Chapter 15

Fifteen

Kyleigh

"Have you talked to your dad?" Ruby asks, handing me a creamer.

When I showed up here this morning, Ruby surprised me with a container of cold brew she bought at the grocery store. Sure, she put it on the counter unopened and said it was on sale and that was the only reason she bought it. I smiled, opened it, and poured it into my beer mug filled with ice. Maybe she's more open to change than she thinks. Baby steps.

"No, but I need to. I haven't been to work in two weeks, and I assume if my mom had told him already, I would've heard something about it."

"You gotta rip off that Band-Aid." She pours herself a cup of hot coffee and sits on the stool on the other side of the bar.

"Any takers on the sale of this place?" I change the subject, not wanting to think about what might be happening between my parents right now.

This friendship I'm finding with Ruby is weird, since we only meet up before Rowan comes to get me after his morning workout. At first, I tried to play hard to get with him, but now I feel as if I spread my legs every time he's around. Not that there are any complaints on either of our parts.

"No. I'm starting to think maybe I jumped the gun. I think when the boys left to move in with their women, it was a knee-jerk reaction."

"Boys? Women?" She's never mentioned having children before.

"The Grizzlies. Before this group of clowns, some of the Chicago Grizzlie players lived here. Miles Cavanagh, Damon Siska, and Cooper Rice. Cooper actually owns the apartment part of the building, and I own the bar, but don't tell anyone that. Anyway, one by one, they all found love and wanted out of the bachelor pad. I didn't want to get to know another group of boys, but…"

"Tweetie won you over?" I ask, laughing before taking a sip of my coffee.

"Sadly, he has, but it's also your boy. Plus, Hensley and Bodhi are good people. I'm just tired. I don't have those legs like you do to run around this place all day anymore." She sits up straighter and sips her coffee.

"Why don't you just get some help? Someone to work for you?"

"It's hard to find someone reliable. I put up a sign once, and all I got were young girls like you who wanted to find their way into the boys' apartments. Plus, have you looked around this neighborhood? It's turned into a trendy area, and I'm not that type of person."

The bell rings for the back door, and I assume it's a delivery. Ruby goes to answer it, and I check out the bar. Back in college when I thought I was going to drop out, I worked at a bar for a while. I had so much fun, and it brought back my creative juices because I wasn't obsessing over school every day. Maybe…no. I have some money from my grandfather's trust I just got on my birthday. It's not much, but enough to start over somewhere. But this place is right under Rowan's condo. How weird would that be when this thing is over? I'd still be an owner and have to see him coming and going with other women. No thanks.

I hear Ruby bossing the delivery guy around out back, telling him to wheel it into the storage room. She comes back and opens the register, taking out a check.

The check reminds me that I have my own rent to pay. Sure, I have a paycheck coming from my mom, but I don't think I can ever work for her again. Shit, am I really considering buying a bar?

I would never want to leave Ruby in a lurch if this thing with Rowan goes south, but right now, things are going strong.

"These delivery people keep getting lazier and lazier. Then again, I'm sure if you were out there, he would've taken it all the way to Timbuktu if you wanted him to. It sucks getting old and losing your looks." Ruby sits back down.

"Ruby, he should be doing it because it's his job."

She huffs.

"Hey, um…since I'm unsure what I want to do with my life, how about maybe I buy your bar?" She opens her mouth, but I put up my hand. "I worked at a bar in college. Sure, I'm rusty, and I'd need a lot of your guidance on the day-to-day operations. Maybe we just kind of do a trial run?" She opens her mouth, but I continue on. "I can't do anything involving my actual skillset right now. It reminds me too much of my mom."

She stares at me for a long moment, and I'm ready for her to turn me down. "You want to buy the bar? And work here when you're not fucking Landry?"

"Well, that was uncalled for."

"I can't let you make a snap decision like that."

"Jeez." I sip my iced coffee.

"Think about it for a while. We could start off with me showing you what it's like to run a bar. Maybe you can help me update it a little? I'll pay you for your time. And if you're still interested after, we can talk about you buying it."

