Chapter 3
3
Harrison
Tatum said yes to tonight before knowing if we had tickets to a movie, a concert, a baseball game, or even the subway. My point being, she said yes before knowing anything about the offer.
She said yes to me.
I could let that feed my ego, but that’s not what she intended. I’ll take the good, though, and hope we can actually reach a peaceful existence for our best friends. Or even better, become friends.
She makes it hard, literally , to think of her platonically when seeing her in a short skirt like she is now. I’m reminded I was once given full access to what’s underneath it. There was a time I had to peel her off me, not because I wanted her to stop, but I didn’t want us to get arrested for public indecency. She’s got a wild side that she has me missing.
Bumping into me, she says, “Thank you.”
“For what?”
She takes a sip of her drink and smiles. There’s a shyness to it that doesn’t quite fit the vibrant woman I know her to be. “For asking me to come with you guys. You could have brought anyone.”
When I think about scrolling through my contacts earlier, I now know why I couldn’t find anyone I wanted to call. I’m a fucking glutton for punishment. “I’m glad you came.”
A smirk tilts her grin up on one side. A little nudge to my ribs with her elbow is enough for me to realize the double meaning of what I said. Tatum’s still giggling when she replies, “Me too.”
The lights go down. Natalie and Tatum loop their arms around each other’s and raise their free arms into the air, screaming in excitement for the band. I catch Nick’s eyes over their heads, and we fist bump. He nods toward Tatum and waggles his eyebrows. Ass. I give him a shrug because I’m the dumbass who keeps trying to get back on her good side.
When the lights flash on, the band members own their spots on the stage, Johnny Outlaw front and center, Dex on the drums, Derrick on the left, and Kaz in front of us. Twenty-thousand fans scream at the same time, and Dex kicks in on the drums.
Spending the next hour rocking out to the music, I’d finished my drink by the second song. Not wanting to miss any of the show, I stayed to watch.
We’re only an hour in when Tatum turns to me and tilts her head to look at my hand. “Empty?”
“Yeah.”
“Want to come with me? I’ll buy your next.”
Fuck yeah, I do. Screw the band. Tatum is much more interesting. I follow her to the nearest door, and a bouncer swings it open for us.
The VIP section has its perks, and proximity to a private bar and facilities are two of them. She orders as I step around some guy trying to weasel in next to her and come between them. Tatum doesn’t even notice how guys look at her, how they go out of their way to be near her, to hit on her, to touch her. Fuckers. All of them.
Blocking that guy, I lean on the counter and hold out a bill to the bartender.
“I’m supposed to be buying your drink.” She tries to snatch the money but misses when I raise my hand. “Put it away, Decker. Your money’s no good here.”
The bartender sets the drinks in front of us and laughs. “The drinks are free,” he says, “but I don’t mind that as a tip.”
Tatum catches me off guard when she snags the bill from my hand. She tucks it in the bartender’s tip jar, and then tells him, “Thank you.”
Leaving him with a huge smile and shock widening his eyes, he trips over his words. “Wow. Thanks.”
I don’t mind paying the guy the money, but she’s sneaky. She tugs me by the sleeve away from the bar. We’re quickly replaced when we walk away. “I thought my money wasn’t any good?”
Laughing, she winks. “It wasn’t good for the drinks, but you just made his day with that tip. So maybe your money’s not so bad after all.”
I chuckle. “Guess not.”
Although the band is well into the set when we enter through the doors, Tatum doesn’t seem to be in a hurry to get back. Standing off to the side out of the walkway, she sways to the music while sipping her drink. I stay behind her so I don’t block anyone trying to get by. Watching the band from this angle isn’t the best, but I’m okay with it. I’m near her and like the view of her dancing, even if it is from behind.
See? Glutton .
When she peeks back, she appears to be relaxed around me. Usually, her shoulders are tense and her mouth is tight-lipped. Not tonight. Maybe we really are moving forward with a fresh start. “I heard you got your real estate license for the state.”
It’s not a question, but I hear the lilt. I like that I’m on her mind. “I did.”
“And you’re staying with Nick and Natalie for the next two months.”
Again, not a question, but I’ll take the lead-in. “You sure are hearing a lot about me.” I give her a wink. “I’m not sure how long I’ll be here, actually. I have to fly back to LA every week. We’ll see how the commute goes.”
