Chapter Forty-Six
Olivia
Adjusting Jace’s morning hadn’t been too difficult since Sutton already had a large block of time on his calendar for their planned meeting.
Once I was done, I drummed my fingers on the desk, anxious energy pumping through my body.
I got up and poured myself a cup of coffee from the Keurig pot which Jace claimed had solved our issues, then sat back down and tried to focus on my inbox.
They’d gone into Jace’s office and closed the door, and I hadn’t heard anything since.
Which probably meant she wasn’t yelling at him. That’s a good sign, right?
Of all Jace’s family members, Sutton was the one who I knew the least well.
Adrian was a regular presence at Harrison’s Bar and Pub while I worked there, clearly very invested in his businesses and his employees.
I’d known Sloane and Lavi for a while due to my friendship with Jace, and now that we were dating they felt like a second set of parents.
They weren’t in-laws I’d have to pretend to like someday, they were supportive and genuine and kind.
It was no wonder that Jace had turned out the way he had with them for parents, and I was glad they’d embraced Kaylee as a grandchild already.
Given how close Jace’s family was and how Leo had turned out to be such a great guy too, I had to imagine Sutton was a good person who was going to be supportive of Jace.
Still, she’d looked mighty pissed when she saw us and she had this company to think about.
Jace had told me she never wanted to run the company, but, even still, it was her family legacy and Jace getting caught up in a scandal would likely be something she was worried about.
Is that what we are? A scandal? Because three of us love each other and chose to commit our lives to each other? Or because I took a job to be there for my daughter when I knew I was in love with my boss? Our situation is so much more than meets the eye and we don’t deserve this.
I was spinning out. I refocused on my inbox and found a new email from Martin at the top of the screen.
Good morning, Olivia,
You’ll no doubt have heard by now, given your relationship with Mr. Cohen, that I have scheduled an emergency board meeting for this Friday.
I’ve taken the liberty of getting this on everybody’s calendar and I trust that you’ll ensure Jace is present.
The meeting will take place in New York at nine a.m.
I do hope you aren’t too shaken up by the situation.
Best,
Martin
What a fucking prick. I forwarded the email to Jace and Sutton and huffed out a breath before picking up my phone to call Kayden. I’d make travel arrangements for Jace when he told me to, not because this asshole requested it.
“Hey, beautiful,” Kayden answered cheerily.
“Are you free for coffee?” I asked, heart pounding, hoping he was done with his meeting.
“Yeah, I can make it work. The AA coffee sucked. Is Jace coming? I thought he was meeting with Sutton,” he said.
“He is,” I said, biting my bottom lip. “Kayden, I think Martin is trying to sabotage him. Jace and Sutton are talking about it now, but I can’t just sit out here and wonder if he’s going to lose everything.”
“Okay, I’ll pick you up and get you out of there. When we get back, I’m sure Jace will explain everything. He knows how to handle himself.”
I swallowed my uncertainty. “I’ll meet you downstairs in twenty minutes.”
Kayden agreed and I sent Jace a quick message as I grabbed my stuff and bolted for the elevator.
Me: I’m getting coffee with Kayden. I’m too nervous to wait out here alone. Just call us when you’re done, please.
Me: I love you.
The elevator doors closed in front of me and I sank against the bar on the back wall, wondering how much being together was going to cost each of us and how we were going to build up a resilience to that.
I stared at my phone, waiting for Jace to reply like he always did.
By the time Kayden pulled up to the curb, I still hadn’t heard anything.
I tucked the phone in my purse and climbed into Kayden’s car, letting his hug remind me that we were worth fighting for.
Kayden held the door of Ackerson’s open for me and I waved at Kelly, the manager, who stood on the other side of the bar. “Hey, Olivia,” she said. “How are you?”
“I’m good,” I said, approaching the bar. Kayden slipped his arm around my waist.
She looked at him curiously before slipping into customer-service mode. “What can I get you two?”
“How early do you start serving the wine and alcohol?” I asked.
Kayden snorted and shook his head.
“Law says I can serve you after eight a.m.,” Kelly said, setting two napkins in front of us as Kayden and I sat down at the bar.
