say…word for word?”
As I recant the story, he listens with careful concern. He doesn’t blow me off or say anything that makes me feel any better, which I suppose is what I was hoping for, so the conversation only leaves me feeling worse.
The girls exit the ride, ask if they can go again, and Greg waves them through. Then he turns to me. “What do you want to do?” he asks logically, in a way that infuriates me. Therefore, I lie.
“I’m going to talk to Dana about having two agents at open houses from now on. I feel like this is something that should have happened a long time ago.”
“This is a pretty safe town,” Greg says, playing devil’s advocate.
“You’re right,” I sigh. “It’s probably not a big deal. It just freaked me out.”
“But you said he didn’t threaten you?”
I consider him for a moment and decide to leave out the part about Mooney mentioning him and the girls. I’m not really in the mood to argue semantics. “Not exactly, no.”
“I wouldn’t worry then. He’s probably all bark and no bite.”
He’s right, I’m here. I’m safe. Might as well suck it up and be present. I plaster a smile on my face. “Like you said, he’s probably just trying to scare me.”
Greg nods. “I think it’s working.”
Dana works the booth with me after Sarah gets sick from carnival food. If only I’d thought of that one. It’s relatively slow, mostly former clients and neighbors stopping by to say hello. I’m deep into conversation with Mr. Crowley about Rocky when I feel a tap on my shoulder.
When I pivot, I see a familiar face staring back at me. “Alex.”
“I wasn’t expecting to see you here,” he says. He glances at Mr. Crowley with a hopeful smile, as though to say, is it okay if I interrupt this dance? “Good thing though—I’m looking for a new place.”
Dana comes over. “Alex? Long time—”
“You two know each other?” I ask, looking from Dana to Alex.
“She helped me sell my house.”
“Oh—”
“It’s okay,” Dana coughs, sensing that I don’t want to step on any toes. She looks down at the phone in her hand. “I’ll let you two catch up. Actually, I have a call to make.”
Mr. Crowley clears his throat. “Guess I’ll be going then.”
“I’ll have Naomi stop in tomorrow morning,” I call after him as he hobbles away.
Then I turn back to Alex, as though I’m shocked to see him standing there, and I am. I haven’t seen him in years. “It’s good seeing you,” he tells me, shoving his hands in his pockets. He teeters on the balls of his feet. “It’s been a long time. You look well.”
“Yes,” I say. “It has.” I glance over my shoulder at the booth and then back at him. “You look well, too.”
“I’m not, really,” he half-laughs. “But it’s good to know I can fake it.”
“What brings you by? You’re thinking of selling?”
“No.” He presses his lips into a thin line. “Already did that. I’m ready to buy something. At least I think—”
A family walks up to the booth. Both Alex and I look over at them and then to each other. “I’ll be right with you,” I say.
“Come on!” A little boy squeals. “This is no fun!” His father quiets him, but his little brother starts in, pulling at his mother’s hands.
“You’d better get to it,” Alex says with a nod. “Tough customers.”
I fish my card off the stand. “Here, why don’t you give Dana a call—I’m sure she can help you—”
“I don’t want to work with Dana. I want to work with you.”
“I see.”
He smiles politely, but in a way that doesn’t touch his eyes. “I have a feeling she’ll understand.”
As he walks away, I think about how wrong he is. Dana never loses a sale without a fight.
Dana returns with popcorn and a chipper attitude. She doesn’t seem pissed, which is not surprising. “I had no idea you knew Alex,” she remarks, stuffing a handful of popcorn into her mouth. She holds the carton out to me.
I shake my head. “He was my roommate in college.”
“Really?” Her bottom lip juts out. “Tragic situation. Horrible.”
I check my phone to see how much time is left on the clock. I can’t wait to get out of here and meet up with my family. I cock my head. “Tragic? What do you mean?”
“You haven’t kept up with him, then?”
I shrug. She sets the carton of popcorn on the plastic table and straightens the brochures to her