Fan Girl (28 page)

We go back down and search for the basement door under the main staircase. The room is finished open space. Deklan is running his eyes over the room envisioning something. “What do you see here?” I ask.

He answers immediately, “Recording studio.” I gasp.
Of course. That would be perfect!

Holly is still messing with her phone when we get back to the kitchen. “All set?” she chirps.

“With the house. We’re going out back. You can stay if you want.” She looks disappointed, like we would
not
want to see anything else.
Does she not want to sell the house?
I don’t get her.

We walk the path to the left under some trees to shrubs that are hiding the pool and spa. Its wrought iron fencing is waist high and has a gate.

Deklan says quietly, “Keep the kids out, that’s good.”

Holly gasps. I turn to her, and she tries to straighten out her shocked look.

Deklan sighs and keeps walking to the barn. I can see on the far end opposite the pool is a basketball court hidden with more shrubs. Holly has to unlock a padlock on the massive barn doors, and Deklan slides them open. The barn is done like the house in brick with stucco on the top half.

He finds a light switch. and fluorescent light brightens up the room. To the right are open stairs that lead up to a door. Down the long walkway are eight stables. There’s another set of stairs on that side of the building so we take them up to the apartment on top. It’s a big room with a bedroom on each side of the large living space with a kitchen in the middle along one wall and bathroom in the back.

To the back of the barn is a building with five regular sized garage doors and a huge oversized one. “Horse trailer goes there. The others are for ATVs, tractors, or whatever.”

There’s a building along the two huge pastures on the left that’s divided by the fence separating them. Deklan points to it. “That’s for when it rains or is too hot. They have protection from the elements.”

I hug his arm to me. “Plenty of room out here for what we want.”

He looks down at me and wraps his arms around my waist. “We?”

I shrug. “It would take a lot of work,” I say.

He nods. “The remodel would probably be half as much as the house.”

“Plus furniture,” I add. We look into each other’s eyes and slowly smile.

He pulls me to him and whispers in my ear, “You wanna buy a house with me, Ali Dawson?”

I pull back. “It’s your money, Dek. I’m just living there.”

He shakes his head. “It’s my money, but your name is going on the deed. I’m not doing this half-ass.”

I squeeze him tight, take a deep breath, and take the plunge with a nod of my head.

He turns his head to Holly. “We’ll take it.”

After Holly scraped her jaw off the ground, Deklan puts in an offer for less than asking. On the way home, we talk about all the things we want to change with the house. “I’m going to have to call that television guy to remodel after all. Dean something. Della gave me his number,” I tell him.

“Yeah, you’re gonna have to call him, like, today. We have to have it ready before the baby comes. That’s not that long.”

“You’re trying to freak me out again, stop it.”

He laughs and pats my leg. “Did you notice that big backyard that would be perfect for kid’s toys and swing sets?” he asks me.

I sigh. “Yeah, I did.” That backyard was made for a swing set.

“Some of the trees on the side of the garage could probably hold a pretty bad ass tree house too.”

”Let me have the baby first, before I envision them falling out of trees.”

“Call Dean and see if we can meet him for dinner tonight. If we get the offer accepted by this weekend, we can go up there on Sunday so he can look at the house.”

I pull up the number on my phone and leave a message on his assistant’s voicemail giving Deklan’s name and phone number as well as my own. “We’re going to have to enlist your assistant for the remodel. I don’t have a lot of free time.”

He nods. “I’ll give you her phone number so you can get in touch with her when you need to.”

“Sounds good,” I agree.

We’re almost back to L.A. when I say, “Hey, how bout Holly, huh?”

Deklan rolls his eyes. “She’s a twit.”

“She liked you, though,” I tease.

“Yeah well, she better learn quick, or she isn’t going to make it. She’s going to get a huge commission, and she was completely unprofessional, treating you like shit. She's lucky I don't ask for another realtor.” Yikes. I didn’t like Holly at all, but she was obviously young and inexperienced.

