Total pages in book: 27
Estimated words: 25991 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 130(@200wpm)___ 104(@250wpm)___ 87(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 25991 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 130(@200wpm)___ 104(@250wpm)___ 87(@300wpm)
She smiles and shakes her head. “No, only for school. I live in New Jersey and commute a few times a week for classes. The rest of the time, I’m helping people pick out quinoa and acai at a store in my hometown. And, obviously, I work for City Girls.”
I grin and shrug. “We all have to do what we can to make ends meet, and City Girls isn’t a bad job. Lots of guys I know appreciate the agency.”
She nods solemnly, but looks uncomfortable. Then the pretty girl shoots me a long look under her lashes and twists her hands in her lap. “Mr. McLean, can I ask what makes you decide to hire escorts? I mean, you don’t seem like you need help with dates. You’re very handsome,” she says before gasping and quickly covering her mouth with her hands. “OMG, I didn’t mean to say that.”
I merely chuckle.
“You’re right, I don’t need to pay for female companionship, but sometimes I prefer the no-strings-attached fun that comes with an escort.”
She nods but her eyes are still curious. “What do you mean?”
I sigh a bit.
“Well, the thing with women in the city is that they have expectations. Don’t get me wrong: all human beings have expectations when they meet someone for the first time. But a lot of ladies want more after a while. They want to be wined and dined, and I have no problem with that. But then after a while, she starts hearing wedding bells and cooing babies, and I’m not looking for that.”
Sarah nods.
“So you don’t want to be a father?”
I shrug.
“I don’t know. But I do know that I’m not ready to be a dad right now, and I also know that I’m not ready to settle down. The city is amazing, and I want to sample what it has to offer first,” I say with a shrug.
Sarah nods thoughtfully, just thinking.
“I get it,” she says before smiling brilliantly at me. “So tell me more about your work.”
I take another sip of my drink, letting the bourbon slide down my throat. I get why she changed the subject. We’re moving at light speed and already talking about marriage and babies, so a more casual topic is appropriate.
“It’s pretty straightforward actually. I used to be a real estate broker, but then I realized a lot of brokerages in the city were lacking. They didn’t provide enough support for the agents, nor were they very modern. And by that, I mean they haven’t plugged into the digital age. They weren’t doing videos of the homes for sale, nor were they doing virtual tours for potential customers, much less hosting a website featuring the best properties. As a result, I started True North because I saw a need in the market, and it’s been great. We’ve been growing steadily and actually did a record level of sales last year.”
She nods with a smile.
“That’s very impressive. Do a lot of prospective buyers want virtual tours though?”
I chuckle.
“No, and you have a point. When people are forking serious cash over for a home, they’re going to want to see the place in person. But posting a virtual tour on-line, or even taking a buyer for a virtual tour definitely starts the ball rolling and can help whet their appetite. It’s a balance, like everything is, but I see it as another tool in a broker’s arsenal. It’s something to have at our fingertips.”
Sarah nods.
“That totally makes sense. But do you do virtual tours for all of your properties?”
I shake my head.
“Definitely not. Really, the pre-recorded videos are reserved only for high-end transactions. But the virtual tours where a broker is physically in the apartment, with a buyer watching from home on their laptop? That can be done for an apartment in any price tier.”
Sarah nods and smiles.
“That definitely makes sense. Well, seeing that I have a tiny place in Jersey, I guess it won’t be getting its own video then.”
I laugh. I’m impressed with Sarah’s ability to make conversation, not to mention her intelligence and sense of humor.
“You’d be surprised though. It really depends on the broker, and what he or she thinks is appropriate. For example, if you had a beautifully decorated apartment, even if it’s a studio, it might merit a video.”
She shakes her head, smiling ruefully.
“No, my furniture is all mismatched, and it’s just a rental actually. But maybe, one day,” she says.
I take her hand.
“One day,” I echo. Then, our conversation continues for a bit as we chat easily. She’s gorgeous and witty, and to be honest, I can’t remember the last time I had so much fun spending time with a woman. Sarah’s interesting to talk to, and I’m not sure that she’s not using her mind-reading techniques.
But it’s getting late, and I decide that indeed, I’d like to continue this conversation.