His office door is already open, so I rap my knuckles on the door to alert his attention and walk in when he acknowledges me. He’s standing behind his desk leafing through a file and doesn’t look like he’s leaving any time soon.
“Hi,” I say with a warm smile.
“Hey, kid,” he says. He still calls me kid after all this time.
“How did today go?” he asks.
“Not bad.”
“Please tell me you secured the deal for the school.” He raises his salt and pepper brows.
I nod, and he smiles wide. “Yeah, I did. I got them to cough it up for the price we wanted. It’s just the planning permission I have to look into for the renovation.”
He laughs. “My God, kid, I knew you would be good at this.” He pumps his fists in the air, and his smile widens. He looks proud of me.
I’m enjoying the job so far. As his business development manager, I outsource all the potential business and contracts on property and land we can buy or develop.
I’ve officially been here for a week, but back in college, when I came home on breaks, I worked with him. I enjoyed it then too and knew it would be what I’d do after the marines. Over the years, I had my little side deals of buying and selling property that made me a billion dollar fortune. People thought it was weird that I’d have that kind of money and continue in my service as a marine. Being a marine was on my list of goals, however, the same as working here.
Getting to actually work here doing something I’m naturally good at feels like the right kind of accomplishment for this stage of my life.
“Onwards and upwards, Paul. I have big ideas for that school. We do it up and sell it on. I reckon we’ll have buyers without any problems,” he adds.
“I agree.”
I hate to have to steer the conversation in a different direction, but I have to.
I was the reason for his purchase of Montrose Place over a year ago. I told him it had potential for business or some sort of investment because of the location. The building itself is a dive, but it’s near the subway and about a quarter mile away from the city center. That equals serious money. It’s worth over five million.
He mentioned giving it to me when I left the marines. I had plans, but I never knew that Jia had her eye on the building too.
He should have given it to her. Grateful as I am for a building worth so much, I don’t agree with what he did. It put me in an awkward position with Jia.
“I think you’ll do well with the school,” I add and gear up to change the topic. “Ethan… I can see you’re busy, but I wanted to talk to you about Montrose Place.”
“Paul… please don’t allow Jia to faze you.”
“I didn’t know she wanted the building as well.”
He sets the file down on the table and releases a heavy sigh. “I couldn’t choose between the two of you, and not when you wanted the building first. I wouldn’t have bought it if not for you.”
“I know, and as always, I’m grateful. But, you should have given it to her.”
“Look, son… I appreciate that, but I don’t work like that. In my mind, I did my best. I can’t choose, so you guys sort it out. You have equal ownership of the building, so you can sell your part to the other, knock it down and do something with it, or sell it.”
I see where he’s coming from, but something tells me the building means more to Jia. She wanted it badly. I might not have been in her life for the last six years, but I think I can say that I’ve never seen her look more passionate about anything.
“You know how much the building and potential business there is worth. Are you going to tell me you don’t want it?” Ethan asks.
That’s where I’m stumped. I do want it. I just have my pretty little ex-stepsister to worry about.
“No, I’m not.”
I have plans for the place which tie in nicely with all that I want to do now that I’m back. I’m on to the next phase of my life, which is what I’m doing now. Working here was just one thing. All last year, I thought about what I could do with the building, and I couldn’t wait to get started. I want to either sell it or turn it into a business.
If we don’t sell, I was thinking of either doing a restaurant or a coffeehouse. The street near the mall has a number of restaurants and coffeehouses that are always packed. This wouldn’t be me joining a saturated market. God knows how many people come out of the subway every day, on the hour. I’d be ahead of the game.
“Okay, then try not to dwell on Jia. I’m sure you two can figure something out.” Ethan nods.