Bidding Wars (Love Strikes) - By Lacey Wolfe Page 0,3
his desk, but she didn’t sit. She looked as though she was ready to burst.
“I won’t be here long enough to get comfortable.”
“Tell me what’s going on.”
“You’re trying to steal my house,” she snapped.
He knew just who she was now. The image of a beautiful brunette who looked as though she were biting her tongue standing in front of a yellow house flashed through his mind. Perhaps he should act as if he didn’t remember. “Excuse me?”
“The house on Maple Street. I want it. And I’m guessing you do as well.”
He raked his hands through his hair. No faking it now. “Does your agent know you’re here?”
“God, no. Diane would kill me.”
“It’s a great house.”
“I want it. No, I need it. Please withdraw your offer.” She stared at him as though her request had to be taken seriously.
He looked the stunning woman up and down. She was skinny, but still had curves. Her hair was long and straight, and her eyes were the color of almonds. She could use some sun and had an overall sad look to her. Something tugged at his heart while he watched her.
“I’m sure there are other houses out there.”
She glanced at him, blinking her eyes. “Officer Logan, I’m sure there are. But this house felt like home. While I was there, I was finally happy. I felt like I was where I needed to be in life. I’ve had a year from hell, and it’s beginning to look up. If I don’t get that house, I don’t know what I’ll do.”
“Will you be homeless?” He hated when people complained about life and blamed others for it. Everyone was responsible for his or her own happiness. Yet, most of the folks he encountered didn’t get it.
“Of course not.”
“Look, Ms.…”
“Molly Harper.”
“Look, Ms. Harper, I get that you want the house. So do I. Maybe I felt all those warm and fuzzy feelings you did as well. And I don’t mean to come across rude, but I hear sob stories every day. It’s hard to sympathize sometimes. I’m sure your last year has been hell, as you said, but the only way for things to get better is to change. This house doesn’t make your life instantly better. Only your attitude can do that.”
She rolled her eyes. “You know nothing about me or my life. And I wasn’t looking for your sympathy. I’m over that from people. I thought maybe I could talk to you and get you to see that I really love that house. But now I see that talking with you doesn’t do any good.”
“You didn’t come in here and try to talk, Ms. Harper. You came into the station demanding to see me, and once you got back here you demanded I withdraw my offer. You weren’t looking for a pleasant chat.”
“How dare you! You know what? May the best offer win.” Molly left in as much as a ruckus as she’d come.
She crossed the station with fury in her step. What had just happened? Clearly, she wanted that house with a passion. If she didn’t get the house, would she show up here again?
He grabbed the property paperwork and tried to focus. Molly Harper’s words played in his head: may the best offer win. Did he want to make a competition out of this, as she clearly did? Or did he want to leave his generous offer alone. He picked up the photo on his desk of his five-year-old son. Sammy would love that house. Several big oak trees in the back yard were perfect for tree houses. The back yard was a little boy’s dream place to explore—already fenced and perfect for the dog he’d always hoped for.
He’d always liked competition. When he first discovered eBay, he spent hours enjoying the thrill of winning. He wanted the house, and he was willing to go as high as he had to go. He drummed his fingers on his desk as his thoughts flashed back to how attractive Molly appeared when she was angry. That’s right, Molly Harper, with your sweet ass—may the best offer win. He grinned and picked up his phone to make a call to his realtor.
* * *
“I don’t understand. What’s taking so long?” Molly parked the car in front of her small condo.
“They’ve got to look at each and every offer. I’m guessing they’ve received quite a few, since we’re still waiting,” Diane said on the other side of the phone conversation.
She let out a loud groan. “My