“We’re not,” I said. “When the market turned a few years back, we ended up with a few abandoned projects on our hands. Owners couldn’t afford to continue and walked away. Knowing we weren’t getting paid, Shannon said we had too much invested to blow them off. She wrote lowball offers and we bought the properties, sold them high, and cleaned up. Angus likes to pretend he invented that strategy, because he’s doing the same thing now.”
“Dude, I’m not trying to tell you your business, but that sounds like flipping to me.”
“Flipping is putting in granite countertops and stainless steel appliances. Slapping on some builder beige paint. The market downturn came at a time when we were taking over the business from Angus, and it showed us that some people don’t want to buy fixer-uppers anymore. Especially not the kind of fragile, restriction-heavy multimillion dollar properties we work on.”
I lifted my phone when it alerted, dropping my fork into the dish of mussels. “Instead, we buy, fix, and sell. And make a killing, and that’s why we couldn’t do this without Shannon. And we still take on plenty of non-investment properties.”
“If you say so, dude. I always thought we drew up bluelines and handed them over to GCs and walked away. Easy peasy. This is…not even close to that.”
“It isn’t exactly what we expected when we planned to take over the business, but it’s working for us.” I glanced at my message from Lauren with a chuckle.
18:09 Lauren:I’ll have you know I’m on the flight. No incidents to report.
18:12 Matthew:how many hurricanes?
18:12 Lauren:just 2.
18:12 Matthew:and you’re standing?
18:13 Lauren:sitting but pleasantly intoxicated and holding it together just fine.
18:13 Matthew:you’ll be able to make it out of the terminal?
18:14 Lauren:you really underestimate me, Matthew.
18:14 Lauren:my brothers used to take me out drinking and then try kidnapping me
18:15 Lauren:they’d time how long it took me to escape
18:16 Matthew:1. that’s incredibly weird
18:16 Matthew:2. they are going to beat the shit out of me someday, aren’t they?
18:17 Lauren:I’m ignoring all that nonsense you just spouted. I will see you at the curb in 3 hrs.
18:18 Matthew:text me when you land. I’ll come inside if you want.
18:18 Lauren:oh I bet you’ll come inside.
I laughed out loud, my eyes widening as I read her message. Not so innocent anymore. Dismissing Riley’s inquisitive look, I shook my head.
“You’re really whipped,” he said, watching my fingers as they flew over the screen.
“No,” I said. “I don’t think that’s the right term. I just like talking to her.”
“I’d rather chicks not speak at all,” he said with a mouthful of scallop.
“Maybe you haven’t found the right one.”
18:19 Matthew:only if you let me.
18:19 Lauren:you know I will.
18:20 Lauren:evil death stare from the flight attendant. gtg.
“And you have?” Riley asked.
He was too busy watching the Celtics game to notice the irrepressible smile on my face.
