“She probably needs to go,” Tess said, rising from her chair. “I’ll be right back.”
When she disappeared through the sliding glass doors into the house, Dane turned to Charles and said, “Opinion.”
“Shoot,” Charles said.
“The woman I hired to sing in my lounge.” Julia Shay appeared in Dane’s mind, sultry and gorgeous. “I did a basic background check, employment history, she has no police record, all that. But not a personal check. Think I need to?”
“Do you think you need to?”
“No. My gut says she’s fine. But it also says she’s got a history of serious personal shit.”
“Who doesn’t?” Charles said with a humorless chuckle.
“True. The way I see it,” Dane continued, “her record’s clean. Her personal life is none of my business if it never affects her while she’s working. Leave it alone. Agree?”
“Agree,” Charles said. “If you want to have a good working relationship with her, and you’re letting a lot ride on her, you want her happy. Personal background checks often make people very unhappy.” He shrugged and removed his glasses to clean them on the edge of his polo shirt. “Besides, you have the resources. You ever feel like you need to, you can.”
“That was exactly my line of thinking,” Dane said. He nodded to himself and relaxed once more. “Thanks.”
Charles put his glasses back on and slanted a look at his brother. “You’re interested in this woman, aren’t you?”
Dane’s brows furrowed. “Of course I am. She’s headlining in my hotel. Like you said, I’ve got a lot riding on her. I could’ve hired a proven star, but I wanted someone unknown. Someone fresh, so she’d have an air of mystery.”
“Then let her have that mystery,” Charles said. “Leave well enough alone.” The corner of his mouth curved. “And don’t take her to bed.”
Dane sputtered out a laugh. “Nice! What the hell do you take me for?”
“Don’t make me answer that,” Charles said dryly. “You’re my best friend. I’d like to keep it that way.” He winked.
Dane opened his mouth to shoot back, but the back door slid open and a burst of white fur shot past them. The dog ran out to the grass and disappeared behind one of Tess’s rosebushes.
“Bubbles really needed to go,” she said, retaking her seat.
“Apparently,” Dane remarked.
Within seconds, the tiny white Maltese ran back to her owner, yipping happily. Tess smiled with delight and picked up her dog, cooing at her with affection.
“What kind of contract did you offer her?” Charles asked Dane. “Timewise?”
“Who?” Tess asked as she rubbed Bubbles behind her ears.
“Julia Shay, the woman I hired to sing,” Dane said. “It’s more than fair. In her favor, if you ask me. I wanted a show of good faith. For her, and her accompanist who she insisted come with her. Good thing he’s fantastic, I had no problem hiring him, too. So for them both, I’m starting with a six-month stint. Brings us to the end of the year. If they like it there, and I like them there, I exercise my option to renew and renegotiate.”
“Sounds reasonable,” Charles nodded. “I look forward to hearing her.”
“You also look forward to seeing her,” Tess chimed in with a mischievous grin. “My friend Jeannie said she’s absolutely gorgeous.”
“Oh yeah?” Charles’s eyebrows lifted, intrigued as he looked his brother’s way. “Got a picture?”
“Of course.” Dane reached for his phone, trying to seem casual as he scrolled through. His siblings knew him too well. He didn’t want his lust for Julia to show all over his face. He located her photo and handed his phone to his brother.
Charles looked, and his eyes widened a drop. He let out a low whistle. “Damn.” Looking up, he met Dane’s eyes. “A beautiful redhead. Your Achilles’ heel. Good luck with that.”
“Shut up, Chuckles.” Dane snatched his phone back as his siblings laughed knowingly.
“Redheads are your weakness, huh?” Tess needled. She smiled as she stroked her dog’s fur, cradling her in her lap. “I just learned something.”
“Every day’s a school day, Tess,” Dane said.
Bubbles yipped and Tess shushed her as she said, “And here I thought you loved all women equally.”
“Oh, he does,” Charles said. “But redheads . . . oof. He’s putty. Especially a beautiful and smart redhead.” He glanced back to Dane. “Is she smart?”
