The Bartender's Daughter

by Isabelle Flynn

  Jake shook his head, “No.”

  Once he entered the number she gave him into his phone, he looked back at her. “Why are you selling? I thought you and Lee were staying there.”

  She couldn’t share Michelle’s private business with him and she searched for an answer that would satisfy Jake. “Money. I can use my share for the renovations and anything else the bar will need.”

  He looked back down to his phone. “I’m going to call your sister and get the ball rolling.”

  He turned around and walked away from her, leaving her to think about Lee. Why couldn’t she have gone back to the cottage and waited for him to come home? There was something to be said for happy ignorance. Maybe he would have found another time to introduce her to his mother. She would have met her under better circumstances, avoided seeing her self-satisfied grin as she gazed upon Lee and Melissa’s kiss.

  She gave herself a little shake and walked back into the bar, the sound of Jake’s quiet voice on the phone behind her.

  Lee looked up, his eyes locked on hers, and she struggled to get a breath of air. He kept her captive, unable to break the contact. She needed this man more than anything else. Why couldn’t she just let it all be?

  Finally he turned back to one of their newer bartenders who had been trying to get his attention. She took a breath and then another, a fruitless attempt to get her body’s reaction to him under control.

  She stumbled back into the kitchen and Maria’s domain. She knew the older woman would keep her occupied and her mind away from what was happening in the dining room.

  ****

  Lee had been keeping watch on the kitchen door, waiting for Sam’s return, but that didn’t keep him from noticing when Jake walked through the front door and gestured to Joanna. She nodded her head once, put down the bottles she’d been carrying to the back and turned to follow him outside. If seeing them together wasn’t enough of a sign that something was up, a look at Joanna’s shifty eyes would have sent him after them anyway.

  He blinked in the sunlight and swiveled around before he found them at the corner of the building under two tall trees.

  “Did you tell her I was interested?”

  Jake shook his head. “I only mentioned a special client. I’ve called her sister and she’s willing to wait until I have an offer. Are you sure you want to do this?”

  “Do what?” Lee stepped into the shade as both heads swung his way.

  Jake opened his mouth but Joanna spoke first. “None of your business. Jake’s helping me with something private.”

  Jake’s lips flattened but he stayed quiet.

  “Joanna, come on. He’s the last person you would go to for help right now. What is the deal?”

  “I’m picking out a wedding present for you.”

  He laughed. “Right. Now that my marriage is over, you’re getting us a present.”

  “It doesn’t have to be over. You have to fight for her. You have to fight for what you want.”

  He looked at Jake who was trying to fade into the tree behind him, just as uncomfortable with hearing about Lee’s personal issues as he was in having them discussed. “It’s not that easy. She’s ready to give up because I didn’t introduce her to our mother. Think about that Joanna. What do you think would have happened if I peeled Melissa off of me and told her I was married to Sam?”

  “She would have been mortified. She’d wonder how you could possibly embarrass her like that.”

  “Exactly.”

  “So what’s more important to you? Your mother’s reaction or your wife’s?”

  He took in a breath. Of course, it came down to that, didn’t it? Sam had never asked for acceptance. She’d been too willing to swallow the fact she would never quite belong in his family. It was always about the introduction itself, the moment he acknowledged her as his wife.

  And he had screwed it up.

  “She’s done. Nothing I can do now is going to change what happened last night.”

  “It might not change it but you can still fix it. You’ll think of something.”

  He fisted his hands. “You must be pretty confident in that if you’re buying me a wedding gift.”

  She smiled at him, an indulgent little sister grin. “I’m not buying anything. I’m helping you to buy your wife a wedding gift.”

  “What are you talking about?” He looked to Jake who clearly was now enjoying the conversation.

  Joanna dropped her hands off her hips. “Sam’s cottage.”

  “She’s selling the cottage?” His chest tightened. It would be her first step to leaving. The cottage meant a lot to her. If she could get rid of it so quickly, the bar would be next.

  “To hear Sam tell it, she needs the money to help pay for the renovations here. I think there’s more to it.” Jake straightened and pushed off the tree.

  “What do you mean?”

  “She didn’t know anything about the offer they’ve already had. Michelle is taking the lead on it. I’m guessing she was the one to push for the sale.”

  Joanna’s voice was soft when she added. “You know how she is. She would never ask you for the money, but we both know she loves that place.”

  She also hated when he offered to use his money to help with anything. No, she wouldn’t want him to buy the cottage. She’d sell it to spite herself before she would ever ask anything monetary of him. “So you were going to buy it for me to give Sam?”

  “No, I’m just laying the groundwork for you while you get your head out of your—”

  Jake put up a hand before Joanna could continue. He sighed. “I’m not good at this cloak and dagger stuff. What do you want me to do, Lee? I’m meeting with Michelle in about an hour. Do you want me to put in an offer or not?”

  He didn’t think about it. “Yes. Whatever she wants.”

  Joanna clapped. “Nice.”

  “Should I tell her that you’re the one buying it? I had originally referred to my client as a woman.”

