Harrison Towers, Memoirs of a Mogul (Glass Towers Trilogy) (16 page)

“Ah Olivia, you are looking well. Pink suits you.” I give her a sideways hug.

I do believe she is blushing.

“Thank you…you are looking especially well today yourself.” She tilts her head, “What is going on with you? Are you a man in love or did you just get some?” Her hand flies to her mouth. “Sorry, scratch that last comment, not very professional of me. But you look different today…seriously, what’s up?”

I shrug my shoulders and bite my lip, “Since when has not sounding professional stopped you from speaking your mind?” We both laugh.

“You know what Olivia, I just got a really great night’s sleep.  Plus, this morning, I got down here early enough to see a spectacular sunset over those mountains while sitting in the water on my board. Now, I am here with my most amazing agent about to decide on whether or not this property is worth my money. What more can I ask for today?”

“Well, I can’t argue with that. It’s good to see you with a smile on your face. Come let’s take a peek here.” Her heels sink into the sandy lot making it hard for her to walk as we traipse through to the edge of the property that overlooks the ocean. “Damn, I don’t know what I was thinking wearing heels to the beach.” With one hand on my arm to steady herself, she removes her heels. “There, that’s better.”

We walk down a crude makeshift path to the beach and I turn around to look at the property from the ocean side perspective.  I imagine that this would be a fantastic location for a small but upscale property development. The zoning is perfect for it. I could put four to five houses here with a community park in the middle. I’ll make it an exclusive gated entry.

I turn to Olivia who has her back to me facing the ocean. “I’ll take it. I crunched the numbers already and when I am ready to develop this, I’ll make some money.”

She claps her hands together. “Great, shall we go to my hotel and draw up papers or your condo?”

“Neither, if you don’t mind, give them a verbal offer for me and then send the papers over for me to sign. It’s such a great day out I want to get in some more surfing. Maybe we can finish the papers over an early dinner?”

“Oh honey, I would love to but I have my family down here with me. Even the hubby, we are going to counseling trying to make things work. There’s a new restaurant by that new art gallery on the main drag in Cannon Beach we are dying to try out. Say, you are welcome to join us.”

“Nah, I don’t want to intrude on your family time. Just fax the docs to my office and I’ll send it back to you.”

Back up at the cars I give her a hug goodbye and whistle while I get back in my car.

Heading in from another killer run on my board I catch an amusing site on shore. There is a brunette woman walking a dog in a long flowing white dress. Well actually, it appears the dog is walking her. I watch as she makes her way along the shore picking up shells along the way. Occasionally she stops to smile at a child flying a kite, then gets jerked along by the exuberant dog. I move out of the water and unzip my suit letting it fall to my waist. The sun on my cold skin feels wonderful. I close my eyes and tilt my face toward the sun feeling its warmth radiating through my body. I open my eyes to see the woman has stopped walking and is standing close to forty feet away from me just staring at me.

I smile at her and say, “Good afternoon.” She then looks around her as if I was speaking to someone else. Then I notice she has dropped the leash and the dog seizes the opportunity and heads over to the nearby blanket to partake in the couple’s picnic.

All the while the gorgeous unassuming creature turns back to me and says, “What?”

She has no clue her dog is pulling a Yogi Bear and heading straight for their basket. I point, “Isn’t that your dog?” I say in a loud voice since she obviously can’t hear me very well.

The look of shock on her beautiful face was comical. She shouts, “No! I mean yes! I mean... Stormy, No! Down Stormy!” Then she runs up the beach to catch the wet and sandy beast.

Laughing, I pull my suit back up and paddle my way back out past the break. I watch the poor thing running around the beach after the dog. As the next swell comes in, I think to myself I could watch her all day. She is slim, graceful, and awkward all at once. I wonder who she is. Someone like her is probably married with children and that was their family dog.

I look over to the thatch of trees and bushes behind the couple on the blanket and notice a long camera lens sticking out one of the bushes. I start to head in to get a closer look when the camera disappears into the  thicket and it’s obvious that someone is retreating given the rustling of bushes left in their wake. He obviously did not want to be found and saw that I had spotted him. I wonder why the hell someone would be taking pictures of me on the beach, hiding. How fucking weird!

I turn to see if the intriguing woman was still struggling with her dog and it appears she has left the area. I look up and down the beach and see no sight of her. Damn! 

Finishing out my day surfing as the sun starts to set. A few other regulars are calling it a day as well. I walk over to a group of them and listen to their usual banter. Tonight, they have my interest piqued. I hear the younger blonde kid with a funky nose that had been broken by his board talking about the girl in the white dress. Ah, maybe I wasn’t the only one who took notice.

“You mean the one with the dog?” Another guy asks.

“Yeah, that’s right she had a long haired black and white dog. She was smoking hot bro!”

Okay, I’ll bite, “Anyone know who she is? Local? Tourist maybe?”

Doc a local surfboard builder and repairman, hence his name doc, jumps in the conversation. “I think I seen that dog at the new Art Gallery on Hemlock.” All the guys look at him with curiosity, “What? It’s next door to the Shore Tender Pub.”

