5. Jax
CHAPTER FIVE
JAX
Kiley’s words play on repeat in my head, as if they’re being forecasted in big red letters on a scrolling digital board. Save the bar, find another Irish bar to mooch off of… I can’t seem to make them stop and go away, and I have so many questions.
How much is their property tax that they can’t afford to keep the bar?
Why does she think I mooch off her dad?
The interaction earlier is bothersome, not to mention, distracts me from what my current purpose is at this nightclub that I’m sitting at: to find a new fuck buddy.
“Earth to Jax,” Harry waves his hand in front of my face and practically has to yell in order for me to hear above the loud, thumping dance music.
“What’s going on with you? You’ve had three beautiful ladies come up to us and you barely engaged with them.
” He looks down at our table and points to my drink.
“You also haven’t touched your drink. What gives? ”
I look down and he’s right; my water is empty, while the bourbon glass is full. “I’m sorry, man. I just heard something today that’s weighing on me. Did you hear that O’Shea’s might be closing?”
He gives me a doubtful look. “Seriously? That place always seems to be packed.”
“It’s not because of the lack of patrons. I guess their property taxes increased to a point they might not be able to stay open.”
“No shit?” He ponders this for a moment. “You know, I’ve heard this is happening in a lot of major cities.” Harry shakes his head. “That’s a shame. I hope they don’t close. O’Shea’s been an institution for Phoenix players to go to after games for years.”
I nod. “Try over thirty years.”
“Damn, I can’t believe it.” He narrows his eyes at me. “Are you sure you heard correctly? Who told you that information?”
“The owner’s daughter.”
“Kiley O’Shea talked to you?” he asks with a smirk. “She always looks like she wants to murder you.”
I snicker because it’s true. “Why do you think that is? I’m nothing but nice and respectful to her.”
“She sees you try to poke every female that comes into O’Shea’s, so in her eyes, you’re a disgusting pig.” He punches me in the arm and laughs.
I frown at him. “That’s not true.”
“Well, you’ve gotten better, I’ll give you that. You’re nothing like how you were after you and the person-we-shall-not-name broke up.”
I scowl at him and take a look around before asking, “You really think that’s the reason?”
He shrugs. “I don’t know; why don’t you ask her?”
“And risk getting my balls chopped off by just looking her way? No thanks.”
He laughs. “She sure is a beautiful spitfire. Makes you wonder if she’s spirited in bed too.” He wiggles his eyebrows with an evil twinkle in his eye.
“Cut that shit out,” I demand because I can’t think of Killian’s daughter like that, at least not anymore.
Kiley O’Shea is definitely a looker, but being Killian’s daughter makes her off-limits.
“Kiley accused me of mooching off her father. Do you think I do that?” The thought makes me sick to my stomach.
Killian has been like a father to me, especially when I was going through my breakup and having a hard time handling things.
I would get rip-roaring drunk at his bar during those days, and he would always make sure I got home safely and check in on me.
I credit him with helping me get back on my feet and not continuing down the dark path I was headed for.
So if people think I take advantage of his generosity, then I want to nip that in the bud right away.
“No way,” he answers, shaking his head. “First off, it’s not our fault we never get a bill for our drinks when we close our tabs.
Secondly, I know for a fact that at least you, me and Bishop are always leaving tips that are way over twenty percent of any bill we would ever receive.
Probably closer to fifty percent. Now, I’m not sure if all the guys are doing that, but I know at least the veterans are.
Wouldn’t be surprised if some of the rookies are stiffing them. ”
“Hmm,” I didn’t even think about the new guys not knowing what protocol is and possibly taking advantage of the free drinks. “We need to bring that up at the next team dinner then.” I make a mental note to talk to our captain, Hayes Bishop, about it.
“Definitely. Did you ask Killian about the bar closing?”
“Yes, and he danced around the question. Told me not to worry and that everything is fine.”
“Sounds like Killian.”
“I wonder what we can do to help them generate more revenue.” My mind starts thinking of ideas like maybe doing an autograph signing there during an off day. I can gather a bunch of the guys to do that.
“You could always become a minority investor,” Harry suggests, and I contemplate that for a second.
“What kind of ROI would you get being a minority investor in a bar?”
“A shitty one.”
I chuckle. “Yeah, that’s what I thought.”
“Look at it this way: if the bar is losing money and if you’re a passive investor, then it can be a write off against other passive investments. So it might be a win-win situation.”
