office together. So, if I make my own coffee and head into work around 8:00a.m. Ben won’t be there. If he follows our routine (which I’m sure he will), he will arrive shortly after nine. This will give me about an hour or so to quickly review my files then flee from the office to start my client follow up for the day before he gets there. But, if he does happen to show up before nine, I still look fabulous enough to storm out with some sass.
****
I arrive at work five minutes before eight, and am greeted by Millie, the receptionist, a plump redhead with a bad case of freckles. As I approach her desk, she slides off her jacket and powers on her computer.
“Hey Megan! Congratulations on the Gold Coast listing! Jake told me Oprah is the client selling the property. How cool is that going to be to meet Oprah?” Millie says all smiles.
I nod and try to hide my laughter, because Mille is subject to a lot of office pranks by Jake (another realtor in our office) due to her gullible persona.
“What are you doing here so early?” Millie asks as she tosses a piece of gum in her mouth.
“I have lots of work to catch up on.” I say with a smile.
“Welcome back!” Millie shouts as I make my way through the double doors, leading into the rows and rows of cubicles.
The office is quiet and empty, except for a few people scattered here and there. It is crazy how in less than an hour from now, this place will be packed with phones ringing and paper flying all over the place. I have to say, I really missed work. Like a lot. Even with Ben only a few cubicles away, this place is like home to me.
I flop down into my chair and toss my cell on my desk. Like Emily promised, there is a whack load of files piled high beside the computer with a yellow sticky note on top. I glance down at it, and notice right away it isn’t Emily’s handwriting, its Ben’s.
WE NEED TO TALK. PLEASE CALL ME.
I rip the note off of the files, crumple it up and toss it into the garbage. I can’t believe he expects me to call him! No way. He’s crazy. I am not chasing after him like all the Mindy’s, Stephanie’s and Jezebel’s he’s used too. If he even thinks for a second that I would do such a thing, then he obviously doesn’t know me at all. Besides, I am not the one who took off on an early flight to leave him alone, humiliated and castrated by the whole entire wedding.
“Well look who’s here!” Clint Reitman, the owner of Reitman Realty LLC the company I work for and my boss says as he strolls up to my desk.
“Good morning Clint” I mumble, noticing he actually has a clean-shaven face today. He usually sports quite the beard.
“Well how’s my favorite realtor feeling today? Did you already contact Mrs. Dorothy van den Berg?” He says looking over his glasses and leans on my desk.
“I’m better thank you. Who is Mrs. Dorothy van den Berg?”
“The owner of 1502 North Dearborn Parkway” Clint sternly says and crosses his arms over his potbelly.
Oh crap! The Gold Coast listing! Surely Clint is expecting I am on my A game after abandoning my career for a week and taking a sick day. The fact that I don’t even know the address or name of my client will be enough to send him into a fury.
“Oh right, sorry. I am about to call her right now.” I smile and pick up my cell, waving it in his face.
“Well you better. Mrs. Van den Berg is a very important client. She buys and sells properties all over Chicago, and for some reason she wants you, so do not disappoint.” Clint says as he slams his fist down on my desk and storms off to his office.
I scan through my files, searching desperately for Mrs. van den Berg’s phone number until I find it. Bingo! I punch in her number on my cell and wait for her to pick up. When Mrs. van den Berg’s raspy voice answers the other end of the line, I am relieved.
She tells me she is delighted to hear from me, and compliments me by saying she has heard great things about both my work and me. She also adds that she knows I will be