Chapter 10

Simone texted him shortly after ten, he was needed at the bank to sign papers.

Scott walked through the bank's front door thirty minutes later. After a quick inquiry, he was directed to a conference room. Simone nodded to him as he entered the room. The bank people were at one end, Simone at the other. She was wearing a dark ensemble with a string of white pearls around her neck. The fun flirty woman he'd come to know the previous night was gone, replaced by professional aplomb.

"Good morning, Miss Engdale."

"Mr. MacIntyre," she said, "if you'd care to examine the documents?"

He took a seat and she slid papers in front of him. Hidden from view, her other hand briefly stroked the back of his neck.

She spoke in a soft voice, "The deal is final if you sign. We're taking the bank's engineering report on good faith, but have an out if significant discrepancies are discovered by our people."

"You closed this deal in an hour? I'm impressed."

She blew into his ear. "The magic word was 'cash.' I closed the deal fifteen minutes after I walked in the door. The rest was paperwork."

He flipped pages until he came to the negotiated number, one million, three hundred thousand. As promised, she'd brought the deal in under a million five.

"Look at them," she whispered.

Scott glanced to the other end of the conference table.

"What about them?"

"They're dying to know who you are. You're young, good looking, and filthy rich. They're so jealous they can hardly stand it."

Scott glanced back at the bankers. He didn't see what she was seeing. Sure, they were curious, but with a start he realized he had gotten a look into Simone Engdale's soul. "Let's get this over with."

Simone waved the bankers over.

Scott left the bank the proud owner of a building he couldn't live in, at least not for the foreseeable future. He understood that the hard part was to come.

Simone had him follow her Mercedes to a nearby law office. The second part of the deal required more signatures. Barley Thalgott took the bridge loan and signed the first refusal option. The bearded man hadn't said much in the process.

Scott found that he didn't care. Either the Black Horse would survive or it wouldn't. He would come out ahead either way.

Afterward, Scott walked Simone to her car. They made small talk, saying nothing of importance. She unlocked the vehicle and stashed her briefcase inside before turning to face him.

"I had a good time," she said.

"We did, and I was impressed with the service," he replied.

A look flickered across her face. "We should do it again, soon."

"I don't buy many buildings."

Her eyes flashed, but she smiled. "Call me, sometime."

"Drive safely."

He closed her door and watched as she gave him a final wave. The Merc's engine growled as she hit the gas. He shook his head. She'd fucked him, the bank, and a bar owner in a twenty-four-hour span. It probably didn't get any better for a lawyer.