Page 84 of Fierce-Matt

“Which means the morning. But you know you’ve got the final decision, Mom.”

“Anya, that doesn’t mean I’m not going to let him be part of it. If he’s clearheaded and comprehending it, I want him to have a say. Your father has his pride too.”

“I know. I’m so excited and loved these two women. They will make the building shine.”

Amber smiled, a tear forming in her eye. “I’m happy for that. I’m sorry it’s coming to this, but I knew the day would arrive. Tell me about them so I can share in your excitement.”

Anya filled her mother in on Sally and Paula, the plans for the building and the joy they had viewing the property.

“I’m thrilled they put an offer in. I’m not shocked it was over asking and there is a part of me that feels bad about that.”

“Why?” her mother said. “Isn’t that what the object is? Getting the highest you can?”

“Calvin was jerking them around. It really bothered me. I’d never do that and I feared he was going to continue. I wanted them to have it and fibbed so Calvin moved faster.”

“It’s not like you to do that,” her mother said. “But everyone is going to win in the end. It’s only five thousand more. On two million, it’s not a large amount.”

“I know. I have to remember that.” She moved to hug her mother. It was part of the game, just one she didn’t like to play. “This has to be an enormous weight off your shoulders.”

“It will be,” Amber said. “When it’s final. I’ve learned not to get too excited until it’s done. We have to pay off close to a million in debt. Then there will be taxes on the sale of the property.”

So not as much of a nest egg as she’d hoped for her parents. She should have pushed to list it higher but hadn’t asked her mother too many personal questions.

“Do you want to hold out for more?” she asked. They could turn this down and see what happened.

“Heavens no,” her mother said, waving her hand as if she was swatting a pesky fly. “Just having the building gone is one less headache. We got what we asked for. I want out from under it. The longer we hold on, the more we have to pay out we don’t have. This is the best thing. And Matt seems to think we are going to get more than Shelly took from us.”

It was the lead-in that she was hoping for to talk about Matt.

“He told me that,” she said.

Her mother was reaching for the bottle of wine that Anya brought to celebrate, but stopped to turn and look at her before she opened it.

They were in the kitchen. Anya opened the fridge to get some cheese and fruit.

“When did you talk to Matt?” her mother asked, then opened the cabinet for the glasses.

“This morning was the last time,” she said. She’d texted him right away when the offer came in. He didn’t reply for an hour. She knew he was busy.

But he called to congratulate her. She was screaming on the other line. It was her biggest sale and largest commission ever. His laughter over her news had her kicking her feet in the air.

Amber had put her foot down and said there was no way Anya wasn’t getting her commission and the thought of that check now was peanut butter sauce on her hot fudge sundae.

“Is there a problem that Matt needed to call you?” her mother asked.

“No. I’ve got something to tell you.”

Her mother handed over the wineglass. “Are you dating Matt?”

“How did you jump to that?” Talk about working herself up for no reason.

“Anya,” her mother said, the slow smile spreading across her lips. “You had such a crush on him as a teen. I knew. You told me.”

“Then I couldn’t stand him,” she argued.

“I know. Kids are kids and you two hit a rocky spot, but I knew he was a good kid under it all.”

“He was. He is. I didn’t know it then. He’s done a lot to get me to accept his apology.”