“You mean when I kissed you on the cheek because your dog died and you were sad?” I asked. “Have you ever stopped to consider that maybe you read too much into situations? What is it going to take to get you to file the documents? Is that a date? The time of day? Just tell me, and we can make it happen. I'm getting tired of you using this as an excuse to drag things out.”
“Geeze, you don’t need to get all defensive and emotional about it. I was just joking around.” Neil muttered.
Neil looked less than happy with my answer, but he turned back to the forms in front of us and started to fill them out. I hid the sigh of relief from his watchful gaze. It wouldn’t be long now, and I’d have to tell him ‘no’ with a little more gusto. I could only tackle one crisis at a time, though, and tonight it was purchasing a building I’d already moved into.
He wasn’t the type to take ‘no’ for an answer. I knew that I would have to deal with Neil for as long as I owned the property. For the asking price and the perfect location, plus his parent's willingness to work with me on the loan as a single mother, it couldn’t be beaten. Granted, if I’d known dealing with Neil was part of the package, I very well may have reconsidered.
“I guess everything is in order,” Neil muttered. “I’ll get the paperwork submitted first thing in the morning, and you’ll have the deed by the end of the week.”
“Thank you, Neil,” I told him. “Really. For everything that you’ve done.”
His gaze softened. “See, when you talk like that, it shows me that there is something there between us, something I know that you can feel too. This is the real deal, why can't you see that?”
“Neil, I think of you as a friend, okay? Your mom and dad have really helped me in getting the gallery. You know that I’ll always feel grateful to you for that.”
“So now that you’ve got what you want, I don’t matter, huh?” He snapped.
It was apparent that I wasn’t going to be making any ground with him. We’d gone through the same song and dance every time I needed something done with the property. His parents, bless their hearts, just thought we’d be the perfect match. They had no idea that Neil had a dark side, one I’d seen each time he was rejected. It wouldn’t be surprising if he ended up snapping one day.
I didn’t want to be on the other end of that break. Picking at the last of my dessert, I snatched the bill the second it arrived. He glared at me again, but I paid him no mind. It wasn’t a gesture of goodwill. It was to keep him from arguing about it with the staff. A penny pincher and cheapskate, the only money he approved of leaving his pocket was the money he was sure would come back.
“I don’t mind paying for this,” Neil said. “This is a company meal, you are signing documents. It wasn’t the best I’ve ever had, though.”
“I really don’t mind,” I said.
“Jesus, Stacy, you won't even let a man pay for his meal. It’s no wonder you can't find a dad for your kid. Maybe if you let a man in once in a while, things would be different.”
My back stiffened. I couldn’t handle Neil’s sour mood and cold words any longer. If he was going to drag me down simply for not liking him as a romantic interest, it would be a cold day in hell before I dated him. Before I lost my temper, I tossed money on the table and rose. His cheeks instantly flushed in anger at my pending exit.
“Sit back down; you need to learning to take a joke.”
“And you need to learn not to be a prick,” I snapped. “The next time we talk, I suggest that you have better manners.”
Before he could argue with me, I stormed from the restaurant. The paperwork was signed, and the deposit had been paid. Neil’s parents loved me. There was no reason I needed to keep on pretending like he was anything short of a disgusting pig. I knew that my actions would have repercussions. Neil wasn’t the kind of man to take being rejected in stride.
With the official gallery opening just days away, I couldn’t focus on him any