Chapter 2
2
Harrison Decker
“The Manhattan office runs smoothly and is performing financially. If support is needed, headquarters is listening in LA. So, I’m here not only to represent the Decker brand in the city but also to establish myself individually now that I have my real estate license for New York.”
I don’t shift or fidget. I’m confident in my ability to sell property, so a rock star doesn’t intimidate me. I’ve sold homes to Oscar winners, baseball hall of famers, Super Bowl quarterbacks, and rock ’n’ roll legends. I’ve known Kaz Fabian—guitarist, descended from Russian royalty, pianist prodigy—for years back in LA. He’s one of the most interesting people I know, and his band, The Resistance, stands in a league of their own. But at the end of a long day, everyone needs a place to lay their head.
They come to me to make their real estate dreams come true.
In the past six years, I’ve used my connections to go from a floundering agent with a well-known last name to a top agent who has to turn away clients due to my busy schedule.
My dad made me work my way up to prove myself. He demands excellence at the expense of anything and everything else, including a personal life.
Kaz says, “Lara’s design business has outgrown her LA office. She needs a space when she’s here, a place to stay and work, and I don’t want her in a hotel. Although she’ll be splitting her time between LA and New York, I want twenty-four-hour security, a doorman, amenities.”
“Many of my California clients have multiple homes and regularly travel between the two coasts. For a client of your discretion and need for privacy, I’ll make sure you get all that and more.”
“So I’m your first New York client?” Kaz says, chuckling. “You must have been losing a lot of money to make it worth the effort to get your license here.”
He’s right. I’m not doing this for fun, although I have a good time. “I was handing over millions to local co-listing agents.”
“My brother, Andrew, was flipping the fuck out at the losses,” Nick says.
Kaz nods. “You’re working with him, too?”
“Nobody manages my money better than the Christiansens,” I reply. Look, I could lie to get my friends more business, but fortunately, I don’t have to. I grew up with Nick, so he’s like a brother to me. I’m basically a third Christiansen son. They do manage my money, though, so no lies are being told today.
Christiansen Wealth Management already handles most of the band’s money as well, so we’re safe in our discussions.
Kaz stands and shakes my hand. “I have to run but send the paperwork over. You did us right in LA, so I trust you in New York.” While he shakes Nick’s hand, he adds, “Ultimately, it’s not me you have to please. Lara has a whole list of other things she needs to make it feel like a home. Take care of her.”
“I will. You never mentioned a budget, though,” I say.
“It’s only a part-time home, so I’d like to stay under ten mil.”
Got to love that celebrity money. “I can do that. Let her know I have some listings I can send. If any interest her, we’ll take a look.”
“Will do.” He takes a few steps around to the other side of the table to the exit.
Balancing on the back legs of his chair, Nick says, “Break a leg.”
“I’m not superstitious,” Kaz says, laughing. “You guys coming to the show?”
I was in LA at the time, but I heard it was a nightmare to score any tickets to The Resistance’s tour, so I say, “Sold out in under a minute.”
“I can leave tickets if you want.”
Nick’s eyes land on mine. “I’m in, and I know Natalie would love it.”
My beer glass is almost empty, tempting me to order another. With this meeting out of the way, we can just fuck off for the rest of the afternoon until the concert. “Count me in.”
“Going solo?” Kaz asks. “I can help you with the extra ticket, Decker, but not the date.”
They’re laughing a little too hard. I can dish it, but I can also take it. Chuckling, I reply, “You guys are real assholes, you know that?” I can find a date just fine.
“We do,” Nick replies through a chuckle.
Still laughing, Kaz finally starts walking away. “Tickets will be at Will Call.” He points at me. “I’m giving you two, Decker. Don’t disappoint me.”
“Thanks.” I finish my beer, then look at my friend. “I don’t have a date.”
One tap on the screen of my phone lights it up. When I start scrolling my black book of contacts, Nick asks, “What about that flight attendant you were seeing a few months back? Wasn’t she out of LaGuardia?”
“Talon got engaged to a pilot two weeks ago.” I search New York but don’t see any names that intrigue me.
“Damn, she was ready to settle down. Fitting name as well.”
“Scarily fitting. I dodged those claws.” Jenny Marie rings a bell. Good time. Summer. Bonfire. Decent in bed. “There’s a girl out in Jersey I went on a few dates with when she came out to audition for a pilot. Broadway actress looking to make it big in Hollywood.”
I get the receipt and my credit card back and sign.
“Why’d you only go on a few dates?” he asks.
Setting the pen down, I close the book and slide it to the middle of the table. “She liked the access to my client list more than she liked me.”
“Man, you’re dropping some honesty like you might have gotten your feelings hurt.”
“Nah. You know what it’s like out there. Everyone has stars in their eyes until they’re burned and jaded and head back to their hometown.”
“That’s why I’m in New York.”
Watching a leggy blonde cross the restaurant has me thinking this city isn’t so bad. “I thought you moved here because Natalie wanted to live in the city?”
“That too.” He leans forward, resting his arms on the table. Lowering his voice, he says, “I know you might not want to hear this, but you could always ask Tatum.”
“That ship has sailed, like four times over.”
“What is it with you two? You’re oil and water. Over what? A one-night stand that didn’t pan out to be more?” He finishes his beer and sets the glass down to spin it between his fingers. “That’s not how I saw things going after how you two spent the night in Catalina, but you fucked up. One text could have changed it from one night?—”
“Evening, all night, and sunrise, but who’s counting . . .”
“Apparently, you are.”
