Wolf's Fake Bride (Shifter Marriage Service Book 1)

So much for power and confidence. She started to giggle. She was still smiling as she opened the door to enter the establishment. Walking over to the table, she noted how he glanced down at his watch.

“I thought we agreed upon six,” he scowled.

“It is six,” she replied.

“It’s actually two past,” he replied.

“Ah. Sorry,” she replied, doubtful it sounded anywhere close to sincere.

"This is charming," he announced, looking around at the beams and the red flagged floor.

"It is rather quaint," I said, as if I came here often.

His eyes came back to her, looking her over with an air of amusement, it seemed. She smile at him and took a seat across from them, waving for Trey to sit down as well. It seemed the first time Mr. Turner had noticed his appearance. He tensed.

"This is Trey, from my realtor’s office. He’s also been helping me with plans for the house once I’m in possession of it,” she said confidently.

"Trey," Turner replied, moving forward to shake Trey's hand.

A waiter came over and gave them a dinner spiel, but they opted for some quick tapas to share and wine as if they were all old friends. It all felt a bit weird after how short Turner had been with her in previous conversation. Trey quickly launched into conversation about his plans to lower the attic floor. Turner sat, with apparent easiness, listening intently, even asking questions before turning his attention back to her.

"I gather we've all been giving you a bit of a runaround."

She exchanged glances with Trey. "Yes, you have."

Trey took over, having apparently had it with being coy. "Why don't we get this settled right away? Are you going to sell this garage to Jo or not?"

"Garage?" Jo said indignantly.

"Garage?" echoed Turner.

"Let's face it, that's all it is," said Trey calmly. "A garage with an office on top, some rather inconvenient storage space and a side dwelling."

"And you want to know if I'm going to sell it to her?"

"Yes."

"I'm surprised you should ask the question," he said coolly. "I said I was going to sell it, and I will. You need have no doubt about that."

He looked at Trey with an air of injured innocence, and then turned to Jo again, looking at her earnestly.

"I gave you my word," he said.

His eyes shone with sincerity. She gazed at him, entranced. Not a crocodile, after all, but a man of honor. For a moment, she almost believed him, but she caught herself just in time. The coldness that had intimidated her at their last meeting was much less in evidence today, but this man knew how to manipulate people, that was all.

"Good," said Trey. "So, we don't need to worry about being usurped by another buyer?”

Turner shrugged. "I don't believe so." He took a swallow of wine and looked at them.

"And the price is still the same?"

"Well, yes. The price."

He stared meditatively at his glass. Trey and Jo exchanged glances again. He kept them waiting for a full thirty seconds. The man was a master of his craft.

"The thing is," he said, and paused reflectively. "Yes. The thing is, I would appreciate getting part of the sum in cash." Another pause. "It would be more convenient."

Trey gave Jo a knowing look. Hadn’t he told her as much?

"How much?” she said.

He named a sum, adding that the official selling price would have to be lowered by that amount.

"That's going to look very low," said Trey, grimacing. "The tax people will smell a rat."

"Not necessarily. It's a garage. You said so yourself."

Trey shook his head. "It's in a good area, right opposite the park and amid other houses. You're both letting yourself in for a tax audit."

“Used to it. It’ll be fine.”

"It doesn't bother me," Jo said. “We can do that.”

"Good," said Turner. “Then we have an agreement. I’ll let my lawyer know about the change and we will get the contract sorted immediately.”

"Here's to a successful signing," said Trey, raising his glass. "And to your new house, Jo."

"Yes, congratulations, Jo," said Turner.

"And now," said Trey, "I'm afraid I have to leave you. We're expecting guests for dinner at my house," he explained to Turner.

"Nice meeting you," Turner replied. "Good luck with the attic."

“I hope Trey didn’t offend you with his comments about your father’s home,” Jo offered.

"Not at all. It was charming. Much more appealing than the promoter who said he wanted to knock the whole thing down and build three modern studio flats."

"Do you always judge your buyers on their motives?"

He grinned. "No, almost never. The reason I turned down the other guy was that he was offering even less than you."

She stared at him, puzzled. "I thought the other buyer was offering more than me."

"What? Oh no, not that. This was a while ago." He paused for a moment, scowling at his glass. "Well, to cut a long story short, there was no other buyer. My brother, as I think you guessed, has been meddling in affairs that don't concern him."