I looked between them, my heart aching, wishing so badly that I was a part of their team, at the bar every day. But I refused to let my ego take anything away from them. They had built the most popular bar in Santa Monica from nothing, and were constantly featured in online reviews.
“I’m really proud of you guys too.”
“We couldn’t have done it without you,” Frank said with a small smile, and I shrugged off his praise. “I mean it. The drink names, the marketing . . . you’re a big part of our success, Nick.”
“He’s right,” Ryan added. “Neither of us could have done half the marketing you did. You’re responsible for the success of our launch, and keeping us relevant in those early days when we weren’t.”
“Thanks,” I said in almost a whisper.
His jaw still clenched, Frank said, “Back to the matter at hand, Nick, this is too far. Dating is one thing—”
“Still stupid.”
“Dating is one thing,” Frank continued, glaring at Ryan for interrupting, “but getting married is a whole different ball game. It’s crossing a line you can’t come back from.”
“Jess said the same thing,” I admitted.
“She knows?” Ryan perked up at the mention of her name.
“I called and told her before I drove over here.”
Ryan clapped me on the shoulder. “They’re both right, Nick. If you do this, when will it stop?”
“I don’t know,” I said with a slight shrug, feeling about a foot tall.
“Never. It will never stop. They’ll both own you, Mr. Crawford and Dad. Nothing in your life will be yours, Nick. Nothing.”
Frank spoke the words with such certainty and fury that I couldn’t help but wonder if he was projecting his own shit onto me. I knew he felt out of control when it came to his own life and decisions, making them for his girlfriend’s well-being instead of his own, but I let it slide. I was too caught up in everything I was currently losing, too overwhelmed with the state of my life and wondering when the hell I’d become such a fucking victim.
“I’m calling Dad,” Frank said before anyone could argue, and pulled out his cell phone.
My jaw dropped open slightly before I closed it, clenching my teeth as I waited for the hell this would bring.
“Hey, Dad,” Frank said, then pressed the speaker button.
The sound of our father’s voice filled the empty bar. “Hello, Frank. How’s the bar?”
I was shocked at how chipper Dad sounded. He never talked to me like that. When he spoke with me, his tone was always disappointed or demanding.
“The bar’s great. You’d know that if you ever came down here and saw it for yourself.” Frank tried to hide his own disappointment, but failed. I hadn’t realized that he was upset at our dad for that.
“You know how busy I am. I can’t take time off to come hang out at some bar, Frank. Jesus, I’d think as a successful business owner, you’d understand that,” my dad fired back.
I had to bite back a grin. There was the asshole I knew and hated to let down.
“Nick told us what’s going on. You’re basically pushing him to marry some girl?”
Dad growled, “Butt out, Frank. You don’t know anything.”
“So, tell me then. Why would you possibly do this to him?”
Frank wasn’t intimidated by our dad the way I was. He didn’t care if he pushed him too far, cornered him, or asked the hard questions. I never seemed to be able to do any of that shit.
“I’m doing what’s best for him. Nick wouldn’t know the right thing to do if it hit him in the face.”
Both Ryan and Frank’s eyes met mine in that instant, and I swallowed hard around the lump in my throat. Maybe now they’d understand how little our dad thought of me, how he treated me, and why I was a complete pussy when it came to defending myself.
A disgusted laugh escaped from deep within Frank’s throat. “You clearly don’t know your son at all. He’s one of the smartest and most talented people I’ve ever met. I’m pretty sure he could make a decision or two on his own, especially when it comes to who he should or shouldn’t marry.”