Darius (Starkis Family #5) (6 page)

I took a sip of my instant coffee. “Because I don’t need anyone to buy me nice things. I’ve gotten by without them just fine all this time.” Getting used to having nice things would be a mistake. In my experience, the higher the climb, the harder the fall.

“You think you don’t deserve them,” Daphne said, narrowing her eyes at me. “That’s really the problem, isn’t it? You think you don’t deserve a guy like Darius. He could have any woman he wants, so why would he want you, right?”

I touched my nose and pointed at her
. Bingo.
“We both know I’m not in his league. Hell, we’re not even circling the same stratosphere. Sure, he’s a nice guy. Maybe we could be friends, but that’s as far as it could go.”

“Why?” When I turned my back to rinse my bowl, Daphne said, “I think it’s because you’re afraid you could really fall for this one.”

Maybe she was right, but I would never give her the satisfaction of admitting it. “I just prefer to deal in reality. Men like him eventually wind up with socialites, models, or celebrities. Not struggling comediennes from the Bronx.”

“Why do always do that?” Daphne sounded frustrated. “Why do you always sell yourself short? How do you know that a great guy like that couldn’t fall in love with someone like you? Maybe he doesn’t care about bank balances and fancy degrees. Maybe he cares about what a person’s like on the inside.”

“My dear, sweet, naïve friend,” I said, touching Daphne’s cheek as I walked past her. “Normally I find your delusions endearing, but I’m too tired this morning. I just want to enjoy my coffee in peace, grab a shower, and go to Exodus to see if anyone needs me to cover them for a few hours.”

“What if he won’t give up as easily as all the others have?”

She was referring to all the guys who’d asked me out since Shaun died. A few had asked more than once, but most walked away after being shot down.

“You’re really blowing this whole thing out of proportion,” I said, closing my eyes as I inhaled the scent of my drink. I loved coffee and could hardly wait until I had enough money to indulge in the good stuff. “He likes me. I like him. But it’ll never amount to more than that. Trust me. You just need to let it go.”

“Fine, but you’re making a big mistake!”

It’s my mistake to make,
I thought as Daphne slammed her bedroom door.

Darius

I was having lunch with Damon, discussing my plans to buy the comedy club, when he asked, “Did you get anywhere with that hot little comedienne?”

I thought about the kiss we’d shared last night. It may have been the most innocent first kiss I’d ever experienced, but it had done something to me. It made me feel things I’d never felt, like maybe, just maybe, this woman could be someone special. “We spent some time together last night, but she’s not really looking for a relationship right now.”

Damon laughed as he reached for a piece of bread from the basket in the middle of the table. “Mia said the same thing when we first met, and look at us now. Married with a beautiful baby.”

I couldn’t deny I felt pangs of envy when I saw my cousins with their wives and babies. I’d never actively sought a woman to spend my life with, but now that all of the people around me were paired off, I couldn’t help but wonder if it was time for me to think about settling down. It would make my parents happy, not that that was a major consideration for me. I loved them, but they’d learned a long time ago that I was calling my own shots.

“Yeah, but you and Mia were meant to be together. Anyone can see that.” After a few bites of my sandwich, I asked, “How’d you know for sure she was the one?”

“Something shifted in me the first time I saw her. I knew I had to meet her. When I did, something told me she was different. I’d never met anyone quite like her.” Damon smiled at the memory. “Sure, she was gorgeous, but so were a lot of the girls I’d dated. There was more to Mia than that. She’s smart and tough. She has a killer sense of humor. We laughed all the time. Before I knew it, that girl was my best friend, and I knew I couldn’t live without her.”

I thought of the connection I had with Chelsea. We’d laughed a lot last night, and she got this look in her eye right before she roasted me for some stupid comment I made. By the end of the night, my abs actually hurt from laughing, and I couldn’t remember the last time I’d had more fun with a woman.

“What are you thinking?” Damon asked.

That was when I realized I’d let my mind wander. “So how’d you handle it when Mia said she didn’t want a relationship? What did you do to convince her?”

“You can’t try to do that. It just has to happen. Spend more time with the girl. Prove to her that being with you is more fun than not being with you.”

