Stolen kisses

I walked into Carson's Diner feeling confident and happy. I knew I would get more and more nervous during the next hour as my meeting drew closer. But for now, I felt great. I had done a lot of preparation for this day; I knew what I was going to say, and I had predicted how it would go. "Girl, you are in la-la land," Jesse said, as I sat down opposite her in the booth. Carson’s Diner was busy, or she would have stood and hugged me. Jesse was one of my best friends from high school. She was off at college now, but she was in town for the weekend, and I was meeting her for lunch before she headed back. I glanced around and saw Jesse had ordered my drink—a diet soda with lime, exactly how I loved it [A note added from prior conversation history, based on context]. "What's the meeting all about?" Jesse asked, noting that it sounded "so businesslike" [A note added from prior conversation history, based on context]. "It is businesslike," I said [A note added from prior conversation history, based on context]. I was trying to rent the jewelry store that is downstairs from my apartment [A note added from prior conversation history, based on context]. It's not open anymore now that Mister McCain retired, and it will just be empty until someone else rents it [A note added from prior conversation history, based on context]. I couldn't see any reason why that someone shouldn't be me [A note added from prior conversation history, based on context]. "Of course, it'll be you," Jesse said confidently, even though she had been away at college and didn't know the details of my plan. "Yep," I agreed. Jesse wondered how much a place like that would cost to rent. I told her, "I know for sure how much it'll cost... Eight hundred dollars". Jesse asked in disbelief if that was a month. "That's actually a really great deal," I responded. Just then, our waitress walked up. "Hey, Maggie," I greeted her. "Hey there, Tara, what can I getcha today?" Maggie asked. "A burger, please," I requested. Maggie asked if I wanted fries or mashed potatoes because she knew I switched between the two. "Mashed potatoes," I replied. "With brown gravy," she stated, knowing my regular order, and I smiled at her for knowing it. "And you, Jesse?" Maggie asked. Jesse ordered "some french fries, please... Large. And the chili cheese ones, please". Jesse continued her detailed order: "With jalapenos… and grilled mushrooms. You can put those on top. And maybe a little bacon, too, if you don't mind". While waiting for our food, Jesse asked if I was meeting the owner of the building or the property manager [A note added from prior conversation history, based on context]. I told her that I thought it was the landlord [A note added from prior conversation history, based on context]. I pay rent to him every month but have never even met the guy, as he doesn't live here [A note added from prior conversation history, based on context]. He's Mrs. Harper's son and inherited the building when Mrs. Harper passed away [A note added from prior conversation history, based on context]. I nodded, recalling a memory [A note added from prior conversation history, based on context]. Mrs. Harper, whose first name was Joan, was the lady who used to live in apartment 203, next to where my parents lived when my mom first moved to Galveston. My mom and dad lived next to Mrs. Harper for years. My parents had no idea she owned the building and said they mailed the rent to a post office box. Mister McCain ran that jewelry store with Joan Harper living right upstairs, and he never even knew she was his landlord. He didn't know until she died and her son took over the place. I remembered her as the one who called Kevin Martin's dad and told him he was driving too fast down Bank Street every day. After lunch, I prepared for the big moment. I waved at Mister Randall who was standing on the sidewalk near my aunt and uncle's hardware store. Just past the hardware store was where my building started. First was the doorway that led to the Seabreeze Apartments. There was a door with an awning which opened into an entryway with three mailboxes and a set of stairs going up to apartments 201, 202, and 203 (mine was 201). Right next to the door that led to the Seabreeze was where the old jewelry store began. There were windows lining two sides of the building, but the door to the store was situated on Bank Street, not far from the door to my apartment. I would literally have to walk ten feet to work. I could hardly believe this store was now gloriously vacant and about to be mine. I glanced inside before I went upstairs, imagining it with bars and mirrors instead of that big u-shaped counter that took up the entire floor right now. The