“I got the impression you were moving here.” Her tongue dips out and swings the straw closer, and she peers up at me while drinking.
She’s so hard to read. Her interest in where I live belies the cool casualness. “Don’t worry. I won’t be here forever. I didn’t even plan to stay at Nick’s place, but he offered when he heard I was planning to live in a hotel while here. Natalie insisted, and you know how hard it is to turn her down.”
“I do. When she sets her mind to something, she usually gets what she wants.” She glances back at the band and then at me again. “You don’t have to worry about me ruining your visit. I’ll respect your time with your friend.”
“It’s okay. You don’t ruin anything.”
Turning all the way around to face me, she lowers her gaze to her drink, and she fidgets with the straw. “Things are changing.” Something behind grabs both of our attention. A guy is arguing with the bouncer, so I shift us away and closer to the audience. Her guard is down, her shoulders at ease, and with an arena behind her, she looks smaller to me, more vulnerable even. I angle to keep her safe from any scuffle that might break out, careful not to make her uncomfortable.
“I’m sure it will be good for you and Nick to hang out again,” she says.
“LA’s not the same without him, and it’s been a couple of months since I’ve seen him. It’s been good so far. I’m sure he’ll get sick of me invading his house soon enough.” I chuckle.
She takes another sip and then laughs lightly, momentarily appearing lost in her thoughts of her own. “I’m sure that won’t happen. On the bright side, maybe you’ll find that New York’s not so bad.” The smile on her face is genuine with no ill will attached.
“I’m sure it’s not. Are you ready to go back?” I’m not in a hurry, but I don’t want to circle around what happened in Catalina. It’s been too good with her to ruin the night.
Nodding, she pushes off the wall and starts working her way back to Natalie’s side, who’s quick to wrap an arm over Tatum’s shoulders. They dance and sing, competing with the lead vocals. Kaz points at us after a solo riff, giving me a nod of approval. I suppose it’s because of my date. I’ll take it from the guy who laughed that I couldn’t find one.
Tatum’s more than a stand-in to prove him wrong, but she’s making me look good nonetheless. Nick disappears for drinks, bringing a bottle of water for Natalie and another round for the rest of us. It’s probably best if one of us stays sober, and I’m glad it’s Natalie and not me because I’m enjoying this glass of whiskey and Coke.
With a free weekend, I drink up since I have nothing to lose but the night ahead. Between the main set and the encore, a large security guy invites us to the bar where they’re hosting the after-party. We’re given the address and then continue enjoying the rest of the concert.
Nudging me, Tatum lifts high toward my ear. “They’re probably going to bail. What do you think? Still want to go?”
For a brief second, I question if she’s asking me out. “Me?” Guess I did that out loud. I might want to slow down on the alcohol.
She doesn’t hold back her laughter as the band leaves the stage. Dex remains on the drums, closing out the show like the badass he is. I sold him a beach retreat with a killer setup for his drum kit last year. Tatum swings her long hair over her shoulder and bumps into me. “What do you think?” she yells so I can hear. I look around because I think the entire arena heard.
I lean down, not wanting to yell, and say, “I’ll go with you.”
She rolls her eyes. “It’s not like you’re doing me a favor, but thanks.” Still laughing, she nudges me with her elbow.
The show ends, and the crowd is quick to stream from the arena. Sticking together, the four of us make it a few blocks before stopping to talk, though the girls have been talking a mile a minute the whole time.
“What are your plans?” Nick asks.
“Tatum wants to go to the after-party.”
He smirks. “Oh, yeah?”
“I can’t compete with rock stars, brother.”
“They’re all married, and you know as well as I do, they don’t fuck around.”
“True.” I peek over at Tatum, smiling from seeing her animated expression as she uses her arms to tell Nat a story. God, she’s gorgeous.
“We’re gonna head home,” Nick says. “Make sure Tatum gets home safe, okay?” When I nod, he adds. “You know the code. Just let yourself in, but remember to set the alarm.”
We shake hands and then bring it in for a shoulder bump. “Thanks for having me.”
“I’m glad you’re here.” When he steps back, Natalie’s and his hands clasp as if the universe pulled them together.
I don’t know if this weird tightening in my chest is from witnessing what I don’t have or what I’m starting to think I want. It’s best to leave before I overanalyze the situation or emotion. I shove my hands in my pockets and turn to Tatum. “You ready?”
