Clarice’s phone buzzed with a text from Veronica asking where she was. “Sorry!” she said out loud. “I’ll see you there in just a moment!”
They were just a few minutes from the office.
“I’m so sorry we’re late,” Clarice said breathlessly, rushing in without waiting for Bruno to catch up with her. “I showed him a third property.”
Veronica, who was waiting, already wrapped in her fur coat with her arms crossed, probably would have scolded her if Bruno hadn’t come in, stomping snow off his feet.
“Let me get a printout of that last property,” he said cheerfully. “I think that’s the one.”
Veronica’s entire demeanor changed on a dime. “Marvelous! Which place was it?”
“1750 Beech Street,” Clarice provided. “The two-bedroom with the unfinished basement.”
“Oh yes!” Veronica said. “It was her mother’s house. She moved to Michigan.”
“Minnesota,” Clarice murmured.
“It’s a beautiful place. Partly furnished, and definitely worth what she’s asking. We’ve hadseveralclients put in offers for it recently.”
Clarice bit her lip. Veronica wasn’t necessarily lying to increase the urgency. It was much more likely that she justmisrememberedwhich property they were talking about. “Let me get you the printout,” she said brightly, hurrying to her computer. “And I can get you all the paperwork you’ll need to take to the bank. Are you pre-approved?”
Bruno, following her to the counter, chuckled. “Afraid not. This was all very spur of the moment.”
Clarice sent the files to the printer and looked up to find Bruno leaning on the counter and smiling down at her. Beyond him, Veronica was frowning thoughtfully. “We’ve got everything you need to walk you through the process,” Clarice said, finding a new folder and tucking aHome Ownership and You!pamphlet into it. The property printout and the papers for the bank were added to it, along with another copy of her business card.
While she was compiling it, Veronica said loudly, “Oh, I really must go! Lock up, Clarice! Ciao, Bruno!” Her fur-trimmed fashion boots clicked across the floor like tap shoes.
Then Clarice was alone in the office with Bruno, and it was very, very quiet except for the rustling of papers.
12
BRUNO
This is insane,Bruno thought. He wasn’t actually buying a house, was he? Was his credit even good enough? His practice was doing fine, but he hadn’t been established long. The house he wanted was probably way out of his budget. He ought to be putting the brakes on this whole thing, but when Clarice handed him the folder with a hopeful smile, he couldn’t bear the idea of crushing her.
You should crush her, his armadillo said helpfully. He was definitely thinking of a different kind of crush.
It was the worst idea in theworldto buy a house just because he was smitten by the real estate agent.
But smitten, he was. She’d been so animated and funny when she was showing the houses that Bruno couldn’t help but like her. Watching her shrink back into herself around Veronica had been painful. He wanted to protect her, to swoop in and shield her from Veronica’s impatience. He would have agreed to buy an entireblockto save her.
“I’ll talk to the bank tomorrow,” he promised, but he didn’t make a move to leave.
“I hope they can give you good news,” Clarice said sincerely. “I mean, not just because I’d love to sell that house to you. It’s agreathouse. Itdeservesa family.”
“Is that why you became a realtor? To give houses the families they deserve?”
Clarice giggled. “You joke, but I’m the sort who apologizes to the coffee machine when it runs out of water. I went into real estate because interior design is hard to make a living at and I thought selling houses would get me further than graphic design, though that’s most of what I do here, actually. It was nice getting out to actually show houses today. Thanks for that.”
She pursed her lips, like she recognized that she was rambling. “Let me know what you hear,” she said shyly. “My card is in there.”
“I will,” Bruno promised. He suddenly realized that he’d backed himself into a corner. Now he couldn’t ask Clarice out because he was her client, and that was as unethical as dating one ofhisclients. “Soon.” He extended his hand across the desk.
Her smile was slow and sincere. She blushed as she shook his offered hand.
“I have to go get Gil before Tiny Paws closes,” he said regretfully, releasing her. “Thanks.”
“Thank—thank you.”
