Reese and Naomi sat comfortably in their usual corner booth at a familiar restaurant in West Hollywood, one they had frequented for years. The restaurant, with its rustic charm and cozy ambiance, was a haven for intimate conversations, away from the bustling noise of the city. The walls were adorned with vintage photographs, and the scent of freshly baked bread lingered in the air. The two women were waiting for their waitress to bring them their afternoon cocktails, a ritual they indulged in whenever they needed to catch up on life and work.
Naomi had been practically bouncing in her seat all morning, eager for Reese to spill the details about the Melrose listing. The anticipation was palpable; not only was she dying to hear about the mysterious, possibly creepy but undeniably hot guy Reese had mentioned, but she was also excited to see how Reese would approach selling this luxury estate. The potential million-dollar commission for their brokerage was the cherry on top, and Naomi couldn't wait to hear Reese's game plan.
"So, what's your plan?" Naomi asked, her eyes sparkling with curiosity as she leaned in slightly, her hands wrapped around her ice water glass.
Reese took a deep breath, trying to keep her nerves in check. "Well, I have to set up the listing appointment first."
Naomi rolled her eyes playfully. "Well, obviously. I mean how are you going to market this property?"
"I don't even know if I'm going to get it," Reese admitted, her voice tinged with uncertainty as she absentmindedly toyed with the edge of the menu.
Naomi frowned, clearly not expecting this response. "What do you mean? Christian Grey called the brokerage, basically handing you the listing. This is going to be the easiest listing appointment in the history of appointments," she chuckled, taking a sip of her water. "Why the hesitation?"
"That may be so," Reese said, offering a small, coy smile, "but that doesn't mean this will be a good fit for me. Mr. Grey was kind of rude. I mean, he didn't even introduce himself and—"
Naomi cut her off, her tone firm but laced with concern. "So, you're going to let that brief encounter dictate you closing the deal?" She raised an eyebrow, giving Reese a look that said she wasn't buying it. "I thought you were serious about advancing your career so you can get out of debt."
"I am serious," Reese replied, her voice defensive but laced with a hint of frustration.
"Then what's the problem?" Naomi pressed, her voice rising slightly as she leaned forward, her gaze never leaving Reese's face. "Also, think of how good this will look when you do transfer to another brokerage or start one of your own."
Reese sighed, rubbing her temples as she considered Naomi's words. "Yeah, you're right," she finally admitted, her voice heavy with resignation. "I just hate working with rich assholes, and he already seems like the worst kind."
Naomi couldn't help but laugh, a sound that seemed to lighten the mood slightly. "Welcome to Hollywood," she teased, shaking her head in amusement. "You're going to meet a lot of guys like him, trust me."
Just then, the waitress returned with their cocktails—an expertly mixed martini for Reese and a refreshing mojito for Naomi. She also brought out their lunch: two plates of cheese ravioli filled with wild mushrooms, accompanied by a mixed green salad. The aroma was intoxicating, and their mouths watered at the sight of the beautifully presented dishes. For a moment, the conversation paused as they both indulged in the first few bites of their meal, letting the flavors dance on their tongues.
"So, I was thinking," Naomi said between bites, her tone more relaxed now, "maybe you could do a twilight event to market the property. I mean, I've only seen pictures, but I'm sure the place will look gorgeous at night too. Those big windows, the city lights—it could be magical."
Reese nodded thoughtfully, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "Yeah, that could work. I was only able to get a quick look around before Mr. Grey kicked me out, but the house is so open and has really good lighting. A twilight event might just be the perfect way to show it off."
"When are you planning to meet with him?" Naomi asked, her curiosity still not fully satisfied.
"I'll give him a call later this afternoon to set up the listing appointment," Reese said, pausing as if something else was on her mind. "Hey, did you ever contact—"
"Yes, I did," Naomi interrupted, already knowing where Reese was headed with the question. "He said he's not interested. Of course, I only think he said that because you didn't contact him directly."
