Page 18 of Single Girl in the City
“I’m being serious. What would make your life easier?”
“The perfect bartender and a night manager to fill my job openings.”
“I’ll take it.” Her sister elbowed her, adding a grim shake of her head. Calling her out on being stupid. Because Dotti knew her secret.
“Sorry, Angel, the job requires more than a ten-speed. Now, how about I add a burger to that order. On the house.”
Owen turned to log the order into the computer and Dotti leaned in and whispered, “Owen?TheOwen? Have you told him?”
“Can you keep it down?”
“I’ll take that as a no,” Dotti said. “He deserves to know.”
Abi looked at Owen, who was done logging in her order and now helping a group of jersey-wearing guys. “I’m getting to it.”
“How long are you going to keep this up?”
Wasn’t that the question of the hour. “Until I figure out how to make his life easier.”
Chapter Six
Happy Things:
Family … sometimes
Owen might come off as a badass but when it came down to it, he was the biggest mama’s boy of the family and his brothers knew it—and gave him shit for it. Not that he had a defense. His mom was the most important person in his life—had been since the day his father died.
After the funeral he returned home immediately, leaving behind an equal partnership in a tattoo shop back in Austin. With Josh off at law school and Owen the next eldest, he was left to shoulder a lot of the responsibilities, including his mom’s happiness.
Nearly a decade later and she was still working through the loss of her husband. Although lately he got the feeling it was more the loneliness that got to her, and that’s where Owen and his brothers took turns filling in some of the gaps. Sometimes it was a partner for her ballroom dance lessons or movie night, and on Wednesdays they had brunch, then there were always Sunday night dinners.
Which brought him to today, their weekly brunch followed by a few rounds of dominoes before Owen headed to work. With a bag of fresh chocolate croissants in hand, he let himself in and headed straight for the kitchen, which was an open concept with a massive table—a Christmas gift from the brothers and big enough to seat the entire Easton clan, with wives and grandkids included. There were a few empty spots to accommodate the ever-growing family—including the recently vacant spot where Rhett’s ex-wife used to sit.
“Mom?” he called out.
“On the patio.”
Owen walked out onto the back patio where Margo liked to serve tea and gossip with her friends. But when Owen got there, he came to a hard stop.
In all the years since his dad, Benji, passed, Margo had never dated. Never even entertained the idea. Suddenly that had changed, and Owen didn’t know how he felt about it. Just like he didn’t know how he felt about walking in on his mom and her new “friend” Eddie, sitting on the patio at such an early hour sipping tea and eating chocolate croissants.
He knew about Eddie. All his brothers did. Eddie was a rideshare driver who’d fashioned himself into Margo’s personal chauffeur. But according to the PI they’d hired to make sure Eddie was being a gentleman, their relationship hadn’t progressed much pastDriving Miss Daisy.
Clearly, based on his mom’s body language, they’d engaged in a hell of a lot more than long drives through the park. Oh, they were both dressed in breakfast appropriate clothing, looking pressed and fresh, but Owen got the distinct impression that there’d been some smooching going on.
While he’d never be able to put that image in a delete folder, he was happy for his mom. She’d been in mourning for over a decade and Eddie was the first man who’d come along and made her smile.
“Well, don’t stand there,” Margo said. “Come and give your mother a hug.”
Owen did as told, shooting Eddie a death glare over his mom’s shoulder. To his surprise, Eddie just glared back—an impressive feat since Owen was twice Eddie’s height and weight. But the older man didn’t seem to be intimidated—which made Owen think the guy had the balls to last.
“I didn’t know I needed to bring any extra,” Owen said, holding up the bag, still not sure what to do. Sit? Stay? Leave them alone?
Hell no. He sat between them.
“I didn’t forget breakfast. I called Eddie for a ride to my Ladies of Portland meeting, and he stopped by early to surprise me with my favorite.”
Owen looked down at the table to find two chocolate croissants. “I should have called.”