“Natalie, actually, since she was the one locked out of her room all night while you two got it on.”
“The operative part of that sentence is ‘the one.’ That’s the same one you married. So, you’re welcome.” Considering three years have passed since the wedding, I doubt Tatum has thought much about me since Catalina, much less from the reception. Even though I’ve thought of her more than once or twice over that time. Nick’s smile makes me chuckle. “Damn, dude, you still have it that bad for your wife?”
“I’ll never get over how lucky I am.” Standing, he adds, “Now that my brother’s life is sorted, according to my mom, she’s turning her attention on you, so be careful, or you just might find yourself in my shoes.”
“Smiling like a loon in the middle of a restaurant? No, thank you. Cookie Christiansen may believe she’s a matchmaker, but fixing her sons’ lives was easy compared to the mess I’ve made of my love life.” I stand and walk around to his side of the table. “Anyway, just because you found your one and only doesn’t mean I have to fall for the same shenanigans.” Although, after looking at my black book , I can’t help wondering. Do I want more than one night as well?
Leading us out of the restaurant, I look up at the skyscrapers blocking the sunshine. “Do you ever get used to this? I’ve been here a day, and I miss the wide blue sky and the ocean.”
Shoving his hands into his pockets, Nick gazes upward. When he looks back at me, he says, “The pros outweigh the cons. Andrew and I can take you to the shore sometime. There’s surfing. Admittedly, the Atlantic isn’t the same as the Pacific, but it works when you need to be with the sea.”
He nods toward the car waiting at the curb. When we start walking, he adds, “I’ll be honest, I felt out of place here for months. Maybe being with Natalie made it easier. She showed me how great this city can be. We can walk to so many places, restaurants, shops, the store. I don’t miss sitting in my car for two to three hours a day.” He stops and opens the door before clapping me on the shoulder. “So yeah, it’s not LA, but New York’s kind of won my heart over. Give it a chance, and you might find it’s not so bad.”
“I’m here. I’m giving it a chance.” I duck into the back, and he follows. For someone who apparently walks so much, it must be nice to have a car on call day and night. “As for Tatum, that’s a hard no. You saw how she reacted when she saw me. The woman hates me. With her, there are no second chances.”
“Maybe give it the night, and you two can become friends. Natalie would like that.”
His wife is cool enough for me to consider the option. “Look, I won’t say no to Natalie, but that means me taking a risk. Tatum is more than bark. She bites.”
“Keep your sexual escapades to yourself, dude.”
It’s a punch to the arm he can handle, especially since it doesn’t seem to faze him from teasing me the rest of the way home. The thing is, I liked Tatum. I fucked up by not calling her despite our agreement. Maybe we could have worked out like Nick and Natalie, given how their relationship started the same night.
Fuck. I run a hand over my head. What am I talking about?
No way am I ready to be married and settled down at twenty-nine. Life’s just getting interesting.
When the car arrives, we head up to the stoop. “I think I should have had another beer before doing this.”
Patting me on the back, he says, “You got this.”
Nick opens the door, and we’re greeted with laughter echoing from deeper inside the house. We walk toward the sound, and when Nick sees Natalie, he opens his arms. “There’s my beautiful wife.” She rushes to him as if they’ve been apart for more than a few hours.
I hang back in the doorway, feeling like an intruder to their intimate moment. I can’t help but glance toward Tatum, who’s sipping a glass of wine while perched on a barstool.
She angles my way but is quick to turn toward the backyard, blocking all of us from her view. While Nick and Natalie whisper to each other, I decide to throw my balls on the Tatum chopping block once more. I shove my hands in my pockets and join her at the large island. I make sure to keep space between us. Matters like Tatum have to be handled delicately.
“Hi,” I say, keeping my voice quiet between us.
Glancing my way, she then turns toward the half-eaten platter of snacks and grabs a cracker. “Hi,” she replies even quieter, eyes on the food before taking a bite.
When the room goes silent and tension fills the air, I find Nick and Natalie sneaking away. Fuck. No pressure or anything. “ Soooo yeah , Nick and I scored some tickets tonight?—”
“Oh my God, are you asking me out?” Panic rises in her voice, reaching her eyes as she stares wide-eyed at me.
My arms fly up in surrender. “Just as friends. I know you prefer keeping your distance from me, but I was hoping we could maybe move past, well , the past. Or maybe not as friends, but just not enemies.” I need to shut the fuck up. It’s incredible that I can date a Miss Universe, an Oscar-nominated actress, and the top real estate agent in LA—after me, of course—without so much as a second thought. But Tatum Devreux has me rambling like an insecure teen asking a girl out for the first time.
She angles my way, spinning her body to the side. The panic has disappeared, and I’m not sure how to read her. Is that calm settling the choppy waters of her deep brown eyes? A smile doesn’t follow to calm mine, and the tension still felt like a tight lasso around my chest. She sighs in resolve, but then says, “I think you’re right, Harrison.”
“I am?” It’s been so long since she’s said my first name that I’d almost forgotten how sweet it sounds coming from her lips. “About?”
“Being enemies. It’s not good for either of us or our friends. If you’re going to be in the city for a while, which it sounds like you plan to be, we’ll naturally be seeing more of each other.” She holds her hand out. “So I agree with you. We should wipe the slate clean and leave the past in the past.”
I take her hand, the memories of holding it that night in Catalina coming back like it was yesterday. “Deal.” I pull back, not willing to let the heat of our connection trap me back in the night I can’t seem to forget.
She stands, and a smile finally graces her full pink lips. “Great. Now about those tickets . . .”