“Are you free this afternoon? I can send a car for you, and we can check it out after my lunch meeting.”
“That sounds perfect.”
In the early afternoon, Thorne and Susan stood in front of the building, admiring the detailed stonework on the facade. A representative from the realty company was on her way to give them a tour.
“If the space isn’t supposed to be for rent until the building is sold, why are they showing it to us?” Susan asked.
“I pulled some strings.” Would he get away with that vague answer?
“Thorne.” Susan’s tone made him wince. She wasn’t buying his innocent act.
“Yes?”
“I know what you’re thinking.”
“And you think he’ll hate it?” Thorne asked.
“I know you want to help, but buying a building is—”
“It won’t hurt for me to inquire.”
Susan frowned. “You need to talk to Riley about it.”
Before either of them could say more, a woman stepped out of a car and greeted them with a wide grin. “Mr. Shipton? Ms. Channing?”
Thorne nodded.
“I’m Melissa. I’m very pleased to meet you,” she said as she shook their hands. She did indeed look eager to have an interested buyer.
Thorne cut off the beginning of her likely practiced speech on the building’s merits. He pointed to the corner shop which did look like it would make an excellent bakery. “We’d like to look at this space first.”
“But I thought—”
Thorne’s arrogant stare stopped her midsentence. “Yes, sir. That’s an excellent choice. It was formerly a coffee shop, but—”
“What’s the kitchen space like?”
“It…needs some repair, but there is a full kitchen.”
“So it is an adequate space for a bakery?”
She brightened up. “Oh yes, sir.”
“Did the coffee shop serve food?” Susan asked.
“Yes, ma’am. They made use of the kitchen, but the space needs an upgrade.”
Melissa unlocked the door of the shop, and Susan and Thorne stepped through.
Susan frowned. “Has it been vacant long?” She looked as displeased as Thorne at how dusty and dirty the space looked.
“I’m not certain exactly; I’ve only represented the owner for the past few months.”
Thorne bet she did know and didn’t want to say. The longer the building had been vacant or mostly vacant, the lower its value.
Thorne laid a hand on Susan’s shoulder. “Poke around and see if you think the space can be rehabilitated. I’ll find out about the rest of the structure.”
Melissa piped up then. “There are six other commercial spaces and four condos, three of which have tenants.”
Thorne hoped the residences were in better condition. “What repairs need to be made? And be honest.”
The woman looked affronted, but Thorne didn’t care. He didn’t need to hear a bunch of bullshit about how the building had potential.
“I only want the bare facts,” he added, in a slightly less condescending tone.
“The residential spaces that are rented all need minor repairs. There was some water damage in the unrented space that requires attention. At least half of the kitchen area in this commercial space needs to be upgraded to meet current code. There was a fire in the other front commercial space, and it needs remodeling.”
If she was willing to say all that up-front, there had to be more. “And the asking price?”
She told him, and he raised a brow. “You’ll be lucky to get a third of that.” Which was what he’d offer as a start.
“Would you like to put in an offer?” She hadn’t even argued which meant she knew the price was way out of line.
“Not yet.”
“I’m sure my client is willing to negotiate.”
She sounded as desperate to sell as Thorne had hoped. “Your client ought to be thrilled to have this taken off his hands.”
“I would be happy to take him an offer from you.” Her smile was strained, and Thorne almost felt sorry for her. He was being an ass.
“I’d like specs on each space in the building and a full disclosure on the building’s condition and history sent to my lawyer as well as to me.” He handed Melissa two business cards. She looked slightly startled.
Susan stepped out of the potential bakery space and joined them back on the sidewalk in front of the building.
“Did you have any questions?” Thorne asked.
Susan shook her head. “Thank you for your time,” she said to Melissa.
“You’re welcome. I’ll get the information sent to you, Mr. Shipton.”
“Thank you. Have a good day.” He dismissed her, and she headed back to her car.
“Are you going to tell Riley about our excursion?” he asked Susan.
“No, but you should.”
He changed the subject quickly. “Do you like the space?”
“It needs a lot of work.”
“But if it were repaired?”
She sighed. “Yes, it’s perfect, but I don’t want it at the expense of Riley’s happiness.”
“What if you could have both?”
She studied him, and the silence lasted long enough to make him uncomfortable. “Thorne, are you thinking clearly?”
“I doubt it, but I want to make him happy.”