  He walked a few paces. Michelle owed him. After screwing things up between him and Sam, she had to help him fix it this time around. “No, I’ve changed my mind. I want you out of it. I’ll deal with Michelle. Just start drawing up the paperwork so that it can all be ready for tomorrow.”

  His sister did a little hip shake. “What can I do?”

  “Keep an eye on Sam. I’ll meet with her sister and then I’m going to need your help with something else.”

  He put order to the chaos working its way through his mind. He could do this. He could give Sam everything she wanted and show her there was never any doubt where his pride lay. With her. Always.

  Once Jake had left and Joanna had walked back into the bar, he pulled out his phone and called Michelle’s salon.

  She answered on the first ring. “Michelle Styles.”

  “Michelle, it’s Lee. Do you have time to talk?”

  He heard a tapping in the background before she answered, “Five minutes until my next client. What’s up?”

  “I want to buy the cottage.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  For the last three hours, she had been by Lee’s side as they finished up the last minute details. It was torture. Every little brush of his arm against hers, the way their bodies seemed magnetized to be near each other. She fought the need inside of her with every bit of strength she had. Love wasn’t something she would accept in pieces. It was either all or nothing.

  Tired and her attention split between Lee and the bar, focus was impossible. She had to remember that tomorrow would make or break the bar. That her father’s business might actually fail if she didn’t stay on her toes and make sure everything was covered.

  Somewhere in between organizing a last-minute delivery from their beer distributor and a pep talk with their employees, she’d forgotten she wasn’t supposed to smile at Lee. In this, they were on the same team and for that she was extremely grateful. Every once in a while, she’d imagine going to him, kissing his soft lips, and letting it all go.
She didn’t need to be a part of that side of his life. Did she? Then she remembered the possessive look on Melissa’s face, the way her arm wrapped around his waist. There was more to it than not having a relationship with her in-laws. It was about not being a secret and an embarrassment. She had to know he cherished her, loved her above everything else.

  They left the bar at eleven. She would have stayed the night if Joanna and Lee hadn’t strong-armed her out of there. She had asked Joanna for a ride, but Lee grabbed her luggage and threw it in the back of the Jeep as Joanna drove off in her little convertible.

  She kept her gaze from settling on Lee and looked over the outside of Ray’s. They still needed a new parking lot, and windows across the front would make it look more like a restaurant than the bar it once was. The whitewashed cedar shingles and the new sign would do for now. If all went well, they might be able to do more renovations in the spring before tourist season kicked up again. Her heart stuttered. Would she even be here next year? She wasn’t sure if she had the strength to make it through the next twenty-four hours, her heart breaking with every thought of Lee. Seeing him, being around him seemed impossible. He interrupted her thoughts. “We’ve done everything we can, Sam. It’s going to be okay.” She felt him move, the heat of his hand just above hers before it moved away.

  She released the breath she’d been holding and sighed. “I hope so.” One last look at the bar and she was ready to look at him. For now, she needed to focus on the business; their relationship would have to wait. “How long before we know if we’ve made the right decision?”

  “I think we’ll know by tomorrow night. I don’t doubt that Ray’s Seafood Shack is going to be a success, but it all depends on how you define success.”

  “I want it to survive, Lee. I want my dad’s name on the sign. I want to know that my choices would make him proud.”

  “You already did that Sam, just by being you.” He turned the ignition and drove her to her sister’s house without another word.

  She bit her lip the entire ride to Michelle’s, waiting for Lee to restart his campaign to get her back to his house. He didn’t. She was relieved. At least, that’s what she told herself when he pulled up to Michelle’s front door and her stomach tightened.

  “Will you have a ride tomorrow or should I come pick you up?”

  “Michelle will drop me off.” She reached for the door handle and pulled until the light above flashed on. “Thank you for everything. I wouldn’t have been able to manage any of it without you. I don’t just mean the money. You have talent. I’m glad you set your eyes on the bar.”

  “You would have managed to find a way without me, Sam. It was always your dad’s plan for you to run the business. I think he knew you’d be good at it.” He paused. “Get some sleep. I’ll see you in the morning.”

  She nodded and stepped out of the car. The trunk popped up and Lee pulled her bag out before she could grab it. They walked side by side up the small path to the front door. Her body longed to be closer to his, to let his touch heal the throbbing pain in her heart. One soft kiss, one lingering touch and maybe she could forget the hurt. She leaned in, her body out of her control when Lee’s eyes focused on her lips. She held her breath, her eyes slowly slipped down.

  He clasped her upper arm but instead of pulling her to him, he squeezed it and stepped away. “Good night. Don’t worry about tomorrow. It’ll be fine. Really.”

  She watched him walk back to the Jeep. He drove off as soon as Michelle opened the door.

  ****

  He crashed at three in the morning but returned to the bar at nine after a stop for breakfast at his mother’s. The conversation went about as well as he could have expected. The women in his family did not do disappointment well. Joanna had hung by his side, advocating and speaking up when things had begun to go south.