When we get home I check my email and see that there’s a resume from Sashi. The pictures of her work are really good so I send her the information on the shop and details about the job. Deklan paces back and forth making phone calls in the living room. I fall asleep and get shaken awake some time later. He’s in front of me crouched down by the couch. “I got us a meeting. We have to be there in forty-five minutes, if you want to change or whatever. They’re taping his show right now for the fall.”

I nod, and go to the bathroom to touch up my makeup. I’m wearing a smoke-gray chiffon sleeveless shirt with a matching leather wraparound belt, with skinny jeans and charcoal leather, high heel boots. I just have to make my eye shadow darker for nighttime and head out.

We go to a quiet but ritzy restaurant downtown. Instead of chairs there are couches. We’re brought over to a corner where it’s brighter from the production lights, and there are three cameras around the table. Dean and his assistant are already there. Both are talking quietly when we walk up but stand when they see us.

Dean is in a full tuxedo, with his dark brown hair combed over and gelled to the side. He’s classically handsome in a Tom Ford way. Sarah is introduced as his assistant and she’s the female version of him. She’s in a feminine tuxedo to match Dean and her hair is pulled back in a severe bun.

Sarah speaks first after the introductions. “We like to have fun. Thursday is Tuxedo Thursday when we can do it. It livens things up a little. Don’t ask us why it’s not Tuxedo Tuesday, everybody does.”

“Because a television show doesn’t do that?” Deklan chuckles.

Dean says, “Well it helps with that, too.”

We order wine and make small talk, and when the entrees are delivered, Deklan gets a call. He discreetly checks it under the table and looks up. “Sorry, this is the realtor. We put in a bid on the house today. I need to answer it. Do you want me to go outside?”

Dean shakes his head in rapt interest, obviously wanting to hear the call.

“This is Deklan. What was the counter? Done, send the paperwork to my lawyers and ask the owners if we can see the house on Sunday, and when we can start the remodel. It’s going to be cash, Holly. Do you really think I’m going to finance? Yeah, it should speed things along. All right thanks. Bye.” He rolls his eyes. “That woman is still clueless.”

I give a small laugh and look over to Dean when he starts talking.

“So, let’s see this property. My interest is peaked.”

Deklan hands over the fact sheet on it.

“What all are we talking about?” Dean asks, as he hands the paper to Sarah.

Deklan starts, “New kitchen, covered patio, paint the existing fence. It’s all carpet, and we want hardwood throughout, except the bedrooms. The in-law suite, as well as the rooms over the barn, are dated. Those would need to be redone. All furniture, including a nursery. The basement I want turned into a soundproof recording studio.”

Dean’s eyebrows are high on his head and he’s looking back and forth between Deklan and me. “That’s going to take a lot of money.”

Deklan nods. “And I need it done by July. We’re having a baby in September and I want us in the house before then, and settled.”

Dean sits back. “Usually I have one contractor to get a job done and move to the next project. Hypothetically I could get more, if we were to take the job so everything could be getting done at the same time. I would need to see the place first.”

Deklan nods and puts his arm on the back of the couch we’re sharing. “Holly’s going to get us in Sunday if you’re available. We can go over everything, and you can let us know then.”

Sarah pulls out her iPhone and checks the schedule, I assume. “It’s less than a two hour drive, so if we leave by ten, we can be back by four, and still make the dinner with the Fullers,” Sarah says to Dean.

Dean nods and touches both of his hands to his chin, tapping it like a prayer in thought. “Let’s do that.” He looks back at us. “Congrats on the baby! I don’t know if we can make July, but it sounds like an interesting project.”

After we leave the diner, Sarah tells me to get on Pinterest and start boards for ideas I have for the remodel. When we get to the house, I try to ask Deklan what he wants, but he just keeps telling me to pick whatever and show him later. It’s completely addicting, and I stay up way too late. Once I have a good amount, I show Dek what I’ve got. “For the kitchen there are fake drawers that are really USB chargers and extra outlets to charge things stowed away, so they’re not on the counters. There are beer drawers below the wine cabinets. And look at this laundry room. We can turn the part of the butler’s pantry into an office for the nanny.”

“And the housekeeper. That huge house, we’re definitely going to need one. I like all that stuff, babe. I’m not picky just no pink in the living room or something, and I’m good.”

