I needed to have my full attention on what I was offering, and Anne would only be a distraction.
Trixi asked, “You already know each other?”
“We met the other day,” I said.
“Yes. He’s the guy I went to have coffee with. I can’t believe you asked him here.” Anne sighed and left the room.
Trixi walked over and placed the plates, silverware, and napkins on the coffee table before taking the seat across from me.
“Guess we can talk while she’s gone and eat when she joins us, if that’s okay,” Trixi suggested.
“Sounds good. I’m here to discuss The Treasured Chest. I want to purchase it,” I said.
Trixi raised her brows. “Really? How much?”
This was too easy. But maybe she didn’t want it, either. I could start low and test that theory, but I needed this done. “I’m not going to play games with you, Trixi. I’m giving you my best offer. Five hundred thousand dollars.”
“Wow. That sounds like a fair offer,” she said.
“So do we have a deal?” I asked.
She shrugged. “I’m not able to answer that. You’d need to speak to the owner.”
Once again, I was lost. “I checked with the town and was told the owner is Trixi Worth. Is that not you?” Boy, I was going to be really pissed if this lady had been playing me.
“I’m one of them, just not the one you’re looking for.”
Fuck! “Do you know where I can find the correct one?” I asked, trying unsuccessfully to bite back the frustration in my tone.
“I sure do,” she said. “Hey, Anne, are you decent yet?”
Anne came out of the bedroom wearing a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. Her wet hair pulled up on her head in some odd mess that looked like a bird’s nest. “Are you done talking already?”
“Yes, but I need you to be here now,” Trixi said.
“Me?” Anne asked.
“I don’t think so. Unless you have information that Trixi doesn’t,” I stated.
“I doubt it, but feel free to ask,” she said.
“I’m looking for the address of Trixi Worth,” I said.
“You’re at it,” Anne replied.
“No. Not this Trixi Worth. The other one. The one that owns The Treasured Chest,” I clarified.
Once again she said, “You’re at it.”
“Wait. Your aunt just said she didn’t own The Treasured Chest,” I stated firmly.
“She doesn’t. I do,” Anne said, head held high.
“You? But they said Trixi Worth owned it.”
“They are right. I’m Trixi Worth, but use my middle name, Anne. And before you even ask, my answer is no,” Anne said.
“You don’t even know what I’m going to ask,” I stated.
“Oh, but I do. You’re the person who has been buying up all the properties around the club. And if I’m right, Uncle Carl shot you down when you made him an offer, too. So whatever you’re going to offer me now, the answer is no,” she said firmly.
“You might want to hear me out first.”
“I’ve already told you, I have to do this. Not for me, but for my parents and for Aunt Trixi, too. Not to mention all the employees at The Treasured Chest. I don’t care if you offer me a million dollars, it won’t change my mind.”
“Think about it. If you’re doing this to help all those people, don’t you think taking my offer would be what helped them most of all?” I asked. It was a logical resolution to her problem.
Anne crossed her arms and said, “If it was only about money, then I want to know what you offered Uncle Carl. Because he didn’t sell to you.”
Oh, Anne definitely was going to make me work for this. “I trust you, it was a fair offer. He just wasn’t ready to sell.”
“Or didn’t want to sell to you,” Anne stated. “See, you don’t know my uncle like I do. He liked working and the club was important to him, but not as important as the people who worked there. He treated each with respect and knew that they were there to support themselves and their families. I have a feeling there’s only one thing you think about, and that is your bank account.”
“You’re right Anne, or Trixi, or whatever you want to be called. I didn’t know Carl like you did. But you also don’t know me. I want to bring a mall to Bermoose. This would create hundreds more jobs than The Treasured Chest does. So I would say I think about the entire town, and not just a select few. Will I make money from this deal? Of course. No