Jarillo Sunset Read online

  “Well, I don’t know how good the spare is, so you may want to do something with it.” Char turned and walked out of his office.

  Char got back to her desk and looked at the calendar. Today was her anniversary, she had been there for two years. And it had been a miserable two years as far as she was concerned. But she wanted to have a couple of years of experience before she left this job and went on to a different realty company, or maybe to even branch out on her own.

  Unfortunately, she was the only female agent in the group of seven men, and she was one of only three females employed by Stillwater. One woman, Barb, was Don’s secretary, and the other woman, Danica, was the receptionist and a typist who keyed in all the information on the contracts for those agents who didn’t have time.

  Char often wished Don would hire another real estate agent, preferably a woman. She had become the brunt of snide remarks and sexual innuendos. She knew she was being sexually harassed, but she didn’t really want to start over right now. The job market wasn’t that great, and she was making very good money there, more than she could make at another realty company. So she just ignored the men and went about her work. As long as they didn’t touch her, she could tolerate it, but if anyone laid a hand on her...well, they’d be sorry they messed with her. She knew some karate moves that would be painful for them. However, she couldn’t always ignore Mike, as his cubicle was next to hers. He was constantly looking over into her cubicle to see what she was working on and harping on her.

  She had worked hard to find buyers for the homes and properties that she went out and got. She couldn’t help it if some of the other agents sat around and twiddled their thumbs while she went out and got the jobs. As far as she was concerned, you could sit and wait in the office until the boss handed you a job, or you could go out and find it. She spent her time looking through property listings and trade journals, and whenever she heard that someone was thinking of selling, she contacted the property owners and advertised her services to solicit listings.

  The first thing she did when she got back to her desk was a title search to determine whether the Sedewicks had a clear property title. She checked the mortgage company that the house was mortgage through to determine if the selling price would cover the payoff of the loan.

  “It’s about time you got back here. What the hell is the matter with you that you had to smear that chocolate stuff all over my papers?” Mike said with a growl, interrupting her work as he stood in his cubicle looking into hers.

  “I didn’t do anything to your papers, Mike.” Char turned and scowled at him.

  “Yeah, right, I knew you’d say that.”

  “Think whatever you want. I have work to do, so leave me alone.” She turned her back to him and continued working on the computer. She checked her email and found a couple of messages. One was from Mike that she didn’t even bother to open, she just deleted it.

  “You just deleted a message I sent to you,” he said with a snarl.

  “Yes, I don’t have any interest in anything you have to say,” Char said, logging into the system to list the house with multiple listing services. After she’d done that she contacted advertising companies to list the house for sale there and the newspaper.

  “You know, I’m willing to overlook this situation that you created for me, if you’ll go out to dinner with me,” Mike said seductively but with a mocking edge.

  Char didn’t know what she hated more—that he could turn on a dime like that, or that he would think she would even be remotely interested in him.

  “Go screw yourself, Mike,” Char said as she finished her work, shut off the computer, and put all her papers in her briefcase. Just as she was getting ready to get up and leave, her cellphone rang. She flipped it open and said, “This is Char Johnson.”

  “Hello, Char. This is Anita Bakerfield from American One Banking. How are you doing today?”

  “I’m doing fine, Anita, and yourself?”

  “I can’t complain, and it wouldn’t do me any good if I did.” Anita laughed.

  Char chuckled. “I agree with you there. What can I help you with today?”

  “Well, I’ve got this house over on Francis Street that we foreclosed on, and I’m interested in getting it sold. I’d like to list it with Stillwater Realty. But from what I understand, it’s in pretty bad shape, so before we list it I’ll need to have you or someone at Stillwater go through the house and write out a list of what needs to be done. My guess is that the previous owners have trashed it pretty good.”

  Char hated doing foreclosed homes. The work that was needed to get the houses up to code and sellable was always a challenge, and it took so long for the banks to approve the work that the house usually ended up sitting there vacant for another six to eight months. Right now Char really didn’t want the headache that this would bring, but she was in no position to turn the job down.

  “Okay, if you give me the address, I’ll go take a look at it,” Char said.

  “It’s 326 Francis Street, over near the railroad shipyard. You can stop by and pick up the keys anytime it’s convenient.”

  “I have some time available on Wednesday to go and take a look at the house. I’ll stop by the bank on my way over there and pick up the keys.”

  * * * *

  Vincent couldn’t believe what he had done. He’d asked a beautiful young real estate agent to go to a wedding with him. What was I thinking? I don’t even know her. Should I call her and cancel it? Something told him that everything would be okay, but he wasn’t usually spontaneous like that, and he’d surprised himself.

  At 6:00 PM, Vincent left his house and drove back into town and then off northeast of Jarillo to Jake’s home for dinner. When Vincent pulled into the driveway, he saw that his sister, Rosie, and her husband Jonathan were already there, along with Bruce Spinner. Calvin and his wife Elizabeth came in behind Vincent.

  A few times throughout the year Jake would have a party and invite the band members over for steak dinners, which he prepared using his special marinating sauce that he revealed to no one. They used this time to talk and catch up on things and just hang out. Everyone in the band knew all the family members of each band member and the core group had all grown up and gone to school together.

