Chapter 72: Call It A Hunch.
As the models went to get changed, Lucifer led Catherine back to the office and asked, "So, Ms. Laurent, what do you think about the concept?"
"I think it's perfect." Catherine replied with a satisfied smile on her face. "You have some very talented models here, and I'm sure they'll be able to convey the message of the lingerie line well."
"Good. I'm glad you like it." Lucifer nodded his head as he continued discussing the details with Catherine, "Now, let's talk about the terms of the contract and payment. We can have our legal representatives go over the details later, but I want to make sure we're on the same page right now."
"Of course." Catherine nodded her head as she began discussing the terms of the contract with Lucifer, making sure they were both satisfied with the terms before they signed anything.
After they finalized the contract, they began discussing the payment for the photoshoots and ad campaigns.
"I think $25,000 for each photoshoot and $100,000 for each ad campaign sounds fair, don't you?" Catherine said, looking at Lucifer as she spoke.
Lucifer nodded his head and replied, "That sounds fair to me, Ms. Laurent. We can have our legal representatives go over the details of the contract later, but I think we're on the same page right now."
"Excellent. Then I believe we have a deal, Mr. Reynolds." Catherine smiled at Lucifer as she extended her hand toward him.
Lucifer smiled back and shook her hand, his grip firm but not too tight as he looked into her eyes. "I'm glad we were able to come to an agreement, Ms. Laurent. I'm sure this will be a profitable partnership for both of us. Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to invite you to dinner tonight so we can get to know each other better. We'll also have a chance to discuss more details."
"Dinner sounds lovely. Thank you, Mr. Reynolds." Catherine said as she let go of his hand, a hint of amusement in her voice as she spoke.
"Great. I'll have my secretary, Claire, arrange the details." Lucifer replied as he turned towards Claire and nodded at her, indicating that she should take care of it.
Claire nodded her head and replied, "Yes, sir. I'll take care of it right away."
"Thank you, Claire. You're the best," Lucifer said before turning his attention back to Catherine. "Well, Ms. Laurent, shall we go now?"
"Sure, Mr. Reynolds." Catherine nodded her head as she stood up from the couch.
Lucifer led Catherine out of the room and into the elevator. Once they were inside the elevator, Lucifer pressed the button for the parking garage. The doors closed, and the elevator began to descend.
Lucifer turned to face Catherine and said, "So, Ms. Laurent, what kind of restaurant would you like to go to?"
"Hmm... Surprise me." Catherine replied with a smile, her tone playful as she looked at Lucifer.
It was clear that she liked to live on the edge and try new things, which Lucifer found intriguing. He knew that he'd enjoy spending more time with this woman. She was confident, bold, and not afraid to speak her mind, which he found incredibly attractive.
"Alright. I know just the place." Lucifer replied with a smile as the elevator doors opened, and they stepped out into the parking garage.
Catherine followed Lucifer towards his car, which was a sleek black Mercedes-Benz. Lucifer opened the passenger side door for her, and she smiled as she got into the car.
Once Catherine was seated, Lucifer closed the door and walked around the car to the driver's side, getting in and starting the engine. He then drove out of the parking garage and onto the streets of Sunspring City.
As they drove through the city, Lucifer took note of Catherine's reaction to the sights and sounds of the city. He could tell that she was enjoying the experience, and he made a mental note to show her more of the city when they had the chance.
After a few minutes of driving, Lucifer pulled up to a restaurant called "Bella Italia." The building was modern and elegant, with a white exterior and large windows that allowed guests to see outside. There was a sign above the entrance that read "Bella Italia," which was written in red letters against a white background.
"Here we are. Bella Italia." Lucifer said as he parked the car and turned off the engine.
Catherine looked at the restaurant and smiled. "It looks lovely."
"Well, let's go inside." Lucifer smiled as he got out of the car and walked around to open the passenger side door for Catherine.
She smiled as she got out of the car, thanking Lucifer before he led her towards the entrance of the restaurant. As they walked inside, Catherine put her hand on Lucifer's arm, a gesture that showed she was comfortable with him and wanted him to lead the way.
The hostess led them to a table near the back of the restaurant. It was a secluded table, which Lucifer preferred when having dinner.
"This is perfect. Thank you." Lucifer said as he pulled out a chair for Catherine, and she sat down.
Catherine then watched Lucifer as he sat down across from her. He had a confident air about him, which she found very attractive. Despite being young, he was able to negotiate a contract with her and had a good eye for talent.
"I must say, Mr. Reynolds, I'm very impressed by how well you've handled the meeting. You're younger than I expected, but you have a level of maturity that I didn't anticipate."
"Thank you, Ms. Laurent. I appreciate that. It was my mom's idea to make me the Managing Director of Miracle Model Agency. And honestly, I was skeptical at first, but now I think it's going to work out just fine."
"Yes, I can see that. Your mother must be very proud of you."
"Oh, she is. She always was."
"That's nice to hear. So, Mr. Reynolds, since you're taking me out to dinner, I assume you're going to try and charm me? Is that your plan?" Catherine teased as she looked into Lucifer's eyes.
Lucifer smiled at Catherine's words. She was sharp, and he could tell that she wasn't going to fall for any of his tricks. He would have to be direct with her, which was fine with him.
"I am trying to charm you, but I'm not going to lie or sugarcoat anything. I'm just going to be myself. If you don't like that, then we'll both know sooner rather than later, and we can just enjoy our meal as business associates. No harm, no foul."
"I like that attitude, Mr. Reynolds. Very straightforward. I appreciate that." Catherine nodded her head, appreciating his honesty. "However, what makes you think I don't have a husband or boyfriend? After all, I'm not getting any younger."
"Well, you could have a husband or boyfriend, but something tells me you don't. Call it a hunch. Besides, I think you're too independent to be tied down. As for your age, well, you don't look a day over thirty. So, what's a few years? And don't get me wrong; I'm not looking for anything serious.
But that doesn't mean we can't enjoy each other's company, right?" Lucifer replied with a charming smile.