A little tickle at the back of her brain suddenly had L.L. wondering how she and Tague were going to avoid mentioning her profession…
How shocked and appalled would his high-society mother be when she learned L.L. designed sex toys?
She sighed. The answer was a no-brainer.
Way. Shocked.
Fuck.
L.L. tried not to dwell on the potentially precarious situation. She chatted some more with Chip before he pulled into a small parking lot and eased the Zagato into a space marked Reserved in front of a two-story, light-grey brick building with tons of windows.
They exited the car and found Max and Len anxiously awaiting them. Max was a tall, lanky blond. Len was a shorter, stocky redhead. Both in their early thirties and hopelessly devoted to each other.
She exchanged double-cheek kisses with them and they shook with Chip. Then he produced the keys and opened the service door for everyone to pass through.
L.L. took in the open, airy facility with a smile on her face.
Chip hit the highlights. “Sizable loft upstairs, as I told you earlier. Plenty of natural light. Two docking bays for shipments. Excellent square footage for operations.”
Max whipped out a tape measure and started verbally ticking off numbers to Len, who consulted a notebook they’d brought along. He nodded in approval as Max calculated and plotted. L.L. didn’t get in their way. This was their area of expertise. They knew precisely the manufacturing, packaging and distribution equipment and resources needed, and how much space it would all take up.
So she inspected the loft while they continued. Chip had been spot-on with the great view of the river and all-in-all, L.L. felt an instant, palpable connection to the building and its locale. She could envision slate-grey floors, gleaming white molding, window-trim and wainscoting to complement the brick walls, and pristine glass-topped desks and end tables with brushed-steel legs. Plush, rich eggplant-colored furniture with silvery accents and thick area rugs in white…or perhaps light-grey with lavender scrolls.
It was a powerful sign that she could immediately visualize the décor, the functionality of the space, the daily bliss she’d experience coming through those doors downstairs when the business was up and running.
L.L. was all about positive energy—and it currently coursed through her, making her vibrate with excitement.
“So,” Chip joined her in the loft. “I know it’s a lot to take in, a lot to work with, but…what do you think?”
“I love it!” she blurted. “Really and truly love it. When can we have the keys?”
He chuckled. “Since I’ve already negotiated the terms for you, I can get started on the leasing documents as soon as I get back to the office.”
She threw her arms around him. “Chip, this is fabulous! I honestly can’t thank you enough!”
“Hey, it’s what I do,” he caustically said with another guffaw.
“No, it’s not.” She pulled away. “You’re a divorce lawyer. Yet you’ve gone well out of your way to help a friend with her corporate matters.”
“Well, I did spend an exorbitant amount of time listening to Tague and learning about his specialty when we roomed together at Harvard, so it comes naturally. And, I’ll admit, this has been a nice respite from broken marriages and distraught clients.”
“I am definitely not distraught. I’m ecstatic!”
Max and Len came upstairs and Max said, “This is absolutely perfect, Chip. I don’t know how you found this place, but it’s exactly what we need—and more.”
“And we can afford it,” L.L. gleefully chimed in.
“Icing on the cake,” Len said. “Mm, cake. We didn’t have time for dessert after lunch. How about we splurge and celebrate at The Plaza with something decadent? And of course champagne for L.L.”
Chip said, “I’m game.”
“Perfect,” she beamed.
Max slung an arm around her shoulders. “We are going to be so fucking rich.”
She laughed. “I thought we were in this for the creative aspect—and our customers.”
“Who will enjoy many, many orgasms while we become so fucking rich,” he contended.