  He still wasn’t sure if they were going to help or hinder his plans for the night but it didn’t matter. He’d done what Sam had wanted him to do all along. He explained that his relationship with Melissa had been for their benefit only and then told them about the wife they’d yet to really meet. He didn’t leave anything out, not the impetuous marriage, the separation of two years, or his recent flub at Janice’s anniversary party. When they continued to express their displeasure at another of his stubborn actions, he decided it was time to go.

  He made it back in time for an interview with a reporter doing a small piece for the local newspaper. Sam had the reporter sitting comfortably at a small table in the back. Lee knew Rob, had developed a great relationship with him over the past two years as he covered his other businesses. That didn’t stop him from wanting to grab the back of his neck when Rob’s focus moved to Sam’s chest as she laughed over something he said.

  “Rob.” He grabbed the seat beside Sam and extended his hand out to the reporter.

  “Good to see you, Lee. I was just getting to know your business partner.”

  Sam gave him a small smile and looked back at Rob. “We were talking about my dad. Apparently he conned Rob into a four a.m. fishing trip. I don’t think even the fish are up at that time.”

  “He did like his early mornings. We have a delivery scheduled in half an hour so let’s get started.”

  Rob stiffened at his tone but got the less than subtle hint and pulled out his notebook. “I can see the differences already. You’ve really transformed the look of the place. Tell me about the Seafood Shack part of the business.”

  From there they focused on the changes and new additions to the business. Rob was professional, Sam enthusiastic, and he went on autopilot, keeping as much of the attention on Sam and the ways they melded her father’s business with her goals.

  It went smoothly until the interview came to a close and Rob pulled out his business card. He circled his cell number on the bottom and slipped it over the table to Sam. “If you’re interested in some fishing, let me know. We don’t have to be awake at four. In fact, I’d be up for a late night out on the water.” He winked, gave Lee a small nod, and walked off.

  Sam pushed the chair back and stood before pocketing the card. “That went well.”

  “You didn’t have to flirt with him. It’s just a little fluff piece in the paper.”

  “I did not flirt with him.”

  “Did you introduce yourself as Sam Pierce or Sam Stone?”

  “Neither and what does it matter to you? The last I knew, you were just fine with the business partner description.” She spun on her heel and stormed off.

  That wasn’t a good start to the day and it didn’t get much better from there. Sam kept her distance, only talking to him when there was no other alternative. They opened their doors for lunch at half past eleven. Within twenty minutes, they were slammed and customers were waiting outside for tables.

  Joanna and the rest of the bartenders and wait staff were keeping things moving along. There were a few stumbling blocks though and Sam jumped in to help relieve some of the pressure behind the bar while he helped with the communication between the kitchen and the dining room. Expediting meant he had a critical role in keeping the kitchen and front of the house working together smoothly but it also meant he didn’t have a view of the entrance. He stepped out of the kitchen whenever a free moment occurred and looked around. Each perusal spiked his anticipation.

  His mother and sisters were still not there. On his last look, Michelle had set herself up on a stool at the end of the bar. He recognized the purchase and sales agreement in front of her and noticed the look on Sam’s face. She had been all smiles, except for that one little slip. The corners of her mouth turned in as she chewed on her bottom lip. He watched as she took a pen from Michelle, slid the papers around and began reading. Her eyes only flitted over the wording before she signed.

  He hated her sadness, hated the look of resignation and defeat on her face as she signed away her father’s cottage. He had done everything to make the first step go as quickly as possible. He wanted her to spend as little time without
the cottage as possible. Drawing it out over weeks wasn’t an option.

  She hadn’t even noticed the buyer or if she had, she hadn’t picked up on the name of his company. He was called back into service moments later and didn’t find another opportunity to check on Sam until a slight lull after the lunch crowd petered out.

  He found her wiping down tables. “It’s been better than I expected.”

  She turned her head toward him and he felt some of the tension leave him at her smile. “It has. There was like this buzz as people walked in. They love the changes, Lee. They really do.” She dropped the rag and reached up to hug him. He kept his arms by his sides. He wanted to grab her and pull her closer, but he wouldn’t until she agreed to never leave him again. Instead he stood there until she released him.

  He searched for something to say when she frowned at him and went back to wiping the table.

  “Jake mentioned you were selling the cottage.”

  She jerked her head up to look at him. “I already signed the papers. Michelle brought them earlier.” Her voice had gone soft, but she kept emotion out of it.

  He reached for her hand but stopped himself. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  She shrugged. “It wouldn’t have mattered. Michelle had made up her mind and, with everything going on, I didn’t really want to talk about it.” Sam grabbed her cleaning supplies and headed back toward the bar.

  His eyes followed hers until light filtering through the open front door caught his attention. His mother and two sisters walked through the door, their eyes roaming across the dining room until they settled on Sam. Her eyes widened before she spun on her heel and headed to the kitchen.

  He turned back to see Melissa slip in behind his sister.

  ****

  What were they doing here? She caught herself trying to get a reflection in the stainless steel shelves and shook off the nerves.

  They were here to support Lee. Of course, they would come to make sure his newest venture was a success. She tried to laugh it all off but the sight of Melissa had her stomach in knots again.