the SUV, Paulie could feel how much his tiger approved. Most of the acreage was completely hidden from neighbors which meant he should be able to shift regularly.
“Of course, your wife will be welcomed in our exclusive area.” Paulie’s head shot up as the agent’s words pierced his thoughts. They were in the house, sitting on an elegant three-piece suite that looked as though it’d break if anyone leaned back on it. The agent, Carl Reynolds, had ignored Paulie completely, fixated on a commanding Zeus who’d decided to wear a suit for the occasion.
“Most of the women who live in this area volunteer a few afternoons a month for various worthy causes, and there are plenty of committees that would welcome your dear lady, if she was inclined to join. It would be a great way for her to meet the right sort of people. And of course, the get togethers we have at the lake are always well attended.” Carl rustled his papers. “When is… oh, here it is. When are you expecting Pauline to join you here? I assume you’ve put the house in her name for tax purposes. That’s very common around here for men in business like yourself. That’s what prenups are for, right?” Paulie had an urge to slap that smarmy smile right off the agent’s face.
Zeus stiffened, any semblance of politeness falling from his face, leaving the glare of an ancient god who was pissed off. “Am I to understand, that despite numerous emails, phone calls and my even spelling out the name I wanted this house bought under to you just yesterday, you have registered my purchase in the name of a non-existent wife?”
“Non-existent wife? Mr. Sthenios… Dias.” Carl’s face went white as he tried to talk calmly, stumbling over the name Zeus used among humans. “I assure you, there’s been no mistake. See, I have the piece of paper right here. I took it down exactly as you said. Here.” He pointed at a piece of notepaper. “P. A. U. L. I. E.” he spelled out, tapping each letter as he said it.
“Exactly. Paulie Sthenios. My husband. Not Pauline.” Snatching up the papers off the table, Zeus muttered, “Pauline. Pauline. Fucking Pauline.” A loud ripping sound filled the room as Zeus took his anger out on the papers. “This house was meant for my beloved Paulie, the man you’ve managed to insult just by breathing.”
“Zeus. Dias.” Paulie corrected himself quickly. “I’m sure Mr. Reynolds made a perfectly understandable mistake…”
“Mistake?” Zeus shrugged off Paulie’s hand on his arm as he stood, his hands on his hips. “I spend over five million dollars on this pissant piece of real estate, and you can’t even get the right name on the fucking paperwork?”
“Mr. Sthenios, I assure you…” Carl looked around wildly. “I can have the paperwork corrected within the hour. I had no idea… I didn’t realize that you were, you and he…” he waved helplessly between Zeus and Paulie.
“The word you’re looking for is gay, or homosexual if you prefer,” Paulie said quickly, standing up and holding onto Zeus’s arm. “Babe, you heard the man, the paperwork can be corrected. If you still want this house…”
“Want this house?” Zeus’s eyes flashed and Paulie knew he was within seconds of really giving Carl something to worry about. “I wouldn’t live in this fucking community if you paid me triple the price they want for this box of sticks.”
“Mr. Sthenios, please.” Carl stood up and ran his hand down his tie. “The money for the sale is quite safe in our trust account. This property features some exceptional architectural qualities and the very latest in smart home and security features. Admittedly, there is a small amount of work involved, removing all those trees so you can extend the lawn…”
“Did you hear that Paulie?” Zeus was building up to a full godly roar. “He wants to get rid of the trees – the only damn reason I thought this place would work for us.”
“You told me you liked the columns at the front of the house,” Paulie reminded his angry mate quietly. “But we don’t have to buy this house if you don’t want to. Remember, there’s that lovely castle in Scotland you thought was suitable too, or the one in France.”
“Pauline. Damn it. Paulie.” Now Carl was getting himself into a state as well, probably at the thought of his commission flying out the window. “Paulie, there is nothing wrong with this house. I made one