“As a whip,” Dane muttered. “She’s tough, too. She takes no shit.”
“Ha!” Charles crowed with a smug smile. “Forget it. If you’re not careful, she’ll have you lapping at her feet in no time at all.”
“Just shut up,” Dane ordered. “There’s not going to be any of that going on.”
Charles snorted. “Yeah. Sure.”
“I’m serious,” Dane insisted, an edge in his voice. “She works for me. I’m her boss now. I don’t cross those lines. Our relations will be strictly professional. End of story.”
“Famous last words,” Tess murmured with a grin. Bubbles barked, seeming to agree.
Chapter Four
Julia made her way up the two flights of steep stairs to her apartment, straining from the weight of the four bags of groceries she carried along with her pocketbook. This was one of the times she hated living on the middle floor of an old house.
She dropped the bags with a thud in front of her door, searched her pocketbook, found her keys, and unlocked her door. After kicking the door shut behind her with her foot, she dragged the bags into the kitchen and started unpacking the items into the refrigerator and tiny closet she used as a pantry.
She’d lived there for a decade already. It had been twelve years since she’d left Boston and moved back to Long Island. At first, she’d shared an apartment with Kelvin over in Edgewater. He’d moved to New York with her, unwilling to leave her when she was so alone and at rock bottom. Between her emotional devastation at the hands of her ex, breaking away from her unsympathetic family, and her small income, having a roommate helped her slowly get back on her feet. He worked several gigs on Long Island and in Manhattan, piecing together enough to be able to live on his earnings. She found a quiet office job and a good therapist. For two years, they lived together, until she’d healed enough for him to feel she was fine on her own. He moved to Astoria, and she moved to Blue Harbor.
She loved Blue Harbor, with its seaside New England–type charm. A sleepy town dotted with tiny shops, restaurants, boutiques, and charming old houses, she’d dreamed of living there as a kid. Now, completely on her own, she could. Her landlords, a kind couple twenty years her senior, owned the tremendous old house and lived on the bottom floor. She rented the second floor, and another tenant lived on the top floor. She felt safe there. It was quiet, and although she was alone, there were people nearby.
When the last of the groceries were stashed away, she washed her hands and looked around. She’d given notice at her job the day before, and in a show of petulant anger, her shortsighted boss had told her to just leave. It had been sad to say such a rushed good-bye to her coworkers, but as she’d left the gray, stifling office, she’d done so with a smile and a rush of elation. The new chapter of her life was going to be exciting. Getting paid to do what she loved most, and getting paid handsomely. But she wouldn’t be starting the job at the hotel for another two weeks. Her errands all completed, she found herself with nothing to do. It was a strange, almost unsettling feeling.
Leaning against the small table that was shoved against the wall, she drank down a glass of water and looked to the window. It was a beautiful afternoon. Golden sunlight poured in through the gauzy white curtain, splashing on the three pots of African violets on the windowsill and bouncing off the pale yellow walls. She moved to the living room and turned on the air conditioner wedged into one of the two windows. It started to hum and she sank down onto her couch. A glance at the answering machine showed no messages. She reached for her Kin
dle, curled up into the cushions, and played a few rounds of Words With Friends with the random strangers she’d challenged.
After the games were finished, she sighed. At this time tomorrow, she’d be in the city, getting a personal tour of the new hotel from its debonair, charming, and gorgeous owner. Thoughts of Dane Harrison floated into her mind, but she swatted them away. It was a shame, because she would have loved a few rounds of sheet gymnastics with him. But no, that would never happen.
What to do? Randi was at work, and Kelvin was spending the day at the beach with his new boyfriend. Though she was a voracious reader, she didn’t feel like reading. She didn’t mind being alone, she’d gotten used to it over the years. But sometimes she longed for company. Restlessness, laced with threads of anxiety, stirred inside her. She looked around aimlessly at the periwinkle walls, the framed artwork, her bookshelf, her few precious framed photos on the top shelf. She’d done her best to make her home feel cozy and warm. But there were times she couldn’t escape the quiet emptiness there, the loneliness of her life. And suddenly, this was one of them.