“Perfect. This is my boyfriend, Kayden, and he’ll have something sweet and non-alcoholic. I’ll take an espresso martini.”
Kelly tucked her blonde hair behind her ears. “How’s that new job going? Going to guess not well if you’re in here drinking before lunch.”
I groaned. “The job is fine.” I watched with interest as she made my drink. No one ever ordered drinks like this at Harrison’s.
She slid the dark brown martini across the bar, complete with three coffee beans on top of a light foam.
It was adorable. I wanted to make drinks like this.
“Well, I’m glad you’re happy there, but it’s too bad.
I just gave my notice to Adrian yesterday morning and when I did, he said, ‘You really don’t want to stay until Liv’s ready to come back? ’”
I laughed and shook my head. “He did not.”
“Yes, he absolutely did.” She chuckled and looked at Kayden. “Something more specific than her generic order for you?”
“Peppermint mocha latte, please. Oat milk.” He put a hand on my knee and squeezed. “And I believe you. All I’ve heard from Jace’s moms are how much Adrian and Jackson miss having Liv around.”
Six months before I left Harrison’s, Adrian had started company-wide monthly meetings where the staff from all three restaurants got together at Harrison’s and shared information and sometimes recipes—usually Jackson’s for the Cohen Club—and the waitstaff and bartenders got to know each other.
Sometimes we taught each other new drinks.
He’d planned to have some staff cross-trained between the restaurants to enhance scheduling flexibility for them and us, so we all knew each other well.
I had no reason to think Kelly would lie to me, but the fact that Adrian was waiting for me seemed far-fetched.
“Oh, you know Jace too?” Kelly asked as she got to work on his latte. I noted all the equipment she used, wondering how long it would take me to learn the ins and outs of making coffee.
If only Jace heard that, he’d probably laugh his head off.
“Yes, he’s our boyfriend,” Kayden said.
Kelly turned to pass Kayden his latte and narrowed her eyes at us. “The two of you are in a relationship with Jace? Together?”
“Yes,” I said, taking a sip of my martini to hide my face from her inevitable judgment.
Kelly laughed heartily and I felt my stomach sink. “Well, holy shit. Good for both of you.”
My surprise at her reaction must have shown.
“I’m sorry.” She covered her mouth. “I’m just impressed. That man is hot as fuck, and I spent years hoping he’d notice me the way he noticed you.”
“Really?” I asked.
“Yes.” She laughed and leaned on the bar. “That man had heart eyes for you. Boy, was I jealous. Not anymore though.” She smiled. “That’s why I gave my notice. My new girlfriend is moving to Chicago and I’m going with her.”
“Congratulations,” I said.
“Thank you! And congratulations to you too.” She tipped her head at Kayden. “Jace and this guy? You’re a lucky fucking lady, Liv.”
I squeezed Kayden’s hand and smiled at her. “Yeah, I really am.”
“I work day shifts. Early mornings and I’m out by two o’clock,” Kelly said as she turned toward the register where a new customer was approaching. “Call Adrian.”
Kayden turned to me as she took the customer’s order. “Would you be interested in working here?”
I pursed my lips and sipped my drink again. “I mean, it would be perfect. I only took the job with Jace to hold me over until I found the thing I wanted.”
“And is this the thing?” he asked.
I nodded. “Maybe. It feels like a whole new challenge, and I’d be doing what I really love.”
“We’ll figure out mornings, Olivia. Jace and I can do drop-off, and you can do pick-up. We’ll make it work if this is what you want.”
I sighed. “You mean, a job I like, time with my daughter, and the two of you to love me day and night? Feels like too much to hope for.”
Kayden stood and pulled me off the barstool. He kissed my head. “Not at all. That’s exactly what he and I have, and we want to give you the world too, beautiful. You’re not doing this alone anymore. Just think about it.”
I slid my unfinished drink and some cash across the bar and thanked Kelly as we made our way to the door.
We needed to figure out what Jace was going to do about Martin, and then I’d talk to Jace and Adrian.
I took one last glance behind the bar at Kelly and felt a wave of certainty wash over me.
I’d miss working with Jace, but I could already see myself spending my days here, before picking up Kaylee and going home to my men.