whole place had beautiful wood floors that I was hoping to have refinished for a perfect dancing surface. I could see it all—dancers dressed out and lined up in an orderly row with artwork displayed on the walls. I was planning on painting it a soft, neutral color, either gray or tan. I only took a few seconds to glance inside before I went into the door that lead to my apartment. I walked up the stairs and circled back to apartment 201. It was the best of the three apartments, overlooking Bank Street and the corner. It would be a dream come true to live here and own the business downstairs. I was just getting started with all of this, and it already felt like I had everything I could ever want. I didn't want to be too early, so I stayed in my apartment for ten minutes before walking downstairs for the big meeting. I took some things with me: a camera, some photos of my old dance studio, and some photos of ideas I had for a new one. I even made him a little booklet to take back to Tennessee so he knew exactly what was going on in his building. I was as prepared as I'd ever be. I checked my reflection several times before I walked downstairs. There was a clock downstairs near the mailboxes, and it told me that I was three minutes early, which seemed perfect. I hadn't seen William Harper in the store when I walked by a few minutes before, but I hoped he'd be there by now. He wasn't. I tried to open the front door of the store when I got downstairs, and it was locked. My father's name was William, and so was my brother's; they went by Billy and Will. I thought it was a cool coincidence that they shared a name with my landlord, and I thought that would be one of the first conversation points I would hit once I met Mister Harper. I peered into the storefront, smiling and planning how it would all go down. "It's closed," I heard a man say from behind me. I turned. It was the man from the restaurant—the one Jesse had been checking out. "Oh, I know it's closed," I said. "Are you talking about the jewelry store? I know it's closed. I actually have a meeting in here. I'm waiting for the guy who owns this building". "I'm the guy who owns this building," he said, with an easy smile. He was young, and he had on jeans and a t-shirt with sandals, and I smiled, thinking he was kidding around. It crossed my mind that he was hitting on me, especially since I was all dressed up. "What's your name, then?" I asked. "Trey Harper". "I’m here to meet William Harper. Are you his son or something?". "Yes. But technically, I'm William, too," he said. "It's just nobody ever calls me that". He casually walked up to the door and unlocked it. My heart pounded as I watched him. It wasn't that he was young and handsome; I couldn’t care less about that. It was that he was the owner of this building, and my ever-loving fate was in his hands. "I thought I was meeting Mrs. Harper's son". "I am Mrs. Harper's son," he said, cutting his eyes at me playfully. "But the Mrs. Harper you're thinking of… Joan Harper… the lady who used to live here… I'm her great-grandson. Her son was the first William. I'm the third. Hence the name Trey". "Huh," I responded, processing everything. I still wasn't understanding if he was the actual owner. I walked into the empty store, and he followed me, turning on lights even though there was a lot of light coming in through the windows. "Is your dad coming?" I asked. "My dad's playing golf in Brentwood, Tennessee right now. Why?". "Oh, I thought he was my landlord. William. Is he the owner, or—". I tried not to seem mortified as I asked, "Oh, so, are you going to make changes?". "Oh, yeah, absolutely," he confirmed. "I knew the rent had to go up when I first got here, but I wasn't sure how much". He admitted he didn't know much about the market in Galveston. "But I was just talking to a real estate agent who said I could get at least double what I was getting for these places". "Double for what places?" I asked. "This storefront and the apartments upstairs. There's three of them up there". "I know," I said. "Oh, you do?". "Yes. I live there". "You do?". "Yes, I, I thought you knew that. I'm a tenant upstairs, but I'm also here to talk to you about renting this space down here". "Oh, well the price just went waaaay up," he said. He was being happy and lighthearted, and I felt more like I was lightheaded. "I, I'm Tara Castro," I said, trying to switch gears, sound confident, distract him, and convince him that he didn't need more money. "I live upstairs. I rent apartment 201 right there". I pointed upward since I was currently standing under my bedroom. "I'm a long-standing member of this community. I love this city, and especially this block we're on right here. My dad is