The shrill reminder beep of my cell phone diverted my attention. Who texted this early in the morning?

Are you awake yet?

I smiled immediately before I noted the time. Walker had sent me this text message over an hour ago. Didn’t the guy ever sleep? Pressing my head against my pillow, I pulled the covers up to my chest and snuggled back into place. I groggily pressed in Walker’s number and waited as excited nerves ticked through me.

“Finally,” he breathed into the phone.

“It’s six in the morning.”

“I couldn’t sleep. Are you coming over? Do you want me to come get you?”

“I’ll come to you. Text me the directions.”

Following the directions Walker sent me, my thoughts bounced the entire time between getting lost and not getting there soon enough. I turned left at the signal light near one of the most popular beach entrances in Malibu, and headed around the bend in the road, passing the public beach on the right and cliffs fronted with restaurants on the left. My car headed up a steep and winding cliff road before reaching the flattened top.

Glancing to my right, I took a moment to appreciate the breathtaking ocean view. This was the kind of view that dreams were made of. Very expensive dreams.

I drove slowly down the street, passing houses on either side of the road. If I didn’t know any better, I’d swear I was in a regular suburban neighborhood. But I did know better. The address Walker provided came into view and I put on my blinker, pulling into the gated driveway. Punching in the code he’d given me onto a large silver keypad, I watched as the black iron gates sprang to life, opening wide before I sped in.

Walker was standing on his porch waiting for me, and my stomach flipped at the sight of him. Keeping my eyes on the circular drive, I pulled to a stop in front of a ranch-style single-story home. It was beautiful in its simplicity. Just like his concert had been.

After I put my car in park and set the emergency brake, Walker opened my door for me and reached for my hand to help me out. I looked up at him, my eyes wide as I stood up and said, “Wow. It’s beautiful.” Pivoting in the driveway, I took in the gardens surrounding the house and the fountain in front of the entryway.

“Wait until you see the view.” He smiled like a little boy and pulled me through the front door.

Glass windows stretched from floor to ceiling, allowing for an unobstructed view of the water and the Catalina Islands. It was breathtaking and I stopped mid-step to let it all sink in. Just yesterday morning I was fighting with my boss, certain I had killed my career, and now I was in Walker’s beautiful beach home, thankful I wasn’t anywhere else. When he pulled his long-sleeved shirt off, revealing a tight T-shirt underneath, I was even more thankful.

“Do you like it?” he asked, meaning the view, but in my mind I currently had two things of beauty to look at.

“It’s beautiful. You’re beautiful. I’d never want to leave.”

He stepped behind me and wrapped his arms around me as I pressed my back against his chest. “You don’t have to.” Then he kissed the side of my neck, and I suppressed at shiver at the tingles his touch gave me.

Pulling away from me, he said simply, “Sit,” so I made myself comfortable on the nearest sofa. “Can I get you anything to drink? Water, soda?”

“I’m okay, thanks.”

The cushion next to me shifted with Walker’s weight as he sat. “We haven’t even talked about your job yet and what happened yesterday. I want to hear everything.”

Walker’s cell phone rang and he glanced down at the flashing screen before excusing himself to answer it. “I’m sorry. I need to take this.”

“Of course,” I responded as he pushed up from the couch and stepped out into his backyard.

I sat alone in the living room, scanning the framed pictures on his mantel and the artwork on his walls. Curious, I got up and walked over to the fireplace to inspect the framed black-and-white photos. One of Walker and his mom backstage at one of his concerts made me smile, and I fought back sudden tears. She looked so happy.

There were pictures of him with his friends, his family, other singers and musicians, and a small four-by-six photo of him and me as teenagers in the sand. I had completely forgotten his mom took our picture that summer. Walker stood holding his surfboard at his side, his other arm wrapped around my waist. I was looking up at him like there was no one in the world I loved more. And at the time, there wasn’t. His head was angled down toward me as well, the smirk on his lips saying it all. He had been in love with me too. Sure, we were just kids then, but what we shared that summer had been as real as it got at the time.

“Sorry about that, but I’d been waiting for that call. It was actually about you, so…” He paused and walked in through the patio doors, a broad smile on his face.

“Me?” I drew a hand up to point at my chest in question.

He nodded and then sat back down on the couch, spreading his arms out along the back of the cushions. “I made a few phone calls yesterday to some friends. You have a couple of options, Miss Myers.” His expression turned serious.

“Do I?” I narrowed my eyes as I settled down on the couch next to him, wondering what the heck he was talking about.

“As you know, I’m in the market for an agent. And I think I’ve found the perfect one.” He stared at me, a smile spreading across his face, and I widened my eyes in surprise.

“Me?” I shot bolt upright in shock. “You want me to be your agent?” I asked incredulously.

“Yes. I will only sign with you. So you have two options. One,” he lifted a finger in the air, “you can either open your own agency and I’ll be your first client. Or two,” he lifted a second finger, “you can go to work at the Warren Taylor Agency and I’ll still be your first client.”

“Warren Taylor’s? But I couldn’t just go there and be an agent—” I stopped mid-sentence, my thoughts spinning too quickly for me to keep up.

Walker pressed a finger to my lips to stop me. “They said they would hire you. That I would be your first and only client until you learned the ropes and got some agency experience under your belt. They want to help you grow and they want you to learn from them. They’re completely on board and more than happy to help with this transition period in both our lives. You just have to call them and accept.”

He removed his finger and I smiled as big as my lips would allow. The uneasiness that had settled in my stomach over my career suddenly disappeared. “Oh my gosh, Walker, you’re amazing.” I crawled onto his lap, wrapping my arms around his neck. “Thank you so much. You didn’t have to do that, but I really appreciate it.”

He leaned his body away from me, breaking our contact. “I wanted to.”

I smiled, filled with happiness. No one had ever done something like this for me before. In a town filled with people pulling strings, I never intended to play that way, and was amazed that this agency would do the same. “Do I need to call them now and work out the details?”

He tilted his head. “They can wait. I can’t.”

“Is that so?” I giggled against his mouth as his lips found mine, his hands gripping me tighter.

“Wait.” I pulled away, forcing him to release me as I crawled off his lap and stood. “What if I’m bad at it? What if I’m a terrible agent who makes horrible business decisions?”

“You won’t be. But we’ll add a clause in our contract that you’re not allowed to ruin my career,” he said with a laugh and moved to kiss me again, my mind still racing.

I leaned away. “Wait!”

“Again?” His eyebrows shot up as a smile teased his lips.

“Last thought. I don’t normally mix business with pleasure. This might not be a good idea. What if we don’t last?”

“We,” he said as he shook his head at me disapprovingly and rose to his feet as well, “are never breaking up. And you know it. I don’t normally mix business with pleasure either, but I’m making an exception. And so will you.”