32. Nolan

CHAPTER 32

Nolan

“ K nock, knock.”

I lift my head as Jimmy saunters into my office. His blue T-shirt is stretched tight across his paunchy belly. The wide smile on his face makes his brown eyes sparkle and his wrinkles even more pronounced. He’s like the favorite grandpa who sneaks you sweets and has no filter. To say he’s one of my favorite people would be an understatement.

I jump from my chair to meet him on the other side of my desk. “What are you doing here? Did I forget we were supposed to meet?”

“Oh, no, kiddo. One of my buddies is having a birthday party for his gold digger of a third wife, and it was made very apparent that if I wasn’t there, I would get shanked. By what, I have no idea. It’s not like the old bastard can even move that fast.” Jimmy wheezes out a laugh. He sits down in one of my visitor chairs, and I sit down in the other one.

I shake my head at his cheek. “You’re something else. How old is she?”

“Who the fuck knows? Old enough to know better, young enough to still believe she’ll get a penny when he kicks the bucket.” He shrugs, and I can’t hold back my laughter any longer.

“You’re too much, Jim. I swear. I’m glad you came to see me, though. I’ve got some paperwork to run by you.”

He waves his hand through the air. “You know I trust you with all of that.”

“I can’t help it. You’re still the one who signs the checks.”

“See, now that’s what I wanted to talk to you about.”

A rock sinks into the pit of my stomach.

“I’m too old to keep getting on a plane to come back here. In all honesty, kid, you’re the only reason I do.” He grunts. “I have a couple of friends about two fucks away from dying. When they kick it, there won’t be any need for me to come home. If you took the helm, I know without a doubt my legacy would be in good hands. You could implement all the great ideas you have that I don’t have the energy to deal with, and Lord fucking knows you could make this place more successful than I ever could. Hell, you already have. Imagine what you could do if you had free rein.”

“I already have free rein.” My argument is weak, and when Jimmy gives me a look, I know he thinks the same.

“I understand it makes you nervous, son. I get it. Managing and owning are two very different things, but I believe in you. I wouldn’t have put you in this position if I didn’t think you could do it. Fuck, you’re already doing most of what owners would do anyway.”

“I don’t want to let you down.” My confession sits heavily between us.

Jimmy puts his hand on my shoulder. “The only way you’d disappoint me is if you turned the place into a strip joint. Not that I don’t love a good show; I just don’t think this is the right place for that. You could always open a second location. Call it O’Malleys After Dark. Oh, fuck, I like that. No, you can’t have it anymore. I want to open one in Florida.”

“You’re fucking ridiculous, you know that?” I chuckle. “ I’m pretty sure opening a new business would do the opposite of helping you retire.”

Jimmy hums. “You might be right. Fine, you can open a second O’Malleys, but only if I get invited to opening night.”

I shake my head. “I’m not opening a second location, regardless of its purpose.”

“Fair, fair. Look, it’s time to put your big boy panties on and own up to your talent. I’ll draw up the paperwork to give us a starting point. We can work out payment schedules and whatnot another time, but for now, you’re buying this place from me, and I’m not taking no for an answer.”

Grinning, I squeeze Jimmy’s arm. “I’m going to miss you, you know? It won’t be the same without you here.”

“No, it won’t. It’ll be better.”

Opening the front door, I put my keys on the side table and take off my boots. There’s something about seeing my big shoes next to Katie’s black flats and Cody’s tennis shoes that gives me a sense of coming home—as if my boots were always supposed to be there.

“Hello? Anyone home?” I call out, heading straight for the kitchen. I grab a beer from the fridge and go in search of my family. I’m not sure when I started thinking about them like that, but since Cody’s birthday party a few weeks ago, I’ve spent more time here than at my apartment. We’ve gotten into a solid routine of having breakfast together before Katie and Cody go to school. I’ve been going into the bar after they leave and am usually home soon after they get back. I also promoted Amanda to part-time manager, so once she’s trained, I won’t have to close the bar as often as I have been.

When I don’t find them in the rec room or upstairs, I head out to the backyard, where they’re lying on a blanket with Cash. They’re both reading books, looking as content as can be. I step back inside the house to grab the second book in the series that Katie got me hooked on. I haven’t had a chance to start it yet, and right now couldn’t be a better time.