a boxer. His gym is—". Trey recalled Stan, a tenant who had been living in his apartment for ten years and only paying three hundred dollars a month. Trey let out a defeated sigh, wishing he had come sooner. He felt the tenants had been "raking me over the coals this whole time". I countered that Stan had been living there for ten years. "Exactly," Trey replied, confirming Stan was only paying $300 a month. Trey said it was no wonder Stan didn't leave. He assured me he would give Stan first dibs on signing again, but the rent was unquestionably going up. He stated that he could get double the rent in the condition the whole building was in, and with a few renovations, he could get even more, according to Justin. "What about down here? The jewelry store?" I pressed. He said Justin suggested fourteen to sixteen hundred in the shape it was in, or more if they fixed it up. He mentioned that was why he was talking to Todd. My heart was pounding and I had no idea what to say; I felt like I was in a dream. I didn't expect him to be young and in sandals, or to say any of this. I commented that I didn't think the rent here went as high as it did in Nashville, where they were used to paying that amount. He laughed. "What, so, you're just going to kick us out if we don't agree to pay the higher amount?" I asked. He gave me a sideways look, smiling a little like he must be missing something. "That's usually how it works," he said slowly. I felt utterly heartbroken, and this was only the first three minutes of my meeting with Mister Harper—if you could even call it a meeting. Basically, he was nonchalantly informing me that I was being kicked out of my apartment. I was so frustrated that I could barely even think about not getting to rent the business; I didn't have a plan B. "Mister McCain was willing to sign his lease again and just let me move in and take over the rent," I lamented. I explained that Ms. Gwendolyn's Dance Academy is a long-standing tradition here. My studio would be under her umbrella; I was calling it something different, but I had Miss Gwendolyn's blessing. She was even going to send some students my way, specifically the ones driving from Jamaica Beach. "So, it's a really great business plan. I have it all mapped out. I was planning on making this place into a dance academy and part-time art gallery". He stared blankly at me, trying to process everything. He then said he'd be happy to have me rent the space and turn it into a dance academy. "I'd honestly rather give it to you than to Burger Time or 7 Eleven. If you can pay the rent, it's yours". "Burger Time or 7 Eleven? Where did they come from?" I asked. Trey explained that his grandparents and parents are into real estate and own property in Tennessee. He bought a carwash when he was seventeen. He mentioned that his uncle owns eight franchises of Burger Time, and he mentioned that to Todd, who said one of those would go over well here. I put my hand up to stop him. "Why would Todd Benson tell you it's acceptable to have a burger restaurant right here? Did he say that?". Trey confirmed he did, saying it would go over great with all the foot traffic from the strand. "It would go over great," I stated, staring at him. "That's why it's already been done. By Mister Carson… who opened the diner where you were just eating. They are a burger place". Trey smiled and shrugged, shaking his head. "Great, then I hope you rent it from me. You seem to already have a vision, and I'm fine with not renting it to a franchise. You can open whatever you want down here as long as you pay the rent on the first of the month". "Which is how much?" I inquired. He said not to quote him, as there were still variables, but downstairs, it would be in the ballpark of fifteen to eighteen hundred dollars a month. He nodded, looking at me with no shame or regret, like that was completely reasonable. I let out an involuntary scoff. "We're talking about people's lives here," I said. "Mostly it's just your life and my life," he countered with a smile. He added the names of other tenants upstairs: Stan, and Mickey and Charlotte in the back. He assured me he would honor our leases. "Yeah, but then, after that, you're just raising the rent by double?" I asked. "Yes," he said, not seeing a problem. I asked if that was legal. He laughed slightly. "Yes. It's perfectly legal. It's my building," he confirmed. His dark brown eyes became more penetrating and serious as he stared at me. "How can you stand here and seriously think that I would take half of what something's worth?". He said that as far as he was concerned, I should have told him he was charging far too little for rent. "As far as I'm concerned, you've been taking advantage of me