"I don't know, Brian... are you sure?" Sarina chews on her bottom lip, unsure of the situation.
I'm absolutely positive. She knows this, but as she looks in the mirror at herself, I see the self doubt settle over her.
"If you're uncomfortable wearing this one, wear the blue one. You look amazing in everything you wear." I lay a kiss on her brow, as she unzips herself from the red dress.
"I just don't think it's appropriate for the occasion. I'll wear it for you another time." She says as she hangs it back up in the closet. She comes back out slipping into the blue dress we bought yesterday and slips into her heels. She looks in the mirror and smiles at herself.
"Shall we?" I ask her, motioning towards the door. "We need to be there early."
She grabs her clutch and purse, "I can move the items I need over in the car. Let's get going."
We head to her work for the private showing, to meet with the realtors she's working with and make sure everything is ready for this evening showing. We arrive and everything is going smoothly. The built in system operated from the smart home system has low instrumental music playing so it's heard throughout the places. Servers are set up at the bars on the roof top decks, serving wine, some specialty cocktails, and hors d'oeuvres.
Even though Sarina is nervous for this to go well, she's doing well at not letting it show, avoiding even taking a sip of wine. As a few of the realtors show up with their potential buyers, she's shaking hands and making introductions with me next to her, being her pillar of strength if she needs it.
My mother shows up, bringing along a few of her broker friends who are capable of speaking to clients that were not able to make it physically and to help put the listings out to their own list of potential buyers who prefer to remain unknown at the moment. More people show up, including some of Sarina's best customers of either her jewelry or of her gallery, bringing with them their friends who are interested in looking at the properties.
It's interesting watching these people show up, ranging in personalities from serious and silent to friendly and talkative. Some know each other as they start to mingle and it's near that time that everyone should have arrived.
Right as we're about to head up to the rooftop, the elevator doors open to expose a chuckling John with several people in tow.
"Rina!" John smiles widely, "I love what you've done with the place." He says, giving her a quick air kiss to the side of her cheek, before shaking my hand. "Brian."
"John." I say in reply. While we can act cordial with each other over the last few months, we both know, we don't care for each others company.
He begins to introduce his companions to Sarina and I, a lady named Katherine, Frank, Harold, Edward, and Benjamin who talks to me for a few minutes before the last person, patiently waits to be introduced.
I turn to the familiar lady and put out my hand, "Brian, nice to meet you.... Tori?" My eyes widen in recognition and I can't help the smile that spreads across my face.
Her hazel eyes light up as she returns her warm smile, "Hello Brian, nice to see you again. You're looking, " She looks me over as she says, "happy and well."
I shrug, putting my hand on Sarina's lower back, "I am. Tori, this is my lady, Sarina. Sarina this is Tori, we knew each other back in college."
Tori is polite as is Sarina, who motions towards stairs, "Well, please, look around the place at your own pace. When you're satisfied please join us up on the roof top terrace for drinks and hors d'oeuvres."
We nod in encouragement to them before Sarina and I head upstairs and grab a glass of wine to sip on. Several people come up to Sarina and begin talking to her about the other apartments, one of the realtors expressing their potential buyer is looking for a place for their student attending one of the local universities. Sarina smiles and offers to take them to the other apartments if they would like to see them.
My mother steps up to me at this moment snagging me to speak to one of her friends. I nod to Sarina who leads the others to the elevator who wish to look at the other apartments. The conversation is over quickly with my moms friend, who knew me when I was younger and had not seen me in years.
I'm next to the plunge pool and fire pit, enjoying the cool night air and view of the city at night.
"Well, Brian, fancy seeing you here." Tori comes to stand near me, taking in the sight next to me.
"Same here, so where's ... what was his ... Sebastian!" I ask remembering the man she was with back then.
She rolls her eyes, but grimaces as she informs me, "It didn't work out, he got bored after five years of marriage and decided to sleep with Carol."
I shake my head, "Carol? Your friend? Wow.. I'm sorry to hear that."
She shrugs, "Don't be. I wasn't exactly happy either, just too afraid to end it civilly. Anyways, look at you... You got your doctorate in psychology still right?"
"I sure did. I wasn't going to let all those long nights in the library, bad coffee, microwave dinners go to waste now."
