Claimed by My Steadfast Soldier

Chapter Six

Hali’s POV

My fingers hurt from the thousands of fliers I’ve spent the last three hours folding in half and stuffing into envelopes. A dozen paper cuts decorate the tips of my fingers and a tissue lays beside me on the desk, stained red as I tried to stem the bleeding each time so I wouldn't mark my only avenue of advertising right now. Looking at the stack of neatly piled envelopes to my left and the equally tall stack of fliers to my right that still need dealing with, I groan, seriously considering calling it an afternoon despite it only being two o'clock in the afternoon.

My stomach growls obnoxiously, as though I need reminding of the time, but I ignore it, it's not like I have any money to buy something to eat so it’s just going to have to deal with being hungry for now.

I jump, startled, as the telephone on my desk rings loudly in the office, something that it rarely does, the noise shrill in the silence i'm accustomed to.

Scrambling desperately to reach it, I pick up the receiver and take a deep, calming breath before placing it to my ear. Decorum Hali, you are a professional, ass kicking, business woman! A go getter, now act like it.

‘Montgomery Realtors, Hali speaking, how may I help you?’ I chirp into the phone as I press it firmly to my ear.

‘Hali, it’s Harrison Cadell’ comes the familiarly deep voice of my only client, well most likely former only client as I assume he’s ringing to formally terminate my services.

My heart starts to beat faster in my chest and I physically have to force my throat to move to respond to the domineering man on the other end of the line.

‘Mr Cadell’ I squeak before clearing my throat, if I’m getting fired, I’m damned if I’m going to sound like a kid playing dress up whilst it happens!

‘Mr Cadell, what a surprise, how are you, sir?’ I start again, my voice coming out a little more normal this time thank goodness.

Harrison huffs, ‘I'm fine, I’m ringing about the office space, we have decided to make an offer.’ Always straight to the point, the man then proceeds to reel off a number bigger than my floundering brain can handle and I have to scrabble for a pen and paper to write it down, before staring at it blankly.

‘Hali? Did you get that?’ Harrison demands, his usual clipped annoyance echoing down the line, snapping me from my haze, ‘ring the owner and make the offer. Start a little lower if you think you can, I'd like the best deal we can get, but that is our top price.’

I nod automatically, even though he can’t see me, too shocked to be pissed that he’s blatantly telling me how to do my job.

‘You want me to deal with the purchase?’ I whisper stupidly.

‘I thought that was what I was paying you for’ the Marine barks, his irritation obviously starting to grow at what no doubt sounds like my incompetence to hold a simple conversation. ‘Are you capable of doing this Miss Montgomery? Do we have an issue of some kind?’

‘Uh, Yes, yes sir!’ I manage to babble out, ‘I mean no, no issue at all, I'm just really glad to know that I found you the perfect location for your expanding business. I’ll ring the company dealing with the sale straight away and put forward an offer for you. I’ll keep you updated on how it goes and hopefully have some good news for you by the end of this week.’

‘Perfect’ the gruff man responds, ‘I’ll expect a call from you then.’

The line cuts immediately, the foreboding man not even bothering to say goodbye, leaving me staring at the receiver in shock.

I’m not fired? Does that mean Gage didn’t tell him what happened at the offices? Or did he tell him, and Harrison just didn’t care?

With a shaking hand, I return the phone to its cradle, continuing to stare at it for a few minutes as I wait for it to ring again. I'm not quite able to believe that Harrison Cadell isn't going to call back and tell me it was a joke before starting to yell at me and then kicking my ass to the curb.

When the minutes tick by and nothing happens, I release a slow nervous breath, my brain kicking into gear again, as I turn my mind to the job it seems I still hold, and start to plan out how to secure the new space for Cadell security at the best possible price i can get.

A laugh bubbles up my throat as I reach for the Cadell file, opening it to retrieve the information on the building and the company that is marketing it. I have a client, an actual client and they are buying a massive property that will see enough zeroes in my bank to let me breathe for a few months.

Finding the listing among the sheaf of papers, I pull it out of the stack, placing it on top of the file so I can read the telephone number that I’ve meticulously written on the top corner along with my contact’s name.

I glance around me, a small smile tugging at my lips, looks like I won’t be taking an early day after all, not when I have a deal to close for Cadell Security.

I push the wheels of my chair backward, standing up and grabbing the empty cup that sits on the corner of my desk and looking at the dregs that stain the bottom. OK Hali, let’s get this building bought for our customer, but first? We need coffee, lots and lots of coffee. Nodding firmly to myself, I turn on my heel striding toward the kitchen, not even the thought of my bargain brand instant coffee enough to dampen my mood right now.