“Or he wanted to punish me. He doesn’t think I have a soul,” Harrison says darkly. “He figured a dog would out me.”
“And you proved him wrong.”
His slow smile has my heart skipping.
“You don’t talk about your family,” he comments.
“A lot of people I trusted let me down when I needed them.”
He brushes a hand through my hair. “Tell me what happened.”
“Hard pass. You’re not my therapist.”
I try to make it sound light, but he doesn’t smile.
“Listen,” I go on, turning to pace the room, “despite the whole ‘crashing your workday’ thing, I’m not spending time with you because I need a well-tailored shoulder to cry on.”
When I turn back to him, he’s already closed the distance between us.
“There are moments in our lives that defy description. Sometimes we cause them and sometimes we don’t. But they are painful and incomprehensible, and pretending they’re not doesn’t make us more human. I need people around me. Leni, and Toro, and Natalia, and even Ash. You need to let someone in.”
The openness in his voice and his face is undeniable. He’s lived through his share of shit, but even if I wanted to invite him into mine, he can’t possibly understand.
“Well, this army of one thing has been working out for me so far.” I force my attention to the shopping list. “Should we go out and get these?”
It’s an obvious subject change, and I think he’s going to argue.
“Let’s have them delivered.”
He places the order with the concierge, who promises to have all we need delivered in an hour. When Harrison tugs me toward the doors to the deck, I follow.
On a chaise, he tucks me between his legs. “What are you going to do about Wild Fest?”
“Well, I have to tell Victoria the gig’s off. But I saw on their page they have a dark horse spot. Basically, fan votes,” I go on at his questioning look.
“Are you in the running?”
I pull it up on my phone and make a face. “Twenty-fifth. There’s one spot.” I frown. “I’m playing in Miami on Thursday. If I can get enough fans to share the show, it’ll be a boost.”
“I’m visiting my club there Friday, plus I could use the change of scenery. Give Leni a few days to work on this warehouse without me. Suppose I could head over early.”
“You’d come to my show? At someone else’s club?” I ask, surprised. Every part of me hums with anticipation. The idea of him watching me is thrilling.
“You going to ask me?”
My lips twitch, and I fight the impulse to smile, squaring my shoulders. “Come to my show, asshole.”
“Fuck, you’re irresistible.”
But when he drags me against him, I can’t help laughing.
12
Rae
Havana Nights looms on Collins Avenue in Miami, an art deco monument. I’m at the bar early to set up.
I need this gig in order to make my case for Wild Fest. Most of all, I need the line of partiers to vote for me. Normally, I wouldn’t ask for that kind of help, but I’m desperate. So, I hired someone to make graphics encouraging my fans to vote.