make way for that conceited piece of strudel. She’d opened her heart to him, and he’d betrayed her in a far worse way than Trey ever had. He’d given her hope and then squashed it.
It was over now. Lia set the glass on her desk and let the first in a series of silent sobs rack her body.
****
Adam bolted up in bed, his heart hammering as he stared at the numbers on his alarm clock. 4:17 PM. A glance at the late afternoon sun outside his window only confirmed that the display was correct.
He ran into the bathroom to check his reflection and frowned at the stubble shadowing his cheeks. He might be able to bypass a shower to save on time, but there was no way he could leave the house without shaving. He snatched the razor from its charger and began running it over his cheeks while he grabbed a fresh suit from his closet.
Cheeks now smooth, he turned his phone over to speaker and dialed Bates’s number. “Yes, Mr. Kelly?”
“Please tell me you showed Mr. Schlittler some of my other properties,” Adam said as he hopped into his pants.
“No, sir. I thought you’d decided the Michigan Avenue property would be the best location for him.”
Adam cursed and shoved his arm into a clean shirt. “That was last week. I wanted to show a few other places before that one.”
“I’m sorry, sir, but if you don’t tell me these things, how am I to know what to do?”
He’d gotten halfway down his shirt when he realized he’d buttoned it wrong. “I know. It’s my fault—I was planning on taking Schlittler there myself and personally trying to convince him they were suitable locations.”
“Ah, I see. That explains why Ms. Mantovani seemed so surprised to see us today.”
Adam froze, his hammering pulse threatening to choke him. Shit, shit, shit! “Please tell me you didn’t take Schlittler to La Arietta today.”
“Since you were not available this morning, I decided to show Mr. Schlittler the property before he became more, um, impatient.”
He sank down onto the bed, his mind paralyzed. He’d been in bad situations before but nothing of this magnitude. If he’d had any hope of having a relationship with Lia, he could pretty much kiss it goodbye now. She’d probably never want to speak to him again, much less trust him.
“Mr. Kelly, are you still there?”
“Yes, Bates, I’m just trying to figure out the best way to smooth this all out.” He ran his fingers through his hair. “It’s my fault for not showing up this morning. I was up late taking care of some personal business, and I must have slept through my alarm.”
“A pity, sir.”
He stood up and walked the length of his bed, his hands clasped behind his back. “Schlittler is still in town?”
“Until tomorrow morning, sir. He’s staying at the Waldorf Astoria. I made reservations for him to dine at Alinea tonight at eight.”
Adam thanked his lucky stars to have an assistant like Bates. “Please call Alinea and make sure they have room for me to join him. I’ll try to sell him on some of the highlights of the other properties and convince him to take a look at them next week.”
“Very good, sir. As for Ms. Mantovani?”
He jerked to a stop. Lia was a far trickier situation. “I’ll deal with her later tonight after I’ve spoken to Schlittler.” Because if I can’t convince him to look at other places, then I’ll have to deliver the bad news to her in person .
“Thank you, sir.” The relief on Bates’s voice only added to his unease. Whatever had happened this morning between Lia and Schlittler was probably much worse than he’d first let on. “I’ll call Alinea now.”
Adam sat back down on the edge of the bed, his tie looped through his fingers. In less than twenty-four hours, everything that had been going well in his life had suddenly come crashing down around him. He stood at a crossroads. Last night had cemented his feelings for Lia, but would he be able to tell her no when it came to business?
Chapter
It was over now. Lia set the glass on her desk and let the first in a series of silent sobs rack her body.
****
Adam bolted up in bed, his heart hammering as he stared at the numbers on his alarm clock. 4:17 PM. A glance at the late afternoon sun outside his window only confirmed that the display was correct.
He ran into the bathroom to check his reflection and frowned at the stubble shadowing his cheeks. He might be able to bypass a shower to save on time, but there was no way he could leave the house without shaving. He snatched the razor from its charger and began running it over his cheeks while he grabbed a fresh suit from his closet.
Cheeks now smooth, he turned his phone over to speaker and dialed Bates’s number. “Yes, Mr. Kelly?”
“Please tell me you showed Mr. Schlittler some of my other properties,” Adam said as he hopped into his pants.
“No, sir. I thought you’d decided the Michigan Avenue property would be the best location for him.”
Adam cursed and shoved his arm into a clean shirt. “That was last week. I wanted to show a few other places before that one.”
“I’m sorry, sir, but if you don’t tell me these things, how am I to know what to do?”
He’d gotten halfway down his shirt when he realized he’d buttoned it wrong. “I know. It’s my fault—I was planning on taking Schlittler there myself and personally trying to convince him they were suitable locations.”
“Ah, I see. That explains why Ms. Mantovani seemed so surprised to see us today.”
Adam froze, his hammering pulse threatening to choke him. Shit, shit, shit! “Please tell me you didn’t take Schlittler to La Arietta today.”
“Since you were not available this morning, I decided to show Mr. Schlittler the property before he became more, um, impatient.”
He sank down onto the bed, his mind paralyzed. He’d been in bad situations before but nothing of this magnitude. If he’d had any hope of having a relationship with Lia, he could pretty much kiss it goodbye now. She’d probably never want to speak to him again, much less trust him.
“Mr. Kelly, are you still there?”
“Yes, Bates, I’m just trying to figure out the best way to smooth this all out.” He ran his fingers through his hair. “It’s my fault for not showing up this morning. I was up late taking care of some personal business, and I must have slept through my alarm.”
“A pity, sir.”
He stood up and walked the length of his bed, his hands clasped behind his back. “Schlittler is still in town?”
“Until tomorrow morning, sir. He’s staying at the Waldorf Astoria. I made reservations for him to dine at Alinea tonight at eight.”
Adam thanked his lucky stars to have an assistant like Bates. “Please call Alinea and make sure they have room for me to join him. I’ll try to sell him on some of the highlights of the other properties and convince him to take a look at them next week.”
“Very good, sir. As for Ms. Mantovani?”
He jerked to a stop. Lia was a far trickier situation. “I’ll deal with her later tonight after I’ve spoken to Schlittler.” Because if I can’t convince him to look at other places, then I’ll have to deliver the bad news to her in person .
“Thank you, sir.” The relief on Bates’s voice only added to his unease. Whatever had happened this morning between Lia and Schlittler was probably much worse than he’d first let on. “I’ll call Alinea now.”
Adam sat back down on the edge of the bed, his tie looped through his fingers. In less than twenty-four hours, everything that had been going well in his life had suddenly come crashing down around him. He stood at a crossroads. Last night had cemented his feelings for Lia, but would he be able to tell her no when it came to business?
Chapter
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