With new determination, she rose from the couch and went to her bedroom. She stripped out of her sundress and changed into a tank top and loose shorts. The SPF 70 sunblock was in her small bathroom, and she slathered it all over her arms, legs, chest, face, every inch of pale skin that was exposed. She grabbed her big floppy sun hat, her iPod, and her keys, and left to go for a walk down by the water. The sight and sounds of the Long Island Sound always had a way of soothing her soul. She’d just make sure to stay away from the park; the sound of happy children playing would break her heart when she was in a melancholy mood like this.
The next day, as Julia emerged from the cab, her heart began to beat a little faster. Excitement and anticipation fired up all her senses. It was a gorgeous early June day in New York City, warm but not too hot yet, with the sun shining from a clear, bright blue sky. A few trees dotted the length of the sidewalk, and a soft breeze made the emerald leaves flutter and sway. The cacophony of city sounds—traffic, horns blowing, human voices—seemed to fade around her as she looked up at the entrance to the impressive soon-to-open Hotel Alexandra.
This was really happening.
She removed her wide sunglasses and tucked them into her large shoulder bag, shuffling around inside it for a mint. As she chewed it up quickly, she tried to calm her suddenly rapid breathing and swept her hair back from her face. The contracts had been signed and delivered two weeks before, her photo shoot and press kit arranged and completed the week before. In two short weeks, she’d be the headlining singer at this sleek Manhattan hotspot. It was surreal. Her head hadn’t stopped spinning. And now, between the warm weather, her meager breakfast, and her nerves, she wondered if she’d even make it through the tour of the hotel Dane had invited her for—maybe she’d pass out instead.
She pushed her way through the glass revolving door and into the lobby. Thankfully, it was cool, the welcome air conditioning flowing over her skin. She crossed the lushly carpeted floor to the main desk, smiling at the woman behind it. “Hi. I’m looking for Dane Harrison. I’m supposed to meet him here.”
“Ms. Shay?” the woman asked.
“That’s me.”
“He was here five minutes ago, but had to take a call. He asked if you’d be kind enough to wait and he’d be right back.”
“Sure. Could you just point me toward a ladies’ room while I wait?”
Julia took the opportunity to survey her surroundings as she headed to the restroom. This would be her workplace, after all. From what she could see, the hotel was striking. Modern but not trendy, everything from the luxurious furnishings to the décor spoke of crisp elegance, style, taste, and big-time bucks. Dane Harrison had obviously spared no expense in the design and decorating of his newest hotel.
She washed her hands, fixed her hair, and touched up her makeup. The slight humidity in the summer air had made the waves in her hair more pronounced, but at least the expensive product she’d used had tamed the deadly frizz she’d suffered from as a kid. Her clothes had barely wrinkled, for which she was grateful. The sleeveless royal blue silk top and white pencil skirt still looked fresh. Her open-toe white wedge sandals were comfortable but attractive. She took a deep breath, released it, and stared into the mirror.
Forty-one, Jules. Took forty-one years to get to this place. You survived. It’s your turn.
Her eyes took on an energized sparkle and her chin lifted a notch as she popped another mint into her mouth. Let’s do this.
She left the restroom to return to the lobby. Halfway across, she stopped in her tracks. Dane was standing by the large wall of windows that looked out to the street beyond. Sunlight shone through the glass, backlighting him dramatically. His dark curls were just a bit too long for business standards, and she had a feeling he liked it that way. His square jaw was covered with light stubble, another poke at the business world, letting everyone know that he was a man who did as he pleased. It also made him even sexier, damn him. Standing tall and sure, his trim frame dressed in a crisp white button-down shirt and dark gray slacks, he was even more handsome than she’d remembered. He was breathtaking, actually. Just looking at him made all her body parts jump to life, made her blood sing in her veins and her skin tingle. Ohhh, this was not good. She couldn’t have such visceral reactions every time she saw this man. He was her boss now.
