Page 67 of Late to Love

Should I text her? I should.

I dump the empty glasses into the bin behind the bar and whip my phone out before I can overthink it.

Good morning, gorgeous.

She doesn’t respond, but I know that Sundays are the one day she lets herself sleep in. If it were any other Sunday, I’d have slept in with her, then I’d have woken her by worshipping her body with my mouth. I’d have left this chaos to Harrison.

Harrison, who I’m realizing has been quietly taking on more and more responsibility around here.

The kid himself appears in my periphery, standing and talking with a parent outside of one of the party rooms. He finishes with a nod and a business-like smile, then turns my way.

His smile fades as he nears me. “What did I do?”

“Nothing.”

“Then why are you looking at me like that?”

“Like what?”

“Like that.”

“I’m just looking.”

He squints. “Yeah, but you might be kind of…smiling? I don’t know. But you’re freaking me out, man. Is Darcy making younice?”

“How long have you been working here?”

His brow furrows. “Ten years. You know I started here when I was sixteen, right?”

I consider it. “Damn.”

He laughs. “I have a degree in business, Anthony.”

“Then what the fuck are you doing here?” I counter.

“Seriously? You need someone looking out for your grumpy ass. And who else is going to do all the shit around here that needs doing for the pittance you pay me?”

“You need a raise.”

He grins. “Of course I do. You should double my salary.”

I scoff. “Don’t get ahead of yourself.”

He leaves, and sure as shit, I spend the next few hours wondering what in the hell I’m actually doing. With myself. With Darcy. Hell, even Harrison.

Seems I’ve had my head stuck all the way up my ass for quite some time, but no one was bothering to say anything. Or maybe they were, and I just wasn’t hearing it. Either way, I need to fucking focus.

Harrison’s the easiest. The guy really does need a raise and title change, because he runs way more of this place than I’ve bothered to realize. It’s definitely not me talking to the parents, that’s for sure. Hell, I’m willing to bet that anyone who doesn’t live here probably thinks that Harrison is the owner. So, fine. Done. I make a note to pull him to the side and talk with him about it all soon. Today is insane.

Darcy. Darcy, Darcy, Darcy. Wiping the bar after a patron throws cash on it and runs after a kid, I still don’t quite know what to do.

I love her.

But is that enough? I truly don’t know. It should be, but…

Fuck.I don’t know. It’s frustrating.

“What’s got you looking so down in the dumps?”

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