Saving Gracie Read Online Free Page B

all right there in black and white.”
    So, after her little stunt on TV last night, Gracie Garcia decided to come to the office? She might have been looking for sympathy on the evening news, but Jake knew she’d find none in this office.
    “So that’s it? When the City Council votes, you’re going to give me forty-eight hours to move out of the place where I’ve lived and worked for five years? And you’re not going to help me find someplace else to go?”
    Jake stopped and stood in the office doorway. His adversary didn’t sound quite so aggressive now.
    “Ms. Garcia, in the past year, your rent check has been received at least one week past due six times. You’re not exactly a model tenant.” Mitch caught Jake’s eye and waved him in. “Jake, you remember Ms. Garcia?”
    “We’ve met. And I caught your television appearance last night.” Jake chose to stay in the doorway. He knew a thing or two about angry women—best to keep a safe distance.
    “Is that what this is about? The story on the news last night? You won’t help me because I talked to the media about your proposal to the City Council?”
    Jake shook his head. “Not exactly, but you didn’t exactly win any fans here. And, as Mitch said, there have been some issues. This turn of events is best for everyone. We’ll get what we need to finish our new development and you’ll get out from under a lease you obviously can’t afford.”
    She looked from Jake to Mitch, then back to Jake. Her chocolate-brown eyes pleaded with Jake to change his mind. “It’s been a tough year, I won’t deny that. But I’ve been a good tenant for five years. And I should be getting some grant money soon that I will be using to create a new revenue stream. Things will be getting better. Soon. Can you please find me another place or at least give me a letter of recommendation?”
    Jake remembered his own recent past, of needing to make a change and struggling with the available options. But he had to defer to Mitch on this. Clearly, Mitch knew the account, while Jake had only been back at the company for a handful of weeks. Jake needed to be the CEO of the company, not a micromanager. It was Mitch’s call. Even if Jake didn’t feel altogether right about the decision.
    As one of Port Provident’s largest companies, he would have figured there was some mercy Peoples Property Group could show. But that was probably his “bleeding heart” talking, as his father always said. It was time for Jake to grow up and act like a businessman. Like Mitch.
    Jake decided to remain silent, even though he didn’t necessarily want to. He wanted to make things better for Gracie Garcia and her molten-chocolate eyes. He didn’t like being the reason they were dull and filled with sadness right now.
    Absently, Jake wondered what he could do to put a twinkle in them. He knew that with her petite features, Gracie would be pretty when she smiled. He wanted to see if his theory was correct—but how?
    Mitch cleared his throat, bringing Jake back to reality.
    “No, Ms. Garcia, I’m sorry. We just can’t,” said Mitch, closing the folder containing Gracie’s lease and other paperwork.
    * * *
    A class on time management once taught Gracie to structure her day’s plans in order of importance. After her last-ditch effort at the Peoples Property Group office this morning clearly failed, she had to come up with a new game plan. From now until the next City Council meeting, the only item on her calendar looked the same: find a way to save El Centro.
    She expected her last, best hope to arrive at her post office box soon. A letter notifying the Gulf Coast Educational Foundation grant recipients about their upcoming grants should have been mailed last week, which meant it would arrive any day. If she postponed the GED program she wanted to start, the grant would give El Centro enough money to help Gracie secure a new location—without any help from Jake Peoples or his coldhearted