Chapter Two
Julia sputtered, her throat burning a little from where her vodka and cranberry had gone down the wrong pipe. Dane’s big, warm hand on her back was gentle, even as he whacked her to help clear her lungs.
She didn’t believe in fairy tales, and hadn’t for a long time. But if she could have thought one up, this scenario would come close. A breathtakingly handsome man with lots of money walks into her gig and offers her the job of a lifetime? She would have laughed out loud if she weren’t choking so embarrassingly.
Over her coughing fit, she heard Dane ask Hallie for a glass of water, which was placed before her seconds later.
“Drink that,” Dane commanded, watching her. The look on his face was a combination of amusement, concern, and a hint of smugness. It made her want to growl.
She took a few deep breaths, then drank slowly. She downed half the glass. “Dammit,” she muttered. She swallowed hard, trying to soothe the scratchy tickle in the back of her throat. “I still have to sing my last set. What are you trying to do, see how I perform under less-than-ideal conditions?”
He laughed, which made her temper burn. “No, Julia. I’m not trying to sabotage you. I’m trying to get you to work for me.”
She took a few more sips of water, a stalling tactic as her mind raced. Quit her job? Be able to sing for a living? Only work three nights a week for double what she was making now? Jesus H. Christmas, that was some offer.
If only she trusted it.
She didn’t trust this smooth, charming, smoking-hot man any further than she could throw him. “I can’t just say yes right away. I want to google you, check you out too. See you’re who you say you are, that this hotel really exists, do my homework.”
He nodded slowly, a flicker of something in his amazingly blue eyes. Respect. “I’d expect nothing less. And know that of course, a legal written contract will be drawn up once you agree. You can have your attorney look it over before you sign anything. But a verbal agreement would be a great start. Is that a yes?”
“Not yet, Prince Charming,” she said staunchly. She wished as fast as her brain was spinning, it would actually work. She was too shocked to think clearly, couldn’t put things together at the moment, and hoped she didn’t appear as flustered as she felt.
A movement near the front of the room caught her eye. Kelvin had poked his head out from the back hallway to wave to her. A c’mon, let’s go, back to work wave. She lifted her arm and waved for him to come to the bar. Kelvin’s brows furrowed, but he started heading toward her.
She turned back to Dane. He leaned against the bar casually, like he’d just offered her a drink instead of a possibly six-figure job opportunity that was a dream come true. Cool, she snapped at herself. Play it cool. Do this right.
“Let me ask you something,” she said. “The accompanist. A professional musician with credentials, yes?”
“Yes.”
“Have you actually hired one yet?”
“I have three candidates. I was waiting to find the singer, then let her meet with each of them and see who she felt most comfortable working with.”
Julia gave him a silent gold star. That was a smart way to go. “Great idea, really. But here’s the thing. I’ve worked with Kelvin for over twenty years, more or less. You won’t find someone much better than him. I want him to come with me.”
At that moment, Kelvin appeared at her side. “Where we goin’, honey?”
“Hopefully, to my hotel.” Dane flashed a smile and extended his hand. “Dane Harrison. Nice to meet you, Kelvin.”
“Likewise.” Kelvin shook his hand, but turned back to his friend. “Julia? What’s going on? Fill me in here.”
“I’ve offered Julia a job,” Dane said before she could answer. “I want her to sing in the lounge of the hotel I’m opening in June. Seems she wants you to come with her, as her accompanist. I’ve seen and heard enough here tonight to know you’re damn good, so I’m game. Want to hear about it?”
Julia had to bite her lip to keep from laughing. Kelvin was trying not to appear shocked, but failing miserably. He looked from Dane to her and back to Dane again. “Yeah, I wanna hear about it. I’m all ears.”
As Dane filled in Kelvin on the details, Julia sipped her water and let her eyes feast on Dane. He was, without question, one of the best-looking men she’d ever seen. His dark curly hair was just shy of being unruly, and they were such deep, perfect curls that she had the urge to poke her finger through each one, slowly and deliciously. He had to be over six feet tall, probably six-one. A tight, lean body that looked damn fine in his deceivingly simple light blue button-down shirt and tan slacks.
