Haley
Malcolm had chosen a steakhouse on 84th Street. When he was due to come pick me up I had waited outside, rather than let Chase be in shouting distance of him. Malcolm’s eyes had trailed down my body and I was about to call him on it when he informed me I was probably overdressed for where we were going.
When he had said he was taking me for an apology dinner to a nice restaurant I had wrongly anticipated a nice little Italian like we had gone to on our first date, so the steakhouse had taken me by surprise. Don’t get me wrong I loved eating in any place but I wished he would have given me a heads up on the location of dinner. I had on a little black dress and heels and wished I could tap my shoes Dorothy style and be in a pair of jeans and a checked button down, with sneakers on my feet.
We ordered two porter house on the green and Malcolm ordered a beer while I asked for water. I wanted to keep a clear head and make sure I didn’t fall for any of his sales bullshit. He was a good Realtor and that sales charm extended outside of work.
Within five minutes of being there, I once again wished for sneakers so I could run the hell home. We had shared about three sentences of conversation and the subject of the weather was completely exhausted.
I took a sip of my water and looked around the restaurant. There were couples and families, all engaged in conversation. They wore happy smiles on their faces while they tucked into their food. I wanted that. I wanted to be in a restaurant with my significant others, having a great time. Not stuck here with Malcolm. God, please let my steak get here soon, so I could make my excuses and leave.
“So, about the last time, we got together-”
“It’s okay, really.”
“No, look. I wanted to say. It had been a while for me.”
“Oh, okay.”
“So, that is probably part of why we had trouble that night, as well as, you know.”
I felt my neck tense up. “As well as what?”
“Never mind.”
At that point, the waitress delivered our steaks and mine looked so mouth-wateringly delicious that I didn’t question Malcolm any further because I didn’t want to stab him to death with my steak knife and be prevented from eating it.
“What do you think about the development of King Park on the Upper East Side?” Malcolm asked. That was the new development I had been trying to get for my portfolio and no doubt a hungry salesman like Malcolm wanted it too.
“It looks great. I’m sure we will sell most of the apartments off plan, given the location.”
Malcolm rambled on about how amazing for families it would be. Personally, I didn’t agree. I thought it would make a great place for wealthy businessmen to install their mistresses in a home from home when they were in New York on business, but I wasn’t going to share my views. I finished my steak, wiped my mouth with a napkin and sat back.
“Would you like a dessert?” He asked.
“No, thank you, Malcom. I am feeling a little tired. If it’s okay with you, I would like to go home now.”
“Before you go...”
“Yeah?” I sighed.
“I have a proposition for you.”
I started to get up from the table before he tried to get in my pants again.
“It’s about Greens.”
When I realized it was about business, I relaxed and turned to him.
“What’s that?”
“I thought we could partner up on King Park. We could be a killer team, Haley. We’re both great at sales and we are both hot. You can flirt with the husbands, and me the wives, right?”
I was simply speechless. Was this man for real?
“Then I thought we could extend our partnership back home.” He winked. He actually fucking winked at me. “I figure I will have no problems from here on out and I don’t mind giving you a few pointers on technique.”
Thank goodness I had not finished my carafe of water because it was in easy reach and gave me much more satisfaction dripping down Malcolm’s face than it had my throat. I most definitely preferred red wine.