2 Broke Girls x 1 Rich Man [TV series 2 Broke Girls ff]

Words: 2.3k

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The Williamsburg Diner had transformed into a chaotic hive of activity the next day, a stark contrast to the stormy silence of the previous night. The sun had decided to make a reluctant appearance, its rays streaming through the freshly repaired window—thanks to Oleg, who claimed to know a "guy" but really just taped up some plexiglass he found behind the dumpster.

Max was juggling three orders at once, her sarcastic quips sharp as ever. Earl sat on his usual stool, nursing a coffee and sharing dubious wisdom about "the golden age of jazz." Caroline flitted around the diner with her trademark energy, balancing a tray of cupcakes and a sales pitch that could rival a Broadway performance.

"Max, table five wants more ketchup!" Caroline called out, waving a near-empty bottle.

Max glanced over her shoulder as she poured coffee for a couple at table three. "And I want a million dollars. Guess which one's more likely to happen?"

Caroline rolled her eyes, heading toward the counter to grab a fresh bottle. "You could at least try to be helpful."

"I am helpful," Max replied. "I'm helping you build character by dealing with life's disappointments."

Before Caroline could retort, the diner door swung open, the little bell above it jingling cheerfully. In walked Alex Wilson, looking impossibly polished for someone stepping into a greasy diner. His tailored suit was swapped for a casual leather jacket and jeans, but the confidence in his stride remained the same.

The entire diner seemed to pause.

"Great," Max muttered under her breath as she refilled Earl's coffee. "Instagram Filter 2.0 is back."

Caroline nearly dropped the tray of cupcakes in her hands. "Alex! I mean, Mr. Wilson! What a surprise!"

Alex smiled, his sharp blue eyes scanning the room before landing on her. "Caroline," he said warmly. "Just Alex is fine."

Sophie materialized from her usual booth, sashaying her way toward Alex with a radiant smile. She had swapped her sequins for a slightly more subdued ensemble, though it still sparkled in the sunlight.

"Alex, darling," Sophie cooed, ignoring Caroline completely. "How lovely to see you again. Did you come back just for me?"

Alex chuckled, holding up a hand. "I actually came back for the coffee. And maybe a cupcake."

Max smirked, leaning against the counter. "Wow, you're setting the bar high there, Alex. What's next—complimenting our laminated menus?"

Caroline shot Max a warning look before stepping forward with a fresh tray of cupcakes. "These are our newest creations," she said, her tone bright. "Chocolate ganache with a salted caramel swirl."

Alex raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Impressive. I might have to try one."

Sophie seized the opportunity, plucking a cupcake from the tray and holding it out to him. "Allow me," she purred.

Alex accepted it with a smile, taking a bite. His expression shifted, a flicker of genuine delight crossing his face. "Wow," he said, nodding appreciatively. "This is incredible."

Max raised an eyebrow. "What, no 'this is the best cupcake I've ever had' speech? You're slipping, Mr. Entertainment."

He laughed, setting the half-eaten cupcake on the counter. "I try to keep my compliments grounded in reality."

Before Max could respond, Oleg burst through the kitchen door, his suspenders askew and a frying pan in hand. "What's all this commotion?" he bellowed, his thick accent cutting through the diner's noise. "Ah, it's the billionaire!"

Alex looked amused. "Billionaire, huh? That's quite the rumor."

Oleg shrugged, leaning on the counter. "Don't deny it. I Googled you. You are the man who made the movie about the robot that cries, yes?"

Alex blinked. "I... produced a film like that, yes."

Sophie gasped. "I loved that movie! It spoke to me on such a deep, emotional level."

Max snorted. "Sophie, you cried because the robot reminded you of your vacuum cleaner."

"It's a very loyal vacuum!" Sophie shot back, crossing her arms.

Alex shook his head, clearly amused. "I didn't expect such a lively crowd this morning."

"Stick around," Max said. "We only get worse."

Caroline took a deep breath, stepping closer to Alex. "Actually, we're glad you're here. We wanted to show you our business plan for Max's Homemade Cupcakes."

Max's head whipped around. "Business plan? Since when do we have a business plan?"

Caroline grinned. "Since I stayed up all night making one. It's on the back of the menu."

