Chapter 21

Twenty-One

Kyleigh

"Do Mom and Dad even know you're in Chicago?" I ask Conor at the fancy steak restaurant he wanted to go to tonight. I dodged Rowan by using Alara as an excuse again, but I plan to come clean as soon as Conor goes back to Florida to pack up his stuff before preseason training.

"No. Dad called me when he heard the news. Mom sent me a text, which tells me she must assume you've told me. When I get back for good, I think me and you should see Dad, tell him, and go from there. Let's let him finish out this case first."

I nod because I don't really want any part of it, but Conor's been my shoulder to cry on, and I can't make him do it by himself. "Okay."

He cuts his steak, and I sip my wine because I don't have much of an appetite.

"So, what's your plan? If you're not going to work with Mom again, are you starting your own bridal design business?"

I finish my wine while he cuts a precise piece off his steak and puts it in his mouth. As usual, I'm delaying because I don't want to hear his reaction.

"Well, I wasn't going to tell you, but you'll find out anyway. I might be buying a bar." I clench my teeth and smile, widening my eyes with an expression like can you believe it?

I've been thinking a lot about it the past few weeks like Ruby asked, and I told her a couple of days ago that I'm interested.

He chokes on his piece of steak. I look around in a panic for someone to give him the Heimlich, but he clears the piece of meat himself and grabs a sip of water to recover. "You what?"

He clearly doesn't think it's as exciting as me.

"I don't want to design clothes, let alone wedding gowns. Pretend like everyone is getting into some happy union when in reality it's probably doomed to fail. Owning a bar would be fun." I shrug.

Conor places his fork and knife down, eyes drilling into mine. "You're going to use what money? Grandfather's trust that you just got on your birthday? Instead of using the degree you worked your ass off to obtain?"

"I was a bartender in college that one summer, remember?"

His mouth opens, and he inhales slowly as if he's trying to gain the patience to deal with me. "You were a bartender. Not a bar owner. Ky, it's a little impulsive, no?"

I shrug again. I expected this reaction from Conor. I've never been an impulsive person—or maybe I have, but I always felt my mom pushing her thumb down and would never act on it.

"It's not impulsive. I've talked to the woman who owns the bar a lot about it. I think it's the kind of change I need."

"Who is this woman? She's probably trying to get rid of a place that's most likely pulling her down into debt. So now it will be your debt."

"It's not like that. She said we'll work together until I'm comfortable, and she wanted me to think about it. I did, and the more I do, the more I want the challenge."

He groans and shakes his head. "Don't throw your life away just because Mom did hers." He goes back to cutting his steak, and I watch his face grow redder the more he thinks about what I want to do.

"It's like a fresh start. I'll get to meet new people. Have regulars. I'm excited." And I am. Also a little scared, but I know Ruby will be by my side to show me the ropes before I officially purchase the bar.

"Come on, Ky, what are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking that I'm twenty-five. I'm thinking I'm an adult. I'm thinking that I'm able to make the decisions about what I want my future to look like."

Truly, the only downfall is that Peeper's Alley is right under Rowan's condo, but he won't be there forever. Eventually, he'll get traded or retire and move somewhere else. And I'm not making my life decisions based on Rowan. He's just a fling that's destined to end soon, so that would be stupid.

"You know how many bars and restaurants close every year? And those have experienced owners."

The waitress walks by, and I stop her, asking her for another glass of wine. Conor is driving me to keep drinking.

"How about you say, ‘That's cool, sis, I can't wait to check it out?' How about you have my back on this decision?"

He leans back, wipes his mouth with his crimson-colored linen napkin, and studies me as if he's waiting for me to back down. Not going to happen. I don't let my eyes leave his no matter how uncomfortable he's making it.

"I wish you would've run it by me first."

"As if I need your permission?" I'm growing more annoyed by the second.

"Not permission, but we could talk it out. Look at the logistics. I mean, I don't even know where it's located. Who is this woman? Have you looked at the financials?"

I cross my arms and lean back in my chair. "You don't have to know because you're not purchasing the bar. I am. It's my decision." I point at my chest.

"Why don't you just start your own boutique? Why would you go start something new? Something you know nothing about? I'm thinking about your future." He blows out a breath and picks up his scotch glass, shaking his head as though I'm some idiot.

"Because I never want to design clothes again. All my life, I've done what she wanted. Go to fashion school? Okay, Mom. Don't go to New York, come home and work with me, I'll mentor you. Okay, Mom. Oh, you don't want to own a car in Chicago, just use Uber and take the El. Okay, Mom." I give him a glimpse of what my entire life has been like with me going along with everything Mom wanted. "Don't date Caden Sperry. He's not your type."

Okay, she was right about Caden, but I'll never tell her or anyone else that.

Conor doesn't say anything because he can't. He's always had a free pass to do whatever he wants. He played hockey, dated who he wanted, picked the school he'd attend all on his own. Never with one opinion from my mom.

"Okay, I get it," he says. "But you did enjoy the fashion design if I remember correctly? And you did go to the school you wanted to?"

