Starring You and Me

by Susan Coventry

  When Nikki checked her voice mail the next morning, she had a message from Ron Schmidt asking her to return his call as soon as possible.

  He answered on the first ring. “Schmidt, here.”

  “Hello, Mr. Schmidt, this is Nicole Branson returning your call.”

  “Thanks for getting back to me so soon.”

  “What can I do for you, Mr. Schmidt?”

  “I represent Nate Collins. You may have heard of him. Anyway, he’s the lead actor in a movie that is being filmed in Clarkston, and he’ll need a place to stay.”

  “Yes, I have heard of him.” Nikki kept her voice neutral. “I can certainly help you. I’ll just need some details about what type of property he’d be interested in.”

  “Well, the first priority is privacy. Nate’s popularity is on the rise, and there will be hundreds of fans and paparazzi clamoring to find out where he’s staying. Second, the property should be located within a ten-mile radius of downtown Clarkston, where most of the filming will take place.”

  “I understand the need for privacy. Does he have any other requirements? For example, square footage, number of bedrooms, baths, etc.”

  “He’ll be staying alone, so the home doesn’t have to be huge. I would say a few bedrooms and a couple baths is sufficient. Like I said, the main consideration is privacy.”

  “No problem. I can run a report of rental homes in the area that meet your requirements. Would you like me to email it to you?”

  “That would be great. I’ll go over the list with Nate and let you know which ones we’d like to see.”

  We? Nikki hadn’t thought she’d be showing properties to Nate in person. She’d assumed the transaction would be conducted through his agent and she might never have any direct contact with the man. She tramped down the flutter of nervousness in her belly and reminded herself not to get caught up in his celebrity status. He was a regular guy who put his pants on one leg at a time, right?

  Nikki took down Ron’s email address, and after they said the perfunctory goodbyes, ended the call.

  Nate planned to be in town soon, so she had her work cut out for her. Nikki immediately began strategizing the best approach to finding him a house and didn’t even hear Rosa enter her office. Rosa cleared her throat noisily, causing Nikki to look up from her notes.

  “Well, was that him?” Rosa asked.

  “Him, who?” Nikki teased.

  “You know who I’m talking about. Nate Collins.”

  “I hate to disappoint you, Rosa, but that was his agent. I don’t know if or when we’ll get to meet Mr. Collins in the flesh. You’ll have to go back to reading about him in the tabloids.”

  Rosa mumbled something unintelligible and walked away, the sound of her boss’s laughter trailing after her.

  Chapter 3

  Ron Schmidt called back two days later. Nikki had been so busy showing houses and drafting purchase agreements that she honestly hadn’t given him or Nate Collins any further thought.

  Ron didn’t waste any time with pleasantries. “Miss Branson, there are four properties on this list that we would like to see,” he said with gruff efficiency.

  “Sure. If you give me the property identification numbers or the addresses, I’ll go ahead and set up the appointments.” Nikki was used to dealing with all kinds of clients, so she took Ron’s abruptness in stride.

  He rattled off the addresses, and she quickly jotted them down. “When would you like me to make the appointments for?” she asked.

  “Nate is available this weekend if that works with your schedule.”

  Nikki glanced down and saw that her calendar was clear aside from “dinner with Mom & Dad,” which could easily be rescheduled. “That will work just fine.”

  “Great. We’ll be flying into Detroit Friday evening and can be at your office first thing Saturday morning.”

  After Nikki hung up, she sat back in her chair and let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. As often as she had reminded herself not to treat this client any differently than any other client, she couldn’t shake her nerves. “This is stupid,” she said aloud to the empty office. “Why on earth am I feeling this way? I don’t know this person, and I will probably never see him again after this weekend, so why can’t I get a grip?” She never should have googled him! If she had remained oblivious to his looks and popularity, she could have treated this like any other transaction. Instead, her curiosity was piqued. Would he be as good-looking in person as he was in the photos? Would he be easy to talk to, or arrogant and aloof? Would he bring a woman with him? Ok, now she was being seriously ridiculous. Nikki pressed the intercom button on her desk phone.

  “Yes?” Rosa answered.

  “Can you come in here for a minute, please?”

  “Be right there.”

  Rosa entered Nikki’s inner office looking bright-eyed and eager to help as always. “What’s happening, boss?”

  Nikki had repeatedly asked Rosa not to call her boss, but the requests had fallen on deaf ears. “I need you to make appointments for me to show these four houses on Saturday,” she said, sliding her notes across the desk.

  “Interesting. Will you be showing these to anyone I know?” Rosa lifted her eyebrows up and down suggestively.

  “First, I don’t believe you have personal knowledge of the man. Second, this needs to be kept strictly confidential. Don’t go sharing this with your book club ladies.” Nikki tried to adopt a stern tone, but it was hard; Rosa was like a second mother to her, loving and sometimes irritating.

  “Nicole Branson, you don’t really believe I would do that, do you?” Rosa put one hand on her hip indignantly and snatched up the paper.

  “No, I know you wouldn’t. I was just teasing, but Mr. Schmidt emphasized the importance of privacy for Mr. Collins, and I want to be sure we honor that.”

