Rise (Rise & Fall Duet #1) - Grahame Claire Page 0,18

the phone or video chat.

I hadn’t figured out a way to keep her in the city, something I should probably recruit Teague to help with. But I dreaded when she went back to London. I knew my sister well enough not to say that or she’d be on the first flight out of here.

“What he’s asking isn’t a bad deal.” I glanced behind me at the gray Manhattan skyline. It matched my mood.

“I know.” She sighed. “But I didn’t like what we saw in the tour. There were some cosmetic things that looked all right on the surface, though I’m pretty sure they were just Band-Aids for bigger problems.”

I was impressed she’d noticed. Beau might actually be better at the real estate business than I was, despite that I had six years more experience. She’d made our UK office what it was single-handedly and created a fantastic portfolio of properties not only throughout Europe, but on a global scale.

“There’s room in the price to make repairs and still be profitable.”

She folded her hands on her lap. “I don’t have a good feeling about it.”

I trusted her instincts implicitly. In this instance, they didn’t matter. I was moving forward with this deal.

“It’s an opportunity to expand to a new area.”

“I agree we should explore the area, but this isn’t the property to do it.”

It was the best one I’d found on the market. There wasn’t time to pursue off-market options.

“We need to seize on what’s available,” I said evenly.

“Why are you so attached to this place?”

Leave it to my sister to see through my motives. “I’ve made an empire with my methods.” And because I wanted it now.

She narrowed her gaze. “We’ve made an empire.”

“Yes. We have.” I didn’t want an unnecessary argument with Beau. She was a greater asset to the business than I was. “My point is that this is how I operate.”

“I’ve worked with you almost fifteen years. I know exactly how you operate.”

“Not on an in-person basis.” Why was I engaging in this discussion? Had I not just thought I wanted to avoid an escalation? “Change the offer to include paying all closing costs.”

She dropped her feet to the floor. “Are we trying to give away the farm here?” She shook her head. “No way. That’s a generous offer. More than fair. We’re in the business of making money.”

“We don’t deal in farms.” It was a petty, ridiculous response. One that could further confirm her suspicions that something was off with me.

“What’s this about?”

I’d already evaded her earlier question and fully intended to again.

“A different direction. Something new.” Maybe making a difference instead of a profit.

“The next thing you’ll tell me is you’re ready to settle down and start a family. Or get a dog.” She threw her hands up.

“I’m not getting a family or a dog. I have you and Teague. That’s more than enough.”

She pushed out of the chair. “Come on. If I’m rewriting this offer, I want to see the property again.”

“I don’t have time.” I motioned to the piles scattered around the surface of my desk.

“Then I don’t have time to revise the contract.” She shrugged and headed across the plush carpet to the door.

I rolled my chair back. “Wait up.”

She grinned as I grabbed my jacket. “You’re buying lunch.”

“You’re too quiet.”

Beau walked in step beside me as the realtor rambled on about the features of the building. She hadn’t said a word since we’d introduced ourselves to the woman.

“You wouldn’t want to hear it.” She raked her eyes over the decrepit space.

“We’re here so you can share your thoughts.”

She gave the realtor a false smile. “Can you give us a few minutes?”

The woman nodded and scurried away.

Beau pushed on the wall and it gave a little. “This is not a good buy, Lincoln.” Before I could protest, she held up her hand. “We’ve made a killing off some properties that look worse than this, but they want a premium and there’s no wiggle room for error here.”

“We have materials left from a project in Brooklyn we just wrapped up—”

“This isn’t Brooklyn. And even so, that isn’t enough.” She pressed the ball of her foot into the hardwood flooring . . . at least what used to be hardwood.

“Anything we purchase now is going to be at a premium.” I put my hands in my pockets.

She groaned. “Don’t give me that move. I already know you’ve made up your mind.”

I never realized placing my hands in the pockets of my trousers was a