Chapter 30

Milo

 

 

All of Liza’s doting the day before had helped. I still wasn’t quite strong enough to head to practice, but I was feeling much better. I decided to take advantage of my day off and look at some properties. Last night I had taken Liza’s advice and done my own searching. I had found a bungalow that seemed to be exactly what I was looking for.

“Stan!” I greeted him with enthusiasm when he answered. “Do you have that realtor’s name for me? I found a house I want to look at today.”

“I think he’s going to get back to you today or tomorrow with some available listings,” he replied.

“That’s fine, but there’s one that I really wanted to see.”

“Okay, hold on, let me find it.”

He gave me the information, and I quickly hung up. I had a feeling Stan may not have accurately explained to the agent what I was really looking for. I didn’t want big. I wanted what I specified, and I wasn’t going to settle. I’d have the damn thing built if I had to.

I called the agent, explained the property I was interested in and managed to get an appointment. Why did no one want to show me what I was looking for? Everyone seemed dead set on steering me into something big and ugly.

Next, I called Liza.

“Hey,” I said when she answered.

“Oh, you sound much better!” she exclaimed. “How are you feeling?”

“I feel much better, and I owe it all to my nurse,” I teased. “Thank you for taking care of me. Really. That was a first for me, and I’m afraid you’ve spoiled me, now. The next time I get sick, I’m going to need you to take care of me.”

I heard her chuckle and smiled at the sound of it.

“Good,” she said, and I could actually hear the smile in her voice. “I’m glad I could help. I hope you’re not planning on going to practice. You may feel better, but don’t push it, you’ll be down again before you know it,” she lectured like a good nurse.

“I’m not. Actually, I’m going to look at a couple places today,” I told her, without telling her the details about the bungalow. I wanted to surprise her.

“Wow, that’s awesome and really fast.”

“Yep, when Stan wants to be, he can be very effective.”

“Good. I’m sure you pay him a great deal of money. He better be damn effective.”

“Exactly. So, I know it’s not a good idea for me to see Ainsley today, but maybe tomorrow?”

“I think we can work something out. Only if you promise to get some rest and drink lots of fluids. We don’t want a relapse for either one of you.”

“I will, I promise.”

“Okay, well just let me know. Have fun house shopping.”

We hung up, and I debated calling her back and asking her to go with me. I wanted her opinion but figured that might be a bigger step than either one of us was ready to take. We may not be ready to start talking about our future, but I could make sure Ainsley was always taken care of, no matter what happened.

I called the lawyer I’d put on retainer and scheduled a meeting for later today. I wanted to set up a trust fund for Ainsley. If my career fell apart, I wanted to make sure Ainsley didn’t have to worry about paying for college or her first car.

I stood, staring out the window of my hotel, watching the ocean ebb and flow. I didn’t do it often, but I let myself think about my past. My parents more specifically. I had been put into the foster system at the age of two. I didn’t remember my parents at all. How could I?

My mother had been a junkie. According to my birth certificate, I had no father. She didn’t know who the guy was. I had somehow managed to never get adopted. I had been through several social workers and basically gotten lost in the system. I was the proverbial rolling stone, from one place to the next. Football had been my only constant.

I would make sure Ainsley always had a home. She already had a great start in life with a mother who loved her dearly and provided very well for her. Her conception may have been an accident, but she was no mistake. Liza and I may not be meant to live happily ever after, but I would make sure Ainsley got the benefit of my wealth. Liza could use it or leave it in a savings account, but it would be there for Ainsley. She would never want for anything.

I checked the time and decided I better get my ass moving. I didn’t want to be late to meet the realtor.

“Mr. Pastek?” a younger guy said, stepping out of a fancy sports car in front of the property I was ready to look at.

“I am. You must be James.”

“Yes, sir. I have a list of other properties that may be a little more suitable. This one has been empty for a while, and it shows,” he explained.

I shook my head, frustrated. For some reason, these people couldn’t seem to get it through their heads.

“I’m sorry. I know this property probably isn’t what you are hoping to sell me, but this is what I’m looking for. I don’t want a big house. I don’t know if Stan explained that, but I’m looking for something that is smaller and on the beach. If that is going to be an issue, let me know, and I will call someone else more familiar with that market,” I said, as nicely as possible.

“No, no. This is fine. It’s just that a man of your status usually tends to want something different.”

“I don’t.”

“Got it. Okay, well let’s go take a look. I’ll warn you, I’ve never been out here before. I pulled up some of the information on the place. It was built in the late fifties. It has three bedrooms and a separate apartment above the garage. It was abandoned about three years ago. A couple different real estate developers have tried to buy it, but the property can’t be commercially developed.”