  “Of course. I’ll make the appointments right away.”

  That night, against her better judgment, Nikki rented a romantic comedy from the video store starring none other than Nate Collins. Nobody has to know, she told herself as she popped in the DVD. She curled up on her cozy sofa with a blanket and a bowl of salty, buttery, homemade popcorn. The movie followed a typical plot line: a man and woman meet, fall in love, break up for a while, but get back together and live happily ever after. It actually wasn’t a bad movie, but Nikki found herself studying Nate for the entire two hours. She could definitely see the physical appeal: tall, broad-shouldered, masculine yet approachable, with soulful eyes and a sultry smile. Beneath all that, she could also sense his vulnerability, a softness that translated across the movie screen. Her last thoughts before drifting off to sleep were of Nate Collins, whom she would meet in two more days.

  Chapter 4

  Compared to most women she knew, Nikki was able to get ready quickly; it took her thirty minutes, tops, on most days. Saturday morning, she rose at six o’clock, and at seven was still trying to decide what to wear. She stood in her walk-in closet and stared at the clothes before her as if she’d never seen them before. Her wardrobe consisted primarily of dressy blouses, slacks, skirts, and cardigans, her usual business attire. So why should today be different than any other? One reason: Nate Collins.

  Nikki wanted to appear confident and professional but not boring. With a heavy sigh, she finally settled on a black pencil skirt and a printed blouse along with her highest black pumps. She knew from her research that Nate was six feet tall, so with the three-inch heels, she would reach five foot seven. The pencil skirt hugged her curves nicely without being overly tight, and the blouse didn’t seem as boring once she added a long strand of pearls. She appraised herself in the full-length mirror on the back of her bedroom door. As she turned in different directions, her shiny auburn hair swung around her shoulders. Nikki had scheduled an emergency hair appointment that week and was pleased with the results. She didn’t usually wear much makeup, but today, she added an extra coat of mascara to accentuate her chocolate brown eyes and a touch of rose-co
lored lipstick, which made her lips look fuller.

  On her drive to the office, Nikki cursed herself for having taken so long to get ready. She was mostly satisfied with her looks and had even won a local beauty pageant in her teens, but she was nowhere near movie-star pretty. John had called her “gorgeous” all the time, but she hadn’t given that much credibility ever since he’d cheated on her with another woman. Oh well, none of this mattered. Her job was to find Nate a house, not marry him!

  Nikki used the next half hour to review the print-outs on each of the homes she would be showing. The familiarity of her work, along with a warm cup of coffee, soothed her nerves and gave her the focus she needed. She was so engrossed, in fact, that she didn’t see the black SUV pull up in front of her office. Nor did she see two men emerge from the car and approach the front door. It wasn’t until the bell dinged to announce their arrival that she looked up.

  Oh my God, she thought, as her mouth dropped open. Nate Collins in the flesh was oh so much hotter than Nate Collins on the internet! She was hit with several impressions at once. First, his hair was lighter and messier (but in a good way) than it looked in pictures. Second, his tall, lean frame was muscular without being bulky, yet his presence seemed to take up the entire space. Third, his eyes were the most spectacular shade of greenish-brown that she had ever seen. While she was perusing him, he was doing the same to her, and Nikki’s face flushed as Nate broke out with a self-satisfied grin.

  Nikki stood, smoothed her hands down the front of her skirt, and stepped out from behind the front desk. She prayed that her voice wouldn’t squeak as she extended her hand toward him. “Hello, I’m Nicole Branson, owner of Branson Realty. It’s very nice to meet you.”

  Nate leaned slightly forward and grasped her hand in his. “Nate Collins. Nice to meet you as well.”

  His voice was deep and rich, and Nikki felt mesmerized as his warm hand continued to hold hers. Ron Schmidt cleared his throat noisily, and Nikki finally tore her eyes away from Nate, dropping her hand to her side.

  “Ron Schmidt. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

  The familiar sound of Ron’s voice shook her out of the spell she had been under, and she immediately switched into business mode. “Are we ready to go, gentlemen?”

  “Yes. Our driver is waiting in the car, so you can sit up front and give him directions,” Ron replied as he led the way to the front door.

  Nikki grabbed her purse and followed behind Nate. She had just a moment to notice how well he filled out his Levis before he turned and gave her another heart-stopping grin.

  “After you,” Nate said, holding the door open as she squeezed past him.

  Nikki caught a whiff of some masculine, citrusy-smelling cologne as she brushed past, but she was careful to avoid eye contact. She was already distracted enough and needed to remain professional and detached in order to do her job.

  The driver, Jeff, introduced himself as he held the passenger door open for her. Once they were seated, Nikki instructed Jeff to travel north on Main Street through the “downtown” section of Clarkston. Nikki was proud of the small town she’d grown up in and was just getting ready to point out its attributes when Ron spoke up.

  “I understand you’ve been in business here for quite some time. Do you live here as well?”

  “I do. In fact, I’ve lived here all my life, and I love it.”

