finally trudged over to the counter.
“That client is a douche, Grace,” he said with a sneer. “Bad news. Tell him to get another agent. You don’t need that trash.”
Grace signed her credit card bill and then turned to stare at him for a long moment.
“What? I’m just looking out for you.”
“You are not. You’re just pissed I’m moving on,” she countered.
He scoffed. “Moving on? It sounds more like you’re dating anyone who will have you. Really, Grace? Shondra’s brother said you were making out with a guy half your age the other night at the beach. Now you’re dating a client? What happened to you?”
Red-hot indignation coursed through her veins. The catcaller who’d seen her and Owen kissing had been Shondra’s little brother? That was just freakin’ perfect, wasn’t it? She poked a finger into Bill’s chest as she spoke through clenched teeth. “The moment you decided to sleep with Shondra you lost the right to have any input in my life. Mind your own damned business, Bill. I’ll date whoever the hell I want to.”
“Grace—” he started.
“I don’t want to hear it.” She spun on her heel and stormed out.
Matt met her just outside the café.
“I am so sorry,” Grace said, mortified that her ex had interrupted their meeting, and worse, made her look like a fool. “That was completely unprofessional. I’ll make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
“Please. No need to say more.” He glanced through the window at Bill, who was at the counter ordering something to go. “I guess now’s a good time to let you know I interviewed him before settling on Landers Realty.”
Grace’s eyebrows shot up. “You did?” She hadn’t realized they’d met before, but now that she looked back on it, they had seemed more familiar than strangers.
Matt ran a hand through his silver hair and chuckled. “Yes. He was more interested in talking about his… ah, personal life than my real estate needs. I appreciate that you and Landers appear to be one hundred percent professional.”
“Thank you,” she said, wondering if she’d misinterpreted that look he’d given her earlier. Because right in that moment, he was all business. “We do our best.”
“That’s what I’m counting on.” He gave her a short nod and added, “I’ll see you in the morning. I’m looking forward to being impressed.”
Grace watched as the man climbed into a Land Rover that was equipped with a surfboard on the top. He waved briefly and then took off toward the beach.
All signs indicated that if she were interested, he just might be the perfect catch. He was attractive in an interesting way, fit enough to surf, was financially secure enough to buy a beach home, and his kids were grown. And even though she’d second guessed herself, she knew she hadn’t misconstrued his interest. Not that she’d ever act on it while he was her client, but after… Maybe?
But as she tried to picture herself walking with him on the beach, the only person she saw was Owen. The man who was too young for her and definitely not Mr. Forever.
She let out a bark of laughter and shook her head, trying to dislodge her thoughts. Mr. Forever? That was the last thing she needed.
What she needed was Mr. Right Now. Bill and his judgment could just go to hell.
Chapter Twelve
“I thought Joy was going to meet us,” Hope said. She was standing next to Grace in front of the large white cottage. The waves crashed in the distance, and the scent of the sea was thick in the dense fog.
“She’s at the courthouse researching property records.” The day before when Grace had been brainstorming ways to combat her haunted houses, she’d enlisted both of her coven sisters to help her figure out the best way to cleanse them without inviting new problems. Joy, whose hobbies included genealogy, figured it was best to find out who the ghosts were so they’d have a better idea of how to deal with them. Which was good since Gigi had asked Grace if she could find out the identities of the ghosts at the Victorian house. Hope was more of a take-charge kind of witch, just like Grace.
“What do you think?” Grace asked as she wrapped her sweater around herself tighter. She mentally thanked herself for taking the time to change from the skirt she’d worn that morning to jeans. The air had chilled significantly in the early afternoon, and even though early June was normally all sunshine in their seaside town, the