Destiny is Served

Chapter 2

“Mr. Hurst there will be no need for us to go any further with this.  Your offer is insulting to be polite.  Your attitude toward me is sexist and full of shit.  I’m sure you have checked out my background and that of my property so you know it's worth.  My father bought the land that our family’s restaurant sits on when there was nothing in that neighborhood.  He peacefully operated his business there for twenty years before sharks like you decided to come along.  Please don’t bother to counter offer, you’ll only be wasting all of our time.” 

Kara is standing up by the time Aaron figures out what hit him and he hurriedly scoots his chair back. 

“I’m sorry Ms. Santino.  It was not my intent to insult you.  I believe this is a fair offer based on the numbers.”  He splutters out his response. 

“Really, well you need to fire whoever gave you those numbers.  You want me to accept a cash offer valued at a little more than half of what the property Santino’s sits on is worth along with this space.  I would have to spend most of the cash you are offering me to remodel it.   This building has been completed for over a year.  It already houses two restaurants one of which has recently closed with the second on the verge of closing.  I can see by the look on your face you didn’t know I was aware of that.  Mr. Hurst I live and work in a world surrounded by business people.  They like to talk when you feed them.  I suggest in the future you do your homework when the client is a female.  Not all of us are so taken with your handsomeness that our ovaries explode and we forget to think.” 

Kara stands up quickly.  She's feeling more confident now that she's wiped that smug look off his handsome face.   “Lester it was a pleasure to meet you, now if you’ll excuse me.” 

She grabs her purse from the table leaving the portfolio she walks out the bar door.  Aaron Hurst is standing in the same spot stunned that she left.  Lester continues to sit in his seat pulling out his cell phone.  As if on que it rings. 

“It’s your brother.  Do you want to tell him or do I need to do it?”  Lester looks up at Aaron showing him the ringing phone. 

“Tell him we are still in the meeting.  I’ll call him later.”  Aaron grabs the portfolio then hurries out the door to catch up with Kara but she’s already gone. 

Kara makes it back to her restaurant.  She's so angry she starts cleaning while still in her heels and dress.   She’s not sure what to do now.  She’s received three offers for her building this week.  The deal the Hurst family is offering is actually better than the other offers she has received so far.  Maybe she shouldn’t have burned her bridges with Aaron Hurst so soon.  

Braylin Hurst is walking out of the construction site of the mid-town development.  He looks down the street to the corner at the faded awning of the restaurant he hopes his family now owns.  It’s been a few hours he still hasn’t heard if his brother was able to close the deal on this place.  He’s angry at Aaron’s oversight in purchasing it before construction began on this project.  He promised not to interfere but the non-communication from Aaron already tells him his younger brother didn’t close the deal. 

He feels in his jacket pocket for his phone, touching the tissue with the ring in it instead.  He had no idea the restaurant that makes his favorite sandwich was in such disrepair.  He walks down to it to take a closer look at the outside of the building.  The restaurant name’s banner needs replacing and the front door handles look well worn.  Braylin pulls on the door handle to walk inside although the sign says closed. 

No one greets him at the entrance, he keeps walking into the main dining area.  A woman is straightening up tables and chairs.  She wipes down a booth,  he watches her brush a wisp of dark brown hair out of her face.  She looks attractive from the back.  She's over dressed to be cleaning tables.  The turquoise body hugging dress she’s wearing compliments her curvy figure and her heels show off her long sexy legs.  She looks sad, her nose is red he can tell she’s been crying.  As he debates how to get her attention without scaring her she looks up.