I knew that wasn’t the way I should talk to her, but she could be so frustrating. Maybe this wasn’t the best idea. I stood up and started to the door. Halfway there, I paused and turned back around to look at her.
“And just so you know, there’s nothing wrong with being a bartender. It might just be slinging drinks to you, but it’s an honest day’s work for my brothers and me. I know your daddy well enough to know that’s what he’s taught you all along,” I said, shaking my head. “I never should have bothered coming out here.”
“Wait,” Ava said as my hand hit the handle of the door. I turned around to look at her. “You’re right. I wasn’t trying to insult your family. It’s a job, and that’s what I need right now. There’s no need for anything in the past to affect us right now. I’ll give it a chance.”
“Good,” I said. “Thank you.”
“Do you want me to call Tyler and tell him?” she asked.
I shook my head. “No, I’ll let him know. Take a couple days and do whatever you need to do to get settled, then come in for your first day this weekend.”
Ava nodded her agreement, and I left without furthering the conversation. We’d found some form of level ground. I wasn’t going to tempt it. As I made my way back to the bar, my phone rang. I assumed it was Tyler checking in on my mission. Instead, I saw Tom’s name across the screen.
“Hey, big brother,” I answered. “How’s the glamorous life in California?”
I hadn’t meant it to come out quite as bitter as it did, but he either didn’t notice or didn’t care.
“Things are fine with me. How about you? How is everybody?” he asked.
Tom was very careful about asking about our parents. He danced around it, never actually asking about them by name.
But I knew what he was really asking. That was his way. Mentioning them would mean he was worried about them. And being worried about them would mean there was something to worry about. If he just asked about everybody in general, he wasn’t technically acknowledging how serious things were. It made him feel better, but I also felt like it gave him an out. Because he wasn’t acknowledging how serious things were here, he didn’t realize the impact his absence made on all of us.
“We ended up hiring somebody for the bar,” I said. “We’re in a really weird position right now. The crowds aren’t big, but it’s too busy for just us to handle everything. So, we needed to hire somebody so that we can work on building up the business without totally exhausting ourselves.”
“I know you guys are working really hard,” he said. “As soon as I can get away for a little bit, I’ll come visit and help out some, too. Luckily, Jordan will be out soon, and he’ll be able to hop in and work.”
“And until then, Ava will help us hold down the fort,” I said.
I couldn’t think of a better transition, and that seemed to take a few seconds to settle in.
“Ava?” Tom finally asked. “Like, Ava?”
“That would be the one,” I said. “She applied for the job, and we decided to give it to her.”
“I thought she moved to Michigan or something,” Tom said.
“She did. But her father was in an accident recently, and she came back to town to help. That’s how she ended up applying for the job. She didn’t even know we owned the bar.”
“And I’m guessing it was a blind hiring process and you didn’t know it was her until the very end, huh?” Tom asked.
“She was the only one even close to being qualified,” I said. “Trust me, it would not be my choice. But it’s not just about the bartending position. She’ll be able to help us run the bar and find ways to increase business too.”
“Just keep it in your pants. She sounds like she could be good for the place, and we need that. We need a win for The Hollow so I’m not losing money on it and it can actually keep the family going,” Tom said.
“I know,” I agreed. “I promise not to do anything to compromise that.”
I didn’t say it, but what I was really promising was not to make her take off again.7Ava“Good morning!” Stephanie called out as she walked into the apartment. “Happy first day of work.”
I laughed and shook my head at myself in the mirror. “It’s a bartending job at the bar my ex-boyfriend owns.”
“So? It’s still a new start. It’s something exciting,” she said, coming to the bathroom door and leaning around to look in the mirror with me. Her expression crunched, and her head tilted to the side. “What are you doing?”