I look at him in bewilderment. “Well, color me impressed over here. When did you grow a brain this summer?”
He laughs. “Fuck you, asshole. I pay attention when my accountant talks to me. Got to make sure we aren’t broke after this hockey life is done.”
I pick up my glass of bourbon and clink it against his drink.
“Amen to that.” I take a sip and grimace.
It’s been a couple of months since I’ve had hard liquor, and it just doesn’t even taste good anymore.
How the heck did I used to drink this stuff like it was water?
Just goes to show you how powerful your mind can be when things aren’t going well.
Mental health needs to be taken seriously, and I have Killian and my family to thank for helping me with mine.
I feel helping save O’Shea’s would be an opportunity to give back to him—a way to show my thanks and appreciation for all that he has done for me personally and what he does for the players when we visit his bar. Now I just need to figure out how.
“Speaking about O’Shea’s, can we get out of here and go there? I can’t even think because of my brain pulsing to this music,” Harry requests, and I laugh because the music is pretty awful right now.
“I’m with you. I’m not feeling this scene either. Let’s get out of here.” I’m secretly happy that Harry wants to leave to go to O’Shea’s. This gives me a chance to speak to Kiley again and hopefully set things right and ease her mind that I’m not taking advantage of her dad.
But when we arrive at O’Shea’s, Kiley is nowhere to be found. According to Colby, she sometimes leaves early during her weekday shifts due to her having to be up for her day job as a teacher.
“Kiley’s a teacher?” I’m surprised to hear this.
I try to remember if Killian has ever told me, and I realize he hasn’t.
Come to think about it, Killian hasn’t revealed much about his family.
The only thing I know is Killian is Irish, met his American wife in Ireland, followed her here, opened this bar, and they have two kids who work here. That’s it.
“Yeah, she’s a third-grade teacher at the International School of Chicago.” Colby seems distracted with pouring drinks, so I decide to see what other kind of information I can get out of him.
“Does she work here just to help her dad?”
“That and she claims she doesn’t get paid much on her teacher’s salary, despite it being a private school.” He hands two drinks off to the waiting server and starts on another drink order. “I honestly don’t know how she does it, being a single mom and all.”
My jaw goes slack. Hearing that Kiley is a single mom is another bomb that Colby casually drops. Killian has never mentioned being a grandfather. Why is that?
“How old is Kiley’s kid?” I question. Colby looks up at me and is about to answer but then stops. He must’ve noticed my surprised expression.
“Oh shit, you didn’t know?” When I shake my head, he throws his towel down. “Crap, I shouldn’t have said anything. Kiley is very private about her son.”
“I won’t say anything, I promise.” I pause for a second. “How old is he?”
“Nope, not doing it, Jax.” He presses his lips together. “I’m done talking to you about Kiley.” He walks away to help other customers at the other end of the bar.
“Damn it,” I mumble and turn around to look for Harry. I find him sitting against the wall watching a baseball game on one of the big screens.
“Did you know Kiley was a single mom?” I ask when I take a seat on the barstool next to him.
“No shit?” he looks at me in surprise. “Where did you hear this?”
I nod in the direction of the bar. “Colby just spilled the beans, although I don’t think he was supposed to. Kiley likes to keep her private life private.”
“Can’t say I blame her. Damn, you’re just spilling all the O’Shea tea tonight, aren’t you?” He glances down at his watch. “Listen, I think I’m going to head out. We have training camp tomorrow, and you know our asses will be handed to us if we show up wrecked.”
I look around the bar and don’t see any reason for me to stay. I’m no longer in the mood to sit here and woo new prospects. My mind is reeling with all the new information I’ve found out about the O’Shea’s, and I rather go home to process it and get a good night’s sleep.
“I hear you. I’ll head out with you.”
“You sure? Thought you were scouting?” He gives me a knowing smirk and I laugh.
“I was, but you’re right; tomorrow’s a big day. Besides, I wouldn’t be surprised if the boys want to come out tomorrow.” O’Shea’s is where we can be ourselves, and we definitely prefer it over any other place to hang out, especially after a game.
We walk back over to the bar, and I give Gina, one of the servers, a hundred-dollar bill. Her eyes light up and she thanks me. I look around to say goodbye to Killian, but we can’t find him, so we leave without saying goodbye.
With tomorrow being the first day of training camp, it’s time to officially lock in and focus. I’m here in Chicago for one thing and one thing only: hockey. My focus needs to be on hockey, my kid and nothing else.