“Perfect,” I said, liking it already.

We walked through an iron gate and were instantly immersed in overgrown foliage. “I guess you’d need to hire a landscaper,” he joked.

I laughed, loving it the more we walked towards the place. I could see potential where he saw a problem. “It looks to have a good-sized yard,” I pointed out.

“Yes, the property sits on two acres, which is almost unheard of anymore. If you could tame the vines and trees, it could be a nice yard.”

We approached the front door, and my initial enthusiasm faded a bit. There were boards over the windows, giving the place a very run-down, spooky appearance. He pushed open the door, and we were both overwhelmed by a musty odor.

“It’s going to need some airing out,” he said, waving a hand in front of his face.

I nodded but wasn’t completely turned off. The moment we walked into the house, I fell in love. The entire far wall was windows that faced the beach. It was a spectacular view. I could see an old lawn chair sitting on the porch.

“This is awesome!”

The young realtor looked at me as if I were crazy but quickly adopted my excited attitude. “The windows will likely need to be updated, along with the flooring,” he said, as we began our walkthrough.

I vigorously nodded, already making lists of what I wanted to change in the house. “Where are the bedrooms?” I asked.

The master suite was in great shape. There was a bedroom that faced the ocean, which I decided right then would be Ainsley’s. The other room could be a playroom.

“I want it.”

“Excuse me?”

“I want it. I’ll pay asking price, but I want it,” I said again, completely confident in my decision.

“Are you sure you don’t want to look at some other properties? I would have to recommend you get a home inspection on this one. I suspect there could be some roof damage and you would need to redo the plumbing and possibly the wiring,” he explained.

“I don’t care. I want it.”

I knew I sounded like a petulant child, but I didn’t care. I was ready to get my hands dirty and do some manual labor. This would be a great way to stay busy in the offseason. My mind was whirring with the possibilities. The place had a lot of potential. It was a little rough around the edges, but it was perfect. I couldn’t wait to show Liza.

“Okay, well I can write up an offer and get it to the seller today,” he said.

“I’ll pay asking price. I don’t want to risk someone buying it out from under me.”

He guffawed, “I don’t think you have to worry about that.”

I glared at him.

“Sorry. I’ll tell the seller you’re very motivated and ready to move. Are you pre-approved for a loan?”

I looked at him. “What was the asking price?”

He told me, and I smiled. “I can write a check.”

His eyes bulged, “You want to do a cash purchase?”

I shrugged. “I guess. I have the money. I don’t need to get a bank loan.”

“Okay, listen, you’ve got to let me negotiate a lower price. With an all-cash offer, we can get this place a little cheaper.”

“Doesn’t that cut into your commission?” I asked.

He grinned. “Yes, but I love the thrill of making a good deal.”

“Fine, but don’t low-ball the guy and have him turn me down flat. I want this place like yesterday.”

“I can negotiate a quick close, assuming you don’t want that home inspection I strongly advise you to get,” he said.

I shrugged my shoulders. “I don’t want it. If I can have the keys on Monday, I’ll throw in a bonus for you.”

He smiled and shook his head. “While that would be nice, I can’t accept it. I will see what I can do to lock this thing up and have you signing papers on Monday. I’ll get back to you as soon as I hear. You’ll need to sign some papers and then we can move forward.”

We walked through the jungle that would be my front yard, chatting about what could be done to make it more attractive and functional.

“Thanks for showing me the place. I promise I won’t take up any more of your time if you can get this deal closed for me.”

“Thank you. I think you may be the easiest client I’ve ever had,” he said, laughing.

We got in our cars, and he promised to get back to me tomorrow with the seller’s answer. I couldn’t see why the seller wouldn’t accept the offer. I was ready to pay double. I had to have it.

On the drive back to the hotel, my mind whirred, elated at the prospect of being a real homeowner. I could have Ainsley come over and stay the night. We could play on the beach, play in the yard and maybe even get her a dog. I was so damn giddy I had to fight to keep myself from clapping my hands like a child. I had seen Ainsley do it so many times in even the short time I had known her. The curtain was finally lifting. I could see my future, and I liked what I saw.

By the time I made it back to my room, I was exhausted. I was feeling better, but I was definitely not up to my normal status. I crawled back in bed and fell asleep. When I woke up, my phone was flashing, letting me know I had missed a call.

I yawned and listened to the voicemail. Holy shit. I was going to be a homeowner.