She's right. I probably should think about it longer than five minutes.

"All right, sounds like a plan."

She nods. "Good. In the meantime, you need to talk to your dad."

I frown. "I will."

"Today." She covers my hand with hers.

When I first met Ruby, I thought she was brash and somewhat cold, but she's been kind to me in a motherly way. Though I'm not sure why, I'm not going to dissect it. I really need someone like her—who's not invested in the outcome—on my side right now because I feel like I'm lost in the desert without water and no compass to tell me which way to go.

"Okay." I nod.

"Even if you don't tell him about your mom, he's probably worried about you."

I nod.

The door opens, and right on time, Rowan walks in wearing his shorts and T-shirt and carrying two iced coffees.

"Ha, I beat you to it today, Landry." Ruby grabs my mug with the cold brew and holds it up.

That slow easy laugh of his rings throughout the empty bar, and a shiver runs along my spine. "This is her favorite," he says, holding it out to me.

I accept it and put it on the bar next to the beer mug.

"Feeling a little competitive, are you?" she says.

"Ruby, I'm sure you're great, but I have something you don't."

She shakes her head and shoos us away. "Go. I don't want to hear it." She pretends to cover her ears.

I finish my cold brew before picking up the iced coffee Rowan brought me. "Thanks again, Ruby. I'll let you know."

"Take your time, sweetie."

We walk out of the bar and toward the security gate. Rowan enters the code, and once we're behind the gate, it's game on, our lips and hands all over one another. Seriously, the day we don't do it for each other has to be coming soon, right? But today isn't that day.

An hour later, Rowan is in the shower, and I'm lying alone in his bed. Ruby is right, I need to reach out to my dad. Like the chickenshit I am, I pull out my phone to text him.

Hey, Dad, how are you? Sorry I didn't get back to you. Saw that you called a couple times.

His response will tell me whether or not Mom told him.

Work. Work. Work. Have a big case right now.

I'm sorry you're working so much.

Mom told me you guys got into it and that she gave you an extended vacation. I wanted to check in.

My teeth mash together at her lie. It's one lie on top of the other with her.

Something like that. Don't work too hard.

Me? Never. (laughing face emoji)

I'm serious, Dad.

I'm good. Why don't you come for dinner on Sunday? Let's talk this out with your mom.

I think I still need some time.

Once this case is over, me and you and spaghetti?

Of course. 3

Hang in there. You know how she gets. Has a hard time seeing the promise in other people's ideas sometimes.

I nod and want to weep for my dad because she has a hard time seeing him, her husband, because she's blinded by another man.

Anyway, I know you're busy. I just wanted to check in.

Thanks Ky. Call me if you need me, but I'll reach out as soon as this case is wrapped up.

Love you.

Ah…love you.

"Who are you texting?"

My phone slips out of my grasp, and I reach to grab it, but it fumbles from one hand onto my lap. I look guilty as hell.

"Jealous?" What was meant to sound playful didn't, and now he's probably thinking I have something to hide. I do, just not what he thinks.

He gets into bed with me with a half smirk. "Was it another guy?"

"It was," I say, relieved he could tell I was joking.

"Who do I have to beat up?" He starts tickling me, and I squirm around on the mattress.

I laugh and try to catch my breath so I can speak. "Stop it. I'm super ticklish." I push him away and try to get out of his hold. I have a love/hate relationship with tickling.

"I can tell." He swings one leg over me and continues his assault. "Tell me who it was, and I'll stop."

He can't be serious. But he's not stopping, so I'm going to have to give in.

I laugh some more. "My dad," I say breathlessly.

He stops and stares at me. "No kinky weird shit?"

"What? Eww. No." I push at his chest, and he falls on top of me, taking my lips with his.

"Good because you're mine."

He draws back, and I'm not sure what the look on my face is. Surprise? Shock? Elation?

"You know, until we're bored with each other." He shrugs, playing it off.

"Totally." I try to do the same.

He lowers himself back down and kisses me again. I wish I could get those two words out of my head—you're mine. But they keep ringing out again and again, taunting me to deny that this is starting to feel like something more.