Nate
I’m still so glad I got to meet his family.
They’re incredible. His friends, too. When we got back to his parents’ house after the game, he told me what that defender said, who was some old teammate of his.
It was gross, but Carter wasn’t even mad.
It’s like something’s flipped in him. He’s lighter and more confident in himself.
He keeps telling me how pumped he is for our actual date this Friday. Like, real date; dinner and then a night out at a gay bar, probably the one Paul works at. But this time, Paul’s coming as a friend, not a bartender, and Mel’s joining too.
Carter keeps calling it a celebration, as if kissing in public will be this big coming-out moment.
I told him that’s not really how it works anymore, but with social media these days?
Who knows. Carter spoke with the Hawks' Public Relations Department and General Manager, ensuring they were aware that there would be no press release or coming-out event.
Knowing they had no choice in the matter, they agreed with Carter and wished him luck.
***
Today, Mel, Carter, and I are meeting with our financial advisor to review the numbers.
Over the past ten days, we’ve toured three rental properties in New York City, all between 1000 and 1200 square feet.
I didn’t fall in love with any of them. I told Carter that I want to look at other rentals, and now we’re considering the one on Christopher Street, which is 1,800 square feet.
It’s been on the market for a while, so we’re hoping they might offer to rent their property at a reduced rate or, at the very least, a two-year lease with a discounted rate.
Carter’s in the shower now, and it’s around 11 a.m. The snow from the last couple of days has already melted.
Mel’s on her way over to hang before our 1 p.m. financial meeting.
We’re figuring out how much we need, how much we can spend, and what’s worth splurging on.
A higher-end espresso machine? Fancy signage?
Fancy marble tables? It’s a lot. That’s why this guy is coming: to make sense of it all.
Carter and Mel seem so ready to invest, like really ready, but there’s still a limit in my mind.
I don’t want to take advantage of their generosity.
What makes it easier is that Mel and I have been getting more gigs lately, especially after the Boom Lounge event.
I’ve been saving every penny. It won’t make a dent compared to what they can contribute, but it’ll make me feel better about myself.
Carter jumps out of the shower, towel around his waist. “Babe, are you gonna shower?”
I glance up. “I’m good. I showered last night.”
He grins. “I also showered last night, but you don’t shower in the morning?”
I laugh. “You haven’t caught on to my routine yet. I only shower at night or in the morning. I only shower twice a day if I hit the gym.”
Carter raises an eyebrow and smiles. “So, you excited to meet our little nerdy accountant friend? Or a financial advisor or whatever you wanna call him?”
I smirk. “You don’t know if he’s a nerd. Don’t stereotype our new friend.”
Carter looks at me. “I mean, his name is Dilbert Murphy. He sounds kinda nerdy.”
I shrug. “Fine, I’ll give it to you. Dilbert may be a bit nerdy, but I bet he’s also kinda sweet.”
“Should I be jealous of Dilbert?” Carter asks.
I grin. “The fact that you even have to ask? Obviously, you have to be jealous.”
He gasps. “Hey! I will not share you with our financial guy!”
I laugh. “I know, I know, silly.”
We both finish getting ready, and by the time we sit on the couch to relax, there’s a knock on the door.
“How did you even get up here?” Carter calls out as he opens it.
Mel walks in, smirking. “I flirted with your front desk guy, duh.”
“Remind me not to tip him come holiday time,” Carter jokes.
I chime in. “Lady and gentleman, we need to get to business before Dilbert arrives.”
“Who names their kid Dilbert?” Mel groans.
“Right?!” Carter says. “Mel gets it!”
“Shut it,” I cut in. “Back to business. Thanks to Carter letting me crash here and pay nothing, I’ve got an extra $5,000 to add to the pot.”
“Thank me too,” Mel adds. “Our band is finally getting good gigs, which clearly is thanks to me.”
“Excuse me,” I say. “I’m the face of this band.”
Carter raises an eyebrow. “You two always refer to it as ‘the band’. What’s your band actually called?”
Mel and I glance at each other…then burst out laughing.
“We never came up with one, babe!” I admit.
“The Duo,” Mel says. “It’s simple and to the point. It just feels so us.”
“Done. We’re officially The Duo,” I say.
Carter shakes his head. “Wow, someone’s in a rush. Can’t even come up with an original band name.”
“Shut up,” I grin.
Mel suddenly blurts out, “Not to sound pompous, but I have a million dollars just chilling in a savings account from my parents. Please help me find a better home for it.”
Carter and I both let out a gasp.
“Damn, Mel,” I say. “I think I need a total of $500,000. Actually, make that $495,000 thanks to my small contribution.” I smirk.
