Chapter Thirty-Two #2
“You have more than a decade’s worth of experience, which is more than I had when I took over.
You worked your way up and you’ve never complained once.
You’ve mopped floors and cleaned toilets and you’re right; your theme nights do go down a treat.
You know every one of our regulars. You know every drink on our menu.
You push me to go further and stand your ground when I push back.
There’s a reason this place was left standing when all the others closed.
When my dad owned it, it was nothing but a couple of grumpy men drinking the same sad pints every night.
Now, it’s a place to be proud of. It’s a place for everyone and the only reason it’s not a pile of bricks is because you showed everyone how much you love it.
And for all of those reasons and a dozen more, I’d like you to be my partner in it. ”
Voices sound on the other side of the door, laughing and joking with each other, but they barely register as I stare at the man before me, the man who’s been my boss for the past ten years.
Who’s been my teacher and my friend and as close to family as you can get without being related. Who’s just offered me my dream job.
“Holy freaking shit, Adam.”
Thankfully, he’s spent enough time around me to know what I mean. “Is that a yes?”
“ Yes . I don’t know what to say. I…and just to confirm, this comes with more money?”
“It comes with more money.”
“And can we get business cards?”
“No.”
“Can we take a photo for the bar?”
“Sure.”
“And can we—”
“Knock, knock.”
I spin around as the door opens and Gemma sticks her head inside. “I’m taking Noah to football,” she says, before her gaze lands on me. “What’s up with you, little Miss Smiley Face?”
“I think I just bought a pub,” I say, and she smirks, not looking even a little bit surprised. “You knew ?” I ask.
“He told me the other day. Congratulations.”
I glance between them, annoyed. “So that’s how it’s going to be? You two talking about us behind our backs and swapping secrets?”
“We’ve been doing that for years,” she says dryly, before turning to Adam. “I’ll stop by later?”
He nods, painfully casually, and she leaves without another word.
“Don’t,” Adam says, when I twist back to him with a knowing smile.
“Don’t what?”
“We’re taking things slow. And we’re keeping it quiet.”
“But that’s not fun for me.”
“We’ve got to think about Noah.”
“Oh, please, Noah’s looked up to you since he moved here.”
Adam’s expression wipes clean even as the tips of his ears turn pink. I take pity on the man, too happy for him to tease him and too scared that he’ll renege on his offer if I piss him off too much.
“I’d better get back to work,” I say. “At the pub I own.”
“Co-own. I’ll get my solicitor to draw up some…Okay, we can hug.”
He doesn’t really have a choice, seeing as how I’ve lurched forward and wrapped my arms around him already. Callum was onto something here. I mean, sure it’s a more awkward angle than he had with Jack, but Adam and I make the best of it.
“What’s this for?” he asks, when I hold on to him a little longer than is probably professionally appropriate.
“For being like a dad to me,” I tell him, my voice muffled in his shoulder. “For letting me do my homework here because I didn’t want to be alone. For giving me a job even when you didn’t have to. For looking after me my whole life.”
“What was I supposed to do, lock you outside? You were very persistent as a nine-year-old. And you’re very persistent now. I’ve always admired that.”
I give him one last squeeze and sit back, wiping my eyes.
“No,” he says immediately. “No crying in the office. You’ve got to leave now.”
“I’m going to look up karaoke machines,” I tell him, and leave before he can say otherwise.
The lounge is quiet, with everyone outside enjoying the sun. But it’s not empty. Callum stands alone at the bar, drumming his fingers against the wood and waiting for me. My heart squeezes a little at the mere sight of him, even as he raises a brow and makes a show of checking his watch.
“Service is terrible around here.”
I smirk, slipping into my usual spot behind the counter. “Sorry about that, sir. What can I get you?”
“I’ll try one of those cocktails I keep hearing so much about.”
I drop all pretense of being cool. “Really?” The word comes out like an excited squeak, and he grins. Oh my God. Finally . “What do you want?”
“Something that makes me look cool.”
“ Or something with strawberry lemonade and edible glitter.”
“Or that,” he says seriously, and I fly around getting what I need. It takes around five minutes, but Callum waits patiently as I mix everything together before presenting him with a tall, colorful drink that honestly looks amazing, if I say so myself.
It’s ruined only slightly by me shoving a Christmas napkin under it, but we really do need to use them up. “It’s on the house.”
“No, it’s not,” Adam yells from the back room. “Not with how much those ingredients cost me.”
That reminds me. “Hey,” I call back to him. “If I’m half in charge now, does that mean I get to put my drinks on the menu?”
“If your boyfriend keeps buying them, it does,” he says, and swings the door shut in a clear Adam signal of I have work to do .
“Did you say half in charge?” Callum asks. “I’m guessing your talk went well then.”
“You could say that,” I tell him. “You’re looking at the new co-owner of Kelly’s. Either he thinks I’ll be an excellent business partner, or he’s secretly saddling me with a load of debt.”
“That does sound like the kind of thing he’d do,” he says, leaning over the bar to kiss me. “Congratulations.”
“Thank you. Do that again.”
He does. Only this time, when he pulls back, I’m ready, grabbing the front of his shirt and holding him to me, tasting the sugar on his lips.
“Guys?”
And promptly letting him go again.
I huff as I break away, settling back on my side of the bar as Nush barges into the pub, dangling something from her fingers.
“I think someone dropped their keys down the well?”