Page 12 of For Always
“This,” Dessie said with a tilt of her head that warned he should fix his face, “is Gabriella Bennett. She is here to stage the house and the resort in a way that will bring exuberant buyers to our door. With her help we can get the most for the property. Gabriella, this is Jagger West and his fiancé, Brooke.”
“Ifwe sell,” Tyler added.
He’d taken a seat beside Gabriella, so that Dessie was to her right and he was to her left. Dessie’s husband, Clyde, sat on Dessie’s other side. Gabriella had met him last night when she’d returned to the resort from her dinner with Tyler.
“The will said to sell the property. So that’s what we should be doing.” Jagger announced.
Brooke slowly placed her hand on top of Jagger’s. She had a smile pasted in place and tilted her head toward Tyler and Gabriella before saying, “The purpose of a Last Will in Testament is to alert the living to the deceased’s wishes so that those wishes might be carried out. From the way I heard it, George and Verna West wanted their sons to sell the Westwind Resort and Ranch.”
They were a perfect couple. Almost too perfect, Gabriella thought. Brooke was as beautiful as Jagger was handsome. Each of them educated, no doubt, and ambitious.
Clyde nodded. “Yes, that is what George and Verna’s will stated. And since neither of you boys have been here in a working capacity for almost twenty years, Dessie and I thought it was best to get things started for you. So Dessie contacted a company known for selling ranches and receiving the best price for them.”
“That’s where Gabriella comes in,” Dessie said while patting Gabriella’s hand. “Go on, tell them what you’ve come up with so far.”
All eyes fell on her and she was ready. Clearing her throat Gabriella reached into the bag she’d hung on the back of her chair and pulled out her tablet.
But before she could speak, Tyler did.
“I met with Gabriella last night,” he said. “She’s going to give us options.”
“Options?” Brooke asked. “Like blue curtains or black ones?”
The chuckle that followed was stilted and reached no one but Jagger, who grinned in response.
“Your options are to have the resort, main house and employee living spaces professionally staged to appeal to the buyers’ market and thus, generating prime offers to purchase,” Gabriella said.
She turned her tablet to face Clyde, Dessie and the two doubters sitting across from her. On the screen were preliminary staging designs she’d compiled for the resort. She’d only done a few hand sketches for the main house based off the pictures of the property that were on the Westwind website. But after her meeting with Tyler last night, she hadn’t bothered to do anything more formal. And she had not seen the employee residences as of yet.
“Or, if the plan is to live on the ranch and make design updates to suit the new owners, I can compile information on style tastes and visions for the property and we can proceed from there. Whether you choose to stage or re-decorate, I am trained to handle both. I can provide references, but the stellar reputation of The Proctor Group speaks for itself. I am here in Hobbs Creek to complete this job and with your approval, could be ready to start first thing tomorrow morning.”
“What type of profit do you and your company guarantee for a property such as this?” Brooke asked.
Gabriella noted the woman had barely looked at the tablet, but instead had kept her gaze focused on Gabriella. That was fine, Gabriella was used to being stared at. Her half Brazilian and half African American heritage gave her an exotic look that could be construed as different to those who looked for something to distinguish another person from themselves. She and Adriana had both endured a measure of bullying from girls in school as they grew up, and women in the social circles her parents traveled because they looked “different.” Adriana had gone on to carve out a very successful career based on her “different” looks, and while Gabriella didn’t base her business success on her appearance, she was proud of every part of her heritage. Even if it made others uncomfortable.
“We cannot guarantee a specific dollar amount. Our job is to create the best looking property possible and to present that property to the top buyers in the market,” she replied.
“What’s your success rate? Do you have a portfolio of satisfied customers? Statistical reports for cattle ranches in the Texas Panhandle? What makes you so sure we need you here to garner a good sale price?”
This barrage of questions came from Jagger and when Gabriella opened her mouth to respond, Tyler touched her arm.
After Tyler’s invitation to dinner, Gabriella had gone to her room and quickly changed out of her bathing suit into a navy blue dress and tan sandals. She’d pulled her still wet hair back into a neat and professional bun and clasped tan and gold earrings to her ears. As it was so warm here in Texas, she hadn’t bothered with the jacket that she normally wore with the dress, which left her arms bare. Tyler’s hand—even if for just a moment—was warm and sent tendrils of something unexplainable up her arm.
“I think we need to be clear on a few points before we decide what should be done with the property,” Tyler stated.
“What points? We’re selling,” Jagger interrupted. “Like Clyde just said, neither of us have been here working on the ranch since we were kids. We didn’t like it then and I suspect we won’t like it now. So, it’s clear. We do what Mom and Dad wanted and sell the place. If she’s going to help us do that for the best price, then we have a right to question her abilities or we can find another decorator for the job.”
“You’re being rude, Jagger, and that’s not necessary,” Dessie said, in what Gabriella thought might be the woman’s most delicate disciplinary voice.
Jagger had the decency to at least look dutifully reproached.
“We own Westwind now,” Tyler continued. “Fifty percent is yours and fifty percent is mine. As for my half, I want to take the time to decide what I think is best. So, while we’re in limbo, I’d like to hire Gabriella to present her ideas for both options.”
Jagger was shaking his head before Tyler finished. “That’s a waste of time in my opinion because I already know I want to sell.”
“Then I’ll buy you out,” Tyler added quickly. “Name your price.”
There was a momentary stare-off as the West brothers traded intense glares across the table.