  Vincent leaned against the wooden deck railing and said to Bruce, “I can’t believe I did this, but I asked this woman to come to the wedding and the reception with me this Saturday.”

  Bruce looked at Vincent and arched his eyebrows. “You what?”

  Vincent let out a nervous chuckle. “I asked this woman to come to the wedding and reception with me this Saturday.”

  “Well, all right! I didn’t know you were seeing anyone.”

  “Hmm, I’m not. I just met her. I don’t know a thing about her except that she’s a realtor, has long auburn hair, and a beautiful chest. She agreed to go with me to the wedding after I changed a flat tire for her.”

  Bruce’s mouth dropped open and he looked at Vincent in shock. “Vince, I think you just livened up this whole wedding situation. I mean, yeah, it’ll be good to see our buddy getting married, but you bringing someone in you don’t even know will be darn entertaining to watch!” Bruce laughed.

  Vincent looked at Bruce and shook his head in disbelief at the predicament he was in, and his friend having a great laugh over it.

  “I don’t know, do you think I should cancel it with her?” Vincent asked Bruce.

  “Hell no, I don’t think you should cancel. You never know, maybe it’s one of those relationships that would work out well. I think it was a pretty bold move on your part.”

  Rosie walked up and asked, “What’s a bold move?”

  Vincent didn’t really want to tell his sister and Bruce knew it.

  Bruce chuckled and said, “Vincent has a date for the wedding.”

  Vincent turned around to face the acres of land that Jake owned with a frown on his face.

  “Who is she?” Rosie wanted to know.

 
; Bruce started laughing again at Vincent’s predicament, but he didn’t say anything more.

  “I’m bringing someone I met to the wedding. Nothing earth-shattering,” Vincent said to his sister.

  “That’s good, Vinnie,” Rosie answered. “Is it someone I know?”

  “No.” Vincent knew what was going to happen next, she was going to start with her third-degree questions. He gave Bruce an I’m-gonna-strangle-you look.

  “Who is she?” Rosie asked again. When Vincent turned around and faced his sister, she raised an eyebrow at him

  “A real estate agent,” he said. He glanced at Bruce who stared back at him with a mocking smile on his face.

  “What’s her name?” Rosie asked.

  “Char.”

  “Does she have a last name?” Rosie put her hands on her hip, just a tad irritated at her brother for his elusive answers.

  “She does,” he said crisply.

  “What...You don’t know her last name?” Rosie gave him a confused look.

  “It’s Johnson.” Vincent wondered when Rosie would get the message he didn’t want to talk about it.

  “Are you getting serious with her?” she asked.

  “No, I just met her.”

  “Bringing her to a wedding is good. She’ll find out what kind of family we are,” she said and walked away.

  Bruce burst out laughing and Vincent just glared at him, not sure what form of punishment would be good to dole out at his friend.

  When Bruce stopped laughing, he grew serious for a moment. “I want to ask you something. Would you be offended or upset if I brought your sister Debbie to the wedding? I know it’s a last-minute thing, but I don’t have a date, and now that you do, I’d hate to be the only guy without one.”

  “Debbie can go out with whoever she wants, but you know she’s very pregnant and is due in another two weeks.”

  “How are those Lamaze classes coming?” Bruce asked with a tiny grin on his face.

  “Pretty good. I think she’ll do okay.”

  “You gonna help her deliver?”

  “Yeah. Don’t you think it’s time you step up and made your feelings toward her known? I think she would be very receptive to you, and who knows, maybe she’ll get rid of that asshole the baby shares its DNA with.”

  “We’ll see. I’m not going to push her in any way. She’s got a lot to deal with.”

  Chapter 3

  Char stopped at the grocery store on the way home. As she passed the bulletin board in the lobby area of the store, she noticed someone standing there looking at the real estate magazine. She walked up to him and asked, “Are you interested in looking for a house?”

  “Yeah, kind of. Why?” the man said.

  “I’m a real estate agent and I sell houses, as well as look for houses for clients. What kind of house are you looking for?” she asked.

  “I’d like a small, two or three bedroom house with a garage and a large yard. Do you have anything like that listed?”

  “As a matter of fact, I just listed a three bedroom house on a one acre lot. It has an attached two-car garage and a full basement. It needs some work, but it might be just what you’re looking for. If you’re interested, here’s my business card.” Char pulled a business card from her pocket and handed it to him. “Call me tomorrow and I’ll schedule an appointment for you to see it.”

  It took courage to walk up to a stranger and start talking with them, and ten years ago, Char would have never done that. But real estate was such a dog-eat-dog world with so much wheeling and dealing that you had to overcome your shyness or you’d get trampled on. Char had learned that lesson the hard way.

  “Okay. Where is the house located?” the man asked.

  “It’s in Sunnyside subdivision, outside Jarillo.”

  “I know where that is. I’ll give you a call tomorrow.”

  “I look forward to hearing from you,” Char said, flashing him a broad smile.

