Chapter 86

I slipped into my black leather jacket as I started walking toward the elevators. "Okay. You have me. Now, what are you going to do with me?" I cringed, knowing I had just left myself wide open.
Curt burst out laughing. "Oh, you do not want me to answer that question."
I smacked his arm lightly and he flinched, but I knew I hadn't hurt him in the slightest. It's funny. We had just met, but I felt more relaxed with him that I had with any other man in years. "Let me rephrase that: where would you like to go?"
He shrugged as the elevator doors opened and we stepped in. "We can just go for a walk down Fifth Avenue, if you like. We could go shopping "
"Oh no! Don't start that again!"
He laughed. "What is it with you? Usually, women are dying to shop in New York on Fifth Avenue," he baited.
"Okay, okay!" I said, surrendering. "Lead the way."
He smiled. "I love getting my way."
"I can tell." Although I didn't let on, I was a bit uneasy being in such close proximity with him. There was definitely a measurable attraction between us. It was confusing and I didn't quite know what to do about it.
He laughed.
"What was it you wanted to talk with me about?" I asked as the elevator doors opened on the first floor, breathing a bit easier when we stepped into the lobby.
Curt didn't stop, but placed a hand on the small of my back, guiding me toward the sliding glass double doors. "Well, I was wanting to get your phone number. I was so afraid that you would leave before I had a chance to see you again."
I stopped dead on the sidewalk and looked in his eyes as the crowd passed us by. "I thought you wanted to talk business."
"Yes. Of course," he amended as he cautiously continued walking. "For one thing " He slid his hands into the pockets of his leather coat. " from the look of Casey, you're a good judge of talent. And she is good. I mean really good. Someone that I feel confident investing in. If you chose her, then I'm sure you have other performers that I would feel confident investing in, as well."
"What's in it for you?" I asked, my lawyer instincts suddenly kicking in.
Curt laughed. "My, my! You aren't one for mincing words, are you?"
I raised an eyebrow.
"Well, I'll invest in her. Get her what she needs," he said as we passed shops. "Then, after she's a star, I'll take a small percent of the earnings."
"Here it comes," I said, shoving my hands in my pockets. "How much?"
"Well, we can go over that later."
"That's what I thought." I stopped dead on the sidewalk and looked directly into his eyes. People gave us dirty looks as they passed by, but we both ignored them. "Well, for one thing, she isn't my talent. I'm a contract lawyer, which means that I just write the contracts. Actually, agents send artists to me to sign, but they're the ones who make the decisions. Not me."
Curt nodded, his eyebrows pulling together as he looked down, listening as we walked. "And who is Casey Rogers's agent?" He stopped to look into my eyes.
"Frank Mallory."
"Never heard of him."
One corner of my lips curled into a smile. "Have you heard of Tasha Granger?"
"The Tasha Granger?" he asked, amazed. "She's a superstar."
I nodded, resuming our walk. "Yes; she is. Frank Mallory was her agent and the one who discovered her. Tasha speaks very highly of him to this day. In fact, he would have been my agent, too, but at the time, he had his hands full with Tasha. So, he recommended me to Craig Savage and he became my manager."
He nodded, listening intently.
"So," I continued, "if you want to invest in Casey, then you'll need to speak with Frank Mallory. If you call my office, I'll be glad to set you up with him."
"Yes! I knew I'd get your number!" Curt joked.
I laughed as I shook my head.
"But, seriously." He stopped again to look into my eyes. "Who do I speak with to invest in you?"
I blushed at his unexpected directness. "You mean, my company?"
He shrugged. "Actually, no. You. You'd be a great consultant, if you'd like to do that. I could use a good consultant."
"Oh, you don't say "
He shoved his hands in his pockets again, suddenly very serious. "I do say." He looked in to my eyes, and I didn't look away. "I'm a very good judge of character and I can sense that you'd be a very good investment, too." He shrugged. "Besides, I could use a friend who gives it to me straight."