He spotted her across the lobby and flashed a grin. She swallowed hard as a wallop of heat spread through her. A grin like that should be registered as a lethal weapon. With all of her senses heightened and her head screaming red alert, she pulled out her most professional smile and crossed the rest of the way to meet him.
“Great to see you again, Julia,” Dane said. “Glad you could come.” His brilliant blue eyes swept over her briefly. There was both quick approval and the ever-present spark of light amusement there, like he had a joke or a secret to share. She wanted to be let in on that secret. She wanted a lot of things where this man was concerned, and all of them were naughty, if not downright wicked. He stretched out a welcoming hand.
She slipped her hand into his to shake it and felt a jolt of desire as she touched his warm skin, like she’d read about in books. Her hormones raged like a teen’s, and that jarred her. But with measured cool, she said, “Likewise. Thanks for asking me. I really wanted to get a feel for the setup of the lounge. I appreciate your taking the time to show me around. I’m sure you’re very busy.”
“I am, but not too busy for this. It’ll be a pleasure.” His grin widened into a proud smile as his eyes flickered around the lobby, then back to her. “So? What do you think so far?”
“Your lobby and ladies’ room are both magnificent,” she teased.
He laughed and touched a hand to the small of her back. “Wait ’til you see the rest of it.”
His tiny but intimate gesture kindled flames of lust in her, sending heat to all her most sensitive spots. Oh, what she could do with this man under different circumstances. Five years plus of an age difference didn’t make her a cougar, did it? So what if it did. She didn’t care. Being near him was excruciating, making every nerve ending alert and alive, and the growing, tingling tension building low in her belly was making its way to between her legs. The effect he had on her was both thrilling and nerve-wracking. Kelvin had been right: pure chemistry. She ignored the way her heart was pounding in heavy thumps as they walked side by side down a long hallway.
“So,” she said, desperate to get her mind off her wayward thoughts. “Why’d you name this hotel the Alexandra?”
His smile was tinged with affection as he said, “It’s my sister’s middle name.”
Something tugged at Julia’s heart. She smiled back. “That’s . . . sweet. You’re close with her, then?”
“Very. Tess is the best. I’ll introduce you to her at the hotel opening.” Dane turned and led her down another hallway. She took the moment to quickly check out his ass, which was a very nice
one indeed.
The Alexandra Bar & Lounge had wide glass doors, hinting at the darker lair beyond. She stopped in her tracks. Beside the entrance was a blown-up photo on a stand, one of her publicity shots, announcing her as the main act inside. She stared at it. It was so . . . professional. Glitzy. Polished. For a second, she felt like a star. And dammit, it felt good.
“You approve?” Dane asked from behind her.
“Yes.” She could feel him watching her, taking in her reactions. Nodding, she said, “It’s nice. I like the shot you chose.”
“It was hard to choose,” he said, his deep voice warm, just above her ear. Even in her three-inch wedge sandals, he towered over her. “All the shots were good. Seriously. The camera loves you.” She looked up at him, and though he wore an easy grin, his eyes glittered at her with a hint of sin. “And that’s more than a ‘nice’ shot, Julia. It’s gorgeous. Just like you.”
“Thank you,” she said demurely. He stood close enough that the faintest scent of his cologne teased her, sparking new fires in her body. Slightly spicy, it wasn’t overpowering, it was just a hint—just enough to make everything tingle with desire.
“Come on inside.” He opened one of the doors and ushered her in.
Her breath caught. This place was fabulous. Modern, stylish, and cool. Little round tables with curved-back chairs dotted the front of the room, the lounge area. Then there was more open floor space by the bar, and along the back wall, six deep, cozy booths, with seats covered in dark brown leather. Julia followed Dane farther into the room. Low lighting from funky fixtures above illuminated the room, except for the bar itself—eight or ten shelves held every kind of top liquor there was, backlit against mirrors. And at the front of the lounge area was what would be her domain: a small rectangular stage, not too highly elevated, to promote some intimacy with the audience. It was mostly filled by a black Steinway piano.
“You like it?” Dane asked casually, peering at her.
More Than You Know Page 5