  She grabbed a shopping cart and walked through the store to get groceries, thinking about the wedding she’d agreed to go to with Vincent on Saturday. She thought about what she’d wear. Maybe that’s a clue that I should go out and get myself a new outfit? She also wondered if he was going to cancel on her. She had the feeling he normally didn’t do spontaneous things like that. She didn’t relish the idea of going to a wedding, but if he canceled on her, they’d have to come up with some other way for her to repay him for changing her flat tire.

  After she got home and put her groceries away, she decided to do a background check on him to see what she could find out about him, if anything. She had access to this information from her home computer because sometimes she did work from home. Don Stillwater didn’t care as long as there was money coming in.

  She keyed in for a background check on Vincent Carter. All that she could find on him was that he was divorced and he had an excellent credit history. Well, she guessed that was good. He had a mortgage that was almost paid off, and a vehicle that was already paid off. He had one credit card that he hardly ever used.

  She wondered what he was like in bed. She’d had her fill of dull lovers and was looking for someone who could be passionate and demanding in bed. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d had a mind-blowing orgasm and wanted someone who could satisfy her. She wasn’t after marriage, and she had never met anyone she would even consider settling down with. But her life was okay as a single person.

  So, will he keep the date or will he call and cancel? She hadn’t been out with a man in so long that even going to a wedding with someone was better than not doing anything at all.

  * * * *

  Shortly after Char arrived at the office the next day, her cellphone rang.

  “Hello, Ms. Johnson?” a man said.

  “Yes, this is Char Johnson,” she answered cheerfully. Always answer the phone cheerfully. The caller may be your next seller or a buyer.

  “We met yesterday at the grocery store. You gave me your card to call you and schedule an appointment to see a house in Sunnyside you said you’d just put on the market.”

  “Yes, sir. How are you doing?” Char asked, making small talk so the potential buyer would be comfortable with her.

  “I’m doing fine,” he replied.

  “How about I take your name and number, and I’ll call Mrs. Sedewick and see if I can set up a time to take you over to look at the house? Would that be okay with you?”

  “Yes, that would be fine. My name is Leonard Shafer,” he said, and he gave her his phone number.

  “Are there any days or times that would be more convenient for you?” Char asked.

  “I’m available any time you can schedule it.”

  All right, I’ll get back to you just as soon as I reach Mrs. Sedewick and find out a good time for her.”

  Char ended the call and punched Mrs. Sedewick’s number into her cellphone.

  After five rings, she answered. “Hello?”

  “Hi, Mrs. Sedewick. This is Char Johnson from Stillwater Realty, and I have someone who would like to come out and see the house. When would be a good time to do this?” Char looked at her calendar that she carried in her briefcase.

  Mrs. Sedewick let out a brief sigh. “Well, I’d like a few days to get things in order. Would Monday be okay?”

  “Sure, Monday would be okay. How about we come over about eleven in the morning?”

  “That would work just fine,” Mrs. Sedewick said.

  “Okay, I have it down to come over at eleven o’clock Monday morning. Usually the owners are not present when realtors show the house, so is it possible that you can be somewhere else while I walk the customer through?”

  “Yes, the boys will be in school, and I’ll just go out at that time and do my grocery shopping.”

  Char marked her calendar and then called Mr. Shafer back. After ending her call to him, she got up and walked toward the bathroom.

  Seeing a woman standing at the counter, she smiled and said, “Hello, have you be
en waited on yet?”

  “No, I haven’t,” the woman replied, a bit put off.

  “Oh, I’m sorry! How can I help you?” Char wondered how long the woman had been waiting.

  “I’m interested in talking to a realtor about selling my house.”

  “Okay, I can help you with that. Why don’t you come back to my cubicle and we can discuss it?”

  “That would be good,” the woman replied.

  Char swung open the gate next to the counter to let the customer in and they walked back to her cubicle.

  “My name is Char Johnson.” She held out her hand to the woman.

  “Hi, I’m Debra Jones.” She shook Char’s hand, then they sat down in her cubicle.

  Mike stood up in his office and looked over into Char’s. She glanced up at him and then turned her attention back to the client.

  “So, you have a house to sell. Where is it located?” Char put her reading glasses on and reached into her briefcase for her clipboard with her check-off list on it.

  “It’s in the Shangri-La subdivision.” Mrs. Jones pulled some pictures out of her purse to show Char.

  “Oh, not too far from here then,” Char replied as she looked at the pictures. “Very nice. It’s an affluent neighborhood.”

  “Yes, it is.” Mrs. Jones smiled sweetly.

  “Okay, what is the address?” Char started writing.

  Mrs. Jones rattled off her address, as well as her house phone and cellphone numbers while Char scribbled.

  “How many bedrooms do you have?” Char asked.

  “It’s a four bedroom house, three bathrooms, two-car garage, a family room, living room, dining room, kitchen, and a full walk-out basement.”

  As Mrs. Jones named off the rooms, Char checked off everything on the list. “What is the lot size?”

  “It’s half an acre.”

  “You have city water and sewer, correct?” Char asked.

  “Yes.”

  “Do you know the square footage of the house?”

  “Yes, it’s thirty-two hundred square feet,” Mrs. Jones replied.

  “When was the house built?”

  “It was built in 1991.”