Alex raised an eyebrow but gestured for her to continue. "I'm listening."

Caroline grabbed a marker and flipped over one of the menus, launching into an impromptu pitch. She detailed their vision for expanding the cupcake business, complete with a pie chart drawn in ketchup and mustard on a napkin.

Alex watched, clearly entertained but also intrigued. When she finished, he leaned back, his expression thoughtful.

"You've got ambition," he said finally. "And talent. I'll admit, I'm intrigued."

Caroline's eyes lit up. "Does that mean you'll invest?"

Alex held up a hand. "It means I want to learn more. Why don't we set up a meeting? Somewhere less… chaotic."

Max snorted. "Good luck finding that. Chaos is our brand."

Alex stood, sliding a business card across the counter. "Call me. We'll figure something out."

As he turned to leave, Sophie called after him. "Don't forget about me, Alex! I have range, you know!"

He glanced back, smirking. "I'm sure you do, Sophie."

When the door closed behind him, the diner erupted into chatter.

Caroline clutched the business card like it was a winning lottery ticket. "This is it! This is our chance!"

Max leaned on the counter, shaking her head. "Or it's just another rich guy looking for a good story."

Sophie sighed dreamily. "Or love."

Oleg patted Max on the back. "Don't worry, Max. If he doesn't fall for your cupcakes, maybe he'll fall for your charm."

Max smirked. "Yeah, well, if charm doesn't work, at least I've got these." She gestured toward her chest.

Oleg nodded solemnly. "Ah yes, the secret weapon. Nature's airbags."

The chatter in the diner was still buzzing when the door jingled again. Han walked inside with his usual casual swagger, his jacket draped over one shoulder and an expression that immediately screamed he had news.

"What did I miss?" Han asked, scanning the room and raising an eyebrow at the lively crowd.

Max didn't miss a beat. "Oh, not much. Just Caroline charming a billionaire, Sophie auditioning for her next imaginary movie role, and Oleg Googling our guest to confirm his net worth."

Han chuckled, moving toward the counter. "Sounds like a regular Tuesday."

Caroline, still clutching Alex's business card, turned toward Han, practically glowing. "We might've just secured our big break! Alex Wilson, the producer, is interested in investing in Max's Homemade Cupcakes!"

Han nodded thoughtfully. "Good for you, Caroline. And good for Max too, I guess. Though knowing her, she probably called him something colorful within five seconds of meeting him."

Max smirked. "Try three seconds. But don't worry, Caroline already broke out the ketchup pie charts to win him over."

"Hey, it worked!" Caroline shot back. "Sort of."

Han opened his mouth to respond but then paused, glancing toward Oleg, who was still leaning on the counter with a frying pan in hand. "Oleg, why are you armed? Did the stove talk back again?"

Oleg shrugged. "No, but maybe it will if the food inspector doesn't shut us down first."

The room collectively froze. Max narrowed her eyes. "What do you mean 'food inspector'?"

Han sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I was gonna ease into it, but I guess there's no sugarcoating it. The food inspector's coming this week. Apparently, the diner next door got shut down after killing three octogenarians with food poisoning."

Earl, who had been peacefully sipping his coffee, suddenly perked up. "Three 80-year-olds? What did they serve, cyanide soup?"

"Close enough," Han said. "Something about spoiled meat in their chili. Anyway, the health department's doing surprise inspections on all the diners in the area now."

Max groaned, slapping the counter. "Great. Just great. Like we didn't have enough problems already."

Caroline's face paled. "We have to make sure everything's perfect. No expired ingredients, no clutter, no questionable practices."

Max crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow. "Define 'questionable.' Because if we can't use the five-second rule anymore, half our business model is shot."

Han shot her a look. "I don't think five seconds is the problem, Max. It's more like… how many times have you washed that apron this month?"

Max glanced down at her flour-dusted apron and shrugged. "Wash it? I thought the stains were part of its charm."

Caroline gasped, already mentally assembling a checklist. "We need to scrub the counters, reorganize the kitchen, and... oh no, Max, we have to label everything!"

Sophie, still lounging at her usual booth, frowned. "What's wrong with my labeling system? I wrote 'powder sugar' on that big bag yesterday."

"That explains why the muffins tasted like glue," Max muttered.