My lips curled into a mischievous smile. "Give it to you straight, huh?"
He laughed. "Oh, I wouldn't touch that one with a ten-foot pole! But, yes." He stopped walking again to look directly into my eyes. "What I don't need is another 'yes man', so to speak. I need someone who will tell me straight if something is a good investment or not. In fact, I need lots of contracts written so I'd like to hire you as my contract lawyer, as well."
"But my office is in Nashville."
He raised an eyebrow. "Would you consider opening an office here in New York?"
I nodded, understanding, as I resumed walking. "It may be a possibility." I let out a deep breath. I didn't tell Curt, but one thing that this experience had taught me over the last twenty-four hours was that I needed a change.
A smile lit his lips. "Well, good!" He took my hands into his own. "I'll tell you what. Have dinner with me tonight to discuss the particulars."
"Now, wait a minute!" I said, pulling back. "This is something that I need to think about."
He shrugged. "Well, then, think about it with me over dinner."
I shook my head as I thought of Logan. "I don't think that's such a good idea."
"To have dinner with a client?"
I laughed. "Especially having dinner with a client!" Especially with you. The tension was so strong between us that it was palpable, and I knew that I could easily let him sweep me off my feet. No, it was better to keep it strictly professional.
"Okay," he persisted. "Then, how about having dinner with me as a friend?"
I let out a deep breath and stopped to look up at him, the sun bright behind him. "You aren't going to give up, are you?"
He laughed. "Never."
I shook my head and looked away, thinking. "Okay. Where would you like to go?"
His laugh was devilish.
I smacked him lightly on the arm again as he laughed. "To eat."
He laughed again.
"Okay," I said, turning the other way. "I'm going back to the hotel. I'll call your office when I get to Nashville."
"Wait!" he said, jogging to catch up with me. "I was only teasing. You choose the place, and we'll go."
I let out a deep breath. "All right," I agreed, against my better judgment.
"But first, let's go back to the hotel so you can change."
I looked down at my leather pants and jacket. "Isn't this good enough?" There was no way that I was going to go out with him on a dinner date just yet. It was better to keep it casual.
"No, no," he quickly backtracked. "Here." He looked up and we were standing in front of an expensive steak house. "Do you like steak? They have seafood, too."
I raised an eyebrow as I looked up at him. "Strictly business?"
He smiled. "And friendship."
I laughed as I shook my head, but stopped short. "Oh! Wait! What about Casey?"
He shrugged. "Invite her and I'll send my driver for her."
"You wouldn't mind?"
He shook his head. "No. Not at all. The more, the merrier."
I laughed. "Okay. I'll be just a minute."
He nodded. "I'll wait." Then, he stepped a discreet distance away, out of earshot, but close enough so that he could see me.
I pulled out my cell phone, and Casey answered on the first ring. I explained to her that Curt wanted to invest in us and asked her if she wanted to meet with us over dinner.
"Are you sure that I won't be intruding?" she asked. But the excitement in her voice told me that she would jump at the chance.
"No. Not at all," I said. Then, I looked down the sidewalk to Curt, who grinned. I turned away and whispered into the phone. "Please, come save me."
Casey laughed. "Alyssa, go out with him if you want to!"
I shook my head, even though she couldn't see. "No. I want to keep it strictly business."
"For now," she said. We had become fast friends over our weekend trip.
I let out an exaggerated breath. "Curt's sending a limo for you. Be ready in the lobby in a few minutes."
She squealed on the other end. "I'll see you in a bit!"
I couldn't help but laugh at her excitement. "See you then." I clicked my phone off, relieved that Casey was joining us.
Curt was already on his cell phone, but hung up when I walked up.
"Already talking to your girlfriend?" I teased.
He laughed. "Would you care?"
I turned toward the restaurant without responding.
"Hey," he said, grabbing my arm. "No. I was sending my driver after Casey."
I nodded. Then, we headed toward the restaurant together. In one way, it felt completely wrong. But in another way, it felt right.