emotions dance across his face. Was she witnessing the beginning of the end of the laid back, casual man she was half in love with? The fantasy man who’d haunted her dreams since high school. Had she found him and destroyed him in the space of three days?
Money exerted strange and strong effects on people. No-one knew how they’d react in a given situation. They could speculate about winning the lottery and how it wouldn’t change them, but it did. Large amounts of money always did. She’d seen it happen to clients who came for help with their affairs, wanting a financial plan after a redundancy or superannuation fund lump sum payout. More money in one place than they’d ever seen in their lives. Some kept their heads, others blew it in one big, exhilarating, mad splurge. Which would Miles be? Or would he stick to his guns and insist it be given to charity?
‘What should I do?’ he asked in a subdued voice.
‘I think you should think very carefully before you make any decisions. There’s probably more capital tied up in property and investment. I don’t know yet.’ She studied his face. What was he thinking? That he’d be a rich man all of a sudden?
‘I don’t know what your personal financial situation is,’ she said delicately, ‘But it’s a good idea to reduce your debt if you have money owing, on loans, for example. Interest rates are high at the moment. Profits can be swallowed up very quickly.’
‘What profits?’ He laughed. ‘I make do. Just.’
Tiffany nodded. ‘With proper management and a business plan that shop could do very well.’
‘I’m not interested in making vast amounts of money,’ he said, obviously stung by her oblique aspersion on his managerial abilities.
She folded her arms against his dismissal. ‘Well, it’s my job to tell you what you’ve inherited and its value. How you run your business is not my concern. I’ll be starting work tomorrow at nine. Will you be there?’
‘Sure. I’ll make coffee and toast.’
Tiffany eyed him coolly. ‘That won’t be necessary, thanks, I’ll have had breakfast. There is one thing though, a favour, if you don’t mind.’ She unfolded her arms and rubbed one palm against her shorts.
‘Ask away.’
This was extremely unprofessional but she wasn’t brave enough to face Kevin. ‘Could I bring some washing and use your machine, please?’
Miles laughed and his eyes sparkled again. ‘Of course. If you hang it out first thing it’ll dry by midday.’
‘Would it be all right if I arrived at eight forty-five and started my washing so as not to intrude on work time?’
‘Whenever you like. I’ll be back from my
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