Oleg raised his frying pan. "Don't worry, my kitchen is spotless! I clean it every week. Whether it needs it or not."

"That's… concerning," Han said flatly. "But we're all gonna have to pitch in. If the inspector finds anything wrong, we're done for."

Max leaned forward on the counter, her smirk returning. "Relax. We've survived worse than some health inspector."

Han nodded. "True. But let's try not to give them a reason to shut us down. Sophie, that means no storing your bedazzled purse in the freezer."

Sophie gasped. "But the sparkles stay fresher in the cold!"

Max rolled her eyes and turned to Caroline. "So, Captain Ambition, what's the plan? And if it involves glitter, I'm out."

Caroline squared her shoulders, determination lighting up her face. "We're going to clean, organize, and make this diner shine like never before! We'll be ready for that inspection no matter what."

Oleg pounded the counter with his frying pan, startling everyone. "Yes! And if they try to shut us down, we fight them! Like warriors of old!"

Earl sipped his coffee, unimpressed. "Or you could just make sure there's no rat poop in the kitchen."

The room went quiet.

Max turned to Oleg. "There isn't any… right?"

Oleg looked offended. "Of course not! I trained the rats to stay in the alley."

Han shook his head. "Okay, now I'm worried."

Caroline clapped her hands, cutting through the chaos. "Enough! We're cleaning this place from top to bottom, and no one's leaving until it's spotless."

Max groaned. "Ugh, this is why I don't do ambition."

"Get used to it," Caroline said, already grabbing a mop. "Because when that inspector shows up, this diner is going to pass with flying colors, or I'm dragging you all down with me."

Max sighed, tying her hair back. "Fine, but if I find one more of Sophie's sequins in the pancake batter, I'm quitting."

Han grinned. "I'll get the gloves. Let's save the diner, again."

...

[Alex's Penthouse - Night]

Alex Wilson stood on the balcony of his luxurious penthouse, a glass of wine in hand. The city skyline stretched before him, the lights shimmering like a sea of stars. It was a rare moment of quiet, away from the chaos of Hollywood and the relentless demands of his career. Yet, his mind wasn't entirely at ease.

His phone buzzed on the glass table beside him. He glanced at the screen. Caroline Callahan

A smirk tugged at his lips as he picked up the call. "Caroline. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Alex! Hi! I hope I'm not interrupting anything important," she said, her voice tinged with both excitement and nervousness.

"Just me and a glass of wine," he replied, leaning against the railing. "What's up?"

"So… I know you said you wanted to learn more about our business, and I was wondering if we could meet up to discuss it in more detail. I promise I won't ambush you with another ketchup and mustard pie chart."

Alex chuckled. "That's a shame. It was a creative touch."

"Glad you think so. Max called it 'an abomination against spreadsheets everywhere.'"

"She sounds like my kind of skeptic," Alex said. "But yes, let's meet. I'd like to hear more about your plan. How about dinner? I know a place."

There was a brief silence on the other end before Caroline responded, "Dinner? Like, a meeting over dinner?"

"Unless you'd rather have a business discussion in the middle of a chaotic diner," Alex teased. "I figured we'd need somewhere a little more… conducive to conversation."

"Right, of course! That makes total sense! Business dinner. Totally professional," she said quickly. "Where should we meet?"

"Ever been to Lumière?" Alex asked.

"Lumière? The fancy French restaurant where celebrities go to 'accidentally' get photographed?" Caroline's voice lifted an octave. "Alex, are you sure you want to meet there? I mean, I usually consider it a splurge when I get guacamole at Chipotle."

Alex chuckled again. "I think we can manage one evening of fine dining. Consider it an investment in our potential business partnership."

"Alright, but if they charge me extra for breathing the air in that place, you're covering it."

"Deal. I'll have a table reserved. Eight o'clock?"

"Perfect! See you then. And Alex?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for this. It means a lot."

He could hear the sincerity in her voice, and for a moment, the high-powered producer in him faded, leaving just the man who was genuinely intrigued by the girl with big dreams and an infectious determination.

"See you soon, Caroline."

As he ended the call, he stared out at the city once more, a faint smile playing on his lips. This was going to be interesting.

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[10 advance chs] All chs available for all tiers]

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AN: Next chapter on Monday. See ya.