I walk in and see a familiar sight. Lewis tending the bar and Sasha waiting tables. Only thing missing is Joey back in the office crunching numbers.
“Hey stranger.” Lewis shoots me a smile. “What brings your sassy ass out on a Friday night?”
I take a seat at the end of the bar hating that Joey won’t be joining me. I shrug my shoulders and look around the room, I helped him create this space. The artwork on the walls, we shopped for it together. This was his baby, our dream together.
“Can I ask you something?”
Lewis holds up a finger and finishes up with the drink order he is filling. He winks at me while getting his flirt on with the girl ordering the drinks. She has no shot in hell, but she doesn’t know that and Lewis needs the tips. After swiping and returning her card he motions to one of the girls to watch the bar. Then he grabs us both a beer, comes around the bar, and grabs the stool next to mine. “What’s on your mind?”
“Did you know Joey left everything to me?” I watch out of the corner of my eye for his reaction. Lewis had made no secret of wanting to be a partner. He has offered to buy out Nate’s share several times being he has never even seen the place. Well, not in person.
Sputtering, he spits out his drink. I pat him on the back as eh gets choked. “Sorry,” he croaks.
I shrug and offer him a weak smile. “That was my reaction too.”
“You know I adore you, but damn I wasn’t expecting that.”
“Me either.” I sigh, leaning my head on his shoulder.
I finish my beer and head upstairs to clean up my mess and possibly my life.
I feel like I am floating. Coasting from one moment to the next.
The next day Natalie knocks on my door. Part of me doesn’t want to let her in, but I hate the divide that has been pushing us apart since the day Joey passed. It’s simply been hard to look at her and not want to blame her for fighting with him. The logical part of me knows she had no control of the chain of reactions that were set in motion. She’s my best friend and I miss her.
“Hey,” she sighs as I open the door.
“Hi.” I offer a weak smile in return.
Following me to the kitchen quietly, she then takes up a stool.
“Coffee?”
“Sure. Thanks.” Things are awkward and stiff between us an
d I hate that this is where we are.
“So, yesterday was quite the shock, huh?” There is no need in dancing around the elephant in the room. I am sure the reading of the Will is what brought her over.
“Yeah. Listen, Audrey. I know you’ve been upset with me. But you’ve got to know that what happened was a freak accident.”
I know she is right. Joey shouldn’t have been walking across that street, but he was distracted by their fight. “Nattie, why didn’t you want your brother to marry me?” I need her to be honest with me.
She goes quiet for a minute before answering, tucking her hair behind her ear. I pour us both a cup of coffee, needing something to keep me from saying or doing something I can’t take back.
“It wasn’t that I didn’t approve. You know I adore you and I loved you and Joe together. I just wasn’t sure if you were ready for that step. I was out of line. I’m so sorry for that. If I could go back and change that day I would in a heartbeat. You have to know I’d do anything to bring my brother back.”
I nod and take a sip from my cup of caffeinated goodness.
“About the business. We had never really discussed the future or anything like that, so it came as a shock to all of us that Joe left everything to you. Of course, it will be a few months before everything clears. I talked Ma out of contesting Joe JR’s wishes. For now, things will continue as they did before.”
“I’m cool with that.”
“So…are we good? Are we okay?”
“We’re good. I do need your help with something.”
“Sure. Whatever you need. Name it.”