Reese sighed, a mixture of frustration and reluctance in her expression. "And I'm not going to," she said firmly, her voice dropping slightly as if trying to convince herself as much as Naomi. "I really don't like the way we left things."
"It's been like two years since you both called off the wedding," Naomi said, her tone softening as she tried to be empathetic. "I don't see what the problem is."
"The problem is Collin blindsided me with calling off the wedding," Reese replied, her voice barely above a whisper. She stared down at her plate, her fork idly pushing a piece of ravioli around. "I just went along with it. I mean, here I am, running around town planning this wedding...we're six weeks away, and he says, 'I don't think I can do this anymore,'" she continued, her voice mocking his tone from that fateful day. "It was embarrassing, Naomi, and that's why I don't want to talk to him."
Naomi nodded slowly, understanding the depth of Reese's hurt. "So then why are you trying to sell him a house?"
"Because I know he has the money," Reese said, her voice tinged with bitterness. "He's still one of the best buyers I've got, even if I hate to admit it."
"I don't get you sometimes," Naomi said, shaking her head in disbelief.
"What?" Reese asked, her tone defensive as she looked up, her eyes narrowing slightly.
"Nothing," Naomi replied, rolling her eyes as she took a sip of her drink. "I'll drop it, but I think maybe if you reached out, he might consider looking at the property. He asked about you, you know."
Reese groaned inwardly, rubbing her temples as she tried to push away the frustration. "Ugh, why?"
"He asked how you were doing," Naomi said, watching Reese closely for a reaction. "Just consider it. It would look really good to Mr. Grey to already have a buyer in mind. Don't you think?"
Reese sighed heavily, the weight of the situation pressing down on her shoulders. "Yeah," she admitted reluctantly. "I hate it when you're right. I'll give him a call."
"Good," Naomi said, her tone lightening as she smiled. "Now tell me more about Mr. Grey."
Reese shrugged, her expression indifferent. "I don't know much about him. I read online that he's a software developer and an investor...owns a lot of property. But it's pretty obvious he's successful—look at his house," she chuckled, the sound tinged with a mixture of admiration and envy.
"Anything about his wife?" Naomi asked, her curiosity piqued.
"Not really," Reese replied, inhaling deeply as she finished her salad. "Other than that, she's a commissioning editor at SIP and is like extremely beautiful."
"So, nothing about the divorce?" Naomi pressed, her tone turning more serious.
"Not that I saw," Reese said, her brow furrowing slightly. "Why?"
"Interesting," Naomi said, slurping down the last of her cocktail as if mulling something over.
"Why interesting?" Reese asked, her curiosity finally piqued.
"Well, Scott was telling me that apparently, there was some big scandal that led to the divorce," Naomi explained, her voice lowering as if sharing a secret. "I'm just surprised it hasn't hit the airwaves yet."
"Hmm," Reese nodded, her mind already racing with possibilities.
"What?" Naomi asked, sensing something was on Reese's mind.
"Nothing," Reese replied quickly, her tone evasive.
"Okay, what's with you?" Naomi said, her voice rising slightly in frustration. "What do you mean?"
"With you and Scott! It's like lately, anytime I mention him, you suddenly lose your voice!" Naomi exclaimed, her eyes searching Reese's for an explanation.
"That's not true," Reese said defensively, though she couldn't quite meet Naomi's gaze.
"It is," Naomi insisted, shaking her head. "You say you're okay with us dating, but then you act weird and avoid us. I mean, he acts like everything is fine, but I can see that he's bothered by how far you guys have drifted. Is it me?"
"No. Everything is fine. Scott and I are good," Reese lied, her eyes darting away from Naomi's concerned stare.
Naomi sighed deeply, clearly not convinced but unwilling to push further. "Okay," she said softly, the tension between them palpable. "Are you ready to go?"
"Yeah, let's head back. I have a lot of work to get done," Reese replied, eager to change the subject and escape the conversation.