1. Chapter One

Chapter One

H ennessy slipped the pink Nelson’s Honkytonk Saloon & Bar shirt over his head, tucking it into his jeans, then zipping up. He grabbed a leather belt and slipped it through the loops, checking his hair and beard out in the mirror. He tilted his head, grabbed his beard brush, and neatened his beard before heading for his shift.

He still let the guys tease him, but honestly, wearing the pink Nelson’s shirt was easy. Even if it was because he lost another bet with his brothers and cousins. Vivi, his brother’s wife, had thought making them wear the pink shirt with the words Ask Me Why I’m Wearing This Shirt on the back would deter them from their bets.

He chuckled while walking down the stairs into the office. It hadn’t quite worked like she planned. He’d had more women coming onto him in the bar from wearing the shirt than he’d had before, which was saying something. As one of the owners of the bar, he wasn’t short on offers from women. Only on an offer from the woman he really wanted.

But nope, she saw him as a friend. At least that was the vibe he was getting. His phone rang before he walked out into the main room. His heart lightened a little seeing her name on his phone. Ellie was everything he could ask for in a soulmate: smart, fierce when needed, cute when she was irritated, family-oriented, and as lovely as she was fierce.

“Good afternoon, gorgeous. How are you?” he asked. Did his voice tell her how much she meant to him, or did she only see the friend he was? How did he show her he wanted more?

“Wondering why the friggin’ school doesn’t have a frequent visitor parking spot for me? I don’t need this today,” Ellie grumbled.

He would not laugh because he was picturing how her forehead would be scrunched up and her eyes blazing with irritation. He couldn’t let her know that even her irritation turned him on.

“What did the boys do now?” he asked. Ellie’s sons/nephews weren’t adjusting well, even though they’d been in Bluff Creek for a while.

“All the secretary would tell me was that they were being suspended.” Ellie’s voice had him figuring out if there was anyone to cover his shift. His Ellie was strong, but she sounded like she was at her breaking point.

“Oh, honey. Do you want me to see if I can find someone to cover my shift and come there?”

He heard her sniffle and wanted more than anything to pull her into his arms.

“I appreciate it, but it would take you over an hour and a half to get here. I’ll pull on my big girl pants to listen to the jerk of a principal tell me all the things I’m doing wrong. I can guarantee he won’t want to give me any ways to help the boys,” she said, then sniffed again.

Maybe he could help her out in another way.

“How about after you pick up the boys, you go have them pack some clothes. Between all of us, we could find some things to make them think twice about what they’ve done.”

And the added bonus was he’d get to see Ellie and maybe even hug her if she let him. Sometimes he got the feeling she was getting ready to let him get closer, then bam! She’d close up tighter than before. She was the most infuriating woman he’d ever met because even after spending all the last couple of months together at different times, he was no closer to figuring her out than he was before.

“Are you sure, Hennessy? I mean, they’re a lot of work.”

Her voice sounded a little hopeful for the first time since she’d called.

“Yes. Between my dad, my uncles, and all of us guys, there are eleven other men to help with them. Have you been doing better sleeping?” Hennessy asked.

Ellie had admitted that since she’d taken over as the boys’ guardian, she hadn’t slept a whole night through except when the boys had been at an overnight camp. The third night they’d been with her, they’d sneaked out for a joyride and wrecked her car. She slept with one eye open since then, which didn’t help with sleep.

“Regina organized a grandkid sleepover last weekend, and I got seven whole hours of sleep. But otherwise, no,” she said softly.

“Let’s plan on them coming up here. If you’re too tired to bring them, let me know. You know one of the wise ones would be willing to come pick them up.”

Ellie started giggling at his words. “Oh my gosh, they were so mad when you and Whiskey called them old. Is ‘wise ones’ what they are having you call them now?”

He was glad his family’s craziness was making her giggle. He’d called his dad and his two uncles old one time and had been paying the price since. At least he wasn’t the only one. Whiskey, Crewe, and Halligan had agreed with him. They’d been relegated to the doghouse too.

“Yes, it’s the current one they are having us try out when referring to the three of them. I personally think the grouchy grinches would fit them more,” Hennessy said.

“Boy, you’d think at your age, you’d make sure you were aware of your surroundings before you spoke,” his Uncle Burt’s voice said from behind him.

Ellie laughed, bringing a smile to his face, even though it was at his expense.

“I’m here, Hennessy. Thanks for talking me down. If you’re really serious, I’ll text when I leave to bring them.”

Her soft voice had him imagining listening to it for the rest of his life.

“If you don’t work tomorrow, why don’t you plan on staying the night too. We have plenty of room. If Crewe knows we’ll have extra people, he might even fix us his French toast or his Eggs Benedict. He only does it for special occasions.” Hennessy put a little pleading into his tone. Ellie’s soft heart would hopefully have her giving in.

