Queen of Love

Aya motioned to her briefcase. “The information. I half-expected to come back to you poring over the printouts I was taking home.”

“All the better for you to imagine me living in them, I presume.”

Aya shrugged. “Do you want to see them while I’m here?”

“I mean… if you’re offering.”

“It would save us time in a meeting.”

“Meetings are dreadfully boring,” Genevieve said without thinking. “I’m always thinking about what I would rather be doing. Who I would rather be with.”

Although Aya kept her minimal distance, her inviting body language and the smug look on her face reminded Genevieve of their evening together in a Shibuya club. This place may not be as intimate, but it’s still getting me going. Genevieve wasn’t usually that picky. She loved a good thrill.

“Jya,” she said with a sigh, “mite mashou ka?”

“Absolutely.”

The surprised look on Aya’s face when she unlocked her briefcase said it all. “You know Japanese now? Already?”

“I knew what that meant.” As Paulina had discovered in one meeting, Genevieve was a quick learner. “I told you I was practicing.”

Papers piled on top of Aya’s briefcase. Her coffee and chocolate cake remained untouched. “Soon your Japanese will be better than mine.”

“Our English is comparable.”

“I’ve spoken more English around you than I have anyone else since I lived in California.” She flipped through the papers and rearranged them before presenting the first to Genevieve. “How do you feel about Hiro-o?”

That name rang a bell. “Is that near here?”

“It’s in Shibuya, yes.” With the grace of a finely raised lady – a class Genevieve was intimately familiar with – Aya passed over a piece of paper that listed two potential residences, complete with pictures and the important information written in English. “Very nice neighborhood. Many foreign embassies are nearby, and the amenities reflect such. The one on top there overlooks Arisugawa Park, which is very popular for romantic walks.”

Genevieve stared at the paper, although all she could think about was Aya’s use of the word romantic. “Do you think I’m going on many romantic walks soon?”

“You tell me, Ms. Liu.”

“Please. I asked you to call me Genevieve.” Or any way you personally want to pronounce it. She would never forget the cute mispronunciation that happened the other night.

Aya passed her another piece of paper. “If you want to get away from Shibuya, I think you’ll like the Asakusa area. Some recent, new developments should have all of the amenities you seek while in town, not to mention the deals for first-time buyers. If not Asakusa, Ueno is a classic that isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Very traditional architecture.”

“I like both traditional and modern. How about that?”

“There’s always Roppongi and Azabu. Those are in here, but I wasn’t going to present them first. I’m not sure they’re the right fit for a woman of your standing.”

“What standing is that?”

Aya neatly stacked her papers before finally stirring her coffee and bringing the tray closer to her. “Roppongi Hills and the surrounding area are nice, of course. There’s a reason the property always sells high, but I think you like a different kind of luxury. You want to be around the museums, or you want the new and trendy. That’s why I think you’ll like to stay in the Shibuya area. Plus, you’ll be near Shinjuku so you can check on your investments.”

“You mean the lady bar I’m opening?”

“Naturally. Short drive. Shorter if you take the subway.”

“I still need a name for the bar.” Genevieve leaned against the table, hand massaging the back of her neck. She glanced down at the stack of real estate but couldn’t bring herself to pay attention to them. “Do you have any ideas?”

“Naming a bar is serious business,” Aya admitted. “You have to appeal to your clientele while not scaring away anyone else.”

”As someone who represents my potential patrons, what kind of name do you think I should go for?”

“Hmm.” Aya sipped her coffee. “One word. Possessive.”