The showroom buzzed faintly with the hum of fluorescent lights and muffled conversation. Babs leaned lazily against the cherry-red convertible, her smile poised like a weapon as she chatted up the man in front of her. Her voice dripped with playful charm.

“I like men,” she said, eyes narrowing with mock sincerity. “I like men a lot...” She gave a soft, exasperated laugh under her breath. “I can’t believe I’m doing this…”

Then she leaned in, fingers grazing the hood as she tilted her head toward him, lips curling with mischief.

“You know what I love?” she murmured, biting her lower lip. “Women.”

As if summoned by fate, the soft jingle of the dealership door rang out. Babs glanced up—and stopped. A woman had stepped inside. Younger. Radiant in a way that didn’t need a damn bit of makeup or pretense. Something about her instantly tugged at Babs like gravity shifting in the room.

Her words stalled in her throat, and before the guy could recover from her last line, she turned to a nearby coworker, already pulling away.

“Greg, can you take this one? I think he’s more of a… ‘finance talk’ kind of guy.” She patted the man on the shoulder once, already striding away.

Babs crossed the floor in fluid, confident steps, smoothing her hands down her blazer like she was brushing off dust—but really, it was nerves. Which she never admitted to.

She stopped in front of the woman, not too close, but close enough to catch the sparkle in her eyes. Babs gave her a crooked smile, head tilted slightly.

“Let me guess,” she said, voice lower now, softer—like a secret. “You’re looking for a car, huh?"

And just like that, Babs Merrick was all in.