I roll my eyes. Of course not. “So we’re officially getting the house? I heard you say done.”

He nods and squeezes me to his side. “Yeah, babe. They came back with three, so we got five hundred grand knocked off, which is better than I thought. Now if I can sell my house, I won’t even need to go out of pocket.”

“Your house will sell. How much do you have it up for?” I ask him.

“Six, six right now. I know the realtor is showing it almost every day. Shouldn't be too long.”

Chapter 30

Sunday I get up early to dress for being on television again. I pick a jersey skirt in a chevron pattern with a black tank top and flat leather sandals. I put my hair up in a high pony and pin my side bangs back in a bump.

When I walk out of the bathroom I see Deklan shirtless on his side, propping his head up on a hand, and watching me. Mmm, he looks so good. “How long have you been watching me?” I ask him curiously.

“A while. Come here.” I walk over to him and he tells me to turn to the side. I do and he puts a hand on my stomach saying, “You’re showing today. I think you finally popped.”

I run away to look in the mirror saying, “nu uh!” like a five-year-old.

Turning one side to the other, you can definitely see it. It’s not big, but what was once flat is now a pooch. I smile and turn back to him. He’s smiling back, and we share a quiet moment of acknowledgment. After that, I go make breakfast for my man while he’s in the shower. He comes out twenty minutes later, his hair spiky from growing out. He’s got a five o’clock shadow going that is just a little bit shorter than his hair. He’s tanned from going to the beach all the time and dressed in a black fitted henley with the sleeves pulled up, dark blue jeans, and biker boots.

“Why is it you look good in twenty minutes and it took me and hour and a half?” I ask him.

He walks over to me and puts his back to my front talking into my neck and shoulder while rubbing my belly. “You have more hair than I do, you smell better, and I don’t have to put on makeup or shave. You look way better than I do.” His stubble is giving me goose bumps as it scrapes my neck.

“Maybe you should shave your legs too.” He laughs and releases me. Picking up a plate of eggs, bacon, and toast he says thank you on his way to the table.

After breakfast we head out to meet Dean and Sarah at Los Rancheros. We meet them at the farmer’s market and drive over after calling Holly to tell her we were on our way. Since we’re not the owners yet, we can’t get in. We have to take three cars though, because there are camera men and producers for the show. After talking with the guards and the producers sign something saying they won’t film anything but the outside gate and our property, we finally get in. We have microphones attached to us, mine is hooked to my bra. Holly is no help whatsoever, and Deklan is so frustrated that he calls her dad and leaves a message saying he refuses to work with her after this day.

“She should know the policies of the place she’s selling. What the hell? How did I get stuck with a rookie?” he asks rhetorically.

There’s a cameraman in the backseat that I’m trying to ignore every time I turn my head to Deklan. I take his hand, and he holds them on his thigh.

“I know babe. Can’t help it, she’s an idiot. What are we going to do with her at the house?”

“Make her ass sit in the basement or something this time. We’re gonna have to talk about the kitchen, and I don’t wanna deal with her bullshit,” Deklan says making a turn.

“Maybe we can get Sarah on her,” I suggest.

He leans over and gives me a quick kiss before turning back to the road.

When our caravan pulls up to the gate of the property, Holly jumps out in her red cardigan and knee length skirt to put in the code. We drive through and get out. Dean is spinning in a slow circle squinting his eyes. He’s in a three piece suit minus the tie and jacket. Sarah is standing off to the side, iPad in hand and watching him, thumbs at the ready.

Dean waves to the pasture with a languid hand. “You mentioned painting the fence?”

Deklan nods. “White.”

Dean nods back and goes to the front walkway. We all follow, Sarah typing down something, I assume about the fence.

We get to the foyer and Dean does another spin. “Mirrors,” he murmurs.

Holly chirps up from the side next to the stairs. “Oh, aren’t they great? I told them the other day that it lets in more light that way.” She’s beaming at Dean.

He puts his hand on his chest and gives her a droll stare.

Sarah just barely stifles a laugh, but you can hear it clearly through the sound she makes in her throat.