Chapter 4 - The Envelope
Matteo waited until the front doors closed behind Sebastian.
Then he looked at Nora.
“Thank you.”
Nora shifted the cardboard box against her hip.
“You’re welcome.”
He pulled a cream envelope from inside his coat and placed it on the reception desk.
“This is for you.”
Nora opened it.
She froze.
The amount inside was more than she earned in a year.
She closed the envelope.
Then pushed it back.
“No.”
Charles looked at her like she had lost her mind.
Matteo raised one eyebrow.
“No?”
“I’ll accept whatever wages the Calder owes me.”
“This isn’t from the Calder.”
“I know.”
“My sister wants you compensated.”
Nora looked at Vivian.
“I appreciate that.”
Vivian folded her arms.
“But?”
“But I didn’t help you because I expected payment.”
Matteo watched her carefully.
“Most people don’t refuse money from me.”
“Maybe they think accepting it is safer.”
Several guards glanced toward one another.
Nora immediately realized how that sounded.
Matteo’s expression remained unreadable.
Then he said, “That’s possible.”
Nora pushed the envelope closer to him.
“Defending your sister wasn’t a service I planned to sell.”
Vivian smiled.
“I told you.”
Matteo looked at her.
“Told me what?”
“That she would say no.”
Nora frowned.
“You discussed this?”
“On the drive over.”
Matteo took back the envelope.
Vivian tapped one finger against her purse.
“Tell him about the bookstore.”
Nora stared at her.
“No.”
Matteo looked between them.
“What bookstore?”
“There is no bookstore.”
Vivian ignored her.
“Nora wants to reopen the kind of bookstore and coffee shop her grandmother used to own.”
Matteo turned toward Nora.
“How much have you saved?”
“That is absolutely none of your business.”
Vivian laughed.
Matteo nodded once.
“Fair.”
Nora glared at Vivian.
“I told you that while we were waiting for my rideshare.”
“I remember conversations.”
“Apparently.”
Vivian turned to her brother.
“What about Halsted?”
Matteo’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“The corner property?”
“Yes.”
Nora pointed between them.
“I don’t like where this is going.”
Matteo looked at her.
“The Moretti company owns a retail building on Halsted. Ground floor has been empty fourteen months.”
Nora immediately said, “No.”
“I haven’t offered anything.”
“Good.”
Vivian smiled.
Matteo continued.
“You want a shop.”
“I want my own shop. Not something handed to me by a stranger with twelve SUVs.”
“Eleven are unnecessary.”
Nora blinked.
Vivian smiled.
“I’ve been telling him that for years.”
Matteo pulled out a business card.
“I’m not offering you a free building.”
“Then what are you offering?”
“A meeting.”
“For what?”
“A lease.”
“At what rent?”
“Market.”
“I can’t afford market.”
“Then negotiate.”
Nora stared at him.
“You’re serious?”
“Very.”
“What happens if I say no?”
“Nothing.”
“What happens if I say yes?”
“You come to my office and make an argument.”
Vivian leaned closer to Nora.
“He enjoys arguments more than he admits.”
Matteo ignored her.
Nora looked down at the card.
Moretti Holdings.
Matteo Moretti.
President.
A phone number.
An address.
No threat.
No condition.
Just a meeting.
Charles suddenly spoke.
“Nora, perhaps we should discuss your position here.”
She turned.
“Now?”
Charles looked uncomfortable.
“Yes.”
“Yesterday I was a problem.”
“That was before—”
“Before you found out who Vivian was?”
Silence.
Nora nodded.
“That’s what I thought.”
Charles looked toward Matteo.
“Mr. Moretti, I assure you—”
Vivian interrupted.
“This is exactly why I don’t want an apology.”
Charles stopped.
She continued.
“You weren’t sorry when you thought I was ordinary.”
Charles had no answer.
Nora picked up Matteo’s business card.
“I’ll think about the meeting.”
Matteo nodded.
“No pressure.”
Nora looked past him at the twelve black vehicles.
“Your definition of no pressure needs work.”
Vivian laughed out loud.
For the first time, Matteo smiled.
Small.
May you like
Brief.
But real.
