“Well, most places have a clause where you pay for the concept, but you can take it somewhere else if you’re not happy with the quote. Check the fine print in your contract.”
I hadn’t drawn up a contract with Emily. I hadn’t done anything the right way. I’d just asked her over and I forgot the rest. Everything about her was mesmerizing.
But I wasn’t going to give up just yet. No way in hell was I going to take the design concept to someone else.
I wanted Emily to do it.
“Sir.” Lucy, my secretary, said as she popped her head into my office. “Steve is here to see you.”
“You can send him in,” I said.
Lucy glanced at Chaz but nodded and did as I asked, sending my rental manager in. Us three Conrad brothers were so close, and we spent a lot of time in each other’s offices. It wasn’t weird to do business in front of each other.
Steven Jacobs oversaw the California portfolio, taking care of all the tenants in town. He had a couple of people that worked in different buildings, but he was the one who reported back to me. We had a good working relationship, and we’d worked together for years.
“Steve, my man,” I said with a grin and stood, extending my hand.
Steve shook it before he turned to Chaz who stood up.
“Mr. Conrad,” he said and shook Chaz’s hand too.
Chaz sat back down, and Steve occupied one of the chairs that faced me.
“I sent you all the reports this morning,” he said.
I nodded. “I saw. I’ll go over them when I have a chance. But you wanted to see me face-to-face anyway.”
Steve nodded. “We’re still struggling with Mr. Roth. He ignored the letters we sent him, and he’s not leaving. I want permission to get him evicted.”
“An eviction is drastic,” I said.
Steve shrugged. “I know, but he’s not paying. It’s the fifth month.”
“I looked into Mr. Roth,” I said, “after you came to talk to me about him the last time. The man’s wife has cancer, and he has two kids.”
“He does,” Steve said, nodding.
“He’s going through a tough time.”
Steve hesitated.
“With all due respect, Parker, I don’t think it’s fair to let them off the hook when so many other people make their rent every month. This isn’t a charity.”
“You’re right,” I said. “It’s not a charity. I’ll cover the rent for the past five months myself, and another couple of months in advance. That will give Mr. Roth some time to figure it out.”
Steve frowned. “You’re kidding.”
I shook my head. “I know what it’s like when it gets tough with family. They don’t need to lose their home on top of everything, right?”
“The cancer isn’t new, Parker,” Steve said carefully. “They’ve known about it for at least a year, probably longer. He could have prepared for something like this—”
“I’m not going to argue with you. I’ll get the account settled. That gets you off the hook, right? Your job will be done then. And we have no need to go to court with this either.”
Steve hesitated before he nodded. “No, I guess it will stay out of court.”
“Good,” I said.
Steve didn’t look happy.