“Yeah, I think I saw the dog out front before but not with the girl. I heard the folks who own it,  have a daughter from Portland.” Another guy Phil chimes in.

“Well maybe we should take up going to art galleries if girls like that are around them.” The kid with the nose replies.

I excuse myself and head back up to my car. I place a call to Garrin Leone.

“Hey man. I’m sorry for calling late but I have a little job for you. It might be pointless and is definitely impetuous but I saw a woman today whom I want you to find.”

“Who is she and why do you need me to find her?”

“That’s just it, I saw her on the beach and spoke to her briefly. She was walking her dog and I was surfing but I felt something. It was weird. I can’t explain myself.”

“Okay so do you know her name? Or, where she lives, anything?”

“Not exactly. We didn’t really talk or introduce ourselves. It was a chance meeting, albeit ever so brief. I need to know who she is. It’s odd I know but could you just help me?”

He sighs, “Yeah sure. I’ll give it a try. What DO you know?”

“Well, I know her parents own a gallery in Cannon beach, Oregon. They have a dog that is black and white. One of the locals thinks she is from Portland.”

“Seriously, that’s it? He chuckles, “Not a lot to go on but at least there’s the gallery. You don’t know the name of the Gallery do you?”

“No but they said it is on Hemlock near a pub called Shore Tender.”

“That’s something at least. I’ll let you know if I find out anything. In the meantime, I’m tired and I need to get back to bed. It’s almost eleven here.”

“Thanks, I appreciate it. Bye!”

Heading back to my condo I smile to myself. I have no idea what I think I am doing. Why on earth would I track down a woman whom I exchanged a few words with? Maybe it’s the thrill of the hunt or the unknown. I do know one thing, she caused something to stir deep inside me that I have not felt in a long time and it’s not my libido. It’s something else. Odd. 

Three weeks later, Garrin sends me a text to call him. He tracked down the girl in the white dress.

“Harrison. I finally got around to looking into that woman on the beach and I got some information about her.”

“That’s what your text said, so tell me about her.”

“Her name is Danielle Austen-Pyne. She lives in Portland and your guys were correct, her parents own that gallery. Word has it that she is going through or just finished a divorce and works as an interior decorator somewhere downtown Portland.”

“Do you have a place of work?”

“No but I am guessing you can look her up. She can probably be found on someone’s website as part of their staff or something. Right?”

“Yes, I have a few ideas. Thanks Garrin. I appreciate it!”

“Don’t mention it but Harry, I don’t know what you are hoping to accomplish but don’t get your hopes up. It’s kind of a strange way to meet someone…tracking them down after a brief encounter. Some might consider it borderline stalker.” He laughs.

“Trust me. My hopes are anything but riled up. I don’t know what is driving me but I have this intense urge to find her. It may lead to nothing but a torrid affair or nothing at all. Whatever it is, I want to find out.”

“Okay. You know I’m here for you. Let me know if you need anything else. Hey, maybe we can play some golf next time you are up?”

“Sounds good. Thanks again.”

Now I need to forge a plan to track this mystery woman down. Danielle Austen-Pyne, I’m intrigued.

A couple months later I receive a call from an excited Olivia. “Harry, I found her, I found your decorator girl for you! Well, kind of at least. It’s actually a funny story. I was at the Women’s Group of Realtors boutique fundraiser last night. It’s a time where vendors set up a shopping boutique and donate a portion of their proceeds or pay a fee to set up a table to advertise their services to the members.”

“And?”

“And…I was visiting with some of my friends while wandering from table to table and who should I stumble upon but your Danielle Austen-Pyne Design.” She squeals, she is simply lovely and what a sweet personality.”

I laugh, “Slow down Olivia, did you get her contact information?”

“Did I ever. You can imagine my surprise when I came across her name. I actually pulled up the email you sent asking me to keep my ears open for her name. I mean I thought you were ridiculous for suggesting that I would run into her.”

“Well I figured when you would set about finding decorators for the luxury homes project you may have an opportunity. I was right, wasn’t I?”

“Yes you were. So, do you want me to contact her? Did you want to meet with her first? How do you want to handle this?”

“I don’t want her to know I basically stalked her or sought her out. Instead, I want you to contact her and make it seem she is bidding on it.”

“Okay but do you realize the only house left is the
Tron
house? It’s the only one we haven’t assigned a designer. Are you sure you want her to decorate that one?”

“I want her to bid on the
Tron
house, I am sure.”

“Okay, your wish is my command.”

“Thank you Genie. Now contact her and lead her to believe she is bidding on the project. In fact, see if you can send her an invite to submit herself and then lead her to believe she worked hard to get it. Maybe ask for professional references, that sort of thing. Then call her and offer her the project a few weeks later. That will give her just under nine months to complete the job. You will report to me her progress and when the time is right and if I so choose, I will meet with her.” I know it’s crazy, but I am drawn to her for reasons unknown to me. I have to follow my gut.

“Understood.”