Page 67 of Undone, Love Times Three

“You know what you want and you’re not afraid to turn away from what you don’t. Try and tell me this isn’t about Daniel. That you came home for three days and left the bar in the hands of those kids.”

“They’re hardly kids,” I snort.

“Don’t lie and tell me you haven’t been on the phone every couple of hours checking on them.”

“Shut up.”

He laughs out loud. “I’ll never admit this in front of anyone, but I look up to you.”

“What?” I half laugh but he’s serious. I turn away from him and tell him to watch the road.

“You made me see that Molly-Mae was treating me like shit and I deserved better. You taught me not to settle.”

“She was a bitch,” I mutter. His ex was a leech. She sucked the life out of my cousin.

“And you were the only one who told me. You knew it would hurt, and I might react badly to you, but you did it anyway. Because you’re not scared to speak your mind when it comes to the people you care about. Including yourself. So, what the fuck is going on with Daniel? You never bring anyone home.

“Shit, all this girl talk, I might need to stop off and get some tampons before we get to the bar,” he groans. “But shit, Del, you looked happy. Happier than I’ve seen you in years. If anything, the fact you’re running away and hiding says a hell of a lot about how you feel about him.”

“Yeah, lets go get you some tampons and how about a pretty bow for your hair too?”

“Make sure it’s purple, it matches my eyes.”

“You’re not funny.”

“I’m hilarious,” he grins. “We got a little over fifteen minutes before we arrive and you damn well are gonna have fun. Now tell me what happened before there are any witnesses.”

When I get done telling him, we’re pulling up at the back of the bar. Jay doesn’t speak while he’s reversing the truck into the alley. When he stops it, the air from the brake’s echoes around us. I purposely don’t look at him.

He grabs my knee, gives it a squeeze and then gets out of the truck.

“Wait? That’s it? No words of advice. No telling me good riddance, or I’m being stupid.”

Jay looks up at me and winks, then slams the door. He’s an ass. At the rear of the truck, he has pulled it open and lowered the ramp.

“Go get Jacob and Curtis to help me out. You need to get the bar ready.”

Screw him. I don’t want to know what he thinks anyway.

My staff and a lot of our family are already here. The guys go out back to help Jay bring in the new IPA and I get to work helping with the decorations. We’re not closed to the public, but it’s already almost half full just with family here.

A couple of hours later, I lean against the wall behind the bar, surveying what is going on. I can’t hide the smile. This is perfect. Family and friends, all celebrating the little man beating the giant one who tried to take us down.

Regulars and new faces alike are trying the new beer and loving it. It’s already trending on social media which I shouldn’t be surprised about, but always am. And proud of what our family have achieved.

Uncle Harvey started this tiny bar over twenty years ago and look at it now. We’re having to turn people away.

“Surveying your kingdom?”

My eyes roll so hard. Brie laughs and settles herself beside me.

“You should be proud.”

“I am.”

“We missed you here the last few days.”

“We had work to do getting the new beer ready.”

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