Page 31

Back in Carmela’s car, Rhiannon plopped herself down in the passenger seat and kicked o her heels. “Well, that was a colossal waste of time,” she complained before pulling o her blazer and pointing all the car air vents at herself.

Carmela chuckled. The mild tantrum was kind of cute, and this time she couldn’t blame the buzz of wine when she’d stuck to sparkling water.

“It’s not a waste,” she said, opting to take the longer, non-highway route to the o ce where Rhiannon’s car was waiting. “Remember this whole business is about the long game. Focusing on only short-term success is the best way to burn out. Every time you meet someone and make a good impression, which you surely did when you charmed the pants o everyone at that table, you plant a seed. It could be months or even years before anything comes of it. But next time that agent who only works for Luca has something to refer in our area, I bet you anything he’ll think of you first.”

Rhiannon grumbled, “That’s not helping us sell this ho

use now.”

Shaking her head, Carmela let her passenger stew.

A few minutes later, Rhiannon turned down the radio and looked at her. “Charmed the pants o of everyone, huh?”

Carmela didn’t need to look at her to confirm she was smirking. “Don’t make me regret being nice to you,” she snapped as her heart pumped a little harder.

“I think you like me even though you wish you didn’t,”

Rhiannon guessed.

“We’re stuck together selling this house,” she replied, trying to sound disinterested. “I have to do my best to keep

you from blowing it.”

Rhiannon cackled. “Come on, Carm. You can admit it. I won’t tell anyone your filthy secret.”

The poke at her side was unexpected, triggering Carmela to swerve into the empty lane next to her. “Are you trying to kill us?” Carmela shrieked.

“You’re so dramatic,” Rhiannon replied, still laughing.

“Why can’t you admit that you like me? Just a little.”

Carmela bit back a smile as Rhiannon leaned over the center console with her exaggerated smile and heady perfume. “I tolerate you for this house,” she insisted, making her tone as dry and apathetic as possible.

“Bullshit,”

Rhiannon

countered

with

irritating

confidence.

Carmela refused to admit the brat was right. Not even to herself.

“Think whatever helps you sleep at night, but for the record, I can barely stand you,” Carmela replied, but she hadn’t sold the icy tone and prompted another bark of laughter from her smug passenger.

“Whatever you say, Ms. Bravo. Listen . . . I’ve been thinking about something,” Rhiannon sat up as they pulled into the o ce parking lot and she parked next to Rhiannon’s obviously borrowed car.

“A disastrous development,” Carmela joked before unbuckling her seatbelt and turning to face her.

“Very funny. So, I’ve been thinking about some out of the box ideas for getting the right people to see this house, and Liz nixed all but one—”

“You went to Liz before you talked to me?” Carmela snapped. “Why?” She wasn’t sure why she felt so slighted.

“Ummm because I wanted to present only good quality options and increase my chances of you agreeing to