  “I’m a California man myself, but Nate grew up in Michigan too.”

  Nikki shifted in her seat to glance behind her. Nate sat on a diagonal from her, and their eyes met instantly. He had the most disconcerting habit of looking at her for slightly longer than was necessary, and she was the first one to break contact.

  “That’s right, but I’m not as familiar with this side of the state. I’m from Grand Rapids.”

  Nikki refused to let on that she already knew Nate’s backstory, as she wanted him to continue speaking. His voice had such a rich timbre that she found soothing and intoxicating at the same time. “Does your family still live there?”

  “My parents do, but my brothers fled for warmer climates years ago. Not that I blame them.”

  Nikki fought the urge to defend their home state. She knew he lived in California but figured he’d moved there for his job.

  “Nothing beats home though. It feels good to be back in Michigan.”

  It was almost as if Nate had read her thoughts, and somehow, his response made Nikki very happy, although she couldn’t say why. Where this man lived made no difference to her whatsoever.

  The conversation ceased as they pulled into the driveway of the first house on the list. The yellow farm-style house was situated a good distance from the road and was surrounded by trees on both sides. Nate wouldn’t be able to see his neighbors on either side and vice versa, but someone driving by could potentially catch a peek of him coming or going. The house was old but updated and well appointed. Nikki had shown this house to a young married couple just a few weeks ago, but they had settled on something a little more modern. Nate and Ron followed her up the walkway and waited as she extracted the key from the lockbox on the front door.

  Once inside, Nikki suggested they look around while she waited in the kitchen. She made it a practice not to follow clients from room to room because she didn’t want them to feel uncomfortable. Most buyers felt inhibited walking through someone else’s home to begin with, and she didn’t want to exacerbate that feeling. “Meet me back in the kitchen, and I’ll answer any questions you have.”

  As soon as they were out of sight, Nikki took a deep breath. She had no real reason to be nervous, but something about Nate’s presence charged the air around her. His physical appearance was part of it, but there was something else there too, the way he looked at her so intensely, knowingly, as if he could read her thoughts before she was even sure of them herself. He definitely stirred something deep inside her that had been locked away for a long time. They had only exchanged a few sentences so far, but she swore she felt the chemistry between them. Nikki heard their footsteps on the floor above her and was glad for the short reprieve. She used the time to clear her head and remind herself of the reason she was here: to find this man a home! By the time Nate and Ron returned to the kitchen, she felt much more in control.

  “Well, what do you think?” She directed the question toward Nate, who leaned casually against the kitchen counter. He looked so delicious standing there in his Kid Rock t-shirt, worn Levis, and Nikes that she almost forgot what she had just asked him.

  “I like the house, but I’m not sure about the openness of the front yard. Someone could easily see in the front windows with binoculars or run across the yard to the front door. I wish I didn’t have to worry about things like that, but it’s been known to happen.”

  Nikki didn’t sense any arrogance in his comment; Nate was just being honest and straightforward, two qualities she greatly appreciated. “I understand. Shall we move on to the next house?”

  Nate and Ron nodded in agreement and returned to the car as Nikki locked up and replaced the key.

  The next two houses were also eliminated for various reasons, which left the fourth property. Nikki’s palms grew damp, and she shifted uncomfortably in the front seat as they drove down Oak Hill Road. All along, she had convinced herself that Nate would choose one of the first three houses and it wouldn’t be an issue, but if he decided to rent this next house, she would have to come clean. He had been sincere and honest with her so far, and she owed him the same courtesy. Nikki directed Jeff down a long gravel driveway that was surrounded by woods. If a person was unfamiliar with the area, they would have driven right past it. There was no sign of a house nearby, although Nikki knew that wasn’t the case.

  “Wow. This is really secluded,” Nate said. “Are you sure there’s even a house back here?”

  Nikki let out a strangled laugh. “Yes, I’m sure.”

  After what felt like a torturous amount of time, Jeff parked in front of an impressive French Tudor-style home
. It boasted a brick and stone façade with numerous windows overlooking the grounds. This home was the most expensive by far, but as Ron had said, money wasn’t an issue; privacy was.

  Nikki led them up the bricked steps and with shaky hands removed the key from the lockbox. Nate and Ron were busy surveying the beautiful surroundings and didn’t notice that it took her two tries to open the door.

  When they stepped inside the foyer, Nate let out a long, low whistle. “Wow, this is great.”

  The home boasted an open floor plan with floor-to-ceiling windows along the back wall. The spacious family room connected to an equally impressive kitchen with high-end appliances and granite countertops. The kitchen included a large nook with a bay window overlooking the sloping back yard. The master suite was also located on the first floor, and the bathroom was appointed with an oversized tub and large walk-in closet. There were three bedrooms upstairs and four bathrooms in total. It really was a spectacular layout on a beautiful piece of property. Nikki knew this home well, so she stayed out of their way while the men walked around. She could hear snippets of their conversation as they moved through the rooms and prepared herself for what was to come.

  “This is the one,” Nate said with certainty. “I can’t even see another house from any of the rooms. It’s perfect.”