BAD REPUTATION

Olivia Carter sat in the driver's seat, gripping the steering wheel a little too tightly, her coffee forgotten in the cupholder. The parking lot was quiet, save for the occasional squeak of tires on asphalt and the distant hum of the city. Her friend, Tessa's voice came through the speaker, sharp and teasing as always.

"I still can't believe Jack canceled again last night," Olivia said, shaking her head. Her eyes scanned the row of sedans and SUVs, but she wasn't really looking.

"I can believe it," Tessa shot back. "Honestly, Liv, I've hated that guy from day one and you know it. What the hell do you see in him... Well, apart from his money? You deserve better than-"

"He had a rough night," Liv interrupted gently, laughing despite herself. "He didn't mean it. You know how busy he is..."

"Busy? Sure. Busy being shady. Too busy to remember the one thing that actually matters... showing up for the woman he supposedly loves?" Tessa groaned. "You know what, I'm sick of this, I and Izzy have been talking, and we might have to stage an intervention."

Olivia chuckled, shaking her head. "Jokes on you, Tess. I'm about to meet up with Izzy right now." She tapped the phone lightly against her ear for emphasis. "I'm showing her the houses this afternoon, so... mission accomplished before your intervention even starts."

"You are?" Tessa's laugh carried a mix of disbelief and amusement. "Well, that sucks. I was really looking forward to her and I talking some sense into you."

"Yes," Olivia replied, a grin tugging at her lips. "And that means I get to see her before you talk her into your bloody intervention."

Tessa snorted. "Wouldn't stop us, though. Just... slow us down a little."

"Yeah, yeah. Intervention or not," Olivia said with a laugh. "I'll survive."

The line went quiet for a beat before Tessa's voice softened. "Alright, Liv. Good luck with your client. Don't let her pick a dump just to mess with me."

"Copy that. Love you, Tess."

"Love you too. And remember... intervention pending."

With that, Olivia ended the call and tucked her phone into her bag. She exhaled, letting the tension in her shoulders ease as she opened the car door. The late-afternoon sun spilled over the lot, glinting off the polished SUVs and giving everything a warm, golden glow. She stepped out, smoothing the front of her suit and grabbing the folder of listings she'd been preparing. Today was about showcasing homes, not obsessing over Jack.

But even as she clicked the car door shut behind her, a small, nagging thought lingered-maybe Tess was right. It did hurt when Jack had cancelled on their date yet again. She'd spent forty minutes picking that dress last night. Forty minutes for a text that said Rain check? She'd tried to understand but if she was being honest with herself, she'd been very disappointed.

Tessa could be right. Maybe some interventions were unavoidable... maybe even necessary. And