I nod and thank the waitress as she drops my wine off at the table. "I did, but I can't imagine sketching anything right now. Design and Mom go hand in hand for me."

The way she holds a piece of fabric while her other hand sketches that part of the dress to detail it perfectly? I do that now. My entire process is hers, not mine. Not the one I graduated with from KSU anyway.

He doesn't say anything for a few seconds. "Fine. When I get back, you can take me over there. I want to see it."

"Great. Thanks for seeing my side." I smile and sip my wine, my meal completely untouched.

"I didn't say I see your side. I just said I want to see it." He buries his face in his plate again, and I want to dump my wine over his head.

I don't really care what he thinks. I get that he's looking out for me, but I'm an adult now. Not the little sister he has to protect. I'll make that bar a success, just wait and see.

After dinner, Conor makes the excuse that he's going out with some guys, which I really hope isn't Rowan because I was hoping to sneak over to his place tonight. We say our goodbyes, and there's a clear divide between us. He doesn't agree with my decision, and I'm mad he's not supporting me. Problems to deal with when he returns from Florida for good.

He goes to the bathroom, and I pull out my phone, ready to call an Uber, but I text Rowan instead.

You home?

Three dots appear, and I wait, hoping he's not going to message me back saying he's going out.

I've been waiting…

My stomach explodes with the fireworks only he can set off.

Fifteen minutes.

Get ready to take off your panties as soon as you get here. I need to taste you as soon as you walk through the door.

I clench my thighs underneath the table.

I grab an Uber, and the fifteen-minute drive to his apartment feels like an hour, but once the car pulls up to the curb, I hop out.

He waits just outside the security gate, leaning along the wall and scrolling through his phone. He's in joggers, a sweatshirt, and barefoot with his slides on.

I walk up to him. "Excuse me, is this The Nest?"

His gaze lifts, and he pockets his phone, that smile that draws me in on his lips. "No, sorry."

"Oh shucks, I was looking for Tweetie Sorenson?"

His smile drops, he wraps his arm around my waist and pulls me toward him, nuzzling his face into my neck. "Sorry, he's out. You're stuck with me."

I draw back, but he doesn't release my waist. "I guess you'll have to do."

"I guess so." He turns and goes to press the key code into the security gate.

"Actually." I place my hand over his, and he turns to face me. "I want to show you something."

He tilts his head and studies me. I take his hand and guide him away from the gate, toward Peeper's Alley.

"Yeah, I'm not in the mood for Ruby. Can we just—" He stops when I pull out a key and insert it in the lock. "Leigh?"

Ruby gave me a key when I asked because the bar is closed tonight.

I turn the key and step inside.

"Magic!" Tweetie's voice sounds from behind us.

Rowan looks over his shoulder as a car pulls up along the curb, and my brother steps out of the building. The feeling of elation in my stomach is replaced by a lead balloon. I duck inside the building, trying to peek out through one of the windows.

"Why aren't you coming with us tonight?" I hear my brother ask.

"He's got regular pussy to attend to, that's why," Tweetie answers before Rowan can.

"I have plans, but I'll catch you next time," Rowan says.

"Let her come out with us and meet your new friend, Magic," Tweetie says.

"Give him a rest," I hear Henry, who must have joined them, say.

Rowan turns to me and ducks his head inside, frowning. I shoo at him in a gesture that says get rid of them.

"Next time," Rowan tells them.

"This better not be how it'll be when I move here!" Conor shouts, and I flip him off even though he can't see me.

"Don't call me from jail. I'm not picking your sorry asses up." Rowan walks inside, and I shut the door, flicking the lock.

Rowan stares at me for a beat. "You're acting weird."

"I just didn't want to be pulled into going out tonight." Another lie. I'm stacking them up like my mother now. I have to tell him tonight. I have to.

"Why do you have a key to the bar? How close have you and Ruby gotten?" He follows me as I walk over to the bar.

"What can I get you?" I grab a bottle and try to flip it, almost missing it, but I grip the handle right before it crashes to the floor.

"Leigh, what's going on?"

I pull out a glass for his vodka tonic. "I'm going to buy the bar."

His face looks a lot like Conor's did earlier, and my smile drops.

"You think I'm crazy?"

He shakes his head, seeming to recover. "No. I just didn't know it was something you wanted to do."

"I do." I search the bottles, finding the vodka.

"Okay. Ruby didn't pressure you though, right?" He sits on one of the stools.

"She actually made me think about it before she'd agree, but I really want to do it. I'm not going to buy it right away. She's going to let me train under her for a bit, and then we'll figure it out."

He smiles at me, blue eyes twinkling. "Awesome. Congratulations then."

"Really?"

He chuckles in that low, easy way I love. "Of course. I'm sure you'll do great."

My heart lifts that he so easily believes in me. That he thinks I can do this. "You're my first customer, so I'm going to make you your favorite drink."

I pick up the vodka and tip it to pour it into his glass, but his hand covers the rim, and I straighten the bottle, staring at him.

His gaze rises to meet mine, and he bites his bottom lip. "There's something I should probably tell you."

Shit. Has he been keeping secrets too?