to do.” He moved the pencil holder back where it was, and then just started randomly moving items around on his desk. “How are Allie and Megan handling all this?”
Caroline stood up and was about to place her hands on Richard’s to slow his nervous energy, thought better of it, and instead moved closer to the door. “Not too well, actually, but it’s nice of you to ask. This is really hard on Allie, and bewildering for Megan.”
“She’s a tough kid, and I’m sure she’ll adjust. If you need any help…I mean, if your family needs any help…” Richard turned away, blushing again. After a moment of silence, he gave her a polite nod and said, “Well, have a nice Memorial Day weekend.”
“Thanks. You, too.” Caroline closed the door behind her and breathed deeply, willing her queasy stomach to calm down. She gave her desk a quick straightening before heading out the front door.
“Lucy! What are you still doing here?” Caroline asked when she reached the reception desk. Lucy was engrossed in a romance novel and didn’t even look up.
“Too much traffic. Besides, I have to come to work to get some rest, what with two helpless guys at home. And one of them isn’t even in diapers.” Lucy looked up and winked, making Caroline giggle. “I’ll leave in about half an hour after the traffic dies down.”
“Do you have plans for the holiday weekend?” Caroline asked.
Lucy turned a page in her book. “Jonathan and his brother have tickets to the Indy 500, so I’ll be home chasing after a toddler.” She looked up from her book. “Is there anything you need?”
Caroline shook her head. “No. Just wondered.”
Lucy shrugged. “Maybe you just need a little TLC.” She reached across the waist-high reception desk, stretching as far as her growing belly would allow, and gave Caroline’s shoulders a quick squeeze. “Don’t let Sharlene get you down, Caroline. That one’s a handful.”
Caroline smiled. “You’re a good friend, Lucy.”
Chapter Five
“Emily Martin! It’s so good to see you here in Indianapolis again.” Frank Kinley beamed as he shook Emily’s hand and ushered her and Susan into the conference room.
“You too, Frank.” Emily plopped her briefcase on the conference table.
“And this must be Susan Benedict, our homebuyer.” Frank turned and politely shook her hand, and then held a chair for her. “You come highly recommended from our sorely missed colleague here. Emily was our top saleswoman before she allowed herself to be lured to Chicago.”
Susan laughed. “Nice to meet you, too, Frank. I have to admit I miss having her here in town, but she’s managing to keep your office up there pretty busy.”
“Not to mention the killing I made on that downtown brownstone Sara had her eye on.” Emily winked at Frank.
“How is Ms. Whetstone anyway? Still running that law firm with an iron fist?”
Emily’s wife, Sara Whetstone, was a partner in the Chicago firm of Moreland, Kurtis and Whetstone, and licensed to practice in both Indiana and Illinois.
“Slight exaggeration, Frank.”
Frank folded his arms and leaned against the wooden cabinet adjacent to the table. “Well, she’s got that reputation as a tough lawyer to maintain.”
Susan laughed. “Did you ever hear how they met, Frank? Sara stepped on Emily’s foot.”
Frank looked puzzled. “Stepped on her foot?”
Emily shrugged. “Well, it was summer and I was wearing shorts and sandals. Sara was with a client and had on a suit and spike heels.”
“Ouch!” Frank winced.
Emily got down to business. “So are we going to close this house today, Frank?”
“Yes, but unfortunately, I have another appointment, so I’m going to turn this over to Jared McIntyre. He’s young, but he’s a capable mortgage loan officer.” Frank picked up the phone on the wall near the corner cabinet. “Jared, we’re ready for you.” He turned to Susan and smiled at her once more. “It’s nice to finally meet you, Susan.
Caroline stood up and was about to place her hands on Richard’s to slow his nervous energy, thought better of it, and instead moved closer to the door. “Not too well, actually, but it’s nice of you to ask. This is really hard on Allie, and bewildering for Megan.”
“She’s a tough kid, and I’m sure she’ll adjust. If you need any help…I mean, if your family needs any help…” Richard turned away, blushing again. After a moment of silence, he gave her a polite nod and said, “Well, have a nice Memorial Day weekend.”
“Thanks. You, too.” Caroline closed the door behind her and breathed deeply, willing her queasy stomach to calm down. She gave her desk a quick straightening before heading out the front door.
“Lucy! What are you still doing here?” Caroline asked when she reached the reception desk. Lucy was engrossed in a romance novel and didn’t even look up.
“Too much traffic. Besides, I have to come to work to get some rest, what with two helpless guys at home. And one of them isn’t even in diapers.” Lucy looked up and winked, making Caroline giggle. “I’ll leave in about half an hour after the traffic dies down.”
“Do you have plans for the holiday weekend?” Caroline asked.
Lucy turned a page in her book. “Jonathan and his brother have tickets to the Indy 500, so I’ll be home chasing after a toddler.” She looked up from her book. “Is there anything you need?”
Caroline shook her head. “No. Just wondered.”
Lucy shrugged. “Maybe you just need a little TLC.” She reached across the waist-high reception desk, stretching as far as her growing belly would allow, and gave Caroline’s shoulders a quick squeeze. “Don’t let Sharlene get you down, Caroline. That one’s a handful.”
Caroline smiled. “You’re a good friend, Lucy.”
Chapter Five
“Emily Martin! It’s so good to see you here in Indianapolis again.” Frank Kinley beamed as he shook Emily’s hand and ushered her and Susan into the conference room.
“You too, Frank.” Emily plopped her briefcase on the conference table.
“And this must be Susan Benedict, our homebuyer.” Frank turned and politely shook her hand, and then held a chair for her. “You come highly recommended from our sorely missed colleague here. Emily was our top saleswoman before she allowed herself to be lured to Chicago.”
Susan laughed. “Nice to meet you, too, Frank. I have to admit I miss having her here in town, but she’s managing to keep your office up there pretty busy.”
“Not to mention the killing I made on that downtown brownstone Sara had her eye on.” Emily winked at Frank.
“How is Ms. Whetstone anyway? Still running that law firm with an iron fist?”
Emily’s wife, Sara Whetstone, was a partner in the Chicago firm of Moreland, Kurtis and Whetstone, and licensed to practice in both Indiana and Illinois.
“Slight exaggeration, Frank.”
Frank folded his arms and leaned against the wooden cabinet adjacent to the table. “Well, she’s got that reputation as a tough lawyer to maintain.”
Susan laughed. “Did you ever hear how they met, Frank? Sara stepped on Emily’s foot.”
Frank looked puzzled. “Stepped on her foot?”
Emily shrugged. “Well, it was summer and I was wearing shorts and sandals. Sara was with a client and had on a suit and spike heels.”
“Ouch!” Frank winced.
Emily got down to business. “So are we going to close this house today, Frank?”
“Yes, but unfortunately, I have another appointment, so I’m going to turn this over to Jared McIntyre. He’s young, but he’s a capable mortgage loan officer.” Frank picked up the phone on the wall near the corner cabinet. “Jared, we’re ready for you.” He turned to Susan and smiled at her once more. “It’s nice to finally meet you, Susan.
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