And that face. She couldn’t help but stare. Strong, square jaw, full lips she could nibble on for hours . . . and his eyes were truly beautiful. She’d rarely seen eyes that shade of blue, a brilliant blue that seemed to glow. They were lit with good humor, as if he had a secret he was dying to let you in on. This was a man who viewed the world as his playground, she could just tell. And for all she knew, it probably was.
She and Dane reached for their drinks at the same time and their hands brushed. The contact made a shiver run through her. Did he have to be so damn hot? She gulped more water.
So, she thought, let’s list all the bullet points. Movie-star handsome, and just as charismatic. He was also bright, articulate, and so charming that she bet he wrapped people around his finger wherever he went. And, apparently, filthy rich and successful. Definitely rich enough to offer her a hundred thousand dollars to sing at his hotel without blinking an eye. That helped explain the air of power and self-assurance that surrounded him like a cloak. The whole combination was as sexy as sexy got. She wanted to climb him like a mountain.
In short, Dane Harrison was dangerous.
Every fiber in her body warned her to steer clear of him, even as those same fibers were filled with lust at just being near him. Yup. Danger of the worst kind.
And he’d be her boss? Holy crap. Dirty thoughts involving your boss were an instant recipe for disaster. Any dumbass knew that. But . . .
Should she do it? Should she quit her job and give this crazy idea a try?
“Julia.” Kelvin’s insistent tone broke her from her thoughts. “Can I talk with you for a few minutes before we get back on? We do have to finish up.”
“Of course,” she murmured, still feeling like she was in a bit of a trance. She blinked a few times and finished the glass of water.
“I’ll stay for your last set,” Dane said to her. “Afterward, can we talk some more about this? I’ll wait. I’m not leaving here tonight without an answer, one way or the other.”
“Demanding, aren’t you. I’ll keep that in mind as I think this over.” She rose to her feet, her large breasts accidentally brushing against his arm. A stab of heat seared through her, her nipples peaking instantly. Color flooded her cheeks as her eyes flew to his. He was already staring at her, the intensity in his blue, blue eyes almost startling. “Sorry,” she murmured. “Tight quarters here.”
“Nothing to be sorry for,” he said. His eyes held hers for an intense second, pure electricity, before he moved back to let her pass easily. “It’s been a pleasure talking with you, Julia. I’ll be interested in hearing what you have to say when you’re done singing. I’ll wait for you at my table.” He shook her hand again and the feel of his skin against hers brought another lick of desire. All of her girly parts were doing a little dance. He smiled genially, then shook Kelvin’s hand before they walked back toward the dressing room.
Kelvin was silent until they reached the room and he’d locked the door. Then he spun around and exclaimed, “Is he fucking for real?!?”
She laughed nervously. “He claims he is. But Kel . . . anything that seems too good to be true? Usually is.”
“Shut up and sit down, woman,” Kelvin sputtered. He pulled his cell phone from his pocket as he pulled her down to sit with him on the couch. “Let’s give our foxy Mister Harrison a quick Google, shall we? The audience can wait five more minutes.” His eyes were wild as they swept over her. “He is beautiful. Good Lord, did you see his eyes? Are those not the bluest eyes you’ve ever seen? I almost swooned. No, I am swooning. I am in midswoon.”
Julia giggled and shook her head. “You’re shameless.”
“And that hair! He’s got curls so sweet, I could . . . oh, honey, I could.”
“I don’t think you’re his type, sweetie,” Julia said, glad to be laughing. She hadn’t realized how tense and wired she’d been until now. “Sorry.”
“No, I’m not. He wants you.” Kelvin waggled his dark brows. “The heat between you two could’ve caused third-degree burns in spectators.”
Startled at her friend’s observation, she sat up straighter. “Well, even if you were right, which you’re not, it’s not going to happen. If I take him up on his offer, he’ll be my boss. So end of story.”
“Famous last words,” Kelvin said dismissively as he scrolled on his phone. “Harrison . . . Harrison . . . if he’s the real deal, you just stepped into the best offer of your life!” He stopped, and his eyes flew wide. “Oh. Mah. Gah. Look at this, honey.”
She leaned against his arm to look at his phone. There were many pictures of Dane Harrison. At various hotel openings and celebrity events, in news articles on business Web sites, and even a few paparazzi shots of him with a few gorgeous models and society darlings, women who lived in the same stratosphere he did.