“Okay. I’ll text you when we leave if you’re sure.”

“I’m sure. Now, you go in there as the strong, fierce woman you are. If that principal tries to beat you down or blame you, you remember I told you I went to school with him. He used to pick his nose and eat his boogers. You feel free to remind him of that if he gets too uppity.”

His girl giggled, then whispered goodbye and hung up.

His uncle’s reassuring hand gave a squeeze to his shoulder.

“When are you going to convince that girl to marry you?” Uncle Burt asked.

Hennessy shook his head. “She only sees me as a friend.”

“Look at me, Hennessy.” His uncle’s tone didn’t leave room for denying him, even if Hennessy wasn’t twelve but in his forties. He turned and stared at Uncle Burt.

“She doesn’t see you as a friend, but that woman is too scared to dream she could have more. Her eyes follow you when you turn away. Maybe she just needs to be taught that it’s okay to dream of more,” Uncle Burt said, then walked out into the bar.

His dad and uncles had raised them all together above the bar. He never would have thought Uncle Burt would give him advice on women. He knew he and his brothers and cousins had grown up in a unique situation. His dad had gotten three different women pregnant. Not at the same time. Whiskey was two years older than him at forty-three. And his younger brother Schaefer was five years younger than him. But each woman didn’t want to stay around or be a mom. What was crazy was his uncles had the same thing happen, so all nine cousins had different moms who refused to stick around.

Whiskey had been the first to break what they’d called the Nelson curse by having him and Vivi fall in love and marry. Hennessy thought he wanted that with Ellie. He thought he could be heading toward love, but he’d never loved anyone besides his dad, uncles, brothers, and cousins until Vivi had crashed into their lives.

Ellie called to something inside of him, but the man whom women called all the time at the bar to hear him wish them good morning and good night was firmly stuck in the friend zone.

He’d suppose he’d laugh about it if he wasn’t so sad. He walked out into the bar, calling hello to all the regulars.

“Hennessy, lost a bet again, huh?”

He looked up and saw one of the regular traveling visitors at the bar.

“Sheila, how are you? I haven’t seen you for a couple weeks. How’s the job?” Hennessy asked.

“It’s been busy. They fired one of the other accountants, and so I’ve had to travel more.”

Her voice was weary. He didn’t know all her story, just that she was pretty much alone and an accountant for a large firm with properties through Texas, Kansas, and Nebraska.

“Crewe getting you some food before you get on the road?” he asked.

“Yes, but before I leave, I’m definitely going to need one of your good nights. It’s been a crappy week. The company is cutting costs. Part of my job this trip and the next is notifying people that their jobs are being cut. Just what I wanted to do in December.”

Ryanne, their only non-family bartender, walked out with a platter of food.

“Here you go, Sheila. Crewe had it ready. He also added some dessert he was playing around with because I told him you were having a bad day.” Ryanne brushed by him, and then he felt ice sliding down the inside of his shirt.

He turned to get her back, but she had the seltzer sprayer pointed at him.

“Oh, come on. What did I do?” Hennessy whined while trying to fish the ice out of his shirt, but he knew what he’d done. The bucket of water tipping on her at the end of the shift two nights ago was funny. Ryanne had complained about how hot the bar was all evening. He’d just helped her cool off.

“Don’t play innocent with me,” Ryanne said, glaring at him.

“But Ryanne, you’re the annoying little sister I’ve never had growing up, and we have a lot of teasing to make up for,” Hennessy said, trying for the look that he’d used countless times while growing up to get out of things.

“I might end up an only child if you don’t quit with the water. My hair is thick, and it takes forever to dry. Last warning, no more water pranks.”

“I’m sorry. I promise no water pranks,” Hennessy said, nodding. He needed to defuse the situation and then not do anything for a couple weeks. Then he’d do a non-water prank, and it would be all the sweeter.

“Hennessy, I think it’s a good thing that you’re rocking the hot body, tattoos, and fantastic beard because I’m guessing the eye candy is the only thing saving you from Ry beating you up,” Sheila said around a bite of sandwich.

“I’m hurt that you think she could beat me up,” Hennessy said.

Ry cackled and high-fived Sheila. Hennessy shook his head and walked out from behind the bar, leaving the women bonding over his possible demise. He’d check on some of the regulars because he was losing with the women tonight, except Ellie. His Ellie was coming with the boys.

He pulled out his phone and texted Crewe about the possibilities for breakfast because he wasn’t walking back by Ryanne and Sheila right now.

“Hey, Hennessy, come tell us why you’re wearing the pink shirt today. What did you bet on this time?” one of their regulars yelled from the other side of the bar.