I could do that. “I don’t think she’d be into all this,” I said, gesturing around the restaurant I’d helped build, the one that bore my family name. “She’s had a hard life. I think she’s more of a straight-from-the-bottle, blue-jeans kind of girl, ya know what I mean?”

Damon laughed. “Then she’s perfect for you. I’ve never met a billionaire who’s as rough around the edges as you are, man.”

I took that as a compliment. I was real. I didn’t need expensive cars and suits to make me feel like more of a man. I liked myself as I was, and people who didn’t share that sentiment could hit the road. “For the record, I’m not the billionaire. My old man is. Some people may not make the distinction, but I do.”

“I know, I know,” Damon said, shaking his head. “So tell me more about this club. You really think you’re gonna buy it?”

I’d had no desire to own a club before I met Chelsea, but the idea was definitely growing on me as more of the pieces fell into place. “The consultant’s flying in from Chicago tonight. He’ll do some market research and tell me what we need to change to make the place more profitable. I have an idea of the kind of reno I want to do. I’m taking Chase to the club with me tonight. He said he could work it into his schedule for me.”

“Sounds like things are really coming together.”

“Yeah, you think I’m crazy for doing this?” I needed someone whose opinion I trusted to assure me I wasn’t getting in over my head. “I mean, business is great in the Hamptons. I’m even thinking about building my own place out there. I’ve got more than enough work to keep me busy. This club might be more of a headache than it’s worth, huh?”

“What do you think will happen to it if you don’t buy it?” Damon asked, spearing a piece of lobster with his fork. “I kind of got the impression they’re running on borrowed time.”

“Yeah, me too.” I couldn’t stand the thought of Chelsea losing her job and possibly her apartment. She didn’t deserve that. But I couldn’t make a business decision to please a woman I’d just met, no matter how much I liked her. Damon had built a successful business by trusting his instincts, and I really needed to know what he thought about the deal. “Does your gut tell you this place has a shot?”

Damon nodded. “Yeah, it does. If you hadn’t decided you wanted it, I probably would have bought it from him.”

That made me feel better. “Billy thinks Chelsea would be a great manager, and she could really use the money. She’s trying to save for this comedy school she wants to go to.”

Damon smiled. “She sounds like a great girl. Seriously, I think you should pursue this thing. See where it could go.”

“But how do I bring her into my world?” I said, glancing around the five-star steakhouse. “Without making her feel uncomfortable, I mean?” That was the last thing I wanted to do.

“The thing I admire most about you,” Damon said, “is that you really don’t live
the
life.”

I knew what he meant. The guys on the construction crew treated me like one of their own because I drove a dusty pick-up and wore torn, faded jeans to the job site. I didn’t look down on anyone. As far as I was concerned, I was no better than they were. I’d just been given better opportunities and allowed to write my own ticket.

“So be real with her, Darius. Do the things you like to do. Have a few drinks at the bar, shoot some pool, order pizza and eat it at your place.” Damon shrugged. “Take her to a Yankees game, or spend some time at the beach. That’s who you are, and something tells me those are the kinds of things she’d love doing too.”

“You’re probably right.” In fact, I knew he was right.

“You say she hasn’t had an easy life. That means she probably hasn’t had a lot of time for fun. She’s been too busy working, surviving. Just focus on showing her a good time, and trust me, you won’t have any problem getting her to fall for you.”

I hoped my cousin was right because after listening to him paint that picture, I realized I wanted to do all of those things and more with her.

***

Chase and I were having a beer at a table near the stage when Chelsea walked in. Our eyes locked right away, and she smiled and waved before walking over to us.

“You’re becoming a regular here, aren’t you?” she asked, giving me a hug when I stood.

Chase stood to shake Chelsea’s hand when I introduced them. “I’ve caught your act in here a couple of times,” Chase said, grinning at Chelsea. “You’re awesome. I especially loved that bit about mama’s boys who live in their parents’ basements. My buddies and I were howling.”

Chelsea smiled. “Thank you. That one’s fun, mainly because everyone can picture the guy.”

