Castles

Chapter 5

I was ten minutes late. Even speeding from my apartment to Clearwater proved impossible. I wasn't sure the client would be there when I arrived.

"Damn this is a nice place," I said when I took in the address. "This can't be right." And Joy clearly was wasted to pass up a commission on such a place.

I mentally calculated how much money I'd have lining my mattress if the deal closed. And I hurried along never ending cobblestone driveway. So far I didn't see a car or a person.

I finally made it to the front of the house. Everything was so large and clean. Perfect lines, perfect landscaping. Whoever bought the house was one well off man or woman.

I texted Joy and told her I had arrived. She thanked me again telling me how awesome I was. And informed me he was running late and would be there soon.

I sighed taking in my hair through the reflection in the window. And then I punched in the code and let myself inside to take a peek before he arrived.

I didn't care about my attire when I was standing inside the luxurious home. My heels clicked across the marble, the big picture window immediately drew me in, I admired the water. I loved water. It was freeing.

I didn't even know he came in. And I regretted what I did next when he tapped me on the shoulder.

"Shit!" He cried out, when I grabbed him by the arm and wrenched it behind his back. I wasn't going down without a fight. My fear took over. I shoved him away and finally snapped out of it, realizing he wasn't a threat.

"I am so sorry!" I was such an idiot. "I don't like people sneaking up on me. This is a dangerous job, you have to be careful." I rambled, doing my best to explain away my crazy behaviour.

He straightened himself up and smoothed out his dress shirt. He wasn't upset, he was grinning. He shook his head. "No worries. I should have said something instead of tapping you on the shoulder." He extended a hand. "I'm Sheppard Brown."

Sheppard was an interesting first name. I shook his hand. "Joselyn. I'm not the one who was supposed to show you the house." I pushed my hair behind my ear, taking in his blue eyes and dark eyelashes. I remembered I looked awful and had on the most hideous tank top. I regretted the entire day, and I had only been awake for an hour.

"She told me. And I am totally okay with that. This is the first day off I've had in a while." He smiled at me and then looked around the room. "This is absurd."

I clicked on the link, trying to figure out the mistake. It was our job to make sure we matched the client with what they wanted. "I'm sorry. What are you looking for exactly?"

He crossed his arms, looking out the windows. "I don't know."

I moved next to him, watching the water. "It has quite the view though. I'm sorry she didn't...

"It does doesn't it?" He cut me off watching the water. "Who doesn't love a water feature?"

I nodded. "And no better water feature than the ocean."

"The fucking ocean," he said in awe. "I can't believe this is in my price range." He laughed to himself.

I didn't know what to say.

"I'm sorry. If you knew me growing up you'd say the same." He explained.

He liked talking about himself. It came off a bit obnoxious. But I listened anyways. "We couldn't even afford groceries for the week. But things looked up after graduation."

I chewed at my bottom lip unable to focus on his words. He moved his hands too much. And he paced when he rambled. He was a mess of a man. A chaotic swirl of feelings just bubbling at the surface.

I didn't know what to do.

"So after I joined the mafia and got a few crimes under my belt I was rolling in the dough." He joked.

"Excuse me?" I asked, raising my eyebrows. "The mafia?"

He smirked again. "You weren't even listening. Did you hear anything I just said?"

I shook my head too embarrassed to admit that I didn't. "You... just have a lot going on. It's a lot to focus on."

He tilted his head to the side. "Nobody has ever said that. Most people enjoy talking to me."

"I wasn't supposed to be here." I looked at my phone embarrassed.

"But you are. So we should just go with it." He moved, and I followed him into the next room. "Show me the rest of the place. Maybe it's worth it."

I shrugged. If he wanted to see the house, I would show him the house. He shrugged back letting me lead the way.