the money to help with her medical bills.” Jim tells us. “I don’t have anything left in the bank.” He looks beaten.
“Have you had the place valued yet?” Cam asks at the same time as me. It would be funny if Jim didn’t look so beaten down.
Jim mentions a figure that seems pretty cheap to me, granted the place needs an overhaul, but it still seems good value for money compared to what he could have asked in Perth, or even Harvey.
“Have you listed it with the agent yet?” I don’t recall seeing a for sale board outside.
“No, not yet, I’ve been trying to work out whether to sink some money into it and then sell it, or just sell it as is. I guess I just want to get over to Derby sooner rather than later.” He takes a long slow drink before placing his glass neatly back on the coaster on the table.
I spend the rest of the morning mulling things over and checking various things on my tablet. I’ve got an idea I want to run past Cam, see if he thinks it makes sense or not.
“Cam, you got a minute?” I call him over to the table I’ve been sitting at for most of the afternoon.
“Yeah, sure what’s up mate?” He asks as he sits down next to me.
“I’ve been thinking about Jim’s problem and I might have a solution.” Cam looks at me with interest now.
“Yeah?”
“I’m thinking I might buy the place.” I stop waiting to see Cam’s reaction. He looks a little surprised, but I guess I did kind of come out of nowhere with this idea.
“You sure? I don’t see you as a pub landlord somehow, especially with our background.”
“It’s because of our background.” I can’t help playing with the beer mat in my hands. It’s getting a little tattered around the edges. “Everyone expects us to go into security work when we leave the Army, and I don’t want that. I just want to slow down the pace a little, and I like it here. I’ve got enough money in the bank to buy this place and fix it up.”
Cam looks at me, really looks at me as if he can see deep inside me. I know he’s worried about me, and with my recent drinking history buying a pub might not be the best idea I’ve ever had, but somehow this feels right. He picks up his glass and raises it towards me. “In that case, go for it. I think you’re right. It could be a good move for you.” We clink glasses in a toast. “Do you need a partner?”
“It’s your friend so I guess I can’t say no, but I’m happy to do this on my own. I wasn’t asking for a partner.” Cam looks slightly relieved when I say this, I know this isn’t the life he was looking for, but I also know he’d have done this with me if I asked him to.
“Well in that case I think we should go find Jim and tell him the good news.” Cam laughs.
I look at the tablet in front of me, and just for a moment wonder if I’m doing the right thing. Then I look around the empty bar. I feel at home here, this is the right thing for me; it’s the right place. It’s a new future.
Chapter Nineteen
Declan
My head is spinning at the speed at which things are happening. Jim practically snapped my hand off when I made him my offer. Luckily most of the legal stuff can be done online such as the title search, filing for the zoning certificate and filing for a drainage diagram. I’ve signed and completed so many forms I’ve lost track. There’s stamp duty to pay, legal titles to transfer and of course conveyancers and solicitors who want a cut of the pie as well.
It was surprisingly easy, and perhaps should have taken longer for me to spend that obscene amount of money. That’s technology for you. It’s going to take a couple of weeks for it all to confirm, but the paperwork’s completed and Jim’s booked his flight. In just a few days this place will be legally mine.
Cam called Luke and he’s given us the name of some reliable contractors who are able to come in at short notice and start gutting the place. Jim told us to go ahead, we don’t have to wait for
“Have you had the place valued yet?” Cam asks at the same time as me. It would be funny if Jim didn’t look so beaten down.
Jim mentions a figure that seems pretty cheap to me, granted the place needs an overhaul, but it still seems good value for money compared to what he could have asked in Perth, or even Harvey.
“Have you listed it with the agent yet?” I don’t recall seeing a for sale board outside.
“No, not yet, I’ve been trying to work out whether to sink some money into it and then sell it, or just sell it as is. I guess I just want to get over to Derby sooner rather than later.” He takes a long slow drink before placing his glass neatly back on the coaster on the table.
I spend the rest of the morning mulling things over and checking various things on my tablet. I’ve got an idea I want to run past Cam, see if he thinks it makes sense or not.
“Cam, you got a minute?” I call him over to the table I’ve been sitting at for most of the afternoon.
“Yeah, sure what’s up mate?” He asks as he sits down next to me.
“I’ve been thinking about Jim’s problem and I might have a solution.” Cam looks at me with interest now.
“Yeah?”
“I’m thinking I might buy the place.” I stop waiting to see Cam’s reaction. He looks a little surprised, but I guess I did kind of come out of nowhere with this idea.
“You sure? I don’t see you as a pub landlord somehow, especially with our background.”
“It’s because of our background.” I can’t help playing with the beer mat in my hands. It’s getting a little tattered around the edges. “Everyone expects us to go into security work when we leave the Army, and I don’t want that. I just want to slow down the pace a little, and I like it here. I’ve got enough money in the bank to buy this place and fix it up.”
Cam looks at me, really looks at me as if he can see deep inside me. I know he’s worried about me, and with my recent drinking history buying a pub might not be the best idea I’ve ever had, but somehow this feels right. He picks up his glass and raises it towards me. “In that case, go for it. I think you’re right. It could be a good move for you.” We clink glasses in a toast. “Do you need a partner?”
“It’s your friend so I guess I can’t say no, but I’m happy to do this on my own. I wasn’t asking for a partner.” Cam looks slightly relieved when I say this, I know this isn’t the life he was looking for, but I also know he’d have done this with me if I asked him to.
“Well in that case I think we should go find Jim and tell him the good news.” Cam laughs.
I look at the tablet in front of me, and just for a moment wonder if I’m doing the right thing. Then I look around the empty bar. I feel at home here, this is the right thing for me; it’s the right place. It’s a new future.
Chapter Nineteen
Declan
My head is spinning at the speed at which things are happening. Jim practically snapped my hand off when I made him my offer. Luckily most of the legal stuff can be done online such as the title search, filing for the zoning certificate and filing for a drainage diagram. I’ve signed and completed so many forms I’ve lost track. There’s stamp duty to pay, legal titles to transfer and of course conveyancers and solicitors who want a cut of the pie as well.
It was surprisingly easy, and perhaps should have taken longer for me to spend that obscene amount of money. That’s technology for you. It’s going to take a couple of weeks for it all to confirm, but the paperwork’s completed and Jim’s booked his flight. In just a few days this place will be legally mine.
Cam called Luke and he’s given us the name of some reliable contractors who are able to come in at short notice and start gutting the place. Jim told us to go ahead, we don’t have to wait for
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