A Moment Like You (The Baker’s Creek Billionaire Brothers #2) - Claudia Burgoa Page 0,64
away. So now, we are looking into buying a building to relocate Merkel’s corporate offices.
After researching online, hiring a commercial realtor, and deciding on a budget, we came to Portland to look at the units we’ve liked so far. Most of them are located in mid-southeast Portland. The one we’re visiting is the seventh building we’ve seen since we had lunch a few hours ago.
“How much is it?” I ask the realtor when we are done looking at the top floor where I plan on setting my office. We’ve walked through every corner of this facility, and so far I think this is the best place she has shown us.
“Its original price was one point five. There’s another down—”
“Is this one for rent or for sale,” I interrupt the realtor.
“For sale,” she answers.
“Soph, what do you think?”
“The cost is less than I had projected,” she says. “We could fit several departments or move the entire company and just leave a few key employees in Manhattan. You could rent out the empty office space we’re leaving behind in the New York building to other companies. It’s prime real estate space. We could recover the investment within five years or less.”
“Exactly what I was thinking,” I agree with her and look at the realtor. “We’re ready to make an offer.”
The realtor sighs with relief and heads toward the elevator. She thought we were joking when we said we’d be looking all day long until we found just the right place.
“She’s done with us,” Sophia whispers. “Well, with you. Not everyone can put up with you for more than two hours, and it’s been almost eight.”
We started our search for the perfect building right after Sophia and I dropped her parents off at the airport. They are going back to New York for at least a month. It was sad to see them go, but they promised to come back. Natalia made several new friends, and she doesn’t want to miss the upcoming festivals. She’s also worried about leaving Sophia behind. After all, she’s the baby of the family.
“What are you thinking?” I ask Sophia as we climb down the stairs.
“Once we decide which departments will be relocating into Portland, we have to create a program along with a substantial package that includes moving expenses and incentives. It’s going to be difficult.”
“We won’t have to make many difficult choices if we just move the entire company,” I say.
She’s right. It won’t be an easy transition. We’ve been making a lot of changes already, but I have to think about everyone. Most of all, about my family. They live on this side of the country, and I can’t see myself living away from them. Not anymore.
We understand that not all of them are going to want to uproot their lives and their families. Those will have a severance package, and then we will be opening the positions for the locals.
“What happened to the previous owners?” Sophia asks as we head toward the door where the realtor is waiting for us.
“It is owned by a company that planned on relocating from Los Angeles. They bought the land, built it to their specifications. A couple of months before they moved, there were some problems and they chose to stay put in California.”
“Well, that’s a drastic decision,” I state, surprised that someone would just walk away from a place with state-of-the-art installations and located in one of the hottest spots in Portland.
“It’s as if someone made it for you,” Sophia says as we make our way to the car, then she tells our realtor, “We’ll see you at your office.”
“Are you sure this is it?” I ask her. “Price isn’t an object.”
She goes on and on how this is the perfect building until we arrive at the realtor’s office where I sign the offer to acquire the unit. Sophia asks her for the number of a realtor that can help us relocate our employees since she’s a commercial agent. Once we have everything, we drive back to Baker’s Creek.
“I feel accomplished,” she says as I park the car in her garage. It’s around six, and we still have to make a few calls before we are done for the day.
“Thank fuck it’s Friday and we don’t have work tomorrow.”
Sophia looks at me funny and then smiles. “Seriously, did you get a lobotomy? Or someone abducted you and placed the wrong man back into this body?”