Kelvin tapped one of the links and began reading out loud. “Harrison Enterprises is a multimillion dollar international conglomerate . . . four generations . . . and . . .” Kelvin’s eyes went as wide as they could go, practically popping out of his head. “Holy shit. He is big-time, honey. Big. Time. His family is worth millions. Millions of millions. That sizzling piece of man candy was born into old-school money. And grew up right here, over in Kingston Point.”
Julia had driven past Kingston Point, but never actually through the small community. Why would she? It was home to some of the wealthiest, most powerful people in all of New York—in all of the United States. “Gatsby country,” Randi called it. Kingston Point was the jewel of Long Island’s famous Gold Coast.
Kelvin kept skimming and talking. “Went to top schools . . . yada yada . . . then he went out and founded his own company and made his own million dollar empire . . . sweet Jesus.” Kelvin let out a puff of air that resembled a yelp. “According to this article, Dane Harrison owns seventeen hotels across the U.S., and three in Canada. This new hotel he’s opening? His ‘labor of love’, the one he’s always wanted to open. The hotel is real. The job offer is real. He’s for real.” Kelvin and Julia stared at each other for a minute.
“And he wants to hire me?” she finally said.
“Damn right,” Kelvin said firmly. “Shows that man is more than pretty, he’s smart, too. Knows a diamond when he sees one.”
“Shut up,” she mumbled, trying to absorb everything that was happening. Her heartbeat started roaring in her ears.
“Holy shit, Jules. Holy fucking shit!” Kelvin whooped loudly, his short dreads swinging as he threw his hands in the air. “Um, Miss Thang? Tell me something. Why am I more excited than you are?”
“Because I don’t trust anything that seems this amazing,” she said.
He blew out a disdainful snort and went back to scrolling furiously on his phone. “Honey, you don’t trust anything, period.”
“Well, more specifically, I don’t trust men,” she corrected him. She put her hand on his knee. “But I trust you.”
He stopped cold and looked up at her. With great affection, he slid his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. “I know you do. And I love you too. But listen to me. You’re going to take that job, even if he decides he doesn’t want me in the deal. You hear me?” His smile warmed. “You’re an angel for wanting me to do this with you, and it would be a ball. But if he only wants to hire you, baby, you have to do it. Come on, Jules. There’s no thought process here. Let’s see what else we can find out about him, shall we?” He leaned in to smack a loud kiss on her forehead and she couldn’t help but giggle.
Julia exhaled the breath she’d been holding and tried to organize her thoughts. All her worst mistakes had been things she’d done on instinct, giving in to her feelings rather than facts that were right there had she opened her eyes wide enough to see them. She didn’t want to repeat her past mistakes. She got to her feet. “I drank a lot. I have to pee. You keep looking.”
As she slipped into the tiny bathroom, she realized her breaths were coming in short puffs of excitement and her heart was pounding against her ribs. The possibilities of a job like this . . . it was all so overwhelming. Yet something in her knew she’d be a fool not to go for it. She was forty-one now, with no one to answer to and nothing to stop her. She’d made sure of that.
She also had no life.
She’d turned self-isolation into an art form. If it wasn’t for Randi and Kelvin pulling her back out into the world on a regular basis, and her singing job at the bar, she’d probably go home from work every night, hole up, and not leave her apartment. She’d have turned into a lonely old cat lady. Without the cats, of course. She was highly allergic.
So why not? The timing was right. The setting of the job, if Dane’s description was accurate, was a dream. And making a hundred grand a year, or even the initially offered eighty, if he went back to that? She’d never made money like that in her life. She could bank enough to finally have a tiny but solid cushion for the first time ever.
Dane Harrison thought she was all that? It both surprised and thrilled her. She certainly thought he was all that, though she’d be damned if she’d ever let him know it. He and his offer were certainly tempting. If she could just stay away from him . . . which would be a challenge, considering the inexplicable, rousing draw she’d felt toward him almost the instant they met, and the unavoidable fact that he’d be her boss. But to sing in a new, glamorous Manhattan hotel a few nights a week, and be paid well, was a job most singers would kill for.
Maybe her luck was changing at long last. Maybe it was all another bomb waiting to explode in her face. But she’d survived bomb blasts before, much worse than a job not working out. How bad could it be?
Only one way to find out.
She caught her reflection in the bathroom mirror and smiled widely.