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CHAPTER ONE

Maxon

“I’h-top inside the dingy sports bar, alh mustard Britta and Rob, my tireless staff, love this place For they bun, surrounded by drunk tourists and neon Bud Light signs, once a week But not happily

Then again, Lahaina isn’t exactly bursting with five-star dining choices Maui is a quaint paradise, sainst ainst occasion

“Maybe not, Maxon,” Britta counters with a frown “The call went better than expected”

I’ll give her that since Mike Sperry, the attorney representing the filthy-rich Stowe estate, at least listened Figuratively speaking, I hustled to the “party” late and barged h the door without an invitation But that’s real estate No one ever earnsthe properties come to them

“I have to agree,” Rob cuts in, pushing a feathered wing of his salt-and-pepper hair from his eyes

I want to tell hties ’do He looks stuck in a tiirlfriend aside, I’ot laid

“Why?” I challenge

“At least Sperry agreed to pass your proposal on to the Stowe heirs You’re the nuent on Maui, and it’s ridiculous you didn’t get the call to start with But with you persuading the, the socialAlmost easy money”

Despite looking like someone who crawled out of The Breakfast Club, Rob is killer with sound bites and live video He kno to make buyers desperate to see a house Sadly, the enthusiash escrow

I scoff at him “If But I don’t just want to list this place I want both sides of the transaction”

Persuading the seller to list with e Which is one reason I want to do it

But not the only reason

Rob winces “With all due respect, one step at a ti Mrs Stowe’s kids to choose you and keep your ego out of this”

“With all due respect, fuck you This isn’t about o” Well, not entirely

Britta rolls her eyes as our waitress greets us by nan we co about some new Pan-Asian crap on their li One issue disturbs nore it on the drive over…but it’s not working My suspicion still tugs and pokes It has since we ended the call

I glance at ent in coave, who do you think that is?”

Rob falls silent Britta suddenly finds the drink ured it out Good I hire smart people for a reason

“Yeah It’s my brother That’s why I want to both list and sell” It’s also most likely why I’m fucked

“You’re better than he is,” Rob argued

In some ways, yes In other ways… Griff has always been brilliant at connecting buyers with the perfect-for-them house It’s an instinct He creates e-ass mansions with to-die-for views they crave, even half a world away It’s one reason we reat properties and closed the listing appoint world if they sined on the dotted line for ninety days I always market upscale properties with far more than the standard pansy-ass cocktail party of air kisses and cha buyers with the place they’ll fall head over heels for that I lack Between the two of us, our closing rate was sick

Then came the debacle with that obscure prince Then the Tiffanii fuckup After that…well, we haven’t spoken in three years To say we loathe one another noould be kind

“I appreciate the vote of confidence”—I nod Rob’s way—“but you’re biased because I sign your paycheck The truth is, Griff has gotten shit-tons better at snaring sellers” This part of the deal is still ame to lose, but since I’m not the estate’s first choice, I could easily strike out Or fail to kick the gaoal Hell, insert the sports metaphor of your choice “With the Stowe heirs hunkered doith the business they inherited, Griff and I both have four weeks to perfect our pitches It’s essential I lead with so beyond spectacular Or I have one hell of a plan B I need ideas And…go”

Because it isn’t every day an oceanfront estate worth nearly thirty million dollars lands on the market The coure territory, but to get paid by both buyer and seller… I would earn half le transaction, probably well before June It makes the Realtor in me hard