“So, around $250,000 from each of us?” Carter asks.
“Exactly. And monthly rent will be about $50,000. It’s New York, guys.”
Mel and Carter respond in unison: “Tell us what this money’s going to be used for.”
I launch into the list like I’ve rehearsed it a hundred times. “We need a down payment and security deposit for the rental, a few staff members, furniture, coffee, cleaning equipment, refrigeration, marketing, and a few other things.”
“Marketing is covered,” Mel cuts in. “Remember those two women from the Boom Lounge? They said they’d promote the cafe on Instagram, with their million followers. Done! Marketing is officially complete.”
“I doubt they’ll actually do it,” I say, “But sure, we can try.”
“This all sounds reasonable,” Carter nods. “I’m comfortable investing $250,000.”
“Same,” Mel echoes. Then, almost as if they had rehearsed it, they both say, “On one condition, you must pick the Christopher Street rental.”
“I told you,” I say. “We’re checking it out after Dilbert leaves.”
“No,” they both insist. “Promise us.”
I cross my fingers behind my back. “Fine, I promise.”
They don’t know I need to feel the space first. If it’s too big, I’m scared I could lose control or not handle the pressure.
Just as they’re about to question me more, there’s another knock on the door.
Carter laughs. “Henry, my front desk guy is definitely getting no tip next year.”
Mel and I burst out laughing as Carter opens the door. Standing there is a short, balding man with patchy brown hair and a crisp, button-down shirt. Very professional.
“You must be Mr. Murphy,” I say.
“Call me Dilbert,” he says.
Mel smiles, and I glare at her.
Dilbert wastes no time. He takes a seat on Carter’s couch, pulls out a thick wad of papers, and says, “Let’s get to it. I reviewed what you need for the cafe and compiled some numbers. You didn’t tell me how much you have to invest, so I’m pulling numbers out of my ass.”
I look at Carter, who mouths, I like this guy. I nod back.
“We’re willing to invest $500,000 upfront,” I say, “Including first and last month’s rent. And the max we’d pay monthly is $50,000.”
Dilbert raises a finger. “You’re not in Times Square, son. It’ll be less around here.”
“We haven’t picked a place yet,” I add.
“If you pick something in Greenwich, you can open the cafe for $400,000,” he says. “Rentals are cheaper there.”
I look at Carter with wide eyes. “That’s…less than I expected.”
Dilbert flips through his papers. “Let’s get to work. I need to go over exactly where this money is going.”
I rush to the kitchen and grab a thick folder. When I open it, Carter and Mel exchange a look of surprise.
I mouth, “What can I say? I’m prepared.”
For the next forty-five minutes, the four of us hash out the numbers and lay out the path forward.
When Dilbert finally gets up to leave, he shakes our hands. “Get the rental locked in,” he says. “Once you know the rent, everything else will fall into place.”
“Thanks, Dilbert,” I say.
As soon as the door closes, I look at my two investors. “Let’s go check out the venue you two are obsessed with.”
They beam.
Almost instantly, we grab our jackets and head out into the cold. The Christopher Street spot is only a short walk away, right near the PATH station. That’s a plus for foot traffic and easy access to public transportation.
Carter nudges me. “See? We’re already here. Isn’t that amazing?”
“It’s not about that,” I say. “It’s about the size, and if I can handle it?”
“But you were looking at 1,200 square feet properties,” Mel says.
“I know. But 500 square feet does make a difference.”
We walk through the door, and I’m hit with something unexpected: warmth and good energy.
It’s wide open, which I am obsessed with.
There’s a small kitchen area for making coffee and a huge seating area.
I could envision a small stage for open mics or live music, situated towards the back of the property.
“I like this,” I whisper. “It’s not as big as I expected.”
A tall woman with long black hair walks out from the back. “It’ll feel bigger once it’s filled with furniture,” she says. “I’m Lisa, by the way.”
“Nate,” I say, smiling. “This is Carter, and this is Mel.”
She laughs. “I’m going to be honest, when we first listed this place, I never imagined it as a cafe. But the more I think about it, the more I see the possibility. I love the idea of music being part of it.”
“Can the space hold coffee machines, fridges, all of that?”
“It’s a restaurant space, love. Of course,” she explains.
I burst out, “We don’t have a liquor license.”
Lisa looks at me with a smirk and says, “That’s completely fine and expected. It should take around three months to get a wine and beer liquor license, which I can help you with.”
I glance at Carter. “This might be it. It’s not as big and daunting as I expected. I am getting good vibes.”