I felt a little uncomfortable watching their easy rapport. Chase was a good-looking, successful guy who, not that long ago, had had a thing for my sister. I didn’t know if he was over her, but I sure as hell didn’t want him to think Chelsea could be his rebound girl.

“Chase came to have a look at the place,” I explained once we were seated. I pointed at the vacant chair, but Chelsea shook her head, opting to stand. “If the deal goes through, his team will be handling the renovation.”

She smiled. “That’s great. I know I’m biased, but I think this place is pretty great the way it is. But I understand why Darius would want to give it a facelift. It’s getting a little dated.”

It was worn and tired. It looked as if it had been decades since anyone had done any major improvements. “Chels, would you mind if I took a look at your apartment later?”

Her quick glance at Chase told me she was ashamed of the place. “Um, sure, I don’t see why not.”

“Chase has to head out soon, but I can wait around until after your set. Think you can show it to me then?”

I could tell she was relieved. “Sure, no problem. Well, I should get ready for my set. It was nice meeting you, Chase.”

“Yeah, you too.” He watched her walk away. “My buddy and I couldn’t take our eyes off her when we were here, man. One of them asked her out, but she shot him down.”

“She’s off-limits, buddy.” I had no right to warn Chase off, but I didn’t want my friend to become the competition. “We’re kind of seeing each other.” I didn’t think Chelsea would object to me describing our arrangement that way.

“No worries.” He reached for his beer. “I’m not really in the market right now, anyhow. Just focusing on my girls. Being a full-time dad isn’t easy.”

Maybe not, but I knew how hard he’d worked to get sole custody of his daughters, and I’d never seen him happier than when the judge had ruled in his favor. “Your daughters the only reason you’re not dating now, or is there some other reason?”

His hand curled into a fist on the tabletop. “Darius, I don’t want to talk about your sister.”

I knew they’d slept together last year, then Catia left town shortly after. “You sure about that? You’re not even curious how she’s doing? Whether she’s dating anyone?”

His head snapped up. “Is she… dating anyone?”

“No one special.” Every time we talked, she managed to work Chase into the conversation. She wanted to know how he was, how he was adjusting to life as a single dad, and whether he ever asked about her.

“Hmmm. Doesn’t mean she’s not going out though, right? I know Cat’s not much of a homebody. She doesn’t like the quiet life.” He sounded almost resentful.

“No, she doesn’t, but I kind of get the feeling she’s just killing time. You should call her—”

He stood, tossing a bill on the table. “I have to go pick the girls up from their dance lessons.” He shook my hand. “If you decide to make an offer on this place, let me know. I’ll squeeze you into the schedule as soon as I can.”

“I appreciate that, man. Thanks.” He was as stubborn as my sister.

I missed most of Chelsea’s set because I had to step outside to take a business call. She was stepping off the stage to rousing applause when I walked back in.

“I take it that went well?” I asked, seizing her hand to help her down the steps.

She always seemed to wear five-inch heels, which made me fear for her safety. Just once, I wanted to see her in running shoes, or better yet, no shoes. I knew I had it bad when I was getting turned on thinking about a girl’s bare feet. What the hell was wrong with me?

“You missed it?” she said, pouting at me.

Damn. I was hooked. Gone. Long past of the point of no return when she looked at me like that.

“Sorry, I had to take a call.” I hooked a thumb over my shoulder. “I didn’t want to be rude. I thought your adoring audience would appreciate it if I stepped outside.”

“That was actually very thoughtful,” she said, settling her hand into mine. “Jerks who try to talk through my set usually find themselves a part of the show, and let me tell you, they’re not too happy about it.”

I loved that she wasn’t afraid to call people out on their bad behavior. She was tough, she could take care of herself, and I liked that about her. My only concern was that she might be a little
too
independent. I wanted my girlfriend to need me as much as I needed her. Not that Chelsea was my girlfriend. Yet.

“You want to head upstairs and see the apartment now?” she asked. “It’s Daphne’s night off, but she had a date, so she won’t be home.”

“Sure, let’s go.”

She led me outside, around to the back of the building, and up a metal staircase that looked like a fire escape. I didn’t miss the fact that she had to walk through an alley to get to her apartment. What the hell kind of setup was this?