this whole time". I scoffed. "It's not my fault that you don't care enough to come over here. I don't own any buildings in other towns. If I did, I'd probably check on them every once in a while". Trey responded reasonably, "Well, you should be thankful I didn't because rent would have doubled long ago". I blinked at him, holding back tears and feeling shaken. He told me he needed to go upstairs and check out my apartment sometime while he was here, maybe tomorrow. I just stared, wanting desperately to say something spiteful. "I-I'm not done down here," I said. "I thought we were meeting. But, I mean, yeah, it's your building, so you can go up whenever you want, obviously, but I thought we were still meeting to let me look at this space down here. I was going to take pictures". Trey asked if renting the space was still a possibility for me, looking hopeful. He figured my dad could co-sign, knowing my father had a successful career. My mind was busy doing math, considering my apartment rent going up too. I got lost in thought, staring blankly at the guy who had wrecked my world. "My dad's not going to… I really thought that this whole thing was God, and… uhhhh, so, let's just… uhh… first of all, we need to figure out what you're asking for both places". "That's what this trip is all about," he said. He walked behind the jewelry counter. He said he'd be here for a few more days, taking notes and making plans, and would have a better idea about rent after getting bids and giving it thought. He promised I'd be the first to know once he was ready to lease it. "So, I'm supposed to just wait on pins and needles, not knowing what the price is going to be?" I asked. "I can tell you it's going to be a lot more than it is now". I started grasping at straws. "Can't you just… raise it slower? A hundred dollars a year, and then just year-by-year go up instead of all at once—". He thought $100 a year was the craziest thing he'd ever heard. I clarified: "Not a hundred for the whole year, but a hundred a month more for the duration of the year". I suggested with the upstairs, maybe he could go up to four hundred for a year, and then next year raise it to five. He replied that he could theoretically do that, but wished I could see where that didn't make sense on his end. "If Stan can't make the six hundred for rent, someone else will. You asking me to take four hundred is basically asking me to give someone two hundred dollars a month". I was so mad and embarrassed. "Mrs. Harper obviously didn't want it this way". "I guess you're right," he said with a shrug. "But she's not making these decisions anymore. I'm sorry, but I'm not going to charge one group of people half the rent just because they were paying that before. The rent goes up in places. That's just how life is". He smiled, mentioning a property in Nashville where he had raised the rent five times since he owned it. "Well, that's not very nice of you". "Well it's not very nice of you to say that I should get less of something just because you're the one who's giving it to me. You're not telling all these other people on this block that they're charging too much for rent. You only care because it pertains to you". I lied, insisting I knew everyone on the block and they didn't pay too much for rent, though I had no idea what they paid. "Why don't you just sell it?" I asked, the thought crossing my mind impulsively. It was a glorious moment. Of course, I would buy it, or my parents would buy it. The more I thought about it, the more excited I became. "Just sell it to me. You don't want it, anyway". "I never said that," he retorted, moving around, adjusting things. I followed him. "You live out of state," I reminded him. "You don't want a building all the way over here in Texas. And, like you said… in your mind, this place was in shambles, anyway. You might as well just sell it to someone who wants it and loves it and would take care of it and live here for the rest of her life". He stuttered, putting his hands up in surrender. "I'm sorry, Miss, uh, Castro. I wasn't expecting to have this conversation with you. I have a lady who returns my business calls for me, and I don't think I realized that the person I was meeting this afternoon was also a tenant upstairs". "I told her I was," I insisted. "She mentioned that I'd be meeting a tenant, but I didn't realize that was today. I have a few other meetings". He confirmed he was meeting with inspectors and appraisers. Trey concluded that perhaps it was "God helping you have low rent for this long. Maybe you should look at it that way". He continued walking around, looking. I knew I should just tell him to think about the new amount and let me know, but I couldn't hold my tongue.