She chuckles, "Yes, no one showed as much dedication as you did I think, especially to that bad, burnt coffee." She shudders at the memory of 'free student coffee' stations set up around the campus. It was like drinking thinned out tar and tasted just as foul, no matter the sugar and cream added to it.
I laugh out, "Ha! It was pretty horrible stuff, but it did get the job done."
"That it did. So...." She motions to the deck area, "this is pretty amazing. You and your lady must do fairly well for yourselves."
I shake my head, "Actually, this is all Sarina. I'm just here for moral support and for the arm candy."
Tori laughs but raises her brows up high, "Arm candy? Are you a trophy husband now, Brian?"
"What?" I lean back quirking a brow at her, "Me? No, I'm talking about her. She's MY arm candy..." I chuckles as Tori rolls her eyes.
"I see you still like to crack jokes. Seriously, though, none of this is you?" She asks cocking her head in question.
"None. It's all Sarina. She owns the jewelry shop and gallery downstairs too. She's an amazing artist, you should check out her stuff sometime." I suggest, moving towards the balcony, a few steps away from the firepit.
"You seem quite proud of her." She states joining me by the railing.
"I am very proud of her." I lean in a little closer and say under my breath, "I'll be making that woman my wife one day. Soon, I hope." I hold my finger to my lips though and she smiles.
"Mums the word, Brian. You deserve a good woman who makes you happy." Tori pats my arm and steps back as my mother joins us.
"Hello, I'm Brittany..... I'm sorry, but have we met before?" She asks eyeing Tori.
I clear my throat, "Um, yes mom, you've met before, this is Tori we went to University together."
My mom wracks her brain and turns in question to me, "I don't remember meeting any of your lady friends from university except that one that I...." Her eyes widen and looks Tori up and down in shock.
Tori blushes, "Well, this is awkward now. I'm going to rejoin my group. It was nice chatting with you Brian. Good luck." She winks and leaves me snickering as my moms mouth flops like a fish.
She grips my arm and whispers, "You shouldn't be talking to a woman you've had sex with, when Sarina is not around. It could be misconstrued you know." She smiles and takes me over to the bar.
"Mom, Sarina should know better by now. I'm not that kind of a man. She means more to me than that." I inform her, keeping my face calm and relaxed.
"Well, she may know that, but others here don't. Trust me when I say, it didn't look professional between you two just a moment ago and a reputation is everything. Especially in these circles. So I would advise you not go near her alone again and tell Sarina you spoke to her. Just in case someone says anything."
"Yes, mother." I internally roll my eyes at her, but offer her a new glass of wine, taking one for myself as well. "We were just catching up, plus she came up to me, just to let you know." I smile over the rim of my glass as Sarina comes through the doors with the people she had taken to the other floors.
"...the paperwork tomorrow? That way everything should be good by the start in fall?"
Sarina shakes one of the realtors hands, "Of course. Lindsey will make sure everything is taken care of. Thank you." She smiles brightly as she rejoins us. "Well, looks like we have two of the other apartments I've shown. On the fourth and third floor too."
"That's great, babe." I put my arm around her waist and squeeze her, not wanting to be overly affectionate in front of so many others.
"Anything interesting happen while I was away?" She asks looking around at the groups of people chatting.
"Not really. I caught up with Tori a little bit." I shrug it off.
Sarina just smiles, as someone walks up to us, it's one of the realtors, "My buyer is prepared to make an offer to you tomorrow. Is there a good time for you?"
Sarina and her realtor Lindsey suddenly became busy with several already making offers on the places. Several more wished to see the other apartments below, while a few others thanked us for the invite but their buyer was looking for something else. By the end of the evening, Sarina was giddy with delight.
The servers were packing up and cleaning up as Sarina thanked everyone for coming by the door. I walked around the lower floors making sure no one was still around and came back to her side as Tori and John were saying good night to Sarina.
"Looks like you've done well, Rina." John shakes Sarina's hand as she accepts the compliment.
"Thanks John." She turns to Tori, "Tori, it was nice to meet you." She says offering her hand.
"Same here, dear." She shakes her hand quickly as I wrap my arms around Sarina's waist. She lifts her gaze to mine. "Brian, it was great to see you again. Good luck." She winks and exits with John.
Lindsey and us left here sit down and go over the people that have made offers so far. We had two offers on the third floor, one on the fourth, two on the fifth, and one on the top.
Looks like Sarina just saved her business and the building.