“I work in real estate.” Saying it that way made Cadence feel a little more equal to her job description. Because once she threw out the word ‘assistant,’ people tended to decide that her job wasn’t all that impressive. Never mind the end goal, so near.
“Is that why you’re here?” Rilee asked. “To sell this place?”
Leave it to a teenager to put the truth so bluntly. Because no matter how Cadence responded to that, it always came around to the same answer: yes. Any trace of the fantasy to keep the lodge had vanished after her call with Sophie. This inheritance was about doing what was best forallof them. “Yeah, I am.”
Chapter Six
Ford
“It’s too bad you have to leave so soon.” Ford tossed a sliver of fat to Riggs. He’d tried early on to avoid feeding him table scraps, but Riggs had a way of making a sucker out of anyone he befriended, Ford included. “You’ll miss the Fireweed Festival.”
“You should totally stay for that!” Rilee chimed in. “It’s so much fun.”
Cadence took a sip of water and set her glass down, but her fingers remained clenched around it. Some emotion he couldn’t identify danced across her eyes. If Ford had to guess, he’d say uncertainty or concern. Maybe both. “My boss barely let me take time off for this short trip. She’d kill me if I didn’t make it back this week.”
“Aren’t you your own boss?” Ford was thankful for Rilee at this dinner. She never felt afraid to ask a direct question. It was his sister’s curiosity that would serve her well someday as an investigator.
With a deep breath she might’ve considered discreet but Ford didn’t miss, Cadence said, “I’m an assistant, actually.”
“Assistant?” Rilee tilted her head in that adorable way, but her hair was no longer in a ponytail. Gone was the child, and in her place an adult with makeup, earrings, and curled hair. Ford tried not to think about the date she probably had later. “How does that work? I always thought agents kind of did everything themselves. That’s why they make commission.”
“For the most part, you’re right.” Cadence pushed around the potato slices on her plate. Something about this bothered her, but Ford couldn’t pinpoint what. “I work at a slightly different kind of brokerage, more of a team environment. When you apply to be in sales, you have two options.” She scanned the table, even dropping her gaze to Riggs. “This is all really boring,” she said.
“Go on,” Ford encouraged, curious. Knowing what ties she had to her current home was important to him. Convincing her to stay would mean breaking those ties, or at least loosening them considerably. If she had something important—something that meant a lot to her—back in Kansas, he’d stop trying now.
“I chose the option to work as an agent’s assistant for two years, get all my training directly from her. I earn a portion of her commission, because with me, she’s able to sell more. After two years, I get to move up. I’m six months away from that.”
Ford mulled this over, wondering what might motivate someone to agree to such an arrangement. “What’s the other option?”
“Six months of training without pay.” Cadence tucked blonde locks behind her ear, and Ford found himself fixated on her neck. “I could work somewhere else, I know. But then I’d have desk fees and no help learning the business. I wanted to really learn it. And by working as Janine Bellows’ personal assistant, I’ve learned a lot. She’s the top-selling agent in the entire state. The future potential is limitless.”
“Obviously a portion of that credit is due to having you,” Ford said, “making that possible for her.”
“You really can’t take off a couple more days?” Rilee asked.
“I’m afraid to ask.”
“You’ll miss the Alaskan Woodsman competition. It’s so much fun to watch. I tried to talk Ford into doing it—”
“I’m not doing it.”
“When are you going to come back here?” Rilee continued her rapid-fire questions.
“I— Uh—” Cadence started her reply a couple of times before she let out a sigh. “I don’t know. I guess once the lodge is sold.”
“Is that what you want?” Ford asked, because the hesitation in her voice hinted otherwise. If there was already a genuine desire burning in her to keep the lodge, this would be so much easier. He could build on that.
“It’s what has to be done.” Cadence pushed her chair back from the table, collecting empty plates and carrying them to the sink. Riggs hopped to his feet and trotted after her, his eyes never leaving the stack in her hands. He wasn’t one to miss out on fallen scraps.
“I’m meeting a friend at the Dipper,” Rilee announced as she slipped out of her seat. “Will we have running water when I get home tonight?”
“Nope.” Ford forced his breath to remain steady, his expression blank. He didn’t like stirring up such a lie or putting Cadence in this position, but with how set she was on selling, he didn’t have much choice. He needed to spend time with her. “Pump’s shot, and Jordan’s out of town for a couple days.”
“You don’t expect us tolivethere without water, do you?”
“I thought we might set up a tent in the backyard. Pretend we’re camping.”
“Not funny, Ford.”
