Love All The Way

24| In your dreams

We put away the empty glasses and pour some new ones for the clients. With a brief, reassuring nod, we each take a floor as our main contact point, and I take two of them - the fourth and fifth. The most essential floors, Charter had said, with the three most important features: the bedroom, the kitchen, and the view.

It doesn't take long for the first batch to arrive. They trickle in slowly, taking in the kitchen's grand island and the perfectly positioned bouquets. The first couple - a man and woman in their mid-twenties - walk in holding hands, so I do what Charter had suggested and swan over.

"Gorgeous, isn't it?" I say. "Perfect for a first home."

The woman, blonde and exquisite in every way, smiles. "That's what we're looking for - our first home together."

"You've chosen the right place. Upper East Side is one of the most family-friendly areas in New York. Why don't I give you a tour?"

"That would be great," the woman says.

The man nods, but we've barely moved two steps when his phone rings. He pulls it from his pocket, lifts it to his ear, and raises a single finger to his wife before walking off into the distance. The woman stares after him, sullen, then turns to me with her brightest smile.

"You'd think he'd be able to put his phone down for one second," she says, her smile faltering. "This is supposed to be something we do together."

I nod because I get it. Sometimes it feels like the more money these clients have, the bigger the properties, and the less happy they seem to really be. See, I have this dream where I show a couple around their new home, and they're shocked by how perfect it is. They fall in love with the house and, in turn, fall slightly more in love with each other. Despite several years of this under my belt, I've yet to see it happen.

"Come on," I say, my voice bright, "we'll fill him in later."

She nods, blinking back the tears, and follows me over to the living room. "It's big," she says, looking around. "Spacious."

"1000 sq ft," I say, "and perfect for hosting company." I can tell they're the type to have people over regularly, maybe throw a fundraiser or two, and her eyes seem to brighten at the word host. I lead her over to the terraced dining place, allowing her a moment to imagine the kind of dinner parties one could host here.

"Such an interesting design," she says. "Unique."

"It was designed by Emilio Vinaly, a globally acclaimed architect with several international projects. He represents some of the most sought-after buildings in Manhattan-" I turn to her and smile, "-something to tell your guests when you're hosting dinner out here."

She laughs and takes on a far-off look, imagining those dinners on a crisp Manhattan night overlooking the skyline. "It would be beautiful."

"It's also the perfect place to catch the sunrise over breakfast," I say. "You and your partner could sit at this table and enjoy the view over coffee."

That look on her face intensifies. Her eyes roam the table, picturing the pair of them laughing over coffee, his phone out of sight, because that's what I'm selling here. Not a property but a dream.

She turns to me now with a tilt of her head. "You're either very good at your job, or this property is one of a kind."

Smiling, I say, "I'd like to think it's a little bit of both."

In the distance, her partner reappears, phone in hand, and the woman turns and smiles. "I'm going to go and tell him I want this house," she says. "I'll be back in a little while, and then you could show us the rest?"