Asa. Jay Crownover
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“Brite sold me this bar for a hundred bucks. I thought he was crazy.” I agreed. “I didn’t get it at the time, but I do get it now. It wasn’t about the bar or about giving me something to do, it was about taking something beaten, something that had adapted and survived, and breathing new life into it. Did you know that even with the expense of adding Dixie and Avett to the payroll, we still turned a profit last year? And not just a few bucks; an actual, decent-sized profit.”
We were busier and busier and the crowd was getting more and more diverse. The live music helped and so did the fact that Rome’s friends and family were gorgeous and liked to hang out here. The Bar was hip now, so I really wasn’t surprised.
“That’s good news.”
“Yes, it is, and it has a shit ton to do with you, Asa. You work your ass off. You’re here more hours than is healthy. You take care of the staff. You take care of the customers, no matter who they might be, and goddamn, you’re good behind that bar. People fucking love you.”
That’s because I spent most of my life tricking people into thinking I was lovable when the opposite was true.
He dropped his arms and got to his feet and walked around the desk so he could perch on the corner closest to me. It was a small space and Rome was an intimidating guy, but there was a gleam in his gaze that was all about excitement and expectation.
“I want you to hire some more staff. I want Dixie to have help on the floor and I want you to hire a full-time day bartender that’s good with the military guys and a night guy to give you a break.”
“I don’t know that a break is the best thing for me. You know what they say about idle hands.”
I lifted both my eyebrows up at him as he scowled down at me from where he was most definitely looming.
“This bar gave both of us a crutch to lean on when we were trying to figure out what we were doing with our lives. It’s helped us both out by keeping us busy and given us something to focus on. You more so than me because I had my Half-Pint and the baby to worry about. I think it’s also offered me the insight into what happens next.” He looked at me to see if I was still with him and I was. I couldn’t disagree that the Bar was a safe haven when I was trying to leave behind a life and turn into something, someone, more respectable. “There are a lot of businesses that could use a little revitalization, a second chance, if you will. The gym I go to is falling apart. It needs some new equipment, some new blood, to bring it into this century. I like that the place feels like an old gym from the 1930s or something, but it needs some help. I want to invest in it.”
I blinked in surprise and just stared at him. He cocked the eyebrow with the scar in it at me and kept going.
“Nash has a buddy with a garage. He does killer restoration projects but is pretty small-time. I’ve seen his work and met the guy a few times. I think I want to funnel some cash into his enterprise as well.”
I hissed out a whistle between my teeth. “Man, you weren’t kidding about a decent profit, were you, Boss?”
Rome grunted at me. “I also want to help Nash and Rule out if they do decide to expand and open a third shop somewhere. What I don’t want to do is sit on my ass anymore and wait on whatever it is that’s going to happen next to find me. I’m buying a house. I’m having another kid, and when all that’s said and done I’m marrying the most perfect girl in the world.”
I didn’t really think “perfect” and “Cora” went together in the same sentence, but to him she was absolutely the perfect choice and there was something to be said for feeling that way about the mother of your kids.
“Those are all good plans, Rome, and I gotta say I’m a little shocked you decided that being an entrepreneur and investor was your calling, but I can get behind you wanting to help out struggling businesses. That’s pretty noble of you.”
He gave me a hard look. “Second chances matter. You and I both know that.”
“They do.” I worked hard every day to make sure my second chance wasn’t wasted. I owed myself and the people that loved me at least that much.
“I want you to consider being my business partner. You do a good job here—fuck, a great job. You’re way better with people than I’ll ever be and I think you’re the only other person that can understand why I want to invest in the businesses I do.”
Well, shit. That was unexpected.
I scooted forward on the chair a little and raised my hand to rub vigorously at the back of my neck. Old shame and bitter regret surged to the surface and I had to try really hard to fight it back down.
“I don’t have that kind of money floating around, big guy.”
He paid me a fair salary and my cost of living was practically nil, but when you died on an operating table and they brought you back to life, it cost a fortune. With no insurance, that meant every extra cent I had went back to paying the medical bills that were astronomical. Ayden and Jet had offered to help, but as soon I settled into my job at the Bar, I refused to let them. It was the first time in my life I was actually owning up to the consequences of my actions.
His mouth quirked and he pushed off the desk so that he was on his feet. “So give me a hundred bucks. It’ll be the best money you ever spent.”
I swore at him and got to my feet. I still had to look up at him, but he seemed less imposing now that I wasn’t sitting down.
“Look, I appreciate the offer and I would jump at the chance, but I can’t, and I can’t let you give me a free pass like that.”
He opened his mouth to argue with me but I cut him off by putting a hand on his massive shoulder and shaking my head.
“I’ve always taken any shortcut I could find. When I didn’t get shit handed to me, I took it because I thought I was entitled to it. I can’t do that with you. Not after everything you’ve done for me, Rome. If I ever get in a place where I can legitimately buy my way into a partnership with you, and the offer is still there I’ll jump on board. Until then, you just let me know if you need help with anything. I can be your go-to guy.”
“You’ve been that since the first day you started work here.”
I cleared my throat as heavy gratitude pressed in on me from all directions. “Thanks for trusting me enough to even consider getting into some kind of business with me.”
He grunted and we both left the office. “You’ve never given me a reason not to trust you. I know there was ugly shit before, but that doesn’t have anything to do with now. I’ve had to learn to leave the past where it belongs or it really fucks up the good stuff happening in the here and now.”
We were both pretty solemn as we walked back into the front of the Bar. Brite was gone and Dixie was standing behind the bar watching Dash, who insisted we all just call him Church like Rome did, as he walked around straightening tables. Rome gave the cocktail waitress a one-armed hug and stuck his head in the kitchen to let Darcy know he was leaving. He also gave Church a fist bump as the other dark-skinned ex-military man walked up to the bar and then looked at me with lifted eyebrows as he turned to go. “Lemme know if you change your mind, Opie.”
“Will do.” The nickname was ridiculous. I was so far from being the innocent southern kid in overalls at the water hole it was laughable, but a drunk kid had once lobbed the name as an insult, and not surprisingly it stuck.
Since it was a Saturday night I ran through what we were looking at business-wise for the night and told both Dixie and Church that Rome wanted to look for some more staff. I told them if they had any recommendations to send them my way and then went into the kitchen to make sure Avett had at least showed up for her shift. She was standing by the big walk-in cooler and Darcy was in front of her.
The older woman had her daughter’s chin in her hand and was screaming at her, “I know goddamn well you did not trip and fall and give yourself that black eye, Avett.”
Avett’s