Katie notices me when I walk out the second time. Her smile is radiant, making my heart trip. I lean down to kiss her hello.

“Mind if I join you?” I ask when I pull away.

“Not at all,” Katie says.

“Unless you didn’t bring a book. This is a reading party,” Cody adds, not taking his eyes off the page.

“Then it’s a good thing I snagged this.” I hold up the book in my hand as I sit down. Katie adjusts her body to lay her head on my lap. When Cody moves to put his head on Katie’s belly, I grin at them. Then all three of us start laughing when Cash moves to lie on Cody. We’ve formed a human chain, and I couldn’t be happier.

Every anxious thought I had before getting home slides away as the silence surrounds us. I dive into my book, the story picking up immediately where it left off. Before I know it, my ass is numb, and Katie and Cody are both asleep.

I slide my fingers through Katie’s hair, massaging her scalp to wake her up. She groans, waking up my dick in ways that are not appropriate in front of Cody. “That feels so good.” Her voice is raspy with sleep, which is not helping me in the slightest.

“You’ll never sleep tonight if we stay out here any longer.”

Katie pouts.

“I promise to rub your head later.” I wink. Her brown eyes heat with lust. Fucking hell, that is not helpful. I have to look away and think about non-sexy things to keep my body in check.

“Come on, baby. Time to wake up and get ready for dinner.” Katie starts to run her fingers through Cody’s hair. “Nolan said he’d grill some burgers for us. ”

That makes him sit up fast. “Yes! Can we have cheesy fries, too?”

“Fine with me if your mom is good with it.”

“Sounds good.”

The three of us head inside, Cash following along at Cody’s heels. We work together to get dinner made, our movements in sync as if we’ve been doing this for months. When I first had dinner with Katie and Cody, I never imagined getting to join in on their connection this fast. I wanted to. There’s no doubt about that, but I never dreamed I’d be here only a few months after starting to date Katie.

We sit down at the table, our plates filled with food. Katie and Cody tell me all about their days at school. Spring break is coming up soon, and I’m thinking it could be fun to take them to the beach. There’s one a few hours away that would be perfect. I’ll have to get something planned with Katie. Maybe we could surprise Cody.

“Jimmy came in to see me today,” I blurt out.

“Jimmy?” Katie cocks her head.

“He’s the owner of O’Malley’s. He lives in Florida full time but comes in periodically to check on things.”

“Got it. Did you know he was coming?”

I smirk at the memory of why he’s here. “No, I had no clue. He offered to sell the bar to me.”

Katie’s mouth drops open. “Seriously? That’s amazing, Nolan. Are you going to buy it from him?”

“I don’t know. He’s mentioned it before, but he’s serious this time. He’s more motivated to sell now because he’s ready to retire.”

“Why wouldn’t you buy it? You’re already running it as it is. If you take the finances part out of the equation, I don’t see why you couldn’t.”

Her immediate belief in me is astounding. There was no question in her voice, no hesitation or worry. I didn’t know I needed that kind of support until she gave it to me. “The money part is a little nerve-wracking, but Jimmy told me we could work out a payment plan that will work for me. I’ve been saving for a while now, so I’m pretty sure I’ll have the funds.”

“Then it sounds like you have no reason to say no.” Katie grins at me. “This is amazing, Nolan.”

“It’s not crazy? It feels insane. I mean, me, the flighty screw-up, would own a bar?”

Katie’s shoulders soften. “Maybe, at one time in your life, you were a flighty screw-up, as you put it—sounds doubtful to me, and I’m sure your family would agree—but that’s not who you are now, Nolan. You’re the best man I know.”

“Same,” Cody says. “Even though it’s scary, it doesn’t mean you’ll be bad at it. You won’t know unless you do it.”

I shake my head at Cody. “You are way too smart for your own good. Did you know that?”

He shrugs. “Yeah, I know. I can’t help having a big brain.”

All three of us bust out laughing at that. I swear, I never knew life could be quite this colorful. I always thought I lived life to the fullest, but after spending time with these two, I know I was missing more than I ever realized. I’ll do whatever it takes to keep them in my life. From now on, they’re the only thing that matters.