She turns to say goodbye to the others, then plucks the front of my shirt and says, “I’m all yours, Decker,” as she raises her chin and marches past me. I grin and follow like a good friend, probably like her boyfriends do, trailing her like love-sick puppies.
Is that what I am?
Not on your life.
A great fuck, especially since it only happened one time, does not make me love-sick or her follower. Though I vaguely remember being smitten for a short time in our history. I quickly catch up to her, and we walk down the block together before we hop into the car I ordered.
Silence is another passenger hitching a ride between us. As a salesman, I’m trained to wait it out once the deal is on the table. But the deal isn’t closed with Tatum. Just an awkwardness of wondering what’s going to happen tonight.
Once we exit the car, she moves closer to my side as we walk down the alley toward the private entrance. It’s not far, but I like her company. After we step inside, she stays close to me. Maybe it’s because she appears to dislike the unwanted leers she’s receiving. This is not the woman I’ve heard stories about from Nick. He said Tatum and Nat used to dance on bars and were the queens of the spotlight, owning the attention of every person in the place. Tonight, she doesn’t seem to crave that life.
“I’m happy to be your wingman,” I say.
She giggles. “I don’t need help getting a date?—”
“What? No, I meant bodyguard, not wingman.” What the fuck? Helping her get a date with some other asshole is the last thing I plan to do.
Wrapping her arm around mine, she tugs me toward the velvet ropes. A bouncer gives us a nod and steps aside, allowing us entrance to the section. “Does my body need guarding, Decker?”
Abso-fucking-lutely. “I’m up for the job if you’re offering.”
“I know firsthand you’re up for it.”
I’ve been drinking.
She’s been drinking.
“There’s that trouble with a capital T that I remember so well,” I say, giving her a once-over. I cared earlier, careful to watch her when she wasn’t looking. That care is gone, and I’ll give it right back to her. Her hair is lighter than it was in Catalina, but it’s still long, if not longer. The loose waves are so fucking sexy. It’s as if she just rolled out of bed after a night of sex. I know how the night’s going to go down. Every guy is going to be eyeing her, talking to her, and one of those fuckers might win the lottery and get to take her home.
Fuck. What am I doing? Why am I setting myself up for this kind of torture?
That short skirt, a shirt that highlights her assets, and those long legs I remember being wrapped around me. She takes hold of my shirtsleeve like we’re a couple walking into the VIP section.
Despite the band coming in behind us, you’d think Tatum was the rock star since all eyes are on her. We find a seat on a couch against the wall while the guys who came out tonight settle around a low table. I greet Kaz, then introduce Tatum. Most women are starstruck when they meet my famous friends. Hell, most men are as well. Except Tatum.
The band might be put on pedestals by everyone else, but Tatum’s poised and confident not only in her own skin but also in the sky-high heels she’s been wearing all night. I don’t know near enough as I’d like about her, but maybe her world includes megastars and musicians.
The band’s manager, Tommy, makes sure the table is loaded with bottles of options. Derrick and Kaz pour drinks like they didn’t just sweat for over two hours on a stage.
Even they take notice of Tatum and that short, even shorter when she sits, skirt of hers. They’re all married, but if they weren’t, I might be worried they’d find her more interesting than she finds me.
I have no right to feel possessive or even jealous, but some feelings I’ve ignored up to this point have unexpectedly resurfaced, causing my gut to twist and my head to spin when it comes to her. I’m not one to get hung up on a woman. I wholeheartedly admit I only made one phone call that I don’t even think she’s aware of. I made decisions, and now I have to live with the consequences. I chose my family and work back then, and I’m regretting that now.
Not that I’m in love with the woman, but sitting next to her makes me realize there was a time we had a real chance at what Nick and Natalie have. My chest tightens, thinking of that time after Catalina and what happened. I can’t change that, but maybe if Tatum knew . . .
She’s been holding on to that grudge like a life preserver. Even when I tried to make it right at Nick and Natalie’s wedding reception. No move I made or thing I said was going to change her mind. Too little. Too late.
I tried to tell her the truth. My timing might have sucked, but it wasn’t because I hadn’t been thinking of her. Sometimes life is shit and gets in the way. If I could change what happened, I would—for her, for me, but most of all, for my sister.
She’s let me back in tonight, but what will tomorrow bring?
I have my reasons, but what are hers—the real ones. I’m fucking confused and ready to put this to bed, so I ask, “What happened between us?”